FIFA, in response to a query by The 11, has stated its policies on government interference into soccer. The letter is published, unedited, in full.

The 11 has learned that notice has been given to kill a a proposed resolution that would have deleted Article 32 from the Alberta Soccer Association’s bylaws, and allowed for the courts to rule on the longstanding battle over the leadership of the ASA.The Edmonton Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association, which had given notice it would table a motion at Saturday’s ASA annual general meeting to delete the bylaw, has written a letter stating it will withdraw that plan.

Being a great country is FAR more important than being a good FIFA member. Maybe it’s time for us to set an example for other countries to follow.FIFA can’t decide Saturday to suspend the Canadian Soccer Association. A suspension of a program is a process that usually takes months to complete. Board meetings have to be held. Reports have to be prepared.

Five matches into the 2011 season and Toronto FC is still looking to find the right chemistry on the pitch. Perhaps that should not come as a complete surprise considering the club did trade away its captain and the face of the franchise after just the second match of the season.The constant changes to the lineup sure haven’t helped the cause in the short-term as management continues to preach patience to the fans and media who want the team to win now. The players can’t be feeling too secure, since coach Aron Winter has been public in his assertion that he is nowhere near finished making changes to his squad.

With the CONCACAF Gold Cup less than eight weeks away, Canadian head coach Stephen Hart was in Toronto on Thursday morning to discuss Canada’s preparation for the tournament as well as its June 1 friendly with Ecuador at BMO Field.

The right opponent, in this case, is Manchester City. But is it the right date?The Whitecaps announced Thursday that it will play Manchester City on Monday, July 18 at Empire Field. It’s part of the World Football Challenge series.But, how will that game stretch coach Teitur Thordarson’s ranks? A high-profile international is a great PR exercise. But, the Whitecaps are scheduled to play at home to the juggernaut that is Real Salt Lake on July 16, and then travel to San Jose on July 20.

In a 0-0 draw with few scoring chances for either side, just about the only flash at BMO Field on Wednesday night was provided by the extra photographers on hand to catch an action shot of David Beckham. Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy each had a few attacking bursts throughout the game, but overall, both sides were lacking on offence — perhaps not surprising, given some of the personnel missing from each team's starting XI.

Major League Soccer has announced that it has moved the Philadelphia Union-Real Salt Lake match originally scheduled for April 23 to Sept. 3.Of course, the move was made to ensure RSL had a full seven days between its two legs of the CONCACAF Champions League Final against Monterrey.

The evidence of Aron Winter’s top-down approach to remaking Toronto FC isn’t only seen in the first team’s adoption to the pass-and-move 4-3-3 system. The effects are being felt all the way down to the junior feeder programs that send talent to TFC Academy.“Basically, the club (TFC) has a philosophy, now,” said Michael Stefano, technical director of the West Toronto United FC program, which is the first within the city’s borders to become an official partner of the TFC Youth Academy Program. “The club now has an identity, and let’s run with it.”

Wednesday will be cut-down day for FC Edmonton coach Harry Sinkgraven. Well, sort of.The team spent a week in Florida with its full roster complement of 23 players — and trialists Kyle Porter and Adrian Leroy — ahead of Saturday’s NASL-opening 2-1 win over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.