Handicapping the Canadian Premier League spring season Matthew Gourlie Predicting who will end up on top of the Canadian Premier League after its inaugural season is basically impossible at this stage. I am inclined to believe that anyone who thinks they can is deluding themselves. To whit: in 1996 DC United book-ended the first Major…
Forge FC 1 York 9 FC 1 HAMILTON — The first Canadian Premier League match between Forge FC and York 9 FC ended in a draw. But there were plenty of winners on the day. Both teams set out to attack and put on an entertaining display that sent the 17,611 home pleased following a…
Matthew Gourlie This web site is called June of 86 for a simple reason. It was the month that Canada competed for the first — and thus far only — time at a World Cup. But that’s not it. Not entirely. That was the month that I went from being a soccer fan to something…
York 9 FC players see the league — and Saturday’s inaugural match — as a great opportunity Matthew Gourlie TORONTO — The life of a professional Canadian soccer player can be a nomadic existence. One of the mandates of the Canadian Premier League is to offer a more linear path to becoming a professional that…
Veteran players excited to be reunited with Forge FC boss Bobby Smyrniotis Matthew Gourlie HAMILTON — Jonathan Grant says that Bobby Smyrniotis changed his life. Grant’s high praise for Forge FC’s technical director and head coach is far from unique. When Forge FC steps onto a Canadian Premier League pitch for the first time Saturday…
Matthew Gourlie The Canadian Premier League is going to experience some growing pains in its early years. As long as they get more right than wrong, learn from their mistakes and keep improving there is every reason to believe that they can thrive. Thursday, the CPL unveiled their first selection of kits and while they…
Canadian Premier League makes inaugural U Sports draft picks Matthew Gourlie Goals change games. With the first pick in the inaugural Canadian Premier League draft, Cavalry FC hopes they have found a game-changing forward. The Calgary club made Carleton University’s Gabriel Bitar the league’s first draft choice Monday. “He’s a forward who fits the way…
Martin Nash and Jordan Santiago join Wheeldon in moving over from PDL champs to Cavs FC By Matthew Gourlie Cavalry FC has found two good men to join their ranks. Tuesday, the Calgary-based Canadian Premier League named Martin Nash as Tommy Wheeldon Jr.’s assistant coach, while also naming Jordan Santiago as the club’s goalkeeper coach.…
CPL goes truly ad mari usque ad mare with addition of Pacific FC Matthew Gourlie Rob Friend was 27 when he became the fifth Canadian international to play in the German Bundesliga. His journey to the highest levels of the game began when he left Kelowna to continue his soccer career at a pair of…
New CPL club Forge FC offering co-founding memberships to general public Matthew Gourlie Bob Young described the creation of the Canadian Premier League and a club for Hamilton as a “six-year process.” Thursday all those years of hard work paid off as the Forge Football Club was unveiled in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field. “The…
June of 86 