Canada recently crashed out of 2010 World Cup qualifying following one of the more disappointing campaigns in recent memory. On the back of a very encouraging performance at the 2007 and 2009 Gold Cups, this display is all the more disappointing, as there was real hope Canada could go all the way to the finals in South Africa. Bad results at home to Jamaica and home and away against Honduras meant that respectable results against Mexico were meaningless. As the dust settles and Canadians are forced to reflect for another four years lesson need to be learnt to ensure that come qualifying for Brazil 2014 things turn out a lot better.

Like many football associations around the world, Canada is restricted in the progress it can make due to financial restraints. The Canada of today reminds me greatly of the Australia of 2001 after failed qualifying campaigns for the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. In many ways the two countries are remarkably similar, football isn’t the dominate sport in a sport loving public, though due to the large immigrant population it has the potential to be much bigger than it is. Australian football pre-2005 was dogged by mismanagement and corruption at the top, which squandered what little money did come into the game as well as a semi-professional league that did little to inspire the football fans to come out and support local teams. After a change in the governing body, the launch of a professional league in the A-League, closely followed by World Cup qualification, the game in Australia has never been stronger. I can see no reason why Canada can’t do the same.

Canadian football needs a complete overhaul. There may not be many resources available, but the resources that are available need to be used to their maximum. The best coaches need to be identified; as do the best young players, and they need to be brought together in academies to develop their skills (both coaches and players). Great players very rarely come out of the blue, they need to be nurtured along from a young age as they are in France, Brazil and many other countries around the world. Ideally, these academies would be affiliated with professional clubs.

On the topic of professional clubs, if Canada is to move forward it needs to have its own professional league. Toronto FC has been a tremendous success for Canadian football off the pitch, but on the pitch it has done very little for Canadian football. Only de Rosario, de Guzman and Brennan as Canadians play regularly for them (with Attakora recently breaking into the squad), while Edu and Wynne have been able to gain experience and broke into the US national team. How many young Canadians have been given a chance? MLS is an American league that will promote American interests (while taking Canadian money). Along with Toronto FC, the Vancouver White Caps are moving into MLS in 2011, while the Montreal Impact who have done very well in the CONCACAF Champions League are also looking to move into MLS.  They too will be forced to follow the American based regulations once competing in this league. As well as these three teams, there has been interest from Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary for an MLS franchise. That could be a six team Canadian league which would give young Canadian footballers a team and a league to aspire to and a great stepping stone to Europe. Cities such as Halifax, Quebec City, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Victoria, London or even Windsor have to ability to sustain a professional football team if they are properly promoted. I see no reason why, over time, Canada couldn’t support a 10 or 12 team national league, giving over 200 players and 10 – 12 managers (the majority of which would be Canadian), the chance of a professional career. This would raise the standard of footballers and managers available for the national team. Add to this, a youth academy for each professional club playing in a national youth league, and a production line of good young players begins to emerge. It is then quality players start to be produced rather than appearing almost by accident. There are already over 1 million people playing football in Canada, surely the best 200 of them competing against each other, with some star imports and crowds like we already see in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver makes for an exciting prospect.

Obviously, this couldn’t happen overnight. It will take a lot of planning, groundwork and investment, followed by a few years for the league to establish itself and grow from the six to eight teams that would be sustainable to begin with. Japan, America and Australia have all established leagues with success in countries where football wasn’t the biggest sport, and all three have benefited greatly both on and off the pitch. Toronto FC have shown the game in Canada could be strong off the pitch if it is run properly, but sadly the World Cup qualifying campaign has showed that currently football in Canada is weak on the pitch, and something needs to change.

Enjoy everyone!

Play Podcast # 3

In other news the rumours suggest that the trialists Saric and Said are about to sign, but we shall see.

Also.

Toronto FC drew their game against the Charleston Battery 0-0.

They play this Wednesday.  If you want to follow the folks over at http://www.torontofc.ca will be running a live-blog.

Podcast by 23 and Counting

If you want to watch the game go to www.torontofc.ca and watch the live stream.

Also the MLS contract negotiations have stuttered a bit.  Make sure you check out www.24thminute.com for all the possible live updates.

Apparently Edmonton have just got Canada’s fourth team and the new NASL’s third Canadian team.

Pretty exciting because this now gives 4 teams in the Voyageurs Cup.

Play Podcast # 1