Skills to pay the bills 17 Mar 2014 By allowing kids to be rewarded for achieving skill-based goals, can the Play Better program not only boost long-term player development, but help keep our youth teams in the black?
The return of Drew Beckie 17 Mar 2014 enough to get picked in the second round of the 2013 SuperDraft. A year later, the Canadian reflects on a season of frustration and a new beginning in the nation’s capital...
The agents’ survey 17 Mar 2014 Mirror, mirror on the wall — what are the biggest issues MLS faces of all? An upcoming CBA negotiation and uncertainty over the kickoff of the 2015 season. An increase in NASL spending that’s putting pressure on MLS to offer improved entry-level contracts. The fact that there are still wide gulfs between how MLS does deals and how the rest of the world does deals. We asked agents across North America for their input — and we got some very, very interesting answers. Here’s a rare peek behind the scenes...
Here’s to You, Mr. Robinson 17 Mar 2014 He’s been involved with Major League Soccer since he made his Toronto FC debut in 2007; but Carl Robinson’s first few months as a head coach haven’t been easy. From the perception that he was the fallback guy in the coaching search, to dealing with a star player who wanted out, Robinson has been under fire before the Whitecaps played their first MLS match of 2014
Playing the Field 17 Mar 2014 In 2007, BMO Field opened its doors as Canada’s national soccer stadium. The feds, the province and the city all kicked in money to make the dream of a soccer stadium a reality. Later, the artificial turf was ripped out and replaced by green, green grass. But, as deal with the CFL Argonauts inches closer and closer to completion, we wonder: Is a truly soccer-specific stadium a myth in a multipurpose world?
Taking the pulse 17 Mar 2014 Go east, young man. That’s what Canadian defender Dejan Jakovic chose to do. A veteran of Major League Soccer, Jakovic made the move across the Pacific Ocean to begin a new chapter in his career. What does Japan have in store for him?
Can Hayley Wickenheiser help Canadian soccer? 17 Mar 2014 John Herdman, the coach of the women’s national soccer team, wants to bring his squad and the hockey gold medalists together.
The wizard of Mozz 17 Mar 2014 Mozzi Gyorio came from the former Yugoslavia to Hungary to Prince Edward Island. He’s played in the Netherlands, the NASL and in England. As he looks to re-fire his career as a member of Minnesota United FC, the midfielder talks about his hopes, dreams and the loss of his brother...
The law of diminishing returns 17 Mar 2014 In 2013, the chance of a Canadian player getting first-team minutes with an MLS side was only slightly better than it was in 1996. We looked at every minute played by all Canadians who have ever been in MLS employ; we found that, over the last four years, the first-team minutes granted to Canucks by MLS coaches have been in steady and serious decline...
9×90 = An NASL Spring Champ 17 Mar 2014 But, with 2014 being a World Cup year — and clubs realizing it’s a tough task to bring fans out on a Saturday to either Clarke Stadium or Carleton University when Italy or BraziI or Argentina or England is playing — the call was made to create a rather unique split.