The Canadian Men's Soccer Team Thread

[Slava]

Wow, the sheer incompetence at the top is showing itself again. It so strange to me that this sport is so popular here and yet they can’t get anything figured out to ensure some stability. I realize it’s not hockey in terms of popularity, but people do support this sport. You have millions of youth players, a domestic league that draws reasonable crowds and has some stability and MLS franchises that seem healthy enough. How does a sport like baseball make things work (in a very similar situation to me as an outsider) and yet soccer can barely field national teams?

[Jimmy Stang]

Yikes. I knew it was bad, but that’s really bad.

Is bankruptcy what we need to burn the whole organization to the ground? Or will the same, broken culture just rise from the ashes?

Also - I really like Rick Westhead as a sports journalist. Uncovers the dirt.

[browna]

I don't think any of this is a surprise, or, new over the past few years, or, decades.

CSA mismanaged funds they did have, and got into bad deals, for a while. And this was before players wanted a fairier share of funds. It got so bad that even the money mismanagers knew they had to have someone else run the business.

The CSB did the deal they did not out of benevolence, but out of profit, as is their choice. If the deal called for opt out clauses to the CSA? Or if it called for $6M a year to the CSA, not $3M? Deal wouldn't have been done on their end. And they are just sticking to the terms of their agreement.

Meanwhile, with the WC exposure, and now Copa America, and the row amongst player salaries (women and men) there are bills that were never budgeted for like a CA training camp and paying $9k a head for a win bonus. And, as the article says, discovered now that the CSA is relying on charity from the other countries for those upcoming friendlies.

Besides big game and tournament experience and development, and though it can't be monetized, getting to CA, knowing already that the world will be watching your first game, maybe more eyes than any other game in CMNT history, because it's Messi's first major competition game since the WC Final, is massive.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Is anyone going to be doing keepy-ups today out there?

[shermanator]

It's put up or shut up time for the players today. The bandwagon emptied long ago and this is a chance to get some eyes on the national team this summer.

[The Big Chill]

Waterman getting the start today, big chance for him!

[shermanator]

A player who started his pro career with Cavalry starting this massive game.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I’m surprised Liam Millar isn’t starting but I’m here for three forwards up top!

[shermanator]

20 minutes in and I don't have a good feeling about this.

[MillerTime GFG]

Is the grass wet? Cut super short? Ball is travelling really quickly it seems, and lots of lead passes missing the target and going out of bounds…

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by MillerTime GFG

Is the grass wet? Cut super short? Ball is travelling really quickly it seems, and lots of lead passes missing the target and going out of bounds…

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we are just used to watching CONCACAF games on terrible pitches so this one is throwing us all off.

[MillerTime GFG]

It looks like they’re playing on artificial turf almost.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Davies and Buchanan’s final ball are both really poor

[MillerTime GFG]

This is atrocious.

[MillerTime GFG]

Perhaps if their keepers jersey was brighter we’d stop putting it right into his hands every single cross.

[Ozy_Flame]

This does not look like a team that made the World Cup.

[MillerTime GFG]

Their LB has Buchanan locked up.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

The lack of minutes for some of these guys is really showing. Eustaquio is really struggling to maintain possession and complete a pass

[Ozy_Flame]

Were going to lose this aren't we

[shermanator]

Just lazy, sloppy play by the Canadians that first half. Some players at big clubs looking atrocious right now. Hopefully they get their thumb out of their ass in the second half and play like they actually want to qualify for Copa America.