It's in the numbers.

[Robert]

The only happiness I feel when I extend Happy New Year wishes is when I don't think of Victor Montagliani and the CSA, which unfortunately occupies my mind far more than I would like. The article below gives a comprehensive and accurate assessment of the current state of Canadian soccer affairs. Thank you Justin for your courage and taking the time to compose it. Your point of view makes me feel that I'm not alone. Sadly, after witnessing a substantial portion of this century of futility, I am exhausted from expressing similar concerns and finding no support when it comes to taking direct action against the CSA. I have a solution to Canada's primary soccer predicament, the design of a national structure that will develop our talent pool to a top six CONCACAF level. Am I willing to share that with a total lack of leadership floundering CSA? Not in this lifetime! I will no longer offer any support to Canadian soccer until the current CSA's BoD has been usurped. My loss of interest in Canadian soccer is not unique. If one examines the number of viewers that the Voyageurs website posted up to and shortly after the San Pedro Sula massacre, at any given time there were 200 to 300 members logged in. Since then that number has dropped to about 30 to 40 viewers. Personally, the sales of my soccer book have dropped significantly since the Honduran bullies had their fun with us. I'm sure that every Canadian soccer-related enterprise has experienced a similar decline in revenue, the economic effects of which will continue be felt by all Canadian soccer-related businesses for at least the next four years. Thank you Mr. Montagliani. Unfortunately, the general complacency of Canadians and the Canadian media will first require another international embarrassment before public pressure will at last oust the incompetent troika of Messrs. Montagliani, Montopoli and Fonseca. I guarantee that such a public humiliation is inevitable, unfortunately, our competitive matches are few and far between and it will therefore take quite some time before we rid ourselves of this cancer.

Posted by

Justin Connolly

December 31, 2012

Fungus is an inconspicuous organism which generally inhabits underneath the soil on decomposing matter using camouflage as a means to protect its existence. When fungi fruit they produce mushrooms. When these mushrooms become visible there are few kids in the world which have not punted a few of these inglorious creatures off a freshly watered field without a chuckle.

The Canadian Soccer Association operates in a similar vein as fungi. For one hundred years the CSA has operated far below the surface of the Canadian conscious. Every four years the tepid product put forth by the CSA is punted off the field by giddy Central Americans before the team disappears from the mind of all but the most dedicated faithful until the next round of excuses, platitudes and failure.

Over a century of effort by the CSA has only bore poisonous fruit which tainted the future of Canadian soccer. Almost every high calibre Canadian with a sniff of another national program has refused to don the colours of Les Rouges. There is not a single nation on earth that can lose as many top talents as Canada and succeed.

There is very little evidence that the CSA would have been able to shake off the fungus mentality and rise above their own trappings if it were not for external pressure.

Without the growth of Major League Soccer, the development model would have likely remained the same. Furthermore, based on recent events there is little evidence that the CSA is going to be able to shake off the incestuous old boy mentality without sustained outside pressure.

Comments made by CSA President Victor Montagliani in an interview with the Canadian Press about the future of the program appear to boarder on the delusional. In the interview he stated “the only country I think in CONCACAF that has tremendous amount of talent that doesn't worry about who they put on the pitch is Mexico. Outside of Mexico it's pretty much even-steven."

When he means even-steven he must mean with regional powerhouses like Puerto Rico whom Canada was unable to beat at home, or a team like St Kitts and Nevis who drew Les Rouges away. Indeed, in the world of the CSA, where they have gotten a free pass every four years for over one hundred of them, his statement highlights a certain level of hubris clouding logical judgement.

Football tournaments are simple concepts. Win and you progress. President Montagliani may think CONCACAF is balanced but it is not. There is Mexico and the USA in the top tier. Followed by Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica and our favourite bully Honduras. The remainder are made up of never was teams like Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia and so on.

Canada, when it comes to actual success, is so far out of the running from the mid to top tier it had to play in a round prior to joining the real sides like Panama or the blue bullies of Honduras. In fact, his comments discount the reality that Canada was unable to score in back to back games against the guppies of the CONCACAF world.

The most galling statement was the following, “I actually was quite surprised that the negativity lasted a very short time," and further said "And I think the reason is because the program did show significant amount of progress.”

Following the hoopla and extended mainstream coverage prior to the nightmare in San Pedro Sula, the result was met with a collective groan before degenerating into inconsequential shrugs. Instead of galvanizing the public, there was barely a meek shriek from mainstream outlets following the initial wave of emotion.

The negativity subsided because no one talked about it. No one cared.

The truth was the CSA did not want further negative coverage. There was an international friendly fixture to be had in November and if they qualified you can guarantee they would have played to capitalize on the success, selling some merchandise all the while patting themselves on the back passing the minimum of expectations off as triumphant glory.

Admittedly, when you are minnow like Canada it would have been a very important step, but relevant programs do not bow out before the Hex and pass it off as progress.

Consider that while many of the top soccer nations, including minnows such as Liechtenstein, were playing on November 14th the Canadian Soccer Association did nothing.

