2010 CONCACAF U20 Tournament

[Guest Ed]

^ Well, sports-wise I don't have the option, but job-wise I certainly did. And I was proud to remain in Canada and bring up my children here. You certainly didn't help raise Leroux's case in my eyes. I said she was an opportunist who turned her back on the Cdn program and sure enough that's what you have confirmed.

[terpfan68]

There are two ways to improve a team's performance. 1 Make the players better. 2 Get better players.

The first requires great coaching, the second requires great scouting.

(or if you are the New York Yankees -- a lot of money)

[Richard]

^ Well, sports-wise I don't have the option, but job-wise I certainly did. And I was proud to remain in Canada and bring up my children here. You certainly didn't help raise Leroux's case in my eyes. I said she was an opportunist who turned her back on the Cdn program and sure enough that's what you have confirmed.

You made your choice, she made her's. Do you enjoy dual citizenship, that makes a big difference when it comes to international sports prospects? I am a landed immigrant, do you despise me for turning my back on the land of my birth to settle in Canada - it was a choice I made in what I considered was my best interests and those of my family. I think you need to open your mind a bit.

[Vic]

Hey lolo3k, thanks and welcome. Nationalism is a lot like religion. Some people are religious and some people aren't. Some people are very passionate in their beliefs and other's aren't. No two people are the same. To some people nationality is behind career aspirations and to other people it's not. There's no absolutes, no universal right or wrong, and to each their own within the laws of the land. You make your choices in life and bear the fruits and the thorns. That's all fine.

We've developed some of the best women in the world, and they didn't have to play for another country to get there. You equate leaving home and going abroad and declaring for a different country with developing your career, but there are a lot of Canadians in leagues all over the world who come home and play for Canada that would disagree with you.

We're all also missing the salient point here which is 15 year old kids do what their parents tell them to. It's pretty hard to convict a kid for a decision her parents made. I'm sure they would be the first to say we let her decide, but anyone who's had a 15yr old knows the reality there. But regardless, like I've said before, good luck to anyone who wants to play somewhere else without an ounce of malice. Life's too short for ill will. I love and enjoy the game and all it's players - but the ones I really care about are our players.

And if anyone expects a Canadian fan who supports the Canadian players in a Canadian program to support someone raised here who decided the Canadian program wasn't in their best interests and to stand up and cheer for them, well, I don't think they have a broad view of the world. And yes, I think Leroux playing for the Whitecaps would be in bad taste and if that's the case I'm a little surprised in the organization's judgement. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If she breaks her leg should we send a Canadian ambulance to take her to a Canadian hospital covered by a Canadian healthcare plan?

[lolo3000]

Your cracked!!! lol I think she has Canadian medical...Just a second I'll call her... ring ring ring Yes she has the best medical plan.. You must be one of those parents that decides what their kids have to do cause I know Syd's mom and Syd can make her own choices.. Don't watch the USA play and it won't break your heart when she scores and wins the Gold medal.. Sleep on that and have sweet dreams!! peace!!

[Vic]

Life certainly is choices. I think it's lost on you but again, I have no malice, and when she scored this time trust me, it didn't break my heart or even give me a millisecond of bitterness. I wish her luck just like all the American players. I was happy for her the same as I would have been happy for Nairn or a Mewis sister, and I think that's probably why I sleep well at night.

If a 15 year old say's I'm moving to another country, parents decide if it happens or not. That's called ultimate decision-making. It's also the law.

We all make choices, and like I said we all bear the fruits and live with the consequences. She's blossomed wearing the American flag and I doubt she has a single seconds regret. But thinking that decision has no consequences is a little naive.

[navycyr]

I think that debate over Miss Leroux or any player deciding playing for another country is futile. I am not sure having her playing for Canada would have changed things around. She's not Marta to what I have seen of her. If we want people to adhere to our national teams we just have to make our programs more attractive ! Period. Instead of debating over someone decision to join the canadian team or not we should debate about ways to make better national programs ! Of course we can complain about having more money to do so, but I am sure there are ways to improve whitout pouring more money in. USA have infiinite means compared to us and what I have read here, this year's U20s team was their weakest. Personnaly I would object, as a taxpayer, pouring more money in a program I doubt about its effectiveness to put the best players on the field and to develop adequately those who are selected. If this forum has to be constructive this is what we should talk about. Not commenting on an individual making a decision to join or not our national team program.

