Saputo questions Impact viability in Montreal

[Jack]

i understand the bigger man argument. i really do, but you can only be the bigger man if the other party resolves to put aside their resentment as well. that won't happen anytime soon. it'll be a wholly one sided affair. it's the equivalent of being happy for an ex finding a new parter after they've treated you like shit for 8 years. call it bitterness, whatever, it still won't change the fact that it:

- won't stop them from ripping up our seats.
- won't stop them from challenging random TFC fans to fights.
- won't stop them from hurling batteries, coins, drinks and spit at families and fans trying to leave BMO.
- won't stop them from stealing a banners joe paid for so they could lay it down at their bar and walk all over it.
- won't stop them from vandalizing our bar, our stadium or the route there.

we've already proved we're classier than they are for not doing any of this, but where does that leave us after the fact? cheering them on in the CCL? what if they make a run at the supporters shield, or cup? are we going to hope that they do well under the pretence of "canadian soccer" or an "MLS profile"? is a slight increase in the canadian soccer/MLS profile worth them holding a cup over our/the rest of the leagues heads until we win one? especially knowing that they'll keep doing the same stupid shit they always do? not to me.

i'm not trying to play to extremes, i'm only trying to present the argument i subscribe to.

Did you know Pierre Laporte?

Pierre Laporte? A la morte?

[Lennon]

I look at it this way: When I lived in Edinburgh my local team was Hibernian. I watched Hibs play Rangers and Celtic and all the other Scottish clubs all the time, and I never wanted to see anyone but my Hibs do well in the league. But when it came time for Champions League and UEFA Cup (now Europa League) and all the other international club competitions, I'd cheer for any Scottish club that made it. Why? Because at the end of the day it was for the betterment of all Scottish soccer. I think the same applies here as well. Canadian soccer, in general, benefits when out clubs can take on other teams in CONCACAF beyond who we play in our league.

I get that, but the situation in your example is not quite the same as TFC/Montreal.
1. Rangers/Celtic aren't Hibs biggest rivals (I don't believe)
2. Those teams were full of Scottish players representing a Scottish league. Not a single minute was played by a Canadian player in this tie, MLS isn't a Canadian league, and MLS hasn't shown that they really care about the development of Canadian players.
3. Coefficient points. Nothing like this in CONCACAF.

Matching our achievements.

Well yea, but I'm assuming that most people that cheered for them vs. Pachuca will be rooting for them to advance to the final.

i didn't read any support on impact forums during our CCL matches against cruz azul. none.
it was all "fuck TFC" this and "i hope they fall on their faces" that.

does it raise the profile of the league if they win? of course it will.
does it raise the profile of canadian soccer if they win? of course it will.
but do i want ANY other team than the impact to win this thing? you'd better fucking believe it.

i cannot, for any reason "root" for a team who'll only turn around and throw any CCL success back in our faces at the first possible opportunity. do you think they care about raising the leagues profile? do you think they care about making soccer in this country look good? no. everyone else does, but i doubt they give a fuck and nothing i've read from their supporters seems to suggest that. after all.. this is the same group of supporters who, given the role reversal, find it funny that our team has yet to make the playoffs. where was the talk about raising the canadian profile when we first entered the league? or when we made our CCL run? it was nowhere to be found because they don't give a fuck. they want to see their team succeed, they want to see their team win trophies.



fuck the impact.

+1
If they get past 'La Liga' they'll be playing a Champions League final in a packed Azteca. It doesn't get much better then that. Makes me sick that those douchebags from Montreal would get to experience something like that before us.

[Alonso]

Hello TFC fans,


first of all, i'm an impact fan and a french speaker québécois. My english is pretty bad to. That's a bad start for me !!!


just want to tell you that we are a lot of fans around here that are not TFC haters. And, yes, we supported TFC against Santos Laguna in CCL ! Yesterday we were 38 000 at the olympic stadium. How many of these fans are TFC haters ? Maybe 300. And how many of them are writing some shit about your team on montreal forums ? Maybe 50 !!!


