It's Called Football by Ben Rycroft

Vancouver or Spain? Aleman close to making decision

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:11:25 -0400

Metro News has learned that Keven Aleman, a former member of the Toronto FC academy and whose rights were acquired by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Terry Dunfield trade earlier this year, is close to making a decision on where he will playing for the foreseeable future.

Aleman, who has been on trial in Spain and has interest from clubs there, is currently weighing what is best for his career.

"Keven has done well there and attracted interest from clubs in Spain. But he loves Vancouver and would be happy if he ended up signing there as well," Courtney James, Aleman's agent told Metro today. "He's just looking at all the angles right now before he makes a choice."

James was hesitant to give a timeline for the decision but was confident they would have something to announce in the days ahead.

"Vancouver has been a top class organization to Keven. They've allowed him to explore his options and put no pressure on him to make a decision," James said. "We should know very soon where he is going."

If Aleman, who is only 17, was to choose Spain, he would be joining an academy side on a non-professional contract. But even it was a second division club, because of the way Spain's academy competitions are structured, he would likely see competition against the top academies in the country including Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The news of an imminent signing comes only a few months after Aleman went through a very public departure from TFC when the club released him for, in their words, refusing to sign a letter of intent. Aleman hit back shortly after, saying that he had full intentions of signing with Toronto but wanted to wait until after the U-17 World Cup.

He would be shipped to the Vancouver Whitecaps soon after in the trade that brought Dunfield to Toronto. Vancouver now has Aleman's MLS rights for the next three years.

Metro News will update on his selection when a deal is finalized.

Will a division two league work for Canada?

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:32:45 -0400

It took months of convincing those within the Canadian Soccer Association politically opposed to the idea of a national division two league, but it now appears the CSA is finally ready to commence its D2 feasibility study.

Canadian Soccer News has learned that the CSA executive will meet this Wednesday to finalize the details on the study's scope and it's expected that an announcement on who will lead the study will come shortly after.

Sources within the CSA have been tight lipped about the identity of the man charged with defining a blueprint for Canadian professional soccer's next direction, but they did confirm that he hails from an academic background, has a depth of experience in sports business and soccer and he is also said to reside in B.C. - which, given the current climate, is politically interesting as much as it is anything.

It is unclear how long the study is expected to take, but the CSA moratorium on D2 teams in Canada is set to expire Sept. 30, 2011. At that point, teams interested in playing in US-based D2 leagues could once again begin applying for sanctioning within Canada.

If you need further background on this story and how it came about you can go here.

But what do you think? Does Canada need its own national league to assist development? Or, for better or worse, are we tied to the U.S. system for good?

Where to put the blame for another dismal World Cup finish

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:32:45 -0400

The Canadian Women’s National Team, previously ranked sixth in the world by FIFA, has officially finished dead last at the Women’s World Cup.

With that kind of failure comes questions. And they’ve been coming at a dizzying pace the last week. Who is to blame? How did this happen? Was it Carolina Morace’s fault? The players? Or is the CSA bogeyman once again to blame? Of course, there is never one answer and, in all truth, the problem lays much deeper than any simple blame will tell - but that doesn’t stop the questions from coming.

It’s never easy for anyone to face that kind of scrutiny, especially when the expectations were placed so high. So, today, it’s not surprising to see the player’s deflecting the blame in this Radio Canada story.

As they tell it, they needed more preparation, they needed more support and they just plainly needed to be better.

“Maybe we needed to play a few more matches in order to have the physical ability to last 90 minutes," suggested Marie-Eve Nault to Radio Canada.

Maybe they did need more. But, according to these FIFA statistics, between Jan. 1, 2009 and June 25, 2011, Canada had equal, if not more opportunity for preparation than any of the top contenders.

USA WNT: 37
GER WNT: 29
BRA WNT: 18
JPN WNT: 29
SWE WNT: 41
FRA WNT: 35

CAN WNT: 38

Only Sweden played more matches. When was the last time Canada played more than the USA, let alone six of the top seven teams? So, it can’t be that. Melissa Tancredi pointed the finger at the age-old scapegoat - the CSA - while nobly defending her coaches.

"We need better support from our federation. "Our coaches are not to blame," insisted Tancredi

Maybe they did need more. But, in all my years of following national team football, I don’t recall a single period where any national team – men’s or women’s – was given more time abroad by our federation to get ready as a group. Since Jan. 1 2011, together as a team, the national women’s squad spent 114 days training overseas. That’s out of a possible 168.

January 13-26 in China
February 12-22 in Italy
February 23-March 10 in Cyprus
March 23-April 20 in Italy
May 1st until June 17 in Italy until when they traveled to Germany

I don’t have the exact figures spent, but I suspect sending an entire team overseas for that amount of time is a fair chunk of change and a major commitment from a federation. So, it’s not that either.

Rhian Wilkinson’s assessment seems like an honest undertaking of responsibility.

“We showed that we have a lot of work to do in order to be the best in the world,” said Wilkinson.

And this last quote is as blunt as it comes.

“We need to find players capable of playing at the international level. If someone knows where those players are, I am ready to listen”

That’s Morace’s. Her assessment of her team. They need better players. Period. I don’t want this article to come across like I’m picking on the women’s performance, or blaming them exclusively. There are a lot of factors that go into failure. And if you believe Jason DeVos, this is something that is a symptom of something much more systemic - something larger than the loss, the coach or the CSA.

The wounds may still be fresh, but the narrative that is born out of this period, when people are still assessing the blame, will be what dominates the story for the next four years.

Passing the buck now and blaming the ever-present boogeyman isn’t the solution.

Taking your medicine and looking in the mirror might be. For all involved.

So about those Ottawa rumours

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Canada's worst kept soccer secret will be made public very soon. Metro News has learned that Monday the NASL will announce the addition of another Canadian team to its ranks.

NASL commissioner David Downs will be in the Canadian capital to meet with owner of the Ottawa Fury John Pugh and his investors to introduce Ottawa as the newest NASL franchise at a press conference.

It is unclear at this point what will become of the Ottawa Fury PDL team but CSN sources confirmed that Ottawa will join the league in 2013 and will play out of Landsdowne Park.

For those that don't know the Fury, they've been a stalwart for developing young talent over the last few years and their connection to the community is exactly what makes them so valuable at the D2 level.

Hamilton, with the backing of the CFL's Hamilton TigerCats owner Bob Young, and was also believed to be joining the league in 2013, is no longer a certainty. League sources tell CSN a falling out has occured between Young and the league and his plans to bring a D2 franchise to Steeltown have stalled.

Metro will have more details as they become available and will have either David Downs or John Pugh on the Monday edition of It's Called Football.

Time for the clubs to get onboard the movement

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:32:45 -0400

I wanted to wait a while before I wrote a post-mortem on the Canada v Ecuador game. In the weeks leading up to that game, the local media poured a lot of emotion and energy into raising awareness about the importance of Support Local Football and I didn't want any of that to cloud my final words on it.

In the aftermath, a number of people asked me if I thought the game was a success. My answer was: in part, yes. It was the largest, organized support I've seen on display for a national team game. We played a small role in making that happen but mostly it was the local supporter groups and Voyageurs who got organized early and spread the word often, that made the south end what it was on that night.

And while the support was tremendous (a half hearted, half hungover rendition at an afternoon club game just can't compare to the collective hearts singing O'Canada for their national team) because the stadium was still 3/4 full with an opposing crowd, it would be hard to justify hanging some Mission Accomplished banner.

So, who is to blame for the shortcomings?

In the days after, many were quick to level criticisms against the soccer fans of Toronto. Sportsnet's Gerry Dobson most notably wrote:

“So where were you? No really, where were you? We missed you at BMO Field as Canada played Ecuador to a thrilling 2-2 draw in the most entertaining game you'll see in Toronto this year ... As for the rest of you who claim to be proud Canadian soccer fans, and who are always complaining that our Nats never play at home, again I ask, where were you?”

