Checking in with All Things CanPL
Look, as a journalist I fall a bit short on all the things required of unbiased reporting. I have a host of orange jerseys in my closet. A coffee mug adorned wit Bobby’s visage. A veritable museum of Forge curios resides in my basement. However, I can admit that my love of the game in Canada just slightly surpasses that which I have for the Hammers.
Whether it is adorning my Voyageurs garb to follow the national teams; peeking in on the new NSL to see which new stars are shining; following a team in some far-flung league to keep tabs on Canadian talent – I am happy seeing the beautiful game through maple-tinted glasses.
My greatest love though remains for the league that brought tier one, professional men’s soccer to my hometown. The Canadian Premier League (CanPL).
So at just over the halfway point of the season, I am here to sing its virtues to all who will listen. (Editor’s note, I’ve been sitting on this story for a bit). I’ll also try to lovingly address any perceived flaws, like a friend kindly pointing out spinach in a pal’s teeth. Because I care like that.
What’s Good in the ‘Hood?
We are in year eight. Eight! So, there’s that.
Now obviously I wish all the OGs were here to witness eight seasons of success, so I’ll tip a little craft beer out for the Eddies and Valour – Edmonton and Winnipeg’s CanPL sides – who are (currently) no longer with us. I’ll also tip my cap to the names York9 and York United, which had fans who felt like those iterations better represented them. (I’ll always miss York9 because singing about how nobody likes East Gwillimbury brought people together in a way hating Toronto never can).
But, in the words of the Right Honourable Prophet of Reggae:
“Good friends we have, oh, good friends we’ve lost
Along the way, yeah
In this great future, you can’t forget your past
So dry your tears, I say, yeah”
– Bob Marley, No Yorky, No Cry
I choose to look ahead though. Two teams are making that easier. First up is the near disaster that is the Eagles of Vancouver FC. They are still relatively new, and for all intents and purposes, they were the team that filled the hole that FC Edmonton left behind. Early days it looked like they were taking their replacement of the Eddies too seriously by being the worst team in the league by far. But the light at the end of the tunnel arrived. First by being crowned ‘The best last-place team in the history of the league.” Then by making that crazy cup run to the CanChamp Final. And now they are one of the hottest teams in the CanPL as of writing. What a feel good story.
Though a reason to worry here is the ‘loan’ we try not to talk about. But overall, what a rags to riches story led by a Canadian coach with Canadian Soccer pedigree, Martin Nash.
Next up is the arrival of CanPL in Quebec. Yes, it took too long. Sure, it might be better downtown. Indeed, that playing surface is a travesty. But so what? Quebec has a team!
Add to that the fact that FC Supra du Quebec has done a lot of things right so far. They made their team all about Quebec in the mould of Atletico Bilbao. They are focused on bringing in talent only from Quebec, whether they were born there, or made a significant contribution to Quebec football. While on the surface this looks like an impediment to success as it limits the talent pool, it has advantages too. Players play for the badge in a way most other teams don’t. For example, in the MLS some current players grew up with TFC, CF Montreal and VWFC and even supported them or played in their youth set-ups. CanPL isn’t quite there yet, but Supra has created a situation where all their players are playing for their ‘home’ club. That’s significant.
It also creates a fandom unlike any other, and diversity of fanbases is a good thing. I hate relying on old tropes of two solitudes to “manufacture” rivalry, but this is at least a fresh take. Plus, the team is talented. Rea, Choiniere, Abzi, Bahiya, Kwemi, Sissoko and Mlah all bring CanPL experience at a high level. Add to that a bunch of young talent from top Division Three teams in the province and they are looking good.
Same Old, Same Old
This one could be divisive and show a little bias, but – meh.
Hear me out. Forge and Cavalry’s supremacy forces others to raise their game.
– Some diehard Forge Fan
Forge and Cavalry are the class of the league…again. I get that this can be a ho-hum kind of thing and make a lot of neutrals and opposing fans bored or irate. But maybe that’s a good thing.
Hear me out. Forge and Cavalry’s supremacy forces others to raise their game. Don’t believe me? Look at what Atletico Ottawa has done. Sure they sputtered out of the gate this year but they have expectations. Despite losing the one of the leagues’ best coaches, the top scorer and the Finals MVP, they’ve pushed forward. They brought in another experienced coach from abroad. They took some big swings on a foreign keeper and striker and aren’t resting on laurels.
Sure the keeper and striker didn’t pan out, but they quickly course corrected with domestic replacements in Chris Kalongo and Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau. Plus a little bite from Diego Gutierrez doesn’t hurt. Those moves come because Ottawa believes they belong in the top echelon and because they know they can’t stand pat while Cavalry and Forge move forward. That’s good competition.
