Players you expect to see in the CPL

[nolando]

As much as I like the idea of a Beckie coming back to Canada, we have to remember that many of our young Canadian players have spent considerable time playing and, often, studying in the States. They may feel just as comfortable playing there now in what is potentially an adopted hometown as in a big urban centre in Canada where they don't have any current friends, family, or connections.

The other point is that we don't want to put all of our eggs in one basket development-wise. It's always good to have some dark horses playing in Option B and C places outside of the Canadian system, just to mix things up a bit. Look at Tesho for a good example.

Edited August 24, 2019 by nolando

[narduch]

4 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Even on the TFC II that was actively blocked from CanPL entry by Bob Young & Co? Players will always chase the largest contracts and best opportunities on offer to them, so it's naive to think the emergence of CanPL would mean no more Canadians playing at D2 and D3 level in USSF sanctioned leagues. The more Canadians that end up with fully pro contracts the better basically.

Wow it really irks you that CPL didn't allow MLS reserve teams. Based on TFC II's woeful attendance and playing record the CPL made the right choice. 

Besides TFC II is a farm team playing in an even lower league. It's obviously a special case

[RS]

21 hours ago, nolando said:

As much as I like the idea of a Beckie coming back to Canada, we have to remember that many of our young Canadian players have spent considerable time playing and, often, studying in the States. They may feel just as comfortable playing there now in what is potentially an adopted hometown as in a big urban centre in Canada where they don't have any current friends, family, or connections.

The other point is that we don't want to put all of our eggs in one basket development-wise. It's always good to have some dark horses playing in Option B and C places outside of the Canadian system, just to mix things up a bit. Look at Tesho for a good example.

Alternatively, a Beckie coming home to the CPL pushes out a young Canadian who may not have gotten a chance elsewhere.

I'm ok with more Canadians playing everywhere.

[Aird25]

43 minutes ago, RS said:

Alternatively, a Beckie coming home to the CPL pushes out a young Canadian who may not have gotten a chance elsewhere.

I'm ok with more Canadians playing everywhere.

I disagree. I want our league to be as strong as possible so that the overall quality and supporter culture in Canada grows. If young Canadians aren't ready for the premier league than we should have a pathway for them to get to that level

[RS]

29 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

I disagree. I want our league to be as strong as possible so that the overall quality and supporter culture in Canada grows. If young Canadians aren't ready for the premier league than we should have a pathway for them to get to that level

It's all about striking a balance. The hypothetical young Canadian that Beckie pushes out could end up being better than Beckie but never got that chance.

I actually don't disagree with the gist of your point — it's the same point I often make about Canadians on the MLS clubs. But overall, if Beckie (in the USL) and our unnamed young Canadian (in the CPL) both get high-quality opportunities simultaneously, that's the best outcome for improving our player pool as a whole.

There are other ways to gradually improve the overall quality of the CPL than simply collecting all available Canadians like some soccer version of Thanos. 😀

[youllneverwalkalone]

14 hours ago, RS said:

It's all about striking a balance. The hypothetical young Canadian that Beckie pushes out could end up being better than Beckie but never got that chance.

I actually don't disagree with the gist of your point — it's the same point I often make about Canadians on the MLS clubs. But overall, if Beckie (in the USL) and our unnamed young Canadian (in the CPL) both get high-quality opportunities simultaneously, that's the best outcome for improving our player pool as a whole.

There are other ways to gradually improve the overall quality of the CPL than simply collecting all available Canadians like some soccer version of Thanos. 😀

I think this already happened, and obviously quite quickly. If you came back with the same 7 squads, who would Beckie replace? Sure, there would be a role for him, but that's about it.

Bobby S. tweeted something to the effect that they played 10 Canadians against Olimpia and 7 weren't professionals last year.

The young players have already established a D1 and they aren't going to give way to D2 US players now.

