Planet Soccer

Lets hope that this changing of the guard will result in stronger performances from our national teams. It's been a long time since the Gold Cup victory and we need some results to show that we do have a competitive squad. Finding a CEO that can lead our squad back into respectability has to be the prime objective for CSA.

South Africa 2010, here comes Team Canada!!!

South Africa 2010, here comes Team Canada!!!

I have recently arrived in Sierra Leone with the UN and I can not describe in this short space the passion the people here...and the people in Africa have for the "beautiful game." I have played "soccer" since I was five. As an Anglo growing up in Montreal- in the 1970's-80's...kids were spending their time playing baseball, football, and hockey and I was one of the few who continued with soccer...player, coach, referee and then father of 3 soccer players...I keep hearing how soccer is now the number one participation sport for children in our country and I wonder when today's youth will be good enough to play on the world stage...is it because there are just too many other sports and activities around that can occupy our children's time that they do not develop a passion? In this impoverished country of Sierra Leone...kids are kicking around plastic bottles, old balls, rolled up rags...yesterday in Freetown the beach was full (thousands) of people playing pick-up soccer (like our old pond hockey days) and everyone continuously argues about their favorite Premiership Team!!! What we lack is someone with the passion to get us up and running...there is talent in Canada...there is an interest in the sport- remember the days of the Manic in Montreal? The Impact draw pretty good crowds...It's a mystery to me why we haven't been in the World Cup for 20 years- I remember playing against some real tough players from B.C....where soccer can be played almost all year round...So What's Up with Canada?? Steve.N.

It's about time!!! Pipe was nothing but another Ottawa bureaucrat worried more about his entitlements rather than developing the men's national team.

He was a man that knew little about soccer and had even less passion for it.

The men haven't qualified for the world cup under his watch, and he let the coach who won us the Gold Cup slip away cause of funding disputes, and subsequently killing the potential that team had towards qualifying for the World Cup.

The only sad thing about his departure is that it took so long...good riddance!!!

Kevin has been a hard worker on behalf of the many participants in soccer over the past two decades. The composition of the Board of Directors has changed significantly over the past four years and as such have a different philosophy on how to administer the association. I agree that we must run the CSA more like a business and thus when a business is not successful there must be changes. I am sure that Mr. Pipe will still be involved in soccer in some way and wish him luck in his future endeavours. If we look at our position in International Levels we must look at what other countries have that we do not. The main thing is a Professional League. Look at what happened to the USA after the World Cup and the re-formation of a Professional League. If soccer is a profession that our players can enjoy in their own backyard, then we will increase our ranking on international soccer. It is that simple. To do that, of course we must have fans with a passion around the game itself. Not just a few but many, like other countries. For any who have travelled abroad and experienced a professional game, you will know what I mean. For those who have not, you will never know unless you go and experience it.
I honour Mr. Pipe for surviving the many years at the helm of what could easily be described as a modest little boat amongst yachts.

It will be very interesting to see who the CSA hires as COO. Everything hinges on this position for Canadian soccer to grow.

Whoever it is, the primary concern will be growing the domestic professional game. Without more pro Canadian teams, we will never develop enough quality players to provide the needed depth to reach the World Cup.

I have been outside of Canada for 10 years now and my young son has abandoned hockey in favor of soccer although hockey is the main sport in Minnesota.

In my humble opinion the problem with Canada in that in most sports aside from hockey, Canada is content to finish second. It makes Canadians very amiable people but does not do much for helping the country perform at it's peak.

The biggest difference between Canada and the US, Australia or other rising powers in soccer resides in this fact. They just want to min more than Canucks.

Soccer is a lot further down the list of sports in the American Psyche than it is in Canada... ( just try to find Freddy Adu's Man U training on the front page of the NY Times or Washington post... it is however on the G7M's front page) The reason that Americans are in the top 10 in the world ( although Canada used to beat them regularly ) has much less to do with professional leagues in the US and much more to do with the fact that they expect to win when they put a national level program together... it is tough to be content with second place and reach peak levels of performance.

The Aussies came within a late goal of beating the eventual World Cup champions - Italy... what would be the likely reaction if Canada had a chance to play Italy in the World Cup? - likely that Canada would be happy to share the same feild and lose by less than 3 goals.... the Aussies are still steaming about it.

Is soccer the primary sport in Australia ? - NO

Is Australia a larger country than Canada ?
NO

Do Austalians expect to win in sporting contests ?

You Bet.

Good luck in finding a new director.

I have been outside of Canada for 10 years now and my young son has abandoned hockey in favor of soccer although hockey is the main sport in Minnesota.

In my humble opinion the problem with Canada in that in most sports aside from hockey, Canada is content to finish second. It makes Canadians very amiable people but does not do much for helping he country perform at it's peak.

