Format this year will be for someone besides myself to make a list on a chosen subject and I will then make a list of my own for the next day. So has requested here are the top 10 players according to Scotty.
1. Michel Bandula (Poland): We saw Poland fall off a tad last year but the consistency in net kept them in contention and will do so again this year. Poland has a strong D and Michel should be able to anchor them into far into the playoffs. He is the top goalie in the tournament.
1. Michel Bandula (Poland): We saw Poland fall off a tad last year but the consistency in net kept them in contention and will do so again this year. Poland has a strong D and Michel should be able to anchor them into far into the playoffs. He is the top goalie in the tournament.
2. Mike Collins (Jamaica): Leaves Ireland after much glory and
should provide stability to a relatively weak Jamaica midfield. Deadly
on free kicks mike will be relied on if Jamaica has a shot of going far
this year.
3. Jay Tomchuk (Poland): injuries and coaching (who
plays the best striker in the tournament on the wing?) held jay back
last year, but he should be firing on all cylinders once after healing
from surgery. Rumor has it he is only to play in playoffs so who ever
team Poland crosses with in the quarters watch out.
4. Chico
Farahani (Laos): one half of what made Afghanistan a contender last
year, chico moves to Laos and should instantly strengthen the midfield.
He can shoot from anywhere and can be dominant off set pieces.
Interesting to see how he will gel once tournament rolls around
5.
Jarvis Hughybaert (Canada): Canada is known for its strong defensive
play and that’s thanks to Jarvis. He is a top defender in the tournament
that has the ability to push forward and score goals in the run of
play, as well as set pieces. If he can keep Canada in shape they should
have no problem making it back to the top
6. Tong Tong (Sudan):
No one really knows what Sudan team will show up, but if a repeat
championship is possible they need Tong Tong to show up. Arguably the
MVP of last year’s tournament, he is probably the best player in the air
in the entire tournament and thrives on Sudan’s ability to turn any
dead ball into a goal. All I can say is have fun watching him jump over
your defenders.
7. Josip Coric (Afghanistan): The other half of
Afghanistan’s talent that made them competitive. Losing Chico will hurt
his ability to get the ball, but the addition of Mitch Bauche and Bobbi
Nicholat should ease the pain. He showed last year his prowess
anywhere over half whether it be in the run of play or set pieces.
Afghanistan’s only hope is that he scores a lot of goals, and he is
definitely capable of doing just that.
8. Tavis Workman (Canada):
Jarvis is the heart of Canada, but Canada has had success because of
Tavis. He is no doubt the best attacking option Canada has and has
proved this by scoring goals in the past. He has quick feet and an even
quicker release of the ball. Defenders hate playing against him (myself
included). Canada will rely on him to be the ‘workman’ up front.
9.
Dwayne Gareau (ROI): You could argue Dwayne and Jarvis are pretty
equal in defensive ability. Dwayne also moves to Jamaica this year and
will instantly make the back line better (did anyone else see Nigeria
thump Jamaica’s defenders?). As long as Jamaica is scoring and Dwayne
plays major minutes in the back Jamaica should finally (how long has it
been?) get through the playoffs.
10. Cesar Santamaria (ES): El
Salvador always seems to be in the mix but hasn`t made it past the
quarters for a couple years. Having an established and dominant
midfielder in Cesar should help them make a push for more glory. Along
with Rolfe and Jerson (and apparently the McDougall`s?) ES should feel
as competitive as ever.
**I left off Brett Levis because he is
still undecided whether or not he will play but obviously would be on
this list. I didn’t rank anyone specifically because I think all these
players are valuable to their respected teams. This is just MY opinion
so don`t take too much through it just a starting point for everyone to
rant. There are a lot of good players in this tournament so if you have
more names throw them a shout out.
57 comments:
Not a bad list. Who do you think will win the tournament this year Scotty?
Tough to leave Brown off. Arguably the most effective player in tournament history based on his 23 goals in the 2011 edition. Otherwise solid list Scotty.
-Nate
I agree with the list, and also agree that there are many more people that could make the list. I am a little confused as to why a lot of people think Poland won't make it through, and people saying they don't have goal scorers... Jay, levis, dane, sarazin, zoller, "tips"... That seems like a couple goal scorers.. little bit confused..
Good list Scotty
Zoller is a defender. No attacking sense, if Poland is relying on Zoller for goals then they are in trouble.
