What good is having a club in the MLS if you aren't going to have Canadian players on the pitch? And further, proceed to tell the community and media that Canadian players are garbage! How is that helping Canadian soccer? And please stop with the "long term-excuse". I've seen too many useless players on TFC's backline, Vancouver's entire lineup and what is beginning to look like Montreal's best impression of The Whitecaps. It's lunacy to think there aren't Canadian players out there who could fill the roles at least as well and at least benefit from playing minutes in the MLS. For years TFC was running under the idea that Canadian players weren't good enough, and then Vancouver, you want to talk about Zealots- Lenarduzzi is freaking insane. Montreal doesn't seem to care much for Canadian content either.Originally Posted by Keano
There are many Canadian's succeeding in the MLS, including at TFC-but mostly at American cities with winning records and if that is the focus of this forum, then of course I'm all for it. The rest of it, especially the lie that Canadians just aren't good enough can go to hell.
What a ridiuclously insular viewpoint. Ironically enough, your rants come across just as xenophobic as the worst examples of the American stereotype.
MLS is the league the top Canadian teams are in, therefore the entire league is important to soccer in this country. Ignoring the rest of the league simply because of an immature attitude is a dangerously stupid idea to foster if you call yourself a Canadian soccer fan.
Once again.... This is a Canadian Soccer supporters site... All I want is to see Canadian players on the pitch for these supposedly Canadian MLS franchises. Nowhere do I try to demand 100% Canadian and only Canadian. One player would be a nice place to start in Vancouver. And maybe a little outrage with a putz like Lenarduzzi and his anti-Canadian crap. I don't even care for quotas, for heaven's sake.
So now I'm a Zealot AND I'm Xenophobic! Brilliant.
If you guys thinks its fine not to be playing or even trying to give Canadian players a shot, then go off and start some new forum on some other site where they don't care about canadian soccer.
although, this fact alone (lack of Canadians) could very well turn away many fans (like James) from the entire league. That's not the league's fault, true. Who does the responsibility lie with ? The Canadian clubs, first of all if they want to build a fan base in this country, and the CSA who has the real mandate here.
I agree about Lennarduzzi he seems to think we are still in the 1970's with very few youngsters with promise. Nobody has the resources to give Bobby "names" but he certainly has the resources to do the scouting. It would be nice to see him give players the opportunity, give them a trial you don't have to sign them if they are worse than said X American. But if they are the same level as an American why not sign Canadians ? FC Edmonton plays in an American league, why are they not filling their roster with Americans ?
Last edited by tarnado; 03-10-2012 at 11:16 AM.
Please, James is entitled to his opinion without laying the condescending attitude on him. His attitude is as xenophobic as Employment Equity and CanCon programs are.
As the onetime maintainer of the Canadian's Abroad list, I logged many, many names of Canadians who were deemed good enough to get signed or trialed abroad. I have a hard time believing that a handful of the hundreds couldn't make a domestic squad. The talent is there.
If I go back and do my research wasn't the early mandate of TFC to be a provider for the NT or has that been conveniently forgotten with time. I knew that was a bogus idea then as there was no way a for profit entity would make that kind of sacrifice.
I feel your pain.
You are correct. TFC made a lot of promises before the opening MLS kickoff, Including Some stadium promises towards the National Team. They also said that it was a mandate to promote and also to develop Canadian players. The first 4 or 5 years they kinda did the opposite. Mo was nearly as anti-Canadian as Lenarduzzi. This attitude not only stifled the development of the game here but in my humble opinion, has kept them from any kind of success on the field. Again, to be fair to TFC, under Winter this attitude has changed. I think he understands the importance of developing homegrown talent.
And really, you don't even need to look at the Canadian's Abroad list to find a few names for any of the three CDN-MLS teams. All you have to do is look around the league at how the Canadian skill they have in Houston, DCU, Salt Lake or LA.
Rennie brings over a ton of slugs from Carolina and the three Canadian teams cant find space to trial even one Canadian NASL player? Saiko? Hamilton? Rago? Gyorio? Really? Please. It's an absolute insult to the game in Canada that we have clubs like this representing us.
Exactly, we ask for reciprocity, total equality. The instability of contracts in MLS is so great, and the idea of the single entity so powerful, that is it the best way to go. Canadians can play for any MLS team and so can Americans, the simplest and clearest solution.
"Also in the side was an unnamed trialist"
Temple of Saints News Archive, Oct. 3, 2000
I want to see Canadians in the league on merit. It'd be great if Canadians were domestic if on American rosters. Be really great. Other than MLS being an American league meant for American players I can't see an argument against the notion.
Let's keep in mind a lot of Canadians are playing overseas and not in MLS or on MLS Canadian teams b/c (1) they are earning more money (2) have potential to earn more money if currently only on equal salaries to what MLS might offer (3) were already in Europe when the MLS teams came around and are enjoying themselves there (4) MLS won't pay transfer fees, especially it would seem, for Canadian players so getting a guy like Iain Hume, for example, is currently too expensive.
As much as I want Canadians on MLS teams I want them there on merit. What would be great is if MLS followed a similar path to EPL. Have a roster max (which MLS has), something of a domestic rule (which MLS has), but have unlimited roster spots for players age 21 and under and ideally have all players age 21 and under OFF the budget (which MLS pretty much has right now anyway). In this way the reserve league could also be expanded. Why hasn't this happened? Probably b/c the smaller MLS clubs can't afford it.
aka, Bettermirror.
The cap space incentive is a direct benefit for all the Canadian MLS teams to develop homegrown talent. Another benefit, mostly an externality, is they could utilize their marketing to the fullest by pushing the kids they develop.
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