Steven Sandor's Blog, page 81

The new Canadian Professional League needs to go public ASAP

From the City of Hamilton’s agenda: The blueprint for a covered Tim Hortons Field,

Like many Canadian soccer writers, I’ve been told about plans for the Canadian soccer league in hushed voices.

I’ve heard the stories of the guy who, in fact, wanted to start a rival Canadian league (to the one being rumoured) and was contacting the movers and shakers about his bold plans. It was all so confusing; rumoured league one, and then pie-in-the-sky league two. And the aggressive nature of league two was hurting the credibility of league one.

I’ve heard whispers about CFL owners being involved, then not involved, then involved again. I’ve heard about cities that appear, drop out, appear again. And I am sure if I held a round table with all of Canada’s soccer writers, we could swap some pretty interesting stories about the rumours we’ve heard. In fact, the Canadian league might be the best-ever game of broken telephone ever played.

What we simply know, on the record, is that the NASL’s FC Edmonton isn’t interested in joining. And, in the past, Canadian Soccer Association President Victor Montagliani has said his vision is that a new Canadian league would be seen as a Division “1A,” one that would co-exist with the Canadian teams that already play in MLS and NASL (CLICK HERE).

It’s time, though, for the rumour mill to stop. On Wednesday, John McGrane met with the City of Hamilton’s General Issues Committee to talk about his plans to, well, put a bubble over Tim Hortons Field in the winter — and subdivide the real estate into five soccer fields. In the course of his discussions, he spoke about Hamilton Tiger Cats owner Bob Young’s plan to put a team in this upcoming Canadian professional league.

Of course, Bob Young’s name was once linked to a rumoured Hamilton NASL expansion team — and he was a partner of the Carolina RailHawks’ ownership group from 2009 to early 2011.



Now, of course, Canadian soccer fans are all talking about these little droplets of information that came from McGrane, a former NASL player, because, as is the case with what happens at civic public meetings, it got into the local newspaper — in this case, the Hamilton Spectator (CLICK HERE).

This is not how a league is launched. For the first real public pronouncements about the Canadian league to come from a debate over who puts bubbles over fields looks bad on basically our whole soccer establishment. What the investors in said Canadian league need to do now is to get ahead of this story — it’s about time for the rumours to end and some sort of public acknowledgement to be made. If a PR person isn’t in place, hire one. Now.

Instead of a grand announcement — where fans will know exactly what to expect from a league, we’ve got a rumour mill and the minutes of a Hamilton committee meeting.

This league needs to show Canadians that it will be fully professional (not semi-pro), that has investors in multiple regions, and that it is real. It’s too late for the keep-quiet plan; as of Wednesday’s committee meeting in Hamilton, that’s out the window.

Let’s face it. We all want a Canadian soccer league to succeed. But we’re terrified of it becoming another Canadian Soccer League or a semi-pro league run by mattress-warehouse owners who “are big fans of the game” but overstate their financial commitment to a pro team — despite McGrane’s assertation that CFL and NHL money is in the mix. This is NOT a good beginning. It’s time for the REAL owners to stand up.

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As a member of the Ottawa Fury, Mozzi Gyorio will return to the league that he’s suing

Mozzi Gyorio

Mozzi Gyorio is set for a return to the NASL — a league he is in the process of suing.

On Tuesday, the Ottawa Fury announced that the Prince Edward Island-raised Gyorio had been signed for the 2016 season. But, on Feb. 10, Gyorio and his legal team is set to appear at New York Supreme Court for the next chapter in their suit against Minnesota United and the NASL.

NASL officials told me Tuesday that they were confident that the case would be resolved soon, and that they expected the outcome would be positive for the league.

Gyorio signed with Minnesota United in 2014; his contract was terminated after he refused an assignment to an NPSL club affiliated with the Loons. Gyorio launched a suit against Minnesota United and NASL in 2015, claiming that the Loons violated the terms of his contract by trying to move him to what he called an un-sanctioned and semi-pro club. The club has countered that Gyorio did not agree to an arbitration process (CLICK HERE), and that their club rules provided for the assignment. The team also maintains that a New York court should have no jurisdiction over a team based in the state of Minnesota.