Dwayne as a center back? Dwayne thinks he is a defensive midfield and I could name a handful that are better at the position than he is.
Come on now guys. It's just Scotty's opinion. There are obviously other good players not mentioned. Lets not think too much into this. Everyone got their picks.
Tavis and Cesar hasnt even been playing this yr from what I heard. they have good quality skills but
who knows what they will bring to the table
I think theres 2 players(Jarvis and Duwayne) on the list I would put as good/effective players but not the best players in the tournament.
replacing the 2 I would throw in Murphy and Daniel Marcheinko
Kirk: Marcheinko does not have the technical ability or understanding that a lot of other players have! Murphy on the other hand is a quality player.
I am surprised no one has mentioned the superstar PACO LAXO-BROWN on the list. He is top 10 in the suck column!!!!!
The Joker
Joker ... Tavis has been playing all season in Div 2. Where do you get your facts from dude? Come on. Lame.
Can someone tell Rual Banergeez that his music sucks at the wcp and so does his stupid comments while I am playing futbul. I dun care waht you say. Let me jus play my game. You are a bad coach.
Ill try and answer these in order. I think right now France has a great chance to win for the first time (already have one trophy on the year!). Laos should be strong again this year by adding Chico. Poland will be strong depending on Jay and Brett showing up. ES has a strong lineup this year as well and you can't write off Sudan or Canada. Would love to see teams no one talks about emerge (Portugal and Columbia) from groups and cause upsets.
As for Brown off the list I was honestly gonna put him in the same category as Brown. He never played last year and I mostly based my opinion from last year. He is coming off surgery but I completely agree Nate he is a top player in the tournament no doubt. I find it funny how people are trashing you on the blog seeing as you were in the top 3 scoring last year.
Poland can definitely score goals but its gonna come down to how they deploy Jay and Brett. Jay may not be ready til playoffs and Brett showing up for all the games is less than 50/50. And as for Zoller he is 100% defender. Ill bet he doesnt score one this tournament.
Im interested to hear who you think is a better holding mid in this tournament let alone Saskatchewan than Dwayne. Also on a team like Jamaica they would need him back there to pick up their sloppy back line. Although from what I heard he is now back on ROI.
I don't watch the Regina league but I know Tavis is still quality player and Cesar is as well. Danny has a good shot and I agree is a threat on France but I think he has fallen off from where he was a few years ago (but who hasn't?). Murphy is a good player but depends who he plays against. Get under his skin and he becomes invisible but I agree if hes on he is an elite playmaker.
Again just my opinion. I respect criticism and love the beaks. I've ran around for 15 years like a chicken without a head but I feel like its paid off. Anyways that's all I got for now.
MyrahS
FYI, Dwayne is on ROI according to sources
as well when I watched him in the knockout stages, he didnt impress me one bit, (last yr group stage, he was in an easy group)
I am also baffled at why Dwayne is on this pedastool. Is it cause there is some sort of Huskie fraternity going on where people have become oblivious to reality? Top holding midfield players are not only strong defensively but technically strong players. Dwayne may be strong defensively (mainly in the air as he seems slow and doesn't ever make impact tackles) but he is quite poor on the ball.
I agree with anon 15:52.
Thanks Scotty, actually have the old Golden Boot plaque sitting around in my house from last year. But with Brown back this year, and ROI having lost a few key guys, I won't get the ball in such fortuidous positions, so I don't anticipate a repeat.
In terms of Dwayne not belonging on this list, I think it can be argued either way. Now, if we're talking outdoor soccer, there is no argument. He is the best holding midfielder in the province, with a number of A-League caps under his belt. However, the style of play in this tournament is not necessarily the most condusive to his style of play. That being said, I am ecstatic to have him on my team.
Also, as a former tournament MVP, don't be afraid to give yourself some credit.
Cheers,
Nate
Thats a pretty good list Scott, although there are quite a few names in the tournament that could make up a "pretty good list".
Here's my opinion on your picks:
Michal - best GK in the tournament, and I don't know if this can be debated. I've seen him let in a few soft ones but he's made absolutely incredible saves that I don't think any other goalie can top. A big part of any of poland's success
Mike - Sure, hes good on free kicks. However, not to be rude, but i feel as though hes gained weight or something as he has looked a lot less threatening this indoor. And the lack of form, mixed with his toxic attitude, makes me question whether he should be on the list.
