When I was young I believed in many things. I believed that Wayne Gretzky was God, that Ben Johnson was the fastest man alive, and that Canada was a good idea. I still do. Unfortunately, I also believed in us. In Canadians. In our desire to Do Good. I believed – I truly believed – that if we just wished for something hard enough, if we closed our eyes and hugged ourselves really, really hard, we could save Canada. I believed in magical gestures. I believed in the future.
- Will Ferguson, in Why I Hate Canadians
The above passage was written in 1996, but the underlying message remains relevant today – that the biggest problem with Canada is that it’s full of Canadians. Hearing that can be a bit jarring, but – and you’d need to read all of Ferguson’s spectacular book to fully understand -- it’s a message we might want to hear if we as a nation are to ever raise above our mediocre reach of today.
But, what’s that have to do with Canadian soccer? Well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately of what it means to be Canadian, and why so few Canadians seem willing to embrace their true selves. That, of course, manifests itself in football with half empty stadiums watching our national team and with half of those fans that are there cheering for the away team, the team of their ethnic heritage. Within Canadian soccer circles this isn’t a new thing to think of, of course. We’ve been banging our heads against a wall for years to try and figure out how we can get more pro-Canadian crowds in the stadium.
Playing games in Moncton, withholding group sales to groups interested in supporting the away team, buying thousands of seats and giving them away, and many other ideas have been trotted out as possible ways to turn the stadiums more red and white.
All of the ideas have some merit. And many might work to a point. However, they all tend to take the blame away from the biggest problem. That problem?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Canadians.
As a nationality we are the equivalent of a 13-year-old girl. We are only comfortable with ourselves when it’s popular and risk-free to be so (hockey, Vancouver Winter Olympics), we a desperate to be something we’re not (I don’t cheer for Canada. I cheer for Brazil) and tend to define ourselves on what we’re not, rather than what we are (No way am I from the USA).
Until that thinking changes – and it will one day. We are still a young nation – it’s always going to be a struggle for the dull, everyday-ness of our dominate culture -- Canadian -- to stand out and grab our attention and interest the way our sexy, exciting cultural heritage does. Struggles to draw fans to cheer Canada on to victory in soccer are a symptom, not the disease itself.
So, what can we as supporters of the national team do then? Sadly, there is no easy answer except to keep challenging those that insist that they have no reason to cheer for Canada, despite the fact they are Canadian (and have been for their whole life).
One fan at a time. One mind at a time. That’s how this battle will be won.
If you believe in the importance of supporting Canada then I urge you to buy one extra ticket in the supporter’s section for June 1. Give that ticket to a fan of the game that does not think of Canada typically. Tell them that you are not trying to convince them to abandon their heritage team, but rather to appreciate the culture they live in too.
If Canada was everyone's No 2 it still wouldn't be ideal, but it would be a start. And right now a start is all that we can hope for.
Please note that Canadian Soccer News does not financially benefit from the sale of tickets to the Canada – Peru game.