A call to action regarding the CSA’s selection process for the 2019 Concacaf League

[dyslexic nam]

5 minutes ago, admin said:

I'm not telling people what they should/shouldn't do. 

All I was suggesting is at least attempt to find out why something happened the way it did. 

I respect that Jamie.  But I also think the CSA has a duty to explain seemingly odd decisions that appear to show significant bias.  That is the sort of thing we shouldn't have to ask about - they should provide an explanation as part of the announcement.  In the two announcements I referenced, I don't recall anything like a reasonable explanation as to why 3 of 7 CPL clubs would be shown significant favour in 2 major tournaments.  And as a governing body, I think that minimum level of transparency is  not an unreasonable expectation.

[Ansem]

Let's not forget how they buried the news late in the evening right after the Canadian Championship draw.

If they had valid reasons, they'd explain and not ignore calls for clarification 

[Admin]

1 minute ago, dyslexic nam said:

I respect that Jamie.  But I also think the CSA has a duty to explain seemingly odd decisions that appear to show significant bias.  That is the sort of thing we shouldn't have to ask about - they should provide an explanation as part of the announcement.  In the two announcements I referenced, I don't recall anything like a reasonable explanation as to why 3 of 7 CPL clubs would be shown significant favour in 2 major tournaments.  And as a governing body, I think that minimum level of transparency is  not an unreasonable expectation.

Totally agree with you, and the people who want answers. 

It's how you get them without looking really stupid and hysterical, which your letter is definitely not.

Your letter is what I was calling for, not Twitter/Facebook grade communication levels. 

 

[Robert]

It might be far more effective if emails, stating how the Voyageurs feel about the CSA'a decision, were sent directly to the CPL and the CPL clubs instead of to the CSA, which has a long-standing record of ignoring anything they don't agree with.

This is a decision that affects not only the CPL and its clubs, but every soccer fans in Canada. Why should some fan be made to feel like they are less important than others? It should be pointed out in the emails directed to the CPL and the CPL clubs that the CSA's decision can only have a divisive consequences on the fledgling league and its clubs at the worst possible time. The CPL and its clubs MUST take a united stand on this issue or run risk of divisive cracks forming within its ranks at the most crucial time.

This time has come where "in camera" and "arbitrary" decisions are totally unacceptable.

[matty]

If people here (or maybe Vs that are also PFC fans) are actually that pissed then why not just boycott the CanMNT game in Vancouver? Stupid. over the top move? Yes, but so are some of the complaints here

[nfitz]

I wish there was as much passion for important soccer issues.

Like the lack of meat pies at BMO Field.

Have we heard anything about Hamilton or King City CPL food options yet? Haven't decided who to cheer for yet ...

[dyslexic nam]

To be honest, I don't really understand any level of nonchalance about this.  Three of the seven founding CPL teams are being given significant preferential treatment in the two non-league competitions open to CPL clubs - in one instance through preferential seeding and in the other through outright exclusion of the other clubs.   To me, that seems like a big deal.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

To be honest, I don't really understand any level of nonchalance about this.  Three of the seven founding CPL teams are being given significant preferential treatment in the two non-league competitions open to CPL clubs - in one instance through preferential seeding and in the other through outright exclusion of the other clubs.   To me, that seems like a big deal.

My nonchalance stems from the fact that this is the first season. If it happens again next season, then I will consider it a big deal.

In any case, these are all done deals. Of course that doen't mean one should not voice disapproval but at some point it is time to move on. 

[Gopherbashi]

2 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

To be honest, I don't really understand any level of nonchalance about this.  Three of the seven founding CPL teams are being given significant preferential treatment in the two non-league competitions open to CPL clubs - in one instance through preferential seeding and in the other through outright exclusion of the other clubs.   To me, that seems like a big deal.

It also calls into question how neutral of a party the CSA will be in the future if (for some reason) they are called upon to arbitrate an issue.

We haven't even kicked a ball yet, and already the CSA are picking winners.  How can we trust the impartiality of the CSA the first time they're asked to sanction Hamilton for fielding an ineligible player, or Winnipeg for lighting an opponent's stadium on fire? (Thanks, Inebriatti).

Regardless of their reasons, the CSA comes out of this looking bad, and the reasons for it are entirely self-inflicted.

It never ceases to amaze me how stunningly bad the CSA is at optics.

[toontownman]

It's the lack of transparency that pisses me off more than anything, followed by the lack of clarification that is needed right now. There simply has to be a better reason for picking those three clubs than the one announced. It makes no sense. If that is the case (remembering nothing is usually 100% logical with the CSA anyway) then for the love of Bunbury let everyone know now rather than letting the anger stew for a few weeks or months. 

If the process and logic behind picking the teams really is as simple as they say then they rightly deserve a boat load of unending grief. 

 

[BrennanFan]

20 hours ago, Ams1984 said:

I just sent this to the CSA:

 

“Dear CSA,

First, I am a lifelong supporter of Canadian soccer. I am deeply grateful to the CSA for your role in the growth of the Voyageurs Cup, and the creation of the CPL. But the reason I am writing to you now is that I am perplexed by your amateurish and senseless decision to award the first ever Canadian spot in the Concacaf League to one of FC Edmonton, Forge FC, ot Valour FC when there are seven Premier League clubs. None of them deserves this silly and frankly outrageous level of arbitrary and capricious favouritism. 

If you were pressed into making a quick decision, as I suspect was the case, then why didn’t you simply draw one of the seven CPL clubs at random?

Everyone would’ve accepted that process as transparent and fair, but instead you have alienated and outraged the fans of the four other CPL clubs, myself included. Yes, the three privileged clubs from whom you will select the 2019 Canadian representative in the Concacaf League were the first to sign onto the new CPL project, but the four other clubs are founding members also. Your decision to grant those three clubs special seeding in the Voyageurs Cup seems unfair on its face, but isn’t it reward enough for their being ‘first’ among the first seven clubs?