While the observation is valid, Toronto FC gets 20,000 fans out to most games and I'd say only around 5,000 Canadians were there in attendance that night, the larger point is missed. The fans that were there that night were the club supporters. They were the ones who organized the section, who got out and sold tickets on their own to their friends, they're the ones that shouted it from the rooftops that Canada was playing.

They're also the same ones who shout it from the rooftops each week when their clubs are playing. They're not to blame and Dobson didn't.

But what of the rest then? The soccer moms and dads who make up the masses who attend club games - where were they? At their own games? On a school night?

Blissfully unaware would be my guess. A week before the game, a source at the CSA told me that collectively the youth clubs in Ontario had sold 150 tickets.

150 freaking tickets! I nearly chucked my phone at the wall.

I knew individuals who had sold twice that simply by getting their friends involved. How could those, that have mailing lists of thousands to draw on, not be able to move more tickets than that?

After talking to people around the community and expressing my incredulity at their lack of interest, the message became clear: The reason they weren't selling tickets is because they weren't motivated. They weren't motivated either because of politics with the provincial body, the national body or simply because they saw no clear benefit to supporting the national team.

To that, I have no answer. Politics are always going to be politics and if you can't see a connection between the kid you're teaching to play the game at your local club and the grown up kid that now plays for your national team, than nothing I'm ever going to say will sway you on that.

But what also became clear from those conversations was that no amount of supporter organizing is ever going to fill a stadium. Maybe someday. But not today.

Today, and more importantly this Fall when World Cup qualifying begins, if Canada is ever going to ensure home crowds for home teams, than they somehow have to get the local clubs involved. They are the gatekeepers to a generation of fans yet to find the game and the purse string holders to a community of families that could be filling those seats with Red instead of the yellow we saw last week.

So, today I'm issuing a challenge to the biggest soccer club in North America to step up and be a leader in supporting the Canadian National team.

Oakville Soccer Club: an organization like yours could fill half BMO Field on its own with your membership. There are a number of other clubs like you around the country but today I'm singling OSC out because you are a leader in this community - other clubs look to you for guidance and direction - and your technical director and former national team player, Jason DeVos, happens to be, perhaps, the biggest supporter of the national team in Canada. Case and point.

I'm aware some of your members did attend last week but today what I'm asking of you to commit to is threefold:

1) Anytime the national team plays in your region, commit to not scheduling any games that day. Give your membership the opportunity to attend the game. You clearly have a commitment to developing the young talent in Canada, we're asking you to commit equally to supporting the fruits of that labor - our national team.

2) Anytime the national team plays a World Cup qualifying game in the region, commit to selling tickets to at least 15% of your membership. That's a big ask. I know. But tickets were going for as little as $20 at the Canada v Ecuador game. It would be far from a financial burden on your members. However, if you need extra motivation getting your teams involved, then perhaps it's time for the CSA, Umbro and Nutrilite to look at setting up a rewards program wherein teams that sell the most tickets receive things like free gear or celebrity training sessions.

3) Lastly, having done that, come on It's Called Football (10,000 subscribers) or agree to be interviewed by Canadian Soccer News or Metro News (both with huge reach) and let us sing your praises. You can be a leader in this community - beyond what you already are - by making a commitment such as this. The move will surely ripple through the region and across Canada but it will also send a message to the national team that the club community is behind them.

The grassroots supporters movement is well underway. That became evident last week. It's now time for the clubs to climb on board.

CSL teams named in widening match-fixing net

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Sun, 08 May 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Two Canadian Soccer League teams have been named during an ever widening match fixing trial centering around Croatian ringleader Ante Sapina.

Sapina, 35, along with Ivan Pavic, 29 (Croatian), Marijo Cvrtak, 35, (Croatian), Deniz Celik, 32, (Turkish), Ramazan Köse, 47 (Turkish) and Dragan Mihelic, 40 (Slovenian) have been facing lengthy sentences and are now co-operating with prosecutors in exchange for reduced sentences.

Cvrtak gave evidence this week that implicated clubs from Croatia, Belgium, Hungary, Turkey and Slovenia. Most notably, at least for Canadians, Cvrtak named the CSL's Trois Rivierès and Toronto Croatia as two teams the gambling ring sought to fix. Specific details of which games and when were not reported at this time.

When contacted by Metro, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) expressed shock at the revelation and promised action in the days ahead.

"This is obviously new information to us. Neither the league or any individuals had alerted us to any alleged fixing but we take this very seriously and will be investigating it further," CSA Vice-President Victor Montagliani said. "Now that this is public we will have to sit down with the Canadian Soccer League and discuss it with them and determine what action, if any, is warranted."

CSL league administrator Pino Jazbec was reached Sunday night for comment.

"Right now we do not know the games that are involved. So, for now, I must say no comment, until we investigate further."

The Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) was reached for comment Monday afternoon and also expressed their concern.

"Today was the first I've heard of it but it is concerning. The OSA does not have any governance over the CSL. They are exclusively governed by the Canadian Soccer Association," OSA president Ron Smale told Metro. "We're are waiting to hear further from the CSA on this."

The CSA's Annual General Meeting is coming up in May and Montagliani added that he expected that this would be added to their agenda upon further investigation.

Metro has contacted Toronto Croatia and had not heard back from them at the time of publishing.

DeRosario skipping Gold Cup is 'news to me': Hart

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 03 May 2011 19:00:00 -0400

Responding to reports this morning that the New York Red Bulls management were expecting Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario to skip this summer's Gold Cup, Canadian national team head coach Stephen Hart told a teleconference that it "was news to me."

"As far as I know, Dwayne is keen to play at the Gold Cup."

Hart would go on to tell the assembled media that he would be following up with DeRosario in the days ahead and suggested that the comments made by the New York coaching staff were perhaps leading and meant to provoke a reaction.

"It could just be, you know, the coaching staff throwing something out there."

At 33, there have been some questions as to what role DeRo would play in the next round of World Cup qualifying but Hart made it clear that he still values DeRosario's contribution.

"I joke with people and I say that Dwayne is a young 33. I don't really look at numbers, in terms of age. I look at how the player is performing and what he brings to the team and those are my main considerations."

What do you think? Is there still a role for DeRo on this team? Or would they be better off going with a youth movement?

You can listen to the full press conference here:

Canadian soccer deserves genuine home games

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Public tickets will go on sale for the Canada v Ecuador game in Toronto Wednesday morning.

News was already filtering in late last week – even before the pre-sale – that the Canadian Soccer Association was getting bombarded by calls from Ecuadorian supporters looking to arrange group sales and purchase sections.

More than one person involved with the ticket sales muttered the phrase ‘it could be worse than Peru’ to me this past weekend.

For those that have forgotten – lucky you – but despite one of the largest, organized displays by Canadian national team supporters in recent memory, they were dwarfed by a stadium of Peru mad soccer fans. The result went the wrong way and so it only made things worse to watch a Canadian home game once again transformed into an away match environment.

That is nothing new for those who have been carrying the Voyageur’s and national team supporters banner for the last generation. Every one of them has horror stories of being spit on, cornered or outnumbered by 10-1 while carrying the Canadian flag into their home stadiums. And it usually ends with them laying the blame at the feet of a CSA who hasn’t cared enough, or hasn’t even been organized enough, to know what to do about it.

It’s an ugly reality and one, now that the CSA is increasingly getting its house in order, that many across the Canadian soccer spectrum are discussing how to change.

Aside from taking hardcore measures like checking passports - which, even the most hardcore will admit is too far – there are few easy answers.

However, it’s in the interest of the CSA to start asking the question: how can we ensure we give the Canadian national team a home field advantage during the next World Cup cycle?

There is clear, tangible evidence to suggest creating that kind of environment for national team soccer in Canada could translate into future pro-Canadian audiences. Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps largely sold hockey cities on the idea of soccer by using just that kind of Ultras imagery and have turned them into financial family successes - even if the on-field product have seen mixed results.

What the public at large don’t want to see, what they won’t invest their money in, is watching an average product (let’s be real folks, we’re not world beaters yet with our 75th FIFA world ranking) and in an environment where they’re treated like second-class citizens.