Personnaly, I am happy for those who can make it somewhere else especially if they have been turned down here. I cheer for a Hargreaves who is playing for England and hope more young people turn to soccer by seeing a canadian born succeeding in Europe with the bests of the world. We had a girl leaving our team to play for our rivals last year. I thing this was good for her and for our team at the same time because she was not happy playing for us and had negative effect on team spirit. Beside when we play one against the other, I am glad to see her succeed with her new team. The only thing I wouldn't want to see is her to come back because it would penalize those who improved their game to make up for her absence by reducing their play time and because I can't see why she would be happier now with our team.

[kj52]

Personally, I don't get the debate. For me any player that leaves Canada is just another player for another country. I support the Canadian women - not the American women - so I really don't care how she does with the U.S. team. Similar to the men, since I was very young I've supported England in World Cup and European competitions (unless Canada ever gets a chance to play England) and cheered on Hargreaves in 2002 the same as any of the rest of the squad but if he played for the U.S. I wouldn't care one bit about him. If you're not friends or family it seems pointless worrying about it. Better to concentrate on debating ways to make our programs more attractive rather than the endless bitterness and arguing about individuals who leave.

[kj52]

Hey Thruball thanks for your reply. Interestingly enough this summer I spent some time with an acquaintance from SoOnt who pretty much described the OSA almost exactly as you have. I did watch the CBC special mainly because the daughter (who I've know since she was pre-school) of a close friend of mine was a starter on that U17 side. He told me that BR was the most insane coach he had ever seen (this from a guy who grew up playing hockey) and could probably make guys cry! That would be a slight exaggeration but I'm sure you get the point.

Navycyr;

I agree with our points. The priority of player skill selection in our Provincial system is very limited. Athletic ability and competitive aggression are weighted well above the list of skills players are taught and practiced in the world’s soccer nations. But it is a "cop out" to feel we, as a soccer culture, cannot get there. I've heard that excuse to often. Your striker has the skill and likely didn't go outside of Canada or Quebec to acquire it.

Change is inevitable in Canada. The only uncertainty is the timing. The CSA and the Provincial Associations are facing the biggest crisis they have ever faced yet likely are not even aware - Obsolescence. When the game played here becomes so vastly different than the game played in other places of the world, why waste your time or resources?

I feel for your striker. I'm sure she would love to play for her country. But she is ahead of her time, along with many others who are in the same position.

Kj52;

Morace took 3 additional players along with the 20 roster for Concacaf. These players were 92's. They were included as part of the build up to the roster submission.

I'm glad your Coaching experience in Alberta has some positive spots! Here in Ontario, the OSA has 7 Player Development Regions, staffed by coaches all reporting to BR. 5 of those coaches have been in place almost as long as BR who himself has held the position almost as long as the Pellerud era. Jim Canovan, who just resigned in November 2009 has been the Director of Technical for almost 2 decades. Canovan couldn't even spell "futsal" let along understand the advantaged of integrating the sport into the Provincial Development system; sad. The current Player Development coaching staffs have not upgraded their coaching accreditations on an international level since joining the OSA. How incredible is that? Any professional who decides to NOT continue with their professional development cannot be counted as a professional. However the OSA as endorsed this kind of apathy among their coaches, continues to fund them, and out right supports how they go about their day to day programs. BR, the Manager of Player Development and the current CSA U17 Woman’s coach has nary an international accreditation. If you saw the CBS special in 2008 featuring "Death's", BR's self proclaimed nick name, you would have seen his level of professionalism i.e. swearing, berating, humiliating, yelling at the women players. None of these skills are taught anywhere on any professional level, let alone in acquiring an "A" level federation license, except here in Canada. The closes the documentary was able to get to BR's technical insights was during an interview where he proudly described why he had enrolled his roster in "kick boxing" classes! Apparently this was being offered as an inventive insight towards "cross training" in order improve his charges soccer capabilities!

I believe in placing the blame for the U20 Woman’s performance squarely on the shoulders of where it belongs; at least from an Ontario perspective.....that would be Guy Bradbury, CEO of the OSA for his apathetic and irresponsible execution of the responsibilities of his offices!

I find it hard to blame Morace for this! I believe she has a good handle on the depth of the problem and my hat goes off to her for NOT ducking with respect to the U20’s. She captained the ship in full view of the on coming storm. My contempt is aimed at people who can help the most but are not…that is our associations.

