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    Guest
    <embed src="http://rd3.videos.sapo.pt/play?file=http://rd3.videos.sapo.pt/FipGyTuKC3QyD5aqnIHY/mov/1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="410" height="357" allowFullScreen="true"></embed>
    Canadian-born David "Junior" Hoilett scored a right-footed screamer for Blackburn on Sunday, his first in the Premier League.
    (And Hoilett, to his credit, didn't feel the need to celebrate his goal with an idiotic, choreographed dance -- unlike some other Canadian-born striker this weekend.)
    Hoilett has said for years that he won't make any definitive decisions about his international career as he attempts to establish himself as his club. If he keeps bagging goals like this, methinks his club career will be right on track -- as will, hopefully, an eventual decision to suit up for Les Rouges.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    The CSA is hosting a party Monday night in Toronto to show off Canada's new kits from Umbro. This will be the first chance for the soccer loving public to get a look at the Men's National Team jerseys.
    If you'd like a ticket to this event, I'll be giving away 5 around 3pm today on Twitter.
    Watch my Twitter account @callitfootball to find out how to win.
    And if you don't live in the Toronto area or don't get a ticket - CSN and Metro News will have the exclusive first photos up Monday night at around 7pm.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    This morning, Robbie Savage turned down a move to the Vancouver Whitecaps - citing family concerns as his reason for the decline.
    Never mind that the chatter on Twitter (here and here) that got so much press attention seemed more like negotiating a tactic with Derby County than proclaiming his love for Vancouver. And never mind that when It's Called Football spoke to the Whitecaps' Director of Soccer Operations Tom Soehn last week he hardly seemed impressed with Savage as a target. And never mind that Vancouver is already flush at the midfield position, that this isn't the year 2000 and Savage is no longer the force he once was.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Vancouver may have targeted him for a time but make no mistake Robbie Savage was never coming to the Whitecaps.
    And that's a good thing. MLS doesn't need another aging footballer looking to launch his media career and they certainly don't need the ego that goes with it.
    Maybe someone like this
    Guest
    Lift the rock.
    Shine the light.
    Dare whatever’s under there to go about its business as usual.
    That might well be the motto of Canadian Soccer News, now that Alberta’s been liberated, and the CSA reform fight is barreling into the final two weeks of the home stretch.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Perspective, of course, is quickly needed. Canadian Soccer News is NOT the reason Mario Charpentier’s tyrannical, self-centred reign of error was coldly terminated by the enraged membership of the Alberta Soccer Association in an angry corner of the Crown Edmonton Plaza Hotel on Friday morning.
    Charpentier lost because after he seized power from elected president Chris Billings last February, he bullied, fired, intimidated and suspended far too many people – and entire districts.
    A judge had to step in and order him to finally hold a special general meeting, where a neutral chairman ruled clearly and consistently in favour of the reformers all morning long. The chairman even ruled that a two-thirds majority wasn’t needed to remove Charpentier and his directors. Didn’t matter. All seven of the evicted were bounced by better that two-thirds of those concerned.
    It is, in all sad likelihood, not over. If I were a courtroom in Edmonton, I’d be expecting to hear from Mario Charpentier’s lawyers on Monday.
    When I first started writing about all this, back in early December, the concerned Albertans I approached were scared. Angry? You bet! But they didn’t want to raise their heads and make a public stir. Flat place, Alberta. Not a lot of spots to hide out there.
    My first crack at explaining and exposing this mess generated over 300 comments. That’s five times more than any story I have ever written, in more than a decade of regular work. And as the stories continued, and as Charpentier and his CSA director-at-large alleged-enabler Mike Traficante continually refused to answer any of my questions, Canadian Soccer News became somewhat of a rallying point for the anti-Charpentier reformers.
    CSN wasn’t alone, of course. Dan Barnes of the Edmonton Journal had been all over this story from the outset. His stories were passed on in the Voyageurs message board – where the discussion thread is closing in on has reached an astonishing 250 pages! An excellent independent website, Reform Alberta Soccer, collected and published every key document in the dispute.
    The more I wrote, the more Albertans started feeding me stuff. In the past week or two, each significant find, revelation or development was signaled by a burst of activity in my e-mail inbox.
    And, through it all, I never received any input – ANY! – from either the Charpentier side, or the Canadian Soccer Association.
    That really became a problem when CSA president Dominique Maestracci sent an error-filled letter to Charpentier last Tuesday. That letter – and damn right, it was loudly published right here – was, I think, the final straw for many.
    Maestracci told Charpentier he could not be removed at the SGM. The good people – and justice system – of Alberta clearly knew better.
    All of this has implications going forward.
    CSA governance reform comes up for a final vote in two weeks. One version – the first that will be voted on – eliminates all provincial and territorial soccer association presidents from the CSA board, replacing them with – gasp! – experienced professional soccer and business people.
    There are also compromise plans in play. They’re clear improvements over the status quo, but they don’t go all the way.
    (Charpentier, by the way, supported the compromise. Billings, had he been allowed to, would have voted for real reform. Dominique Maestracci – well, you can put it together from there.)
    The fight, now, is to get the first reform package passed. There is no sound soccer-related reason to say no. The compromise models serve only political and personal influence – exactly the omnipresent obstacle that has undermined Canada’s national soccer teams for generations.
    Much more on all of that to follow.
    I want to close with a direct appeal to the Canadian Soccer Association:
    Guys. Hi.
    I know some of you have issues with my Alberta and governance stories. I know there are times when my facts and your facts don’t line up.
    Please talk to me.
    Why did I have to find out about the compromise governance model through a couple of anonymous messages buried deep in the comment pile of the first Alberta story? Why are you angry that I know Alberta and Quebec voted against the original plan, and in favour of the compromise?
    Yeah, yeah. That was supposed to be a secret.
    Well, it isn’t – and it won’t be.
    Canadian Soccer News is not going away. Too many people talk to us. If you don’t, we can’t add you voices – and wisdom – to the mix.
    I want to know when I’m wrong, dammit. And I can’t take correction from you if you won’t talk to me.
    I’ve been throwing bombs at you guys for a decade, and all I’ve got is one very strange phone call from Kevan Pipe, occasional clarifications from Richard Scott, and an amusing, thoroughly enjoyable argument in the BMO Field pressbox with your second-string media guy – whom I’ve come to like and respect very much as a result.
    This governance fight is crucial to untold thousands of ardent, intelligent soccer fans across the nation, and Canadians around the globe – players included.
    The days of Canada’s soccer business being conducted in secret are over. Gone. Finito.
    If you don’t think your side is being adequately reported or understood, from here on in that’s your own darn fault for staying silent.
    I’m doing my very best. We all are.
    For the good of everyone involved in this desperately needed bid for governance reform, let’s hear from you.
    First – and hugely important – question:
    What was Dominique Maestracci thinking when he wrote that letter to Mario Charpentier?
    Onward!
    Guest

