Posted by

Aaron Nielsen ,

October 16, 2016 Email

Aaron Nielsen



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Ever since I have started writing for RedNation Online, one of my most brought up points has pertained to all the new resources in Canadian Soccer that have been generated from the three Major League Soccer clubs. However, with that in mind, it is a shame Canada doesn't have a professional women's club. The reason I continue to bring up this point up is that when I evaluate the game of soccer in Canada the first thing that always comes to mind is common sense on what are the natural and easy fixes we can make to improve our status within world or soccer. When it comes to the Women's game we are potentially becoming a soccer power and, if we had the equivalent male players, there would be no questions regarding how many Canadians are playing in the MLS or debating the reasoning and guaranteeing the success of a Canadian Premier League, or concern about qualifying for major tournaments like the World Cup. Yet as a country do we truly celebrate the accomplishments of our women’s team? Sure, we supported the 2015 World Cup, however, despite winning the bronze in the last Olympics; which saw us beat world power Germany and the host Brazil in the third place final, there has been a total of two games since the 2015 World Cup for the Canadian National Women's team played in Canada. Meanwhile, the US National Team has played 21 senior international games in the United States during the 2016 soccer season alone. In hindsight, I'm sure the CSA would have wanted to host more games this past summer as the two games that made up an exhibition series with Brazil in Toronto and Ottawa had a combined attendance of over 50,000. To me, there has always been an underlying issue when it comes to marketing the women's team as a professional sports product - there has always been a hesitancy regarding the team; that we are pleasantly surprised when they do well but no real expectation in some cases on the field but even more as a commercial entity. When I brought up the idea of Toronto FC starting a Women's club (when the NWSL - the American female equivalent to the MLS started in 2013), the usual supporters of the women's game, and also many who attend Toronto FC matches themselves, were hesitant about supporting such a team in the city. And perhaps would not be able to generate the numbers - causing many to state that it is better to not take the risk in starting a club. In some ways I can see the reasoning for this, as some clubs in NWSL have struggled with attendance. Adding to my concern was how MLSE would handle it and that they would probably play the team out of the Ontario Soccer Centre as an afterthought, rather than giving the it the proper respect it should deserve. Even with those concerns, the salary cap of a NWSL side in 2016 was $278,000 (or the equivalent combined salary of Ashtone Morgan and Josh Williams) and the quality of player and product you get in the return is the best in the world. It is a product that received huge ratings when playing on Canadian Television (World Cup & Olympics) and generated an attendance across the country of 1,353,506 over 52 games during the 2015 World Cup. Or, in a way that MLSE might understand, if a Toronto FC NWSL side was able to sell out a single game at $10 a ticket at BMO, it would cover the complete salary cost for the season regarding the cap. Let’s look at Christine Sinclair's club - the Portland Thorns, who this season had an average attendance of 16,945 throughout and in the recent 2016 NWSL playoff game (in which they lost to the West New York Flash) they had 20,086 for a side who was actually weaker this year and with far less star power after losing players like Alex Morgan, Lianne Sanderson, and Jodie Taylor. Outside of Sinclair, who only played half of her team’s games this season, the star of the club was Tobin Heath, who is mostly only known by supporters that follow the women's game but not by others that follow it outside of that. So the Thorns are very much like their brother team - the Timbers who have developed a soccer culture around the organization - no matter the players on the pitch connected to the team. Although when it comes to a Canadian team, star branding would not be an issue as many of the top players in the league are Canadian with many coming from the Toronto area. The NWSL final saw the Western New York Flash beat the Washington Spirit 3-2 in penalty kicks. Western New York had Canadian National Team keeper, Sabrina D'Angelo, who made three saves in PK's, including the game-winning save against the Washington Spirit and all-time Canadian great, Diana Matheson. Canadian defender Shelina Zadorsky also played for the Spirit in the game while Stephanie Labbé was on the bench. Other Canadians in the league included Josée Bélanger (Orlando), Allysha Chapman and Janine Beckie (Houston) as well as Desiree Scott (FC Kansas City). With some of these players, the salaries are supplemented by the CSA, enabling them to play in the NWSL and perform for an American audience. What excites me even more, now than ever before, is the amount of Canadian women who are about to graduate from NCAA Division 1 Soccer this winter. Players such as Kadeisha Buchanan & Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia), Lindsey Agnew & Nichelle Prince (Ohio State), Rebecca Quinn (Duke), Valerie Sanderson (Memphis), Summer Clarke (LSU), and Kailen Sheridan (Clemson), highlight a group of 59 college senior players from Canada who were/are key contributors for their schools the past four years. If they wish to play NWSL soccer, even without a Canadian side, players like Buchanan, Lawrence, Quinn and Prince, look to be top draft picks for next season, although, they could also provide a great nucleus for a Canadian expansion team. By potentially adding a Sinclair, Matheson and the other Canadian players currently within the NWSL to this team - along with other women playing in Europe (such as Erin McLeod and Melissa Tancredi who are currently playing in Sweden; a Bryanna McCarthy who plays in Germany, or an Adriana Leon, who is playing in Switzerland) along with a great talent pool of non-Canadian women from around the world, you provide something other soccer proposals can’t. A Canadian club that would be playing in an already established league, against (and including) world class players, using a predominantly Canadian line-up - should challenge for a league title within their first year in. And all for a relatively low cost in a stadium that has supported this group of players in the past. As I mentioned in previous articles, I feel there is a bit of naivety regarding the Canadian Soccer story as we like to fantasize about having teams in the men's World Cup final or viable domestic leagues. We less appreciate what we have… and don’t tend to work the methods of trying to build on what we have and try to make it better. In the case of men's soccer, common sense told me we should have put Sigma FC in charge of Toronto FC player development years ago. Figure out ways so our young prospects are playing games either in professional leagues in North America, at the highest level of US College or on loan to European clubs or academies. I would have also invited PDL teams like KW United and Calgary Foothills, as well as League One Ontario and PLSQ teams into the Amway Canadian Championship to both grow and further understand the potential of grassroots club soccer in Canada. Although the biggest misstep for me over the last ten years is not fully developing the Women's game to its highest potential, we are this is not a lost opportunity, because on the field, the squad has continued to perform at the senior level while we still have a strong grassroots program. Women's soccer around the world is always improving, as which Canada experienced at the U17 World Cup by holding Germany to a draw but experiencing tough games over traditionally weaker sides - Cameroon and Venezuela - before being eliminated from the tournament. So my main support behind a women's professional side is they deserve this for what they already given to Canadian Soccer, and, like it has done for the Men, a local professional team or league would help in the long term development of the National team. An MLS club like Toronto FC or whomever might behind a venture like this, may not have the same feelings or concerns, although, if they are involved within the Canadian game, they should know that as a country, despite our three MLS clubs, we still lack a club side that Canada can call its own (with a group of players who can be supported both domestically and internationally). Eventually the Canadian Premier League could become this, even though right now, with very little effort and as a soccer project, I feel would even make money. It is time to no longer ignore this story and like in major tournaments, allow these women to continue to be a success while playing in front of their home support.



Aaron Neilsen is a co-founder of Prospect XI (Prospect Eleven), a scouting network and online magazine dedicated to tracking/highlighting young players that refer to as "prospects" as well as their development pathways both within North America and worldwide. Follow PXI via www.prospectxi.com or on twitter @ProspectXI.