So, how do you give the Canadian families who want to support Canada a chance to fill out the seats?

Things to consider might be starting to limit out of country group sales until the week before the game. Toronto FC fans will tell you how Vancouver allegedly dragged its heels to ensure they didn’t see a Columbus-like invasion. One hundred still showed but it could have been upwards of 500 if you believe some estimates.

Another option is to perhaps look at using staggered pre-sales that ensure that the local clubs can still buy large sections of seats in the lead up to games – the realities of family life can prevent even soccer people from buying tickets in April for a game in June.

Or, even go to the extreme, when it comes to the World Cup qualifying stages, bite the bullet a few times and paper the houses with Canadian-only fans. In the short term, yes, the CSA would take a financial hit, but in the long run, with the media exposure you’d gain from having a full stadium singing for O’Canada and the imprint you’d indelibly leave on the casual sports fan, it would surely be worth the future return.

These are just some ideas. I’m not pretending to have all the answers. Hell, even any of them.

But, simply put, it's reasonable to expect that this home friendly on June 1 will not be Canadian friendly, it's not reasonable to accept that any home World Cup qualifying matches in the next cycle will be hostile towards Canadians.

Get it sorted.

TFC vs. Galaxy: Five things to watch

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:32:45 -0400

While I'm going to guess a good 40 per cent of the crowd will be watching only one player this evening, there are five things to watch for in the game tonight and shockingly, one of them is actually Chad Barrett.

5. Chad Barrett - No. This isn't a revisionist history bit. Chad Barrett was and always will be a guy who got too much sympathy because he worked hard in practice. Finishing is the only thing that matters at the striker's position but during his time here, too many bought into the club's spin that he deserved special exception from that criticism because he was a hard worker. But, tonight, the reason to watch him is because, if he's in the game, it means Landon Donovan (questionable with a knee injury) is not. And as the Galaxy's most dynamic player (Donovan, not Barrett) his absence will have a dramatic impact on how L.A. attacks.

4. Toronto's back four - Aron Winter has tinkered with the starting back four over the first four games, using eight different players at defender. At some point he needs to define a final four, if just to improve the communication on the pitch. Ball watching and missed assignments plagued Toronto against San Jose and it resulted in Nana Attakora's halftime substitution. Toronto got away with the poor marking against a struggling San Jose team, but L.A. will expose those opportunities.

3. Juniho - In their First Kick opener against Seattle, I had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how talented this young Brazilian midfielder is. He is equally adept at ball winning as he is at eluding tackles but it's his first three steps that are the most impressive. A few of the more lead footed Toronto defenders would do well to just take the foul because there is no way they will keep level with his pace.

2. How LA matches up against Toronto's possession game - The Galaxy, while missing a few key players, got picked apart by Real Salt Lake a few weeks ago. I'm not suggesting Toronto is anywhere near RSL's quality but L.A. did show a willingness to get pulled out of position by their opponent's slow build and that's been one area where Toronto has done well this year. Portland and Chivas both got caught chasing the ball and their system got broke down because of it.

1. The Galaxy's defensive speed vs. Toronto offensive height - With L.A. only having one regular, starting defender over 6'0, you can be certain Toronto will continue to swing the ball into the box in search of the of Alan Gordon and Maicon Santos' height. Omar Gonzalez, who has only had a pair of starts this year, could find himself throw in to the mix to assist the tiny by comparison Sean Franklin, AJ DeLagarza and Leonardo. Former Toronto FC man Todd Dunivant will also get the start. Where they fail in the air though, L.A. makes up for with backl ine speed. Toronto could run into trouble if they try to keep it on the deck and play through balls beyond the back four. Outside of perhaps Martina, Toronto simply doesn't have the foot speed to compete with L.A. on that ground.

What are your predictions for tonight? Can Toronto take points off an L.A. team who has been inconsistent at times this year? Or is the Beckham show going to steal more than just a few teenage hearts?

A wide divide remains

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Last week, outlets across the country reported that the Canadian Soccer Association had sent a proposal to the Women's Head Coach Carolina Morace in hopes she would remain with the team until at least the London Olympics in 2012.

This past Saturday, Morace told Noel Butler on Oranges at Halftime that the players had received a proposal for financial compensation but that she was still waiting to hear from the CSA and stated that, "President Maestracci has confused the issues."

Go listen to the full interview where she speaks about the lack of links between the youth programs, professional clubs and national team programs and also the need for Canada to get behind the women in the lead up to the World Cup but the part that pertains to her future with the CSA and her contract begins at 12:50.

Butler asks her about those reports and at the status of her negotiations with the CSA and she responded in frank terms.

"I want to clarify, I think that President Maestracci has confused the issues of the players with my issues. These are two different issues. Of course, the players have their request but that is not my business. And no it’s not true. I think that maybe federation is waiting for an answer from the players but not from me because it is actually opposite. I am waiting for what I ask and I am waiting on them"
She is then asked what it is she is waiting for.

To respect my contract. There is no economic nature to my request. It is just to respect my contract.

I urge you to go listen to the full interview because despite appearances on this side of the ocean that the two sides (Morace and the CSA) are getting close to a resolution, a divide - communication or otherwise - clearly remains for those in Rome.

Garber quietly makes waves

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:32:45 -0400

The Don Garber hype machine rolled into Montreal yesterday and did what he does best – got the local press talking.

By now, for those that have been observing his circus act, the formula isn’t new — lots of back patting for the owner, combined with lots of kudos to the city and its supporters, all adds up to lots of headlines the next day.

Last week, I shook the trees of the Montreal press to see what was there and lots of opinions fell out about the Impact and if they would have a tough time finding coverage in a Canadiens-crazy city. Some media members, who responded, were critical of the assessment. Others, who cover the game there, agreed completely. The Sports Director of La Presse, Jean Francois Begin, was one of those who disagreed with my column and he’ll be on an It’s Called Football Interview Only this Friday to tell me why I’m off my rocker.

But, away from the dog and pony show, it was Don Garber’s quiet comments to a group of Montreal Impact supporters, gathered at a pub there that were making the most waves.

While lauding the benefits of Joey Saputo and his soccer specific sports group, Garber openly criticized and expressed legitimate concern for teams in MLS who operate multiple sports franchises under the same banner. By his view, they are not able to solely focus on and properly allocate resources to making soccer successful in their cities.

Those in attendance, including a reporter who recounted much of this to me (and who I trust with such assessments), perceived this diatribe as a direct swipe at Toronto FC and their owners, MLSE.

This, for many, would be completely out of left field given Garber’s repeated applause for Toronto and its ownership over the years. But it has become known in Toronto media and soccer circles that MLS and MLSE have developed frayed tensions over the last year.

A number of organizing missteps on MLS Cup weekend had both sides fuming at one another (and allegedly not talking by the end of it). And more recently, a source within MLS head office described screaming phone calls over how Toronto was mishandling Dwayne De Rosario’s departure (the club was prepared to announce the trade at 2pm during Aron Winter’s usual media scrum, before the details had not been finalized by MLS.)

So, were Garber’s scathing words for ownership groups who operate multiple teams directed solely at Toronto? Maybe. Maybe not. If they weren’t, he had just criticized a large swath of the league in big, bold strokes. (Have a look at a brief table of teams and the teams they own at the bottom of the article.)

Perhaps, and in all likelihood, what Garber was doing was simply stirring the fires of rivalry – downplaying Toronto while building up Montreal. MLS’ hype man has developed quite the shtick these past few years when it comes to meeting with local supporters.

But, given MLS and MLSE’s recent squabbles and that the reporter who was there last night swears (SWEARS) Garber’s comments were more than just a marketing move meant to inflame, I’m left to wonder if the Soccer Don and his circus has soured on Toronto FC and theirs.

