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3 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

I think going forward it needs to be watched but some of them played 7 games and were shutdown for months. Farsi is from QC he couldn’t even hit the gym, Abzi same deal. 

Pretty sure farsi could go to a gym as a pro athlete, I know n'sa was training in Quebec. 

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7 minutes ago, Mikmacdo said:

Pretty sure farsi could go to a gym as a pro athlete, I know n'sa was training in Quebec. 

Depends where they lived, everything was closed for months. Individual private training was allowed in X circumstances, not many exemptions.

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https://canpl.ca/article/concacaf-president-montagliani-looking-forward-to-cpls-encore-performance-in-2021

Montagliani, a 55-year-old native of B.C., was impressed with the CPL’s staging of The Island Games, especially when you consider more established leagues around the world struggled to deal with the pandemic.

“The (CPL’s) second season, like every other league in the world, hit the brakes pretty hard last year. But then what impressed me was how the leadership of the league pivoted quite quickly into creating a bubble in PEI and having The Island Games,” Montagliani told CanPL.ca.

A lot of leagues in the world weren’t able to do that; leagues that have been around for a long time just cancelled their seasons. The French league just said, ‘We’re done.’ So, that was impressive for me, and the games were quite good at The Island Games, as well.”

Montagliani, who is also a vice president of FIFA, is looking forward to seeing what the CPL can do for an encore in 2021, as the league and the rest of the sporting world continue to deal with COVID-19.

“We’re on the precipice of a third season and (the CPL) building on that, so it’s pretty hard not to give the league an overall grade of an ‘A’ after its first two seasons,” Montagliani stated

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5 hours ago, DigzTFC said:

A lot of leagues in the world weren’t able to do that; leagues that have been around for a long time just cancelled their seasons. The French league just said, ‘We’re done.’ So, that was impressive for me, and the games were quite good at The Island Games, as well.”

Seems like a bit of exaggeration. The French Ligue 1 started their season 8 days after the Island games started, and are on-track for a full 38-game season for each club. AND they had over 7000 teams playing in the national cup.

Sure, they lost some games in the previous season - but CPL also lost lots of games.

Edited by nfitz
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1 hour ago, nfitz said:

Seems like a bit of exaggeration. The French Ligue 1 started their season 8 days after the Island games started, and are on-track for a full 38-game season for each club. AND they had over 7000 teams playing in the national cup.

Sure, they lost some games in the previous season - but CPL also lost lots of games.

That's an interesting way to describe cancelling a season that was nearly 75% completed. 🙄

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22 minutes ago, SthMelbRed said:

That's an interesting way to describe cancelling a season that was nearly 75% completed. 🙄

His point is valid though. CPL was planning on a 28 game season. 4 teams played only 7 games (I forget, was it 10 games for 2 more teams and 11 games for the top 2?). The way Montagliani was talking it sounded like the French schedule was much harder hit than the Canadian schedule.

And I will say this too. Montagliani's point was valid too, just his example was bad. The CPL did well to get something out of 2020. The CFL would have been a better example. Or aren't there Caribbean leagues that haven't played since this all began?

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18 hours ago, SthMelbRed said:

That's an interesting way to describe cancelling a season that was nearly 75% completed. 🙄

Isn't completing 75% of a season better than completing 25% of the season, which is what CPL did? 

The only really difference is timing. Both leagues resumed at about the same time. But France plays longer and was playing when Covid hit, while CPL was on winter break.

Montagliani's comments are disingenuous, particularly given how well the French Cup has done compared to Canada.

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CFL is looking like an old man in these times - a very vulnerable life.

The difference between the two is the overall operating cost.

I think the link up rumours with XFL (which I think would be interesting in a NL/AL MLB setup) would be beneficial to their long term future. They need something different, and they also need to their flagship teams to have fans that care.

It might not be overnight for the CPL to “overtake” the CFL... but I think it will naturally happen before it’s due to the CFL not being around.

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I apologize in advance for a bit of a diatribe.  A mix of commentary and areas of improvement of CPL.

Kah's comments about the lack of experience of WCQ U23 team made me reflect more on the state of CPL.  My observations aren't quantified so its a bit anecdotal and easily challenged.  I think Kah's assertion is correct that lack of experience hurt our chances against Mexico.  I also think being out of season is a huge factor and without addressing that issue, it's extremely hopeful for the next U23 cycle to have all in-season European based players.

I have done research on Belgium FA and how they improved their program and how CPL can play more than a way for players to get game experience.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jun/06/belgium-blueprint-gave-birth-golden-generation-world-cup-

1) Each CPL club should adopt the same playing structure (ex 4-3-3) as the National Team

- Benefits, alignment with National Team tactics so if NT camps are short and there are not many NT games to prepare for tournaments, these youth players will be able to fit into the system tactically.   This is a huge advantage as very few FAs have adopted this approach and clubs and coaches do their own structures depending on the opponent.  We also have a small league and its possible to implement this.

