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    This week in UEFA Champions League

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    The first leg of the Champions League's Round of 16 continues this week as the best clubs in Europe continue on toward Wembley.
    Eight more teams kick off their respective knockout fixtures today and tomorrow, and like last week, there are some great matchups that should get fans excited.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Let's have a look at this week's games:
    Tuesday, February 22
    FC Copenhagen v. Chelsea - On paper, this should be a very lopsided pairing, as Chelsea have established themselves as a genuinely world class side over the past half decade or so.
    Of course, this year has not gone so well for the Londoners, with Carlo Ancelotti's side looking at times like world beaters, but at other times very beatable. The problem for Chelsea is that they've spent considerably more time this season looking like also-rans rather than the dominant club that could has roughshod over some very good teams the past few years.
    Over the transfer window Chelsea broke the bank for Fernando Torres, and they are still waiting for him to look the part. While Torres takes his time getting acclimated, the already fragile team chemistry seems to have taken a hit.
    Copenhagen have drawn Chelsea at just the right time. And while they still have to be considered the underdogs of this pairing, they certainly wouldn't shock anyone if they were to pull off a positive result at home today.
    Lyon v. Real Madrid - Two clubs that have both spent the better part of the season chasing a league rival that has just been out of reach.
    Lyon is playing great football this season, as per usual. Currently second in Ligue 1 behind Lille, Lyon have translated their league form to Champions League play. They've been near perfect at home, and if not for a disastrous visit to Gelsenkirchen, they likely would have topped their group.
    Finishing second in Group B means that they have to take on Group G winners Real Madrid, a daunting proposition for almost any club. Lyon has the advantage of hosting the first leg, and will need to hold the Spanish giants to a decent scoreline if they want to have any shot of pulling off a miracle at the Bernabeu.
    Wednesday, February 23
    Marseille v. Manchester United - The Red Devils are firmly in first place in the English Premier League, and were hardly troubled in the group stage of the Champions League.
    This is hardly new territory for Manchester United, and yet this season's edition of the team seems different somehow. Perhaps it's because superstar striker Wayne Rooney has - outside of his world class strike ten days ago - been completely underwhelming on the pitch, meaning that United have had to rely on a cast of characters that is hardly the array of sublime talents that an Alex Ferguson team usually boasts.
    That's not to say that the players aren't individually very good - they are - but the current Man United side seems one that is much more of a team rather than the collection of hyper-talented individuals that has worn the red and black in recent years.
    While Dimitar Berbatov and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez are both great players (and I firmly believe that Hernandez is on his way to big things), it is interesting to see them take on the brunt of the goalscoring void created by Rooney's dip in form (and also, Cristiano Ronaldo's departure a couple of years back) and run with it. No matter though, it's working.
    As for Marseille, they don't really stand a chance over the two legs of this fixture. Stranger things have happened, of course, but it wouldn't be surprising to see United win both legs rather handily.
    Inter Milan v. Bayern Munich - Over the past few years, this would have been a likely pairing for the Champions League Final. Hell, it was the pairing for the final a few months ago. This season, however, both sides have struggled to live up to their massive histories, instead limping along as also-rans in their respective leagues.
    Both are still better than just about every club in the world, and yet neither side could really be considered among the truly elite teams on the planet right now.
    Inter got humbled by a plucky Tottenham side in the group stage, while Bayern took care of business on their end but have been struggling (relatively) in the Bundesliga thus far this season.
    Both sides will be eager to use this fixture to jump start the stretch run of their respective seasons, plus the Bayern players must surely be looking for redemption after being thoroughly dominated by their opponents in that aforementioned Champions League Final back in May, which means that this could become an epic battle over the two legs.
    Guest

    Uh-oh... It's that time again.