A brief list of MLS cities and the teams their owners own

Columbus -- KC Chiefs and Dallas
Dallas –KC Chiefs and Columbus
Houston – 50 per cent owned by AEG, also own LA Kings and UK sports holdings
New England – New England Patriots
New York – Red Bull owns four pro soccer teams and several motor sports properties
Kansas City – minor league basketball team and the ‘Sporting’ model is designed around idea of multiple teams under their banner
Chivas – Chivas Guadalajara, Saprissa
Colorado – Avalanche, Nuggets and St. Louis Rams
Galaxy – LA Kings + 50 per cent of Houston
Salt Lake – St. Louis Blues
Seattle - Seahawks

Canadian soccer prepares for its big day

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Canadian soccer is looking to give itself one hell of a birthday present next year – whether that's what is best for the Canadian game is yet to be determined.

With the Canadian Soccer Association’s 100 year anniversary fast approaching, plans are already underway within the CSA to make a splash of epic (actually, make that epoch) proportions.

Canadian Soccer News has learned that discussions are underway to bring both England and France to Canada to play a pair of friendlies shortly after the 2012 European Cup.

It’s an idea that has been being kicked around within the CSA for a while now, say high ranking CSA members, but after the Canadian national team signed it’s apparel deal with Umbro earlier this year, the move all but cleared the way to aim high and go after England and France.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Umbro president Gerald Woodman last month and speak to him about their plans for the National team and their brand in Canada. He confirmed that the plans to bring in the two countries but in addition to requesting I wait a few weeks to report it, he stressed that nothing was yet firm.

“We’re proposing a few things to the CSA for the centennial celebrations. Among other things, it includes Canada facing England and France as friendly opponents on Canadian soil,” Woodman said. “We’re an authentic football brand and we want to help the CSA bring that authentic football experience to the national team fans.”

A few years ago, with Canada under the Adidas banner, something like this might not have been possible. As much as friendlies are supposed to be about the fans things like TV revenue, stadium signage, and even event location can become nuisance-filled-hurdles when competing countries are representing competing brands. England, France and Canada now all fall under the same Nike umbrella.

Early word has a post-Euro Cup England being the more difficult of the two in convincing them to come Canada. The Three Lions' direction begins and ends with head coach Fabio Capello and he is traditionally bullish when it comes to signing off on friendlies. But France, tentatively to be played at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, is showing positive signs, says one CSA member. And, frankly, that makes sense.

But to be honest, this writer wouldn’t be upset in the least if England were to balk at the proposal. I don’t see a lot of benefit – other than to line the CSA pockets – to packing the Rogers Centre or B.C. Place with 50,000 English ex-pats. And you can be sure that’s how it would play out. That’s how it always plays out.

Whether it’s Hondurans in Montreal, or Chileans in Toronto, as long as there is a landed population anywhere near the match, in a soccer stadium they’re going to out populate the Canadians by 5-1.

It’s been a point of frustration for the national team supporters for a long time now – how do we create an intimidating home atmosphere when we’re never really playing at home?

Canadians are too nice to ban away support from Canuck home games — they’re too proper and polite to demand passports at the gates of the ground. In fact, for some, I’ve just offended them by even mentioning the idea.

But there is another opponent, one that falls under the Nike banner and one that would be equally apt to inflame the national passions, that would draw in the attention of the national media and mainstream masses.

Who better to face, when trying convince casuals your national team is one worth supporting and corporately that there is brand loyalty to be had, than the land of the free and the home of the, well, Landon Donovan?

A Canada vs America game is sure to be one of the few where Canadians could be assured they would have the lion’s share of the attendance in their colour and an opponent that the crowd desperately wants their boys to beat. And given that it’s a friendly, the threat of a massive traveling support from the U.S. would be limited to, let's say, terrorist level yellow.

Don’t get me wrong. England and France coming to Canada would be very nice. It would bring out a nice sized crowd, pocket a nice sized sum for the CSA and get some very nice attention.

But bringing in America, to play Canadians on Canadian soil, would do more to stoke the fires of pride in this country's national team than a hundred visits from the colonial powers.

If we're celebrating a hundred years of our game (and lord knows, the successes here have been few and far between) shouldn't the gift to the game be a first of its kind? How about a stadium full of Canadians all singing for Canada for once?

Start the next 100 years off right. Aim high, but aim south.

The TSN Effect

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 00:32:45 -0400

TSN announced yesterday that Saturday's Toronto FC v Vancouver Whitecaps game had drawn the largest television audience in Canadian history.

That's a warm, fuzzy stat for those of us that have been pining for the emergence of soccer on Canada's soccer stage, but it means little else.

In fact, I'd be more worried if Saturday's heavily promoted event wasn't the highest viewed game ever. After all, it was the first time two Canadian cities had a stake in watching an all-MLS game and the number pretty accurately reflected that.

Last year, when Toronto FC would play its Saturday afternoon games on CBC, it would max out around 150,000-200,000. You simply double the regional audience and you've got Saturday's result.

I've long argued that the number would be higher if CBC would have the game a chance in an evening slot. But by comparison, their Saturday evening movie would garner around 800,000 and that's pretty hard to argue against.

If you're still looking for a stat to justify your sports existence in a mainstream world, look for a regional MLS game, played in the evening, where only Toronto FC or Vancouver Whitecaps are involved.

Having had some time to get use to its place on the national network, the Vancouver at Seattle (Sat. June 11 - 9pm PST) or Toronto at DC United (Sat. Aug. 6 - 7:30pm EST) will be the games you can point to and say the TSN Effect is truly working.

Update:

TSN PR has corrected its earlier declaration. The highest rated game was between Toronto FC and the LA Galaxy in April 2007.

Support the players who want to suit up for Canada

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:32:45 -0400

Never have words been spoken that more accurately reflect the state of Canadian soccer today.

"I'm a Canadian, of course...(but) it's nice to have options"

That was Canadian/Jamaican/American/English footballer Junior Hoilett speaking to the The Toronto Star's Dave Feschuk about his thoughts on suiting up for Canada. Feschuk asked and Hoilett answered exactly in the way we've all become much too accustomed to: I'm a Canadian but the second it better suits my career I must have misplaced my passport.

If you'd like, accuse me of reading between the lines, but having heard the same sentiment before and seen the results, my reaction to Hoilett's line of choice is simple: Fuck. That.

Over the past 10 years - as footballer after footballer have trickled away, hopes raised and then dashed - there has been a quiet, growing sentiment among Canadian fans, to a place of far less patience. It's an attitude that steers away from the proper, politically correct, let's all play nice because this is Canada, to one that is far less flinching - a why the hell are you not capping for our country? edge.

It's not easy for Canadians to pound their chest and espouse national pride. In fact, it seems ground into our DNA to do the opposite. We only see glimpses of it when our national hockey team wins and then we dance in the streets with wild, primitive pride.

But the time has more than come for Canadian football supporters to step forward to that edge - if for nothing more than to look around and realize that no other country in the world treats the game of football with such kid gloves. The last thing we should be doing today, at the news another footballer wants to weigh his options, is shrugging our shoulders in apathy.

A decade ago, that attitude might have been acceptable. The CSA was in complete disarray. Despite winning a Gold Cup, our national team program was in shambles. Women's football - what's that? The last thing a Canadian football fan deserved to be feeling was entitled.

But, again, look around. A lot has changed in the past few years. Our house is getting itself in order. The CSA is on the path to reform. Our youth national team's are showing a future and our Women's National Team, how they're playing right now, might be top three in the world.

The last piece of that puzzle is the Men. And if a few more players like Junior had gone the other way - if we hadn't wasted so much time waiting for that ilk to commit and instead set about developing and assisting those that do want to play here - it might even be said that the CMNT would be on a path to health.

And so, to Junior, I tell you this: I'd love to see you and your brother patrolling the pitch together for Canada, it would be fantastic, but the time has come, pal, to shit or get off the pot. Whether you are Canadian, American, Jamaican or an Englishman - you've had long enough to decide.

TSN should look to Score on soccer coverage

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:00:00 -0400

Last week, I wrote about the TSN effect and how the network, when it puts its full promotional weight behind a property (no matter how backwater it is – read: CFL, WJHC) it can turn it into a corporate winner. In it, I revealed how TSN was the front-runner to win the MLS broadcast rights in Canada. Since then, that information has become common knowledge through various other media outlets.

