What level of soccer do we think of as "International Quality

[baulderdash77]

It's come up in a bunch of threads, and it's always something that's danced around with our team.  What is the club level of play for a player to be considered for the CMNT?  For Canada I see international quality as the following:

 

MLS regular

Top 15 Europe leagues

Smaller league Champions League or Europa League teams

English Championship, Spanish Copa Del Rey, Bundesliga 2

 

Is that how others on the board see it?

[baulderdash77]

Based on that from my above definition here is the pool of players for Canada, which is basically our current player pool.  I count 13 players in Europe and 20 in MLS.  I was surprised to see only 33 players in our player pool.  That's not even taking out the guys who have never represented us or riding the pine.  Our player pool is shockingly thin.

 

Top 15 European Leagues:

Marcel de Jong - FC Augsburg (German Bundesliga 1)

Atiba Hutchinson - Beşiktaş JK (Turkish Super Lig)

Julian De Guzman - Skoda Xanthi (Greek Super League)

Josh Simpson - Young Boys Bern (Swiss Super League)

 

Other:  Champions & Europa League

Patryk Misik - Slask Wroclaw (Polish  Ekstraklassa)

Daniel Haber - Apollon Limassol (Cyprus First Division)

Roger Thompson - IFK Mariehamn (Finnish Veikkausliiga)
 

 

Top 2nd Level Leagues

Simeon Jackson - Milwall (English Championship)
Junior Hoilett - Queens Park Rangers (English Championship)

Michael Petrasso - Queens Park Rangers (English Championship)

David Edgar - Birmingham City (English Championship)

Olivier Occean - FC Kaiserslautern (German Bundesliga 2)
Andre Hainault - VfR Aalen (German Bundesliga 2)

 

MLS

Will Johnson - Portland Timbers (Major League Soccer) (1)
Nana Attakora - DC United (Major League Soccer) (1)
Rob Friend - LA Galaxy(Major League Soccer) (1)

Tesho Akindele - FC Dallas (Major League Soccer) (1)

Kyle Porter - DC United (Major League Soccer) (1)

Maxime Crépeau - Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)

Issey Nakajima-Farran - Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)

Karl Ouimette - Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)
Maxim Tissot - Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)
Patrice Bernier - Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)

Issey Nakajima-Farran- Montreal Impact (Major League Soccer) (1)

Doneil Henry - Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) (1)
Ashtone Morgan - Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) (1)
Kyle Bekker - Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) (1)
Dwayne De Rosario - Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) (1)

Jonathan Osorio  - Toronto FC (Major League Soccer) (1)

Marco Carducci - Vancouver Whitecaps (Major League Soccer) (1)
Sam Adekugbe - Vancouver Whitecaps (Major League Soccer) (1)
Bryce Alderson - Vancouver Whitecaps (Major League Soccer) (1)
Russell Teibert - Vancouver Whitecaps (Major League Soccer) (1)

[TFC07]

Reason why our pool is thin because there isn't much opportunity for Canadians to play professionally until MLS and NASL started to invade into Canada.   

 

MLS or top 2nd division league like English championship should be bare minimum.  

[Blackdude]

Reason why our pool is thin because there isn't much opportunity for Canadians to play professionally until MLS and NASL started to invade into Canada.   

 

MLS or top 2nd division league like English championship should be bare minimum.  

Hahahahaha. Always good to see some TFC fan who wasn't there before when the Impact, Whitecaps and Lynx started enough players on their A-League team to make a Full XI.

[Keegan]

We don't really have the choice of setting a bare minimum for our national team such as the Championship or MLS.  We don't have enough depth. 

 

I wish Floro would have looked at some NASL players but he did attend an Ottawa match or two and decided against it.  A guy like Edson Edward could probably make it, I think he'll find his way back to MLS. 

 

Also on that list posted by Baulderdash it leaves out guys like Stamatopolous, Hirschfeld, Pacheco, Cavallini, Ricketts, Piette and Jakovic who play or have played in leagues that are of equal or higher quality as the ones listed. 

[Blackdude]

I'll be honest. The level shouldn't matter that much. We don't have that much depth. If you're starting regularly for clubs boulderdash has mentioned, you should be called. You should still call players for depth purposes though. I look at his list and only 2 Goalkeepers who have played a total of 2 pro games (Carducci). And he's not even the back-up for Vancouver. Robinson just wanted to say "Hey look. We've played Canadians in the Voyageurs' Cup, so shut up." I'd pick John Smits before those 2. 

 

I would look at top 2 division of the top 10 leagues in Europe, top 3 divisions for the top 4. And for the top 30 UEFA, I would look at them. NASL should get consideration especially when we have a lack of depth. (Did someone say right back? Edson Edward and Drew Beckie are starting for their club there, right? and I mentioned Smits before, didn't I?)

 

Honduras had players from their 5 domestic clubs in their provisional roster. Why would we look only to our 3 top domestic clubs? NASL isn't that much worse than MLS. The difference between Montreal and Ottawa (Worst in MLS and Best in NASL) isn't as big as the difference between Real Sociedad and Motagua. (1st in Honduras and 4th there) Why shouldn't they get their look? Sure an NASL player would need to play regularly. There's no way that I would call a guy like Fresenga right now looking at his playing time. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

Hahahahaha. Always good to see some TFC fan who wasn't there before when the Impact, Whitecaps and Lynx started enough players on their A-League team to make a Full XI.

Yes, the original post was amusing.

