The Canadian Soccer Roundtable 2009, Part 3
We’re back yet again with the final installment of our big year-end roundup. So far, our participants have reviewed 2009 in general, and the year that was for Canadian soccer. Now they’ll give you some thoughts on what the future holds.
One more time, our participants are:
Paul Beirne (Director of Business Operations for Toronto FC)
Jason de Vos (TV commentator, CBC blogger and former captain, Canadian men’s national team)
Ben Knight (writer, Onward Soccer)
Ben Massey (a.k.a Lord Bob of The Maple Leaf Forever)
John Molinaro (senior writer, CBCSports.ca)
Duane Rollins (writer, The 24th Minute)
Dino Rossi (director, Soccer Academy Alliance Canada and member, The Voyageurs)
Ben Rycroft (soccer columnist, Metro News)
James Sharman (host, The Footy Show on The Score)
Jon Wiebe (writer, Out Of Touch)
…plus, of course, Grant, Jamie and Squizz of a little site called Some Canadian Guys Writing About Soccer (you’re on it now!)
A look ahead to the 2010 World Cup: who are your personal favourites (who you want to win) and your personal picks (who you think will win)?
Beirne: Is Ireland still in it? Because for me, that’s the “old country”! Anyone but France. Actually I kind of hope an African nation shows up and makes it interesting!
de Vos: Being of Dutch descent, I will always have a soft spot for the Netherlands. Their fortunes will hinge on cohesion and the fitness of Robin van Persie. I think that either Brazil or Spain will win the World Cup, as they are simply stronger than everyone else. That being said, I am sure there will be a few upsets next summer!
Knight: I’d love to see an African side (Cote D’Ivoire?) break through to the semis. On neutral ground for the Europeans and South Americans, I think Germany will be very strong, and could easily win.
Massey: Not to be That Guy, but my team was eliminated October 11, 2008 at San Pedro Sula. I’m cheering for good football, except from Owen Hargreaves, and think that England’s going to do better than people think.
Molinaro: I hope Italy will be able to repeat as World Cup champions, but I suspect that Spain will finally come good and win it all. They have a team packed with world-class players who are at the peak of their careers and as far as I am concerned they are the team to beat – not Brazil.
Rollins: I cheer for the soccer teams, the home nations (and now that a certain someone is no longer on the pitch for England I can do so without guilt) and CONCACAF. I think Brazil will win over Germany, and Ghana will be the dark horse underdog semi-finalist.
Rossi: I will be rooting for Argentina. I’ve also got a soft spot for Ghana. I think Brazil will be very hard to beat. They are the huge favorites to hoist the World Cup trophy, in my mind.
Rycroft: I want the U.S to beat England in the group stage. The rest I could care less about. That single event alone will do more for the growth of the sport in North American than anything the MLS can do on its own. In the collective psyche of the Americans, beating the English at their own game would go a long way to convincing them to cheer for something they’ve long viewed as something inferior. It would create another explosion of interest like the one they experienced post-1994.
Sharman: Brazil and Spain are fairly the favourites, my pick is for Brazil to once again win it all. However, there are a handful of teams behind them who could make a run and win this World Cup. England, Holland, Germany, Argentina, and yes, even Italy have a shot at it in my opinion.
Wiebe: My personal favourite is the Netherlands. I’d like to say they’ll go a long way too, but we all know that’s not happening. Brazil will win, as they usually do when the WC is held outside Europe. To watch for: disappointment from African teams. They’ve qualified exactly one country past the group stage in each of the last four or five tournaments.
Grant (SCG): My personal favourites? South Korea, because I lived there through two World Cups, and the plucky, Eurosnob-slaying USofA. God do we need the Yanks to do well. If they flop, the American mainstream sports media will crucify them – and by extension soccer. And Joe Canadian watches a lot of American sports media. Who do I think will win? Since we’re in a “neutral” country, Brazil is due.
Jamie (SCG): Spain are my No. 1 choice, but I’ll buy in, like I do every four years, and tip England as a dark horse for the finals. Watch out for Côte D’Ivoire, too.