2) The CPL league schedule has very tight turnarounds which means only tactics and fitness can be  coached.  There cannot be any skill development done.  However, CPL does have a long off-season.  All Canadian players should be assigned a high performance individual development plan.  Those can be executed through private operators of through National Team development outlets like the Ontario Soccer Association or loan agreements with European based clubs (ex Zator etc).  We need our players to improve skill wise and our long off season can be an advantage rather than a detriment.

3) Each team should have a U18 Youth Team that focuses on skill development and tactics.  If you look at the Belgium NT players most if not all were starting in their league at 18 and had two solid years of playing before being sold abroad.  We are so slow to integrate our youth in Canada.  It puts us at a huge disadvantage in my opinion.  That could be due to a skill gap but we need more 16-18 year old starters.  You could look at a league rule that gives 1.5x minutes for players under 18 toward the time allocation required for U21 players.  Just a thought.  There should also be an award with cash incentive given to the club that has the most U21 minutes.  $100-200K or something like that.

4) There has been very little turnover of Canadians in the league on the best teams or players are staying in the league and going to different clubs.  Stability is good but it also leads to bit of stagnation.  If players aren't being developed outside of the games (this is my base assumption) the improvement will be slight and slow and the only way to improve the league is to bring in higher wages and better internationals.  MLS did this and its unclear if this strengthens the NT Program.  Not sure how to address this. Thoughts?

5) We need more Canadian players in key positions on the field.  To often, we see the international spots used for the spine of the team (FW, CM, CB).  It happens in MLS and it appears to be happening in the CPL to a degree.  These are the positions we need for NT Program.  With 7 Domestic of the 11 starters including U-Sport Draft picks, this can become problematic.  Not sure how to address this. Thoughts?

6) We need to see more loans from European based Canadians that have early release clauses to return to their teams in time for the season of close of the transfer window. European based Canadians are dying for games as well and this could be an excellent way to develop them in conjunction with their current club.  Tristan Borges being loaned back to Forge is the only example that comes to mind.  We do this for U-Sport players why not euro clubs.

7) We need players from the MLS academies getting minutes in CPL on deals where they can be recalled like the AHL.  I know this impacts the appearance of the league but the unfortunate reality is most of these players in the MLS academy are the best talent and they aren't getting enough games with the 1st team or 2nd Team.  Ex. Shaffelburg.    What happens in MLS squanders too much talent by not playing them. 

The most interesting things to watch in season 3 of the CPL are:

1) Is that standard of play better?

2) Which existing players go better?

3) Which young players emerged?

Edited by DigzTFC
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Just a couple of quick points, it was Belgium youth teams that all decided to adopt the senior system (4-3-3)?  Well I couldnt tell you what our national team system is..do we have one??  And CPL is a pro league, I dont know how you could get them all to play the same system, its not like academy teams that have only one job.. to funnel kids to the senior side.  

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Yes having Canadian players in key positions would be a positive but you can’t really mandate that , all you can do is just allow less imports . In terms of telling individuals teams to play a certain style no no and no . Let each team decide their style of play or each head coach . Yes the CPL is there to develop players but in the end you have to leave styles of play to the individual clubs and coaches .

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2 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Just a couple of quick points, it was Belgium youth teams that all decided to adopt the senior system (4-3-3)?  Well I couldnt tell you what our national team system is..do we have one??  And CPL is a pro league, I dont know how you could get them all to play the same system, its not like academy teams that have only one job.. to funnel kids to the senior side.  

Okay, I misread that specific part but it has some merit.  If you look at the pyramid of CDN soccer this the is only place where it could be implement.  You can't align the amateur clubs in this country.  They can't even agree within their districts.

https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/club-brugge-their-domination-of-the-belgian-pro-league-19-20-data-analysis-statistics

To prove the point against me:

Club Brugge started the season playing with four at the back in 4-1-4-1, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations. When schedule started mixing with the Champions League group stage he adapted his team mostly to 3-5-2 formation.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2646808-michel-sablon-the-man-who-re-engineered-belgian-football

I found this interesting:

"4-3-3 was paramount in honing the player of the future," highlights Sablon. "Assess the different playing systems and 4-3-3 will turn out to be most efficient, because you have a flat four at the back, defensive and offensive triangles in the midfield, a striker and two wingers, for whom dribbling past the opponent is of pivotal importance."

"With a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 you predominantly produce workers and runners."

Anyway, this was 1 of 7 points and I understand the push back.

Any ideas or critiques are welcome

Edited by DigzTFC
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16 hours ago, Watchmen said:

By what metric?  Attendance?  TV viewership?  Revenue?  Salaries?

Pro soccer in the shape of MLS has already overtaken the CFL in the GTA in every metric other than possibly TV viewership. The CFL's geriatric "old stock" demographic still watches cable so difficult to challenge them there when soccer skews toward younger demographics that don't. Pro soccer may also be ahead that way in Montreal and Vancouver as well but it's not quite as clear cut in those cases. That leaves only six markets where gridiron is still very much king in summer-fall sports terms.