    By Guest, in Some Canadian Guys,

    Let’s see. Mounds of dirty, heavily salted snow that turn Toronto sidewalks into giant oceans of slush even though it's several degrees below zero outside. Check. Maple Leaf fans clinging desperately to the fact their team is only six to 11 points out of a playoff spot with over 20 games left in the season. Check. A looming RRSP contribution deadline that causes millions of young Canadians to ponder momentarily whether the government will afford them the comfortable retirement their parents enjoy even though they intend to blow their tax refunds on a booze-soaked week in the Caribbean. Check.
    Yes, it's mid-February alright, and that means the return of the Concacaf Champions League!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    MLS fans – and every other kind of soccer supporter north of the Mexico-U.S. border – recoil from this competition as if it answered a roommate-wanted ad on Craigslist and turned up covered with bedbug welts. But this year there is real incentive to pay attention. Real incentive in the form of Real Salt Lake, who meet the Columbus Crew in one quarter-final. The the winner goes on to play whichever of Honduras' Olimpia or Costa Rica's Saprissa is left standing. The four Mexican teams are lumped on the other side of the bracket, ensuring that for the first time in three years there will be at least one non-Mexican team in the final.
    Whether an MLS team advancing deep in this tournament would juice its popularity of amongst U.S. soccer supporters (nevermind casual sports fans) is debatable. But for the past few years the the upper reaches of the Concacaf Champions League have essentially been a Mexican League Cup with some regional minnows thrown in for flavour. Nine of the previous 10 finalists have come from Mexico, with Saprissa losing the final in 2008. And if one of the Central American clubs were to outmuscled its MLS opponent in the semis it would at the very least enliven things for the geeks who'd watch anyway.
    But the best reason for Canadians to follow this tournament suits up for Real Salt Lake tomorrow night in the form of Will Johnson. Should Real punch through to the semis as they seem favoured to do, Johnson earns a trip to either Costa Rica or Honduras. And any time a Canadian national team member flies to Central America and plays an important match the Canadian national team nicks a teeny bit more valuable experience for World Cup qualifying.
    Check here for the full quarterfinal schedule.
    Guest

    Another take on Milos

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    I wasn't actually that surprised to find that Squizz had already beat me to the punch when I logged in to write about Milos Raonic and what his story might mean for Canadian soccer. The kid is exciting a lot of Canadians right now, so it only makes sense that Canadian Soccer News writers would be as smitten as the rest.
    Squizz rightly points out that the biggest reason why Raonic has become a household name is that he has started to win. However, I have a slightly different take on his situation. Winning matters, but if it were just about doing well there would be a hell of a lot of speed skaters and freestyle skiers a lot more famous in this country.
    So, it's not just the wins. Rather, it's what he's winning at. Watching Raonic's semi-final win Saturday I was struck by something that John McEnroe said.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    McEnroe's guy was right though. The comparisons are with Weir. The kid may have only won a low level ATP event, but Canadians are as ga-ga over it as they were when one of our own won the most famous golf event in the world.The reason we Canucks are losing our mind over Raonic has a lot to do with the fact that he plays a sport that the whole world plays. It's not as if we are massive tennis fans, but we instinctively get it. Tennis matters a lot of places and to get good in tennis is hard to do. Although we do love our hockey heroes we're not dumb. We understand that's sort of our gig. Winning in a sport played everywhere though?
    That's something to get really excited about. If he does what it looks like he's going to do (compete for Majors) Raonic is going to become a very big star in this country. He's going to be as big as any hockey player, save your Sidney Crosby-type superstars.
    This is where I bring it back to soccer. One of the reasons some of our athletes bail for other countries is they suggest that Canadians don't support them to the same level that they would be in other places.
    They aren't really paying attention. Canadians are desperate for heroes in world sports. They will raise them up to superstar levels faster than one of those aces Milos keeps whizzing past the heads of (rightly) terrified ball kids.
    If Canada made the World Cup, and did something there (that's key -- the only thing that would harm the perception of Canadian soccer more than not making the World Cup would be making it and crapping the bed), there is ample evidence that there would be at least one new Canadian superstar after the tournament.
    If winning an ATP 250 event can make Raonic a star there is no telling what a World Cup winning goal would do for a Canadian player.
    Let's hope we find out.
    Guest

    NHL Heritage Classic at BMO Field?