Squizz (SCG): “Tough to pick against Spain” is what I keep telling people when they ask me this question, so now that they’ve shaken off their “choker” label, what the hell, I’ll go with them. I did pick Ghana as a dark horse at some point, so I’ll reiterate that here. And in terms of “wants” — seeing the USA do well would do wonders for soccer on this continent, at this particular moment, so here’s hoping they have some success.
Most supporters are aware of some of the problems with the Canadian Soccer Association, some of which could probably be solved with some effort. In your mind, what is the #1 solvable issue that they should address going forward?
Beirne: I think their governance model needs shaking up. Right now their priorities are set by parties with vastly disparate motivations… the leadership needs to have clear direction on what they are trying to achieve. That change is coming, and I think Peter Montopoli will get it to where it needs to be. He’ll need for some courageous CSA Board members to swallow their pride and take a reduced role for the betterment of the game. And I think their immediate priority has to be (sorry, women’s soccer) the Men’s National Team.
de Vos: Restructure our governance model so that the board of directors is completely independent and 100% accountable for governing the game in a professional manner. And make it happen quickly. That will give people the necessary decision making power to actually get something done, rather than talking about what should be done.
Knight: A business-minded CEO, with his own streamlined board of directors to make decisions for Canada’s national soccer teams.
Massey: The CSA’s looked better in 2009 than they have in a long time, but it bears repeating: the full men’s team needs to play more games. Play them anywhere against anyone. Just play them.
Molinaro: Getting an internationally renowned coach, like a Guus Hiddink, to take over the national team. Find the money to pay him (beg, borrow and steal if you have to) because once you do, players will know that you’re serious and will respond in kind with better performances.
Rollins: Separating governance of elite programs from governance of grassroots programs. Let the provinces run house league, the CSA the national teams. The two levels should never meet.
Rossi: The CSA must re-think player development. The mantra that “our clubs can’t develop players” is very exclusionary and has resulted in very limited success. The CSA and provinces haven’t put enough emphasis into developing and supporting proper development pathways from youth soccer to senior soccer. Our current setup is a total crapshoot (we hope a foreign pro clubs might fancy one of our 16-year-olds and bring them into their academy, otherwise the only hope is for an NCAA scholarship to keep the dream of pro soccer alive). If “fixing” senior soccer (especially for men) was made a #1 priority, within a generation Canada would see a surge in quality young players who actually can aspire to a professional career (in North America or overseas). It would also improve prospects for coaches who want to commit themselves to the sport and improve referee development. Fixing senior soccer is not that hard to do. The models exist. There just needs to be the political will to do it.
Rycroft: Changing the CSA governance structure. It begins and ends with allowing
those that are appointed to lead, to lead.
Sharman: It may seem simple, but trying to professionalize the grassroots system is possible. We need to get every club, province, academy on the same page, and coach the coaches. We can worry about a Canadian professional league, etc. in due course, but we just need people to set aside their agendas and look at the game as a whole. Let’s get the kids playing good soccer first.
Wiebe: I’m not a management/restructuring geek. I tend to consider only the problems with the MNT. The commitment to play on international dates is a good start.
Grant (SCG): I’m still shocked by how many people I meet, even here in Toronto, who will look at me blankly when I mention the Canadian national team and ask, “Canada has a soccer team?” The word is that Canada will be playing more friendlies next year. Surely there is a way to cross-promote these games with the local club teams in Vancouver, Montreal and especially Toronto. When BMO has 20,000 people in it watching TFC, the CSA should be on whatever horn is available to them broadcasting the message that Hey! Canada is playing here next week, come watch!
Jamie (SCG): Get someone in who can properly market the sport. Even hardcore Voyageurs have trouble finding Canada kit to buy, never mind casual soccer fans. I hate to use the term “brand,” but a proper marketing approach to team Canada brings in money, which the CSA desperately needs.
Squizz (SCG): Improve marketing and promotion for the games that are played. The difference in the stands between Canada/Costa Rica in ’07 and Canada/Jamaica a year later (both at BMO) was staggering — sure, the games were of much different importance levels, but there was also significant grassroots marketing done by, well, many of the people involved in this roundtable. The CSA should pick up some of that slack.