[red card]

You don't see the USA putting Chelse Stewart down for changing countries. Just be happy for someone that is doing so well. I hear she is playing with the Whitecaps

USA probably doesn't need Stewart to win. But if you look at their men's team - they complain as everyone else in world would when one of their players decides to play for another country - recent case in point is a New Jersey lad who decided to play for Italy rather than the USA.

As someone mentioned, nationalism is like religion. This is THE forum for Canadian national team supporters. Don't expect me to be happy that she's doing well - just as I'm not happy if any other American or Mexican player is doing well.

[turnit]

Don't blame Morace ! It will take some years before getting results. Whole structure has to be reviewed. Kick and run soccer era is over ! Lets turn to possession style soccer and to skilled players instead of more athletic players but with lesser soccer abilities.

I also agree with you about the U17 girls team. For one, the best striker in this country (to my opinion and I am not one of her relatives or coaches) with 56 goals in 35 games in the provincial elite league (in the last two years) and 9 goals in this year U16 national championship (including 5 in the final game), that girl has not even been looked at and invited to one of the national camps. None of the girls that won this year final has been invited to the camps altough showing great technical and ball control skills proving those are not important selection criteria.

It will take new people involved at lower levels for a new philosophy of soccer to emerge. Let's get rid of the dinausors of canadian soccer !

I can appreciate your comments about players not being recognized. Prime example, you have a team out west under the direction of the Whitecaps, comprised of girls that have been "in the system", from Provincial teams to NTC for years and at the National championships. This Whitecaps full time team played women and University teams all season including Trinity, UBC, Uof A and UVic - winning. They played in the Nike cup against the ODP U18 teams in Oregon and won the tournament. They played in the Surf Cup in San Diego and beat So Cal Blues, So Cal White to finish second in the top U19 category - best finish ever for a Canadian team - Coaches from Santa Clara, Stanford, Univ. of Wash, Oregon, USC etc were amazed by the talent and very complimentary. The team won the PCSL league title and went on as Team BC to win Canada Summer Games. After all this only 1 girl was asked to the U20 camp. The US college system recognized the talent from this team resulting in scholarships to the top 15 NCAA schools, yet our own system doesn't recognize the talent.

[navycyr]

USA probably doesn't need Stewart to win. But if you look at their men's team - they complain as everyone else in world would when one of their players decides to play for another country - recent case in point is a New Jersey lad who decided to play for Italy rather than the USA.

As someone mentioned, nationalism is like religion. This is THE forum for Canadian national team supporters. Don't expect me to be happy that she's doing well - just as I'm not happy if any other American or Mexican player is doing well.

You should look back at the logo it says Canadian Soccer Supporters not Canadian national team supporters. Personnally I support every canadian playing soccer wherever they play. Whatever the reasons we should be proud of our people succeeding elsewhere. I like this forum because we get news of everyone playing internationaly. Instead of giving attention to the fact they have chosen to play elsewhere whe should be asking ourselves how can we make our national programs more attractive and efficient. This is the only way we will prevent that from occuring in the future. If the US men program can't retain good players from going elsewhere it is because that their program is less attractive than the ones where their players leave for. Accusing those who do so of being traitors does nothing to solve the problem.

Maybe expressing your frustratrion makes you feeling good but it does nothing to help canadian soccer. I find that discussion about Leroux useless and a shame someone suggested that the Whitecaps should not include her in their roster since she is from BC. Putting the spolight on Leroux turns it away from the real problems of our national programs.

[Jon Que]

Morace was actually given a pretty good preparation cycle by CSA standards:

July 12 - USA U18

July 14 - USA U20

July 16 - USA U20

October 29 - Mexico

October 31 - Mexico

December 19 - NCAA

December 22 - NCAA

All of those games were out of the country.

And as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, and one of the reasons Ian Bridge resigned, our U17's play their identical CONCACAF tournament in a month and have never left Canadian soil or been given A SINGLE INTERNATIONAL GAME. The total caps of all the girls added together is 1.

CSA standards are crap and all international games with the womens team are out of the country by default. "Out of the country" does not make a proper international game. If we had the more experienced players at the tournament then we probably could of got away with the CSA standard. If we had a coach that knew our existing players and knew how to coach in a Concacaf tournament then the standard may also of been enough. But we didn't.