Gyorio claims that, because Minnesota was maxed out on international roster spots, he was asked to move to NPSL so the team could bring in another import (CLICK HERE). MLS and NASL have similar roster rules in the way Canadians are treated; Canadians are considered domestic players on the rosters of Canadian teams, but are internationals on American sides. Meanhwhile, Americans are domestics on both Canadian and American teams. In the past, NASL commissioner Bill Peterson has declared this a “federation issue” (and not a labour-law issue as MLS claims). Peterson has also gone on the record saying he would prefer a system where NASL would not have any sort of roster protection for Americans or Canadians; that its teams could sign whatever players they wanted, regardless of their birthplaces.

Gyorio wants to be compensated for what he calls wrongful termination of contract by Minnesota, which cut ties with him before the end of the 2014 season.

Of course, for NASL, which has preached that its owners are free to do whatever they need to do in order to make their teams more competitive, the Gyorio signing could be seen as proof positive of laissez-faire in action. What could be more “invisible hand” than having one of your entrepreneurial owners sign a player who is suing the league and another member of the ownership fraternity?

At his height, during the early days of NASL Mark II, Gyorio had established himself as one of the top midfielders in the league (CLICK HERE). In fact, his time in FC Tampa Bay had impressed Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes so much, that Gyorio was invited to trial with the MLS side. Gyorio then turned down an entry-level contract from the MLS side; he went to Europe, trialed at clubs in Eastern Europe and ended up in England’s Fleetwood Town. From there, he made his way back to North America, and Minnesota United.

He spent 2015 with the USL’s Austin Aztex, under the watch of coach Paul Dalglish.

Dalglish, of course, is now the Fury’s head coach.

Dalglish also oversaw Gyorio’s advancement as a youth player, when the current Fury coach presided over the Houston Dynamo’s youth setup. The pair have a long history.

The Fury also announced the signing of Acadia University product Andrew MacRae. The CIS-trained keeper spent time training with the Fury last season and his signing offers more glimmers of hope for Canadian university prospects.

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Ritchie Jones helped recruit Eckersley into the FC Edmonton fold

Adam Eckersley

Ritchie Jones isn’t just an FC Edmonton midfielder. He’s also acting as an ambassador for the club.

Jones, a product of the Manchester United academy, made the call to another Red Devils academy graduate, fullback Adam Eckersley. Jones wanted to sell Eckersley on the idea of coming to Edmonton to play in the NASL.

In January, Eckersley finished a short-term contract with Scottish side, Hibernian. And, on Thursday, the Eddies announced the Englishman as the club’s lastest signing.

“It was Ritchie Jones who reached out,” said Eckersley. “And I wanted something a bit different for my family. And my little brother has played in Canada, for Toronto, and he had nothing but good things to say about Canada.”

Richard Eckersley appeared in 72 career MLS games for Toronto FC from 2011-13. He was traded to the New York Red Bulls and has since returned to England.



“He really liked it in there,” said Adam. “I think he would have stayed had things worked out differently for him.”

Adam admits that he has yet to watch an NASL match. But, as soon as he finished his contract in Scotland, he was busy packing his family for the move across the Atlantic. He and his wife have a two-year-old boy and a seven-month-old girl. His wife has got her work permit; it’s a priority for FC Edmonton to try and settle families of players the club has signed, as it eases the move and makes the team a more appealing destination. Many clubs simply focus on the players they’ve signed and don’t offer any considerations for the families. FCE has worked hard over the years to try to ensure stability in their players’ home lives.

But Adam, who has played in the Europa League as a member of Danish side AGF Aarhus, is impressed from what he’s been told by FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller.

“I spoke to Colin before Christmas, and my first impression is that he’s a person who really knows what he wants. He is very driven. I know that he’s the kind of manager players love to play for.”

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Maccabi Canada looking for coaches of any faith to lead its soccer teams

The Maccabiah Games don’t take place until 2017, but the search is on for coaches looking to steer Canada’s soccer teams in the tournament.

Maccabi Canada is looking to send the following age groups to the soccer tournaments; U16 boys, U18 boys, U18 girls, men’s open, women’s open and a men’s master. The Maccabi games bring together the top Israeli athletes and Jewish international competitors every four years.

But, coaches do not have to have Israeli heritage or be Jewish. The Games, held in Israel, offer coaches the chance to work with athletes and also get the chance to visit many of the historic sites in Israel and to expand their cultural boundaries.

Past coaches of Maccabi Canada soccer teams include Alan Koch, who currently shepherds the Vancouver Whitecaps’ affiliate in USL-PRO.

The application process for coaches closes at the end of February. For more information on how to get involved in the soccer program, follow this link.

Women’s Olympic Qualifying: Will Houston’s pitch hold up to rugby, then a slew of soccer matches?