I urge you to reverse this nonsensical and irrational decision immediately. I urge you to conduct a transparent draw from among all seven CPL clubs. Fairness, rule of law, and transparency are hallmarks of our Canadian way, and this action that you have taken lacks in all three.”

I urge all Voyageurs to express their displeasure to the CSA directly, as soon as possible. 

What email did you send this to?

Would be nice if "the voyageurs" would release a statement on this matter as a group.  I think we unanimously think this decision is terrible. 

[dyslexic nam]

1 minute ago, BrennanFan said:

What email did you send this to?

Would be nice if "the voyageurs" would release a statement on this matter as a group.  I think we unanimously think this decision is terrible. 

Apparently some either don't care that much because it is (presumably) temporary or think it is inexplicably hilarious. 

[BrennanFan]

1 minute ago, dyslexic nam said:

Apparently some either don't care that much because it is (presumably) temporary or think it is inexplicably hilarious. 

If these 3 teams all end up at the bottom of the table by July, its going to be disastrous on multiple levels. 

This just reeks of shit we'd expect from Jack Warner's Concacaf.

[matty]

2 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

Apparently some either don't care that much because it is (presumably) temporary or think it is inexplicably hilarious. 

oh people think this move is sad but there's likely some stupid bureaucratic reasoning (like you had to be a club in the 2017 calendar year) behind this, given how topsy turvy the new format has been for the entire region, rather than conspiracy or favouritism.

[rob.notenboom]

I’m in complete agreement that this decision is an exceptionally poor one. But considering the league and teams have said almost nothing publicly about it, I suspect they’re going to move on to more pressing concerns. In fact Tommy Wheeldon’s recent interview suggested that that was their attitude, publicly at least, so I think I’ll simply move on as well. 

 

However, those of you who wrote an emailed letters, from what I read they were very sensible and well-said. Hopefully they have an impact. 

[Obinna]

5 hours ago, matty said:

If people here (or maybe Vs that are also PFC fans) are actually that pissed then why not just boycott the CanMNT game in Vancouver? Stupid. over the top move? Yes, but so are some of the complaints here

Rather than boycott, why not a Tifo!

Something like: CSA, we deserve transparency! (with a big concacaf league logo, and perhaps smaller forge, fce and valour logos)

And/Or

"Fair play, not paperwork" (again, same logos - or you can switch it up and insert a voyagers cup logo instead of concacaf league, if we want to bring attention to the first round buys.

Come to think of it, the latter would be good for teams during their round 1 games in the cup......

[kacbru]

1 hour ago, matty said:

oh people think this move is sad but there's likely some stupid bureaucratic reasoning (like you had to be a club in the 2017 calendar year) behind this, given how topsy turvy the new format has been for the entire region, rather than conspiracy or favouritism.

I think most would agree that it is a stupid decision, and would be happy to leave it at that and move on.  But, for me at least, it's not the decision that pisses me off so much, rather it is the complete lack of transparency.  If there's a good reason for it, great. Let us know. 

But in the absence of any explanation, your bureaucratic reason is just as plausible as any conspiracy theory or outright favouritism.  And that's just bad optics and completely unnecessary. 

[masster]

I would support a V's statement.

[nfitz]

7 hours ago, BrennanFan said:

Would be nice if "the voyageurs" would release a statement on this matter as a group.  I think we unanimously think this decision is terrible. 

We most certainly don't unanimously think the decision is terrible!

The decision seems pragmatic enough to me - and I'm amazed that anyone thinks this even compares to more serious issues - like the dreadful meat pie shortage at some stadiums!

I expect most people don't give a shit to be honest. Some Voyageurs don't even care or follow CPL, some don't even follow Canadian club soccer.

Don't pretend there's unanimity here!

[gator]

44 minutes ago, masster said:

I would support a V's statement.

The two problems I see with that are as mentioned by others, trying to get a consensus as to what the statement  should  be and until we hear from the CSA, if we ever do, it will be difficult to react to their reasoning!

[Kent]

If we can't agree on demanding an explanation/change for discrimination against some clubs by their own FA, I can't imagine anything being agreed on by the group.

And just a semantics issue, people keep asking the question "Why were these 3 teams picked?" but we've already gotten the answer to that question. Because they existed on paper first. The question we don't have an answer to is "Why were these 4 teams excluded?"

[nfitz]

2 hours ago, Kent said:

Because they existed on paper first. The question we don't have an answer to is "Why were these 4 teams excluded?"

Surely we know the (official) answer to this question. Because they didn't exist before 2018.

If there's a question to be asked, it's something else.

[dyslexic nam]

Which brings us full circle to the question I (and maybe others) raised initially - was there a CONCACAF-imposed registration deadline that prevented the excluded 4 clubs from participating in 2019?   Because if there was, including that one small bit of information would have avoided all of the exasperation and frustration with the decision/announcement.  People could still feel slighted by CONCACAF and its bureaucrats, but it would at least be an understandable outcome.  And that would be far preferable to 4 CPL clubs and many Canadian footy fans feeling like they have been subjected to biased thinking on the part of the CSA.

 

[nfitz]

The regulations from 2018 are at https://www.concacafleague.com/en/regulations

Really, they don't say much. The Entry Criteria is on page 8. The key bits are:
 

[Ansem]

1 hour ago, nfitz said:

The regulations from 2018 are at https://www.concacafleague.com/en/regulations

Really, they don't say much. The Entry Criteria is on page 8. The key bits are:
 

Questions is:

A-Was this the CSA idea and CONCACAF accepted it?

OR

B-Did the CSA had a scenario and CONCACAF refused it imposing their own?