New rule allows Whitecaps, TFC to compete on level playing field NEW YORK – The 2011 MLS season will see the league’s two Canadian clubs operate on a more even playing field compared to their US-based counterparts. The league announced on Friday that players considered domestic players in the United States will also be considered domestic players in Canada. “We want to make sure the MLS teams from Canada are competitive with other MLS teams and, at the same time, we want to make sure we’re creating the best environment for domestic players to develop in Canada,” MLS executive vice president of player relations and competition Todd Durbin told MLSsoccer.com. “The backbone of the league has been and will continue to be the US domestic players, and that is a very large pool upon which our teams can draw from. If the Canadian teams are limited in their ability to draw from that pool, there’s a possibility that it could impact them competitively on the field.” With the freedom to select players from the pool of US and Canadian domestic players, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and future Canadian clubs will also be required to maintain a minimum of three Canadian players on their roster. Montreal is set to join the league in 2012. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/us-players-be-considered-domestic-canadian-teams
I had thought I read that they were doing the opposite. Very glad to be wrong there. Also, the move to unlimited homegrown player signings has been made official. Glad to see more teams taking advantage of this player development mechanism.
Makes sense. And yes TFC, like every Toronto sports franchise, is mismanaged and a shameful waste of great fans.