In 2014 and 2015, the Canadian Soccer Association took heat for hosting a Women’s World Cup on artificial surfaces. Several players, led by a cadre of prominent Americans, took their case to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal — a pursuit which was later abandoned.

Now, should the Americans also be subject to criticism for the 2016 Olympic qualifying tournament?

The United States is hosting the women’s CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the 2016 Olympics. And Group B — which includes Canada — will be played at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium, on a grass field that will be subjected to international rugby just days before the soccer tourney kicks off. Remember that in late January of 2013, the Canadian men’s national team played the United States in Houston. And, many of the Canadian players mentioned the poor quality of the pitch in Houston — which is really a multipurpose facility that is also the home of the MLS’s Houston Dynamo and the NWSL’s Houston Dash. The stadium also played host to Gold Cup matches in 2015.

As well, that field is going to need to hold up over the course of five matchdays — including doubleheaders — played over the 11-day tournament. Playing all the Group B games, semifinal and final in one venue may make logistic/financial sense, but in sporting terms, that field is gonna take a beating.

But there’s no crying foul from the Canadians.

Canadian women’s national-team coach John Herdman said his team can’t control the playing conditions. “But the one thing we can control is how we adapt to it,” he added.

Herdman said his staff has looked at long-range weather forecasts for Houston, and the forecast is for mild temperatures and good playing conditions.

“We’ll take whatever pitch comes,” he said.



Canada will begin Group B play on Feb. 11 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston; but the tournament kicks off only days after the grass field will be subjected to the pounding of an international rugby match between the United States and Argentina. That match goes the evening of Feb 6, so ground crews will have less than five full days to get the pitch up to a class playing level for the women.

A photo from Canada’s 2013 men’s friendly against the United States in Houston. Note the sorry state of the pitch.

Herdman spoke to journalists Tuesday after Canada announced its roster for the qualifiers. Most interesting is that the veteran forward duo of Christine Sinclair and Melissa Tancredi will be joined by Janine Beckie (21), Nichelle Prince (20) and Gabrielle Carle (17). As well, 16-year-old Deanne Rose could also support the attack.

“We’re adding speed and technical efficiency to the front line,” Herdman said, noting that Beckie, Rose and Prince offer “world-class speed” to the roster. He said bringing in those players to stretch defences is vital, because it allows Sinclair, Canada’s all-time leading scorer, the benefit of more space in which to play.

As well, Herdman noted that he’s long wanted Canada to produce true wing players; for too long, the women’s team has had to move players who were more comfortable in the middle of the park to the wings. Herdman said that Carle, Beckie, Rose and Prince can all take those wide roles, and be these kinds of players; “the wide-out who relishes the one-v-one battles.”

Of course, with so many games coming so fast and furious, we can expect to see some squad rotation through the tourney. Canada’s group includes Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guatemala.

But Herdman said that it’s not secret that Canada needs to be fresh for “game four, whether it’s [against the] U.S., Costa Rica or Mexico.” That fourth game represents the semifinal; and it’s vital in determining if Canada punches its ticket to Rio or not. Only two teams — the ones who make it to the CONCACAF tournament final — will qualify.

CANADA ROSTER

GK – Erin McLeod, February 26, 1983 (age 32). From: St. Albert, AB

GK – Stephanie Labbé, October 10, 1986 (age 29). From: Edmonton, AB

GK – Sabrina D’Angelo, August 24, 1992 (age 23). From: Welland, ON

D – Kadeisha Buchanan, November 5, 1995 (age 20). From: Brampton, ON

D – Rebecca Quinn, August 11, 1995 (age 20). From: Toronto, ON

D – Shelina Zadorsky, October 24, 1992 (age 23). From: London, ON

D – Josée Bélanger, May 14, 1986 (age 29). From: Coaticook, QC

D – Allysha Chapman, January 25, 1989 (age 27). From: Courtice, ON

D – Rhian Wilkinson, May 12, 1982 (age 33). From: Baie-d’Urfé, QC

M – Jessie Fleming, March 11, 1998 (age 17). From: London, ON

M – Ashley Lawrence, June 11, 1995 (age 20). From: Caledon, ON

M – Diana Matheson, April 6, 1984 (age 31). From: Oakville, ON

M – Deanne Rose, March 3, 1999 (age 16). From Alliston, ON

M – Sophie Schmidt, June 28, 1988 (age 27). From: Abbotsford, BC

M – Desiree Scott, July 31, 1987 (age 28). From: Winnipeg, MB

F – Janine Beckie, August 20, 1994 (age 21). From: Highlands Ranch, CO

F – Gabrielle Carle, October 12, 1998 (17). From: Lévis, QC

F – Nichelle Prince, February 19, 1995 (age 20). From: Ajax, ON

F – Christine Sinclair, June 12, 1983 (age 32). From: Burnaby, BC

F – Melissa Tancredi, December 27, 1981 (age 34). From: Ancaster, ON

Farago looks to impress at Canadian national-team camp, and wants to win FCE No. 1 job

Tyson Farago

Will 2016 by Tyson Farago’s year?

