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Ian Clarke,

December 31, 2013 Email

Ian Clarke Twitter

@ClarkeRNO

2013 was always going to be a tough one to get through for soccer in Canada. Still lingering over the landscape was the Men's National Team exit from World Cup Qualifying, and all eyes went to the women's team and professional clubs to pin hopes on to. The year started off well with Canada making their sixth consecutive Cyprus Cup Final, however, losing 1-0 to England. The Canadian MLS sides began their seasons' well with TFC beating Sporting Kansas City 2-1 at the Dome and Montreal firing out of the gate to a dream start that saw them top of the table most of the year. See also: So long 2012. Welcome 2013. As the year went on though, everything seemed to level out. Perhaps bringing, or keeping, down the mood across the county was an awful run of form from the Men's National Team who only managed one goal over thirteen games. Montreal went on a terrible slide to barely get into the playoffs, while Vancouver were not able to follow up their appearance last year and surprise, surprise, Toronto FC once again finished near the bottom of the table. Despite this, there were still glimpses of positive moments in 2013. Younger players, both men and women, made their mark at the club and national team level, and the growth of MLS, NWSL, and NASL has only, and will continue, to benefit Canada. Perhaps it is a Canadian characteristic, but it seems the start of a new season, a new year, there is always hope, and 2014 there will be plenty of it to go around as almost across the board, clubs and teams in Canada need to take their results to the next level.



As is the case for the last few years, this is the last filed article for 2013, and we would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has supported RedNation Online for the past five years, now going into our sixth covering the sport in Canada. We wish you all a happy and healthy 2014 and look forward to a brighter year for the clubs and players both domestically and competing around the world.



Biggest disappointments from 2013 The biggest disappointment this year was not in the fact that Toronto FC missed playoffs once more, or failed to win many matches, but in the way Danny Koevermans’ ended his time at Toronto FC. Here was a player who, when healthy, showed the city and the team that he could do the one thing forwards in TFC history haven’t been able to do - score goals. That he was injured for 2012 and then returned to health in 2013 should have been a happy story in TFC land, but he picked up another injury, was out for the rest of 2013 too, and left the club without ever reaching his full potential. In years to come, Koevermans may be looked at as the best player Toronto FC ever missed out on. His was a game that promised to bring the team up but injuries failed to make that dream a reality. What a shame.

- Armen Bedakian @ArmenBedakian

My biggest disappointment in 2013 came when Fabrice Reuperne (who?) scored for Martinique against Canada in stoppage time at the end of Canada's Gold Cup opener. Not only was that a terrible way to lose a game (not the most terrible way that Canada has lost recently mind you) but two days following that game myself and a buddy were about to embark on a long road trip from Regina to Seattle and Denver to catch the other two CMNT Gold Cup group games. Getting a win against Martinique would have ensured that those games had some meaning, but the loss almost completely ended any hope of that. As it was, we made the best of it, and the fact that there was no pressure for those games actually made them pretty fun to attend. That future was not apparent, however, while watching that travesty of an ending.

- Rob Notenboom @FrTheBlackHole Toronto FC wasted another season, and the men's national team reached a new low, but the most disappointing moment in 2013 for me was when women's national team forward Chelsea Buckland tore her ACL for the second time. Buckland missed the 2012 Olympics due to an ACL tear, but after rehabbing for over a year, she looked ready to finish her senior year at Oregon State on a positive note and rejoin the senior national team, where John Herdman has mentioned she could complement Christine Sinclair well in the team's attack. Unfortunately, Buckland tore the same ACL again this September, making a second comeback extremely difficult. Her injury is a reminder of just how cruel sports can be.

- Emily Dulhanty @emidul Once again, the Montreal Impact have finished the year with a different Head Coach than they started with. Even after bringing the Impact to the said promised land (playoffs), Marco Schallibaum got the boot. Do I believe that stability and continuity would have been a benefit heading in 2014? Yes, but lets now see what Frank Klopas and his three year contract brings to the stability front.

