Even when you lose, sometimes you win.
The last year in Canadian soccer was just that. The men’s national team bombed out of World Cup qualifying in spectacular fashion. Don’t be confused - they didn’t deserve to win. In fact, by most accounts they played horribly. But out of that has come some good.
There finally seems to be an understanding and willingness among the upper levels of the Canadian Soccer Association to make the reform, on all levels, that is needed.
If the CSA is committed to change and truly making Canada a world class when it comes to the beautiful game, then these are the stories I would like to read about in the year ahead.
CSA General Secretary Peter Montopoli open hand slaps the heads of the provincial bodies. If Canadian soccer is ever going to be able to act as a cohesive unit, Montopoli needs the support of the provinces. Too long have they been allowed to go there on way on things like fees, development and what’s in the best interest of the game. If the provinces aren’t willing to follow, Montopoli and the like need to be firm about what they want and find ways to make them fall in line.
A good place to start would be with recognizing private academies.
The OSA grows a SAAC. Whether it’s the fear of being replaced by something more efficient or just personal politics at play, the Ontario Soccer Association and other governing bodies need to find a way past its concerns about recognizing the private development academies.
Groups like the Soccer Academy Alliance of Canada can offer a professional environment for our young players to learn in – and get the training that is sorely lacking. I’ve been told that the OSA is now trying to find ways within its membership to allow for private academy sanctioning but there are still some clubs who are resistant to the idea. Montopoli: use that firm hand.
Other stories, unrelated to the CSA I’d like to read about in 2010 are:
Montreal Impact joins MLS. Quebec government: Find a way to get the Impact their stadium funding.
Vancouver Whitecaps sell more players abroad. The Caps sold Marcus Haber to English side West Brom last week – once again showing that theirs is the development model to follow in North America. If they can continue to show the potential in such a system (if just from a profits standpoint), maybe, perhaps, someday MLS will come around to the idea.
Lastly, and purely from a selfish standpoint I want to read: Toronto FC makes MLS playoffs. In a city where there are no winners, a team that wasn’t a loser would go a long way to selling the sport.
– Watch Ben Rycroft on the It’s Called Football show every Monday at metronews.ca; ben.rycroft@metronews.ca