The FC Edmonton keeper already has a few things on his to-do list: He wants to be the team’s everyday starting goalkeeper; he wants to help the club push into the NASL playoffs, and he wants to impress Canadian national-team coach Benito Floro.

The Winnipeg native will he heading to California for his first-ever senior national-team camp, which runs Jan. 25-Feb. 6 and includes a friendly against the United States. Farago is one of three Eddies to get the call, joining fullback Nik Ledgerwood and centre back Mallan Roberts.

“I got the call about three weeks ago, and I’ve had to keep it in since then,” said Farago. “I told my close friends and relatives, but no social media, no public announcements, not until today.”

But, soon after Canada Soccer announced the roster on Friday, his social-media accounts have been filled with messages.

“I got a call from Darren [FCE goalkeeping coach Darren Woloshen] and he’s real excited for me. And I’ve seen a lot of the Twitter comments and messages posted to my Facebook page. There’s a lot of support out there, and I’m really appreciative of that.”



Even though it’s Farago’s first senior call-up, he’ll be the elder statesman when it comes to the three keepers Floro has brought in. He’s 24, older than Callum Irving or Maxime Crepeau.

“I’m just so excited to get a shot,” said Farago. “I want to be able to show them what I can do. They can see what I am all about.”

And, he said that the Canadian camp will provide a shot in the arm ahead of FCE training camp. Farago has made three starts over the past two seasons, but he feels that the door is open for him to impress coach Colin Miller and Woloshen. He thinks there will be a real competition for the No. 1 shirt.

“I want to challenge myself. I want the club to challenge itself, to get to the playoffs and win a championship. And I definitely want to push for that number-one job. I want them to look to me to be the number-one every game.”

In his three NASL starts, Farago earned an NASL team of the week selection once. And, many times has Miller praised the way Farago can get his foot behind the balls on goal kicks. “He kicks like a mule,” Miller has said over and over about the keeper.

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Hanson Boakai is forced to live up to the unrealistic expectations Canadian fans have placed on him

FC Edmonton March 13, 2015

When it comes to youth soccer, are Canadian soccer supporters the worst?

We’ve seen this over and over. A young players come up through our system, and then our small-but-oh-so-loud Canadian soccer community gives the kid way too much praise, way too much hype. It’s understandable, we’re so desparate for a saviour, an instant solution to decades worth of soccer rot, that we latch on to 17-year-old after 17-year-old. The message boards fill up with dreams of big moves to big clubs. And whether your name is Aleman, Alderson or Teibert, the overreaction to some early career successes puts you on a path to meet expectations that can’t possibly be met.

Young soccer stars don’t hit the mainstream, but within our insular soccer community, we can pump up tires like no one else. And it puts them on a crash course to disappoint.

Of course, the belt of “next one” is currently being held by Hanson Boakai, the kid who came up with FC Edmonton and has had some head-turning performances for the U-17 and U-20 national teams, as well as one very magical run in the Amway Canadian Championship. Boakai is out of contract, though FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller confirmed there is an offer on the table. The rumour mill went nuts back in November, linking him to a move to Toronto FC. Now, comes news that Boakai will go to the Hajduk Split’s B side, and will get the chance to play his way towards the senior team.



Now, the best thing for a teenager like Boakai is to go in quietly and try to impress the coaches. But, previous trials at Fortuna Dusseldorf and Deportivo La Coruna were anything but quiet; Boakai’s youthful exuberance was partly to blame for it, as he gave his followers regular Twitter updates on his progress.

His term in Split will see him put under even more pressure. Already, the Croatian version of Goal.com hailed him in the headline as the “Canadian Messi, or Maradona?” (CLICK HERE) And why did the Croats go with such hyperbole? They simply picked up on the kind of things Canadians fans have been saying about the kid, in our desperate hope that he becomes our soccer messiah.

The Croats posted a Canadian-made YouTube video of Boakai referring to him as the Canadian Messi, which splices together the best moments of his best games. There’s also another Canadian-made video that compares him to, you guessed it, Maradona.