Instead, they compounded the gutless failure fans saw when Canada played on a scene larger than irrelevant. Instead of perpetuating discourse, win or lose, Canadians got such a small dose of the product the CSA puts out, inevitably the program drifts into the margins of societal importance.

Consistent losing, and not even getting to watch their failure with regularity, illustrates a clear path why the casual sports fan is generally disinterested. Many would have liked to pull up a stool at a pub and watch their side play win or lose.

Does Montagliani really think that if Canada was playing there would not have been further anger vented in their direction?

Canadians want to be able to tune in and watch their team even if they are not fans but because they are patriotic. How many Canadians became fans of the women’s national team during the Olympics and pre tournament could not name Christine Sinclair? Yet they tuned in and did so in record numbers.

The excuse that it is tough to get a match, find players and so on forth are the red herrings behind one hundred plus years of disappointment. Part and parcel of a culture of defeat from the top to bottom whether its players quitting once they are down a goal to President Montagliani slinging self serving platitudes.

Point tally aside, under scrutiny the Brazil 2014 campaign was a disaster. Unable to consistently dominate weak teams and unable to compete on the road, in the last qualification round before bowing out Canada managed over half its points and the majority of its goals against a Cuban side which played under the fear of defections. In fact several players parted ways from the Cuban national team prior to the match against Canada at BMO Field leaving them a shortened squad.

When Canada beat St. Lucia 7-0 that was the expected result from a relevant side. Tying Saint Kitts and Nevis 0-0 was unacceptable. When Canada loses 8-1, that turns the parity argument into a parody of the boots on the field reality.

The above results do not boil down to an ‘even-steven’ by-product. When there is no signature win and in fact historic defeats, that is not progress.

Instead of cleaning house, the CSA promoted the assistant to the debacle at San Pedro Sula to the Technical Director position left vacant since Stephan Hart took over the reins as the national team manager in 2009. Moreover, rather than decisive action it waffled on the firing that same inept coach it had internally promoted from the Technical Director position and at the time of writing this article the position is still vacant.

Is the Canadian National Men’s program so far behind that progress means it takes months if not years to fill vacancies? Even worse, it takes that long to promote from within?

If, as Montagliani says, the talent pool is even-steven aside from Mexico, how can he justify the incestuous appointments of those who oversaw flaccid draws and nightmare defeats? If the talent is at a level of parity, then coaching must be the issue. If coaching is not the issue than the talent is.

Moreover, Montagliani states they are still conducting a post-mortem into the campaign and it will not be concluded until the new year. They could save time and money by purchasing a set of mirrors.

There has been zero new blood coaching the men’s national team in over a decade. Not since outside appointment Holgier Osieck guided Canada to glory in winning the Gold Cup in 2000 was someone from outside the confines of the CSA at the helm.

With the above in mind, factor in that every assistant coach since Holgier Osieck has been internally promoted by the CSA. The last time Canada was successful someone from outside the CSA lead the team. Will President Montagliani turn his back on the rampant back scratching and hire someone who is not beholden to internal interests or politics?

You don’t need to hire a Canadian Scooby-doo to see the effect these CSA old boy appointments have had on the program. These crony appointments are what lead us to the here and now.

The biggest problem the CSA has is itself and if saved will be despite itself. In fact, the CSA is most successful when it lets other bodies take care of the game and remain hands off.

Aside from its two legitimate on field successes in one hundred years lead by outsiders, the recent growth of fans at qualification matches was down to the hard working efforts of supporters who through soccer clubs and supporter organizations put their own money up front to purchase tickets and distributing them. Word of mouth marketing has rarely been so successful in generating buzz with quick tangible results.

Second, the new national team U- players are coming in mostly through the Canadian MLS teams or from overseas. While the CSA would like us to believe that the foreign boogeyman organizations overseas that train our players contribute to them not wanting to play for Canada is a huge lark. This excuse lets them fester their ridiculous idea that it is not their fault every top Canadian in the world at this point refuses to play for them.

The problem which the current CSA executive faces under the cold light of reality is the awakening of those fans within Canadian society are demanding more than irrelevance. Previously many did not have a means to become engaged.

With new media blossoming, new supporters and fans will not allow the cover of excuses provided by many journalists or inept platitudes served up by CSA cronies to fester the Canadian consciousness into accepting soccer irrelevance as acceptable. The 'sack the CSA' campaign is one example of how outside pressure makes a difference.

Refusing to accept the white rabbit of retread justifications will force the CSA to be accountable.

If Canada was a nation with a track record of mediocrity that needed a break to do soul searching in order to progress to the next level then the CSA would be deserving of a respite to their lick their proverbial wounds.

One hundred years of failure delivered by the Canadian Soccer Association with alarming regularity measured off the back end of a disastrous campaign means they deserves no such pause.

The future is too important to blindly entrust the President’s men to put the Humpty Dumpty men’s national program back together again

[Joe MacCarthy]

The only happiness I feel when I extend Happy New Year wishes is when I don't think of Victor Montagliani and the CSA, which unfortunately occupies my mind far more than I would like.

