I think the Canadian National Team's success is tied to the US National team success. Do you also cheer for the US National Team to do well?

[SpursFlu]

As far as the US, I'm fully secure in Canadian soccer now so yah I'll be kinda cheering for them at times this World Cup. I'll be rooting hard for them against Iran and I hope they get out of their group

Edited April 4, 2022 by SpursFlu

[johnyb]

I've always cheered for Mexico and US in previous World Cups, but this time it feels different. They're our rivals now, legit. As much as we hate to admit it, we were never even close to them talent wise in the past and I just wanted CONCACAF to do good. Now I want Canada to raise the profile of CONCACAF and don't care much about them.

[SpursFlu]

1 hour ago, Cheeta said:

Indifferent.  Wouldn't say I cheer for or against the USMNT.  Will watch to scout them or their opponents, maybe to spy on a player I like (and wish well for) but that's no different than any other national team on Terra Firma not called Canada.

I'm still 52-48 with regards to the overall positive benefit of MLS to Canada.  But that's up 25 points over the last few years!  

On field successes in the MLS cities will matter more for the popularity of the sport in Canada than that leagues overall quality I think.  Can't seperate the two exactly but yeah, local success is most important.

MLS will never be a "Top Five" league.  Don't mean for that to sound harsh, it's a great league and is improving year after year.  But it's not going to happen.  It's impossible for footie to reach that sort of cultural awareness in the USA, (amongst others).

 

 

 

Argentina will never be good until they're a top 5 league

[football_world]

5 minutes ago, SpursFlu said:

Argentina will never be good until they're a top 5 league

There is one key difference though between Brazil and Argentina, and Canada.  Soccer (or should I say, futbol), is a main part of the culture in Argentina and Brazil.  In Canada, it’s not.  Hockey is our culture.

The bottom line is, we probably won’t win a World Cup until soccer becomes a main part of our culture, like it has in other countries that have won the World Cup.  

And I can’t see soccer becoming a main part of Canadian culture unless MLS becomes a top 5 league in the world.  We’ve seen what Canadian soccer looks after the NASL folded up to the introduction of TFC, CF Montreal, and the Whitecaps - Canadian soccer was just depressing in the years between the folding of the NASL to the introduction of the Canadian MLS teams.

[gator]

18 minutes ago, Califax said:

To me, this is actually a perfect example about Canada and US interactions. 

Toronto did as well coming in as anyone could hope, but over time we exaggerated our role in the league's success. I think people like to be told nice things about themselves (especially when we had nothing else nice happening on the field when he said it.)

 

Paul's tweet was "U-Sector saved MLS" and it was about 4 years ago when TFC were doing quite well on the field, I had a good discussion with him about that when he showed up at one of our early Barton Street Battalion meetings so he wasn't blowing his own horn, to him it was the supporter's culture that became a thing at TFC and spread throughout the troubled league! We can have our opinions about it but Paul had a bit more inside knowledge than most of us!

[Kent]

I used to have this mindset. It has mostly changed though. I switched from being an MLS cheerleader to being a CPL cheerleader (but I do still watch TFC religiously and go to some games). And I am not a USA cheerleader, but I think I am still a CONCACAF cheerleader. Sure, I think I want USA to get out of the group in the World Cup (but will probably still have some of that insecure satisfaction that has been mentioned if they don't advance and we do), to help the perception of CONCACAF teams. Same with Mexico and Costa Rica. But I also want those same teams to crash out of Nations League and the Gold Cup. Costa Rica in the last 8 years have carved out a position as a good team. If other teams like Jamaica, Curacao, Suriname, and... sigh, I suppose Panama and Honduras too, can become bigger deals, then that can make the Gold Cup and Nations League more exciting (and CONCACAF Champions League perhaps as well). That would be great for the region.

I do think it's possible for MLS to become a top 5 league some day (still a long way off though), but I don't think it is strictly necessary. Yes, we have reaped some rewards from MLS, but now that we have the CPL and League1 Canada beneath it, as long as that system thrives our national team could really take off. Belgium, Netherlands, Argentina, and Brazil don't need top 5 leagues (or let's be real, we have less than a tenth of MLS) in order to produce and export players and have good national teams. It is unlikely that CPL will become a bigger deal than MLS, but it is very possible that CPL one day is producing more national team players than MLS (like if it's 12 CPL teams giving out LOTS of domestic minutes each vs 3 MLS teams sparsely giving out minutes). Even if MLS becomes a top 5 league. Will that necessarily be good for the national teams? Or will that just mean the teams get more and more established foreign players and therefor there are less opportunities for Canadians?