Of course, none of these videos mention that Boakai has got into hot water with FC Edmonton in the past for different team-rules violations. It doesn’t mention that the kid played just 328 minutes of NASL soccer last year. The hype is all about expectations, and not the reality. And in the long run, it’s so unfair on the player, because he is expected to live up to a rose-coloured version of himself.

This is the honest truth: Even the best, best, best player we’ve ever seen play for Canada at the U-17 level will have a very difficult time sticking in Europe. Ask any Canadian player who’s ever trialed with a European club of note; you don’t just have to impress, you have to stick out to the point where the coach can’t possibly ignore you. Break one team rule or show one slight sign that you might be difficult to coach, and your Canadian passport means you’re no longer worth the risk. They might be willing to take some eccentricities from a kid with an EU passport, but not from a Canadian.

As a Canadian, I want Hanson Boakai to succeed. I want Keven Aleman to succeed. I want every player called into any Canadian camp to get the chance to play professionally and improve. I want national-team coach Benito Floro’s roster selection to be an awful process, not because of the dearth of players, but because he’s three or four deep at every position. But our very Canadian habit of pumping up the teens has got to stop, or at least be tempered. Let’s be real about our expectations. Because our hyperbole has already given Hanson Boakai way too much to live up to.

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Miller says this has been FC Edmonton’s best-ever off-season when it comes to signings

Colin Miller

FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller feels this has been the most promising off-season in the club’s history.

On Wednesday, the club announced the signing of Canadian keeper Nathan Ingham and Brazilian attacker Gustavo Salgueiro; that follows on a busy signing period that’s seen the team ink Canadian national-teamer Nik Ledgerwood and American striker Jake Keegan. As well, Miller said two more players will be announced, pending final approval from FCE owner Tom Fath and NASL headquarters.

One of them is a current international recommended to Miller by a former teammate, while the other is a veteran that Miller said “we jumped on as soon as we knew he was available.”

Miller said the club has been approached by Gustavo’s agent a couple of times. Miller feels the player is a dynamic one, who can come in off the left wing and use his right foot. Miller has opted to use “wrong” footed players on the wings in the past (right footed left wingers and vice versa) because they can shuffle in from the sideline and be ready to shoot. Miller said it also keeps the defending fullback from cheating to one side or the other — he knows his opponent could try to go inside or outside of him.

“Gustavo will be a good outlet player for us,” said Miller. By that, he means Gustavo will be able to take the passes from defenders — no matter if he plays on the left or centrally — and be the conduit to start attacks.

Meanwhile, Ledgerwood is a player Miller has known for a long time, since the current Eddies’ boss was an assistant coach for the national team. From the first time he worked with Ledgerwood, “I was very impressed by his commitment to the national team.”

Miller feels Ledgerwood, being an Alberta native, will be one of the club’s most valuable signings, because his work ethic and passion for Canadian soccer will rub off on the club’s younger players.

As for the status of midfielder Hanson Boakai, whose contract expired at the end of last season, Miller said relationships between the club, the player and the agent remain cordial.

“We have made an offer, and we have a good relationship with Hanson and his agent,” said Miller. “We want to come to an agreement that satisfies the club and the player. But, like any player out of contract, he is looking at his options.”

But, Miller admits if Boakai was to go to an MLS side, “we wouldn’t get a penny for him.”

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MLS Combine or a solid NASL contract offer? Why keeper Nathan Ingham chose FC Edmonton

Nathan Ingham

Nathan Ingham had a choice to make.

Last November, after he’d wrapped up his NCAA season as the No. 1 shot stopped at Florida Gulf Coast University, the Canadian keeper got a call from FC Edmonton goalkeeping coach Darren Woloshen. Ingham learned that the NASL club had a lot of interest in signing the him — but the team had to know ASAP if the feeling was mutual. The Eddies wanted to get their roster sorted sooner rather than later.

But, Ingham also had an invite to the MLS combine. He’d been named tournament MVP of the 2015 PDL Championship weekend, where he helped Kitchener-Waterloo United to the title. In his final year with FGCU, Ingham started 12 games and posted a save percentage of .800.

He only had a few days to make his decision: Take a chance on the MLS Combine and hope to get drafted — or take the solid offer from the NASL team?

“It ended up being a pretty easy decision to make,” said Ingham, whose signing was announced by the Eddies on Wednesday, along with the capture of Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Salgueiro.



