Voyageurs' Cup 2017

[harrycoyster]

1 minute ago, Gian-Luca said:

Whoa there - now he's suddenly  "not good enough for MLS"? I think he's played about 150 games for TFC (I think the all-time leader in that category) and still hasn't quite turned 25, so I'm not sure how much of a "fact" that is. I'm not overly fussed whether people think he's an automatic starter or not for TFC (widely - and currently statistically - seen at the top team in the league, where he has to compete against the top playmaker in the league and one of the most expensive DP's for 2 of the 3 spots in the formation that Vanney uses) but suggesting he isn't good enough to play in the league seems to be overstating the point.

And while I hope the CPL fill the sort of gap you are referring to, I am doubtful it will surpass the USL/NASL in quality in the forseeable future, although granted, we all need more info either way on that. Although that's probably a discussion for another thread.

 

Points taken. But to clarify, I was talking about starting. In that Osorio isn't good enough to consistently start on the MLS level and would be one of the best players on most USL teams.

I agree that the CPL likely won't be better than the USL/NASL anytime soon. My hope is that the league grows into that role within 10 years.

[Gopherbashi]

58 minutes ago, Zem said:

I wouldn't be so sure about that, the change in the CCL format means Canadian teams don't play continental games in the fall anymore, so it opens up the possibility of moving the VC to being a later-season competition, like most national cups are. It would be desirable as well, since you would have more in-form teams playing in what is for now the only route to the CCL.

I'm talking about next year, not future years.  I wouldn't be surprised if it gets moved later once the CPL is up and running.

[Blackdude]

I heard that MLS teams didn't want to play in August. I do think that it would be better to play it in July and August. 

[Cheeta]

4 hours ago, Kent said:

...

It will also be interesting to see at what point this tournament goes from 2 legged ties to single knockout. As the number of rounds grows it will be tougher and tougher to keep the 2 leg system.

Oooh I like the way you're thinking.  Lets FA Cup this thing.  Throw the names of all the combatants in a hat and start drawing.  Develop a formula for who hosts 1st and provide for a replay at the oppositions grounds only in the event of a draw.  That way we won't need to bother with a return leg no one is interested in anyway after a 6-0 defeat. 

Have to build that replay contingency into the schedule of course, not that hard but of course it doesn't work until you have a specific even number of teams contesting.  Although you can always reward the previous years cup holders with a 1st round bye.  Or the MLS teams sit out the 1st round.  Or a team can draw "bye" as their opponent.  You get the idea, we can find a way to figure it out.  

[Gian-Luca]

Just curious......anyone know who these three panelists are in this Sportsnet Montreal segment?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/no-way-bernier-tackle-red-card/

I get the sense that they are not soccer experts, but this sort of panel of general sports media types (if that is what they are) discussing soccer (and for that matter, the Voyageurs Cup) is something we still need to see more of in Toronto - especially given the success here with the crowd sizes.

[carolynduthie]

43 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Just curious......anyone know who these three panelists are in this Sportsnet Montreal segment?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/no-way-bernier-tackle-red-card/

I get the sense that they are not soccer experts, but this sort of panel of general sports media types (if that is what they are) discussing soccer (and for that matter, the Voyageurs Cup) is something we still need to see more of in Toronto - especially given the success here with the crowd sizes.

Elias Makos is the hosting dude and then Jessica Rusnak, Derick Fage and Sean Farrell. I think Farrell writes (or wrote maybe) for MLS but still more of a general sports guy, and the rest definitely aren't soccer people. (I haven't watched Montreal TV in awhile but I think some of them are from like, Breakfast Television or something?) 

[Macksam]

5 hours ago, harrycoyster said:

Points taken. But to clarify, I was talking about starting. In that Osorio isn't good enough to consistently start on the MLS level and would be one of the best players on most USL teams.

I agree that the CPL likely won't be better than the USL/NASL anytime soon. My hope is that the league grows into that role within 10 years.

I'm not going to get into the Marky Delgado/Osorio comparison or anything but both have shown they could be consistent starters on most MLS teams IMO and it's just unfortunate for them that they happen to be on quite possibly the greatest MLS team of all time. Osorio in particular consistently has games where he's been a great link up guy that consistently finds open space and makes great runs. Where he lacks in speed, he makes up for in fight and grit (something he most definitely developed in Uruguay). Apart from his shoddy finishing, he's like a poor man's Frank Lampard. 