[Blackjack15]

1 hour ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

The young players have already established a D1 and they aren't going to give way to D2 US players now.

While the majority players of the young Canadians who are first year professionals thanks to the CPL have impressed, the existing Canadian pros consisted of 8-10 per club plus the 5/6 foreigners. It’s all about finding the right balance; I do think after a first successful season many Canadians have taken notice and will look to come back, the goal of the league is to produce more talent and export players overseas to help the national team it is also to gradually overtime improve in quality and be competitive. If you multiply 5 X 7 that gives you 35. That’s the amount of spots that will be available next season, of which the teams will replace, released, contract expiry, or sold. For sure there’s space for guys like Beckie to come back! Specially if the salary cap goes up season to season. But at the same time the player has to demonstrate himself because if Haber is the top paid player of Pacific and he didn’t have a consistent season considering his age, (30) it might be time to move on from him and give that opportunity to the next guy. It’s important to keep young talent who were limited in minutes but can grow as years grow by; in comparison pressure is a lot bigger to the older canucks and internationals 

As long as the turnover isn’t crazy like USL, then all good. If the CDN premier league wants to be the best, then it must have the best Canadians playing in it. And that we are far in, in 2019; we brought back 54 Canadians who played pro in 2018. There are 140+ of good level still around the globe and many more in academies of recognized clubs. Now most of these players have dual citizenship and manage to find a place to play anyways, the 7 managers are putting the focus on the Canadians who have no change of good getting seen and would stop playing if it wasn’t for the CPL; we must find the right balance 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Blackjack15

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

3 hours ago, youllneverwalkalone said:

...The young players have already established a D1 and they aren't going to give way to D2 US players now.

That's one of the more bizarre things I have ever seen written on here. D1 and D2 labels are meaningless in terms of what the real pecking order is when different countries are involved. Would you apply the same logic to Canadian players, if they were in the Championship, 2.Bundesliga or Serie B?

In reality, if a player like Kevin Aleman who has been on the fringes of the CMNT in the past is keen on a move back to Canada and his wage expectations fit the salary cap, CanPL teams will be falling over themselves to try to sign him. There is also likely to be no shortage of interest in TFC cast offs if a player like Robert Boskovic gets let go after struggling to get game time in Ottawa.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Ozzie_the_parrot

[Aird25]

 I can’t quite wrap my head around the concept of not wanting to improve your team. I want the team I support to be as good as possible and sometimes that means bringing in new players. If Pacific were to bring a player like Zanatta back home I would be thrilled, not concerned 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Aird25

[youllneverwalkalone]

I think Zanatta, Paton, Trafford, Stanese, would be the next wave of targets. Guys make $70k or so abroad. CPL will not fall all over themselves to sign Aleman. He might have a spot because he's still youngish. Boskovic would certainly be a target, as would any player associated with an MLS club. Drew Beckie is no better than Murrell or Thomas who have both struggled at times in the CPL.

Edited August 25, 2019 by youllneverwalkalone

[Ansem]

I agree that CPL should go after the best Canadian talent available, otherwise, what are we doing here?

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Providing the best soccer possible based on the budgets that are sustainable given the level of spectator interest in the sport and the corporate sponsorship that can be attracted. In many/most countries that will mean most of the national team players will be playing elsewhere where higher salaries are on offer. We'll see what happens next season but I suspect it will take a significant hike in the salary cap for there to be many $70k + salaries on offer and the relatively low crowds in Victoria and Edmonton and for York 9 will probably make that a tough sell at an owners meeting.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Ozzie_the_parrot

[youllneverwalkalone]

9 hours ago, Blackjack15 said:

