CSA priorities for 2003

CSA can go to hell.

 

What's got you upset? The MLS thing, the lack of the CUSL, the A-League comments?

BTW, Canadian Supporter, you might include Calgary in the list of up to 6 A-League teams.

 

Who's $25 million would be wasted though? Certainly not the CSA's, they don't have that kind of money. If the money would be wasted, it would be that of a rich investor who chose to invest his money this way (of course an "investment" suggests you'd re-coup your money some day. )

It might be better if the rich investor could invest the money differently on Canadian soccer than an Canadian-player based MLS team, but sadly it doesn't seem (with lack of events in recent years) that this will ever happen.

Without a stadium in Toronto its pretty well a moot point - hopefully we will hear some concrete news on that soon. The Canadian Press reports that more talks are to take place next week.

 

He's not the only one who's upset.

 

Despite the HUGE difference in usernames, this too is CanuckFan. Again, I ask, which aspect of these announcements has you upset??? And I'll ask that Krammerhead answer that same question. I'm just curious, not picking sides on issues yet.

 

The CUSL has been dead for awhile, I can live with the fact that Canada is a weak nation that must have it's teams play in the A-League.

Having a Canadian division in the A-League is a little puzzling. There is no need to switch from our regional divisions to a seperate Canadian division. I don't see where the Canadian teams will be running a seperate competition to determine a Canadian champion so what is the point?

Heres the first quote to piss me off: "It is imperative that we pursue every opportunity towards the construction of a soccer-specific stadium in Toronto." Really? Why? Doesn't Vancouver or Montreal have equal right to deserve such a stadium? Now I expect the same old comments that eastern Canada deserves a national stadium because players don't want to travel out west to play. Of course thats a load of crap. Since when does Canadas mens national team ever play at home? It goes on to say "We now need an Eastern-based facility in addition to Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium and Vancouver’s Swangard". Vancouvers Swangard? If thats supposed to be a sufficient international facility then any crap stadium in Toronto should do.

Biggest piss off: "It is with this in mind, and the obvious necessity of having a full time tenant in any future Toronto soccer stadium, that the CSA has recently become actively involved in efforts to bring a MLS franchise, comprised mostly of Canadian players, to Toronto in the near future.

A MLS franchise in Toronto would allow for the top 20-30 Canadian players to have an option of playing at the highest professional level in North America in front of a home crowd. It would also provide a regular tenant to a soccer-specific stadium which could act as one of the future sites for international friendlies and tournaments and championships."

Sorry, all this effort to bring MLS to Toronto is rubbish. It won't give 20-30 top Canadian players an option to play at home, unless home to the players that do play for the team are from Toronto. Even then 30 players? Thats a large roster. Not to mention if this does come to fruition it will harm all our A-League clubs as all the soccer Canadian sports media will talk about will be this Toronto franchise. The A-League clubs will be pushed aside. (I won't bother to go into how Toronto hasn't earned the right to be Canadas choice for an MLS side).

Furthermore I just found this tidbit: "We have a professional league in Canada – the A-League." Yeah, right, 4 teams playing in a foreign league is a first divison. Sure we can call it a professional league but we all answer to the Americans. If they want to reinstate the shootout and bonus points in the future we have no say. We still can't crown a Canadian champion with what we have. No club competitions for our champions.

To sum it all up, this is just the same old crap.

 

The MLS is meant to develop American talent.

Why would MLS be interested in developing Canadian players?

The $15-20 million can easily be spent on building a national league.

 

Hell, if we don't posess the ability and brains to develop our own national league that money would be better spent on making our potential 6 A-League teams stonger.

To paraphrase what a fellow southsider said to me today "why would anyone fork over $50-60 a game to watch a product which is only marginally better than the A-League".

Good question indeed. If all we are ever going to achieve is more Canadian teams in the A-League, then lets put our money into those teams.

 

Bravo Krammerhead!! All your points are well said. The easiest thing for the CSA to do on the men's club front is to crown a Canadian Champ. Even if they were to ignore the CPSL, PCSL and the other top senior leagues from coast to coast and just go with the 4 A-League teams it would a welcomed step. Especially if the get the CONCACAF Club spot to go with it.