    By Guest, in Some Canadian Guys,

    In an article by Dan Robson in Monday's Toronto Star, about the NHL's "Heritage Classic" game that took place outdoors at Calgary's McMahon Stadium on Sunday, the chief operating officer of the National Hockey League is quoted as follows:
    "Toronto has a lot of strong thoughts about how we would stage a game and where we would stage a game. You know it’s a great market, we want to do something there. ... Maple Leaf Sports (and Entertainment) has talked about adding seats (to BMO Field) as their natural growth plan. I think right now it’d be a little tight. ... But I think ultimately that that would be the plan for Toronto."
    That's right. Apparently a high-ranking NHL official sees BMO Field as the venue for a potential outdoor Maple Leafs game at some point in the future.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Needless to say, this is a preposterously bad idea for all involved. Since bullet points are fun, let me use them to point out why such an idea would be preposterously bad:

    As the article notes, it would make no economic sense to stage such a game at BMO Field, with a current capacity of about 22,000. Even if the stadium was expanded to, say, 30,000, it would still be the smallest venue to host an outdoor NHL game.
    Then again, it could make economic sense if the goal was to severely restrict supply, so as to charge astronomical prices for tickets (but why would the Toronto Maple Leafs ever do such a thing?) Though it's Toronto, and there would always be enough corporate assholes to snap them up, this would be bad for actual fans.
    The conditions down by the waterfront for the MLS Cup were barely tolerable for the human anatomy. And that was in November. I can't imagine the whipping wind will make things particularly cheery in, say, January. You could hold off until April, but the Leafs are done playing by then. (Zing!)
    Um. The grass? It'd kinda get messed up, no?
    There's really not much "heritage" attached to a soccer-specific stadium built in the mid 2000s. McMahon Stadium opened in 1960, and its current tenants (the Stampeders) play in that fundamental bastion of Canadian heritage, the CFL -- so there's a real "heritage" link. Same goes for Commonwealth Stadium, site of the original Heritage Classic game.
    Considering the outrage generated amongst Toronto FC hardcores at the prospect of the CFL's Argonauts playing at BMO Field, this could be borderline franchise suicide by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

