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Canadian soccer needs a serious revolution


Luis_Rancagua

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Guys, you all have known me for nearly 14 or perhaps 15 years on this forum. I've now come to the end of this bull $hit with the CSA. What Canada needs is a serious revolution for change. One way to start is by dissolving the CSA and its operatives, and start by scratch. This could be done unless the Federal government gets involved.

Let's rename the association by a new name such "THE CANADIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION" (CFA). Hey!!! This is what Australia did over 6 years ago with a serious mandate for change. Case in point, the Aussies rename their federation FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA, and got rid-off the old bureaucratic name that it once held THE AUSTRALIAN SOCCER FEDERATION. From there, the Aussies moved toward changing the whole professional structure in Australia, and even expanding their pro-league from an 8-team structure to a 10 by next year. And perhaps 12 by 2010. Wow!!! That's success to me my friends.

The reason why I'm doing this is because I've had it up to here with this mediocrity performance that MNT displays in every world cup campaign. Other than that, hiring Dale Mitchell as coach and the non-hiring of Fred Nykamp as CEO of the CSA was a very strong signal to the fans that the CSA has now coverted itself into a corrupt organization. These mobsters don't get the message. It's time to throw them out...

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  • 1 month later...
quote:Originally posted by Luis_Rancagua

We have to start the revolution now by conducting protest over the Internet. Let our voices be heard...

Protest over the internet? Our voices will not be heard over the internet. We need to do something drastic, I have no clue what, but it has to be in person and there has to be a riot. After the game in Edmonton I think the Candians should charge the pitch, throw flares and absolutely go nuts. Also create a huge banner that says F-CK the CSA and burn it into shambles right in front of Dale Mitchell

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^

I agree with Michael. An online protest won't achieve much. Indeed any protest is unlikely to achieve much unless it is sustained (long term) and garners widespread attention (media). If you look at the awareness of, let alone actual interest in, the activities of the CSA, I'm not really sure you can do this. They have a structure that seems to have little if any accountability. They seem to answer only to themselves and if they don't care after everything that has happened why would they care about a protest the media wouldn't report and the government/people wouldn't know about?

As far as starting a Canadian Football Association how would this work? There is already a FIFA/CONCACAF recognised national association that is almost a century old. You can't just start up a rogue outfit. Unless the soccer mums and dads take action in the provincial associations the only thing I can see working is massive protest, which leads to politicians getting involved and media embarrassment for the CSA board. And how that comes about given our particular situation I do not know.

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Quickest change -

Will come if the players walk & speak out in the media w/ the help of the supporters. I'm sure many of us know players so the challenge is getting them to act as a group & he them build some sort of protection ie an association so the CSA can't touch them.

Slowest change -

Is what we are doing now & waiting on Youth Districts & Clubs & Seniors to change the powers of the PSO so the CSA can be changed.

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You're right about the players. If they were all wearing "Sack the CSA" t-shirts under their jerseys tomorrow night that would sure send a message. Actually that's not a bad idea.

The thing that strikes me is that the people at the CSA will not step down unless there is a more compelling reason to go than to stay. And in their case I think that reason can only be intense and prolonged humiliation. I work in the film business (and not just any film business but the absolutely ridiculous Canadian film business) and I've seen a lot of buffoons in positions of authority and, especially when they had a structure without accountability protecting them, it was almost impossible to get rid of them. The pressure to make someone leave had to be very strong.

So that seems to be the only way. The only major newspaper in Nova Scotia for example didn't even report the match against Honduras. As important as this is to us it doesn't even register with most Canadian soccer fans let alone the general public. When I go to play soccer tonight I bet if I asked everyone there if they knew about the result less than 5% would. Possibly not even close to that many. So the challenge is to get this issue much better known, to actually embarrass the CSA and put pressure on them from the government etc. and how do you do that when the general population is unaware? Frankly, some kind of cheap publicity stunt. Something that makes them pick it up not just on Sports Centre but the "regular" news AND spark debate. If you're with the CSA and you never have to be cornered on tough questions in the public eye (and they haven't so far) you're probably not so good at it are you? Anyway that's what I think, make it news then there's at least a chance.

