The Canadian/American Soccer! Thread

[Molson Canadian]

TFC are taking over 1000 fans to columbus, amazing support. Can you imagine if montreal get a MLS team that would be some derby, and a handful for the police.

More and more MLS teams joining more and more away fans turning up its exciting times for american and canadian socce!!!!

Once Vancouver's planned brand new waterfront soccer specific 20000-25000 seater stadium begins construction vancouver will be given a mls expansion franchise for sure. I can't wait for that to happen!

[purpleronnie]

That woill be great, question for you, is the majority of the support canadians or french canadian, or polish, ex pats?

thanks.

[Molson Canadian]

That woill be great, question for you, is the majority of the support canadians or french canadian, or polish, ex pats?

thanks.

Canada is a multicultural based country so answering that question is a little difficult. The toronto fc fans have a strong base of portugese and italian fans because of large populations of portugese and italian communities living in the toronto area. In Montreal there are alot of french speaking italians. On the west coast its a mix of everything english, italian, east indian, polish, portugese, asian, croatian's, serbians, spanish the list is endless the really neat thing about toronto fc so far is the coming together of fans you can see the mix of different types of people getting together and supporting the team espcially in the designated hardcore fan sections which have labelled themsevles the offical fans of the team.

I guess that's why they call it the beautiful game, anyone across the world can play it no matter who you are and where your from , it has the ability to bring everyone together.

[Molson Canadian]

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/Cats-m...kham.3839310.jp

Cats midfielder to join Beckham?

Transfer-listed Ross Wallace is wanted by Major League Soccer side Toronto.

The Canadian club have approached Wallace's agent, having been alerted to his availability by a circular which lists players free to leave their clubs in England.

But whether Wallace will fancy a move across the Atlantic - which could see him facing LA Galaxy star Daviv Beckham - so early in his career remains to be seen.

Toronto are managed by former Celtic, Glasgow Rangers and Everton star Mo Johnston.

And it was Johnston who was behind the signings of former Sunderland players Danny Dichio, Carl Robinson and Andy Welsh.

Welsh, like Wallace a left-winger, has since been released by Toronto but Dichio and Robinson remain and the purchase of Wallace would be a coup for a club which is busy establishing itself in the North American league where David Beckham plays.

Toronto are well-financed and their first season in the MLS has been a success with crowds of more than 20,000 turning up to support the East Coast side.

But the chance of getting a player of Wallace's calibre and comparative youth appeals to Johnston who has made an approach.

Johnston, has moved from being manager of Toronto in their debut season, to becoming the team's general manager and director of football operations.

And the brief for that job includes team strengthening, with the Scot looking to recruit players with their best years ahead of them rather than behind them.

Wallace was surprisingly put on the transfer list by Roy Keane in January, despite having played the majority of Sunderland's games up to that point.

The 22-year-old's misery was compounded a week later when he pulled up in training with damaged knee ligaments which effectively ruled him out for the rest of the season.

The injury has meant that no club has come in for him.

But Wallace is believed to be making a quicker than expected recovery and could even be close to fitness for the start of the MLS season in April.

Toronto know that Wallace is likely to want to stay in English footballl, either with a Premiership or Championship side – or even to try working his way back in Roy Keane's plans at Sunderland.

But they still think their interest has a realistic chance of success and plan to pursue the player, though they are concerned that other MLS sides might also follow up with a bid.

[purpleronnie]

Canada is a multicultural based country so answering that question is a little difficult. The toronto fc fans have a strong base of portugese and italian fans because of large populations of portugese and italian communities living in the toronto area. In Montreal there are alot of french speaking italians. On the west coast its a mix of everything english, italian, east indian, polish, portugese, asian, croatian's, serbians, spanish the list is endless the really neat thing about toronto fc so far is the coming together of fans you can see the mix of different types of people getting together and supporting the team espcially in the designated hardcore fan sections which have labelled themsevles the offical fans of the team.

I guess that's why they call it the beautiful game, anyone across the world can play it no matter who you are and where your from , it has the ability to bring everyone together.

I understand that britain is a multi cultural society but dosent attract many non white fans to games.

I was just wondering how many non immigrant fans go to games. I guess what I'm getting at even though its great to see TFC packing them in each game is soccer really taking off with canadians or just the immigrant fans.

[Molson Canadian]

I understand that britain is a multi cultural society but dosent attract many non white fans to games.

I was just wondering how many non immigrant fans go to games. I guess what I'm getting at even though its great to see TFC packing them in each game is soccer really taking off with canadians or just the immigrant fans.

For toronto fc i think its mostly white immigrant fans canadian italians, canadian portugese, and people who were born in england but have come over to canada. There is a good mix of people from the carribean countries such as jamaica present at the games as well.

[purpleronnie]

For toronto fc i think its mostly white immigrant fans canadian italians, canadian portugese, and people who were born in england but have come over to canada. There is a good mix of people from the carribean countries such as jamaica present at the games as well.

So then canadians (non immigrants) arent that interested?

