Saturday, June 16, 2007

Canada sails into Gold Cup Semi-Finals

Canada defeated Guatemala 3-0 Saturday afternoon in Foxboro Mass. in a Gold Cup quarter-final game. It was a thrilling game and it was a rare opportunity to see on television the Canadian talent that many Toronto FC fans covet and mention on the various message boards.
Dwayne DeRosario is well known to MLS fans. Paul Stalteri shows up on our EPL Saturday mornings playing for Spurs.
But
J DeGuzman
Atiba Hutchinson
Ali Gerba
and Patrice Bernier
all play in Europe and were a revelation. The Canadian teams that I grew up with were able to defend all day and were backed by a solid keeper, but had nothing up front. This new generation Canada has attacking talent in the players mentioned above and more.
These guys might be financially beyond Toronto FC, but I hope not...I really hope not. I know that MLS teams have salary caps- but this Toronto team has a sold-out season and the potential to break very big in both TV ratings and merchandise sales. Splashing out some money on a talented young Canadian would be a brilliant move.
I admit that there has been more than a hint of jealousy in my introduction this year into the world of US soccer. I read the blogs and I watch the MLS teams that play in Toronto. The fact that the American soccer fan knows their MLS players in both the local club and national team context is a luxury.
I don't think American soccer fans understand how little American national team soccer gets televised in Canada. The years and years of constant failure in international soccer for the Canadian team has meant almost no CONCACAF coverage at all. Even on the channel which covered the game today followed the game with their sports news show. Top story was the trading of a hockey player. In June they pushed back the Canadian soccer team, US open golf, baseball - including a game in Toronto and made the trading of a hockey player their top story. All I can say is the Canadian sports media inhabit a different universe than myself and those I value.
But enough bleating, Go Canada in the semis on Thursday in Chicago !

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

don't get me started... you know there's a problem when a June game for the Jays (one out of more than a hundred) gets precedence over Gold Cup quarterfinals. COME ON!!
(unless you have digital of course).

btw, it's Julian DeGuzman, not Juan. and the player we REALLY need is his little brother Jonathan who plays for Feyenoord, and is getting a Dutch passport...

i'm conflicted over this.