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You're right about the players. If they were all wearing "Sack the CSA" t-shirts under their jerseys tomorrow night that would sure send a message. Actually that's not a bad idea.

The thing that strikes me is that the people at the CSA will not step down unless there is a more compelling reason to go than to stay. And in their case I think that reason can only be intense and prolonged humiliation. I work in the film business (and not just any film business but the absolutely ridiculous Canadian film business) and I've seen a lot of buffoons in positions of authority and, especially when they had a structure without accountability protecting them, it was almost impossible to get rid of them. The pressure to make someone leave had to be very strong.

So that seems to be the only way. The only major newspaper in Nova Scotia for example didn't even report the match against Honduras. As important as this is to us it doesn't even register with most Canadian soccer fans let alone the general public. When I go to play soccer tonight I bet if I asked everyone there if they knew about the result less than 5% would. Possibly not even close to that many. So the challenge is to get this issue much better known, to actually embarrass the CSA and put pressure on them from the government etc. and how do you do that when the general population is unaware? Frankly, some kind of cheap publicity stunt. Something that makes them pick it up not just on Sports Centre but the "regular" news AND spark debate. If you're with the CSA and you never have to be cornered on tough questions in the public eye (and they haven't so far) you're probably not so good at it are you? Anyway that's what I think, make it news then there's at least a chance.

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quote:Originally posted by Most Scottish Man in Cdn.

So that seems to be the only way. The only major newspaper in Nova Scotia for example didn't even report the match against Honduras. As important as this is to us it doesn't even register with most Canadian soccer fans let alone the general public. When I go to play soccer tonight I bet if I asked everyone there if they knew about the result less than 5% would. Possibly not even close to that many. So the challenge is to get this issue much better known, to actually embarrass the CSA and put pressure on them from the government etc. and how do you do that when the general population is unaware? Frankly, some kind of cheap publicity stunt. Something that makes them pick it up not just on Sports Centre but the "regular" news AND spark debate. If you're with the CSA and you never have to be cornered on tough questions in the public eye (and they haven't so far) you're probably not so good at it are you? Anyway that's what I think, make it news then there's at least a chance.

This is a great point. Just because what has happened to this team is a big story to us die-hard fans it doesn't mean it translates to the rest of the general public in this country.

Most of us have a skewed view of the importance of soccer and the Canadian national team because it is more important to us than it is to the average person.

While we all want change, the big question is where is the pressure going to come from that will lead to this change?

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^ Yes the time to do a turnaround on the players wearing t-shirts isn't long enough and they probably wouldn't do it anyway but I like your idea of crashing the AGM. An email can be ignored but actually making things very uncomfortable (while still observing the laws of the land) for these idiots is harder for them to do nothing about. Making them change their ways or take constructive criticism on board won't happen, nor will making them realise they've screwed up and really should resign. What might work though is making being on the board unbearable. Then you'd see them go.

I think this might be a case of "be careful what you wish for" but does anyone have their, well I don't even know the right word, charter? The rules by which they govern themselves? Is there a way to use those rules against them? Filibuster and so on...

I don't know if it's been added but Bobby McMahon dissed the CSA on his blog. Nice.

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Sending mail to the government is all well and good.

It could be followed up by a peaceful protest/demonstration/rally outside of CSA headquarters on Metcalfe st. and then a march to Parliament Hill. Maybe invite some players like Brennan or ex-players (Forrest, Devos?) to speak. If we could get at least 200 or so Voyageurs from Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa to show up, get media/government/local cops on board it could be quite a forceful statement. Of course it would take a lot of organization to get done properly.

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Would it be easier to get change in the CSA if let's say Kerfoot, Saputo and MLSE started to buy up all the clubs and youth teams in Canada? If all the 'pro' organizations were set up as non-profits then they could possibly 'lose' money developing players for tax benefits. Maybe it's better to lobby the dude who bought the Carolina Railhawks to invest in Canadian soccer that way. If acadamies and and clubs are the way to go in developing players, maybe there's a buck to be made in eventual transfer fees to Europe.

If this were to happen change can be made from the inside out. Just a thought and a different approach....

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