The plans for the CSL are to expand it to western canada by 2010, which would do wonders for increasing the profile of soccer, but not likely improve talent too much in Canada. These teams are semi-pro.

A good step to taking the CSL and Canadian soccer serious would be to include the CSL champion in the Nutrilite Championship, which I have repeatedly stressed is something the CSA has to do in order to improve futbol in this country.

I am of the opinion that having a sold out stadium in Toronto and Vancouver is good on the financial side for MLS, and that’s great for the investors and people who run the league, but not for soccer in Canada. To use an example, look at how good the U.S. has become with having 24 professional hockey teams. The spectators and money is all American, but the players are heart and soul are Canadian. That will be the same for MLS, only reversed. If Canada actually had a pair and made their own league, with a mindset to improve Canadian soccer, like what Australia has done (who has a smaller population than Canada), Canadian soccer would improve by leaps and bounds. Being dependent on the U.S. for everything won’t help nearly as much, and MLS is still and will always be geared for the betterment of the United States, despite Canadian feelings of entitlemen

Toronto FC is Toronto’s team, not Canada’s, just like the Blue Jays are Toronto’s baseball team, and the Raptors are Toronto’s basketball team, or how the Canadiens are Montreal’s hockey team. Having a Canadian team didn’t seem to help the Canadian national team play any better in qualifiers, and the players it helped develop, like Maurice Edu, were actually American. It’s the same situation with hockey in the U.S. Having the vast majority of hockey teams be located in America has only minimally improved American hockey in the past 90 years since the league began, but it’s certainly given many Canadian players a good developing ground.

You are anti-canadian. And you are the type of guy that I have to apologize for whenever I am in any other country. Frankly, you make me sick.

What do you mean “Let’s assume Toronto is in it for the long haul”. Where the heck would they go? They are either the first or second most popular/valuable club in our league. Then you go on about Montreal coming next. In case you haven’t heard Vancouver is the next Cdn team and they will have 16,500 season tickets sold before they kick a ball. So in “OUR AMERICAN LEAGUE” out of the top 3 franchises TWO will be Canadian. No we don’t need Vancouver or Toronto at all.

I resent the axiom that MLS / the US NEEDS Canada. I do acknowledge, however, that MLS owners want Canadian money.

I find it absurd that at team from Canada is eligible to win what is essentially the pro championship of the United States. I don’t like the fact that one set of teams will be playing by different rules. I laugh at the suggestion that the United States of America should be emulating Monaco, Andorra, Liechenstein, Wales and New Zealand. (Overlooked, of course, is that every one of those countries has a formalized political association with the countries in which their teams play).

And I can’t help but notice that for some — not all — Toronto FC is an instrument of Canadian nationalism. Why all the flags? Why the maple leaf on the crest? And if it weren’t, every game wouldn’t be US-Mexico for its fans.

The Canada that I have always adored has little to do with tribal enclaves and steel drums on a fresh water beach. The Canada for which I have little patience is found in the haughty city-states whose residents commonly reject or embrace loyalties depending on circumstances.

By the way, Concacaf and Fifa denied the LA Salsa permission to play in Mexico back in the 90s. What did we do? We formed our own league,eventually. And when the Galaxy drew 69,000 on opening day, its first instinct wasn’t to bolt MLS and find a way to rub elbows with Chivas and America.

I’m sorry, guys, but I couldn’t care less what you bring to the table. The table is ours. And we sweated blood to build the thing. Go build your own.

As for the Montreal game, I was there. Great watch. I was maybe row in the 20th-30th row, just right of midfield.

God, I love people who are clueless and then share it with the world.

Many Winter Games are held in small villages like Val D’Isere.

Lillehammer had a population of around 20,000 people when they had their games.
And Albertville also had about 20,000 people.
Lake Placid is a hole in the countryside, Im not even sure its a town.
Nagano is about 350,000.

Thanks for playing. See ya.

Another problem is the TO team sucks and should be grateful that they cant drop down divisions like crappy teams should.

And finally, the concept of Canadian national identity is rather vague. Since the advent of US cable TV in the 70s, the social and cultural fabric of society is molded south of the border. (they force black history month in canada in schools as well and the contents are strictly US figures. even teachers dont know enough to make the sham palatable.)

Of course, when it comes to football, canadians still consider themselves inferior in every way which is why every CBC, TSN, RDS broadcast has to have at least one british/french (from france) voice to give legitimacy to the product.

Btw, Toronto is no more cosmopolitain than either NYC or Montreal. They are however the canadian city which most resembles drab US cities like Cleveland and the one with the most US style violence and race problems..

Btw, Montreal got 56,000 for their game tonight while MSL Houston had about 7,000 for their game.

I’ve chosen to live most of my life in the Miami area for a reason.

For the record I strongly opposed expansion to Canada when it was first discussed. I also favor stronger squad limits on foreign players throughout MLS, so we don’t go the way of the Mexican League . (Mexico’s national team has partly collapsed due to the high number of foreign players in the league.)

But since TFC is around, I believe the core of that team should be Canadian and not British as it was thanks to Mo Johnston and John Carver’s handiwork.

The cosmopolitan issue doesn’t entitle anyone to a team. My area is among the most cosmopolitan in the US, and MLS flopped here and USL is flopping. (more on that real soon)

But Toronto is getting their share of hate from American fans who like me opposed expansion to Canada. It’s done– they’ve been in the league 3 years. The least they can do is be a more Canadian oriented team than the insulting group of Championship/League 1/SPL players that Mo and Carver assembled at the start of last season.