And teams that have tasted some success take big swings to get back to it. I know it doesn’t look like it, but Pacific is in this boat too. They have seemingly insurmountable off-field issues impacting them that aren’t helping – stadium issues, money issues, coaching issues, etc. Yet, they have just brought in a big name coach in Terry Dunfield and they have maintained a quality 11 who have the talent to beat anyone in the league on their day. Ronan Kratt is a stud. Bustos is always a threat, if never quite at the level expected. Wero Diaz is one of the leagues’ all-time scorers. Right now they are treading water trying to survive. Don’t mistake that for not being ambitious with the on-field product. They just need an owner. *Author purchases yet another lottery ticket.
The Groundhog Day of It All
Then there are Inter Toronto and the Wanderers. I know it always seems like promise of a big improvement, mediocre results, scramble the eggs and go again. Rinse. Repeat. (Wow that is some mixed metaphor).
But the latest attempts by both sides have missed the mark on the pitch, but not in their effort, just the execution.
For Toronto they aimed wisely, going for CanPL stalwarts and former rivals Beni Badibanga and Ollie Bassett. Management just suffers from the same malady I believe Halifax does. An underestimation of the level of talent across the league.
In Inter Toronto’s case it was two-fold from my perspective. They thought Badibanga and Bassett could just show up and produce because they were former CanPL stars. The league, however, moves forward every year. So Inter Toronto is learning that a guy coming of a year of inactivity and another coming off injury have a mountain to climb. I see this as a positive. This league gets better year-over-year and you’d better respect that.
I also believe the idea in the Toronto side’s front office is that Latin-based players are a cut above local. But from my perspective it’s the Altobellis, Singhs, Ferraris, Skublaks, Sturings, Kibatos, et al who make this side tick. The latin corps has been largely disappointing to me. (I still think there were roles for attractive attacking players like Ferrin and Reid on this side, but hey, that’s just me). I’d also have Steffan Yates as captain over Leon, but again that’s just me.
Cordova and Guzman have been solid whereas Osvaldo Leon and Sebastian Gonzales have underwhelmed. The best of the Latin contingent has departed in the shape of goalkeeper Diego Urtiaga, so the jury is out for me on this experiment. ( I do think Almagro is a real player though).
For Halifax it is a little bit of ‘you gotta give the new gaffer a minute’ combined with ‘the new gaffer underestimated this a bit.’
Vanni Sartini is a coaching talent and a press conference dream. But this is a first time GM/Coaching gig, so there is a learning curve involved. All coaches lean on guys they know initially, so it wasn’t a surprise to see a host of VWFC connected players get the call. But I feel like Vanni may have thought because they showed signs at a ‘higher’ level, they’d work out in the CanPL. But as earlier argued, CanPL is a better level than many give credit for…and improving. In fact, Sartini thought he could go with a smaller roster, another bit of big league bias that I believe didn’t help.
So someone like Godinho, much like Dario Zanatta at PFC last year, had some success in Scotland and in the MLS at varying levels. But in Godinho’s situation that made him a big contract in a salary-capped league. In that case he had to be a big difference maker. He just wasn’t. Hence, the move to get him out and a skilled playmaker/attacker like Reid in. Rolling the dice on international players is worthwhile because, with HFX, sometimes that means a Joao Morelli or Lorenzo Callegari. Keep taking those big swings. Akinwale may still come good, he’s young in a tough position. And Zitman and Arilla seem solid. Next year some under-performers come of the books I think in Bai and Bahamboula. Let’s see what Sartini can do with that space.
One move I’d love to have seen them make was, ironically, similar to one that hasn’t worked for Inter Toronto. They should bring in a hated rival. Kunle Dada-Luke is without a squad. He has over 100 games of CanPL experience and plays the position vacated by Godinho. He’d be a redemption story in Halifax after his controversial crowd work. Faster, a bit more defensively aggressive, and more dangerous going forward than HFX’s former right back, what a coup he would be. And the work he’d have to do to win the crowd over would be an extra motivation. Everyone wants a guy you hate to play against, to play for you. He is that. Agents, call me and let me get this brokered already!
I know this seems a bit nit-picky towards HFX and Inter Toronto but it is only because I have high hopes for them. They have a lot going for them. Halifax has a solid fanbase in a great location playing on a Field of Dreams-esque grass pitch, under a top level coach. Toronto has deep-pocketed and determined owners with a vision who are willing to take big swings (and fingers-crossed a downtown or other better stadium soon). Hopefully they’ll get it all together soon.
Canadian Optimism
I see positives all around this league. Young players making the leap to higher levels. Professional minutes in a good league that players didn’t used to have. Thousands of fans watching soccer every week live in local stadiums. Kids rocking CanPL jerseys with their favourite players to school.
Something I am looking forward to is a bit more of a presence with the OneSoccer/Rogers fiasco coming to an end. Let’s hope some televised playoffs appear beyond One Soccer subs, and with continued games of the week on TSN /CBC.
Expansion is always cause for hype (and disappointment). But league CEO seems to be bullish on some new sides (but so were Clanachan and Noonan…but this time is different, I promise). I’d like to think that a few more Ontario cities are close to the jump. Because they have multiple benefits. Less travel, high population density and opportunity to be the only top tier game in town in the summer. Cities like London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor and Mississauga all have value. Beyond that are some other really good options.
