CCL thread 2015

[flip]

Why would you get cursed for posting your opinion?

For being IMFC fan.

For everyone else, I was just trying to say that in similar circumstances, the debate is same in Montreal (and I'm pretty sure it's same in Vancouver).

[ryan]

I'm not so sure. The long draught of loser teams in Toronto has gotten some people into the habit of bandwagon jumping elsewhere.

We want something to cheer for so badly, we latch on to what we perceive is the next best thing. Those cities have NHL and CFL teams competing (and winning) titles. They don't need to look elsewhere for this.

[flip]

I'm not so sure. The long draught of loser teams in Toronto has gotten some people into the habit of bandwagon jumping elsewhere.

We want something to cheer for so badly, we latch on to what we perceive is the next best thing. Those cities have NHL and CFL teams competing (and winning) titles. They don't need to look elsewhere for this.

I understand your point, but since I'm part of IMFC fan base, I know what I'm talking about. In any case, don't get me wrong, it's only in similar situation (Toronto was team representing Canada in CCL back then), otherwise Toronto is hated unanimously - as IMFC is unanimously hated here outside CCL.

Maybe not using right words - but I think you get my point.

PS.: Your Rachel Bonnetta is eyecandy.

[Derko]

I would likely be a neutral spectator and enjoy watching a Championship Football Match.

[OgtheDim]

Even if Canada's #2 team was sent to a qualifier round, that would be good. And I can definitely see CONCACAF moving to a larger qualifier round.

And don't underestimate the role of a Canadian sponsor in all this.

[kodiakTFC]

PS.: Your Rachel Bonnetta is eyecandy.

She left TFC. She works at MLS HQ in New York now.

[flip]

She left TFC. She works at MLS HQ in New York now.

I know, but she's still from Toronto no? At least, I supposed that much. That's what I meant.

[Kaz]

I think Canadian teams winning could change this. If, lets say, MTL wins the CONCACAF Champions League (CCL), and TFC qualifies for the CCL, then I think CONCACAF will have consider allowing MTL into the competition due to them being the champions of the region. I think it will only be beneficial for Canadian soccer and the MLS if MTL wins the CCL.

In addition, if Canadian teams are constantly doing better than American teams in the league (used to happen all the time in the USL), it also will put more emphasis on the quality of Canadian clubs and CONCACAF will be forced to look at changing things to allow the best clubs in the region into their competition. Not to mention, I think TFC and MTL have some of the highest attendances EVER for a CCL match (I think MTL had the record a few years back). All I'm hoping for is by MTL winning, it starts a ripple effect allowing two Canadian teams to qualify into the CCL. Ideally, there should be a qualifying spot for winning the Canada Cup, and a qualifying spot if a Canadian team seeds high enough in the MLS, therefore taking away a spot from an American team (or having both in). I'm not sure of the correct solution, but I think MTL winning will start these conversations.

No Montreal will not get a automatic berth... no team gets an automatic berth based on the previous years performance. It is purely based on Domestic Cup Performance. MLS, US Open Cup in the states. Canadian Championship in Canada, Liga MX in Mexico, etc. That won't change.

The Number of teams qualifying has much more to do with strength and number of clubs. Panama has two berths they don't do really well... but they have 5 teams.


Remember the Change to the Champions League was officially to have fewer games. The reality is it was to help American teams actually get to the Quarter Finals more often and stop the embarrassment of one team constantly being eliminated in the "preliminary round" CONCACAF like FIFA has long since stopped being about sport and is now about money.

Even with that, the odds of Two Canadian Berths where both Berths would likely go to MLS teams would not look good. MLS would then have 6 Teams in the Champions League to Mexico's One. Even though it is 2 Canadian and 4 American sides the optics to everyone else would look bad, I would guess.


So no without a Domestic Cup of at least 10 teams I can not see CONCACAF even considering a second Canadian berth. And No Montreal nor any Champions League winner gets an automatic berth into the Champions League. The Winner of the Champions League gets a berth in the Club World Cup which has 7 teams competing, with basically a cash prize for each team. $500,000 minimum. Every Team has to qualify every year. Just like any other league. The MLS Cup Winner isn't given an automatic berth into the MLS Playoffs.

[Captain Cook]

She left TFC. She works at MLS HQ in New York now.