Jay - stunning striker. best in the tournament. poland puts him on center midfield. wtf..?!@#*$^(*)#!
Chico - one of the best individual players in the tournament regardless of what anyone says. However i cant stand his personality on the field, and would not want him on my team.
jarvis - an engine. will man mark the best player on the opposing team almost flawlessly. solid is the best word to describe him.
tong tong - a physical specimen. good luck getting the 8 foot vertical to contest headers with this guy. also has surprising speed and ball control. extremely fun to watch.
josip - I only get to see him play in WCP, but from what i've heard and from what i've seen in recent years he is a quality striker for sure.
tavis - when on his A game tavis is pretty ridiculous. one of the most agile players i've seen, great speed/accel and great ball control. a big threat, especially for anyone lacking pace.
dwayne - again, the only time i see him is in wcp but he seems similar to jarvis in the sense that hes just a solid player. maybe less of an athlete than jarvis but probably stronger?? idk
cesar - it would be impossible not to include him on the list. hes been at least scouted by the u23 national team, if not been on the roster (im not sure which). but that in itself is more credentials and experience than most in this tournament can dream of.. however, seeing him play in outdoor i thought he would single handedly dominate the field but he simply seemed like a very high quality regina player (which isn't a bad thing i guess, I just expected even more). Regardless, needs to be on this list.
obviously many worthy names have been left out, which is understandable. My list might be a little bit different, this is simply my analysis on Scotty's choices.
I have to argue a few points.
1. Cesar was asked to go to a training camp with the U23's. It was by no means the top group of players as the CSA was looking for players who were playing abroad and didn't get a chance to see on a regular basis. It happened that Cesar was in NTC, and he was playing in El Salvador and that's how he got the call up. Didn't stick with the roster and only attended one camp.
2. Other Saskatchewan players have attended national camps and they are not on the list. Best goalkeeper in the tournament is JD Blakely; Bandula is not even close to the quality JD is.
3. Nate, I feel your just defending your friend. Dwayne had A-League caps when the Calgary Storm existed. A club many more Saskatchewan players would have made if the club was still around.
I thought Campos was a holding mid type player (unsure though as I see him play every other position at this tournament) and I'd like to see him face off with Dwayne as the size would be equal and it would come down to straight ability and understanding of the position.
4. As for Mr. Myrah, he was a former MVP which indeed is correct but it think it was more due to his hustle and heart more than anything. Scott is a spark plug but not much more than that.
5. I can't agree more about the comment on Mike Collins. I know this is his site and all, but I am glad someone finally spoke the truth.
Hopefully this good conversation continues as I am sick of listening to that Paco child whine.
With hard work and good team work dont be surprised if my name makes that list
Diya Ramadan
ahahha not in a 100 yrs would that happend Diya keep living in a white christmas
It will be some new names this year as old ones fade away!!
that seems less like an argument and more like a clarification. especially for cesar. Being invited to NTC and national training camps is a pretty big deal for someone from this province and is quite prolific for a participant in this tourney. I doubt you're arguing the fact he deserves to be on such a list?
The reason i don't include JD in such a list is because it has been many moons since he's been a part of this tournament (back when scotland was a contender). And back when he played in the tournament he was not nearly as good as he is now after playing with SFU. I no longer consider him in the mix of players in this tournament anymore, but thats simply according to my own standards.
Thanks for the clarification on cesar though, i wasn't entirely sure about the whole situation. Didn't know if he got any caps or not.
Considering that Chico is the only one on that list that still plays at a professional level, id warrant he deserves a higher ranking and that's after ignoring the fact that he dominates in games.
Summers
PDL isn't pro. Brett Levis will be playing that also.
The PDL is not that quality of a league. Obviously those who don't know much about the realism of professional leagues would assume so. If Chico, who is an average/mediocre player, can play PDL then what does that tell you?
The league stands for Player Development League. It's run for 2 months in the summer. It is miles behind programs such as the Edmonton FC, Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and the Whitecaps.
Here's an example to enlighten you about the truths of the situation. Players from other universities go home to BC and play in the PDL as a form to stay playing during the summer. Many of those players are not even in the top level of the CIS, yet they play in the PDL.
Chico playing PDL isn't something all that highly noteworthy. Too many uninformed opinions without understanding the true logistics of the professional systems in soccer.
