canada ranked 66th

[Polska]

so canada moves up 26 spots to 66th in the fifa rankings. why has the csa not taken the interim status away from Hart yet? By canadian standards the gold cup was a success , i was impressed with the chemistry and admit for the first time in along time i am excited about the future of soccer here.. CSA get of your fuking asses and make this happen

 

[Regs]

Maybe Hart doesn't want the job?

I have no info to indicate otherwise but it could be a possibility... I would think a TD job has a bit more stability than a MNT head coaching job and that could be what is going through Hart's head.

But aside from all that, there really isn't an immediate need to fill the position.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Not since no games will be played for eons...

The problem with the CSA truly is that they spend their resources and time on things that, perhaps, could bare more fruit with less wait time (ie WNT, Youth, District and Provincial Projects etc)

The amount of money spent on the MNT is a joke. I really cannot understand why they do not schedule more INT friendlies at home, and drive gate revenue, more players than ever (in recent history or last 10-15 years) are playing here rather than overseas... therefore the logistical costs are less than they have been in the last 10-15 years.

The reason Canada doesn't do as well as it could (Barring things like lack of skilled players, players mutinying to other countries, and poor training and coaches) is the lack of games played as a group.

As far as Hart, his record against ANY of the recent MNT Managers is stellar barring the one ghastly loss to Martinique (I think?)

Regs might be right in that Hart might not want to be permanent as long as the CSA runs its operations like a hobby and not a business.

 

[ghouse]

JBN they dont have to pay anything when playing friendlies abroad...the Host team pays everything, to keep the gate recepts..infact some countries are even paid for their visit.
Hosting a game costs money and you run the risk of no ticket sales for whatever reason plus all the man hours it takes to put the event on.
Canada does not have many games because we will not draw peeps to sell tix abroad so not many countries are interested in haveing us over for a match.
The CSA should put up the cash for home friendlies but for some reason are afraid to do the work and take the chance...

 

[johnnybluenose]

Fact: Whether games are in Canada, in Europe, or on Mars, Canada doesn't play enough games.

I'd wager a large sum of my savings that nobody is paying a team like Canada for appearances, not anyone worth playing anyways.

Hosting games in Montreal at Stade Saputo, in TO at BMO, or here once BC Place is able to do a Soccer Specific layout should easily be a money maker. I'm not syaing we need to play Brasil everytime, but playing teams in and around our level should be moneymakers. Think Iran, Jamaica, South Africa, Belarus, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Wales, Latvia, etc... (Ranked all 50th to 72nd...)

 

[trece verde]

JBN:

Think about that last statement a bit. How well do you think a team like Latvia or Belarus is going to draw in Montreal? You'd be lucky to fill 4000 seats. Jamaica in Toronto, sure you'll get a better draw, but it would be just like playing the game at the Office in Independence Park in Kingston.

The CSA has to rely on less frequent appearances by teams that are going to draw better, like Brazil, the US and the bigger name European countries. Yeah, the locals get pummelled, but the stands have a better chance of being filled.

Trece

 

[johnnybluenose]

Trece, with the advent of MLS in Canada and the successes of the Impact and Caps soccer is hot, and people would turn up to watch CANADA. There's a novel concept eh?

Look, there are enough fans in the 3 cities that we dont' NEED a Brasil or Italy or England to sell tickets.

People would pay to watch in TO and Montreal because of the facilities and because of the boys playing for the 3 Canadian clubs.

You guys aren't giving the Pro Club cities in this country enough credit imho.

 

[trece verde]

Actually, no; I'm just thinking of the giant Latvian community we have here in Vancouver. All 5 of them, including the 2 goats. Do you think they'll all come out for a game?

Historical precedent says that if you want to draw fans to a game, you either have to be accessible to the traveling fans, or have an ex-pat community to draw fans from. Otherwise, you need a marquee name to put the seats in the seats, a la Becks. Do you think the CSA will want to risk having 8000 people in a game at BC Place drifting around like tumbleweeds? The place would look like a hockey game in Phoenix.

Your concept is still too novel.

 

[peter]

Trece, what about non-historical precedent? What does that tell us about this issue?

All redundancy aside, I agree with you. The game needs a draw...and the draw is Steve Nash! He's what Canada needs: a new face on the scene, a famous face; a face that knows something about soccer and pro sports.

 

[johnnybluenose]

TTP and Bullshit aside.