- Kevin Laramée @OffTheWoodworkx My biggest disappointment of 2013 is definitely the continuous stupidity seen within the Canadian Provincial Associations landscape. Specifically, the turban ban incident with Quebec Soccer and the exclusion of the independent academies from the OPDL by Ontario Soccer. I toot the Saskatchewan Soccer horn quite a bit on From The Black Hole both because we’re fortunate to learn from the mistakes of the larger and more mature provincial associations such as Ontario and BC, but also because we are smart enough to understand the bigger picture within and outside our province in order to allow change without fear of upsetting the status quo. Quebec’s abominable stance throughout the turban ban, which was essentially a prejudiced and segregationist policy, along with the fact they allowed the provincial government to turn it into a political stand-off, tarnished the image of the game in the eyes of the public both within Quebec and around the country. Ontario Soccer’s decisions regarding the OPDL were more internal, but the fact Ontario’s youth soccer population makes it the main “football factory” for elite Canadian players means the decision to exclude the academies maintains the fractured mess that Ontario youth developmental soccer is.

- Jeff Salisbury @JeffDSalisbury It's difficult to say I was disappointed by anything in 2013, partly because all things that can be regarded disappointing I expected. I support, but lost most hope, for the Men's Canadian National Team and the three Canadian MLS teams finished where I thought they would. So my view is none of the clubs underachieved, although more of a concern than disappointment might be lack of building for the future. Toronto FC is now showing signs, but 2013 was mainly a waste and I have concerns for both Vancouver and Montreal as both clubs are beginning to realize how difficult it is to develop a winning club in the MLS environment.

- Aaron Nielsen @ENBSports

I'm trying to balance my optimism and pessimism (with a heaping spoonful of patriotism) for the CanWNT's record this season of 7W-4D-6L. London 2012 raised our expectations for the team while simultaneously christening John Herdman as the one to guide our women's program to the next level. Is he implementing possession-style play? Yes. Is he giving young players opportunities to develop? Absolutely. Is the team adapting well to his plans? Hmm. Based on the latest FIFA World Rankings, Canada (ranked 7th) defeated Scotland (20th) twice, Korea Republic (17th), Netherlands (14th), Finland (23rd), Switzerland (22nd) and China (18th) this year. Some may say, "Canada should easily beat them. Why bother playing lower ranked teams?" while others will counter that such wins gives Canada opportunities to try new things and helps to build their confidence. But, games can go either way and they've also lost to teams they've previously beaten in England (ranked 11th) and Korea Republic; Chile, one of many nations ranked 118th due to their inactivity for several years, upset Canada 1-0 at the International Tournament of Brasilia. Above all, Canada's continuing to struggle against the usual suspects like Germany (0-1 loss) and the United States (3-0 loss). How and when will we unlock the winning formula against higher ranked teams that's eluded us for so long? It's a bit of a slow burn, but we're willing to stick it out.

- Melissa Tan @page1of1

The biggest disappointment in 2013 for me was something that never should have happened. On July 7th 2013 the tiny island of Martinique, which isn’t even a member of FIFA, shocked our national team by not only outplaying us but standing toe-to-toe with a team they shouldn’t have had a chance against. Taking nothing away from a tremendous performance by the plucky islanders, it was (or should be) the clearest example of how far we have fallen and the utter mess that became our Men’s National Team. The ‘Holger’s Heroes’ era elevated us (for which I believe Osieck doesn’t get enough credit) to not only our first trophy, but to a team that was to be if not feared, respected. The loss to Martinique symbolises that we have not only taken one step back from the progress we had made in the last decade, but its back to the drawing board.

- Ryan Stead Trying to put the 8-1 loss behind us was one of the main goals for 2013, I would have thought, with regards to the Men's National Team. Not only did Canada not offer any optimism that one of the darkest days, and performances, in team history was a one off, but we had to witness thirteen games with just one goal. The biggest disappointment was without question a full year where there looked to be few, if any, bright spots with the Senior Men's National Team.

