Two Words, Coaching And Scouting

By Jason de Vos CBC Sports

Offside: Fixing Canadian soccer – we’re just getting started
CBC Sports soccer commentator Jason de Vos examines the state of Canadian soccer in Offside, a multi-part blog series exclusive to CBCSports.ca.

I would like to start off by thanking everyone for taking the time to comment on last week’s blog. Your overwhelming response only underlines my belief that there is a tremendous level of support for the game of soccer in Canada.

I have read every one of your comments, and some of you have made some excellent points. Many of you suggested using the development program from Hockey Canada as a model for developing Canadian soccer talent. While this is an interesting suggestion, there are two areas where this concerns me.

First, the facilities for hockey in Canada are far better than the facilities for soccer. Every small town across the country has a decent arena in which to play hockey. Can the same be said for soccer fields in those same towns?

Second, the level of coaching in Canadian hockey, at all levels, is vastly superior to the level of coaching in Canadian soccer. Until we see a massive improvement in this area, we will continue to struggle when it comes to player development.

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