CANCELLED WC Prep Match #1: Canada vs Panama- Sunday, June 5 4pm PT / 7pm ET, BC Place, Vancouver

[JohnnyFranchise]

3 minutes ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

The only scenario in which it would be true to say the CSA cannot afford to pay the players what they are asking for is if the players are demanding greater than 100% of revenues. After all, none of these new revenues were even a reality until March. (Oh, one other candidate possibility : the CSA has already spent the new--and future--revenues)

Well, if the players are asking for 100% they can't afford it because they have too many other programs to fund. But the players are saying they asked for 40%, and bontis just said they offered 60% (30% for each of mens and womens), I just want to know where the truth lies because it's all he said / she said right now.

[prairiecanuck]

The players seem to be wanting revenues that could and would be there if they hadn't signed a shitty deal in 2018.  Well it looks shitty now, but in 2018 no one thought they would qualify for 2022 and the deals signed in 2018 ensured the viability of the program.  When contracts expire they can work towards better deals with the new reality the program is under. 

[SF]

That was really disappointing. An awful tone, very inconsistent. Maybe the association is correct in its stance, but this press conference made it VERY easy to understand why the relationship with the players is difficult.

Really hard to watch and come away feeling good about the leadership of the CSA.

[pod818]

I don't see how any negotiations can occur between CSA and players with Bontis leading..the relationship has broken down. I think he either has to resign or this will continue to degenerate

[footballfreak]

The question I keep coming back to is this:

How was this not negotiated before the START of World Cup qualifying?

[canuckgbp]

Need a shower after watching that. 
 

[king1010]

2 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

The question I keep coming back to is this:

How was this not negotiated before the START of World Cup qualifying?

Nobody thought we would qualify?

[The Beaver 2.0]

Unless FIFA is 100% with the CSA on this, then I think Bontis and his crew have some real pain coming. Players are playing a smarter PR game. The old guard is speaking up for the players and painting a negative picture of the CSA. Media will tell the story they find, and it sounds to me Bontis just botched the presser.

[The Beaver 2.0]

3 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

The question I keep coming back to is this:

How was this not negotiated before the START of World Cup qualifying?

Or at least by April/May of this year

[JohnnyFranchise]

3 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

The question I keep coming back to is this:

How was this not negotiated before the START of World Cup qualifying?

And that's a point that Hume made a few hours ago, the players always signed their bonus deals BEFORE qualifying started

[footballfreak]

Off topic, but if anyone wants to wash that press conference out of their memories, there are two close nations league games on youtube.

Antigua & Barbuda leading Guadeloupe 1-0 late. French Guiana leading Dominican Republic 3-2.

[Soro17]

1 minute ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Unless FIFA is 100% with the CSA on this, then I think Bontis and his crew have some real pain coming. Players are playing a smarter PR game. The old guard is speaking up for the players and painting a negative picture of the CSA. Media will tell the story they find, and it sounds to me Bontis just botched the presser.

I am actually sympathetic to the CSA’s position, but they seem too dumb to know that they have no goodwill to draw upon with the media and public. Add in the fact that they clearly were unprepared for the player’s position and that Bontis and crew are terrible communicators. Ah, what a mess. 
 

Both sides need to give their heads a shake. 

[JohnnyFranchise]

1 minute ago, Soro17 said:

I am actually sympathetic to the CSA’s position, but they seem too dumb to know that they have no goodwill to draw upon with the media and public. Add in the fact that they clearly were unprepared for the player’s position and that Bontis and crew are terrible communicators. Ah, what a mess. 
 

Both sides need to give their heads a shake. 

This, 100%

[prairiecanuck]

The players are taking the we qualified, now pay us stance.  Not a great look.  Ok, let's pay you but cancel the youth programs, let's prevent that money from flowing into to grass roots.   I'm sorry, you play for the country.  Your club football pays for your living.  I'm not suggesting there isn't incompetence on the CSA's side on a number of issues.  This shouldn't be a sphynx riddle.  The CSA is a not for profit with financial statements that are public record. 