- Ian Clarke @ClarkeRNO The biggest disappointment for me in 2013 was the departure of Kevin Payne from Toronto FC. Brought in as the mastermind with a winning track record who could finally mold TFC into a competitive team, Payne’s tenure was largely uneventful except for a few spikes – few of which were positive. The failure to sign Diego Forlan, the drawn out negotiations and quick exit of Maximiliano Urruti and the shipment of Luis Silva were all major disappointments. Touted as our knight in shining armor, Payne ended up just being another dark spot in TFC’s history.

- Cormac McGee @cormacmcgee



Best moments from 2013 My (totally biased) best moment of 2013 was the official unveiling of the Ottawa Fury FC. For years the excitement of the developing professional soccer scene in Canada was contagious. Toronto FC led the way and proved that not only can MLS survive in a Canadian market, which added not only solid attendance and support, but they changed the atmosphere of Canadian soccer. After Montreal and Vancouver spread that excitement across Canada, FC Edmonton followed by joining the upstart NASL. With a watchful eye on those teams I couldn’t help wondering when Ottawa would get its chance. The word came that Ottawa was granted an expansion NASL franchise, but it wasn’t until the official announcement of the name and the traditional Ottawa red and black colours that the idea of professional soccer in Ottawa truly felt like reality. A wonderful moment.

- Ryan Stead

Diana Matheson is our ever dependable anchor in the midfield. It seemed that time crept by before she started getting the well deserved recognition in the past few years. Who better to score the Olympic bronze medal winning goal? The praises haven't stopped. Perhaps I've been paying more attention to the little things that Diana does, but she seemed to be having a lot of fun on the pitch the year. I cheered every time she megged someone and laughed even harder when she trolled Alex Morgan behind the ref's back in a particularly heated match between their NWSL club teams. Never change, Diana. A combination of Herdman's plans and players rising to the occasion, the team was less dependent on Christine Sinclair for putting the ball in the back of the net. Of the 14 goals scored in 2013, 10 were distributed among a range of players- Adriana Leon (3), Sophie Schmidt (2), Brittany Baxter, Kaylyn Kyle, Jonelle Filigno, Matheson and Nichelle Prince; and the other 4 by Sinclair.

- Melissa Tan @page1of1

My best moment from 2013 was the Canadian Men’s National Team match vs. Panama in Denver. To be frank, we already knew we’d been eliminated, but this led to the interesting phenomenon where we felt no nervousness or anxiety towards the match and were able to concentrate fully on just having fun and being creative. This game spawned new chants, put new game-worn jerseys into the hands of some of the hardest-core Voyageurs who made the trip, and despite not seeing Canada score a goal, left us with at least a point from the Gold Cup group stage.

- Jeff Salisbury @JeffDSalisbury The best moment from 2013 (at the time) was the first game of TFC’s season when they beat Sporting KC 2-1 in the Dome. As the Reds were penned in their zone for the last 10 minutes, the crowd of 25,000 strong filled the stadium with singing, lifting the players and pushing forward and helping them ride out a gritty win. Chanting “Robert Earnshaw!” as he applauded supporters after the game, we felt excited, hopeful and optimistic for the season. It was the best we felt all year.

- Cormac McGee @cormacmcgee My best moment of 2013 is divided in two, first the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship Semi-Final, where Montreal beat Toronto 6-0 to advance to the final of the Voyageur's Cup. The atmosphere that night in Stade Saputo, especially in the kop, still ranks as the best I have ever witnessed in any sporting venue. The anxiety of the supporters was palpable up until the Montreal eleven scored their second goal to tie the series. And then the floodgates opened, four more goals to inflict Toronto their greatest loss in club history. That night combined with the Hassoun Camara late game heroics in Vancouver to give Montreal their first Canadian Championship since 2008 is my most memorable 2013 moment.

