The Canadian Classique (Montreal vs Toronto)

[ahmedou]

What do you think of the Canadian Classique? What's your best memories? Etc...

The Canadian Classique was for me the biggest derby in MLS. The best teams in Canada. The best Canadian players and international players. Huge rivalry. Entertaining games. Great Canadian Cup finals.

If I compare this in the past and in the present it's incomparable. It's sad that it's not the same level than before. The hype isn't the same. 

[phil03]

I think it actually predate both clubs being in MLS and started with the very first edition of the Canadian Championship, when the Impact became the, to this date, only non-MLS victor of a competition that was expected to be TFC's warm-up before the CONCACAF Champions League. 

I'll actually go to the bat and say the final game when MTL got the result they needed was the most important non-international game in Canadian Soccer, as it did a number of very consequential things:

I. It brought legitimacy to a competition that, like I said, could have been easily seen as a rubber stamp for TFC playing in Concacaf during its firsts, crucial years.

II. It and the run in Concacaf that followed is what allowed the Impact to break into the mainstream and made it strong enough to barge its way into a hesitant MLS before the door on more Canadian applicants was closed.

III. By making upsetting TFC such a key part of the Impact's history (and helping it find its way into MLS) and by giving TFC the memory of a black eye this early in its own history it set the stage for the rivalry that would dominate Canadian men's soccer and, despite the Whitecaps run of good form, still kinda do off the pitch and in people's mind.

As for right now, yeah the Classique isn't what it used to be due to both clubs having their issues. For MTL its Saputo still pouting about people not seeing the genius of his rebranding of the club, and prioritizing Bologna as a result, as well as creating PR messes and the club being straight-jacketed by a stadium too small. For TFC its them continuously building disfunctional squads in an attempt at buying a championship in a league built to not allow it and their incapacity to capitalize on solid players from their academy...

The good news is that these issues appear to be reasonably fixable. The mayor who played hard ball on stadium expansion in MTL will get slaughtered next election and Saputo is showing signs that he at least understands how he has antagonized people and that he is the one responsible for it, and as they say self-awareness if the first and most important step... For TFC the Italians' contracts have seemingly burned them badly enough that there is hope they'll take an approach more adapted to MLS in building their squad after they are gone and there is enough alumni of their academies they have missed out that have done well elsewhere recently that they'll likely try to not miss out as much going forward... 

[costarg]

I'm surely the outlier here, but I hated the hate involved in the Canadian Classique those high intensity years.  I'd look forward to the games to see two of my teams faceoff, compare Canadian talent, etc... but the ignorant rage filled fans just turned me off.  I'm the guy walking past out of city supporters at a game wishing them luck and giving low 5's. 

I'll take these low key Classiques over the nastiness of those years any time. 

I get the passion that goes with sport, I just understand and prefer the supporting side more than the hate side of it.

[phil03]

21 minutes ago, costarg said:

I'm surely the outlier here, but I hated the hate involved in the Canadian Classique those high intensity years.  I'd look forward to the games to see two of my teams faceoff, compare Canadian talent, etc... but the ignorant rage filled fans just turned me off.  I'm the guy walking past out of city supporters at a game wishing them luck and giving low 5's. 

I'll take these low key Classiques over the nastiness of those years any time. 

I get the passion that goes with sport, I just understand and prefer the supporting side more than the hate side of it.

Honestly, as an Impact fan, I have never hated TFC. We are allies in helping Canadian Soccer get better and we now need to have each other's backs if we ever need to fight off a misguided attempt at conscripting us into the CPL, as well as coordinate our messages as to why this would be a horrible idea when someone brings the subject up.

I am, however, really passionate about beating them