    There is one theoretical positive: Wrapping up BMO Field -- with its soccer imagery and iconography -- into an ostensible celebration of "Canadian-ness" like the Heritage Classic could help to ameliorate soccer's image as an "exotic", "outsider" game that is somehow fundamentally at odds with a sense of Canadian identity.
    (Then again, it's almost certain that any visual cue that it's a soccer stadium would be covered up, probably with advertising.)
    I don't mean to take one comment made by one NHL official in a harried media scrum and blow it out of proportion (that's for the TFC supporters groups' message boards to do). But this is definitely something worth keeping an eye on, especially if hockey fans in Toronto begin talking seriously about the idea of bringing an outdoor NHL game to the city.
    Or, maybe I've gotten this all wrong. Could an NHL game at BMO Field actually be a good thing? What do you think?
    Guest
    Even if you don't care that much about tennis, by now you almost certainly know who Milos Raonic is.
    His story has been all over the sports pages for weeks: Canadian kid, 20 years old, comes out of nowhere to make the round of 16 at the Australian Open, then wins his first tournament in San Jose and, over the weekend, lost in the final in Memphis in an epic slugfest against American star Andy Roddick.
    Minor correction: He didn't come out of "nowhere". He'd been training and playing for years. But it's the first time the average Canadian sports fan had heard of him. Why? Simple: He started winning.
    There's a very important lesson to be learned here as it relates to Canadian soccer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Hardcore fans of the Canadian national program often lament the fact that folks like Christine Sinclair, Atiba Hutchinson and Josh Simpson aren't household names in this country. Sometimes, it's chalked up to widespread anti-soccer sentiment, or some sort of "old boys" conspiracy within the mainstream media, a concerted effort to suppress coverage of the beautiful game.
    But sports fans of all stripes have followed the meteoric rise of Raonic with great interest -- even if tennis isn't exactly the most rabidly-followed sport in the country -- simply because he's Canadian, and he's winning on a major stage.
    It helps his case that it's easier to "understand" a loss in tennis, by virtue of the more sophisticated stats-keeping. To wit: Roddick won 7-6 (7), 6-7 (11), 7-5, though Raonic had more aces (32-20) and saved several championship points. From that information alone, it's safe to describe the match as an "epic slugfest", as I did. Raonic gets kudos for a hard-fought battle, at the end of the day, even from those who didn't see the match.
    But what about the Canadian men's national team's recent 1-0 loss to Greece? Is there any way to quantify the fact that it was an evenly-matched game, that Canada controlled the play for large stretches, and that the only difference was a split-second error by a 20-year-old defender, playing out of position?
    Nope. Scoreline says 1-0. Canada lost. Canada always loses at soccer. We suck. Carry on.
    It's exceedingly difficult to score "moral" victories in soccer, particularly within a country that has neither the pedigree nor predilection to take a particularly nuanced view of the game.
    Regardless of the sport (unless it's hockey), the mindset seems to be, simply, "Did Canada/the Canadian win?" If yes, "Hell yeah, maybe I'll watch next time!" If no, "Ah, whatever. When's Don Cherry come on TV?"
    So, what does that mean for Canadian soccer?
    It means that if and when the women's team comes close to winning the World Cup, and if/when the men's team comes close to qualifying for the World Cup, people will come out of the woodwork. People who don't even necessarily care about our national soccer teams, or soccer in general. Call it trendiness, call it fickleness, call it whatever you will. But that's the way it's going to be.
    In the meantime, those of us who do care (and that includes you, considering that you're reading this) just need to hold down the fort, educate those around us to the best of our abilities, and dream about how gratifying those ultimate accomplishments will feel.
    After all, Raonic's tournament win surely felt 1,000 times better to those who've been supporting him for years than it did to those who hadn't heard of him two months ago.
    Photo credit: Mark Humphrey/Associated Press
    .
    Guest
    The day has arrived: The 30th (technically the 31st, but whatever) episode of the Some Canadian Guys Talking About Soccer podcast! It's an extra-large edition, featuring an interview with striker Marcus Haber of West Bromwich Albion (formerly of the Vancouver Whitecaps).
    Marcus talks to us about where he's at in recovering from knee surgery, what it means to him to represent Canada in international competition, how he feels about seeing his hometown 'Caps enter MLS and what he thinks of West Brom's new manager, Roy Hodgson. He also tells us about tattoos, UberTwitter, lumberjacks, beans on toast, and the "5 S system" he always lives by.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Plus! We hit on even more topics with Marcus -- such as the Champions League, replay technology and whether anyone's ever shown up to training drunk -- in a special extra segment available exclusively to our iTunes subscribers.
    On the rest of the show, we talk about Stephen Hart's offence-minded formation for the men's national team and who fits into it best (including a certain uncommitted young kid who we're all tired of talking about, but continue talking about anyway)... as well as hitting on the 2011 Voyageurs Cup and a number of other topics in Promotion/Relegation, and coming up with Canadian answers to the "Boonbooree" goal-scoring song gifted to a certain young turncoat.
    The full show, including the interview: Some Canadian Guys #30: The Dirty Thirty (mp3)
    Just the interview: SCG Interview: Marcus Haber (mp3)
    To get the bonus material: Subscribe to Some Canadian Guys on iTunes
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Match Fit USA writer Jason Davis to speak about Charlie Davies signing with DC United, Pat Ontad returning to MLS play and his thoughts on NASL teams being excluded from the U.S Open Cup.
    We'll also update on TFC's pre-season training, talk about the Nutrilite Voyageurs Cup schedule and debate what the CSA should do with its found wealth.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]<embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/21959/feb18.2011final.mp3%27,initialScale:%27scale%27,controlBarBackgroundColor:%270x778899%27,autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
    Guest
    The CSA has released the schedule for this year's Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Edmonton FC has been added to the fold this season and will get the chance to host reigning champions Toronto FC at Commonwealth Stadium on April 27th. The Second Leg of the final will be played on May 25th, meaning that the tournament will not conflict with middle portion of the MLS season. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    2011 SCHEDULE
    SEMI-FINAL STAGE
    27 April 2011
    Impact Montréal (3) v Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2) at Stade Saputo
    FC Edmonton (4) v Toronto FC (1) at Commonwealth Stadium
    4 May 2011
    Toronto FC (1) v FC Edmonton (4) at BMO Field
    Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2) v Impact Montréal (3) at Empire Stadium
    CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
    The highest seeded team in the final will determine whether it opens at home or away
    18 May 2011
    First Leg
    25 May 2011
    Second Leg


    Look for this year's edition to bring the same excitement as years past with Montreal and Vancouver doing battle to see who will play Toronto for the championship. Sorry but Edmonton don't stand a chance. At least they will get a little financial bump from hosting a big club. The Montreal - Vancouver rivalry continues to heat up as Montreal made a play earlier this week for Whitecaps Residency graduate Kyle Porter and signed fan favourite Zurab Tsiskaridze from last year's USSF D2 roster.
    Guest

    Video: The fastest red card, ever!