If Chico claims he is getting paid then he is lying directly to your face. If anything Chico is paying to play in that league and so will Levis.
I totally agree with everyone. Collins has definately gained weight. He's not only slow but it's he's a complete idiot out there. Watch some of the Jamaica games this year and you'll see exactly what I mean. Also, think about how much he drinks. Clearly the main reason he is out of shape.
From what I have heard, Levis is getting all of his expenses paid for by the Highlanders (including room and board), and is one of just a few who are. Other than that, PDL teams with funds, pay for all travel expenses on trips and usually give travel allowance for food and such. PDL is a pretty competitve league considering, paid whitecaps players play on their whitecaps pdl team over summer. It is really about the same quality of CIS, perhaps with a bit more skill. This is just my understanding of the league, from living in BC for two years, and being asked to stay over summer and play PDL myself. (of course on my own expense)
GPeters
I think that point was that most players have to pay out of pocket and Chico is one of those players. Unfortunately I have heard stories of Chico stating otherwise and it is evident by Soheil's post that those stories may be true.
Levis may be getting his expenses paid and that doesn't surprise me as he is much better than Chico. The Whitecaps use the PDL as a farm system to play their developing players, but many of those players never make it further than that. A recent article that was published shows how many of the players involved in the Whitecap system and affiliated academies are really just there to try to fund the rest of the program. I wish I had a link as it was a very good read. I heard rumors that Saskatoon now has a Whitecap training center and I am not sure how valid that is.
Whitecap training center is very valid. Press release is this tuesday to announce it.
DB
The great thing about this tournament is you don't have to be fast or in shape. Sure I could train, but for what this tournament? and to play in our garbage indoor league where the only 2 competitive teams are Enter and Cosmos. Hard to stay motivated for that.
you dont even have to be in shape for outdoor as well, I dont know how the Regina leagues got so bad to this point. not sure what the Saskatoon div 2 league is like, probably higher but probably dont need to be in shape as well. other Cities in Edmonton,Calgary, and Winnipeg offer a high competitive league, kinda sad
Love the tournament love the banter. I have been away on holidays and am extremely busy with work and coaching and therefore have not had a chance to get involved in posting on here.
Just want to clarify that I was originally going to be playing with Jamaica but I don't know how available I can be for the tournament this year and I did not want to leave Kevin hanging.
ROI said I can be on their roster and attend if or when I can so I am on their roster.
I say this every year but this is a fun tourney and Kevin and all involved need props for organizing the event. In no way can you make everyone happy but good work.
Dwayne (DG)
In response to Mike Collins above post ...
Clearly COSMOS is not a motivated team. A bunch of drunken fools who have maybe 8 players show up each game. Real classy. Why even play soccer. Give it up completely if it's that bad. I'm sure a lot of people would be happy to have a bunch of wild animals off the field.
oh man oh man, you guys sure do live in your own world. Lets look at some facts here.
PDL is considered division 4 north america by FIFA. Some teams do indeed have players on contracts so yes it considered playing professional.
"In recent years, [some] teams... have been embracing at least partial professionalism through a new program called PDL-Pro, whereby teams can choose to employ players who are paid for their performances" -wiki
I suggest you speak with chico and ask him how much he got paid and how his contract worked. In comparison to brett who i'm assuming is going to play for the Victoria Highlanders, a medicore club entering into there 4th season this year; chico played CDM for one of the biggest teams in the league (which consists of 62 teams btw), Thunderbay Chill, which has players coming from all over the world. If you look at his stats not only did he play over plays from mexico, spain, brazil etc..., he also got team of the week and other accolades.
Regarding to the comments about him being an average mediocre player, you guys do realize that chico is a defensive player whos main attributes are long balls, short passing, tackling and marking? He's not even good at dribbling or shooting and yet the fact that he's doing 360s and step overs on "good defenders" and drilling shots from half on your ranked keepers is quite hysterical to me.
But hey, don't take my word for it. Go to http://www.uslsoccer.com/ and check it out for yourself.
Summers
Soheil you're so full of it. Shut up already and go pretend to be a good coach. You were one of the worst coaches my son has ever had. Thank you for quitting QC.
Brett Levis is 10x the player Chico is. Easily.
