Whitecaps to Start USL-Pro Affiliate in New West

[tmcmurph]

Ted, Canadian D1 isn't a far away reality. It's part of the Easton Report, but it wasn't announced to the public as it is a very very touchy strategic goal for the CSA Board. I think we will see the creation of a D3 Regional league first, then a D2, and finally a D1. Maybe D2 and D1 will get created in unison, who knows until the real talk starts happening.

 

The problem with a bureaucracy like the CSA is that they always are a day late and a dollar short. Much improved since reform implementation was started but still very slow. When there was a vacuum to fill (after the CSL) they didn't grab the opportunity and from 2007-11 it was fighting against reform and trying to protect itself. Now we are starting to see some good moves with more games, a good hire for coach, international tournaments in Canada, etc but they have been totally leap frogged on the leagues issue.

 

Not their fault as it is a very risky and complex task and people will dump on them if they screw it up but maybe that is why businessmen are better at it. They have an idea and go for it. That is what they do. It is normal for them but a real stretch for the vast majority of people (in general and at the CSA).

 

By time they've got a decision to get a report done and decided who should do the report a businessman would, and have, put things in motion. The line "until the real talk starts happening" sums it up nicely. We can wait for the CSA or go with some other people's plans. People who have the money and business experience to get things done in a much quicker timeframe.

 

Before the CSA gets a D3 regional league going USL pro and NASL will have all the markets. There will be no Canadian D2 and/or D1. That is just the "distant ship smoke on the horizon". Sad to say it, but that is how it looks to me.

 

Since USL Pro counts Canadians as domestics on US based teams I think that is the way to go.

[Lord Bob]

Since USL Pro counts Canadians as domestics on US based teams I think that is the way to go.

Just to be clear, NASL does the same.

VERY LATE EDIT: I've been doing some research on another thing a few days later and this is not true. Canadian players count as foreign on American NASL teams.

[tmcmurph]

The Whitecaps did let and, their press release makes it appear, encourage Bustos to play for Chile. So criticize the individual all you want but the Whitecaps were enablers. God, the apologism for the Whitecaps makes me queasy and I cheer for them.

 

Separation of club and country is required as they have 2 totally different and only sometimes overlapping areas of interest. Expecting a club to take action against a young player when it is not a club issue is not realistic. This is not a club issue. It is a national team issue and that is the domain of the CSA. Let's see what they do. If they choose to do nothing then why do you think the club should?

 

The press release cited only a Welsh coach's comments that were positive about Bustos going. That was it. As a club you want your young players getting all the experience they can get. That is how they develop for your club.

 

Read what Bustos himself has said about being so excited to get the invite. He made his mind up to go when he got the invite. He is 100% responsible for it. Everything else is after the fact.

 

I am not apologizing for the Whitecaps. I am defending them and their record of supporting soccer in Canada at all levels. It speaks volumes about their commitment to develop the youth. The choices made by those youth are 100% the responsability of the youth and their parents. Period.

[tmcmurph]

Just to be clear, NASL does the same.

 

Yes for D2 that works for me. For regional D3 the USL Pro works for me for the same reason. My bad for not being clear on that point.

[rob.notenboom]

WTF are you talking about!???!??!?!    There was a second, secret section of the Easton Report us mere mortals were not allowed to read? That is just fucking great. And so all the times we have discussed this in the past two years and people have hinted at mysterious "plans" this is what they are talking about?

 

That you have kept this hidden is offensive in the extreme.

 

 

That would be a reasonable and fine plan in the long term. WTF would they have to hide that?  Why don't they come out and say that?

 

The real kicker is why do they secretly wish for it then turn around and abandon all responsibility for D3's to the provinces, publicly announcing they are no longer in the D3 business?

 

If what you say is true I am truly stunned at the CSA's incompetance and your duplicity.

If he heard it a week or two ago and just discussed it now does that still make him offensive and duplicitous?

[Tuscan]

I just happened upon said info through a few people I know, one who is associated with the CSA.

[Dub Narcotic]

I'm personally not going to give the 'caps any credit until 11 of their players beat Brazil 7-1 in Brazil. Until then, go to hell Lenarduzzi and Kerfoot.

 

Also confusing on this board: all of the great 'caps things like a competitive tiered residency program against the best youth players in North America, top training facilities, USL affiliation for U-23 development and stable top flight soccer with good attendance and high media interest are all really thanks to MLS. However, we know that MLS hates Canada and anybody who thinks otherwise wants to have a threesome with Don Garber and a dead goat! So confusing! I've seen graphs, GRAPHS!