Today, sources close to the situation further told me that MLS has favoured the TSN bid and its ‘game of the week format’ from the outset. Garber et al are said to not be looking for a big payday, but, instead believe that the national exposure TSN offers through its flagship program Sportscentre, will do more to reach into the corporate community here than any previous initiatives.

Corporate support is necessary, long overdue and eventually will be the force that carries Dwayne DeRosario and Terry Dunfield’s image into homes across Canada, but what about cultural support?

A growing game

Football supporters are a fickle bunch, and if TSN’s coverage doesn’t pass the smell test -- and certain Canadian commentators here have a reputation for reeking -- then it runs the risk of cutting off the bud of a blossoming football culture.

I can’t speak for Vancouver or Montreal (although, I expect it will be much the same) but I can tell you that the transformation in Toronto over the last four years has been remarkable. Watching casual sports fans turn into dyed-in-the-wool football supporters is something I never thought I’d see in Canada – let alone, the kind of support that bleeds for its hometown team.

And what helps that kind of support grow – and lord knows the cultural success here hasn’t been borne out of a winner on the field – is access to football media that accurately reflects, promotes and represents coverage in the way fans want to see the game.

If you’ll allow me to get philosophical for a second: when fans have a mirror to look into - see themselves and their team - it reinforces their views and makes their community tangible. Or to use corporate speak, drives brand loyalty.

I know of no football supporter in the world who thinks, acts and engages in a game in the way that a talking-head-suit does. Someone sitting behind the desk, who once a week spouts stats and statistics for that two-minute highlight package, will never represent or reflect the game. And I worry what effect that kind of straight-laced coverage – while corporately successful – will have on the growing football cultural here in Canada.

Look to Score

When TSN begins its coverage next year, if it is interested in fostering that ‘brand loyalty,’ they would be wise to study the way The Score handles its football coverage.

On the whole, the Score network has re-invented itself over the past two years – morphing from a traditional broadcaster with limited reach to a multi-platform property (TV, satellite radio, online and mobile applications) with massive scope. Always cut from a different cloth (if TSN was bound tight in Armani, they were rocking Banana Republic) The Score moved even further away from that traditional scores-and-stats approach and into the sports infotainment business.

Nowhere more effective has The Score been at reaching fans than it has with its football coverage. Through the Footy Show crew, The Score generates daily content that not only reflects the tone of the football culture, but also challenges it in ways the mainstream media here often misses. The stories they write, break and report appeal to football supporters because it comes across more like a conversation you’d have at a bar than one that you’d have in a boardroom. And while the focus generally lays with EPL, Seria A and the like, their daily radio show, TV broadcast and online videos keep the hardcore hooked.

If TSN is serious about getting into the domestic footie market and succeeding – it’s already shown it knows how to grow television numbers - it should consider that these sports fans are a different beast from those of the NHL or CFL variety and that it won’t be enough to have Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole spitting stats and clever quips once a week. They need to invest in the culture side of things, across many platforms (TV, TSN radio and online), to cultivate and cash in on the corporate side of things.

A straight-laced national broadcaster won’t be the death of football culture in Canada, but it won’t mean the growth of it either.

Umbro should kick off real change for Canadian soccer

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Change is coming to Canadian soccer – and here’s hoping it will extend beyond announcing a new shirt sponsor.

Last night, at an intimate venue in downtown Toronto, the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) introduced Umbro as their new corporate partner for the Men’s National Team.

Given that Canadian soccer hasn’t exactly been flush with corporate support over the years – 1986 being the last time they qualified for a World Cup – any announcement is big and it wasn’t lost on those Canadian supporters in attendance that the new jersey had an 80s flair to it.

And while the new jerseys are great, and the corporate support certainly welcome, the talk of the evening lay squarely with the opportunity before Canadian soccer.

Come Feb. 5, the CSA will vote on a reform package that seeks to transform the way Canadian soccer is governed.

At present, individual provincial associations have a significant say when it comes to governing the Canadian game and our national teams. It’s made for terrible self-interested politicking and almost completely impossible for the national body to govern properly.

A vote, taken last May by the governing body just to study the feasibility of change, was barely passed by the provincial associations. Quebec and Alberta voted outright against it while Manitoba abstained.

Since then, seeing the potential end of their little fiefdoms, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have all quietly begun expressing their own concerns for the reforms – reforms that largely seek to take the power out of the hands of volunteers and put it into those of professionals.

By last fall, there was so little support for the original reforms, the CSA executive had to broker a deal to at least table a watered down reform package the groups could vote on.

For the casual observer it’s hard to imagine why Canadian soccer, which has diddled around in mediocrity for the last 20 years, would not want embrace any positive change. But when you realize these volunteers get perks like trips to World Cups -- among other things -- it’s not hard to figure out why they don’t want to give up their positions of power.

For their part, Umbro has stepped forward from corporate Canada and pledged their support to the Canadian game until 2014. It’s a huge gesture.

Now the CSA needs to do the same for the Canadian game, by voting in the reforms.

Some interesting noises

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:32:45 -0400

It would seem the Oranj revolution continues.

Jonathan de Guzman, younger brother to Julian (and pariah to any national team fan), told a Dutch news site today that if he could play for any club in the world, he would like to play for Toronto FC.

"I'd like to play for my hometown Toronto FC"

The 23-year-old, who turned down Premiership offers this year, is in year one of a three year deal with Real Mallorca.

While it's fun to play out scenarios that include Julian as the defensive midfielder and Jonathan as the attacking mid, don't expect anything to come of this. He has plenty of years left in him for European play and if he's still interested in suiting up for the Dutch national team, he'll need to remain visible to do so.

But if, as he's indicated recently, he's considering re-joining the Canadian program, an MLS move wouldn't be out of the question - a few years down the line.

What do you think? Would you want another de Guzman on Toronto? Would you accept him, even if he ultimately decides not to play for Canada?

DeRosario’s move raises questions

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 02:11:24 -0400

Leaving the stadium Saturday, I overheard someone say, “If Toronto FC were a soap opera, it would be a prime-time hit.”

With the Hollywood TIFF crowd come and gone, the idea fell only on the ears of a furious few, exiting BMO Field following a 3-2 loss to San Jose. The result doesn’t mathematically eliminate them from playoff contention, but if TFC were that soap opera, the credits would be rolling.

The backdrop, in that 3-2 loss, was a TIFO display from the North End Elite supporters, who held up white flags with dollar signs on them and a giant banner that read Making Losing Seem Easy (MLSE) throughout periods of the game. The message was clear: It’s time for this club to show something more than its ability to make money — it’s time to field a team of winners.

And it was one of those winners that gave TFC another improbable plot turn. Dwayne DeRosario, after scoring the team’s first goal — a superb, curling touch that found the top right corner — celebrated by signing a mock cheque; a move he would later confirm to the press was a signal to team management that he deserved a new contract. DeRosario already makes close to the maximum allowable salary under the cap ($443,750, the maximum is $450,000) so what he essentially was asking for was to be made a designated player (DP) — a rule that allows a team to pay a player any amount more than $450,000. Each team in MLS is allowed three. At present, Toronto has two in Julian DeGuzman and Mista.

It would be hard to argue DeRosario hasn’t done enough to earn that distinction. He leads the team in goals, has a strong work rate and consistently has his boot on the end of game-changing plays. And it’s not going to cost the team any more against the cap to make him a DP, but the question is certainly the timing.

What kind of captain, as his team crashes out of the playoff contention for a fourth straight year, demands a pay raise?

There is no doubt that he has given a lot to the club. There is no doubt he’s deserving of the pay. There is, now, some doubt whether he’s the right man to wear the captain’s armband.

TFC will probably pay him what he’s worth — they can’t afford to lose their leading man in this soap opera — but there is no way he should remain a captain.

