Canadian Soccer drops its COO from the roster

CSA's new direction to focus on reaching the men's World Cup Finals

Earlier this month, as senior FIFA officials conducted an inspection of the six Canadian facilities to be used in next summer's Under 20 tournament, the Canadian Soccer Association was in the process of doing its own inspections.
After more than 20 years behind the helm of the CSA, Kevan Pipe was fired from his position as chief operating officer. Coming on the heels of a FIFA press conference, where Pipe sat side by side with CSA president Colin Linford (who abruptly fired him seven days later) to discuss the upcoming tournament, the announcement stunned many outside the sport. With the FIFA U20 tournament only seven months from the bringing the soccer world to Canada, the CSA is now without a COO, men's head coach and a technical director.
However, many soccer insiders insist the firing of Pipe was long overdue and could be traced to a number of recent decisions that disappointed many within the organization. During his tenure, soccer's popularity in Canada had grown to the point where the 'beautiful game' was now the largest amateur sport in the country, with more 850,000 registered players at last count.
Yet despite the surge in popularity, those numbers never translated into success at an elite level. The national men's team has not been to a World Cup Finals since '86 and walked away from that tournament in Mexico goalless. As the country prepares for the second biggest sporting event in the world, the CSA executive decided it was time to move in a different direction.
CSA treasurer Vince Ursini reiterated that the organization was looking to move in a new direction, with a renewed emphasis on player scouting and development. "Quite frankly, in Ontario we were concerned that most of our time has been in dealing with administration issues - dealing with rules, refs and facilities," said Ursini.
He said six years ago the membership of the CSA was asked to contribute $3 a year to player development, funds which helped fuel the women's team to the top of the world's rankings. Ursini says more than a million was spent on the women's program (including a controversial new residency program) and the goal for any incoming COO will be to duplicate that success with the men's squad.
A professional headhunter has been hired by the CSA is now on the prowl for a new COO, which is expected to be in place within the next couple of months (applications for the coaching position also close at the end of January). Media reports have speculated former national team players like John Catliff, Nick Dasovic and Mark Watson as possibilities, although one source close to the CSA expects Pipe's position to be filled by deputy COO John Billingsley.
Ursini said the CSA has yet to identify Pipe's replacement and won't necessarily restrict themselves to hiring a former Canadian team member. "Is this person going to be Canadian? Maybe, maybe not. All I can say is we're looking for the most qualified person for this position."
Despite Pipe's many accomplishments - including the soon to be completed $64-million stadium at Exhibition Place, a vital element in securing rights to host the 2007 U20 World Cup - many within the sport were happy to see him handed a pink slip.
For Toronto Lynx owner Bruno Hartrell, the move was long overdue. "I'm glad to see him go. He was a lightening rod at these (board) meetings and nobody was happy with the guy."
The "straw that broke the camel's back" according to Hartrell, stemmed from Pipe's public support of women's head coach Even Pellerud, after Pellerud had suspended three star players after they refused to join a national residency program.
Hartrell says many of the CSA board of directors were also upset with Pipe's handling of the new soccer stadium, now known as BMO Field. The original plan had been to build at York University, but once that fell through the organization scrambled quickly to find an alternative site. "He never considered a Plan B, C or D. Pipe did whatever he wanted and the board was expected to rubber stamp it," said Hartrell.
Through his work with the CSA, Pipe managed to persuade three levels of governments to contribute $45-million to the construction of the new stadium. Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment - which own the MLS team that will play in the new stadium - has already made a profit selling the stadium's naming rights. For their part, the CSA will only receive reduced rent for national team games.
"A lot of the board of directors were unhappy with what they saw in the deal and it's probably the main reason why they did what they did," said Hartrell.
Ursini and the CSA deny the stadium project played a key factor in the decision to dismiss their COO. "It was a good deal, no one has ever criticized it, at least not internally," said Ursini. "There's speculation that Toronto FC got a sweetheart deal - but thy came to the table and put their money where their mouth is....without them, the stadium wouldn't have been built."
Ursini emphasized that after the 20-year lease expires, the stadium will become property of the city of Toronto.
News of Pipe's firing came as a surprise to Italia Shooters head coach Tony De Thomasis, whose own players recently celebrated a CSL championship. "I was shocked by the timing," said De Thomasis. "But anybody who's been at the helm for 20 years has been there way too long."
The problem within Canadian soccer, according to De Thomasis, is that amateur clubs operate independently from one another and often refuse to allow their players to try-out on the national stage. Many amateur clubs act as if only their "football fiefdoms" matter and are not interested in working collectively with the CSA on scouting and player development.
"Canada is the only nation where the youth clubs dictate what happens with the national team," said De Thomasis. "Right now the system's success is designed by the number of registered players."

TORONTO FC
The MLS expansion franchise is expected to add 10 players to its roster on Friday, Nov. 17 beginning at 1 pm. The team is expected to draft and sign several Canadian players and act as a feeder team at the national level.
Toronto FC will begin their season at BMO Field in April 2007 and may choose no more than one player from each team. Teams will be allowed to protect 11 players from their 28-man rosters. The draft will bring Toronto FC's roster to a total of 11 players, with only midfielder Jim Brennan (and Newmarket native) as the current player on the team's roster.
Toronto may sign up to four senior internationals and will have five youth international slots, two of which will expire after the 2008 season. In the meantime, the club is scouting the local talent pool, and inviting Torontonians to try-out for the team.
"This is a great opportunity for players to make us aware of their skills and to try to earn a spot with Toronto FC," said head coach Mo Johnston.
The tryouts are open to players 14 and over, and will be held Dec. 18-22 at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan. The tryouts are limited to the first 1,000 people who register online at www.torontofc.ca.
The cost to register is $110 plus $5 handling fee, which includes a t-shirt and pair of tickets to a Toronto FC match.

Publication Date: 2006-11-12
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6771