Canadian MLS teams

[drew]

I am not born in Canada and curious about how Canadians opinions on our Canadian MLS teams with less than a half of the players who are truly Canadian. Will you be more loyal to the teams if they consist of more Canadians playing? Thanks.

[RJB]

I am not born in Canada and curious about how Canadians opinions on our Canadian MLS teams with less than a half of the players who are truly Canadian.

I'll speak for myself. It is disappointing, and I expect more Canadians on a Canadian team. Unlike any other sport, I feel like soccer/football needs nationals on the teams.

Will you be more loyal to the teams if they consist of more Canadians playing? Thanks.

Hmmm, this is interesting. I think I'd be more emotionally attached, but I think I'm already very loyal, all things considered. I think most people would follow the national team more, if there were more Canadian players on the MLS squads. As the national team got more exposure, and as the professional clubs sent quality players to them, then people would follow the players on the MLS team more, and there you have one team sending support to the other and back again.

[ThiKu]

We'd all like more Canadians on the Canadian teams, but the truth is these teams must compete to build a fan-base etc. Additionally, the appropriate Canadians are either making much more in Europe, or a transfer fee would be too steep to bring them back to Canada.

The reality is there won't be a whole lot more Canadians on the Canadian MLS teams until the youth systems develop them and/or they are getting drafted.

[tmcmurph]

For soccer to succeed in Canada it has to succeed at the club level with or without Canadian players. We need 3 strong playoff making teams every year to keep the fair weather fans. Without them financial stability, media attention etc won't happen. So the club results have to come first.

As a Canadian soccer supporter yes I'd like to see at least half the starting 11 on each team Canadians. In time it will occur but they have to be there for one reason only. Nobody else can take the spot because they are the best at it.

The academies are doing a great job. Our U20 team has 6 Caps, 5 TFC and 1 Impact (recent start, give them a few years). That bodes extremely well for our future. A lot of the academy kids may never play for a Canadian team. If they are really good MLS teams won't be able to afford them, but their development and training provided by the clubs will be priceless.

[shermanator]

I think that some casual fans will see that the team with the most Canadian players is worst in the league, while the team that has no Canadians are in a playoff spot.

Developing players through the academies takes time. TFC's academy is in year 5, and we're starting to see the benefits of their player development with Morgan, Henry, and Stinson coming up to the big team, and Morgan starring. Vancouver is starting to promote their players (although I don't know what that means in terms of starting), and I presume Montreal will too.

[madmonte]

Drew this is the debate that whitecaps fans have with TFC fans all the time on these forums. I want to be a whitecaps fan, but without canadians playing on the team, for me, I find it tough to get interested. Hope that helps answer your q from my end

[Grizzly]

The MLS Canadian content quota is so small that there is almost a disincentive to get Canadian players. I think the teams could definitely do better if the rules were a bit more stringent and they were more motivated. I do understand that we need to get all the teams established and on sound financial footing before imposing more stringent rules. However, as soon as the fanbases are solid and the teams are doing well we sure better start seeing more Canadians on the teams because in the long term the current situation is not acceptable.

I would like the Impact to have more players than just Bernier but at least Ouimette has been on the bench for the last couple of games.

[Kurosawa]

The MLS Canadian content quota is so small that there is almost a disincentive to get Canadian players. I think the teams could definitely do better if the rules were a bit more stringent and they were more motivated. I do understand that we need to get all the teams established and on sound financial footing before imposing more stringent rules. However, as soon as the fanbases are solid and the teams are doing well we sure better start seeing more Canadians on the teams because in the long term the current situation is not acceptable.

I would like the Impact to have more players than just Bernier but at least Ouimette has been on the bench for the last couple of games.

Sutton was on the bench a lot earlier this year and Sebrango played a little bit. I'm satisfied with what we have for now but it should be a lot better in two or three years. I'm looking forward to see Evan James have a chance, I know he was hurt two or three times but I liked him with the U23.

[Obinna]

TFC are my team because they have always made an effort to play canadians since day one. Easy choice for me.

[TheKottonmouthed]

I vote Vancouver, because its where I was born, raised and hopefully die. That being said I don't have strong feelings against either FCE, TFC, or IMFC. If they aren't directly in Vancouver's way then I can't bring myself to vote against them, as I'm not just a proud West Coast boy, I'm a proud Canadian.

I'm not biased against teams that have more or less Canadians either, every player on the field wears a Maple Leaf on the shoulder and that's enough for me.