Setting aside the optimism of many involved, there’s no denying the Canadian Premier League faces some uphill battles in the months and years ahead. (JohnMolinaro)
Jim Brennan has heard it all before, and he’s tired of listening to the negativity about Canadian soccer.
These are exciting times for Brennan, who is the coach of York 9 FC, one of seven sides in the upstart CPL. Only a few short years ago, Brennan could not have dreamed of taking charge of a club competing in an all-Canadian league, with teams from coast to coast. Today, that dream is a reality. “I’m not interested in the doubters and people who are saying this isn’t going to work. I want people to support this league, and support the players, and support everybody involved because they can see the long-term vision and what everybody is collectively trying to do, which is to build this game in this country and create opportunities for Canadian players and coaches. That’s who I’m interested in, not the doubting critics,” Brennan told Sportsnet.
All of this raises the obvious point: If MLS has had such a hard time breaking through into the mainstream, what chance does the CPL have? It’s a question with which commissioner David Clanachan has wrestled. Although billed as Canada’s topflight, the CPL is essentially a tier below MLS and will largely feature youngsters who couldn’t make it in MLS, Canadian veterans in the twilight of their careers, and journeymen international players.
How will the CPL expand its fanbase beyond soccer diehards? Will selling itself as “a league for Canadians by Canadians” be enough for the CPL to pull in casual soccer fans when the level of play is not of the highest standard?
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