Unnamed Trialist

How can we send personal messages, I would like to?

Well it's done so no matter. I like Lille as a team but had hoped for something better. Surprised by their capacity to pay, and by what apparently is the hope they can sell on for more.

Octavio is right. The fact that not one poster here, supposedly people with some critical perception of the game, is willing to back his criticism of the pay for play system, just shows that the game in Canada is lost. This is a major structural problem, it is tantamount to corruption in many cases (because parents and kids are getting conned out of their money), and solidifies a mentality where real competition is not valued. You cannot go anywhere with this suburbanite mentality, it is a dead end road. Another thing is if there might really be that many quality undiscovered kids who cannot afford their local club.

I am a huge admirer of Muller, I love that player.

From a La Liga perspective, and I would say from the other 3 top leagues, a good player in France is untested still. Flat out. Except the very top at PSG at this time. Every player signed from France is always on trial still, and many who end up being quite good need a transition period. I would say this is the same for EPL and Bundesliga. I am speaking from experience of a few dozen signings from France I have seen up close at FC Barcelona and other clubs. The only thing that David has in his favour, that would justify a risk from a top tier club, is his age. Because no team is going to expect him to deliver from day one in Bundesliga , EPL or La Liga, they are not so foolish as to think he would not need time.

I hope it goes this way too. If he's good in France he's still untested in a top league. If he's simply competent at his age in Germany with mostly positives then he's set.

That's an accurate rendering of the reports coming out of Spain, none confirmed officially.

I quite enjoyed this video. 1-what should have been the first (Bekker) left out 2-some atrocious reffing (Baldissimo, poor guy) 3-some good calls, like last man 4-that hand in the final vs Cavalry: think it was the right call 5-very few dirty tackles with studs up 6-give Tefler the prize for gamesmanship

Think Grown Ups without the ladies but with the lake.

You'd have to send Larson out a few weeks earlier to get acclimatized to not being in the GTA.

Left back is free.

I was left wondering how you cook a pudding. Which is also a decent metaphor for Caps fans.

Kind of an amazing business, must admit. I'd bite.

My response to this rather difficult proposal, is that we go to a Gold Cup and win it, and someone emerges as a veritable star and signs well above their current club. Or better: the same in Qatar, we make it, have a good first round, and someone rises to the occasion. Which is why I think, why not, it could perfectly well be someone already in our midst waiting for the right moment. And even not, even if we could get the sort of boost we've seen with Icelandic players after their WC, I'd be damn happy with the overall group of players without even having to have a superstar. The arguably greatest Icelandic player of all time was not a factor in their WC run.

You are a living 3D example of begging the question. Okay, edit to try to get back on topic..... One question I have is with such a short symbolic season, does CPL lose a major impetus for future expansion? Wouldn't the league actually benefit from staying at 8 teams in 2021, so that those surviving 2020 can get full benefit from Mediapro funds and a hopefully expanding market, merchandising and sponsor set-up? Or is a post Covid scenario more conducive to expansion?