Looking ahead, what are your thoughts on the future of the sport of soccer in Canada, on the domestic and/or international scene?
Beirne: Like I said earlier – soccer in Canada is poised for explosive growth. What we have today will seem like a drop in the bucket in five years.
de Vos: The sport is growing, no question. More teams in MLS will mean we will be spoiled for choice when it comes to exposure, and it will enhance some natural rivalries that already exist, to some extent. Internationally, I think we are in for a tough couple of years, but if Stephen Hart can rally the troops, on our day we can compete with the best in our region. The trick is, we have to be on form for every qualifier when it gets underway in 2012.
Knight: Three strong teams in MLS, and new sides in whatever lower league survives. A national Jr. A-aged club league is essential for player development. Lacrosse proves such a league can thrive — and produce — even if the games are not well-attended or televised.
Massey: 2008 was a black year, but apparently it was also a wakeup call. Executives, coaches, and even players have all done their jobs in 2009. For once, we have something to look forward to.
Molinaro: Pretty grim in terms of the men’s national team. I don’t think we’re going to qualify for the 2014 World Cup because, and I know people don’t want to hear this, we simply don’t have the talent and quality to compete with the top teams in CONCACAF.
Rollins: The growth of the club game will drive all future success. I see Canada with eight fully professional teams by the end of the next decade (four in MLS and four in whatever emerges out of the current tier-2 mess).
Rossi: I’m optimistic that good things are on the horizon for soccer in Canada. I’m not sure we’ll be booking a ticket to the World Cup in 2014 but I am sure that positive change will continue to be made, slowly (too slowly) but surely, toward improving the soccer landscape in Canada in a substantial way. Our game is no longer a niche sport. It’s a mainstream game now and that is a huge improvement.
Rycroft: I pray for the day when I will get to see Canada in a World Cup. For me, to stand in a stadium, hear the roar of the collective and see our flag walked out on to the pitch – I’m not sure anything heavenly or earth bound could ever compare. With a healthy domestic league finally emerging and the CSA showing a willingness to reform, I can honestly say I believe it’s going to happen. Five years ago, I wouldn’t have said that.
Sharman: I have high hopes for the sport in this country. The fact is, it’s the most popular sport to play in the country, yet from a commercial standpoint it is still in its infancy. When we figure out how to retain all the Canadians who play on a weekly basis, and show them there is more to the game than just Saturday afternoons at the park, then the sky is the limit. All those kids are potential consumers, remember.
Wiebe: From my vantage point here on the prairies, there is plenty of room to grow. You can’t say the game has “arrived” here in any big way, apart from a kickabout for eight-year-olds and a once-in-four-years TV event.
Grant (SCG): Based on my own anecdotal observations – casual sports fans talking about the game, television and Internet exposure of the European pro leagues – I would say that soccer is more popular than it has ever been in Canada. Unfortunately the mens’ national team continues to perform poorly and in virtual obscurity. But I choose to view this gap as a tremendous opportunity. The CMNT program is like China’s economy in the 1980′s… a LOT of room to grow! Will Canada ever become an international soccer powerhouse? God no. But to regularly qualify for the World Cup all we have to do is be consistently better than a handful of much smaller Central American countries. For a country of our size and ambition, I think that’s achievable.
Jamie (SCG): The club future is as rosy as the MNT’s future is grim. Three MLS teams, and whatever knock-on effect that has with developing lower leagues, is a wonderful prospect. But all that’s coming too soon to benefit the Nats, who – barring a miracle – won’t qualify for 2014.
Squizz (SCG): We’re going in the right direction. That’s for sure. We have stable pro teams who do (or will soon) play in a stable domestic (albeit continental) league. We have the national governing body appearing to be finally getting it in terms of building the game properly. And we Canadian supporters still have — despite all empirical evidence that should probably have long ago extinguished it — that lingering optimism that “our day” will come. But looking at the developments of just the last few years, that day may actually arrive… hopefully sooner rather than later.
Thanks for all our participants for taking part, and we hope you enjoyed reading. Happy New Year, everyone!