If Vancouver can sell 5600 tickets on a nice sunny afternoon to people to watch the Butthole nowhere USL Railhawks or Rhinos, and are able to sell out of pre-order reservations and deposits on MLS Seasons tix they should be able to sell more than 8000 seats for a Canada vs ANYONE game.

People are not going to pay a lot (ala Becks) but they WILL pay.

Toronto FC gets sellouts repeatedly, and they are shite, and they sell out when they play the other shite of MLS. Nobody of note, etc as a draw.

Montreal probably have the best thing going in that their place is grass, and they really well in the USL.

I'm not saying Canada needs to play a zillion home friendlies, how about 4 or 5 per year during the Euro layoff as a starter? Maybe a domestic mean-nothing tourney in WCQ and Domestic Federation off seasons?

It's not rocket science.

 

[Dude]

No, it isn't.

It does take some business savvy, a business plan, and up-front investment to make it happen. The CSA doesn't appear keen on any of the 3.

 

[peter]

JBN, if the comment about TTP and BS was directed at my comment, I will say that I'm not kidding.

I'm tired of the same faces trying to make things happen locally. I'm not plugged into the international scene but here it seems to be the same guys using the same tactics to promote soccer--the recent fiasco not included.

I just thought it was refreshing and huge that Nash has put his name and reputation behind soccer here. I think it will go a long way to bridge the gap between the 5-7000 who take in soccer around here and the rest of the sportswatching hoards.

The product will need to be entertaining to get consistent crowds but having a "real" name involved (and I'm not talking Lenarduzzi...) is a step in the right direction to getting people to notice what is going on.

 

[johnnybluenose]

I'd agree with you Peter, but that has sweet fcuk all to do with CSA and the MNT.

We are poor in both the monetary column and the skills column for a variety of reasons.

We could be better, but it would require more games.

The clu level is going to be fine here. Look at what Seattle has done. I was there this past long weekend for a shopping trip with the wife and I saw more Sounders FC gear than Seahawks, Mariners, and Sonics (god rest their soul )

I know for a fact that the WFC office and staff have been in close chats with both the Seattle group and the TFC group about their successes over the last little while.

Nash could help by sorting out one of his "friends" to come be our DP once we are in MLS (Thierry Henry )

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Fact: Whether games are in Canada, in Europe, or on Mars, Canada doesn't play enough games.

I'd wager a large sum of my savings that nobody is paying a team like Canada for appearances, not anyone worth playing anyways.

Hosting games in Montreal at Stade Saputo, in TO at BMO, or here once BC Place is able to do a Soccer Specific layout should easily be a money maker. I'm not syaing we need to play Brasil everytime, but playing teams in and around our level should be moneymakers. Think Iran, Jamaica, South Africa, Belarus, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Wales, Latvia, etc... (Ranked all 50th to 72nd...)

I wonder why........Canada is such a HUGE draw

 

[Bronco]

I saw more Sounders FC gear than Seahawks, Mariners, and Sonics

Umm, could that be because more people bought up the NFL and MLB gear??? Please don't try to put MLS on par with the two giants in the US. You lose credibility immediately by doing so.

 

[Polska]

u mean they are no T. J. Houshmandzadeh jerseys?

 

[italian_stallion21]

Umm, could that be because more people bought up the NFL and MLB gear??? Please don't try to put MLS on par with the two giants in the US. You lose credibility immediately by doing so.

So by that thinking there would be no Maple Leaf gear in Toronto, since the fans have already bought it all?

 

[johnnybluenose]

Umm, could that be because more people bought up the NFL and MLB gear??? Please don't try to put MLS on par with the two giants in the US. You lose credibility immediately by doing so.

What I meant to say is that I saw more people WEARING the merchandise from SSFC than Hawks, M's etc...

People in the malls with scarves on
People walking around with replica tops on
People with hats, license plate holders, decals on their cars, etc.

 

[ghouse]

I agree with JBN on the swag comments...The Sounders new colors and logos are very attractive and is another reason they are selling..When the WhiteCaps start to really push their Swag they better change a few things and get with the same marketing company that came up with Seattles stuff cause the boreing blue and white is not a popular seller and wont be..

 

[Regs]

Yes, for sure, can't wait for some kit with "west coast piping", hell why not just go with the complete Grizzlies scheme?

I've seen the ACBC uniforms, your thoughts on this matter should be censored.