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    Preston Edwards is probably a lot more famous than he should be.
    The starting goalkeeper for Ebbsfleet United, a club in England's Conference South (sixth tier), is currently living his 15 minutes of fame for receiving what may have been the fastest sending off in the history of the sport.
    Edwards gets himself red-carded within ten seconds of the opening whistle, something that he probably couldn't do again if he tried.
    Video after the jump.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]


    Guest

    BC Soccer to follow hockey's lead

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    British Columbia soccer officials announced today the launch of the BC Soccer Premier League. The league will feature eight of the largest clubs in the province and will have competitions at the U13, U14, U15, U16 and U17/U18 levels.
    The founding clubs are:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Abbotsford Soccer Association
    Burnaby/ North Shore
    Coquitlam Metro Ford Soccer Club
    Lower Island Soccer Association/Upper Island Soccer Association (Vancouver Island)
    South Fraser Soccer Club
    Surrey United Soccer Club
    Thompson Okanagan Football Club
    Vancouver/Richmond

    Officials are stressing that the league's focus will be on development. As the title of this article indicates, there is also a lot of reference to the hockey development pathway (a direct reference to how many BC Hockey League markets are represented is included). For long, many in Canada have suggested that hockey could offer a blueprint that soccer could follow -- it works there, so why not.
    This is a good start. However, what's needed now is for these clubs to be required to offer a senior side that plays in a semi-pro or fully pro league at a D3 level.
    As always, the connection from youth soccer to pro soccer is missing. For Canada to truly break thorough the full pathway is needed.
    But that’s a discussion for another day. Today, we can celebrate what appears to be a good step in BC.
    Guest
    What one can learn from watching TFC run around on FieldTurf for an hour in February is up for debate. However, when the club has only trained on Canadian soil for three days this year you take what you can get.
    TFC training observations for the week of Feb 14-18
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Dutch Dreams
    The Winter - De Klerk team is a fascinating study in contrasts. Winter seems to float around, providing quiet teachings from time to time, but mostly observing. De Klerk, on the other hand, is a constant blur of motion. He's instructing, correcting and occasionally cheerleading. It's clear that TFC hired a team of Dutch coaches and that De Klerk is a major part of that.
    Goals - what are those?
    The best player in a 45 minute crossing drill appeared to be the keeper. Hitting the target seemed to be an issue, although, in fairness, TFC's only forward under contract -- Maicon Santos -- wasn't taking part. That said, draft pick Joao Plata did show some flashes. Although inconsistent he seemed to have good instincts in front of goal.
    Wide players FTW
    A lot of coaching was focused on the wide players. De Klerk could be seen demanding the wingers to deliver quick, direct crosses. He seemed to be talking to Jacob Peterson a great deal. Peterson looked solid by the way.
    Ra Ra Ra team spirit
    Who knows, really, but the players seemed to be getting on well and the mood seemed to be light-hearted. Stefan Frei said that the trip to Turkey was great for the team and that they bonded over the idea of representing MLS overseas. "We were the only MLS team there; we really embraced that," he said.
    On MLSsoccer.com I reported that the club will be traveling to Florida with a much smaller squad than went to Turkey. Winter said that he wants to start taking a longer look at the players that will make up the core of the side. Although they have yet to confirm the signing of Javier Martina, Elbekay Bouchiba and Nick Soolsma, Winter said that they would be meeting the club at the Disney event. He also said that they would be looking at some South American trialists while there.
    Guest
    According to the British paper The Daily Mail, The Vancouver Whitecaps are supposedly courting Hartlepool United striker Adam Boyd. With Atiba Harris being the only striker currently signed to the squad that can play before September, the club will be scouring the planet over the next 30 days to find a couple of lads to put the ball in the net. Atiba Harris' career high for goals in a season is 4, so hopefully help is on the way. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    While I can't say that I have ever seen Boyd play his reputation does precede him, here is a wonderful excerpt from a Guardian article from September 2005 (oh the good old days).
    Somehow the math is completely wrong on his statistics table on Wikipedia, but what else is new?
    Due to his apparent love of pies, hopefully he isn't put up in the Sutton Place Hotel like Kyle Wellwood of the Canucks was. Wellwood could regularly be seen at the pub across the street munching down on the chicken and mushroom pies.
    Upon notifying the head chef that the kind, young man who comes in hammers back a pie or two was the player everyone call Well-fed, he was nearly reduced to tears. True story.
    Guest
    In what can only be considered a desperate (yet obviously effective) attempt to generate controversy, Rolling Stone will soon publish an interview with pop star Justin Bieber in which he's asked for his views on such issues as abortion and world politics.
    On the former, he claims "It's like killing a baby?" while on the latter, he intelligently opines, "Whatever they have in Korea, that's bad."
    Now, say what you will about the Biebs, but you can't fault a 16-year-old who lives in an insulated bubble of musical stardom for not having well-thought-out views on the pertinent issues of the day. The blame for this nonsense falls on whichever dipshits thought it was a good idea to ask him those questions in the first place, when anyone with half a brain could tell he'd have no useful responses to provide, given his life experience.
    But then I thought, hey, if it worked for Rolling Stone, maybe it'll work for us. So I have some questions to pose to a number of folks in the world of soccer, even if they're wildly inappropriate.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    To John Terry: Numerous organizations have voiced opposition to the idea of homosexuals getting married, citing a belief in the so-called "sanctity of marriage". Thoughts?
    To David Beckham: Do you believe that the successful uprising in Egypt, as well as the other demonstrations of civil unrest in the Middle East and northern Africa serve as a damning indictment of the United States' foreign policy in the region over the past 40 years; and if so, what approach should the Obama administration take going forward in order to mitigate the risk of extremist elements rising up amidst potential power vacuums?
    Followup to David Beckham: So, that Brett Favre. Real piece of work, huh?
    To Stoke City's goalkeeper: What do you think of the book How To Win Friends And Influence People?
    To Gennaro Gattuso: Which are cuter, puppies or bunnies?
    To Arjen Robben: Favourite hair gel?
    To Sepp Blatter: In the famous Terminator film series, the beginning of the end for humanity comes when Skynet becomes self-aware. How important is complete self-awareness when it comes to running an organization such as FIFA?
    To Jack Warner: Do you ever get tired of being honest all the time?
    To Chuck Blazer: What's your favourite type of salad dressing?
    To Rohan Ricketts: Have you ever heard of Twitter?
    Y'all get the general idea. I'm sure you've got some of your own percolating in those pretty little heads of yours. Let's hear 'em!
    Image credit: soccer-academy.net
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Neil Brown, the VP of the new Hamilton club joining the USL, to talk about their plans for the region, player development and how they were able to work around the CSA moratorium.
    We'll also talk about the latest TFC signings, when Julian DeGuzman will be back, who we'd like to see on the TSN broadcasting team and Montreal's clever play for Vancouver's Kyle Porter
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/21917/feb16.2011final.mp3%27,initialScale:%27scale%27,controlBarBackgroundColor:%270x778899%27,autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
    Guest

