The Lead
Amid all the sexy transfer news, latest European ephemera and meaningless preseason friendlies, tucked away in the Canadian papers amid all the talk of whether Toronto FC will beat the deadline and sign this world class central defender that is apparently the lodestone to MLS Cups for the next five seasons, is this little story highlighted today in the Toronto Sun:
TORONTO – A host of U.S.-based MLS clubs are passing on current Canadian internationals due to an imbalance in league roster rules, according to officials at the Canadian Soccer Association.
The Toronto Sun has learned that despite growing interest in European-based Canadians since the 2009 Gold Cup, clubs located south of the border have had to pass on at least three Canadian national team players, two of which took part in the most recent round of World Cup qualifying, due to the international status bestowed upon Canadians playing in the U.S.
Canadian soccer insiders (so, everyone in Canadian soccer essentially) have known of this damaging flaw in MLS for years. Despite three Canadian teams playing in infrastructure purchased in part by all three levels of the Canadian government for the good of the sport in this country, Canadian players are treated exactly the same way as players from the opposite side of the planet. Should Canada ever produce more than three first teams worth of talent (in theory, down the road, of current long term player development strategies are effectively put in place in all the provincial associations), we’re SOL in the rest of the league.
That means that despite all the smiley-faced hope that Major League Soccer could provide Canada a domestic league “by other means,” the roster rule presents the unmoveable bedrock for MLS as a development model in the Canadian game. Is there a possibility the rule might be changed? Some believe US immigration policy says no. From the same article:
Information obtained from two separate MLS clubs pointed to U.S. immigration policy as being the defining issue in terms of roster regulations.
Although Canadian immigration rules are more relaxed on the matter, American employers aren’t allowed to give preferential treatment to the citizens of any one nation — which could be partly to blame for the roster rules.
And anyone intimate with US immigration policy will know that any changes involving a relaxation rather than tightening of the existing rules will involve moving a boulder uphill. It’s a political no-go, and so even Don Garber (or Sunil Gulati for that matter) will have precious little leverage in satisfying Canadian (‘foreign’) interests.
Full disclosure: I am currently assisting on the final phase of a study commissioned by the Canadian Soccer Association to look at the viability of ‘third option,’ as it were: a domestic league model in Canada. While I can’t release details on the final report, fans of Canadian soccer and those wanting improvements to the current development model should understand that while MLS isn’t going anywhere, it cannot be of itself the answer to the problem of providing an opportunity for domestic players to play the game here at home, rather than pine for a chance in Europe or in the US with an MLS team based here or in the US.
To put it crudely, if we’re serious about being a player in the international stage at some point, we need to shit or get off the pot, albeit in a way that’s sustainable and geared toward the purpose of developing promising young players. MLS isn’t going to do that difficult work for us.
Canada
BREAKING: Junior Hoilett officially signs for QPR.
While you’ve got these meta issues in mind, read this excellent take on Canada’s search for a technical director.
The latest is Toronto FC have signed goalkeeper Freddy Hall from some Bermuda team.
Some more impressive YouTubage from the Montreal Impact.
England
Fabio Capello sticks the knife in the FA once again, complaining they were in breach of contract over John Terry. The bridge, the bridge, the bridge is on fire.
Arsenal could beat Spurs to the signature of Real Madrid’s Nuri Sahin.
West Ham lodge 18 million pound bid for Andy Carroll.
Emmanuel Adebayor wants Manchester City to pay him 5 million pounds. JUST BECAUSE.
Italy
Inter omit out-of-favour keeper Julio Cesar has been omitted from the Europa League squad because he is now persona non grata.
Milan is keen to get Kaka but Mourinho isn’t happy with how long it’s taking.
Names released in Calcioscommesse investigation.
Juventus no longer want Robin van Persie. It was a passing fancy.
Germany
The latest in Bundesliga transfers.
Spain
Uncertainty continues to surround Malaga.
Bits and bobs
Manchester City future news.
Raith Rovers, Kings of Europe (in 1922).
And that, give or take, is the story so far…
While I certainly wouldn’t call myself an expert, I would suggest that we should form a youth league similar to the CHL (i.e. three regional divisions playing within themselves to keep travel costs down, culminating in an end of year tournament between the 3 champions and the host team), though whether it should be under 23 or under 20, or somewhere in between, I’m not entirely sure.
Whether there’s a market for such a thing is less certain, obviously, and it would really just provide a stepping stone from current youth levels to bigger leagues. Ultimately though we need to be able to find owners, and they’re not going to buy into a league that loses them money all the time. A youth league means much lower salaries alongside cheaper tickets (which means more fan attendance), and thus might intrigue owners. Maybe.
I agree completely. Well put
I think you are on the right track and that the youth club system should be leveraged to support pro football. Clubs could/should be consoldated in larger ones that feed into a semi-pro 1st team. No age restrictions, we want the best kids (if they are able) to move as high up a structure like that as possible. If you can be playing against men when you are 17 great, it can only help you. You can use Canada’s advatantage of having very high participation rates in the game to fund the higher levels of the sport.
As you mentioned they could be organized into wider leagues (Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, BC, etc). Winners of those leagues plays in a Memorial Cup style tournament.
I’m just wondering out loud if the fact that the MLS Roster rules are collectively bargained would in any way exempt it from US Immigration/Labour Laws? Or, does that exemption only apply to anti-trust law in the US?
Or, does the fact that MLS has created an international roster allocation in the first place screw the whole thing over?
Good questions all. It’s interesting because there’s no similar precedent with a US domestic league with such a heavy reliance on international players.
It has to be the international roster allocation that is the problem. Without that teams would be able to sign anybody (as with baseball) but the allocation means that individuals from each country (outside of the US) have to be treated equally.
WE HAVE SEEN THE LOVELY EXAMPLE OF HOW KAKA WILL BE RECYCLED OUT OF MADRID THIS SEASON FOR A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. SHOULD’VE MOVED TO CHELSEA WHEN HE HAD THE CHANCE.
If an immigration law thing rather than a league thing, why do we not see the same problem with Canadian hockey players in the NHL?
Because the NHL doesn’t have any rules differentiating players based on ethnicity. They are all treated equally.
So it is because MLS treats players differently based on ethnicity, not fundamentally an immigration law issue. The league could potentially change its policy.
True all around…the big difference with the NHL (or NBA or MLB or NFL for that matter) is that the league has a strong enough domestic development system that it doesn’t need to restrict the level of foreign participation. Soccer is a very different animal, since North America is not “the best” at it.
Thanks, I’m getting it. But Americans are not the best at hockey tho. I will do some reading up to understand better befor I ask you guys to educate me — but I appreciate the feedback/info. cheers