[Blackjack15]

What happens in the 2018 version of the Canadian Championship when the winners of League 1 Ontario and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec join in?

[Kent]

9 hours ago, Blackjack15 said:

What happens in the 2018 version of the Canadian Championship when the winners of League 1 Ontario and Première Ligue de soccer du Québec join in?

I am aching to know too. I imagine they are waiting on the NASL (FC Edmonton) and CPL to firm up their plans for next year before they announce the format. My fear is that the PLSQ and L1O champs will play each other in a preliminary round since they decided there wasn't any point in having the inter provincial cup anymore. I think that was a bad decision but I guess I don't know what kind of a strain it puts on the clubs.

[Zem]

10 hours ago, Kent said:

I am aching to know too. I imagine they are waiting on the NASL (FC Edmonton) and CPL to firm up their plans for next year before they announce the format. My fear is that the PLSQ and L1O champs will play each other in a preliminary round since they decided there wasn't any point in having the inter provincial cup anymore. I think that was a bad decision but I guess I don't know what kind of a strain it puts on the clubs.

Assuming the CPL doesn't launch next year, what will most likely happen is that each semi-pro side will be drawn against either FC Edmonton or Ottawa, and then the bracket will proceed as before, so the winners of each of those matches will then play in what is currently the Preliminary Round.

[Rocket Robin]

From my League 1 Ontario 2017 Week 24 thread: 

Rossi is Dino Rossi: 

 

Rossi also said the L1O winner WILL NOT be paired with the
winner of the Quebec PLSQ--that is AS Blainville. I suspect
that will mean those two teams will play NASL FC Edmonton and
USL Ottawa Fury and the winners will play each other for the
one semi-final spot against Toronto FC as the best of the
three Canadian MLS teams.

[Kent]

Well that is better than what I have feared, but assuming the 7 teams we are expecting now (ie: no CPL teams, and Edmonton won't disappear with a folded NASL) I would rather TFC gets a bye as the reigning champion, and the other six teams are drawn against each other randomly. Next best option would be the same thing but with some kind of seeding, maybe it would only be that Montreal and Vancouver can't be drawn against each other.

[Blackdude]

From AS Blainville's Facebook: they said that they'll face Ottawa or Edmonton in the first round in the spring for the ultimate goal in facing an MLS team. 

 

[grande]

It would've been nice if they had added the Challenge Cup winner for an easy eight teams.

[ChrisinOrleans]

7 hours ago, Blackdude said:

From AS Blainville's Facebook: they said that they'll face Ottawa or Edmonton in the first round in the spring for the ultimate goal in facing an MLS team. 

It would be fantastic if AS Blainville was drawn against Ottawa. Despite the Fury being absolute trash on the pitch this year - to the point where I stopped going - I'd make the trip to see them play this game. 

Hopefully, AS Blainville will pick up all the ex-Fury Québécois for a good old revenge match. They already have Pierre Rudolph-Mayard, now all they need is Jon Vallée and Phillipe Davies! 

[Kent]

10 hours ago, Blackdude said:

From AS Blainville's Facebook: they said that they'll face Ottawa or Edmonton in the first round in the spring for the ultimate goal in facing an MLS team. 

Sigh. So I guess that probably means these teams have to get through 2 rounds before the MLS teams get involved. I'm not a fan of that, but it's still a step in the right direction having these teams involved.

I agree that it would have been better to have an 8 team tournament, maybe with the Challenge Cup winners added, but I would probably prefer to have both L1O conference champions involved instead. Or maybe a playoff between the Challenge Cup winners and the second L1O team.

[shermanator]

I look forward to FC Edmonton losing in the 97th minute to an amateur team in 2018.

[Kent]

I'm planning on going to the L1O final on Friday. It'll only be my second L1O game that I've attended. Excited to see which team will make history of being the first L1O team to advance to the Voyageurs Cup. I'm hoping Woodbridge wins because that will be an easier drive for me next year if/when they host a Voyageurs Cup match. Plus I recently found out a guy at my office plays for them.

Is anyone else planning on going? It would be great to have a good number of fans out there showing support for the league, and for the importance of these teams being included in the Voyageurs Cup.