TFC turfs Preki and Johnston after disappointing season

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 17:40:57 -0400

In the end, the decision came swiftly - but not nearly quick enough.

Tuesday, at a hastily assembled press conference, Toronto FC announced that their Director of Soccer Operations, Mo Johnston, the man who had helped build the club from day one, was being relieved of his duties.

Caught in the wake of that decision, TFC head coach Preki, not even with the club for a full season, was told he would be joining Johnston on the first train out of town.

In a season where the team chronically underperformed, and the MLS playoffs and CONCACAF Champions League were slipping away with every giving day, it was clearly a decision that needed to happen.

But the question, one that many were asking yesterday, was why it hadn’t come earlier.

Since he took the front office job three years ago, Mo Johnston buried the team in poor, reactionary decisions and a mountain of bloated undeserving salaries. In another league, where the salary cap was larger, moves like paying Carlo Ruiz $460,000 or Pablo Vitti $303,000 might have been missed, but in MLS, with its tight restrictions and even tighter purse strings, the moves (dozens of them) stood out as untreated, festering blemishes.

While Johnston, at times, demonstrated an uncanny ability to navigate the maze of MLS roster rules, holding more than one team’s feet to the fire in shrewd moves -- think Chicago Fire and Brian McBride --, the revolving door of players (80 plus in four years) never really addressed the needs of the team.

Flashy signings like Jeff Cunningham, with his decade of goals, and Rohan Ricketts, with his pedigree, masked that (up until this season when the team was re-made in Preki’s image) Toronto never really had clear direction.

But the club is starting fresh today. The men charged with leading the team in the interim, Earl Cochrane (Director of Soccer Operations) and Nick Dasovic (Head Coach), are both classy, capable individuals. Getting out from under the mess of unneeded salaries in the off-season will be mission number one. But the road for them and for TFC won’t be an easy one.

Three years ago when he took over, Mo talked about a legacy and a five-year-plan to success. He may now be gone, but as the team re-builds once again, that legacy, one of questionable decisions, will undoubtedly be felt.

Thankfully, for Cochrane and crew, it doesn’t take five years of planning to find success in MLS – just a few smart signings.

Banner boasts Mission 2014 for Canadian soccer

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:00 -0400

I wasn’t in Montreal in 2008 when the 5,000 Honduran fans descended on Saputo Stadium for what has become known as the biggest debacle in recent Canadian memory.

I’ m glad I wasn’t. Supporters who attended tell the story of how a home game for Canada was transformed from a winnable World Cup qualifier, into a hostile away environment for the Canucks — with Canadian supporters being pelted with everything from bottles to bags of piss.

After the loss, frustration turned to anger for fans. Why had the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) allowed so many tickets to be sold to the Honduran support?

Had the cash-strapped CSA lost the plot? Had the cash-strapped CSA ever even known the plot?

This weekend, when Canada takes on Peru in an international friendly, a banner emblazoned with supporter signatures will hang in the south end of BMO Field as a reminder to the CSA, the players and corporate Canada – there is one priority for Canadian soccer over the next four years: Mission 2014.

Jamie MacLeod, a member of the Voyageurs supporters group and someone who was largely responsible for ensuring tickets got into the hands of Canadian fans for this weekend’s game, said the message is clear.

“The goal is to say, to the players on the field and to the CSA, that everything we do from here on in is about qualifying for Brazil.

This is our mission. This is why we’re here to support you. We want to make Brazil,” MacLeod said.

And guys like MacLeod and the Voyageurs are determined to never let a situation like Montreal happen again on home soil.

“They were throwing bottles, rocks. There were people coming into our sections and starting fights. You’re in Canada, and it’s very difficult for people like security to say ‘You can’t go into this section because of who you are,' but the CSA listened in the aftermath, saw what selling tickets to away support can do and they have learned from those mistakes,” MacLeod said.

After Toronto, the banner will travel across Canada, collecting signatures along the way.
It heads to Montreal for the Sept. 7th game against Honduras. Then out to Vancouver and on to Edmonton.

After that, it will be wherever there are national team games in Canada, MacLeod said.

“Canada deserves to have home games at home. When our players are forced to play away games in their own country, how can you expect them to qualify?”

That mission to qualify has begun.

TFC must pick its battles

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:26:11 -0400

I don’t want to brush any pixie dust off the shoulders of Toronto FC’s historic win, but some hard realities need to be spoken for.

Bluntly put, at this point, Toronto does not have the depth to contend in both an MLS playoff race and a CONCACAF Champions League push.

Position-by-position, they simply do not have the adequate personnel to fill the roles game in and game out. Players’ legs will tire, and bless their efforts, but Jacob Peterson, Nane Joseph, Raivis Hscanovics and Fuad Ibrahim are all only patchwork players.

Add a string of injuries that have plagued the starters (Chad Barrett, Maicon Santos, Amadou Sanyang and now Nick Garcia) and it’s almost impossible to imagine Toronto starting a competitive squad in both league and Champions League games.

Beating Cruz Azul is undoubtedly a major accomplishment for the club, one that should rank up there with Danny Dichio’s first goal and the Montreal Miracle as far as memories go.

Tuesday night’s win left even the hardened observers walking away from BMO Field with a glazed look — but it shouldn’t blur the road ahead.

Toronto will take on the New York Red Bulls this Saturday, a club now flush with its full lineup, and not one to be confused with the depleted team that beat Toronto 1-0 eight days ago.

Toronto then flies to Panama for a Champions League game three days later, returns to Toronto four days after that to face the reigning MLS champions Real Salt Lake, and then jets off to Dallas and Chicago to play a pair of games within 96 hours — both of which have MLS playoff implications.

It’s a daunting task for any team, straddling the line between Champions League and an MLS playoff push, as both have their appeal. A playoff run would help Toronto FC make a splash in the city’s barren sporting landscape, while the hardcore supporters are likely pining for a Champions League run similar to Montreal’s in the 2008-09 competition.

Head coach Preki has done a masterful job managing the talent he has this season. But making a run at both is beyond anyone’s abilities.

Toronto needs to make a decision now — MLS playoffs or CONCACAF Champions League. Patchwork has helped Toronto contend up until this point, but ultimately it won’t win them games. And wins are what they need.

Failing to recognize that, the club will find itself on the outside looking in — in both competitions.

Growth good, but plan first

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Canada’s soccer landscape is going to look drastically different in just a few years time — whether it’s a smouldering mess of a crater or a solid foundation for the future will depend on how the changes to come are managed.

Yesterday, Bob Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Carolina Railhawks of the North American Soccer League, announced he was formally tabling an application to bring an NASL expansion team to Hamilton.

For a present NASL owner and someone with significant sway within the group, the announcement is really nothing more than a formality and I’m told approval should come by the end of the year.

What was of interest, and somewhat of a concern, was Young used the opportunity to pitch the Pan Am games (coming to Ontario in 2015) to make soccer the official sport of its new stadium during the games.

Problem is, there is no new stadium yet and the situation there is far more muddled than it was even six months ago.

With the city and Young at odds over everything from funding to location, the olive branch to Pan Am is, to put it bluntly, putting their cap out.

They need the Pan Am money to make their NASL bid work but with no guarantee on that return, Hamilton could easily find itself with a franchise awarded even before it has its stadium issues sorted.

Similarly, as I reported in March, the NASL is actively seeking expansion into several other Canadian cities, including Ottawa.

The capital city now has two suitors chasing that spot.

The first is John Pugh, the owner of the Ottawa Fury — a local Premier Development League team — whose proposal lists 2013 as its entry date.

The other is Neil Malhotra, a local developer, who is targeting 2012 for an arrival.

Sources tell me NASL is once again looking to pull the trigger quickly and a decision will come in early 2011. Even more than the Hamilton stadium situation, both seem awfully fast.

For those of us who baked on the empty open plain that was Canadian soccer in the 1990s, the thought of expansion is exciting — sexy even.

But a sharp smack upside the head is needed for anyone already dreaming up a six-team battle for the Canadian championship.

Don’t put the cart before the horse and all that. Hell, shoot the horse and toss the cart in the ditch if it means proper planning will be done.

