Comments on: Is the CSA is driving away our best and brightest?

By: Clint Lalonde

Clint Lalonde — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:54:06 +0000

Well, one could argue the other side just as easily - that the youth
systems these players played in when they were young were in Canada.

I think Canada and (give them credit) the CSA does a fair job of
getting kids into and playing the sport. More kids in this country
play soccer than hockey. But something happens at that pivotal age in
the mid teens when the kids with true talent begin to emerge. At that
point is when they begin to move into other youth systems around the
world because they see something lacking with the Canadian system.

At any rate, one has to wonder if this situation is going to repeat
itself again very soon with Asmir Begovic, the talented keeper playing
for Portsmouth in the EPL. He played for Canada's U20 team at the last
World Cup, but is also eligible to play internationally for Bosnia. It
appears Bosnia is knocking at his door.

By: Pete

Pete — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:22:51 +0000

I don't know why people get so burned about a player choosing to play for another country, especially a country with a real development program. The real issue is the CSA. We need to admit we have a crap program. And it has been crap for a long time. If you are a young player with talent, and another country's academies have put a lot of money into your development, as a player you will feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunity you have been given and for a level of development you most likely would not have received in Canada. Before we start jumping on these players, we should criticize the CSA and their incompetence in the development of a world class level soccer program in Canada.

By: Lolo

Lolo — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:54:09 +0000

I have less of a problem with Hargreaves because he didn't get he had his dual citizenship pre-football. Although the whole Wales thing does cast him in a bad light. The de Guzman thing is completely different. He's not dutch, has no dutch family, no dutch roots, no dutch connections outside of football. He says he feels dutch and he owes that country because that's where he became a football player. How about the country where you became a person? He developed as a player in Holland, sure, but without the foundation before the age of 12 he wouldn't be anywhere. Regardless of what state the CSA is in, he is a Canadian and should play for Canada.

He is not alone, of course. Brazilians currently play on several different national teams, as well as other countries, this also should not occur, although those players were, in most cases, were passed over by their native lands before choosing to play for their adopted nations.

If this is allowed than they should stop flying the flags when these teams play. Why don't they just let countries start making transfers? Surely that is the next step

By: clintlalonde

clintlalonde — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:54:06 +0000

The problem I have with Owen's story is that little bits come out in drips and drabs and it is hard to see the full picture as to what happened. The truth (as it usually is,) is probably in the middle. Both sides blew it for whatever the reasons.

But regardless of Hargreaves, it is clear that there continues to be something fundamentally wrong with the CSA and it's relationship with the players. Especially after this WCQ where numerous players pointed fingers at the CSA (most recently Julian de Guzman, who refered to the CSA as a cancer).

By: Emanuel

Emanuel — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:43:56 +0000

Ok, let's suppose that this is true. Did he also go on to explain why he was all set to make his national team debut with Wales (?), when he pulled out at the last minute after being called by England? I've been back and forth on this guy over the years but it seems to me that he wanted to play for the best team he could and that's exactly what he did. He's perfectly within his rights to do so, but be a man about it and tell the truth about your decisions.

Or maybe Wales also threatened him?