Some news on the CSL 2014 season came out this week at Kingston FC's press con. Highlights were : - season to begin 3rd week of May - CSL will have a relationship with a new US league, the American Soccer League, and CSL teams will be twinned with a ASL team and play a home and away game against them. http://supportlocalsoccer.blogspot.ca/2014/01/csl-kingston-fc-2014-kickoff.html
This is all a bit of a mess isnt it?! From what I understand, CSL and their clubs formed their own "FA" - Soccer Federation Canada. As this is not affiliated with CSA, they are will be operating a non-FIFA sanctioned league. ASL's intentions are to be either USSF or USASA sanctioned, both of whom are FIFA sanctioned. I believe there is a FIFA rule that prevents FIFA sanctioned clubs from playing clubs in non-FIFA sanctioned leagues, unless otherwised approved. ASL clubs playing CSL clubs could hamper their goal of receiving USSF sanctioning. If SFC want to become a full member of ASL and with it USSF members, they would need CSA approval (as they are in their territory), which in all likelihood would be rejected. The second to last paragraph of the article shows how much of a mess this is. A referee officiating CSL matches this season will not be CSA members, and if they do referee any match, will probably seriously hinder becoming CSA members in the future. Same could apply to players and any clubs who want to switch to CSA approved leagues. And finally, Ottawa Fury FC play in the FIFA and USSF affiliated NASL. If Kingston FC remain in the CSL/SFC/ASL, that match will not go ahead without FIFA, USSF and CSA approval.
For Ottawa now stepping up too the pro NASL will open new doors and create new rivalries. The Fury already have a solid PDL Program. For the NASL side and Montreal reserve team will certainly be friendlies or live closed scrimmages with the now closer proximetely For their PDL side with Impacts U23 if they still have one
Yeah, its going to be interesting to see how things play out in 2014 for the CSL. Wouldn't count them out though as many have done before when the CSA seemed to figure they couldn't play a 2013 season but in the end they did. I would have preferred the CSA to work with CSL and use them as Ontario's league in their regional plan but it seems politics and personalities prevented that and they thought they could start fresh with League 1 Ontario. It looks like L1 Ontario may not even have a season this year possibly with them having a lack of teams and extending the deadline for teams to apply to play in L1O and lowering the entry fee for teams - they look desperate and the CSL continuing to operate has hampered them getting off the ground.
Honestly, I think that semi-pro and pro league systems would be best managed by the provincial associations. Let each run their own system and if any two provinces wish to combine league forces then let them do so on their own volition. The CSA should keep its focus on pro level, doing what it can do to find investors willing to put money down for new pro level clubs and managing the NCC.
This whole thing is incredibly stupid. The CSL's nonsense with the SFC is dumb. The CSA's bull-headed insistence on starting its own league (which, no surprise, isn't working) rather than teaming up with the CSL is dumb. A question: Does anyone know the genesis of the whole CSL/CSA fight? Why is it that they are so insistent on arguing instead of working together?
That is the very reason why I suggested what I did above. These power struggles have long been what is plaguing football in this country for decades. Let these guys have their little fifedoms, let the CSA focus on ensuring that at least our top club level is stable and functioning well.
The head of the CSL, Vincent Ursini, used to be the CSA's financial director and member of the executive committee. Apparently relations with the CSA used to be good but there was a falling out with them at some point, (not over the match fixing scandal as both the CSA and the CSL has never really done anything about that).
http://www.canadasoccer.com/canadia...ership-of-canadian-soccer-association-p156026 Canadian Soccer League expelled from membership from Canadian Soccer Association 5 March 2014 The Canadian Soccer Association Board of Directors, pursuant to its by-laws, voted on 28 February 2014 to expel the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) from membership with immediate effect.
