MLS holding on ‘domestic’ rule
Commissioner says incentives to sign Canadians might be considered, but stops at that
MLS has made huge strides since the Whitecaps joined North America’s top tier in 2011.
Better players. Better stadiums. Better crowds. Better TV deals.
But in terms of better opportunities for Canadian players league-wide, it’s been plodding progress, with the obvious exception being backto-back MLS rookies of the year.
“Stay tuned” was the surprisingly positive answer from MLS commissioner Don Garber 1½ years ago when he was asked — again — about Canadians counting as domestic players across the league, like their U.S. counterparts do.
It was a decided shift from the league’s repetitive response that U.S. labour laws prevented such a change to their rules — even though Canadians count as domestic players across the USL, two tiers down.
Canadian soccer fans are still staying tuned — and understandably skeptical.
The commissioner’s latest comments on the issue, to the Toronto Sun Friday, left a mixed impression.
Garber said glowing things about the three Canadian clubs and their fans, and admitted league executives need to spend more time north of the border.
But he summed up his answer to the Sun’s Kurtis Larson with: “At the end of the day, the Canadian player needs to get better. The MLS clubs in Canada need to do their part to ensure that happens.”
It sure doesn’t sound like sweeping change is coming to the roster rules, although Garber said some form of incentive to sign Canadian players could be considered.
For Canada Soccer president Victor Montagliani, meaningful change remains a priority.
“I can tell you that I have the support of the Whitecaps and Toronto, unequivocally,” he said. “The leadership in those cities is definitely on board with the agenda and I’ll be meeting with (the Canadian clubs) this weekend.
“It’s not going to go away. I just think it’s ridiculous, quite frankly, that a player like Adam Straith (who was in town Thursday to promote the Canada-Mexico game in March) is treated differently than Steven Beitashour — not to pick on Steven — or Jordan Harvey.”
Beitashour and Harvey are American defenders on the Whitecaps and thus considered domestic players here.
The Victoria-raised Straith, for example, would only be a domestic MLS player in Canada. A U.S.based club would have to use one of its limited international spots on him, which isn’t going to happen.
For the record, Straith, 25, is under contract and enjoying his time in Norway’s second division with Fredrikstad, but would love to play in MLS one day.
More flexibility around acquiring Canadian players could also make it more likely for top talent like Atiba Hutchinson and Junior Hoilett to come back from Europe one day and build on the legacy of Pat Onstad, Dwayne De Rosario and others as Canadians who have made their mark in MLS.
Pushback could come from U.S. Soccer or from the U.S. clubs, who outnumber the Canadians 17-3 (and growing). But Montagliani remains confident positive news is coming.
“The Canadian way is to be diplomatic, and I think we have been. I think it’s moved now from the back burner to the front burner, and I’m hoping within the next season we’ll have a solution.”
What form that solution will take remains unclear.
An all-Canadian development league is also a major goal of Canada Soccer, although that remains a work in progress. There’s also momentum to add a Canadian player quota for the Amway Canadian Championship games, with officials from Canada Soccer and all the professional clubs set to meet on the issue. This summer’s final between Montreal and Vancouver — won by the Caps — featured very little Canadian content, which has been a sore spot for the CSA and some fans.