Oh how I miss her

[LeRocket]

Montréal supporter here, just wanted to say that back when you were in CCL semis, I was really hoping to see you getting destroyed by Santos Laguna. How can you cheer for us? We will make fun of you for the next 20 years if we get that trophy, at least few of you realized it (and that is why we wanted you (80% of us) to fail).

Liverpool and Everton lol you're comparing with what has become a plastic rivalry with nothing but money involved in.

I'd probably cheer for Vancouver tho.

Hope you miss the PO for another year.

Bye.

[Jack]

Montréal supporter here, just wanted to say that back when you were in CCL semis, I was really hoping to see you getting destroyed by Santos Laguna. How can you cheer for us? We will make fun of you for the next 20 years if we get that trophy, at least few of you realized it (and that is why we wanted you (80% of us) to fail).

Liverpool and Everton lol you're comparing with what has become a plastic rivalry with nothing but money involved in.

I'd probably cheer for Vancouver tho.

Hope you miss the PO for another year.

Bye.

Oh, hello there. It's funny that you actually took the time to sign up just to post this little gem. This is about the same level of class as garbage bag banners and throwing seats at kids. Then again, we don't usually associate you clowns with anything resembling class.

Shouldn't you be rapping about signing Reo-Coker or something? Maybe he'll help you avoid finishing dead last in the entire league again. Adieu, mon ami.

[Alonso]

Did this... why would we support another side in a Competition we aren't in...come up with RSL when they made it to the finals? I don't recall any of it.

Yes it did come up. Not to the same extent as this discussion but I definitely remember people questioning the support for RSL.

And yes I supported/cheered for RSL when they made their run.

Also, RSL supporters and MLS in general supported TFC when they made their runs deep into the tournament.

As Ogthedim mentioned earlier in the thread, an Impact supporter came on here to post that he supported TFC in the past during our run through CCL.

I guess I just don't understand the haters.

[CanadaLFC]

I think the underlying issue in all this is a club vs country debate.

I've always been more of a club man, myself. Hence, I want Montreal to fail.

[Fort York Redcoat]

I think the underlying issue in all this is a club vs country debate.

I've always been more of a club man, myself. Hence, I want Montreal to fail.

ALL KINDS, man. Takes all kinds.

I am very country before club but Montreal isn't Canada it's a club in Canada. That's an important distinction for me.

[hulkrogan]

I find this debate kind of funny, as I have different answers depending on the sport.

For hockey, no way. I am driven bonkers by people suggesting to cheer for "Canadian teams" when the Flames are out. I don't care if a Canadian team ever wins the cup again, unless it's the Flames (sorry Leafs fans... I'll see myself out shortly).

For soccer, it's totally different. The league is just coming into it's own, and growth of the game within Canada is something I really value. To have a Canadian team do well in the CCL holds a lot of value for me, even though I'll cheer against the Impact and Whitecaps in every league game they ever play. Anything that goes to growing the sport in Canada and giving us a chance at a WC berth one day, I'm in!

[MartinUtd]

A bit harsh banning the Impact supporter. I found that candidness to be refreshing and it's not like there were any personal insults on there.

Not that this should be any surprise but many of us on here share the exact same sentiment, just with different colours.

[Fort York Redcoat]

A bit harsh banning the Impact supporter. I found that candidness to be refreshing and it's not like there were any personal insults on there.

Not that this should be any surprise but many of us on here share the exact same sentiment, just with different colours.

No surprise. I'd expect to be banned there immediately regardless my civility. It's trolling when you don't actually like the club on their supporters site.

It was refreshing he wasn't more disrespectful.

[Jack]

A bit harsh banning the Impact supporter. I found that candidness to be refreshing and it's not like there were any personal insults on there.

Not that this should be any surprise but many of us on here share the exact same sentiment, just with different colours.

Nope.

[ag futbol]

Oh, hello there. It's funny that you actually took the time to sign up just to post this little gem. This is about the same level of class as garbage bag banners and throwing seats at kids. Then again, we don't usually associate you clowns with anything resembling class.

Shouldn't you be rapping about signing Reo-Coker or something? Maybe he'll help you avoid finishing dead last in the entire league again. Adieu, mon ami.

I though "LOL" scrawled on the side of a garbage bag was about as real football factory as you can get. Danny Dyer was going to come report on that shit but it was just too crazy.

On another note, there's a non-MLS fan who sits next to me in the office who noted NRC was quite impressive in ccl. I was shocked, to say the least.