[Molson Canadian]

So then canadians (non immigrants) arent that interested?

i'm not sure what a non immigrant canadian is, everyone in canada is a immigrant one way or another the real candians are the native indians. I guess another way of coining a real canadian would be 5th or 6th generation or more in that case i guess no they dont seem to be as interested as the 2nd or 3rd generation european immigrant communities. Ice hockey is the real passion of almost all canadians. Soccer of Football whatever you want to call it i guess would have to be the passion of immigrant canadians.

[Bridge]

We had a chat with a bunch of Vancouver Whitecap supporters in a pub before the Portland Timbers V Vancouver play-off match last Sept. I was amazed that most of em were Liverpool supporters(English ex-pats) who traveled to Portland for the game. The Whitecaps usually bring a fairly large crew down..considering it's a border crossing and 7 hrs by car or coach.

[purpleronnie]

This is my point it goes for american fans too. Its great that 'soccer' is popular in american and canada but if it only attracts immigrant community how popular is it really?

[Molson Canadian]

Martin Brittain is on trial this week at Toronto FC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Brittain

[placidcasual]

This is my point it goes for american fans too. Its great that 'soccer' is popular in american and canada but if it only attracts immigrant community how popular is it really?

Where do you get this idea from that it only attracts the immigrant community?

[purpleronnie]

Where do you get this idea from that it only attracts the immigrant community?

I didnt really but I heard that a lot of immigrants (ex pats etc) go to games. But if they only make up a small amount of the crowd then thats cool.

My point is if Toronto has say 25% of its population made up from immigrants but has 75% immigrant fans in the stadium then it really hasnt attracted a balanced fan base.

[Molson Canadian]

I didnt really but I heard that a lot of immigrants (ex pats etc) go to games. But if they only make up a small amount of the crowd then thats cool.

My point is if Toronto has say 25% of its population made up from immigrants but has 75% immigrant fans in the stadium then it really hasnt attracted a balanced fan base.

i dont understand what you mean by immigrants in canada every single person in canada unless you are native indian are immigrants all of there ancestral roots are in other countries whether they be in europe or whatever.

From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Demographics

The last complete census by Statistics Canada estimated there were 2,503,281 people residing in Toronto in June 2006.[1] The city's population grew by 4% (96,073 residents) between 1996 and 2001, at an annualized rate of 0.8%. Persons aged 14 years and under made up 17.5% of the population, and those aged 65 years and over made up 13.6%. The median age was 36.9 years. Foreign-born people made up 49.9% of the population.[65]

As of 2001, 42.8% of the residents of the city proper belong to a visible minority group,[66] and visible minorities are projected to comprise a majority in Toronto by 2017.[67] According to the United Nations Development Programme, Toronto has the second-highest percentage of foreign-born population among world cities, after Miami, Florida. Statistics Canada's 2006 figures indicate that Toronto has surpassed Miami in this year.[65] While Miami's foreign-born population consists mostly of Cubans and other Latin Americans, no single nationality or culture dominates Toronto's immigrant population, making it the most diverse city in the world.

In 2001, people of European ethnicities formed the largest cluster of ethnic groups in Toronto, 57.2%,[68] mostly of English, Irish, Scottish, Italian, and French origins, while the five largest visible minority groups in Toronto are Chinese (10.6%), South Asian/Indo-Caribbean (10.3%), Black/Afro-Caribbean (8.3%), Filipino (3.5%) and Latin American (2.2%).[69] This diversity is reflected in Toronto's ethnic neighbourhoods which include Little Italy, The Junction, Little Jamaica, Little India, Chinatown, Koreatown, Greektown, Portugal Village, Corso Italia, Kensington Market, and The Westway.

Christianity is the largest religious group in Toronto. The 2001 Census reports that 31.1% of the city's population is Catholic, followed by Protestant at 21.1%, Christian Orthodox at 4.8%, and other Christians at 3.9%. Other religions in the city are Islam (6.7%), Hinduism (4.8%), Judaism (4.2%), Buddhism (2.7%), Sikhism (0.9%), and other Eastern Religions (0.2%). 18.7% of the population professes no faith.[66]

While English is the predominant language spoken by Torontonians, many other languages have considerable numbers of local speakers, including French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Hindi.[70] Chinese and Italian are the second and third most widely spoken language at work.[71][72] As a result, the city's 9-1-1 emergency services are equipped to respond in over 150 languages.[73]

[placidcasual]

I didnt really but I heard that a lot of immigrants (ex pats etc) go to games. But if they only make up a small amount of the crowd then thats cool.

My point is if Toronto has say 25% of its population made up from immigrants but has 75% immigrant fans in the stadium then it really hasnt attracted a balanced fan base.

You heard? Wow. Good source.

How about you come back with some facts or experience to back your preconceived ideas up?

Why would they need a balanced fan base? Leicester's isn't balanced compared to the ethnic make up of the city.

[purpleronnie]

What are you talking about? I heard something and I asked if it was true I was trying to find information out not give it.

muppet.

[placidcasual]

What are you talking about? I heard something and I asked if it was true I was trying to find information out not give it.

muppet.

