Posted by

Mat Rooney

February 16, 2017 Email

Mat Rooney



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@rooney_matthew

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The 2016-17 off-season has been amazing for Canadian soccer, with massive roster developments in both MLS and the NASL and rumours of a Canadian team entering the NWSL. There was also a great amount of news from L1O and PQSL and growing rumours regarding the CPL. But only one story really gave all of Canada a new team to follow.



With their first season coming up, the San Francisco Deltas have dealt with a fair share of drama and criticism (The worst name and logo in North American sports? Really FiftyFiveOne? Worse than the Redskins, Indians, Jazz, Beauts, Red Bulls, Golden Knights, Pericos or Ninjas in Pyjamas? You better reply FiftyFiveOne) already. But the NASL's first west coast team handled everything with a smile and a spirit to change things up (get it? Delta means change) and they're helping Canadian soccer in the process.



The Deltas' Canadian love first showed with the selection of their head coach: Marc Dos Santos. Dos Santos hails from Montreal and, at only 39, has coached all over the world. His CV includes head coaching roles with the Montreal Impact and Ottawa Fury and as a developmental coach with Palmeiras and Sporting Kansas City. He also has worked with Chelsea and Porto.



A great number of people, myself included, feel Dos Santos will, in the future, be the head coach of Canada, a role he admittedly would like, but he still needs to develop more before taking on the role. The Deltas are offering Dos Santos a great place to develop. Not only will he be coaching the club but will also be building one from scratch, a skill that could be very useful when coaching a team like Canada. And Dos Santos' building of the Deltas has already given the Canadian player pool some massive support.



Among the players to join the Deltas are Nana Attakora (27), Karl Ouimette (24) and Kyle Bekker (26). The trio have a combined 46 caps for the Canadian national team and they will all be vying for a spot on the Gold Cup squad this summer after struggling on the field. The three are all young (Attakora is the oldest, turning 28 next month) and still have a great deal to offer the team.



Attakora perhaps has the most to prove. After having several seasons cut short with injury, he has enjoyed a career revitalization since moving to the NASL in 2015. However, despite earning regular minutes and praise as a rightback, a position Canada sorely lacks a starter in, Attakora's national team career suffered greatly under Floro. With a new manager likely to take over prior to the Gold Cup, a strong showing with the Deltas could see Attakora's return to the national team full time. That isn't to say Bekker and Ouimette don't have statements to make after being cut by their MLS clubs. Bekker will be hoping to prove himself worthy of starter status and Ouimette is aiming to rebound from a disastrous 2016 and being cut from the national team's game against Bermuda.



Beyond that, Jackson, Romuald Peiser and Tom Heinemann, all of whom spent a great deal of time with Canadian clubs, have signed with the Deltas.



Having offered Dos Santos a place to grow and Attakora, Ouimette and Bekker a place to prove themselves, it's hard to think Canadian fans will not be watching the San Francisco Deltas during their inaugural season. Heck, with the NASL's recent rule change allowing Canadian players to be counted as domestics on rosters, it's hard to think Canadians will not be following the whole league! But the Deltas moves all came prior to the rule change and the fact that Dos Santos is heading the club and that a trio of possible Canadian Gold Cup players are present on the roster, gives even more reason for the San Francisco Deltas to become a club for Canadians to watch.



Fingers crossed FC Edmonton vs. San Francisco Deltas becomes an unofficial Canadian derby...and maybe they sign Adam Straith.