In no uncertain terms, the NASL should not push these applications through just because it can — otherwise, without the proper vetting, we’re going to end up right back where we were — on that vast, empty plain.

Both World Cup finalists have yet to play their best

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:00:00 -0400

By 5 p.m. Sunday, one country’s people will flood their streets in celebration. They’ll dance, they’ll sing, they’ll cry and they’ll kiss strangers.

The next day, a moment frozen in time for a generation of football fans, will be declared a national holiday and the subsequent booze, oh god, will it flow. For the other side, those who came up one step too short, it will be nothing but handshakes and heartache. The longest day in a hard look down the four-year road to Brazil.

Considering the level of play we’ve been treated to during this tournament, it’s exciting to be heading into the final between Spain and the Netherlands with both sides yet to find their best game.

Spain, for all its attacking glory, has looked rather impotent. David Villa has risen to the occasion when called upon, but the likes of Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas have all failed to find their form. But with a smothering backline, they’ve done just enough to win, railing off a string of 1-0 victories through the elimination rounds.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands, despite the play of Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder — who for my money have been the best players at this tournament — has looked anything but certain in the final moments of games. They allowed Uruguay a glimmer of hope in extra time in the semis, and who wasn’t expecting Brazil to tie it in the quarters as the Dutch conceded corner after corner down the stretch? To their credit though, they haven’t stumbled, finding a way to win every game.

Being the resident football fan, I’m often pressed for predictions. But with even the lowliest countries at this tournament showing an ability to touch glory, I’ve mostly left the prognostications up to Paul the Psychic Octopus (he hasn’t been wrong yet.)

The final is different though. The immense pressure of a nation’s hopes brings out the best and worst in players. Think Ronaldo’s masterful performance for Brazil in 2002 and Zinedine Zidane disastrous exit for France in 2006. Results lie in calm minds and consistency.

This weekend, I’ll be betting on the steady hand of Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk to bring about a return to the total football of the 1970s. Come Sunday it will be all Dutch Dreams.

The guide to Toronto's best World Cup bars

Ben Rycroft, Metro Toronto — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

With less than 24 hours to go before the biggest sporting event on the planet kicks off, there isn’t much time left to prepare.

Have you bought your car flag? Tested the horn? Can your friends fit through the sunroof on your car?

With the bars being allowed to serve starting at 10 a.m., stocking up on some gum might not be a bad idea. Or you simply might ask yourself, do I have enough sick days to cover the hangovers?

All pertinent questions to ask yourself as you get ready for the month-long celebration in Toronto.

Here is a quick guide of the best places in the city to watch the World Cup:

Want to Watch England?

If you’re downtown and pining to watch the Three Lions, head to either the Duke of Gloucester (649 Yonge St.) or Queen and Beaver (35 Elm St.) But if you’re not in the core, why not join every expat south of Sudbury as they gather at Scallywags (11 St. Clair Ave. W) to watch Wayne Rooney and the lot take on the U.S. this Saturday. With two floors and a rooftop patio covered with big-screen TVs, it’s easily the best place in the city to watch England. Just don’t be the wise guy who decides to cheer for America. You’re likely to get bottled by someone whose father was a bricklayer.

Want to watch Brazil or Argentina?

If you want to see something funny, ask any Brazilian what they think of Argentina. The twisting of their face in disgust is worth the trip to either Rio 40 (1256 St. Clair W.) or Vivid (1067 St. Clair W.) Both Brazilians and Argentinians will be sharing venues for the competition, so you’ll see plenty of flag waving and lots of singing. Argentina skipper Diego Maradona has promised to streak through the streets if he leads his country to a World Cup win. You can expect no less from the supporters along St. Clair.

Want to watch Italy?

There is no better place to watch Italy than Café Diplomatico (594 College St). Big screens line the patio, and the streets get flooded in celebration after a win. If the Dip is packed, mosey down the road a bit to Standard Pizza (667 College St.) — same crowd, different location. Both bars will be showing the non-Italian games throughout the World Cup, but save yourself some heckling and don’t fly your colours on an Italian game day.

Outposts of support

Want to watch Chile, Paraguay or Mexico?
• El Jacal (1056 Bloor West)

Want to watch Germany?
• The Blue Danube (1686 Ellesmere)

Want to watch Australia, Netherlands or New Zealand?
• Hemingways (142 Cumberland)

Want to watch Spain?
• Plaza Flamingo (423 College)

Want to watch Greece?
• Zorba’s (681 Danforth)

Want to watch Portugal?
• Cervejaria Downtown Bar-Grill (842 College St)

Montreal Impact to officially announce MLS expansion Friday

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:00:00 -0400

This is the time when a columnist is supposed to coyly remind the reader he had it first.

The columnist code of ethics (of which there are none) dictates one should firmly remind the readers who broke the story, walk the readers through a tale of secret sources meetings and yet maintain a sense of decorum by not resorting to bragging.

When the Montreal Impact officially announces its expansion to MLS Friday morning, I won’t be shouting from the rooftops that I originally reported this deal in November. Instead, I’m going to sit back and smile as the Canadian soccer landscape expands.

This is a special time for those of us who grew up playing the game on rough, worn pitches and watching our teams on illegal Internet feeds. We’re now witnessing wholesale changes to the Canadian game in the blink of an eye.

It’s staggering when you look back at what’s happened in just five years.

Canada now has three professional soccer franchises. Games are televised on national networks and there is more mainstream print coverage than any of us could have ever imagined.

Toronto FC has become the talk of the city. Hockey-crazed Montreal put 50,000 plus people in Olympic stadium for a soccer game in February. And Vancouver, already established as a North American leader for its deep-rooted soccer system, is on the cusp of becoming world-class when the renovation of B.C. Place and a national training centre are completed next year.

But the game isn’t mainstream just yet. Wednesday night, unannounced, a few hundred stranded footie fans gathered electronically, squinting and straining to watch an Internet feed of the Nutrilite Voyageurs Cup game between Montreal and Vancouver.

Far from professional — hell, far from unprofessional — this game was brought to you by a webcam and a microphone pointed at a flat screen TV.

It was gritty, it was ghetto, it was Canadian soccer.

As the saying goes, the revolution will not be televised. But make no mistake, by the time Montreal joins MLS in 2012, it will be.

– Watch Ben Rycroft on the It’s Called Football show every Sunday at www.metronews.ca;
ben.rycroft@metronews.ca.

Canadian soccer should learn from Begovic

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:00:00 -0400

It’s been said before, but it bears repeating.

Canada needs to do more to ensure other nations aren’t scooping its national team players.
Last Friday, the Canadian Soccer Association called a press conference to outline its plans for the 2010 calendar. Those plans include high profile friendlies with the likes of Argentina and Honduras – as well as three other national team games, including two on home soil.

Canada should be commended for its proactive approach to going out and landing these games – especially in a non-World Cup qualifying year – but a larger issue still looms.

Last year saw a low point for the Canadian game, as the “goalkeeper of the future,” Asmir Begovic, walked away from the nation the raised him to be capped for Bosnia-Herzegovina, the nation that birthed him.

Canada had ample time to cap Begovic when he was on the bench for Canada during the World Cup qualifying campaign, but through a series of mismanagements and FIFA rules changes, he was never permanently tied to the Maple Leaf.

Now Canada is faced with a similar situation in Teal Bunbury.

Bunbury, born in Hamilton to an American mother and former Canadian National team legend Alex Bunbury, was drafted fourth overall in the MLS SuperDraft and is widely regarded as a striker who could play a major part in the national team program for years to come.

Word as of late has the U.S. Men’s National Team, suddenly short on the depth chart with recent injuries at the striker position, looking to shore up its resources for the future — that includes taking a hard look at the young striker who scored his first MLS goal last week.

I spoke to the younger Bunbury just hours after the CSA presser. He dismissed any notion U.S. team officials had approached him but admitted he hadn’t ruled out playing for the U.S.