This whole cycle should of been started as early in the year as possible in order to not rush thru the selection process. By the late spring they should of been playing competitive games against NCAA/USA youth. By the summer she should know who her core players are. Send them to Europe for a 3 game series with the same core players starting every game. Allow the starters time to gel and the whole team to bond. Cancel the stupid camp right at one of the most critical times for the NCAA players (which was a total waste of time) and have international games at the end of December and January in Central America or in the caribbean islands (against youth or senior or mixed teams). And the most important thing Morace has got to do is not change 1/2 the players from game to game. A little consistency would help.

As for the U17's the situation is even more pathetic. I seem to remember them having a much longer selection process last time around (and it still wasn't easy). It will all depend on how talented these players are compared to those of the other countries and how good our coach is at selecting the right players and getting them to play like a team quickly. It would be a great story for Women's soccer in Canada if they succeed. NO PRESSURE OR ANYTHING.

[Vic]

I created a Nationality and Citiizenship thread to pine and opine and share the love on foreign affairs. Let's keep this one U20... more than enough issues here without the added volume.

Jon Que I agree with pretty much all of that and hope that one day we find a way to resource our teams like that.

turnit, I originally found that odd a few months ago and did a bit of digging, but on just checking things now there are more kids from both the Ontario and Quebec NTC's headed to the NCAA next year than from the Whitecaps or BC NTC. There are also as many kids heading South from the Atlantic NTC as BC produced. And using an NCAA guage we're really only talking about four kids with scholarships who weren't selected. That's a pretty small sample for an argument and could be something as simple as what Morace was looking for in her scouting. And Canada always has gaps in it's youth teams. I can remember year's where the exact opposite was true and BC was the major portion of teams despite being 13% of the country.

National coaches pick the best kids in their humble opinions to win tournaments. At the women's youth level I doubt anyone could scout coast to coast and find a single other person in the entire country to pick the same 18. And even if they did or didn't, what does that mean? That she was wrong? What is wrong? A different set than someone else would pick? Would they be right? Are you right if you win and wrong if you lose? Wrong if you pick them all from the Maritimes? Wrong if you pick them all tall like the Chileans or wiry greyhounds like the Costa Ricans? We hire people and entrust them with player selection. Disagreeing with someone's 18 is natural but attempting to qualify or quantify that difference to a right or wrong position is pretty hard to validate.

[red card]

You should look back at the logo it says Canadian Soccer Supporters not Canadian national team supporters. Personnally I support every canadian playing soccer wherever they play. Whatever the reasons we should be proud of our people succeeding elsewhere. I like this forum because we get news of everyone playing internationaly. Instead of giving attention to the fact they have chosen to play elsewhere whe should be asking ourselves how can we make our national programs more attractive and efficient. This is the only way we will prevent that from occuring in the future. If the US men program can't retain good players from going elsewhere it is because that their program is less attractive than the ones where their players leave for. Accusing those who do so of being traitors does nothing to solve the problem.

Maybe expressing your frustratrion makes you feeling good but it does nothing to help canadian soccer. I find that discussion about Leroux useless and a shame someone suggested that the Whitecaps should not include her in their roster since she is from BC. Putting the spolight on Leroux turns it away from the real problems of our national programs.

If you're not playing for Canada, you're not worthy of my support. That's the generally view of most people on this forum from traitors like Hargreaves onwards. That's the way it is in the rest of world. It's not about frustration but principles - playing for country isn't about being a mercenary. So, I really don't care if she plays for the Whitecaps but in terms of her playing for the USA - I'm not backing her. Meaning, the Voyageurs as stated in the Charter section are: 1. The Voyageurs as the fan club of Canadian National Soccer Teams, were built around the diversity that defines Canada today...2. The Voyageurs will remain as a coalition of all nationwide fan clubs, acting as a Supporters Club and an advocate of the beautiful game.

And I can criticize her and be part of the helping football develop in Canada - as one aspect which is sorely missing is pride in the Canadian jersey - the likes of Leroux just makes it much harder to build it. I have sat through many Canada games - men and women since 84 and unfortunately, I have sat with more people with more pride in players wearing non-Canadian jerseys than vice et versa.

Basically your view is classic mainstream Canadiana that is being unfortunately transposed to football - oooh Hargreaves plays for Manu - he was raised in Calgary - we should just all be proud.