Quebec City has to be top of the heap. While it took too long to get into Quebec the province, Quebec the city should be up quickly. Canada’s second largest province needs more teams. And rivalries/short away days are always welcome. They also have the “biggest game in town” possibility with no major professional sports there currently. Speaking of rivalries, an east coast one would be grand. Here’s hoping Moncton can get a team. That would give HFX a break on travel a few time a year. Plus there are soccer fans in New Brunswick. I also have a soft spot for St John’s and the King George V Field, sigh.
The Prairies are sorely lacking enough footy with the collapse of Edmonton and Winnipeg. So let’s get them back (I see you Ralph Cantafio Stadium – thank you NSL). And then add a team in Saskatchewan. Maybe even bring on the Chill in Thunder Bay! Ok, calm down, baby steps, right?
Wherever expansion arrives will be welcome. Maybe we can break down the chances of expansion realities and predictions in a follow up piece.
Another positive is born from a negative. We are currently being dragged into an unwanted and unnecessary trade war with our neighbours to the south. While their Commander-In-Cheat tries to attack us on social media and through bans and tarriffs, we have an opportunity to grow our own stuff. We are already buying local in the grocery store. And we are fine with leaving Jack Daniels and other alcohol on (or off) the shelves instead of in our liquor cabinets. Now is a perfect time to spend what little disposable cash we have available on something local. I hope we can make some lemonade out of the Tangerine Twittler’s lemons.
Keep It Positive
I know there are issues. League-wide attendance looks to be down this year. That’s not great. But there are some solid excuses if not good reasons. Halifax is killing their fans with another year of also-ranning, but they also have another pro soccer team to watch which is doing well. Plus that permanent stadium seems no closer – and that is a crying shame City of Halifax. Though news is maybe around the corner?
Inter Toronto still plays at York University which is not Toronto. It’s fine, but also it’s not.
Hamilton and Calgary’s teams are suffering from a bit of over success. There is less of a rush to be a part of the season, because fans know they’ll be in the playoffs, so some can wait for the important dates.
Pacific is nearly unhoused and basically flopping on a friend’s couch in Victoria some weekends. Supra is kinda nomadic too because many folks prefer clean pitches to good locations. (In all honesty I hate stitched in gridiron lines, but pick your battles, amirite?)
Atletico Ottawa should be packing ’em in as defending champs, but season starting renovations put them out of sight, out of mind while they were struggling on the pitch…they can recover though.
Inter Toronto ain’t in Toronto, but they aren’t drumming up local connection either. They have work to do.
That leaves Vancouver FC, the only team whose attendance is up from last year. They have a lot of the other issues we all complain about. They play in the ‘burbs. They are second fiddle to an MLS side. They have a pretty terrible ownership group. But, they have the one thing that always helps – winning (attractive) football. Hopefully, they can draw out some new fans and keep it going.
Despite overall numbers being down, they aren’t Titanic down. The league is hovering close to 4000 per game. That can be salvaged. Hang in there.
World Cup Bumped
I know a lot was made of the World Cup being in Canada and how much it was going to benefit the pro game here. Honestly a lot of that was marketing mumbo jumbo. Convincing fans to pay small fortunes to watch the best players in the world is not the same as getting fans to come out and watch a league of Canadians who are not really close to that level. Somehow nabbing a ticket to see a Taylor Swift show doesn’t necessarily make you want to head to the local pub for blues night. That was a miss from some not quite soccer guys at head office methinks.
But that is not the end of the world. The bottom line is there are ways to grow the game on the back of the World Cup.
Kids watched the World Cup on home soil. They will play and dream of making that team, fulfilling that dream. And with two local Canadian pathways in the NSL (Norther Super League) and CanPL, they have hope. Kids who would’ve aged out, fell through cracks, travelled abroad or just given up will have better opportunities. So keep the game growing. It’s not about packing stadiums all of a sudden. It’s about putting in the hard yards to keep the game alive so it can flourish. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Canada has depended on US razzle-dazzle for too long. It’s time to slowly and surely build something of our own. Hang in ther diehards.
More to Come
So, in the end, I am just ecstatic about what lies ahead for the CanPL. Is it perfect? Hell no. But we should never let perfection be the enemy of progress.
I’ll keep going to games. Travelling across the country (I’ve been fortunate enough to see at least one game in every home stadium). I’ll keep writing and (eventually) podcasting about the beautiful game – Northern Edition. And I’ll keep swigging beer in my crocheted kit where ever they’ll have me.
All because I think the best is yet to come. And to be honest, these first eight years have been pretty good.
The Hammer of Sparx is just Kevin Anderson – a diehard Forge FC and CanPL fan who can’t get enough local soccer or local craft beer. Feel free to take him to a match or a microbrewery anytime.