I find that hard to believe.

I have a solution to Canada's primary soccer predicament, Am I willing to share that with a total lack of leadership floundering CSA? Not in this lifetime!

Obviously you don't or you would be shouting it from the rooftops

If one examines the numbers of viewers that the Voyageurs website posted up to and shortly after the San Pedro Sula massacre, at any given time there were 200 to 300 members logged in. Since then that number has dropped to about 30 to 40 viewers.

Wow, less posters when important games aren't being played, who'd a guessed?

Personally, the sales of my soccer book have dropped significantly since the Honduran bullies had their fun with us.

Is it possible to sell -1 books?

Robbie, you'll never change, thanks for providing your comedy highlights to the board. They always provide a good ol conspiratorial laugh!

[Robert]

I find that hard to believe, less posters when important games aren't being played, who'd a guessed? They always provide a good ol conspiratorial laugh!

When's our next IMPORTANT game?

[madmonte]

When's our next IMPORTANT game?

You were clamoring for friendlies in July of this year as important, in terms of preparation leading up to WCQ. So then, even every friendly is important, in my mind. Sure the Honduras game was much, much MORE important than the friendlies against Denmark and the US, which are leading up to Gold Cup games.

You have been hinting that only WCQ games are important. That's fine, it's not an invalid opinion, I'm sure there are others who feel the same. But even in that view, you can theoretically look at games in the Gold Cup as necessary warmups/tests against valid competition. You can look at friendlies leading up to the Gold Cup as a warmup to the warmup too...again, theoretically, calling them games that allow us chances to look at younger up and coming talent, and how they fit in with established talent. Again, this is NECESSARY.

So to me, every game is important. Some, obviously more important than others, and yes, the importance of a match can easily be related to how many people log in.

Would there be more people logging in to this website during the Canada/Denmark game if we had made the hex? It's debatable, but I believe it would.

So in the context that less logins probably means our team is struggling, Robert, you are right. But I mean, c'mon, it really IS stating the obvious to say so.

That said, EVERY match is important in it's own way. To me, these upcoming friendlies are very important. And I'll be among the ones logging in cheering for our team to win. As other posters have pointed out, you'll be cheering for them to lose so that you can post more of the same.

You want an interesting correlation? When the CMNT is doing well, the amount of posts by Robert is significantly lower than when the CMNT has a failure. And I can go back over posts from this year to prove it if you like. It's true...by the numbers...I think that you should post positive things when positive events happen too, man, not just negative ones, like...all the time. K?

[Joe MacCarthy]

That is an amazing barometer. You know the NT is doing well when Robbie's not around. Now that I think about it Robbie's disappearance did coincide with the unbeaten streak, did it not?

[madmonte]

That is an amazing barometer. You know the NT is doing well when Robbie's not around. Now that I think about it Robbie's disappearance did coincide with the unbeaten streak, did it not?

Aye, it did.

[Robert]

Wow, less posters when important games aren't being played, who'd a guessed? Is it possible to sell -1 books?

1) 35,000,000 people living in Canada.

2) 35 Voyageurs supporting the national soccer team on line.

3) That means that 999,999 Canadians out of a million have something better to do with their lives than to talk about about how well the CSA is managing our national team.

4) Feeling a little lonely right now?

5) And just because I like you Joe, I have sold a lot more than 35 books thus far. Even sold one to a Christian Book and Music store in Victoria, who had a Voyageurs' customer who wished to remain anonymous. Can you believe it?

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

Feeling a little lonely right now?

I don't think anybody feels lonely on the Voyageurs board with you around Robert.

[madmonte]

Yeah, because finding and joining this forum board is mandatory to being a soccer fan in Canada. And even then, that number 35 is an absurdly false number regardless.

I can pull numbers out of my ass too. The guy ranked 35th in posts on this forum board has 2771 posts. There are quite literally hundreds to thousands of guys on THIS FORUM BOARD ALONE that have posted over 100 posts.

What a stupid thing, to pull that number out and try to convince us it's real.

[Redcoatsforever]

1) 35,000,000 people living in Canada.

2) 35 Voyageurs supporting the national soccer team on line.

3) That means that 999,999 Canadians out of a million have something better to do with their lives than to talk about about how well the CSA is managing our national team.

This math checks out so well, I vote we call it ULTI-MATH. (and yes, it always has to be in bold and caps)

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Yeah, because finding and joining this forum board is mandatory to being a soccer fan in Canada. And even then, that number 35 is an absurdly false number regardless...

After a bit of googling it turns out that this is where Robert lifted the article he cut and pasted from:

http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2012/Progressbeginswitharealitycheck.aspx

Don't see too much wrong with it personally. It sums up the reasons why many/most soccer fans in Canada tuned out the national team a long time ago. There was finally a bit of momentum building during the World Cup qualifiers in interest terms. Appointing Colin Miller to succeed Stephen Hart won't be the way to recapture that again, but it would very much fit the CSA's MO in hiring terms. Hopefully things really have changed with the reform to the governance structure. Time will tell, basically.