[turnit]

I created a Nationality and Citiizenship thread to pine and opine and share the love on foreign affairs. Let's keep this one U20... more than enough issues here without the added volume.

Jon Que I agree with pretty much all of that and hope that one day we find a way to resource our teams like that.

turnit, I originally found that odd a few months ago and did a bit of digging, but on just checking things now there are more kids from both the Ontario and Quebec NTC's headed to the NCAA next year than from the Whitecaps or BC NTC. There are also as many kids heading South from the Atlantic NTC as BC produced. And using an NCAA guage we're really only talking about four kids with scholarships who weren't selected. That's a pretty small sample for an argument and could be something as simple as what Morace was looking for in her scouting. And Canada always has gaps in it's youth teams. I can remember year's where the exact opposite was true and BC was the major portion of teams despite being 13% of the country.

National coaches pick the best kids in their humble opinions to win tournaments. At the women's youth level I doubt anyone could scout coast to coast and find a single other person in the entire country to pick the same 18. And even if they did or didn't, what does that mean? That she was wrong? What is wrong? A different set than someone else would pick? Would they be right? Are you right if you win and wrong if you lose? Wrong if you pick them all from the Maritimes? Wrong if you pick them all tall like the Chileans or wiry greyhounds like the Costa Ricans? We hire people and entrust them with player selection. Disagreeing with someone's 18 is natural but attempting to qualify or quantify that difference to a right or wrong position is pretty hard to validate.

Actually there are six '92s going south to play, 4 others were offered substantial scholarships but chose to stay home and 2 are playing for Trinity, 2 for UVic. 4 91s choose to go the states, 4 91s chose to stay home and play for Trinity, 1 for Queens, 1 for Uof T and 1 for McGill - those choosing higher academics over soccer. I wasn't trying to say that this team should of been chosen for the team but should at least of given some of the 92s an invite to attend a camp and be given the chance to see if they could compete. As far as being only 13% of the population what does that say about the players chosen from Nova Scotia Newfoundland, Manitoba or Alberta. BC has always been competitive against Ontario and Quebec in the competitions.

[Jacko]

Hey lolo3k, thanks and welcome. Nationalism is a lot like religion. Some people are religious and some people aren't. Some people are very passionate in their beliefs and other's aren't. No two people are the same. To some people nationality is behind career aspirations and to other people it's not. There's no absolutes, no universal right or wrong, and to each their own within the laws of the land. You make your choices in life and bear the fruits and the thorns. That's all fine.

We've developed some of the best women in the world, and they didn't have to play for another country to get there. You equate leaving home and going abroad and declaring for a different country with developing your career, but there are a lot of Canadians in leagues all over the world who come home and play for Canada that would disagree with you.

We're all also missing the salient point here which is 15 year old kids do what their parents tell them to. It's pretty hard to convict a kid for a decision her parents made. I'm sure they would be the first to say we let her decide, but anyone who's had a 15yr old knows the reality there. But regardless, like I've said before, good luck to anyone who wants to play somewhere else without an ounce of malice. Life's too short for ill will. I love and enjoy the game and all it's players - but the ones I really care about are our players.

And if anyone expects a Canadian fan who supports the Canadian players in a Canadian program to support someone raised here who decided the Canadian program wasn't in their best interests and to stand up and cheer for them, well, I don't think they have a broad view of the world. And yes, I think Leroux playing for the Whitecaps would be in bad taste and if that's the case I'm a little surprised in the organization's judgement. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If she breaks her leg should we send a Canadian ambulance to take her to a Canadian hospital covered by a Canadian healthcare plan?

To use your own argument against you: YES we should send a Canadian ambulance because that right is afforded to her under the Charter.

The Whitecaps very likely will include Leroux simply because they do have an inclusive view towards players of all stripes. They have done a good job scouting out of province players and continue signing them from far and wide.

Since this has turned into such a lively thread, I would like to throw out the following observation.

To a very great extent the reason other countries are on the ascendancy while Canada descends in stature is not due to poor coaching, lack of skill, lack of tactical awareness or lack of athletic ability.

It has to do with lack of character, lack of heart and lack of steel. This is a direct result of our players being brought up in an over indulgent society.

