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2011 Soccer Hall of Fame Inductees announced


Vic

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The induction of the 1979 Vancouver Whitecaps as a team of distinction is long overdue. As a fan who attended many of the Whitecap games in 1979 and followed their progress to the Soccer Bowl victory, they were as exciting and talented as any team based in Canada before or since. The fact that many of the players on that team were Canadian-born only reinforces their place as a great Canadian team.

How long before the Hall recognizes Canada's two other NASL Champions, the 1976 Toronto Metros-Croatia and the 1980-81 Indoor Champion Edmonton Drillers?

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2011 Inductees

Players

Nick Dasovic - 62 caps for Canadian MNT. Played professionally in Croatia, France, Scotland, and Sweden, as well as in Vancouver and Montreal.

Lyndon Hooper - 67 caps for Canadian MNT. Played professionally in England, as well as Montreal and Toronto.

Victor Kodelja - 10 caps for Canadian MNT. Played on 1984 Chicago NASL Championship team.

Jimmy Nichol - 73 caps for Northern Ireland, including World Cup Finals in 1982 and 1986. Club career highlighted by successful stints with Manchester United, Glasgow Rangers, and Toronto Blizzard.

Builders

William "Bill" Hoyle - Former OSA President and CSA President's Award Recipient

Rupert "Bert" Goldberger - First Technical Director of Alberta Soccer Association and CSA National Coaching Instructor

Pioneer Award

Len Peto - Former Dominion of Canada Football Association President, and later manager of the Montreal Canadiens

Team of Distinction

1979 Vancouver Whitecaps - NASL Soccer Bowl Champions.

Organization of Distinction

Toronto Ulster United - National Champions in 1925, 1946, and 1951. Ontario Cup Champions in 1927, 1929, 1937.

I'm confused by the Organization of Distinction. It was added to the others last year. The only criteria explaining it is "A TEAM OF DISTINCTION or AN ORGANIZATION OF DISTINCTION (e.g. a club, association, tournament, publication) must have: Excelled at a National level."

Last year it went to the Vancouver Firefighters and their write-up is a similar collection of team results. Seems odd to add the new category and then just keep doubling-up on teams.

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Jimmy Nichol is an interesting option as he turned his back on Canada, to play for Northern Ireland. Obviously it was a smart choice for him as they qualified for 2 world cups in his time and probably was a smarter move given him playing club football in Europe.

Sure he was born in Canada but when it comes to soccer he is not Canadian, IMO

If I was Jimmy and I got a call from the CSHofF about the nomination I would be kind of puzzled, gracious, but puzzled. Did he ever do anything for Canadian Soccer at any level other then lead by example to our youth that you can get off this contenant and make a career out of football?

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