A Canadian keeper wanted to play with a Canadian team — and Ingham said those factors really played in Edmonton’s favour.

Ingham will arrive in Edmonton next week and prepare for training camp by spending some time working with the reserves. But he isn’t short on confidence.

“My goal is to be number one; if I don’t make number one, then I want to push the number one. If I don’t make number two, then I want to push the number two,” said Ingham.

“I was able to win a North American championship with my PDL team and, as hard as it is to do, ultimately I’d like to win another North American championship in another league with FC Edmonton.”

“The fact that he left the MLS Combine behind shows that we’re doing a good job with our keepers,” said FCE coach Colin Miller.

He said that Ingham’s impressive PDL résumé is similar to that of FCE keeper Tyson Farago, who came from WSA Winnipeg.

“The first thing that jumps out at you is that his stats compare to the numbers Tyson had posted when he was playing in the PDL.”

Ingham said that the K-W United program has become a soccer development hotbed. K-W United alumni Ben Polk and Julian Buescher, an American and a German who played in Ontario, were taken in the first round of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

Ingham, said credit has to go to K-W owners Barry MacLean and Gill Heidary for sticking with a vision to make the club a prime spot for North American players to develop their skills.

“They did an unbelievable job of building a team and making it feel like a family. We were always pushed to be the best that we can be.”

And, after the signing was announced, Ingham said he’s received plenty of calls from K-W United staff and players who want to congratulate him on the move.

Meanwhile, Gustavo is a 30-year-old veteran attacking midfielder who can also play on the left side, a spot which needs to be filled after the departure of 2015 leading scorer Lance Laing to Minnesota United FC. He’s a veteran of Brazilian league football, but Gustavo has also appeared in Poland with Widzew Lodz and in the Ukraine with Volyn Lutsk.

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Porter happy to leave “Free Agent FC” behind as he joins the Ottawa Fury

Kyle Porter

The Ottawa Fury faced the Atlanta Silverbacks on the final weekend of the 2015 NASL regular season. During the visit, Fury assistant coach Martin Nash developed a rapport with then-Silverback Kyle Porter.

As Porter, a Mississauga, Ont. native who has been capped by the Canadian national team, looked for work in the off-season, he kept in contact with Nash — and soon both the player and the Fury came to realize they were the best fits for each other. On Wednesday, the Fury announced they had signed Porter.

Porter and fellow Canadian Dominic Oppong played for the Silverbacks in 2015; in fact, Porter got more playing time than any other Canadian in MLS or NASL last season. But the Silverbacks players knew that they might be on borrowed time; the NASL ran the Silverbacks last season and, in 2016, they pulled the plug — deciding against bankrolling the team for a second season.

“Everyone was aware of the situation,” said Porter. “We were league-owned last year and we all knew they were trying to pursue a local owner.”

At the end of the season, he said the players were told that they should go out and try to find new teams — but, if things changed, they could get a call back to come to Atlanta. So, Porter headed home to the Toronto area, where he worked out with a group of Canadian players who had dubbed themselves “Free Agent FC:” that group included former FC Edmonton players John Smits and Alex Semenets, retired MLS great Dwayne De Rosario and defender Nana Attakora.



Attakora has since signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, while Smits — a former Golden Glove winner for having the top goals-against average in NASL — has been linked to a USL club.

Porter said he had some interest from USL, NASL and MLS teams, but Ottawa — being a Canadian team — was the most realistic option.

“I had some MLS clubs interested in me, but the international rule really helped to squander those chances for me,” he said. “People don’t really understand just how difficult it is for a Canadian player because of the international rule. I spent a lot of time in the United States, I tried to get a green card, but it didn’t work out for me.”

In MLS and NASL, Canadian and American players are considered domestics on the Canadian teams. But, on the American teams, Canadians aren’t domestics — they take up foreign roster spots (unless, as Porter noted, the Canadians can get green cards). In USL, Canadians and Americans are domestic players on teams on both sides of the border.

And Porter offers versatility. He’s a speedy player who can play as a striker, as a winger or as a fullback. This season, Atlanta coach Gary Smith moved him to the wing-back slot and it ended up being a great fit.

“I really enjoyed working with Gary Smith,” said Porter. “Atlanta didn’t have as deep a squad as the other teams in the league, so I told the coach that I would go anywhere that he needed me to be.”

And so, Porter went backwards in the formation, but it might be a move that propels his career forwards. When he spoke with Ottawa coach Paul Dalglish, the discussion was that he could slot in at fullback this season.

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