MLS in Canada is a WASTE of money!
A-League is better for our current needs.
Stadium in Toronto will be a home pitch for Mexico, Jamaica, Guatemala, Italian club teams, etc.
Last Canadian Men's match in Canada 15-Nov-2000 v. Mexico in Toronto, should have been able to buy Varsity with the gate from that game
The CSA can't be making much money if they don't play a home, can they?

 

I also think that it would be a waste of money for Canada to get an MLS team. It would be a temporary fix for the time being. Eventually if the CSA really wants soccer to grow in Canada they'll need a division 1 Canadian league and if they had a team in MLS that would really hurt a division 1 Canadian league and would really be saying we give up on a d1 league in Canada.
Why make a 6 team Canadian division in Canada? 6 teams is almost enough to start a league with. They could use the investors that they'd use to get an MLS team to start 2 to 4 more Canadian teams and form a Canadian league from that. An MLS Canadian team isn't the answer.

 

Personaly, I think an MLS franchise in Toronto is a good thing. It could persuade many closet soccer fans to take an interest in the Canadian team. As we all know most fans are ethnic (Scottish, Italian, Portugese, Jamacian, Trinidadian, etc) and therefore need a big league to gain their attention.

 

You haven't seen when the CMNT played mathces in T haven't you?

And people wonder why they play their matches in Edmonton. A new stadium in TO wouldn't change that.

 

Those same ethnic fans in Toronto that you mention will not come out to watch this proposed MLS team because the players on it are supposed to be all Canadian. The only drawing point for them will be the foreigners on the visiting teams. Additionally these same foreigners don't consider the MLS to be big league.

Back in the days of the NASL, both Vancouver and Montreal both greatly outdrew Toronto on a regular basis and there were plenty of big names playing to draw in those ethnic (and non-ethnic fans).

 

Well the fact is that the CSA and other soccer powers that be in this country don't have the brains, balls or drive to start a Canadian league. The easiest thing for them is to try to get more teams playing in the US second division. They'd rather sell out the rest of Canada and focus on Toronto, even though in terms of actual Canadian soccer suppor that city ranks 3rd (maybe even fourth) in support for the domestic game.

 

JT, have you EVER considered sending ''My new CSL Proposal''(your website) to the CSA to see if they could have a use for your idea.

I just got to looking at it again and I think your strongest point is the strengthening of the various provincial leagues (PCSL, AMSL, LSEQ, CPSL) into a National Second Division. (Which is what the CSA should be trying to do if they are unable or unwilling to set up a National Division One at the moment) What I would modify slightly is your National Division 1. Instead of being National or a single table I would have seperate East and West Divisions. For a promotion-relegation round at the end of the season, I would have a 4-team round with for example the last place West team, the Pacific winner, the Alberta winner, the Praries winner. In the East it would be the last place East team, the Ontario winner, the Quebec winner, the Atlantic winner.

What do you think??

 

Hey Impact supporter,

I have never thought about sending my ideas to the CSA. Call it a confidence issue. I'm not an owner, player, trainer or administrator; I'm a fan of Canadian soccer. I would think that the people closer to the game have gone through some of these brainstorms before. Then again, if you ask Krammerhead, it sounds like they don't, haven't and won't.

If I were pres of the CSA, I would first start a four team cup event to determine a National Champion. Slowly adding each year to it based on interest. I would imagine that you could get 16 teams easily to enter.

The east/west division idea is good, it helps keep that national balance. The worry, down the road is strength. Are the top ten teams in Canada in the top division. I know that often it is a 'hand-waving' exercise based on strength of schedules and other factors. The senario is what if the top two teams to be promoted are from Ontario and Quebec? A weaker Prarie team might get into the west division while an eastern team gets left behind. The basis of the format is the strongest will survive.

 

HHHHMMMMMM.....I think I see the intent but it falls short. Grouping the Atlantic (even though I do it in my plan) is wrong if your going to try and add a North team! Take a look at the Men's Challenge Cup Results over the past three years. Granted that PE and NB are 8th and 9th but SK is 10th! They deserve their own CPPL spot? Over NS (2nd) and NL (4th)? no. For the record I used the placing from the last three years weighted 50% 2002 +30% 2001 + 20% 2000.