I'm a little bit tired to hear that we are some kind of angry, unclass separatists who are cheering each time that TFC loose a game. A lot of fans around here have canadian soccer at heart. You know, we can find some bad fans in Montreal, in Toronto, in Vancouver, even in barcelona ! But there is some respectual fans everywhere to.


i wish TFC fans a great season ! Let's make a classy rivality with are teams !


sorry again for my poor english !

Great to hear Dan, thanks for contributing to the discussion.

It's good to hear that some of our interest for a fellow MLS and Canadian club competing internationally are reciprocated by some Limpact fans as well.

[MartinUtd]

Classy words from Dan.

It just goes to show there's all different kinds of people supporting each team. You'll find everything thing from neutral enthusiasts of the game to self styled "ultra" sociopaths (not all ultras, just the types that throw concrete at people).

Having said that, sometimes it's nice to indulge and let tribalism get the better of you. So fuck the Impact.

[PAOK17]

The only reason I would Montreal to do decent (i.e. not go too far) is to keep their fans interested enough that they don't lose their team. This is the same city that was averaging 6000 fans per game for the Expos before losing them. In order to have a strong rivalry, you need a half-decent opponent.

Yes, the profile of the league improves. But it would just the same if any MLS club won.

Until someone here can prove to me how CONCACAF determines the number of entries per country in the CCL, then there is no reason to expect Canada to ever have either a Pot A team or multiple entries. Right now it's completely arbitrary with no coefficient system. TFC could win CCL 10 years in a row and they would still be seeded lower than a debutant Mexican team.

Then again, this is the same Confederation that has hosted all of it's continental championships in the same country .

[kodiakTFC]

Having lived in Montreal for school during their USL days, I have stood in their supporters section many times. They are great supporters and whilst we have a rivalry, there is still a great level of respect that exists between both sides. Also, many of their supporters are Voyageurs like many of we are. I was there in Montreal when we played Honduras two cycles ago. That game felt like an away game, and many of us bonded with MTL supporters before/during/after the game.

In a competition like this I cant help but support Montreal, or any other MLS side, and once we're all eliminated.. any team that isn't Mexican! I desperately want to see this sport succeed in Canada, a healthy and successful (against everyone but TFC) MTL is a necessary. We don't need to 'hate' our rivals. Everton and Liverpool don't hate each other. No one denies that this friendly rivalry isn't also quite intense. Maybe I just have a soft spot for the city though.

[__wowza]

Considering you're remembering the wrong Mexican team (it was Santos Laguna in the semis) I'm not sure I'll rely on your account of that one. Anyways who cares what they think in that small-time French outpost, honestly? You can want to see the team do well without worrying about that.

you're right, i got my years mixed up, but claiming an argument from fallacy doesn't really make it any less true.
like i said though.. i really can't cheer for them. most of the thread has been people split down the middle about this, and that's fine. i was just explaining my reasoning and mentioning that, above all else, people are openly advocating cheering on our rivals.

Hello TFC fans,


first of all, i'm an impact fan and a french speaker québécois. My english is pretty bad to. That's a bad start for me !!!


just want to tell you that we are a lot of fans around here that are not TFC haters. And, yes, we supported TFC against Santos Laguna in CCL ! Yesterday we were 38 000 at the olympic stadium. How many of these fans are TFC haters ? Maybe 300. And how many of them are writing some shit about your team on montreal forums ? Maybe 50 !!!


I'm a little bit tired to hear that we are some kind of angry, unclass separatists who are cheering each time that TFC loose a game. A lot of fans around here have canadian soccer at heart. You know, we can find some bad fans in Montreal, in Toronto, in Vancouver, even in barcelona ! But there is some respectual fans everywhere to.


i wish TFC fans a great season ! Let's make a classy rivality with are teams !


sorry again for my poor english !

vous remercier pour la contribution dan!
je ne ai aucune mauvaise volonté envers les fans. comme vous le dites vous-même, il arrive partout.. toutefois, l'impact " ultras " causer de nombreux problèmes entre les équipes .

désolé pour mon horribles français , je sais un peu seulement.