Blizzard
01 Sep 2006, 08:54 PM
Canadian Soccer Association
Friday, September 01, 2006
Canada Remembers John McMahon
John McMahon, manager of Canada’s national soccer teams from 1971 to 1981 has died in Markham, Ontario, aged 86.
Prior to McMahon’s appointment to manage the Pan American Games team in Colombia in 1971 Canada did not field a national team, at any level, on a regular basis as it does today, but under his leadership all that began to change. First of all with the Pan Am Games, and then Olympic qualifying in the same year. In 1972 the full national team played its first international in four years as the team competed in the qualifying rounds of the 1974 World Cup. This was followed in 1973 by Canada’s first involvement in international youth soccer at the CONCACAF Youth Tournament in Mexico.
Under McMahon’s guidance and leadership, and with the co-operation of Eric King, the Executive Secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association, the pace of Canada’s international involvement picked up and for the first time the national team began to play full internationals against European competition. First of all against Poland, then the current Olympic champions, in Toronto in 1973, followed by a European tour, then a second European tour in 1974. Also in 1974 Canada played host to the CONCACAF Youth Tournament for the first time.
1976 brought qualifying for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina and this time Canada reached the second round of CONCACAF qualifying for the first time in our history. In a tournament played in Mexico in 1977, Canada narrowly missed qualifying for the 1978 finals losing the deciding game to Mexico in Monterrey. The upward trend continued with World Cup qualifying in 1980 with Canada winning through to the second round again. This time the final tournament was held in Honduras and but for two disappointing ties against Mexico and Cuba, Canada would have played in Spain in 1982.
At the youth level Canada finished second in the 1978 CONCACAF Youth Tournament in Honduras and qualified for the finals of the FIFA World Youth Championship for the first time. In that competition, played in Japan, Canada surprised the world by beating Portugal in the first game.
Throughout the years from 1971 to 1981 McMahon, along with national team coaches Frank Pike, Eckhard Krautzun, Bill McAllister and Barry Clarke among others, built a pool of players with international experience, a process essential for competing in international competition. The building process that took place in those years was one of the factors in Canada qualifying for the World Cup finals in 1986. By that time John had retired from the national scene, but his contribution to the end result was vital.
McMahon’s knowledge of the game, both on and off the field, and his leadership put Canada on the international soccer map for the first time. He fought long and hard in CONCACAF meetings for a better deal for Canada, in scheduling in particular, so that Canada was not at a disadvantage due to international soccer politics. In doing so he gained international respect for himself and his country.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland on April 9, 1922 and John McMahon was brought to Canada by his parents when he was one year old and lived in Watrous, Saskatchewan, until he was nine, then he and his family returned to Scotland as a result of the Great Depression. John returned to Canada in the 1950’s and became a referee and then devoted his time to youth soccer, before taking over the national team.
Courtesy: Colin Jose
Friday, September 01, 2006
Canada Remembers John McMahon
John McMahon, manager of Canada’s national soccer teams from 1971 to 1981 has died in Markham, Ontario, aged 86.
Prior to McMahon’s appointment to manage the Pan American Games team in Colombia in 1971 Canada did not field a national team, at any level, on a regular basis as it does today, but under his leadership all that began to change. First of all with the Pan Am Games, and then Olympic qualifying in the same year. In 1972 the full national team played its first international in four years as the team competed in the qualifying rounds of the 1974 World Cup. This was followed in 1973 by Canada’s first involvement in international youth soccer at the CONCACAF Youth Tournament in Mexico.
Under McMahon’s guidance and leadership, and with the co-operation of Eric King, the Executive Secretary of the Canadian Soccer Association, the pace of Canada’s international involvement picked up and for the first time the national team began to play full internationals against European competition. First of all against Poland, then the current Olympic champions, in Toronto in 1973, followed by a European tour, then a second European tour in 1974. Also in 1974 Canada played host to the CONCACAF Youth Tournament for the first time.
1976 brought qualifying for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina and this time Canada reached the second round of CONCACAF qualifying for the first time in our history. In a tournament played in Mexico in 1977, Canada narrowly missed qualifying for the 1978 finals losing the deciding game to Mexico in Monterrey. The upward trend continued with World Cup qualifying in 1980 with Canada winning through to the second round again. This time the final tournament was held in Honduras and but for two disappointing ties against Mexico and Cuba, Canada would have played in Spain in 1982.
At the youth level Canada finished second in the 1978 CONCACAF Youth Tournament in Honduras and qualified for the finals of the FIFA World Youth Championship for the first time. In that competition, played in Japan, Canada surprised the world by beating Portugal in the first game.
Throughout the years from 1971 to 1981 McMahon, along with national team coaches Frank Pike, Eckhard Krautzun, Bill McAllister and Barry Clarke among others, built a pool of players with international experience, a process essential for competing in international competition. The building process that took place in those years was one of the factors in Canada qualifying for the World Cup finals in 1986. By that time John had retired from the national scene, but his contribution to the end result was vital.
McMahon’s knowledge of the game, both on and off the field, and his leadership put Canada on the international soccer map for the first time. He fought long and hard in CONCACAF meetings for a better deal for Canada, in scheduling in particular, so that Canada was not at a disadvantage due to international soccer politics. In doing so he gained international respect for himself and his country.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland on April 9, 1922 and John McMahon was brought to Canada by his parents when he was one year old and lived in Watrous, Saskatchewan, until he was nine, then he and his family returned to Scotland as a result of the Great Depression. John returned to Canada in the 1950’s and became a referee and then devoted his time to youth soccer, before taking over the national team.
Courtesy: Colin Jose