Don1 & OJ!!!.......Just saw this

[USAF]

MLS & the Canadian Soccer Association creating joint task force to advance youth development in Canada, in the areas of academy environment, coaching, competition and individualized player development.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/1...ment-taskforce

[OJ]

This is significant and long over due. Thanks for sharing.

[Don1]

MLS & the Canadian Soccer Association creating joint task force to advance youth development in Canada, in the areas of academy environment, coaching, competition and individualized player development.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/1...ment-taskforce

I guess I'll just sit back and watch JA choke on their dust

[OJ]

That’s the Toronto side of it. Montreal’s end is ash, for now at least. They’ve come a long way in a few years, though I suppose that won’t make them feel any better about a contest they had in their grasp several times, and let slip.
“Feeling the emotions of a game like that, it stays with you,” said Impact coach Mauro Biello, sounding marvellously French.
In a larger context, it was a great Canadian evening. We don’t get many of those when it’s men on the field.
When MLS first came to Canada, they made a great deal about growing the national game. It was the sort of thing that sounded nice and required no real action. Aside from enjoying the conversion rate on their expansion fee profits, the league’s made precious little effort to do anything for Canada beyond allowing them to hang out the shingle.
You got a small sense of the cross-cultural divide during a pre-game press conference to announce changes to the league’s domestic player rules. Put simplistically, young Canadian talent will now have an easier path into MLS.
A photo-op that should have been all hands-across-the-border devolved into a snippy lecture from league commissioner Don Garber when he was pressed on the details.
“Everybody talks about this like it’s a social issue,” Garber barked. “It’s not a social issue.”
I suppose that translates as, ‘Why do I have to keep telling you this? We like you even though you’re Canadian.’
There are twenty teams in MLS, but the three in Canada form its most effective pillar. For the most part, they have always been some combination of new and/or bad, but their fanbases are amongst the most devoted. While the league continues to fap about with over-the-hill Europeans in their profit centres, Canadian teams have managed to (mostly) resist that temptation. At the moment, each one of them is built to perform within their own particular budget constraints. Not just perform, but thrive.
A moment like Wednesday night – a record crowd on hand at the ‘National Soccer Stadium’ – was overdue. The supporters provided the noise. The game provided the reason to keep it up. The better team won, but it was close. It was the sort of contest that left you panting for more.
“I can’t imagine that after the experience and emotions of (watching this game), there aren’t a lot of new soccer fans – both for MLS and for Canadian soccer,” said coach Greg Vanney.
For the first time, the heavily contrived Toronto-Montreal soccer rivalry seems real. That’s a huge win for Canada.
For the first time in MLS history, a non-American team will contest in the final game for a title.
That would be an impressive achievement. But on some level, the national finish line was Wednesday – two Canadian teams proving over two legs that the sport has completely settled up north. It’s all good.
MLS likes to nod toward Canada whenever they go through their roll of key supporters. Half the time, you suspect they’re just saying it to be inclusive.
On Wednesday, they were made to understand why they bother.
Report Typo/Error Follow us on Twitter: @Globe_Sports

[USAF]

Are you familiar with Alphonso Davis (16yo at Vancouver Whitecaps)???.......I hear he's very good & I see that Manchester United is scouting & "courting" him.......What's your impression of him???

[USAF]

U.S. defeated Portugal 7-1 last night, at the Nike International Friendlies (for U17), so Jamaica fared better than Portugal (who has better facilities, coaches & youth system).......If only Jamaica could see the need for a comprehensive youth development system.

[USAF]

Good one Canada - Setting a new MLS' Canadian TV record.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/1...nadian-tv-mark

[OJ]

No I'm not, not too familiar with Vancouver but they have a good academy..

[Gamma]

So happy no one sad 'We are the north!'

I hated that crap battle cry, apologies to the word 'battle'!

[Jangle]

Burrell needs to go now.

[Don1]

Burrell needs to go now.

No argument here