Both Paul Stalteri and Amy Walsh believe that Canadian soccer players — be it boys or girls, men or women — need more chances to play professionally.

But if MLS wants to see more exciting games, more late match-winners, especially with its new TV deals in the United States, it could look at reducing the number of teams that make the playoffs. As it becomes more competitive to get a playoff spot, coaches and players may not be as willing to settle for draws.

So, how does this compare to other home winless droughts? In other leagues? In other team sports?

With a 1-0 win over FC Ingolstadt Friday, Braunschweig — home to Edmonton’s Randy Edwini-Bonsu — guaranteed it could do no worse than second in the Bundesliga 2. standings. T

Occean, who opened his Bundesliga account with a goal last week, hobbled out of Frankfurt’s 2-1 win over FC Nurnberg just 20 minutes into the match.

The rumour mill turned into fact Tuesday, when Eintracht Frankfurt revealed Canadian striker Olivier Occean as one of its new signings in a splashy presser.

It’s a fascinating display of money doing the talking in European football. SpVgg Greuther Furth won the Bundesliga 2., while Frankfurt finished second. Both are being promoted, but Furth is the novelty club, a team that will be in rarefied air when it plays the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

The agent representing Lisztes — based in Canada — has confirmed that the former Hungarian national-teamer, who turns 36 in July, would like to play out the remainder of his career in North America.

Of the 22 men named to the roster, only two — teenager Samuel Piette and veteran Issey Nakajima-Farran, who plays in Australia — would be considered eyebrow-raisers.

Canadian striker Olivier Occean and his SpVgg Greuther Furth teammates didn’t play on Monday, but they and their fans had cause for celebration.