Quote:
Originally Posted by Matty81
I can't say how sick I am of hearing people justify Canadians playing for other countries because the CSA sucks or some coach cut them once, or the didn't get enough playing time. Doesn't hold water, it is just an excuse.
We are lucky enough to be born in a great country, that you are representing in international play.... Not the CSA or the board of the CSA.
There are some other details about this bustos kid that are being discussed on the V's forum. Unconfirmed reports that;
- he has been a carded athlete by the canadian government getting a federal subsidy
- the whitecaps encouraged him to take the "opportunity" of playing for Chile
Like I said, still unconfirmed.
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This kid is different, since he was part of the national program already and identified as such. That said, until they get the MNT in order and as a strong reason/ability to convince players to stick around, players who have choices will explore them (or have already). The Whitecaps should be sensitive to Canadian soccer given their geography, but at the same time, they're not going to restrict the player's potential by telling them to play on a lesser team internationally, if only for their own $ benefit; selling him later on as a Chilean International with chances to gain higher profile then he would as a a Canadian one.
As far an ineptness with the CSA and their political nature and lack of desire/inability to look past regional areas for talent in Canada, I'm going off experience in playing with and against enough top level players that didn't get a sniff of any sort of national program.
Playing against players from other provinces, that we were beating in national competitions and tournaments, who were making national teams years later. And it's because Alberta the ASA was at least 4th in the pecking order in the CSA. Ontario, Quebec and to a lesser extent BC were the only provinces the CSA was looking at, due to the political/buddy buddy relationships they had with people in those provincial soccer associations.
A guy like Owen Hargraeves wasn't on the CSA radar at all until he stuck over at Bayern. Kevin McKenna, same thing...only when those two guys who's talent were identified by clubs in foreign countries (after winning National competitions here), did the Canadian Soccer Association take note,and then come running as if you're their long time best friend.
I suspect much talent in this country has slipped through the CSA's fingers over the past couple decades, due simply to the various narrow minded approaches in many areas of running that organization and that disorganization contributes to why players explore other options (many times initiated before the CSA notices them).