    La USSF refuse de sanctionner la NASL

    By Guest, in Le12eJoueur,

    La fédération américaine de soccer a annoncé hier qu'elle ne sanctionnerait pas la NASL en tant que 2e division nord-américaine.
    La NASL avait reçu une sanction provisoire en novembre 2010, mais n'a pas été en mesure d'atteindre les exigences financières établies par la USSF. De plus, le directeur des relations médias Neil Buethe a indiqué que la USSF remettait en question certains éléments organisationnels ainsi que des détails concernant la propriété de la ligue.
    Le directeur des relations media Neil Buethe a quand même indiqué que la NASL pouvait ré-appliquer pour une sanction de 2e division si celle-ci jugeait qu'elle respecte toutes les exigences. Sinon, l'autre option serait d'appliquer pour une sanction de 3e division dans la USL.
    Avec le premier match dans moins de 3 mois, l'Impact a pris un ton plus rassurant en indiquant que la sanction finale aurait lieu le mois prochain lors de l'assemblée annuelle à Las Vegas et que la NASL allait être en mesure de répondre à toutes les exigences de la USSF.
    Mon point de vue de partisan : La NASL, c'est la merde.
    Sources : Inside Minnesota & Ballon Rond
    Guest
    We have invested a lot of time, energy and resources over the past four years to establish a proper team-owned and governed professional second division soccer league and separate ourselves from the instability and annual team turnover of USL, the former second division. The USSF and the soccer community have realized that it’s time once and for all to launch a new second division with higher standards which finally ensure the stability, growth and prosperity of second division soccer in North America. We are prepared to respond to the USSF’s concerns and look forward to delivering on our commitments to our teams and fans to re-launch second division as the NASL in 2011
    --Aaron Davidson, CEO of the NASL



