A few days have passed, and there are still no tentative answers to any of the many unresolved Canadian soccer questions I posed last week.
So let’s ask ourselves some questions. Looking ahead – what do we want?
The vast majority of the Canadian Soccer Association reform package takes effect in – at most – fifteen months. That coincides nicely with the end of Dominic Maestracci’s current term as president.
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A lot has happened under Maestracci, who was elected into the void after former president Colin Lindford decamped in 2007. Linford had pushed hard for reform, but the CSA board dug in hard against him, and it became clear very quickly the situation was unworkable.
Since then, the CSA made the very wise move of appointing Peter Montopoli as general secretary, the day-to-day go-to guy who gives this awkward, antiquated organization the actual ability to move forward.
Yes, the 2008 World Cup qualifying campaign had to self-destruct before the CSA could be convinced that Stephen Hart should, in fact, be allowed to coach the senior men’s national team. The Dale Mitchell disaster was the last straw for many. Sweeping CSA reforms were – at last – introduced, and even – eventually – passed.
What’s not clear – what is never clear – is what Maestracci actually does.
We almost never hear from the man. When we do, he is off-point, and difficult to understand.
NOTE WELL >>> This is not an attack on the man’s somewhat limited abilities with the English language. Maestracci’s English is vastly better than my French. You will not hear any attacks on accents from this reporter.
I’m more concerned about his ideas – or apparent lack thereof.
You always knew where Linford stood. Even when the man’s presidency was going down in hundred-foot-long green flames, he told us all in great detail how long those flames were – and what colour.
Andy Sharpe, before him, opened his presidency by shutting down both the fictional Canadian United Soccer League and a laughably premature bid for Canada to try to host the FIFA World Cup.
(McMahon Stadium IS Anfield! Honest!)
Maestracci’s words can easily be translated. But that doesn’t really make them any clearer.
Most recently – and famously – Maestracci sent a deeply puzzling (and astonishingly incorrect) letter to about-to-be-ousted Alberta Soccer Association first VP Mario Charpentier.
Maestracci assured Charpentier – who was rudely and roundly routed from office just days later – that his position was not in danger. The letter was absurdly off-topic, and roundly contradicted several judicial rulings on the matter. It was duly – and completely – ignored by the Alberta membership at the ensuing SGM.
And now, we have reform. But we have delayed reform, thanks to two Alberta representatives who ignored the wishes of their membership. These gentlemen subsequently explained their “no” vote was “for the good of the country.”
We don’t know who told them that, but it clearly wasn’t any of the provincial and territorial soccer association presidents who would – otherwise – have passed full and immediate reform.
And once again – as always – Maestracci’s role is unclear.
The trickier question – who should succeed him? Vice president Victor Montagliani is the early front-runner, but he’s not your average reformer’s cup of tea. OSA president Ron Smale pushed harder for reform than anyone, but the sheer bluntness needed to achieve that may have alienated too many people in too many places.
So, let us all ask ourselves:
- Who, in all this nation of muted, flickering soccer dreams, should be named Canadian Soccer Association president in the spring of 2012?
- What kind of leadership do we all really want?
- Have you got any good Dominic Maestracci stories you want to share?
See you in the comments section.
Onward!