Who is James (Jim) Easton?

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Well, first off, James (Jim) Easton is the man charged with leading a study for the Canadian Soccer Association to determine the feasibility of having a D2 league in Canada.

We learned of his identity a few days ago by agreeing not to report on it until the CSA were able to get their PR pop.

So, hands bound, we took a little time to research who it is the CSA is hiring to chart the course of professional soccer in Canada.

Here is what we've found from interviews and background research:

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He was handpicked by the CSA executive after looking at several candidates. They wanted to go with someone who had an academic background, as they intend this to be an academic study. Easton has his MBA and MA from colleges in California.

It is also said, that from the get go, the CSA wanted someone with a depth of knowledge of the North American landscape.

Easton has worked as a consultant to several MLS clubs, as well as the league, offering advice on everything from business management to scouting to development to branding. He has written soccer manuals in the past - from youth coaching to elite level performance - and his name is attached to a number of soccer schools on the West Coast.

He is a former national team player - earning seven caps between 1987-1992 - and was a coach of the earliest incarnation of the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1973 and 1974.

Here's a picture we found of Easton playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies way back. He's number 23.

We'll learn more in the days ahead and we're working to get interviews with Easton as well as General Secretary Peter Montopoli.

In the meantime, what would you like to see from a national league? Regional divisions? A national conference in the NASL? What makes sense for Canada soccer?

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