    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The NASL has confirmed that they have been denied sanctioning by the USSF. However, the league says that it will be working closely with the federation to ensure that they receive the go ahead for 2011 at the USSF AGM Feb 11-12.
    Neither FC Edmonton or the Montreal Impact have released a statement yet.
    We will continue to follow this over the weekend and beyond.
    Guest
    Brian Quarstad of Inside Minnesota Soccer <a href="http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2011/01/21/breaking-news-ussf-concerned-with-nasl-sanctioning-of-d2-pro-soccer-for-2011-season/">is reporting</a> that the USSF board <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/MinnesotaSoccer/status/28591139959349248">has denied</a> the NASL's request for Division II sanctioning. As the remaining USL teams have moved down to what's effectively third-division play with USLPro, this leaves the teams who were set to play at the Division II level in the NASL with some pretty limited options. The timing of this move narrowly missed hurting Vancouver, but it could still damage the Montreal Impact and FC Edmonton.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Here's what Jason Davis <a href="http://www.matchfitusa.com/2011/01/nasl-takes-sanctioning-blow.html">wrote</a> over at <i>Match Fit USA</i> on how this could affect Montreal:
    <blockquote>From an MLS perspective, most notable is the possible effect of the decision on Montreal in what was meant to be their final D2 year, and an opportunity to build momentum, before joining the top-flight next season. If the Impact don't have a league to play in (though they could be sanctioned by the CSA, which I presume would mean they could keep their players under contract [those willing to stay] and participate in the the Voyageur's Cup), how will that change their MLS Year 1 outlook? </blockquote>
    As Jason points out, the Impact do have one distinct advantage here as compared to an American team in a similar situation; they're not under the direct jurisdiction of the USSF, and thus could receive sanctioning from the CSA to play in the Voyageurs' Cup and probably a bunch of exhibition games (similar to what Edmonton did last year). That's hardly the best way to prepare for a move to MLS, though. As we saw with Vancouver last year, their final D2 season was much more than just a footnote; it was about bringing in new personnel, developing young talent, finding ways to bring it all together and generally building for the next level. We'll have to wait and see if that pays tangible results in MLS, but it certainly sounds more promising than having your final non-MLS year comprised of just exhibitions.
    Edmonton will also have their own issues, and what happens to them probably depends on how the NASL works out. If the decision is made to sanction the NASL as a third-division league, that might prompt the league to go to a more regional model along the lines of USL Pro to reduce travel costs. Edmonton's a clear outlier there, particularly if Montreal isn't involved. It's quite possible they could stay with the NASL at the new level, but having Edmonton makes much more sense at the D2 level than the D3 level. If Edmonton is in fact out, that might perhaps revitalize some of the discussions about a lower-level Canadian league.
    In any case, Whitecaps management and fans will certainly be happy that this happened after they'd already left. Keep in mind there was a very good chance of a similar situation occurring last season before the USSF forced the NASL and USL to work together for a year. That compromise allowed Vancouver to get a good season of competition in and build their team for the next level. We'll see if Montreal's able to find some way to do the same.
    Guest
    Author’s note: Within an hour of Mario Charpentier’s dismissal from the board of the Alberta Soccer Association, Chris Billings – the ASA president Charpentier deposed – spoke exclusively to Canadian Soccer News:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ---