 

[EJsens1]

I’m glad the players took the stand they did. At the end of the day, it is about the money, but there’s a lot more the players want to expose about the CSA. Good. It’s about time and they have the leverage right now.

As to the panic or worry about reaching a deal, I’ve seen this shit a million times with the NHL, NBA, MLB and NFL. Everyone pointing fingers, there’s “no money”, dumbass statements like this is the hill we’ll die on, the list goes on and on in negotiations. This is a bit of a different animal, but they’ll reach an arrangement. I’m just glad to see the CSA take a lot of deserved shit.

[BearcatSA]

5 minutes ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Unless FIFA is 100% with the CSA on this, then I think Bontis and his crew have some real pain coming. Players are playing a smarter PR game. The old guard is speaking up for the players and painting a negative picture of the CSA. Media will tell the story they find, and it sounds to me Bontis just botched the presser.

Didn't purvey calm leadership.  More like a ...

...loose cannon

[DeWalli]

I'm sorry guys, where are you watching this press conference? Could someone provide a link please. 

Sooooo disappointed.

Cheers

[The Beaver 2.0]

Bontis should have struck a conciliatory tone--to get the fans on side--and apologized for the cancellation, and then said that the CSA is working hard with the players to strike an equitable agreement that recognizes their dedication, hard work etc. in getting Canada to the WC, and that the primary focus is getting this solved quickly so the staff and players can get back to preparing for Qatar AND so the CSA can continue to do the work of building on all the momentum we have for soccer in this country etc.

[reggietfc]

players have the support of public right now,,,but if they miss thurs and sunday that will change

[The Beaver 2.0]

6 minutes ago, Soro17 said:

I am actually sympathetic to the CSA’s position, but they seem too dumb to know that they have no goodwill to draw upon with the media and public. Add in the fact that they clearly were unprepared for the player’s position and that Bontis and crew are terrible communicators. Ah, what a mess. 
 

Both sides need to give their heads a shake. 

Sure, but we don't have enough information to determine where our sympathies, reasonably, should rest. This was the CSA's best chance, and they pulled an Amber Turd

[prairiecanuck]

4 minutes ago, reggietfc said:

players have the support of public right now,,,but if they miss thurs and sunday that will change

The lost my support already.  Get rid of the entire CSA board, but right now I'm annoyed at both sides.  

[Gian-Luca]

1 minute ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Sure, but we don't have enough information to determine where our sympathies, reasonably, should rest. This was the CSA's best chance, and they pulled an Amber Turd

True, Bontis came across as too emotional, but I felt like I had clarity & understood why the CSA's position's is what it is from his answers, including that the % offered was benchmarked against other nations (something that is notably absent from the player's demands of whether they even know what the benchmark is or not). Cochrane conversely came across as more mild-mannered but often didn't seem to properly answer what was asked of him.

Still, I think I understand the CSA's position better than I understand the players, which is worse because theirs is a prepared written statement. But since we don't know what was in the original proposal, we are still somewhat in the dark.

[canuckgbp]

[JohnnyFranchise]

1 minute ago, prairiecanuck said:

The lost my support already.  Get rid of the entire CSA board, but right now I'm annoyed at both sides.  

100%.

If the players had cancelled the game a few days ago I'd be fully behind them. But waiting until 2 hours before kickoff, when fans are already on ferries and driving down from the interior, is a d*ck move imo.

[ag futbol]

15 minutes ago, prairiecanuck said:

The players are taking the we qualified, now pay us stance.  Not a great look.  Ok, let's pay you but cancel the youth programs, let's prevent that money from flowing into to grass roots.   I'm sorry, you play for the country.  Your club football pays for your living.  I'm not suggesting there isn't incompetence on the CSA's side on a number of issues.  This shouldn't be a sphynx riddle.  The CSA is a not for profit with financial statements that are public record. 

 

if your understanding starts and stops at verbatim accepting the explanation World Cup qualifying money funds the grass roots you are out to lunch.