“Right now my national team venues are open and obviously I’ve talked to (National Team head coach) Stephen Hart and (U-20 head coach) Tony Fonseca earlier in the year about their thoughts of me as a player and they told me they were going to be keeping me in their thoughts as the year comes about,” Bunbury said. “But right now I’m trying to work on my life as a professional in Kansas City and when opportunities arise with the national teams, I’ll take care of them when things like that happen.”

Hart is obviously taking the right steps to ensure this young talent doesn’t go astray by keeping in contact with him and letting him know where he stands in their plans but he and Fonseca should take it a step further and eliminate any doubt – invite him to play at the friendlies and then cap tie him at the next CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Hart’s predecessor, Dale Mitchell, missed that opportunity with Begovic when he kept him on the bench throughout World Cup qualifying.

Canada can’t make the same mistake with Bunbury.

– Watch Ben Rycroft on the It’s Called Football show every Sunday at www.metronews.ca;
ben.rycroft@metronews.ca.

MLS rule change unlikely to improve quality of play

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:19:13 -0400

Depending on who you talk to, it was either a relaxing of the rules that enforce parity or another laughing-stock example of why the league remains the subject of parody.

On Friday, Major League Soccer announced it would be changing the terms surrounding the use of its designated player slot — colloquially called the David Beckham Rule — which allows clubs to pay a single player any amount, with only a certain portion counting against the team’s salary cap.

Under the new rules, each club can now have as many as three designated players, and only $335,000 (previously $450,000) will count against the salary cap. Also, teams signing DPs mid-season will only face a $167,000 cap hit.

During a teleconference announcing the change, Todd Durbin, executive vice-president of player relations and competition, explained the move as a way to loosen the reins on spending in MLS while still maintaining “a league that gives every team the opportunity to be successful.”

“It’s supposed to allow teams that want to go out and sign high-profile players the opportunity to be successful,” Durbin said.

“But at the same time, we made sure it’s calibrated in a way that teams that don’t want to go out and sign designated players also have the opportunity to be successful.”

It’s a move the league is banking on to increase the overall exposure for MLS, quality of play and competition among its clubs.

So what’s wrong with that?

A lot, if you look closer.

While the league could have 16 designated players right now (one per team), only five teams actually have one. So for the league to herald this rule change as a major shift in policy is a little misleading.

And if we are to believe that this relaxing of the rules will spur clubs to charge out and sign the likes of Thierry Henry and Raul (long rumoured to be headed to New York) then it brings up another question — what will the teams look like when more than $1 million of their $2.55-million salary cap is tied up in three players?

“Thin” is a word that comes to mind. MLS already struggles to attract and retain good, emerging talent. Leaving the remaining 21 players to fight over a very small pie doesn’t bode well for improving the overall level of play.

So, why not just increase the salary cap further?

To be blunt, there are a lot of poor teams in MLS. Most couldn’t afford an increase.

But if the league was serious about increasing the quality of play and promoting real competition amongst its teams, it would have dropped the cap hit clubs now incur from a designated player altogether, allowing for greater wealth distribution to the rest of the roster, to help keep those mid-range and emerging players.

With this move, MLS isn’t signalling it’s really serious about competition or quality of play — just serious about having more marketable faces.

– Watch Ben Rycroft on the It’s Called Football show every Sunday at www.metronews.ca;
ben.rycroft@metronews.ca.

NASL planning aggressive expansion into Canada

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0400

As the eyes of the North American soccer world have been fixated on the MLS labour dispute for the last few months, the NASL, a newly formed second division, has been quietly laying the ground work for the years ahead.

In their sights? Quite simply: Canada.

I was invited, along with Duane Rollins, one of the co-hosts of the It’s Called Football show, to an off-the record meeting with a high ranking NASL official a month ago.

In it, they laid out for us their aggressive plans for Canada over the next two to three years.
Six cities, two in Ontario - all in markets that have a strong soccer communities- are being targeted by the NASL.

How did we know it wasn’t some NASL flack blowing smoke up our microphones? A few days later they tipped us to two things. 1) Edmonton was about to be announced as the newest NASL franchise. My co-host, Duane Rollins, broke that on his website the 24thminute.com. And 2) they told us of a rift in the Vancouver Whitecaps front office over their move to MLS.

Two weeks after that was reported and a week after Whitecaps President Bob Lenarduzzi came on It’s Called Football to dismiss the claims, the Caps parted ways with Residency Managing Director Thomas Neindorf. Coincidence? Maybe, but it played out exactly how the NASL source told us it would.

So what does all this mean? Well, I finally caught up with the man looking to bring the NASL to Ottawa this week and he confirmed what we had been told.

“I attended the NASL AGM last month and we are indeed looking at a franchise in the NASL,” Neil Malhotra said by phone. “We feel the community is interested and the timing is right. But, before we move forward we have to wait on the USSF (United States Soccer Federation) to make a decision on second division soccer in the States.”

Earlier this year, a group of teams split off from the USL-1 and formed a rival second division league. The USSF agreed to sanction both, putting off any final decisions until a later date.

The other name who came up in the meeting is Bob Young, owner of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. Young, who co-owns the NASL Carolina Railhawks and whose company has been contracted to re-design the NASL website, has previously expressed interest in bringing a soccer team to Hamilton and while he has declined several requests for comment, it’s all but a foregone conclusion that it’s his group behind the plans.

Calgary, Victoria, Quebec City and Winnipeg are the other cities tagged to be future NASL franchises. But those are less developed than the Ottawa and Hamilton bids.

The timing in all of this is probably the most interesting. As the MLS dances in the wind, waiting for its players to decide if they want to push their dispute to a strike, a hardcore group of soccer-first people are preparing a ground assault on the Canadian sporting landscape.

Things like proper academies, grass pitches and soccer specific stadiums have been laid out as a mandate by the NASL.

And while the NASL would never attract the Saturday afternoon soccer moms if MLS was to go on strike, the hardcore footie fans, who have long railed against MLS’ non-traditional ways, could conceivably find a home as NASL fans.

Games shouldn’t go unseen

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:38:00 -0400

There was a time when I would tell anyone who would listen that soccer would soon eclipse every major sport in this country — including hockey.

I would point to the slow demise of baseball in Toronto, the youth participation numbers across Canada outstripping any other sport and the rise of professional franchises in cities like Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto as reasons why the next generation in Canada would be an Adidas Generation.

It was often an argument that was one part smart-ass, one part self-delusion and two parts self-preservation (there aren’t a lot of national soccer columns in this country).

And after a few pints at the pub I’ll still tell any Blue Jays-cap wearing nutbar to enjoy the team while he can — I have to be honest about a few things.

One — domestic soccer here just doesn’t draw traditional TV ratings. Whether it is for the national team or one of the Whitecaps, Impact or TFC, it just does not have the same numbers pull as the established sports.

Two — the likes of TSN will continue to ignore the sport as nothing but a niche market until they figure out how to generate revenue from it.

If you look at the coverage SportsCentre provides on any given night, it is always reflective of its own programming. TSN is heavily involved in NHL and CFL coverage and those are the sports that are given priority on any given night.

When it became obvious that no networks were going to broadcast Canada’s game last night, I jokingly posted an ad on Craigslist Jamaica asking anyone with a camera and Internet access to broadcast the game for $100.

Needless to say, I didn’t get any response from the Jamaicans, but the flood of Canadians who wrote me to ask if I had any luck certainly were interested.

Canadian fans famously crashed pockets of the Macedonian Internet last year when they latched on to several web streams broadcasting a Canadian friendly.

While the rating numbers aren’t big enough for the major networks to justify a broadcast, there is a market for games like these.

Toronto FC has recognized this in the past and as a thank you of sorts to their fans broadcast pre-season games through their website.

The Canadian Soccer Association could easily do the same. It may not have resources to self-broadcast but with a growing number of private companies like SSN (which broadcasts another niche market — CIS sports) out there, there is no reason now for games like these to go unseen any longer.

Some wishful thinking for 2010

Ben Rycroft, Metro Canada — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:07:59 -0400

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