    I want to know your thoughts, as this has happened today.
    Well, I think this is about what the membership wants, and it has been from the get-go. In January, 2009, the membership voted to change the leadership with my election, and the election of other individuals. Of course, at last January’s AGM, they [the Charpentier group] re-organized themselves and came back to take control of the organization. Thirty days later, of course, their intentions became known. And since then, the members have stood up and had their voices heard, and It’s been a very long process.
    This isn’t about me. They tried to make it about me as much as they possibly could. So I think the members have spoken loud and clear today, and the vote was over two-thirds to remove Mr. Charpentier, and a lot more than that for the other six individuals.
    The practical day-to-day questions that remain now: Who is the head of the Alberta Soccer Association? How does this board function? And who shows up to represent Alberta at the CSA SGM in two weeks?
    That’s going to be a question for the membership to determine. I honestly can’t tell you what will happen. I don’t know if they will want to include me in those discussions. That’s up to the membership, and I will leave it in their capable hands. I think over the course of the next week, there will be some correspondence from the CSA executive committee. It’s quite clear that four of their seven members have a tight grip on that committee – voting together as a block. Whether they have the best intentions of the whole board, they represent the whole board. It’s something the CSA as a whole will have to take a look at.
    I think, from the letter that Mr. Maestracci put out, it’s somewhat clear as to what position they’re going to take. Whether or not they’re going to try to go against the court of Alberta is quite another matter. Time is going to tell us.
    Would you ever want to be involved in this again, or has this been quite enough, thank you very much?
    It’s been a lot. There are people who have posted on your website: “Why didn’t Billings just resign in the first place?”
    I did nothing wrong. The allegations that I’m aware of – the misappropriation of funds – it’s completely ludicrous. They make these vague allegations that I harassed people and harassed office staff, and they won’t define those allegations. For my own integrity, I just simply could not accept being put on a railroad so many others have ridden before me. There are many individuals in Alberta who have been driven out of politics by Mario Charpentier, Mike Traficante, Fred Kern and Colin Innes. I said to myself that I’m simply going to stand up, and tell people that what’s being done is not right.
    Now after all this is said and done, it’s been extremely stressful on me and my family. I don’t know what the future holds for me. Dominique Maestracci and Victor Montagliani have me on an island, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be allowed into another CSA AGM while they’re in charge. Whether or not the people of Alberta want me to continue to govern is up to them. I don’t know what my future holds. But I haven’t walked away from them, and I’m not walking away from them yet.
    Guest

    CSA governance reform -- the details

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Nearly lost in all the Alberta fireworks today, the Canadian Soccer Association has quiety made full details of the various governance reform packages available.
    The links are embedded in an announcement of the upcoming Special General Meeting -- and good luck finding them on the CSA's clunky, inefficient website.
    The link is here.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Among the surprises?
    - There is a third reform model. We knew about the original one (no provincial presidents on the board) and the compromise one (as many as three provincial presidents on the board). This third one is essentially the compromise plan, with a start date of 2012 instead of 2011.
    - The vote, in two weeks -- on which plan to go ahead with -- is final. They're not waiting until the AGM in April to start steering the ship on its new course.
    Jason de Vos is working up a story on this at CBC.ca, and all of us at Canadian Soccer News will have plenty to say as the February deadline looms.
    For now, Onward!
    Guest
    The Vancouver Whitecaps trotted out Alain Rochat before the media today. The 6'0 170lbs defender who was actually born in Canada (Sainte Jean sur Richelieu, Quebec) sounded pretty up beat about the prospects of playing in the MLS for the 2011 season.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] He didn't seem to have too much knowledge of what he's facing for opposition in the coming season, but he has a C.V. that says he should be up for the task. Having faced the likes of Kaka and Christiano Ronaldo it looks like the Whitecaps may have found a diamond in the rough. He said that he knows its a tough, physical league where you have to play a full 90 minutes at a "high rhythm"
    Rochat is coming off a loan spell at FC Zurich in the top flight of Swiss Soccer. He had already signed with the Whitecaps in the summer of 2010 and had been loaned back to his previous club in Switzerland. While in Zurich he won domestic championships in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009. In 2009-2010 Zurich made it all the way to the group stages of the Champions League where "The City Club" faced stiff competition against European giants like AC Milan, Olympic Marsielle, and Real Madrid. He got a little nostalgic when he was asked about his experiences in the Champions League. His eyes light up when he was talking about facing Real at The Bernabeu, and Milan at San Siro. He said they may have taken advantage of an older AC Milan club that may not have taken their far smaller opposition too seriously, and in the end Zurich "profited" from it with a 1-0 victory. In his own words "we got no chances" against Real Madrid but that just seems like a little bit of modesty. While up front they may not have faired so well you can check out the Whitecaps highlight video of him against Madrid and he really seemed to hold his own against Los Blancos.
    <iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PZPi4WcSEF4" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>
    When asked about the injury he had been rehabbing at the beginning of the 2010-11 season, (it had been previously reported that he was having difficulties with his right knee) he assured the throng of microphones that he was in good form and it was actually a quadricep strain. He played limited minutes to start the season this year. If you look at Zurich's results at the beginning of the campaign, his re-emergance in the lineup seemed to coincide with the clubs improved results on the game sheet. As he put it "It was his first and his last injury until now" and every player gets hurt at some point in their career.
    While he does have international experience under his belt having played very briefly with the Swiss National team, he has no plans on trying to make the squad in the future. He had some good games with Zurich but never got the call to play for the SMNT so he has no expectations of getting another chance.
    Teitur Thordason confirmed that he will be looking to have Rochat play left back. This shouldn't come as a big surprise as the 'Caps are very deep in the middle of the defensive line with USMNT Centre Back Jay DeMerit and USSF D2 Defensive MVP Greg Janicki looking to clog up the centre of the pitch.
    Rochat likes to contribute on the offensive end of the pitch, he has great ball control, good vision and is a great passer. He should be a great fit for Teiturs system.
    What do you think? Are you excited about the new signing? Think it's no big deal? Are the Caps going to be nearly as stingy on D as they were last year?
    Guest

