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Every coach in the Canadian Premier League took a blank sheet of paper and created a roster from scratch.

It was a unique situation for all seven coaches of the upstart professional soccer league.

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Yet, the bosses at HFX Wanderers, York9 FC, Forge FC, Valour FC, Cavalry FC, FC Edmonton and Pacific FC — the seven flagship franchises — were up for the challenge and have their squads raring to go for the opening weekend of the season kicking off Saturday in Hamilton.

“To be honest, it was exciting and something that most people involved in the game would love to do,” said Forge FC head coach Bobby Smyrniotis. “Especially those who like to build, which is what I like to do. It’s exciting, it’s also challenging because you’re not a coach making two signings to wrinkle out some things on your new team, but you’re really starting from nothing, so every decision you make has to fit into an overall puzzle.”

Smyrniotis and Forge FC of Hamilton host Jimmy Brennan and York9 FC in the inaugural CPL match at Tim Hortons Field (1 p.m. ET, CBC) on Saturday. Pacific FC of Langford, B.C., on Vancouver Island will host HFX Wanderers of Halifax on Sunday (7 p.m. ET) in the league’s second match.