So yeah, I will probably cheer for the USA in the World Cup, but I will cheer against them in the Gold Cup and Nations League, and I'll continue to cheer against American MLS teams in the CCL too. I want a Canadian team to win CCL before any other non-Mexican team.

[aslemko]

Not a chance in Heck I would ever cheer for a nation that has tried to screw Canada at every turn for the last 30 years. They are just a cut above Russia. 

[dyslexic nam]

So I am supposed to cheer for the US, and feel happy for Flores in choosing Mexico?  WTF is going on around here.   

[narduch]

4 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

So I am supposed to cheer for the US, and feel happy for Flores in choosing Mexico?  WTF is going on around here.   

Nope

[gator]

30 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

So I am supposed to cheer for the US, and feel happy for Flores in choosing Mexico?  WTF is going on around here.   

A generation of participation medals will do that!😀

[mrstepp817]

I cheer for the US but I'm also an American....I started following Canada's soccer program back in 2012 when I moved to Canada, mainly enjoyed Canada games and fans because they've been the plucky underdog and its been enjoyable to see the rise.

 

I'm still going to cheer for the US for obvious reason but I married a Canadian girl, I spend about 75% of the year in Canada, I've been to more Canada games than US games over the past 5 years and I generally enjoy my interactions with Canadian fans more than US fans lol 

In the World Cup I'll always cheer for the CONCACAF teams (even Mexico) I want our confederation to do well always

[Bison44]

43 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

So I am supposed to cheer for the US, and feel happy for Flores in choosing Mexico?  WTF is going on around here.   

I guess our crusty generation are just out of touch.  F#CK the other guys, and I dont feel bad about saying it at all.  I hope Pusilic scores an own goal which puts the USA out of the WC and I hope Flores Dad gets carpel tunnel syndrome from tweeting so much.  And OH can get a nasty case of crotch rot...am I missing anyone else??  Grumble grumble, young fellers riling me up...need to take some of grampas special elixir to calm down...a little kentucky cough syrup.  

[Ansem]

2 hours ago, Califax said:

If it wasn't for MLS, we would not be as good as we are on the international stage. 

I think that all the other leagues playing Canadians deserves as much credit. I mean, how many times did I see Besiktas start more Canadians than TFC on any given weeks? They helped, absolutely - but so did Besiktas, Bayern, Gent, LiIle, Pacos de Ferreira and other leagues playing our to guys. Shoutout to Moreirense, Valerenga/Hatayspor and Jahn Resenberg.

 

2 hours ago, Califax said:

If it wasn't for MLS, we wouldn't have been pressed to start our own league. 

I'd like to give way more credit to the 3 Canadian clubs than the league (roster equality...when?) who quite frankly and objectively was way more "self-interested" in this venture. It's the owners who paid those expansion fees (wasn't gifted), took all the risks and the losses. As much as I can be critical on the overall level of opportunities privided to Canadians (overall since 2007), I can wholeheartedly agree that they demonstrated that pro soccer could work in Canada. 

Also, Montagliani deserves TONS of credit for pushing forward with this idea. 

2 hours ago, Califax said:

So, maybe our success isn't tied to theirs going forward, but we've certainly reaped benefits from their money and their structure. 

You mean from the 3 owners money, mostly public-owned infrastructure and investment?

[IT20062021]

10 minutes ago, mrstepp817 said:

 

In the World Cup I'll always cheer for the CONCACAF teams (even Mexico) I want our confederation to do well always

Same here. For me it’s like cheering for Canadian or even any MLS teams in Concacaf CL, or Canadian teams in NHL playoffs. International stage is always stronger then local rivalries.

[Ansem]

2 hours ago, football_world said:

Absolutely agree. Even the CPL started because of the success of the MLS and the resurgence of soccer in the US and Canada. And when I say the resurgence of soccer in the US and Canada, it’s more like the resurgence of soccer in the US, led to a resurgence of soccer in Canada.

Montagliani had the ambition of hosting a World Cup in 2026 - a national league was a key condition and motivator. Blatter said 3 clubs in MLS wouldn't cut it. Like Gator previously said, where would MLS be without TFC joining in 2007?

[The Beaver 2.0]

I will cheer for all the CONCACAF teams at the World Cup, yes. And I want to play them in the knock-out rounds and thump the living poop outa them.  