I think no one has the right to shut down a league like PDL unless you go and prove yourself in it. Chico and Levi are playing in a league with all the best college players, players developing in those pro academies that will move onto the mls.. So many people have this bitter tendency to hate. I urge you first educate yourself about what your talking about and soccer, and then I challenge you to watch the WCP cup as if its not the be all and end all. Remember its 8v8 or whatever it is, its hardly a soccer match if u wanna compare it to an outdoor 11v11 game. I think we as parents need to push kids to achieve these things like pdl, cause not enough people know of these oppurtunities. We should look at it as if those guys can do it so can i. instead of being pessimistic.
and for that anon 12:27. who do you think is a good coach, if soho is a terrible one?? I can give you a list of worse coaches, however scrounge for a handful that r better.
that url doesnt even work Summers
another note, ya Chico is a good player but on any given day a player in the Regina league can shut him down.
Soheil: You really put your foot in your mouth this time. Chico is an average player and there are many other players that are much better. If I were assembling a team I would not take Chico. To compare him with Levis is absurd. Answer me this, seeing as the term professionally is being thrown around loosely, Chico plays quality soccer for 2 months in a year and possibly trains for 2-3 more months; whilst other players train all year round at a higher caliber. Therefore, why would any club want to purchase a player like Chico when there are 10,000 more just like him, and countless more that are much better than he is.
Chico is not a professional player and to sell that idea is incorrect. At the end of the day he is playing in a developmental league. IF it were a professional level, then the players from their respect universities would be ineligible to return.
Collins: I agree with you. I don't understand why people believe that this tournament is filled with quality players and talent? The quality of this event is actually quite bad. 80% of the players that step on the field do not even stand a chance in a training environment when placed amongst the quality players in the province. The mentality of people about this tournament is outrageous and people need to realize that the next Messi is not coming from this tournament.
Wiki definition Soheil! You left this all out...
"The USL Premier Development League (commonly known as the PDL) is the pro development league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid. It is currently the top-level men's AMATEUR soccer competition in the United States, and has 62 teams competing in four conferences, split into nine regional divisions; unofficially, it is considered to be the fourth tier of competition, behind Major League Soccer, the North American Soccer League and the USL Professional Division, and roughly equal with the National Premier Soccer League (CSA Men's Club Nationals is the equivalent).
Get your facts right before you report stuff Soheil as google is a hell of a tool!!!! Speaking of tools where has little Paco been today?!
-The Joker
Yes some teams do not pay and as long as your not getting paid you cannot be called professional. That is an absolute fact, but go back to what I wrote. I said that some teams have contracts and indeed pay players, so yes if they are getting paid they are called professionals and they cannot play college or university. The reason the entire league isn't step up in that design is that it would completely wipe out the college system. They would rather work hand in hand for financial reasons.
Those teams that do pay players do not fall under amateur as they are recognized as "PDL PRO" and fall into the 4th division North America under USL Pro.
" This does not contravene NCAA rules, which state that college players cannot play alongside professionals, but may play against them. What this also means, however, is that PDL-Pro teams cannot have any active NCAA players on their rosters, but may employ NAIA and community college players, ex-NCAA players who have already graduated, or other local players who do not play college soccer at all."
In addition writing off the PDL is foolish as most of the players in MLS started their careers there.
"Increasingly, the PDL is seen as a 'shop window' for professional clubs looking to discover and identify aspiring professional players who may enter the MLS SuperDraft in future years. Many of the players currently playing in Major League Soccer and elsewhere began their careers in the PDL."
In terms of training you guys can ask chico how long they go for but from what I know he goes from April until August, which is 5 months. Each team is different, but I know chico has always left in april and returned in August.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion at the end of the day you can say theres 10,000 players out there like chico and he has no chance, etc etc...
but I don't share that opinion. Ottawa Fury just signed him for their PDL roster this season. They are also looking at him to feature in their 2014 NASL Franchise Debut. So yes if you don't consider chico professional now, you will in a couple months.
And yes in the outdoor game I would take chico on my team over Levis any day. Finding an attacker with similar characteristics and qualities is easy as theirs tons of brazillians in the PDL already like Brett. Finding a CDM like Chico who is strong with both feet and a tenacious tackler, is difficult.
Just my opinion. Take it as you will.
Summers
I also want to make something clear, no way in any shape or form am I saying Brett is bad. He is a fanastic player. In my opinion though I think Chico is stronger overall then Brett is. Both are quality players.