[redhat]

Cavallini, Jakovic, and Borjan won't be there?  Hmm.  Good thing Floro is coach and the one making the selection. 

[Fullback]

I think that anyone getting minutes in a professional environment should be considered. Hopefully that will change though

[youllneverwalkalone]

Obviously Floro has no such criteria. Ignoring 23s, he's called members of Unattached FC (Cebara, Dunfield), German 3rd (Straith, Ledgerwood, Edwini-Bonsu), English 3rd (Haber, Hume), Portuguese 2nd (Pacheco), Turkish 2nd (Ricketts). It's hard to imagine calling an 18 without some of these guys and, frankly, if the MLS required Canadian MLS teams to use Canadian domestic players, many of these guys would be playing in our 1st tier. And many would be reasonably successful I think.

[thescottc]

Regardless of league quality, I think it would be best if the core of our team played in MLS. Obviously, the more talented players who have a chance to play in better leagues should, but having the nucleus of our team close to home would be best IMO.

[Lord Bob]

[Floro] did attend an Ottawa match or two and decided against it.

Should we chip in to get the CSA a subscription to NASL Live?

[Blackdude]

I wish Floro would have looked at some NASL players but he did attend an Ottawa match or two and decided against it.  A guy like Edson Edward could probably make it, I think he'll find his way back to MLS. 

 

We've had what 1 camp and there were no MLS starters on the team. I don't think that Floro has decided against it. I'll wait until he calls MLS starters and then we could say that he decided against it.

[Soccerpro]

I don't care what the level is, if the player adds something. I thought Randy Edwini Bonsu should have played in Honduras in the 8-1 defeat because he he added pace and can stretch opposition defences (see canada u23 2 usa u23 0) unlike other fast players like Ricketts, he uses his pace to get in goal scoring opportunities. In my opinion, right now, there is no reason for him not to start for us. I don't care if he goes down to the German 6th division. Start him.

Eddie Edwards was without a doubt, the best Canadian right back alive last year, even though he played in the nasl. His form has dipped this year, but I believe he is the athletic type of player we need to bomb down the wings, unlike Ledgerwood who is about as athletic as your average middle aged white office worker.

[shermanator]

I'll be honest. The level shouldn't matter that much. We don't have that much depth. If you're starting regularly for clubs boulderdash has mentioned, you should be called. You should still call players for depth purposes though. I look at his list and only 2 Goalkeepers who have played a total of 2 pro games (Carducci). And he's not even the back-up for Vancouver. Robinson just wanted to say "Hey look. We've played Canadians in the Voyageurs' Cup, so shut up." I'd pick John Smits before those 2. 

 

I would look at top 2 division of the top 10 leagues in Europe, top 3 divisions for the top 4. And for the top 30 UEFA, I would look at them. NASL should get consideration especially when we have a lack of depth. (Did someone say right back? Edson Edward and Drew Beckie are starting for their club there, right? and I mentioned Smits before, didn't I?)

 

Honduras had players from their 5 domestic clubs in their provisional roster. Why would we look only to our 3 top domestic clubs? NASL isn't that much worse than MLS. The difference between Montreal and Ottawa (Worst in MLS and Best in NASL) isn't as big as the difference between Real Sociedad and Motagua. (1st in Honduras and 4th there) Why shouldn't they get their look? Sure an NASL player would need to play regularly. There's no way that I would call a guy like Fresenga right now looking at his playing time. 

 

 

Smits has been very good for FC Edmonton this year, I am of the opinion that Lance Parker has lost his #1 job when he is back from injury. 

 

Don't hear much about David Monsalve around here. What's everyone's thoughts on him? Seemed to be a very promising prospect years ago?

[baulderdash77]

Hahahahaha. Always good to see some TFC fan who wasn't there before when the Impact, Whitecaps and Lynx started enough players on their A-League team to make a Full XI.

 

Honestly who care's about the A-League.  It was a minor league team that folded 10 years ago and never moved the needle in Canadian' soccer.  While it may have once been an interesting anecdote It's completely irrelevant in 2014.

[Blackdude]

Honestly who care's about the A-League.  It was a minor league team that folded 10 years ago and never moved the needle in Canadian' soccer.  While it may have once been an interesting anecdote It's completely irrelevant in 2014.

 

And MLS and NASL have done that? (Oh and the A-League didn't fold, it just changed names to be in better standing with the USSF)

[baulderdash77]

And MLS and NASL have done that? (Oh and the A-League didn't fold, it just changed names to be in better standing with the USSF)

 

So after several name changes it's now the USL-Pro?  I guess my point stands.

 

Yes MLS has without a doubt moved the needle in Canadian soccer.  It's something people talk about; it's something people watch & care about.  There is media coverage.  It's part of the national sports presence now. 

[Blackdude]

Yes MLS has without a doubt moved the needle in Canadian soccer.  It's something people talk about; it's something people watch & care about.  There is media coverage.  It's part of the national sports presence now. 

 

I haven't seen enough on the national team to say that they've succeeded on the field. It's as bad as it was 10 years ago on the field. The only good thing that we've got is that MLS brought more fans to Canada for our home games.

[Lord Bob]

Honestly who care's about the A-League.  It was a minor league team that folded 10 years ago and never moved the needle in Canadian' soccer.  While it may have once been an interesting anecdote It's completely irrelevant in 2014.

 

[youllneverwalkalone]

C'mon Lord Bob, we all know Craig Forrest never played in the A-League!