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I want to preface this article by saying I’m not in the business of placing blame but rather to shed light on issues and come up with possible solutions.
With Canada’s recent and premature exit from the CONCACAF Gold Cup it has many media and supporters asking the question where do we go from here? This is not only a question about what the Canadian Men’s National Team does to prepare for World Cup Qualifying but the broader aspect of who is coming up in the national youth set up?
In my short time in and around the CSL I have come to a scary conclusion when it comes to Youth Development, the league has many of its players representing CONCACAF countries at international level. This is great for our region and will only help the product flourish, however the problem is the majority of these are not being actively looked at by Canada so they are forced to invoke other options and play elsewhere whether it be outside or within CONCACAF.
Taking Brampton City United FC as an example, they have players currently representing Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador but none to my knowledge have even gotten a courtesy look with Canada. The overwhelming majority of players in this league have duel nationality, but the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association) and scouts at the different National team levels are doing themselves a disservice by not researching who and what is available to them. This is not to say they aren’t looking at the CSL as some players are representing Canada at U17 level but they are only scratching the surface, which is something this country doesn’t have the luxury of doing.
Of the current Canadian U-17 squad there are 14 players that ply their trade in the CSL. This is great at first glance but when only 2 players play outside of Toronto FC Academy and Montreal Impact Academy this becomes a serious issue. It is something that needs to change, as there are 14 teams that make up the CSL First Division and just because they don’t have a professional club directly above them it shouldn’t derail or put a “black mark” on players from the other 12 clubs.
Looking at the U-20 and U-23 national team set-ups only a fraction of these players are making the “natural progression” into higher levels of Canadian soccer and are thus opting to play elsewhere. As I previously stated this is not meant to start the “blame game” but the fact of the matter is this is the root of the problem where soccer in this country is concerned and needs to be addressed immediately.
Speaking to many players in the CSL I get the same sentiment: that they would love nothing more then to play for Canada but will do “what’s right for them” if not being considered. I’m fully in support of the players where that is concerned and find it a scary prospect when coaches, scouts, parents and media get the players fixated on Europe, South America etc… rather then build and progress in the domestic game. I say this because it’s easier then ever to get a passport, and with said passport it will enable more countries to pick off our talent even without family ties.
I hope the CSA, scouts, media, coaches and supporters heath this warning, as this is what’s weakening our national team while at the same time strengthening the depth of our competitive rivals.
Kamal Hylton is Owner/Freelance Soccer Writer at Hylton Sports Media,
he specializes in covering Youth Development in Canada and the
CONCACAF Region as well as European leagues such as Bundesliga, Serie A and UEFA Champions League. Follow him on Twitter to view all his work.
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