Footie Canada Blog » CSA

Update to Last Post

Juve — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:50:54 +0000

The response from the CSA regarding the lack of coverage for the Canadian friendlies is that:

”Macedonia does not have tv/internet for us, so we are updating details via our website. Details to follow from polish FA per match on 18th.”

So, if this is true and Macedonia didn’t have any tv cameras at their stadium, we can’t blame the CSA or Sportsnet for this one. The fact that there is no TV available from Macedonia does sound surprising, however.

Now, with Canada losing 3-0, maybe it’s good I didn’t see the match! That said, apparently we didn’t score on two penalties while Macedonia scored on two penalties of their own, which could mean the game was closer than the score-line suggests.

P.S. Since writing this, I’ve read that Canada was outshot 10-0 in the first half and 15-4 overall. So, the score is a good reflection of the match afterall.

If the Canadian Men’s Team Plays a Match, and Nobody in Canada sees it, Does it Make a Sound?

Juve — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:51:38 +0000

If you’re excited about the continued progress of our Canadian Men’s National team under Steven Hart, forget about watching them on television when they play this weekend’s friendly against Macedonia or on November 18 v. Poland.

Pompey Canuck posted on the 24th Minute Blog that Sportsnet has the rights to these matches. Does Sportsnet actually plan to air the matches on one of their four networks- no. Duane Rollins reported on the same blog that GolTV tried unsuccessfully to get the rights to air these matches.

What is wrong with Sportsnet and the CSA? First, the CSA should be doing everything in it’s power to make sure when selling the rights to broadcast Canada’s matches, that they are actually broadcast. I’m not a TV network sportcasting lawyer, but a bit of common sense would indicate that the CSA TV rights contract should state that if Sportsnet will not air a match they have rights to, they must surrender the rights to that particular match to whichever other network or webhost makes the best offer. If no offers, the CSA should have the right to air the webcast on its website.

The CSA goal is to promote the game in Canada. How is this accomplished when our men’s team has NO visibility. There are hundreds of thousands of children playing soccer in Canada. It would be nice for some of them to be able to turn on the TV and find a role model wearing a Canadian soccer jersey. Maybe then they would aspire to playing for our team, as opposed to Bosnia, Holland or England for example. The Bosnian Men’s national team game tomorrow will actually be available for Canadian viewers to watch. Granted it’s a big match, but this is Canada. You would think on Canadian television you would be able to watch Canada before Bosnia.

If you want to complain about this situation and make an effort to get more exposure for the CMNT you can complain here:

Sportsnet:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/contact/

Rogers Sportsnet
One Mount Pleasant Rd.
Toronto, ON
Canada
M4Y 3A1

Phone: 1-888-451-6363

And the CSA:

Richard Scott
rscott@soccercan.ca

Place Soccer Canada

237 rue Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, ON
K2P 1R2
Tel/Tél: (613) 237-7678
Fax/Télé : (613) 237-1516

Begovic and the CSA- Real Discussions and Less Whining.

Juve — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:59:00 +0000

Today Jason Devost posted a blog about Asmir Begovic's decision not to play for Canada, despite being raised here, playing for Canada in the U20, and attending two matches for the CMNT as a back up goalie:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/2009/11/the_other_side_of_the_asmir_be.html

Jason mentions in his article the following illustration about the ineptitude of the CSA:

I received a phone call from my former agent in the U.K. prior to Canada’s game against Cyprus in May. He gave me some information about one of his clients – Asmir Begovic – who hadn’t been called up for the Cyprus game.

He told me that the English FA had asked him whether there was a possibility that Begovic could obtain English citizenship. At the time, Begovic was regarded as the best goalkeeper under the age of 21 in the U.K., and if he were to obtain an English passport, he would very likely be selected to play for the England U-21′s.

I passed that information on to the Canadian national team through the necessary channels, and it was met with relative indifference. There was certainly no urgency to seek a commitment from Begovic, nor was there any real fear that Canada was in danger of losing one of its players.

For the past several years I have been hearing ad nauseum about the ineptitude of the CSA, how the provincial reps have too much power, how the CSA is useless, what should be done to change/replace/revamp the CSA, how the CSA makes bad decisions, how the CSA is holding back soccer in Canada, why the CSA is to blame for Canada’s failure to advance to the World Cup since 1986, etc. All of these comments are valid, and the CSA truly is inept. The organization doesn’t have the power to do anything properly and it makes poor decisions. The CSA actually seems to accomplish the exact opposite of its purported goals, according to its vision statement, which states:

VISION STATEMENT

The vision of Soccer in Canada declares what our sport stands for and is working towards:

•To provide opportunities to all of our Members ranging from World Cup victories to particpation appropriate to everyone’s abilities.

•To encourage positive values in all aspects of the sport.

•To be recognized as a major player in the world’s premier sport.

What is missing from all the analysis by Jason Devost (though he has done great work to date), and every other sports reporter in Canada, is any mention of specifically what steps need to be taken to reform, replace or revamp the CSA. We can talk forever about how the CSA is useless. The real question that needs to be answered is: specifically what needs to be done to turn the CSA into an organization that actually accomplishes its goals, rather than impeding them.

