[Locke]

Originally Posted by NBC

I've long thought that Canada needs to create an unpleasant environment for visiting teams to play. Seeing some of the facilities in Central America and the Caribbean have convinced me of that. Fans right on top of the pitch, which is usually the condition of a field of summer fallow, throwing batteries, bags of feces, coins, anything to put the other team off. These are very difficult places to get results. Then the return fixture in Toronto, Vancouver or Edmonton typically sees the visitors eke out 0-0 draws, playing 9 men behind the ball. You need serious quality to break down that type of defence.

What would be great is when we host qualifiers in the autumn or spring, they should be played in cold climates. I can't see Trinidad and Tobago or even the Mexicans for that matter, enjoying Edmonton or Saskatoon in November. But I know people would complain that it isn't fair to do that. Russia hosted Italy in the first-leg of the 1998 WC playoffs somewhere in the cold and snow. It was so snow covered that they had to use an orange ball. Russia played to their advantage and drew 1-1 against a much better Italy side, who went on to win 1-0 in the reverse fixture.

Not that it is the same, but Tennis Canada used to love playing Davis Cup qualifiers at the Stampede Corral. Not a great place for tennis, as it is cold and the lighting sucks. I remember in 2003, Canada beat Brazil 3-2 in the World Group Playoffs. The Brazilians didn't like Calgary in late September. They were all wearing woolly hats, gloves and heavy jackets indoors. One could safely guess that the environment contributed to their less than stellar performance.

Having quality footballers helps obviously, but home field advantage means nothing to us like it does to almost every other country in CONCACAF. The Mexicans used to let visiting teams train on the pitch at Azteca for 1 hour prior to a qualifier, and they couldn't wear their football boots. I say we make them play at Commonwealth Stadium or University Stadium in Winnipeg in November.

I also recall one of the South American teams regularly holding matches at a pitch with insane altitude, which they're no longer allowed to use.