As we get ready for the CanPL’s last trialist camp at Victoria's Westhills Stadium on 5 and 6 November, there's a possibility that at the end of the league's cross-country canvass for capable players, a couple of Americans may end up wearing Canadian club kits in six months.
I don't know about you, but I'm not too keen on the idea.
But, that said, I have been preparing myself for that eventuality. But I thought the moment that American – and Mexican – players would begin to play in the CanPL would’ve been some time in a far-off future, not next April.
As it is, two American players – alleged standouts in the United States’ university system – have emerged as serious prospects for employment in Canada’s new domestic league.
It's not that I'm anti-American or Mexican players per se, it's just that the CanPL is for the development of our own players. If I want to watch Americans and Mexicans play, I’ll make my way to BC Place Stadium to view the American first division in action. For now, we need to be selfish and instill a can-do type of confidence among our players and supporters before allowing them to potentially star in our league.
Think about it. If American - and Mexican - players were to run free upon CanPL pitches in the early days of the league while the standard of play is sure to be lower than that of MLS and Liga MX, and one or two of them each season are repatriated to either top flight, what then, would a casual fan make of that?
To be sure, some will be left with the perception that the CanPL is a stepping stone league - primarily to MLS and Liga MX. And with that, a belief that the CanPL is destined to be a second, if not third tier circuit will take hold. At that point, a good number of them will make their way back to MLS to watch what they'll likely believe to be Canadians comparable in ability and status to Americans, Mexicans and other internationals and miss the entire point of the CanPL.
So, why would a couple of highly rated American university players make their way to Canada to audition for spots in a league that hasn’t even played a match yet. Adventure? An opportunity to shine in a player pool they may perceive to be inferior and parlay their stardom into a transfer to MLS or even USL?
Again, if it's about distinguishing themselves in the midst of a mostly Canadian player pool intending to transfer to an American first or second division club, then this is precisely what the league must avoid in its first few years of play.
Look, don’t mistake this post as a xenophobic rant against American and Mexican players. However, understand that I have qualms about them taking up spots on CanPL rosters. For years they’ve been developing their own players, through their own leagues, for use on their national teams.
In my opinion, the American first division sold us a dream, through clever marketing, that MLS would privilege the development of our boys in a spirit similar to that of its original America-first player agenda. But the harsh reality is that few opportunities exist for our players in both MLS and Liga MX.
It's time for Canadian soccer to take care of itself.
But here's the deal: I support the CanPL bringing in players from elsewhere in the football world, especially players raised and trained in CONCACAF, excluding those from Mexico and the United States.
In my perfect CanPL, I'd have clubs target gritty, nasty yet technically sound players from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and, Panama. Ideally, the presence of Central American players in the CanPL would not only help us produce our own rough and tumble yet fundamentally adept players, but also prepare our clubs and international sides for play in the region.
If we're to avoid further heartbreak and humiliation in football cauldrons like El Salvador’s Estadio Cuscatlan, and Honduras’ Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano, we must at a minimum, know how to compete with them on their terms. We cannot rely on intermittent CONCACAF Champions League, and Nations League play to give us regular exposure to their style of football if we're to succeed in the region.
But there's even more upside to embracing Central America's football ethos. Not only will Central American football aggression, passion and wide-open style of play attract fans, it will also command the attention of our elite athletes as well. As we know, many of our best are playing ice hockey, and when Canadian football comes to be associated with the same ruggedness and status, then logically, a transition from the ice to grass should follow.
We're a nation of 32 million souls, and for the time being, we'll always have to work harder than Mexico and the United States in soccer. But it can be done. There are models to follow and by taking from them what works for our context is what will help us create a Canadian football identity that we can be proud of.
In the end, creating a CanPL with an identity and culture distinct from that of MLS and Liga MX - and durable to repel their desire to create a single North American super league - will, at times, seem challenging. But we must be patient and have courage if we are to be contenders.
Being patient will require us to support our league, clubs, administrators, players, and game day officials when the standard of play is lower than that of MLS and Liga MX in the first few years. Having courage requires the league, its clubs, and supporters, to say Nada to America and No to Mexico - their players and their football financiers if they attempt to buy into our set-up.
Having courage will also involve being open to learning from our older, more experienced CONCACAF competitors and inviting their players into our league to help create similar player who are better prepared for direct club and international play in the region.
This is our chance to do things right. And going our own way should involve following our own roadmap that bypasses the United States and Mexico and takes us deep into CONCACAF to places like El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama. They're small in geography and population, but they've proven themselves to be formidable and resilient footballing opponents with much to teach us.
In time, we'll find our way. But for now, we must be prepared to make decisions that will invariably irritate our North American neighbours. I'm convinced that American and Mexican plans to dominate continental club soccer aren't in the best interests of Canadian soccer. If we truly desire an independent and vibrant football culture here in Canada, then we must be willing to say Nada to America and No to Mexico and instead, look to cooperate and learn from others in CONCACAF.
Till next time,
Keep calm and support your CanPL and CanMNT