Kingston FC looking for Quinte Area Talent http://www.communitypress.ca/2014/03/12/kingston-fc-looking-for-quinte-area-talent "Beyond recruitment, KFC is looking to develop a much broader presence in Belleville, said Abugov, who suggests the club is a regional venture in the Canadian Soccer League. With that in mind, KFC will hold its 2014 Red and White intra-squad match — its final scrimmage before the start of the CSL regular season — on the turf field at MAS Park, May 17-18."
Ten teams in CSL-1: Brampton City Utd Burlington SC London City Kingston FC Niagara United North York Astros SC Waterloo Serbian White Eagles Toronto Croatia York Region Shooters season starts mid-May; six months, with games against ASL; sched announced April; CSL-2 announced March 31. http://www.canadiansoccerleague.com/
CSL website has changed to http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/ after CSA apparently terminates agreement for CSL to share the .com website.
ugh, this is a disaster, talk about dead league walking. This puts quite a bad light on OL1. If teams would rather stay with this moribund entity rather than migrate, what does this mean for the future of Ontario soccer?
Sadly, I believe it means Ontario soccer spends several years wandering in the wilderness with no central focus or over-arching organization.
2014 second division schedule has been posted: http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/schedules/res_sched.htm (the header says 2013, but appears to be 2014 dates) So first division runs May 24 to October 5; second division runs May 7 to September 7
http://www.canadiansoccerleague.ca/ Under the headline "C.S.L. HAS MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEAR TERM AND BEYOND: URSINI" about a TSN Radio inteview, has this interesting line: "We look forward to working with the newly-formed American Soccer League and we have also been invited to consider another international opportunity elsewhere," Whaaaaaaaaa ? ? ? ? Most of us still question the CSL affiliation with the ASL, and there is talk of a second affiliate?
CSL has launched their new look website and the 2014 Season : http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/ Opening weekend saw Burlington SC upset Toronto Croatia 2-0 while Niagara United beat London City 4-1.
Canadian Soccer League 2014 FINAL STANDINGS (18 Game Season) Club......................................PTS 1 York Region Shooters......44 2 Toronto Croatia................33 3 Kingston FC......................28 4 North York Astros............26 5 Burlington SC...................24 6 Serbian White Eagles.......23 7 SC Waterloo......................22 8 Brampton City Utd...........21 9 London City......................20 10 Niagara United.................11
Canadian Soccer League Playoffs 2014 Quarterfinal Results : Toronto Croatia defeats Waterloo 4-2 Kingston FC defeats Serbian White Eagles 3-0 in ET North York Astros defeat Burlington 4-0 York Region Shooters defeat Brampton United 3-0 Semi Final Results : Toronto Croatia defeats Kingston FC 2-1 York Region Shooters defeats North York Astros 1-0 Championship Final is this Sunday : Toronto Croatia vs York Region Shooters CSL Video Promo :
Not really, there the same one's that have been playing and reffing in the Canadian Soccer League all season. Toronto Croatia for instance has a lot of players on the roster that have played for them in previous years, a mix of some Canadians and internationals. You can check each teams website and see for yourself.
Didn't you see the scoreboard at the start of the video? The players are on teams HOME and GUESTS! And the scoreboard keeps track of the down and yards-to-go for you, also! Don't miss the kickoff at the 55-C-yard-line, or whatever! And, geez, I wouldn't want to climb into that press box; looks like it is being held up a single block of wood. (P.S. the website name is a little too complex to remember.)
YORK REGION vs TORONTO CROATIA AN UNFRIENDLY AFFAIR AT CSL CHAMPIONSHIP http://sirc.ca/news/york-region-vs-toronto-croatia-unfriendly-affair-csl-championship "York Region Shooters are looking to go from record breaking to brilliant when they take on Toronto Croatia in the CSL Championship Final this coming Sunday, October 26, a 4.15 kickoff. Unbeaten in 20 games since kicking off the new season ln May, the Shooters have won 13 and tied five in an 18-game First Division regular season, followed by a quarterfinals playoff victory, and a semifinal win to advance the team from just north of Toronto to the championship final."