Nuke Soccer

By Ben Knight Onward!

Canadian soccer — the year ahead
Eight things we long-suffering followers of the beautiful game in the Great White North need to see in 2010:

1) Major corporate sponsorship for the Canadian men’s soccer team. CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli knows you can’t finance World Cup runs on a fraction of the registration fees ponied up by amateur soccer players. He and the whole world outside of Metcalf Street agree on this. With the economy brightening and a World Cup year dawning, it’s time to bag the elephant. I want to see Montopoli, head coach Stephen Hart and a delighted corporate president, grinning in front of a giant mock-up cheque, by St. Patrick’s Day at the latest.

2) Quick resolution to the USL-1/NASL-2 dispute. The USSF has given both sides a week to find a compromise. The blogosphere is ripping this as indecisive inaction. I think it’s a thoughtful, measured move – which should have happened two months ago, but it’s too late to cuss about that now. Scotch-tape-and-string together a one-year compromise, and make the split permanent next fall.

3) MLS expansion to Montreal. A done deal, according to my pal and colleague Ben Rycroft, and I have no tangible reason to doubt him. But an official announcement would be lovely.

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