 

Anyways, thanks to Steve Sandor, we know that no players are willing to play for MLS developmental or USL salaries, so the 'caps won't be able to find any Canadians to staff their new affiliate team regardless. Thanks again for nothing, 'craps.

[Keegan]

This is a great move for Vancouver and Canadian soccer.

 

There you go Vancouver fans, the pat on the head you need!  Now fix it in your actual city and with your actual club. 

[narduch]

I just happened upon said info through a few people I know, one who is associated with the CSA.

 

This isn't related to the TSN/CFL rumour by any chance?

[Lord Bob]

Also confusing on this board: all of the great 'caps things like a competitive tiered residency program against the best youth players in North America, top training facilities, USL affiliation for U-23 development and stable top flight soccer with good attendance and high media interest are all really thanks to MLS. However, we know that MLS hates Canada and anybody who thinks otherwise wants to have a threesome with Don Garber and a dead goat! So confusing! I've seen graphs, GRAPHS!

Saying the Residency program and PDL affiliation, which predate the MLS Whitecaps by several years, are "all really thanks to MLS" is a considerable exaggeration.

 

I want results. I don't want theory. I don't want the team using the Residency as a shield to hide the fact that they've stopped producing first-team Canadian players. I want results.

[ted]

Being affiliated with the 'Caps will this new team be able to play in the Voyageurs Cup?

 

No. the CSA made it very clear when the USL-MLS deal was first announced that these teams would not be sanctioned independently but would rather be considered extensions of the MLS team. 

 

That said, they could change their minds in a flash and simply cup-tie players as individuals rather than the whole team.

 

If he heard it a week or two ago and just discussed it now does that still make him offensive and duplicitous?

 

OK, I did not know that as he did not say when he knew. I apologize unreservedly for jumping to an unwarranted and unfair conclusion.

 

Please share what you know of the secret report.

[VWFC]

This is a great move for Vancouver and Canadian soccer.

 

There you go Vancouver fans, the pat on the head you need!  Now fix it in your actual city and with your actual club. 

 

Thanks, that must have been a big step for you.  

 

There's no doubt the Caps need to play more Canadians on the first team and I think this is a very big step to make that happen.  Unless you have an absolute stud like Henry, bridging that gap from U-18 to first team is really difficult.

 

I'm curious how it'll work with the (terrible) MLS roster rules.  Could the Caps theoretically sign as many residency guys as they want and loan them to the USL team so they don't count towards the 30?  or would the USL team sign the players and then 'loan' or 'sell' them to the Caps if there ready for MLS?  If there is a way around it, then you could see Froese, Bustos, Farmer, Wirth, Piraux, Baldisimo, Haynes, and maybe a few other to go with some of the first team.  

[rob.notenboom]

 

 

OK, I did not know that as he did not say when he knew. I apologize unreservedly for jumping to an unwarranted and unfair conclusion.

 

Please share what you know of the secret report.

 

I'm not sure that there is anything else to share other than what Jeff has already said. I have heard very little detail but to me it makes sense that the CSA would have been considering a Div1 league all along but might have thought better of including it in the Easton report. Then again, it may be just another one of those unsubstantiated rumours or something that lines up nicely with what I already believe and therefore I am more apt to believe it.

 

I think it's also important to say thanks for the apology (even though it wasn't to me ... I still think it should be acknowledged). In my opinion there is not enough of simple politeness and respect on the forum but there seems to be no end to over reacting, trolling, name-calling, disrespect, and the like. I have a suspicion that if we were all in the pub together talking about these things we would find out that we are all much more agreeable, would treat each other with more respect, and would find that we have a ton in common, especially the fact that we all simply want the National teams to do well, even if we disagree on how that might best happen or which person or club is doing the most to make it happen. It's been pretty toxic around here, and that serves no useful purpose that I can see (not directing this at you Ted just to be clear ... more at the general deportment off and on and especially over the last several days).

[maccaliam]

Could the Caps theoretically sign as many residency guys as they want and loan them to the USL team so they don't count towards the 30?  or would the USL team sign the players and then 'loan' or 'sell' them to the Caps if there ready for MLS?

It will be interesting to see how that will work. It may help to keep players happy as they will be getting an actual paycheque and playing while still keeping the dream of moving up to the MLS side alive.

[ted]

I have a suspicion that if we were all in the pub together talking about these things we would find out that we are all much more agreeable, would treat each other with more respect, and would find that we have a ton in common, especially the fact that we all simply want the National teams to do well, even if we disagree on how that might best happen or which person or club is doing the most to make it happen.