The talk of a possible CFL-XFL linkup is intriguing. If there are people within the CFL (MLSE apparently are in this camp) who see the only way ahead for the CFL as linking up with a spring format American gridiron league and possibly even switching over to four downs they must be in dire straits overall given how those leagues have always wound up in the past. Doubt having Dwayne Johnson involved really makes much difference to the eventual outcome but time will tell obviously.

The CFL won't die but the manner in which it reconfigures so that revenues match expenses in a post-cable TV sports environment might make it easier for soccer to start to challenge its dominance in the non-MLS markets than it has been in the past.

Edited by Ozzie_the_parrot
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2 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Pro soccer in the shape of MLS has already overtaken the CFL in the GTA in every metric other than possibly TV viewership.  The CFL's geriatric "old stock" demographic still watches cable so difficult to challenge them there when soccer skews toward younger demographics that don't. Pro soccer may also be ahead that way in Montreal and Vancouver as well but it's not quite as clear cut in those cases. That leaves only six markets where gridiron is still very much king in summer-fall sports terms.

Yes, and the question was "How long before CPL catches up and surpasses CFL".  The CPL is not MLS.  The CFL was already dying in those 3 markets (or at least Toronto and Vancouver) and MLS's arrival might have accelerated that. The CPL's primary markets are all located in markets that are much, much stronger for the CFL.

Also, I hope that the CFL stays.  There's no reason all the leagues can't co-exist, and the demise of the CFL would be incredibly disappointing.

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I know this gonna sound weird, but idea. Bring St Pierre and Miquelon and St. John’s into the CPL. St Pierre and Miquelon would have possible options with French players. Plus their currency  is in euros ( so cheaper to run ). Also it would create a Canada vs France feel. St Pierre and Miquelon is in talks with CONCACAF and the French football federations helping in development. 
 

https://www.worldsoccer.com/features/tiny-islands-with-big-plans-409377

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9 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Yes, and the question was "How long before CPL catches up and surpasses CFL".  The CPL is not MLS...

I addressed the CanPL angle in the last paragraph that you have chosen to ignore. I'm a soccer fan first so don't have a narrow tribalistic mindset where MLS and CanPL are concerned. Without the level of success that MLS achieved in the three largest markets there would almost certainly not have been a CanPL.

 

 

Edited by Ozzie_the_parrot
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6 hours ago, SpecialK said:

I know this gonna sound weird, but idea. Bring St Pierre and Miquelon and St. John’s into the CPL. St Pierre and Miquelon would have possible options with French players. Plus their currency  is in euros ( so cheaper to run ). Also it would create a Canada vs France feel. St Pierre and Miquelon is in talks with CONCACAF and the French football federations helping in development. 
 

https://www.worldsoccer.com/features/tiny-islands-with-big-plans-409377

The 100th ranked municipality by population in Canada is Mirabel Quebec. Its population is more than 8 times the population of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

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4 hours ago, Kent said:

The 100th ranked municipality by population in Canada is Mirabel Quebec. Its population is more than 8 times the population of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Yes, but we are looking at 2- 4000 people attending games. That’s what the CPL needs. Also it can open the door for the French( France ) market plus players. Plus would give a rival to St.John’s. 

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5 hours ago, Kent said:

The 100th ranked municipality by population in Canada is Mirabel Quebec. Its population is more than 8 times the population of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

York in 2019 avg attendance was 2,942 and York as pop of around 1.1 million people. This population argument is BS. If a place is hungry for sports, they will support it. Especially a French European market. It’s the same with the North. Yellowknife is a great example, they had like 2000 people show up for a NHL hockey Alumni game. Just imagine a pro team( the only one there ) , with professional players with marketing and nice stadium. I bet the whole city would be there to support. 

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1 hour ago, SpecialK said:

Yes, but we are looking at 2- 4000 people attending games. That’s what the CPL needs. Also it can open the door for the French( France ) market plus players. Plus would give a rival to St.John’s. 

I don't know how you would assume that many people would be there consistently every game with a population of ~6,000 unless you mean anywhere from 2 people to 4,000 people per game

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1 hour ago, deschamp86 said:

I don't know how you would assume that many people would be there consistently every game with a population of ~6,000 unless you mean anywhere from 2 people to 4,000 people per game

If they could Avg 2-3000 a game, that would basically what the CPL is getting now. From what I read Football is very popular on the island and the FFF has put money into the development. They even sent a local team team to France to play games. They are  planning on building a indoor field like Iceland. In my view it’s kinda stupid not to approach them specially if they had French backing. An Infusion of French players and European money. 

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3 hours ago, SpecialK said:

Yes, but we are looking at 2- 4000 people attending games. That’s what the CPL needs. Also it can open the door for the French( France ) market plus players. Plus would give a rival to St.John’s. 

I must have missed this, but why do you think a population of 6000 would translate into 2-4000 people per game??  Are there other teams there that draw those kinds of numbers?  And from almost all corners of this forum, I think 2-4000 is the minimum a CPL team would need to stay afloat.  Y9 was widely ridiculed for averaging under 3000 in 2019.  Successful teams drew more like 5-6000 (Halifax/Forge/Wpg) with those numbers increasing in the future if the league wants to grow.  

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