This is especially evident with the U17 age group. We, as a society, have raised a generation of girls that is narcissistic, self centered and ego driven. Is this a generalization? Perhaps. But I have two teenage daughters of my own, my youngest being Facebook "friends" with a few of the U17 squad. This particular form of social networking is insidious in that it advertises to the whole world the extent of these players indiscretions.

My point being that our U17's have far too many distractions, far too much free time and relative to many "underdeveloped" countries far too much money with which to satisfy these distractions. So while our girls are walking their toy poodles or thinking about the next big party I submit that these other countries players are spending their waking hours training and working hard on their game and their dreams are likely related to the World Cup.

In a word they are hungrier then our girls.

A great coach once said that champions are made when no one is looking. I wonder how many of our girls train when they are alone.

Not many I'd bet

Until character becomes a coveted trait I am afraid that our female teams will go the way of our Men in rankings and results.

Where did all the Charmaine Hoopers go??

[Richard]

I agree with much of what you say, even the last sentence when it comes to focus and hard work!

[Vic]

turnit, I seem to remember there being a group of Albertans around this age group that were pretty sensational too. I'm not slighting the 13%, BC pumps out great players and tends to usually do quite well in terms of mathematical representation. With the pedigree you've mentioned they're great players but all these kids are, as well as others across the country who weren't picked either. I don't think there's a kid from the Amiral on there and they had a pretty good year too. Perhaps it's something as simple as just not being what they were looking for this time. Kelly Parker was the best dynamic attacking midfielder in the country but didn't match our style of play and wasn't in a camp between 2003-2009. Talent and tactics aren't joined at the hip, and she would be a great role model for anyone feeling a sense of abandonment.

Jacko, ok you have me dead to rights on the ambulance. I'll try and weasel out but I'll post in the new thread.

Interesting thought on character. I think there were a number of things that led to our performance, but it's a good observation. I saw a lot of heart in a number of the players, but I wouldn't say I saw 18 kids out there as the old program liked to say "mentally driven to barge through six inches of concrete to get a result." Unfortunately CONCACAF TV cut out the halftime but if you had a chance to see those kids faces just before they went out onto the field after halftime you wouldn't forget it. It was pretty surreal.

Kids nowadays have complicated modern digital lives, and life in lesser developed countries is definitely slower and simpler. There are a lot of European countries with kids facing a lot of the same issues but they have the passion by culture. It's not going to go away and only going to get worse so the question is how do you develop it without the culture? Education?

[ThruBall]

Jacko……in some respects I agree with your view on character however I don’t subscribe to a generational void among our youth. If anything, there is a lack of leadership with character among us…..us being the ones in a position to act or influence; Parent’s, CEO’s, Executives, Politicians, Teachers, and Coaches……i like this forum because it brings together wide spread opinions on what makes Soccer better in Canada…….something we benefit from now because of the modern advances in computing and networking! This is good.

I know some of the players and their families personally on the U20 and U17 team. Not by any means do I know all of them. I can say there are some very dedicate athletes who make decisions to spend time outside of NTC training on activities that will better them at their sport. These players have commitment and a character that has evolved over time and evolved with in the broader influence of a generational peer group that at 16 years of age feel life is all about how many parties one can be invited too and attend in a single weekend! In my view, character is not a fundamental lacking among our chosen players or even less evident than that on display by a Mexican or Puerto Rican player at the Championship.

Direct soccer in 28 degree temperature is impossible to maintain with any effectiveness for any player unless the opposing team is mandated to play in the same manor! Perhaps the reason possession soccer has evolved out of the European and South American regions is because of the heat. Who in their right mind would subject themselves to that kind of physical hardship? The game has evolved from a regional style to now a world wide style of play. To participate as a soccer nation Canada needs to evolve as well. The application of a direct 20 or 40 meter ball with in a game will always be there however the direct game itself is dead. No one in the world is going back to that game. This has been evident for the past 10 years at a minimum.

Our leadership at the CSA and Provincial Association Level lacks character. In Ontario, CEO Guy Bradbury, Technical Director Jim Canovan (one down and 2 more to go), Head Coach U17 and Player Development Manager Bryan Rossenfeld are dinosaurs who lack any integrity as it relates to the international game of soccer. These civilians are in no way professionals with in the game of soccer, consume full time association wages (complete waist of money), and in no way are advancing the game based on their mandate (or title) towards parity in play on an international level. Just look at the number of players on the U20 and U17 team who have come from Ontario! They have been selected from our National Training Centers. They don’t have the technical skills, agility or tactical awareness that is required of a modern player to effectively compete on the international stage! Canada is now 4th in Concacaf. 2012 is right around the corner. The same leaders are still in place!

