I'm the first to admit I haven't held a lot of positive thoughts about the true role of the Canadian Soccer Association this past couple of decades.
Just four years ago, I wrote five stories in five days for the Globe and Mail website calling for the organization's abolition. I also got chewed out by Gerry Dobson for wearing a "Sack the CSA" t-shirt in the BMO Field pressbox while I was still scribbling for Sportsnet.
But things are very different now. There's a new wave of reform, new governance structure, and a crucial rack of elections coming up next weekend.
So when Canada's four professional soccer clubs stepped up as one to put their 4-out-of-936 CSA presidential votes behind quiet, efficient reform champion Rob Newman, I suddenly had a clear idea of something I really want the CSA to do:
Stand up to the professional clubs.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Not in a petty, aggressive, nit-picky, "do this, do that" sort of way. But as a basic gatekeeper of bottom-line principle -- an organization with the self-righteous stones to tell the big boys when they have to get in line.
I speak, of course, of player development.
The pro clubs are an interesting and very necessary fly in the "Wellness to World Cup" ointment. However strong the CSA's vision for long-term player development becomes (an actual curriculum would be nice!), the top of the pyramid will, from here to eternity, be the professional youth academies.
The candidates took notably different turns on this topic in the recent interviews I conducted here on CSN. Newman, a strong, quiet consensus builder, essentially said he's here to help, and he looks forward to getting started.
Victor Montagliani took a tougher stance. On the vexed, oft-manipulated issue of Canadian roster spots on MLS teams, he said something very much along the lines of "I'm here to develop Canadian players, not American ones."
The very existence of Major League Soccer complicates that, of course. A long and restrictive rack of roster rules forced heaps of unprepared Canadian players on Toronto FC right out of the gate in 2007, and it didn't go well. Even if you slap a Mo Johnston filter on it, you couldn't have been surprised when the pro clubs asked for -- and got -- a sharp reduction in the number of Canadians they had to carry.
The number stands at three now -- not much for a country that is dearly hoping the pro teams will keep our best young talent at home.
The perception -- fair, I believe -- is that Newman will assist the pro clubs, while Montagliani will demand they do better.
Toronto FC is doing better. Head man Aron Winter is devoted to academy kids, and promising lads like Ashtone Morgan and Doniel Henry are coming along nicely. Vancouver's been another story entirely. The Whitecaps invest hugely in youth, but are not giving their best prospects anywhere near the same opportunities.
These are not simple issues. I freely admit that.
But looking ahead, one of the things I really want the CSA to do is step up and get snarly in the face of things like this. Ultimately, they're a pretty small organization, and they've been wandering in the footballing wilderness for far too long. The pro clubs have a much simpler, clearer mandate, and won't hesitate to do what they believe they must.
But I want to know the CSA will be there, throwing blocks for young Canadian prospects when no one else can.
And if that means a pissed-off Victor Montagliani calling TFC, the 'Caps, L'Impact and FCE on the Rue Metcalfe carpet every now and then, so be it.
I'm all for coherence and co-operation. But it can't be the main goal, going forward.
Thoughts?
Onward!