I suggest you read Molsons detailed replies to you. He gave you the answer a few times and yet you kept bleating on about something "you heard" despite having been told the answer.

And what is a balanced fan base?

[purpleronnie]

But it didn't have the answers I wanted, maybe I didnt ask it correctly.

When I say 'balanced fan base' I was trying to evaluate whether soccer really was popular with canadians apart from the immigrant community....Thats all.

[Molson Canadian]

But it didn't have the answers I wanted, maybe I didnt ask it correctly.

When I say 'balanced fan base' I was trying to evaluate whether soccer really was popular with canadians apart from the immigrant community....Thats all.

i dont understand what you mean by immigrants in canada every single person in canada unless you are native indian are immigrants all of there ancestral roots are in other countries whether they be in europe or whatever.

From:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto#Demographics

The last complete census by Statistics Canada estimated there were 2,503,281 people residing in Toronto in June 2006. The city's population grew by 4% (96,073 residents) between 1996 and 2001, at an annualized rate of 0.8%. Persons aged 14 years and under made up 17.5% of the population, and those aged 65 years and over made up 13.6%. The median age was 36.9 years. Foreign-born people made up 49.9% of the population.

As of 2001, 42.8% of the residents of the city proper belong to a visible minority group,[66] and visible minorities are projected to comprise a majority in Toronto by 2017.According to the United Nations Development Programme, Toronto has the second-highest percentage of foreign-born population among world cities, after Miami, Florida. Statistics Canada's 2006 figures indicate that Toronto has surpassed Miami in this year. While Miami's foreign-born population consists mostly of Cubans and other Latin Americans, no single nationality or culture dominates Toronto's immigrant population, making it the most diverse city in the world.

In 2001, people of European ethnicities formed the largest cluster of ethnic groups in Toronto, 57.2%,[68] mostly of English, Irish, Scottish, Italian, and French origins, while the five largest visible minority groups in Toronto are Chinese (10.6%), South Asian/Indo-Caribbean (10.3%), Black/Afro-Caribbean (8.3%), Filipino (3.5%) and Latin American (2.2%).[69] This diversity is reflected in Toronto's ethnic neighbourhoods which include Little Italy, The Junction, Little Jamaica, Little India, Chinatown, Koreatown, Greektown, Portugal Village, Corso Italia, Kensington Market, and The Westway.

Christianity is the largest religious group in Toronto. The 2001 Census reports that 31.1% of the city's population is Catholic, followed by Protestant at 21.1%, Christian Orthodox at 4.8%, and other Christians at 3.9%. Other religions in the city are Islam (6.7%), Hinduism (4.8%), Judaism (4.2%), Buddhism (2.7%), Sikhism (0.9%), and other Eastern Religions (0.2%). 18.7% of the population professes no faith.

While English is the predominant language spoken by Torontonians, many other languages have considerable numbers of local speakers, including French, Italian, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Tagalog, and Hindi.[70] Chinese and Italian are the second and third most widely spoken language at work. As a result, the city's 9-1-1 emergency services are equipped to respond in over 150 languages.

I'm not sure how to answer your question about what type of people make up the fanbase. It's people of all different walks of life and ancestry a majority of them being from european countries but on the other hand there is no real way to categorize what a CANADIAN is because we are all immigrants here there is no native people of CANADA execept the NATIVE INDIANS so as far as the fanbase goes IT IS A MIX OF EVERYONE. Even if your a fourth or fifth generation Canadian you have some sort of immigrant background attached to you. Canada is a young country its hard to put a finger on who is a immigrant and who is not.

[purpleronnie]

Practically everyone in the world is an immigrant of some kind I'm not going back 100's of years.

Heres what I'm trying to say.

Say for instance cricket is the most popular sport in the world but england are the only country in the world where the sport isnt played,but a league is formed in london. But the large indian population in london make up the majority of the crowd.

The point I'm making is everyone comments on how soccer isnt popular in north america only immigrants (who already have a culture of soccer) like soccer.

I know I'm not explaining myself very well.

[purpleronnie]

Saw the totonto fans on the box, over 2,000 fans made the trip amazing stuff.

My first game is next week against rivals Dallas.

Terrible result for us against New England, but I did pick them to win the MLS cup this year.

[Sparky]

Saw the totonto fans on the box, over 2,000 fans made the trip amazing stuff.

My first game is next week against rivals Dallas.

Terrible result for us against New England, but I did pick them to win the MLS cup this year.

Would i know any houston players purpleronnie ? What would you say the standard is ? i watch the aussie a league and am quite impressed im wondering if it similar standard ?

[placidcasual]

Saw the totonto fans on the box, over 2,000 fans made the trip amazing stuff.

2000+ quiet Toronto fans.

[Floating Fox]

Oh my god the yanks have got it better than us.

Somebody deport me.

[Fox You Forest]

Would i know any houston players purpleronnie ? What would you say the standard is ? i watch the aussie a league and am quite impressed im wondering if it similar standard ?

When the season is running they show matches on Five sometimes i think (not live). there on quiet late or early which ever way you look at it so be best to Sky+ them.