The biggest difference between Canada and the US, Australia or other rising powers in soccer resides in this fact. They just want to min more than Canucks.

Soccer is a lot further down the list of sports in the American Psyche than it is in Canada... ( just try to find Freddy Adu's Man U training on the front page of the NY Times or Washington post... it is however on the G7M's front page) The reason that Americans are in the top 10 in the world ( although Canada used to beat them regularly ) has much less to do with professional leagues in the US and much more to do with the fact that they expect to win when they put a national level program together... it is tough to be content with second place and reach peak levels of performance.

The Aussies came within a late goal of beating the eventual World Cup champions - Italy... what would be the likely reaction if Canada had a chance to play Italy in the World Cup? - likely that Canada would be happy to share the same feild and lose by less thn 3 goals.... the Aussies are still steaming about it.

Is soccer the primary sport in Australia ? - NO

Is Australia a larger country than Canada ?
NO

Do Austalians expect to win in sporting contests ?

You Bet.

Good luck in finding a new director.

This is a chance for three quality people to make their mark for Canada and subsequently for themselves.

If 'we' select high profile 'Yes' men we shall continue to miss other players like we missed Owen Whoregreaves for the National side.

Quality people have applied for the Nat. Team Position but even the long incubation speaks volumes about how Pipe missed the boat.

Hopefully the appointment of a Manager in two months announced this week will enthuse both players and fans!

". . . there have been successes during Pipe's time with the CSA (landing the 2007 men's under-20 world championship, the Toronto stadium deal . . ."

Uh, John, the Toronto stadium deal is an ersatz, F-turfian disaster and likely contributed, at least in part, to Pipe's firing. Not sure how a business deal that lines the fat-cat pockets of MLSE can be considered a success.

Canadian soccer fans are adopting a wait and see approach after Mr. Pipe's departure from the CSA. The next new hirings (COO, TD, coach) are crucial to the development and popularity of the sport.

Hopefully this will commence an exciting new
era for Canadian soccer, with a strong emphasis on the success of the Men's National Team. I really hope that they hire a high-profile international coach that would
bring some recognition to the program, and
of course, success on the field. 1986 was
twenty years ago ... and we hopefully are back on track.

Canadian soccer fans are adopting a wait and see approach after Mr. Pipe's departure from the CSA. The next new hirings (COO, TD, coach) are crucial to the development and popularity of the sport.

Hopefully this will commence an exciting new
era for Canadian soccer, with a strong emphasis on the success of the Men's National Team. I really hope that they hire a high-profile international coach that would
bring some recognition to the program, and
of course, success on the field. 1986 was
twenty years ago ... and we hopefully are back on track.

KP's has had his kick at the can. Time to find a new COO with foresight and business savvy that wil unite all the disparate soccer groups that are currently working at odds with each other. And with that in place, hopefully finding a technical director that could lead the development of Canadian Soccer for years to come

Hopefully this move will have some positive impacts on the NAT program which is basically non-existent in my opinion. Since the Gold Cup triumph in 2000 (or 1999?) the team has really done nothing while our regional rivals, Mexico and USA have been in two WC and even had some success. However, I think our problem comes down to getting the right coach. Look at the non-traditional soccer countries that have qualified and even made noise in the WC. Australia and Trinidad and Tobago are examples that come to mind. These programs have been supported by solid and experienced coaching. I don't think Canada has done this and until they do, our program will suffer.

It's about time someone wakes up and gives this guy the boot. I remember him saying, Soccer in Canada starts in Toronto when it came to decide where the final for the U-20 world cup final. Edmonton has the canadian national team fan base and Montreal Impact gets 12 000 fans per game while the Toronto Lynx got 2000 per game. Hey PIPE...let me make you understand this in a way you would understand...12000 is a bigger number then 2000.

It is absolutely astonishing that Canada cannot qualify out of CONCACAF, which has to be easily the weakest of all the soccer federations.

If the CSA is serious about improving the men's team, they need to get either a European or a Brazilian coach who not only knows how to win, but wants to win and rejects the "we're just happy to be there" mentality which so many Canadians seem to have.

CONCACAF is not the weakest federation. Oceana is, especially since Australia joined the Asian federation.

Just to address Steven Niemi's comments from November 6th. Soccer is alive and well in Canada. At the Elite level ( and I speak of here in Quebec) we have solid programs with the FSQ in conjunction with the CSA. I agree with men's soccer we seem far away but at the U20 level and below we compete well with the rest if the world. At the women's levels from National U23,U20 to U16 we do quite well against the rest of the world. I was a hockey guy at heart but since my kids were in soccer I have found a renewed love of the game and this passion can be seen by kids (especially at the Elite levels) when they play. Take chance in summer 2007 and go see a Provincial team or AAA team play. I'm sure you see something akin to what you see in Sierra Leone.

Good Luck!

Gord Wilson