Summers
Soho shut up already. You have no clue what you are talking about. Brett is more like 20 times better than Chico. Soho stop sucking up to Chico. The guy is the reason you guys blew last year. Chico doesn't even listen to you. He ran the show. He made you look like a complete joke. You are a horrible coach and you have no control of any team you coach. You ruined Nigeria and now you will ruin Afghanistan. Stop pretending to be better than you are. Anyone that knows you will agree with this post.
This forum really seems to have gone in a tangential direction. I don't know enough about PDL to contribute anything insightful on that topic, so I'll leave it alone.
Getting back to the discussion regarding the top 10 list, I just wanted to respond to Anon 17:25, March 2. While Dwayne is a friend, that doesn't change the fact that he is a quality player. I like to think I am fairly objective in my player ratings. While there may be a handful of guys from Saskatchewan today who could play for the Storm, were it still in existence, there aren't as many as you may think. I believe Dwayne won Player of the Week a time or two in the conference, so it's not like he was some scrub that got garbage minutes.
You make a valid point that Scotty's MVP was in large part due to heart, but he is quite effective in this tournament. He gets up and down the pitch as much as anyone and he does well on the ball too. I think the style of play in WCP is more suited to his game than 11 v. 11. And, as previously mentioned, the opposite could be said for Dwayne.
-Nate
I don't really care about the "prestige" of all of the different leagues. I'm here analyzing players and their quality. So here's my synopsis on Chico.
Its easy. People who fail to realize that chico has loads of talent are simply haters. As i said in an earlier post he is one of the best individual players i can think of in this province. Defensively and offensively he is very skilled.
However, people who DONT hate on him for his "Im the best player in North America ego" are simply clenched to his ball sack. And a large portion of his ball sack is currently occupied to by Soheil. I wouldn't regularly care if someone "thinks" they are better than everyone else.. who really cares?? BUT his ego effects the way he plays, and therefore it becomes an issue.
His ego makes him seem like SUCH a less talented player in my eyes, as a player and as a spectator. Watch him play. Countless times you will see him drop below his own CB to collect the ball from his GK, only to dribble it past his own strikers to take a shot on net himself **Gooo Chico! You're the best!** on repeat in his head the entire time. This in itself is one of the most annoying traits a team mate could have to deal with. But the even worse thing? Regardless of how poorly he is playing, he will continue to play like this.
What does this mean? It means that when Chico is playing good, Chico looks good. When Chico is playing bad, his whole team looks bad. That is not a player I want on my team.
I'm not a fan of comparing one player to the next to say whose "better" but I would definitely take Levis on my team over Chico. I feel they are similar caliber players in their respective positions however Brett is much more personable on the field and way easier to play with. Traits that are often overlooked. Brett doesn't expect to be the center of every single play, he doesn't get upset when his team doesn't hit him with the ball instantly, or when someone screws up, and he recognizes his mistakes. Watch one of Chico's team mates yell at him for a bad play, then watch them get their throats ripped out by The Man himself. His ego cannot take criticism; deflect deflect deflect.
I cant handle players like that and would turn down talent for that reason alone.
Jeeesh! Yet, after all this being said, I would never deny the fact that Chico is a stunning individual player. ....not that he needs me telling him.
Good Day.
Brett Levis makes Nathan Reis look bad. Levis is elite. Reis is an over-rated. LOL
Intelligent conversation is possible, but individuals like Darko, Paco and Kirk need to be removed from the site! They have no understanding of the game.
I want to see this Darko or whatever he calls himself play. Telling people he will win the golden boot. Guess Serbia is going to be all that? Better make sure you perform out there cause you talk a lot of stuff dude. Should be interesting to see what this dude is all about.
Haha what does this have to do with me vs. Brett? Of course he is better than me. Neither myself nor anyone else has said otherwise. Great insight, anon. 19:47.
-Nate
Wow some interesting points on here. I will start by saying chill out guys nobody is claiming to be the best player out there. Take it in context.... they are some of the very good players by Saskatchewan standards. If they start performing at a higher level we will then judge them at that time. So easy...
Next as for Cosmos being a joke team and only having 8 players. We play in the final tomorrow for which we qualified with 8 players. Not sure how that makes us "animals" or not "classy".
