There are few sports fans in the world that have endured the run of incompetence like those who follow the Canadian men's national soccer team. The plight of these supporters and profile of soccer in Canada has only been amplified by the growth of Major League Soccer in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
The recent inglorious world cup qualifier flame outs in 2008 and 2012 were national sporting embarrassments. These debacles highlighted the Canadian Soccer Associations inability to assemble a coherent path to CONCACAF relevance and match the expectations of the new fans who want a competitive national side.
Truthfully, Canada actually had minimalist expectations to make the final round of qualifications aka the hex and in both instances failed to trip over this subpar bar. Teams that aim for a 'happy to be there' rarely make any positive strides in competitive tournaments.
In terms of performance and expectation these past two qualifiers from the CSA, players and coaching staff showed they were closer to Cuba than Honduras. This may be a little insulting to the Cuban side because they never quit. The same cannot be said of the Canadians.
Following Canada's most egregious loss in modern history Stephen Hart resigned. Many discussed what a class act he was, highlighted his years of dedicated service and many noting the long time CSA employee had managed a winning record.
These pundits or players failed to mention many wins came off the backs of top CONCACAF sides like Saint Lucia. That in most recent campaign they tied powerhouse Puerto Rico at home as well as Saint Kitts and Nevis away. Finally, it was rarely mentioned Harts charges never performed in any big match with no more glaring example than then 0-0 draw with the same Honduran side that embarrassed them a few months later.
This trend is not only tied to World Cup qualifying. In recent Gold Cup tournaments the lack of progress is astounding. They lost in the 2007 semi-finals to the US by a score of 2-1, in 2009 they fell in the quarter-finals losing to Honduras 1-0 and then in 2011 failed to qualify from the group stages.
That record appears to follow the strict definition of regression. A team with similar players over the course of three different campaigns achieved less and less. This lack of tournament success has been glazed over and the 8-1 destruction at San Pedro Sula is being sold as a one off incident. The sentiment the coach fell on his nobly fell on his sword, that the job was always very tough and no matter the evidence to the contrary it was not the long time CSA appointee's fault.
With the teflon coach rinsed clean much ado has been made about the lack of talent on the national team, its inability to have a coherent national player development strategy with blame placed on the provincial associations and that there is no national league for these players to compete in.
These are valid points but are not revolutionary ideas. It is unlikely that a new strategy or league would have results bearing fruit in the near future and ignores there have been Canadian teams in leagues for years. The Toronto Lynx did not play in a vacuum devoid of other teams.
Moreover, if there is no strategy to develop players currently what has the CSA done for 100 years? If the people in charge have been unable to bridge the national and provincial gap by now is continuously appointing people to positions of power whom were involved during this timeframe a step forward?
The misleading notion that Canada currently does not have enough top tier talent is a red herring used to deflect accountability. Canada has high end players but the problem is the best players refuse to don the jersey of Les Rouges. This argument attempts to give cover to a sides that simply quit in Honduras and does so with alarming regularity.
Canada has talent but with years of zero expectations to succeed a losing mentality has been developed.Players, coaches and CSA organization at various times has attemping lay blame on a variety of culprits such as away conditions, home supporters, the provinces and so on. The reality is Canadian top talents do not want to play in an organization that has a mentality which regurgitates the same excuses and people that never deliver results.
The most prominent top talent example is Owen Hargreaves that once upon a campaign became a key member of the English national side. Jonathan de Guzman has replaced Hargreaves as Les Rouges enemy number one through spurning a chance to pair with big brother Julian by opting to not even make the bench of Holland.
More?
Barclays Premier League starlet Junior Hoilett seems intent on angling for England or barring that will likely don the jersey of Canadian rival Jamaica. Defender Steven Vitoria, a budding defensive star in Portugal would rather be a fringe Portuguese consideration than cap for Canada. Goalkeepers Daniel Fernandes and Asmir Begović both whom turned out for the Canadian u-20 side now play nationally for Portugal and Bosnia Herzegovina respectively.
There is an important distinction between not having talent and having talent that does not want to play for you. All of the players listed above would immediately be considered the best in their positions.
Which leads the how the CSA failed to get the Technical Director hiring right.
Tony Fonseca may be a great individual and a class act just like Stephan Hart. Fonseca is a former international with Portugal that once plied his trade with historic Benfica. His coaching experience however is far less glamorous involved exclusively in Canada with Vancouver and then the CSA.
This important hire should have been made so people across Canada knew about it. Even more so because the position has been vacant for four years after Stephen Hart took over the men's national team. Logically it would appear the CSA should wanted people to know there are changes being made and shown sponsors they are serious about improvement.
Instead of using the hiring of a key position, long noted by many as a vital to the growth of the game, they announced it the same day our American cousins were electing their president.
In political terms, they buried it.
Deep.
This does not pass the smell test of competence. It was a marketing slap in the face to those individual supporters who did more to promote the national team than any CSA advertising has ever done. They were owed some ballyhoo instead the CSA went belly up.
Many pundits that once pointed out the ineptitude of the CSA now laud the hiring of someone who has spent years within the same CSA lambasted for incompetence. Some former players openly rebuke any concern as though people are crazy to not be thrilled with another internal CSA promotion.
Canadians are being told to accept an appointment four years in the making which ended in hiring someone who was the assistant to the worst collapse in Canadian soccer history.
This time however all we need is a national plan to train kids and a national league for them to play in.
This time it will be different.
Good grief.
This is how Charlie Brown must feel.
|