 

Thanks man. The above is pretty much how I have always treated this forum (and it's predecessors) which sometimes gets me in trouble. I always have it in mind that we are just sitting around, pints in hand, blowing off steam, celebrating, venting, whatever.

 

[bTW I'd "Like This" on your post but I have reached my, "quota of positive votes for the day".  I wonder how I can access my "negative votes"?   ]

[rob.notenboom]

Thanks man. The above is pretty much how I have always treated this forum (and it's predecessors) which sometimes gets me in trouble. I always have it in mind that we are just sitting around, pints in hand, blowing off steam, celebrating, venting, whatever.

[bTW I'd "Like This" on your post but I have reached my, "quota of positive votes for the day". I wonder how I can access my "negative votes"? ]

No worries. Cheers. That whole 'like' issue is bizarre isn't it?

[addy800]

Toronto Fc and Montreal should start their own usl pro teams as well that way in a couple years their squads will consistent of more canadians playing in their starting 11. 

[TFC07]

Toronto Fc and Montreal should start their own usl pro teams as well that way in a couple years their squads will consistent of more canadians playing in their starting 11. 

 

Toronto Lynx is going to be TFC's USL-Pro affiliate, but they don't currently have a location to play.  Hopefully by next year, TFC find a location for Lynx to play their games.  

[Dub Narcotic]

Their current residency team seems to be full of guys who could use a USL team next year: Sacramento, Roubos, Black and Alkoul(?) or whomever that new striker is. They could homegrown Carmagro back from Coastal Carolina as well. It's probably getting too late to get their own team in next year but Wilmington would probably take a player or two more next year.

[Trillium]

Toronto Fc and Montreal should start their own usl pro teams as well that way in a couple years their squads will consistent of more canadians playing in their starting 11.

I don't like the whole USL Pro push as being the reserve squad for MLS franchises.

TFC should use L1 league as it's place to run out U18's to U23 near pros and be a place a first team player goes to for fitness after an injury etc. Before coming back to first team minutes.

BC because of it's long standing disfunctional provincial leagues has not gotten on board with Quebec and Now Ontario running a D3 level league.

BC could have a function D3 league by 2015 with eight clubs including Whitecaps side the shame is the CSA president cannot seem to sell BC on following the plan.

If BC buys in the praries can be up and running D3 league in 2016, leaving Atlantic Canada to come online at a future date.

This would mean goodbye PDL and having clubs playing enough games to actually develop players who opt not to play college or university soccer, instead earning a small pro salary and in winter signing on somewhere warm..or attending school/working till the next season.

[RS]

I don't like the whole USL Pro push as being the reserve squad for MLS franchises.

TFC should use L1 league as it's place to run out U18's to U23 near pros and be a place a first team player goes to for fitness after an injury etc. Before coming back to first team minutes.

 

TFC Academy is already the best team in L1O, so I'd guess that TFC would prefer a higher level of competition for the reserve side.

[jpg75]

I don't want to talk crap about League 1 Ontario, but at this point it is nowhere near the level required for young adults on a TFC reserve side to properly develop.

[ted]

BC because of it's long standing disfunctional provincial leagues has not gotten on board with Quebec and Now Ontario running a D3 level league.

BC could have a function D3 league by 2015 with eight clubs including Whitecaps side the shame is the CSA president cannot seem to sell BC on following the plan.

If BC buys in the praries can be up and running D3 league in 2016, leaving Atlantic Canada to come online at a future date.

 

What plan? What is there to "sell BC"?

Why do you not believe the CSA when they say they are out of the D3 business? What part of abdicating responsibility to the provinces do you not understand?

With the recent announcement of MWD* it seems pretty clear what brainpower and effort they do posses has been directed towards a national D2.

 

BTW, not sure where you get off talking about "dysfunctional provincial leagues"? The PCSL has been running a league continuously for decades and is comparable to the brand-new L1O. 

 

If BC wants D3 then they add more teams to the USL Pro rather than pretend that an amateur hour production like L1O or PCSL is professional.

---

* MWD= Montigliani's Wet Dream, aka "the propsed CSA-CFL-TSN partnership to run an offshoot/affiliate of the NASL".

[Blue and White Army]

Two public consultation meetings coming up shortly:

 

• Tuesday, July 29, 7:00-9:00pm at Centennial Lodge in Queen's Park
• Saturday, August 9, 11:00am-1:00pm at Centennial Community Centre

 

A decision is to be made in early September. A rather rushed process, it would seem!

[tovan1]

I think they are trying to get it done before the local government elections in November.