And lastly Dwayne I think you mistakenly added a word in there when you wrote "I did not want to leave Kevin hanging." I think you meant to omit the word "not". Thought I 'd help you out there.
For those who don't know and for those that think they know but have no idea, PDL league runs from may-august. That's not a debatable topic its a fact. anything else said is ppl talking about things they dont know.
PDL by no means is an amazing feat, but however its a stepping stone to further a soccer career beyond university. Having played both cis and pdl for 2 seasons, I can say the level is noticeably different from my personal experience.
And now i wouldnt normally be writing on a blog about these things, but i feel like for youth that reads this they get a sour taste of what the next level is, and its made sour by guys that are done playing now and have a bitter taste in their mouths not cause they weren't good enough but because they didnt take the chance abd pursue it, or for some didn't know what was out there. For those that apparently know the contract I was on, I'll clarrify that I did get paid in Thunderbay and all expenses were paid, now how they get around it is for 3 weeks outta the summer we worked camps and that allowed them to write it off as royalties, obviously its nothing special, but to wake up and play soccer every day for 4 months, ill take it no matter the price, at the end of the day ill be working a 8-5 job for the rest of my life might as well play while I can.
Now for some reason we have this cancerous tendency to hate and to shut down anything someone's doing thats not the norm in this province, and it always seems to come from people who A. were to afraid to take the chance and go play back in their time, B. weren't good enough, C. weren't willing to sacrifice. Personally I dont care when people take go's at me and rip me apart on the blogs, its all fun and games and I can take it. But when ppl speak about things they have never seen, or played, or even read about it's just plain stupid.. Do yourself a favor and don't kill it for the future kids that wanna play at the next level. Now instantly saying that I know, somewhere in half your minds your thinking, Next level? this guys a joke, thats not the next level... Well sorry to say it, our province doesn't produce MLS stars or produce European calibre Hargreave talents,so answer me this why dont we push kids to achieve realistic levels of soccer and go from there? So yeah PDL is the next level. I could list a handful of players that given their fitness could play in the league, but choose to pursue other things.
For those kids who are driven to play at the next level our coaches should push for it and encourage it, because in the end unless your Kevin Holness, who are you to say that its shit? lol I'll watch a champions league match at ohans and half the bar thinks that 8 out of 11 players on each team are shit. now thats free entertainment... But thats fine, given our unreal track record at club nationals, provincial program, and awesome development programs we definitely have that right!! winning sask mentality!
As for my ego.. Well, dont really know what to say, i guess i wont take as many free kicks, or shots, or take players on anymore. if that makes people happy. However im sure all the haters will be glad to know that may 2nd when i start training camp in ottawa my Ego will be put in check and I can garuntee you ill be an extremely hard worker, and average technical player among some very good players.
sincerely,
Jordian chico Farahani, or chicolicious, egomaniac, ____________ , im sure there will be a few other clever ones before the tourney kicks off.
Good post chico, now hopefully that sums up everyones thoughts and concerns with how much he was/is making and where chico's life seems to be headed haha
Hopefully we can get back on track with the WCP talk now.
-DB
Well said, Chico. Props.
-Nate
You have to respect some of the things that Chico mentioned in his post. Chico wants to play soccer, and it is his choice if he takes that chance to do what he wants. Other people won’t make those sacrifices because playing the game simply isn’t worth it anymore. It’s sad to see the lack of respect many of the people give you on this site as in everyone’s mind every player is garbage and only they are better. Posts by Darko and Paco really emphasize that attitude present in this tournament and around the whole province.
I poke fun at Chico in posts because he is a buddy and Soho presents situations in a manner where it’s all in good fun; yet people take posts to the extreme. If Chico and Brett want to pursue a chance to play in the PDL, that is their prerogative. When I made an effort and actually tried to play soccer I was offered chances to play PDL via the USL Showcase I attended; and for me…. I didn’t want to make that sacrifice because I saw more value in pursuing my education and making an effort to have a respectable career. To me the mere game of soccer was no more than a game after the age of 21.
You can post that I am junk and that I don’t know what I am talking about, but at the end of the day I’ve been places that many people in this province will never have a chance to play in. From those experiences you learn, and you mold your own opinions and you learn the harsh realities of what the professional game really is. Many people that come on this site and voice their opinion think they know, but do you really know the reality of why many Canadian players can never make that next step? Or why having only a Canadian citizenship really hampers players opportunities abroad?