While the majority players of the young Canadians who are first year professionals thanks to the CPL have impressed, the existing Canadian pros consisted of 8-10 per club plus the 5/6 foreigners. It’s all about finding the right balance; I do think after a first successful season many Canadians have taken notice and will look to come back, the goal of the league is to produce more talent and export players overseas to help the national team it is also to gradually overtime improve in quality and be competitive. If you multiply 5 X 7 that gives you 35. That’s the amount of spots that will be available next season, of which the teams will replace, released, contract expiry, or sold. For sure there’s space for guys like Beckie to come back! Specially if the salary cap goes up season to season. But at the same time the player has to demonstrate himself because if Haber is the top paid player of Pacific and he didn’t have a consistent season considering his age, (30) it might be time to move on from him

 

I definitely want Haber back after yesterday, but it would be interesting to go through each squad and predict the turnover. I would think Issey is out (although hopefully sticks with the club in some capacity); McCurdy gone, Blake Smith gone. Everyone else would have to be a transfer out for me.

[Mikmacdo]

2 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Providing the best soccer possible based on the budgets that are sustainable given the level of spectator interest in the sport and the corporate sponsorship that can be attracted. In many/most countries that will mean most of the national team players will be playing elsewhere where higher salaries are on offer. We'll see what happens next season but I suspect it will take a significant hike in the salary cap for there to be many $70k + salaries on offer and the relatively low crowds in Victoria and Edmonton and for York 9 will probably make that a tough sell at an owners meeting.

Attendance has little to do with how much an owner would spend. I bet york9 makes more revenue than Halifax from corporate sales. Just a guess though. 

[Ansem]

 

[toontownman]

I'd say maybe a return to the caps is on the cards but they already turned him down on a free a couple of years back didn't they?

Would be a nice fit for Pacific or Halifax, maybe York. Obviously Gale will also be after him to bolster Valours midfield.

[SoccMan]

Mo Babouli who I thought would have been a good player in the CPL , surprised York9 or Forge did not sign him has just signed a few weeks ago for Ukrainia United in the local Toronto area CSL League which is a League that is not even sanctioned. Most likely he has retired from full time soccer and is working full time at a day job and now just playing part time for fun and a bit of cash.

[Big_M]

dont think so..theres plenty of players who play pro indoor and get some extra money with amateur or semi-pro leagues outdoor..he had a good season with the metrostars and will probably be back..after does he do another part time job..possible

[SoccMan]

46 minutes ago, Big_M said:

dont think so..theres plenty of players who play pro indoor and get some extra money with amateur or semi-pro leagues outdoor..he had a good season with the metrostars and will probably be back..after does he do another part time job..possible

I’m just surprised a CPL team did not pick him up. I think he would have been a good fit with either Forge or York9 ,being that  he is from the Mississauga area. This is why I was thinking he might of retired from full time soccer and now just making a bit of cash on the side playing in the un sanctioned CSL.

[Shortdutchcanuck]

2 hours ago, SoccMan said:

Mo Babouli who I thought would have been a good player in the CPL , surprised York9 or Forge did not sign him has just signed a few weeks ago for Ukrainia United in the local Toronto area CSL League which is a League that is not even sanctioned. Most likely he has retired from full time soccer and is working full time at a day job and now just playing part time for fun and a bit of cash.

I thought there was an ongoing issue with him getting his official release from the Syrian team he played for.  Hence he's been unable to sign anywhere else.

[Blackjack15]

 

Dylon Powley - The CPL Back up GK you don’t know about 

[BuzzAndSting]

 

 

[The Real Marc]

Jackson? Chechinski?

[CanadaFan123]

Twardek, Ennin, Trafford, Hemati, Gomes, Kapor, Hainault, Straith all overseas guys I could see coming home just off the top of my head.

How cool would it be to get a guy like Massih Wassey in CPL?

Tons of guys in USL that you could see come to CPL.  Have to think it’s time for Aleman to give it a shot. 

[The Real Marc]

Hainault and Straith are longshots, given their wages, but it will be interesting to see how the next crop of more marginal Euro players does in the league.  Given how some of the more "marquee" signings have struggled, these guys playing at low levels could also find CPL less welcoming.