In the words of Henry Louis Mencken, “for every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat and wrong.” Welcome to the new escape goat in Canadian Woman’s Soccer – Carolina Morace! Now that would be wrong.

[Soccer9]

^^I think BR is even "trying" to get away from Direct Soccer with the U17s, however he is not changing the type of player he is choosing for the team. So, the same, big players (in general) but who lack the technical abilities and tactical side of the game are being invited and will make the starting 11. At the last camp, you would hear him getting frustrated over these players as they were not making the correct runs/plays etc. But they will be going to Cost Rica and some of the top technical players in the country will be staying home.... As a coach I do appreciate that it takes some courage to change things around, but under our present low-fund environment where we try and qualify for a WC with almost no preparation at all, I guess a coach goes with what he knows. More of a sure thing. So we won't win the tournament but will not get embarrassed either.

Hopefully this will change soon.

[Vic]

The Norwegians are pretty pleased with their rennaisance and the way they played in the Euros, but I'm sure they'll turn their program on a dime when you tell them they play a dead game.

We excelled playing direct in this tournament in Veracruz in 2006 which is a few hours drive from Guatemala, and again in Puebla in 2008 which isn't exactly sweater weather either.

You definitely feel very strongly and passionately about the lack of skill in players and coaches in Ontario. And you're in luck - the head positions open.

[ThruBall]

Thanks Vic…I appreciate you pointing that one out for me. I just may qualify. I’m of Scottish descent, played the sport at a high level 20 years ago, and definitely have a passion for the game. I don’t have any coaching accreditation of any merit, nor does the advertisement ask for one, but I live close to Vaughan, Ontario. I definitely can spell “education”, I have “organized” a lot of things in my life and by the look of it there is absolutely no need to have any experience in “budgeting”. This is perfect; base on that do you think I have a chance?

Soccer9….. I can appreciate your comments however I think “courage” is all about a persons “conviction”. If BR would like to move the game ahead, he simply needs to book himself into a course. :confused:

http://www.tetrabrazil.com/coaches_license/abtf/index_E.html

Guy Bradbury can do something about it by making sure there is budget available each year and that a program for coaching excellence exists. With an expense of approximately $7,000.00 all in for those with qualifications, the OSA could easily be setting standards for their development coaches and establishing guidelines and funding on a programmable basis each year! It is absurd that nothing has been done about this in the past 20 years.

I’m aware of 2 coaches who have just finished this program. They work in the GTA in full time jobs during the day and are involved in Soccer Coaching as a passion. The funding was produced in large part from their savings; an investment to improve themselves as a coach with in their sport. I offer this as an example of integrity and conviction, none of which exists with in BR or Guy Bradbury; actions are the true measurement of a person’s courage. BR just “talks the walk”, nothing more!

[Vic]

You never know, and they're obviously pretty serious about it if they keep extending the opening otherwise they would have pulled the trigger long ago.

There was a great Harry Chapin song called "Mr. Tanner." The precis is "The song tells the story of Martin Tanner, a local launderer from Dayton, Ohio who has a gift for singing. His friends try to talk him into becoming a singer because of his beautiful voice, until he finally agrees and uses most of his savings to travel to New York City and sing in a show. He holds a concert only to get panned by critics. He returns home and never sings again, except for only to himself when he sorts through the clothes at night."

One of the key lines is "But music was his life, it was not his livelihood." I'm sure these guy's are great coaches, phenomenal even. But like the song attributes, there is a big difference amateur club coaches taking courses and lifelong professionals.

No one in a Northern climate plays latin football, including the Scots who arguably founded the crazy game.

[ThruBall]

Harry is a wise old guy….great line.

Well I guess environmental factors will win the day in this dialog. Northern climate breeds direct soccer because the players need to run their tales off to keep warm but European and Southern region players need to slow the game down in order to survive the heat. Coaching aside, we just need to have enough patients for global warming to take hold and level the playing field…..

In the words of Phil Woosnam “The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn’t move, kick it until it does.” Born December 1932, former Commissioner of the now defunct North American Soccer League.

The game has evolved!