At the end of the day this tournament means different things to different people. To some it is the holy grail of soccer as they don’t know any better, to others it is an opportunity to see some old friends, have a good time and play some games at the same time. Some people are really intense about this event, and that has unfortunately led to so much negativity towards anyone that dares say anything.
If you haven’t realized this by now, many of my posts are just twisting people’s words on this blog to make a joke of how intense and negative some people have become on this site. This is a great event, it has both its positives and negatives but at the end of the day it is becoming less enjoyable with the attitudes many of the people surrounding the event exhibit. It should be ok to crack some jokes here and there, and if you don’t understand the humor… why get upset? Maybe try looking outside to box before you become extremely judgmental.
The next generations of soccer players need people to guide them down the right path, and unfortunately very few people do anything to make sure that the kids get the proper training and guidance. Very few people take the time to give back to the game, and I know that Chico at least has made some sort of an effort to do so that I am quite impressed by his post and therefore decided to make an appearance.
Well done Chico and hopefully more people make an effort to become informed before they criticize. Sometimes situations are what they appear to be that everyone should just take a step back before they criticize.
(Yes I know there will be anonymous posts calling me junk and garbage, blah blah blah)
- The Infamous Julio (Yes it is indeed me)
Very well said Chico. Half the people who cut down leagues like CIS, PDL, A-league, MLS, National competitions, have zero idea how they function or what level it actually is.
Jealousy leads to hate. We live in a province that support should be given to anyone pursuing better level soccer.
Kevin Holness had a wonderful career in the A-League. He also has international caps for country and has done a good job of promoting soccer in Saskatchewan.
Chico, just to clarify Owen Hargreaves(who was born in Alberta and playerd there) did not get better until he was fortunate enough to get involved in Bayern Munich youth accademy as a 14 year old. Canada cut him from the under 15 national team and at that time he had a connection to Bayern and he moved there which lead to him budding into a great player through their accademy.
This tournament is a fun way to promote and grow the game for young soccer players in Saskatchewan. It may not be top level soccer, but it allows a competition that may alter some kids to pick soccer in their future over other sports. The more athletes you can convert into soccer at a young age the stronger your youth teams and province will do at national competitions. In addition you may see more Sasky kids playing PDL, and hopefully even MLS in time.
Again people should support, and continue to grow this event as well as support those individually who play soccer beyond the Saskatchewan borders.
I love the attitude Chico of knowing who you are and being comfortable with that. There was a group of us Sasky boys who went out to Calgary and did what you did. Played soccer daily and had a ton of fun with it. Anyone who is able to do so I strongly encourage trying it.
Dwayne (DG)
Good post Chico. If you want to play in whatever league, that's great. It's nice that you are giving back and telling people about your experiences. If I'm not mistaken, I've seen you out there on the pitch helping the younger kids out. I truly believe people like you can help the younger kids develop. After all, when we all old and washed up, are we really going to be on this blog trashing each other like this Darko and Paco guy? Those two guys are the reason why people really don't care much about the sport or this tournament. People come on here to look for some good information to read, and to learn and grow. Not to come see two guys trash talking, and there are more out who I haven't named.
FOOLIO YOU CLOWN. You suck. You have no clue what you are talking about. People from Canada have just as much of a chance to make it as people from other countries. It all depends on where you go and train. You're full of it. Shut up and get lost. The reason you didn't make it FOOLIO is because you arn't good enough. You make bad decisions on the field.
- The Infamous GOW (GOD OF WAR) (Yes it is indeed me ... I'm BAAAAAAACCCCKKKKK).
Gow is back. Oh boy ... THIS SHOULD BE ENTERTAINING LOL :P
David and Mike,
I personally think that idiot GOW should not be allow to post. Not only does he make ignorant comments but he posts anonymously to support himself. Posts 20:17 and 20:31 are from the exact same person. I think this GOW character thought he'd be clever by spacing out his comments but obviously no one is really interested in what he has to say. You will lose a lot of interest from people if this guy returns to the blogs.
I believe that Canadians would be considered foreigners to almost every league, even the MLS I believe. Ultimately that comes along with a hefty tax and limited roster spots. So if someone is a foreigner they can't just be ok, they need to be far better than a homegrown player. I believe that is what Julio was referring to.
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