[Shway]

On another note, there's a non-MLS fan who sits next to me in the office who noted NRC was quite impressive in ccl. I was shocked, to say the least.

I have to question if he actually watches soccer. NRC is shit, and has been in both the games I've seen him play. I don't know why they play him over Bernie.

I can't wait till we play the Impact.

[portu]

I think the underlying issue in all this is a club vs country debate.

I've always been more of a club man, myself. Hence, I want Montreal to fail.

Country above all else, hence I want Montreal to fail.

[ag futbol]

I have to question if he actually watches soccer. NRC is shit, and has been in both the games I've seen him play. I don't know why they play him over Bernie.

I can't wait till we play the Impact.

He's a very smart guy and once played semi pro in the Caribbean. I didn't see the game but I'm inclined to believe it's not stretching... But I'm surprised because I rarely saw him play a game in MLS where he was anything but average.

Bernie's wheels are done, but otherwise I do admire the guy. His first year in the league was sensational.

[Shakes McQueen]

Just finished performing some major surgery on this thread, regarding a user's choice of language that was unfortunate, and spawned a lengthy argument that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Please bring things back on topic. Thanks in advance, folks.

[themodelcitizen]

It would undoubtedly be better for the sport in Canada (exposure, casual interest etc) and for MLS to have Montreal win. This isn't like England where that's not an issue and it's all about club rivalry. Some people here are so desperate to mimic that and build a rivalry from scratch that they will cheer against the game's interests.

[Jack]

It would undoubtedly be better for the sport in Canada (exposure, casual interest etc) and for MLS to have Montreal win. This isn't like England where that's not an issue and it's all about club rivalry. Some people here are so desperate to mimic that and build a rivalry from scratch that they will cheer against the game's interests.

I wouldn't call it desperation. I genuinely don't enjoy the thought of them winning and can't feel any support for them. I'm not trying to mimic anyone, that's just how I feel. There's plenty of history in terms of a rivalry between Montreal and Toronto for those of us who were born and raised in this city, so it's not really built from scratch.

[Fort York Redcoat]

It would undoubtedly be better for the sport in Canada (exposure, casual interest etc) and for MLS to have Montreal win. This isn't like England where that's not an issue and it's all about club rivalry. Some people here are so desperate to mimic that and build a rivalry from scratch that they will cheer against the game's interests.

I think its sad that some feel they need to compare it to other places at all. There is enough fuel in this thread alone to see where the rivalry comes from. I'm sorry that some people need a hundred year old bench mark to allow themselves to feel authentic. The comparisons aren't like for like and don't need to be.

[TorontoGooner]

I think its sad that some feel they need to compare it to other places at all. There is enough fuel in this thread alone to see where the rivalry comes from. I'm sorry that some people need a hundred year old bench mark to allow themselves to feel authentic. The comparisons aren't like for like and don't need to be.

Fair point. But then why do we 'borrow' their chants, banners and supporter culture then?

[Fort York Redcoat]

Fair point. But then why do we 'borrow' their chants, banners and supporter culture then?

I don't see us borrowing from one place in the world. I also see different places in the world borrowing from other cultures. Sure it's easier to use NA as an example but I think it's a waste of time measuring who did what when.

I challenge anyone to dream up something they perceive as what is truly, uniquely, Canadian about our support. I look forward to it and any other fun ways to support worldwide.

[Ajax TFC]

Fair point. But then why do we 'borrow' their chants, banners and supporter culture then?

It's fair game to say that the 'supporter culture' was mimicked from elsewhere, but it's laughable to suggest that the Toronto Montreal rivalry was manufactured in the last three/four seasons. The Toronto - Montreal rivalry is probably as old as any in sports. It's the continuation of the French - English rivalry that has existed here since European settlement of the country began.

[Shakes McQueen]

It would undoubtedly be better for the sport in Canada (exposure, casual interest etc) and for MLS to have Montreal win. This isn't like England where that's not an issue and it's all about club rivalry. Some people here are so desperate to mimic that and build a rivalry from scratch that they will cheer against the game's interests.

The rivalry between our two teams is young, because one hasn't even existed for a decade, but the rivalry between Toronto and Montreal is not. There is nothing fake about it.

And the emotions are kind of the entire point of watching sports to begin with - not objectively stepping back and saying "what would be better to "grow the sport"?" You save that kind of stuff for when you're watching two teams you don't care about at all.