I want the CONCACAF nations to show the rest of the world that we can play.  

But all I really want is an excellent overall performance from out lads, maybe get out of the group and play Germany in the R16.

[ECW]

No way. I’ll be cheering for Iran over the US in that match. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by ECW

[gigi riva]

I will never cheer for the Americans , I think they are the most arrogant nation in Soccer , they seem to get all the breaks, every Gold Cup is set up for them to have a easy run. Mexico are no angels either but they are the lesser evil I believe. I still remember when Canada Played the U.S at BMO in June of 2012 which ended up a 0-0 draw . I had the pleasure of meeting some of the US Outlaws  and I thought they were a bunch of A-Holes, and there Slogan  "Dont Tread on Me"  kind of rubbed me off the wrong way 

[Free kick]

4 hours ago, Ansem said:

Montagliani had the ambition of hosting a World Cup in 2026 - a national league was a key condition and motivator. 

Indeed.   You cant get the WC unless you have some sort of domestic league.  The US got the WC in 1994 but they made the exception at the time by agreeing to the condition that it would be created soon after.  Which it did, in 1996 MLS was launched.    

That said,  I am fine with calling MLS a domestic league.  Its the clubs that count and how will funded they are that counts for me, and we have three of those.   Can you produce environment that competitive and grows the game by attracting new fans?  MLS has done done that and provided good paying opportunities for some Canadians.  As for whether there is club in this city or that city is really secondary to me.  And neither does where the head office is located.   

Edited April 5, 2022 by Free kick

[TOcanadafan]

I would really like to bond with the US in despising Mexico and the other Latin Concacaf nations for all the ways they make the beautiful game ugly… but then snots like Brendan Aaronson (who’s game I actually like) show their sucky ‘personality’ in interviews after being frustrated by us.  Or ‘Captain America’ pouty Pulisic flopping around the pitch when the going gets tough.  Or McKennie’s endless selfish acts.  Tyler Adams seems kinda cool though.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

The US are our geographical rival.

As a rival I cannot like them.

But I hate them because of how arrogant they are, how rude their fans are to their players and how MLS and Garber shit on Canadian players while pretending their are doing us a huge favour.

I also hate the geopolitical hypocrisy of their slogan "One Nation , One Team".

I've never heard of the U.S. Virgin Islands referred to as a "Nation" and I've never heard of the USA sans Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virginia Islands etc..referred to a "Nation" either.

They can go f**k themselves.

 

[Cheeta]

1 hour ago, TOcanadafan said:

I would really like to bond with the US in despising Mexico and the other Latin Concacaf nations for all the ways they make the beautiful game ugly… but then snots like Brendan Aaronson (who’s game I actually like) show their sucky ‘personality’ in interviews after being frustrated by us.  Or ‘Captain America’ pouty Pulisic flopping around the pitch when the going gets tough.  Or McKennie’s endless selfish acts.  Tyler Adams seems kinda cool though.

Like Adams.  Like McKennie too.  Cut him some slack, he's young. 

Aaronson I'm open on, see the McKennie disclaimer above.  Still think he's a twat though.  Has that soccer brat vibe about him doesn't he?  He might outgrow that once his other testicle drops.  We'll see. 

[Cheeta]

52 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

The US are our geographical rival.

As a rival I cannot like them.

But I hate them because of how arrogant they are, how rude their fans are to their players and how MLS and Garber shit on Canadian players while pretending their are doing us a huge favour.

I also hate the geopolitical hypocrisy of their slogan "One Nation , One Team".

I've never heard of the U.S. Virgin Islands referred to as a "Nation" and I've never heard of the USA sans Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virginia Islands etc..referred to a "Nation" either.

They can go f**k themselves.

 

I noticed you didn't mention the 10s of millions of American's born of Mexican heritage being constantly told that they aren't American.  You know, the ones who end up going to USA matches to cheer for Dad's homeland.  As part of a family event.

Have to say that was rather generous of you.  Good job.    

[gigi riva]

I would love for us to play the Yanks once a year . how we can do this  not sure but hopefully both fedrations along with MLS and CPL can work something out

[trueviking]

The US is just so big and so wealthy that they can win at anything they even have a passing interest in. Soccer is kind of an example. It’s basically a fringe sport but they can still be a top ten country without much effort. It’s hard for me to cheer for any country that has such an overwhelming advantage over everyone else at all times. 
 

I generally have two favourite teams in all international sports. Canada and whoever is playing the Americans. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by trueviking