It seems to me that there are two avenues of possible change: legal and political. Legally, the CSA is governed by the Canadian Soccer Association By-Laws, Rules, Regulations and Administrative Guide. The CSA website has the following link to this document:

http://www.canadasoccer.com/documents/constitution.pdf

Notable is that the document is listed as 2006-2007. The 2009-2010 document is probably similar, if it exists at all.

The first step that needs to be taken is analyzing the By-Laws and seeing specifically what can be done to initiate appropriate change. If this change is opposed, the media need to publicly expose those individuals from the provincial associations who are holding us back. The CSA is an organization run by people. There are people making bad decisions for Canadian soccer. Who are these people and what are their names? I am not about to engage in a full analysis of the by-laws as I am not a sports reporter being paid to do this. I note however, that the by-laws have the following sections, which could be a starting point for any intelligent analysis:

9. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING:

11. VOTING:

12. BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

13. TENURE AND ELECTION:

14. PROCEDURE FOR ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

17. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS:

19. POWERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

26. AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS, RULES,REGULATIONS

and

27. DISSOLUTION

Rather than constant whining about how the CSA sucks, maybe someone should actually look deep, and see HOW to effect the change. The best way is to start with the rules.

What I would like to see from some of the media who are actually being paid to analyze soccer in Canada is what steps need to be taken, and by whom. If the change is opposed, tell us who is opposing it, and let’s make this public. Enough whining and ideas. We have plenty of ideas and we all know change is needed.

It’s time for some real change. Real change means changing the CSA Constitution and by-laws. Power needs to be taken away from provincial associations and amateurs and more power needs to be given to a centralized body of professionals who can make decisions that will stick, in the best interest of Canadian soccer.

Two Thumbs Down and One Thumb up for the CSA.

Juve — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:59:14 +0000

This week I’ve decided to grow myself an extra thumb and give two up to the CSA and one down.

Thumb Up

On the positive, good on the CSA for getting our Men’s National Team two decent upcoming friendlies against Macedonia on November 14 and against Poland on November 18. Macedonia is currently ranked 66th in the World, Poland 56, to Canada’s 53.

These are both good matches to keep our team active and get the relative newcomers like Simeon Jackson integrated into the group and see who will be the core going forward into the next WCQ campaign. It will also give our team a chance to work on its systems under Steve Hart, who clearly prefers a foot to foot style passing game, compared to the ineffective long by style that Dale Mitchell seemed to employ, if there was any system at all. Though Canada looked fairly good at the last Gold Cup, with good passing, there is a need to work on transitioning from controlling possession in the first 2/3 of the pitch to creating scoring opportunities and effectively breaking into that final 1/3 of the pitch.

First Thumb Down

The first thumb down is related to the first point. Why is Steve Hart still the interim coach. Canada, under Hart, compiled a 4-1-1 record in 2009, including a strong run to the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final stage which came to an end as a result of referee error. Canada also looked strong, probably stronger, in the Gold Cup prior to this, also under Hart. He has had both the veterans and the youngsters playing well and seems to understand how to get the best out of his players. Many believe that if he had stayed on at the helm rather than Mitchell, Canada would be in that 3rd CONCACAF spot. Under Hart, the players believed that not only could Canada have made that 3rd spot, but that the 2nd spot was a realistic goal.

Some have argued Hart does not have much experience outside CONCACAF. Who cares. If the man can get us out of the CONCACAF WCQ into the World Cup, he will have earned more than his salary. How well Canada performs at the World Cup under a coach inexperienced outside of this region is a debate most of us would love to see happen.

This lengthy continuance of having an interim coach cannot be good for the CMNT. We need continuity going forward. There is progress and it has to continue. Having certainty can only be good. Hart has the team playing an effective system, he gets the best out of his players, and they respond to him. This is exactly what you want in a head coach.

The fact that the CSA has not appointed Hart head coach nor appointed anyone else equally qualified earns them one thumb down.

For an opinion why Hart should not be made the head coach, see Ben Rycroft’s piece:

http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/comment/article/260990–despite-results-stephen-hart-needed-behind-the-scenes

Second Thumb Down

The second thumb down goes to the CSA for failing to get enough friendlies against CONCACAF opponents, or at least South American opponents. In past WCQ campaigns, Canada has suffered from bad calls by bad CONCACAF refs and the antics of some of our CONCACAF opponents- diving, time wasting, etc. Our players don’t seem to know how to handle it as well as they should. After the games analysts, players, coaches complain that many of our top players are used to standards in Europe where refs don’t stand for these tactics and the tactics are discouraged to start with. I’ve got some news. Canada is not qualifying for the World Cup out of Europe. We are qualifying out of CONCACAF. We have to qualify against CONCACAF teams, with CONCACAF refs, with CONCACAF tactics.

The CSA keeps lining up friendly after friendly against European opponents. Of course it’s more practical and cost-effective, given the number of Canadians playing in Europe. I also think it’s a good that Canada is playing Poland and Macedonia. What I don’t think is good as that there are no games scheduled against CONCACAF sides at any time in the forseeable future and I doubt any will be. Mexico and Honduras, I imagine, will want to prepare for the WC over the next 8 months. Possibly Costa Rica will too. We should be taking every opportunity we get to play these teams whenever possible and not just when everything is on the line in WCQ or the Gold Cup.