    Charpentier ousted

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    By a ringing vote of 219-99 with 18 abstentions, Mario Charpentier has been ousted from the board of directors of the Alberta Soccer Association.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Other key members of Charpentier's board -- which seized power from elected president Chris Billings last February -- have also been defeated.
    The Alberta membership capped the day by passing a reform barring district soccer association presidents from serving on the board of the ASA -- very similar to the sweeping reforms that will be considered by the Canadian Soccer Association at their own Special General Meeting in two weeks' time.
    I will be writing a special Onward! to put this all in perspective, and you can expect that tomorrow morning.
    I also nabbed a short interview with Billings, and that will be up in a few minutes.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Today, Rudi Schuller will be sitting in for Duane as we discuss Charpantier's ousting, take a hard look at this week's events, the CSA president's involvement and how it relates to the reform movement. Ben Knight has been following the story closely all morning so we will touch base with him.
    Then later, we'll be joined by Marc Weber of the Province to talk about the latest Vancouver Whitecaps signing and other moves that may be on the horizon for them.
    We'll also get into the latest news on Toronto FC trialists and how Twitter is killing some footballers careers.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/21602/jan21.2010final.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

    Alberta SGM under way

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Opening dispatches from the Alberta Soccer Association's court-ordered Special General Meeting, now under way at the Crown Edmonton Plaza Hotel:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    - The three districts currently facing suspension have been admitted.
    - A neutral chairman has been appointed
    - The doors are being opened to the public.
    - Deposed ASA president Chris Billings is not in attendance, but may show up -- as an observer only -- later in the day.
    Frequent Twitter updates: @ReformABSoccer, @OnwardSoccer.
    Onward!
    Guest
    So, it's a four nations tournament. Canada's up against the host team, a reputable contender in the women's game. Canada goes down to the hosts, but mounts a comeback in the second half. Then, late in the game, captain Christine Sinclair steps up and delivers a momentous goal to give Big Red the result they were looking for.
    Yep, 2011 has started much the same way 2010 ended, except this time, the tournament's host is China (rather than Brazil), and the result was a 3-2 victory in the opening match of the tourney over in Chongqing. Sinclair scored a brace, giving her 114 on her career, with Melissa Tancredi scoring Canada's first goal, to begin the comeback from a 2-0 halftime deficit.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Canada's unbeaten streak now stands at 11 games (dating back to, funnily enough, their 3-1 win over China last fall). In fact, the team's last loss was a thumping at the hands of Germany, in Germany. Canada also opens the World Cup against Germany, in Germany. Would be an interesting little subplot if the ladies ran their unbeaten streak all the way till June, don't you think? (Not to jinx it or anything.)
    And it could well be possible, since the previously-invincible Americans have lost for the second time in a few months, falling 2-1 to Sweden earlier today at the same Four Nations tournament.
    Big Red gets the U.S. at (I believe) 6:05 a.m. ET on Sunday. While there was a webstream available of Canada-China, that was likely due to the fact that the host side was involved. But if we get any info on a web feed of the game, we will pass the word along.
    Lastly, a heart kudos to Ingrid, Bobbo and anyone else who was awake at a preposterous hour to follow Canada v. China live. Following our national teams isn't the easiest thing in the world to do, but when it finally pays off in the biggest way, it sure will be sweet.
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