- Kevin Laramée @OffTheWoodworkx

During Canada's last group stage game in the Gold Cup against Panama the few of us who had bought 'Supporter's Section' seats were approached by security who were ensuring that we were actually sitting in our assigned seats. Of course, we weren't sitting in our assigned seats as they were scattered all over the section, and there were only 13 of us besides, so occupying the front row seemed like the most natural thing to do. A very civilized but insistent debate ensued, and finally the stadium security guy (his name was Les if you are ever in Mile High and see his name tag, thank him for us) decided he would radio to the stadium security control centre to see what they could do. In the end, they let us stay, we did our thing, and as we were leaving we all thanked Les for his level-headedness and accommodation of us. It also gave rise to a new chant: 'We're red, we're white, we're awfully polite/Voyageurs/Voyageurs maybe it had been done before, but it was spot on that day. As a footnote, many of us gave feedback on Mile High's feedback form about their accommodation of us, and we named Les specifically. They just did not seem ready for the idea of a Supporter's Section but hopefully next time it will be a different story

- Rob Notenboom @FrTheBlackHole The best moment from 2013 in Canadian soccer was watching the men's and women's under 17 teams. Almost all of the players on the men's U17 World Cup team play club soccer in professional academies and it showed as they were able to actually compete, instead of just survive, in competition. The women's U17 team successfully qualified for the 2014 U17 World Cup, and after their CONCACAF tournament Herdman praised the provinces for developing technical players.

- Emily Dulhanty @emidul The best moment from 2013, bar none, was the day Andrew Wiedeman scored in the dying minutes, at rain-soaked BMO Field, to give Toronto FC a win over the Columbus Crew. But, off the field, it must have been Bright Dike, whose booming voice and speaking mannerisms made transcribing interviews so darn easy. Dike has the kind of voice journalists love, because he speaks clearly, eloquently and deliberately enough to allow for pauses in the audio. So that was nice!

- Armen Bedakian @ArmenBedakian For one of the hightlights from 2013, I will need to echo one of Armen's points. I find that each year it comes down to something I witnessed live or was actually a part of as the best moment. The in-stadium experience has been so poor at BMO Field for several years now, and the performances the majority of the time just plain awful, to slog through a late July afternoon in the pouring rain, with probably less than five thousand people still on hand, and see two quick goals to not only beat the Columbus Crew, but beat them at BMO Field was, for me, the best moment in 2013.

- Ian Clarke @ClarkeRNO I was living in Halifax Nova Scotia the previous ten years, so I missed the birth of Toronto FC and was supporting from afar. This was the first year I got to be in the thick of it, attending matches, talking about games with fellow fans and of course being able to share my opinion on RNO. I also got the opportunity to view the local game more closely so my best moment of 2013 is coming to the realization how much the sport has grown since my first involvement in the game 20 years ago.

- Aaron Nielsen @ENBSports



What is most important for you in 2014? Simply put, Canadian players need development. We seem to have some very good youth coming up especially seeing how are U20s and especially our U17s have done recently. Talking specifically of the men, the up-and-comers will make no impact on the senior side of they are not playing at the highest level at which they can perform as much as they can. It's been a year of players rotting away on the bench or stuck on the reserve team. These players need to be loaned out, or given a chance to perform and need to start getting serious minutes. The women as well need many more players to make the jump from the youth sides to the senior team. There have been some bright spots on that file, but it has been a disappointing year for the CWNT and that makes me nervous ahead of the Women's World Cup.

- Rob Notenboom @FrTheBlackHole

Heading into 2014, it is very important for the three Canadian MLS clubs to have strong seasons for a number of reasons, one being for the implications these teams can have on the women's game in Canada. With the women's World Cups on the horizon, there won't be a better time than in the next few years for a Canadian MLS (or NASL) team to start a professional women's team. The Portland Timbers have shown that their women's counterpart, the Thorns, can be successful both on and off the field, and the Houston Dynamo have recently added a women's team, the Dash, to compete in NWSL's 2014 season. Let's hope a Canadian club will follow Portland and Houston's example in 2014.