    In Russia....Canadians play you

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    From the another one to watch files, comes 17-year-old Joseph Dichiara.
    Dichiara, from the Spartacus Soccer Club in Toronto, has signed a professional contract with Kryliya Sovetov, a Russian Premier League team.
    He has no national team experience to speak of - Canadian or otherwise - and the best information I can find on him is that he captained an undefeated U-17 squad to an Ontario Youth Soccer League Championship.
    What I do know of the player is that he is a product of the Yuri Studin development pool — which has built a reputation for creating pathways for young players to find U.S. scholarships and professional careers. Five players from Dichiara's U-17 club have been offered full scholarships to U.S. schools. Studin is a guy who has been on the Ontario soccer scene since the early 80s and spent a good part of the last 20 years bringing in former Russian coaches and players to participate in the system he's built. It's created a professional environment and one that many around Ontario speak highly of.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Right now, there are few North Americans plying their trade in the Russian leagues, so perhaps the greatest challenge ahead for Dichiara will be adjusting to the culture shock. But maybe that's just more motivation to focus on your football.
    I stressed this last week, but again, news like this increasingly speaks to the emergance of strong foreign links in the Canadian development pyramid. I have no doubt there are hundreds of other kids, just like Dichiara, flying below the radar the national team radar. The key now, as it always has been, is finding better ways to identify young players like this and bring them into our national team programs at an early enough age, that they'll never consider looking elsewhere to cap.
    Easier said than done, but it bares reminder.
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