Ottawafan

2000 age level and I’ve mentioned this before had an abundance of talent in Ottawa. The two top teams were as good if not better than any MLS academy squad. One or two of David’s teammates did play on the youth national/provincial squad ( Benson played in Latvia after I believe ). The OSU 2000 squad is quite frankly a tragedy how they buggered up those boys. But that club is designed to make money, not develop players for the next level. Happens every year. A few of the 2001’s did make it to TFC academy but those kids weren’t the best ones at the age level. MDB is an 02 qnd was like David. Good player, good tools… incredible work ethic.

Agree 100% we need more academies. We also need a higher level of coaching at all levels. We need the various associations, pro teams and their academies and local grassroots clubs pulling in the same directions. Football in Canada has been and still is on many levels a mess. Yet we can still find talent to fill a top 50 national squad. Is it the case in top countries? I can't see how. A few maybe, but overall the infrastructure is in place to find talent. Much like hockey is here in Canada. Kids very rarely get overlooked when it comes to out national sport. Same in Euro countries when it comes to football. David was approached by all pro clubs in Canada and to my knowledge some in the USA. His development was fully outside the pro academy avenue. He was the best player in Ontario at the 2000 age level and it was quite apparent. he wasn't a fell thru the cracks type. There were many in Ottawa as good as him at an early age, who never got the chance to continue to nurture their talent. Davies and his Edmonton club had to beg Vancouver to give him a shot. Beg them. These are our two generational talents, mainly developed outside the MLS academy route. I point this out because there are numerous talented players outside the the MLS cities that can be turned into very good football players, but would never have been considered for next level coaching. I don't believe the only way to develop Canadian talent is to move them to a Euro based club. There are many different paths we can take to push more kids to higher levels.

Many of our players who have made a breakthrough to higher levels of football have done so in spite of the level of coaching here in Canada. They have made it; what you seem to leave out is the hundreds and the thousands that don’t ever get anywhere near decent coaching. Look at Toronto and the amount of high level kids that get funnelled into one system, and they bugger it up. Imagine how much better we could be if we had higher standard of coaching Using David and Davies is a great example thanks. Two kids living in smaller cities outside of the MLS academy route. Euro academies will find players all over to attract top players and develop them. MLS academies don’t really.

Coaches in Europe aren't concerned about developing players for the youth level. They understand it is part of the process. They are focused on what is needed to compete at the highest level when they turn pro. So yes getting players into a higher level of training and under higher level coaching is the preferred route. Are European kids knocking down the door to have the opportunity to leave their clubs to train in the Honduran system?

I do understand the point you are making but I would like to see further breakdown of the development path for these players. To say David's development was in Europe isn't accurate. He played locally in Ottawa until he was 18 and was coached/developed outside the pro academies. All these players had a similar path, some spending more time or less time in an actual MLS/European academy. If a player is developed in one club for 7 years and then signs with an academy for a year or two before turning pro, should the academy get the credit for developing this young man?

What? We’re up 2-0!

How was he not booked there?

What a shot!

Probably just trying to secure their bag. Nothing to see here

The organizers of COPA most certainly do. Plenty of evidence and testimonials to back it up.

Make it the Copa of the Americas. 10/6. And if they didn't like the coaches continually pointing out the numerous deficiencies of their amateur hour tournament, then they should step their game up.

Haven’t seen enough of him nor can one judge a player based on 20 minutes of one game… I wonder if he has the pace at this level.

I posted this on FB. Couldn’t give a flying fuck what the negative Nelly’s have to say after this run Canada found their GK Bombito and Cornelius solidified the back end Kone stepped up his game Shaf became a starter We added depth all over the field $8M added to the coffers Coach was dropped in two months ago and got these players to gel and play better each game We played Holland France Argentina twice Chile Peru Venezuela and Uruguay Bigger picture here. Complete success towards 2026.

Good enough for my U10’s back in the day, good enough for the MNT! 😎

I’ll message ya.