- Emily Dulhanty @emidul I'm guessing what will stick out in 2014 is the World Cup and the continuing saga of Toronto FC, however, what is most important for me is the continuing growth of the game and the grassroots effect on the pro game. The new Ottawa NASL club excites me and let's hope success for both the Fury and FC Edmonton. The continuing development of the NWSL and how the CSA handles its ongoing preparations for the Women's World Cup. Canadians playing in US Colleges and the on-going development of young Canadian players such as Brody Huitema and Cyle Larin. Finally, it's important to me that I make an impact where I can in helping the game continue to grows.

- Aaron Nielsen @ENBSports

Double-digit wins. Toronto FC needs to win 10 games in 2014. Playoffs, fine. Gilberto and Defoe/Gilardino scoring? Excellent. None of that matters if Toronto FC continue to lose or draw regularly. A 30 per cent win ratio isn’t asking for much, and it’s something Toronto FC needs to figure out. The culture of winning can only be established by winning games, not by talking about winning games. Do that, and Toronto will be in a happy place. A fifth Canadian Championship title wouldn’t hurt, either!

- Armen Bedakian @ArmenBedakian

What I’d really like to see in 2014 in Toronto is a management group that can stay together for at least a season. Cohesiveness and consistency in the front office will do wonders for the club, and I hope after seven seasons, TFC has finally figured out how to accomplish this.

- Cormac McGee @cormacmcgee

The most important thing for me in 2014 is getting to see as many of the new friends I’ve made and fellow Voyageurs I’ve met at matches throughout the last number of years at as many Canadian National Team games as possible. I have big plans for heading out east for our home matches in the U20 WWC, and also hope to see a few MNT friendlies throughout the year as well. I hope we’re all able to travel to another away match, as Cuba in 2012 and Seattle and Denver in 2013 were the trips that have fostered so many good times related to our beloved Nats.

- Jeff Salisbury @JeffDSalisbury For 2014, I wish the Montreal Club a smooth and efficient transition between Schallibaum and Klopas and hoping for stability and continuity on and off the pitch! Have a great soccer!

- Kevin Laramée @OffTheWoodworkx In 2014, I'm looking forward to seeing everything come into fruition for the CanWNT, shifting from "it's gonna happen" to "they've got it." The wishlist includes: better passing, better service in the box, staying competitive against top teams, seeing Kara Lang and Josée Bélanger officially back on the pitch and the young'uns being able to shine. Hope that isn't too greedy. Besides, these things have to be figured out sooner rather than later. 2015 will be here before we know it.

- Melissa Tan @page1of1

Through a brutal showing by the Men’s National Team in 2013, I look forward to 2014 with renewed optimism. The best move the Nats made in 2013 was to show us that a complete rebuild is necessary. Finally, we are playing our younger players more and taking the tough road of sacrificing results for development. If Canada wants to get into a World Cup it has to look to youth. Players like Jonathan Osorio, Kyle Bekker and Samuel Piette are now starting for the Nats and are obtaining quality experience to help us in future campaigns. Dwayne De Rosario, Julian de Guzman and Kevin McKenna have all captained our team and have performed not only admirably but passionately. We should look to them for leadership and guidance but they have had more than enough opportunity to take us to the next level. It hasn’t happened. They still have an important part to play moving forward, but we have to change our approach. If new coach Benito Floro can continue to play our young, hungry players and (god help us!) find some goals, we can look to 2014 as a potential step forward.

- Ryan Stead

With 2015 just around the corner, for me, what is most important is getting the Senior Women's Team in top form, performing well and earning results. There is no debating they have been the shining light for Canadian soccer, especially over the last two years, and with the NWSL looking secure and our players doing well both in a domestic league and in the red and white, bringing it all together through this calendar year to build confidence ahead of the World Cup is paramount.

- Ian Clarke @ClarkeRNO

