Homegrown talent and happy fans

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This article was published 12/05/2019 (2638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The first two weeks of the Canadian Premier League’s inaugural season are in the books and the preliminary signs are good. The athletes are fit and feisty, fans are committed and enthusiastic, and none of the league’s seven clubs appears hopelessly overmatched.

Parity rules, which should be a good sign for a fledgling pro soccer league hoping to chisel out a national identity and sell tickets in a crowded sports marketplace.

Here are five takeaways after the first home win by Winnipeg’s Valour FC on Saturday, a 1-0 decision over HFX Wanderers FC:

HOW GOOD ARE THESE GUYS?

Valour boss Rob Gale preaches an attacking style and while his side has struggled to score, he was pleased when striker Calum Ferguson eased some early frustration with a decisive marker in the second half on Saturday.

“I liked the way we played,” Gale said. “We showed what we’re about in terms of identity, in trying to play football. I said it was a bit of a scrap on Wednesday and the conditions (in Calgary) didn’t help, but I liked the fact we tried to be positive, we tried to win every football game. You haven’t seen a game where we tried to clog it up or not go toe to toe with the opposition.

“It hasn’t always worked in our favour. Like I said, we could be sitting here on 10 points. We’re on six, that’s the reality of it, but I like the fact that you can feel it building the atmosphere today. We’re starting to build a culture here. All the cities are.”

Ferguson, a Scottish-born Canadian, has been impressed with what he’s witnessed thus far.

“The standard’s really good,” the striker said. “There’s a lot of good players coming to the league. You’ve seen it now with the likes of (Marco) Bustos coming, the sort of talent that’s been attracted to the league.

“That’s what we want here in Canada, for young Canadian boys to come here and get the chance to play and hopefully kick off their careers… I think you’ve already seen, on our day and on another team’s day, anyone can beat anyone. So it’s going to be really exciting for fans.”

MADE IN MANITOBA

True to his word, Gale has put an emphasis on using local talent. Four Winnipeggers — Ali Musse, Dylan Sacramento, Dylan Carreiro and Marco Bustos — started Saturday’s contest and a fifth, Raphael Ohin, was a prominent sub in crunch time.

The 23-year-old Bustos, who returned to play in his hometown last week after leaving eight years earlier to pursue his career, marvelled at how quickly he’s been able to reconnect with old friends and teammates.

“It’s great. I played with them from 10 until 15 years old,” Bustos said. “And with some of them on the national team, so it’s crazy the way soccer works. The world is small and I’m glad I can be teammates with them again.”

Bustos showed quickly he has star potential.

“I’ve played with Bustos before with the youth nationals, with Rob (as coach), and he’s a great talent,” Ferguson said. “You’ve seen it today, he gets in those wee pockets and the half turn and looks to link up and play you through. For me as a striker, it makes my job easier. He’s always looking for that wee pass, that wee through ball. He’s a great addition for us. So I’m looking forward to playing with him this year.”

THE STARS OF THE SHOW

The biggest stars of the CPL so far have been in the stands.

Soccer fans in Canada are apparently not content to be spectators and at IGF, like other parks around the country, members of various supporters groups have put their infectious passion on display.

A noisy gathering of 9,699 watched Valour’s home opener. On Saturday, the 5,819 in attendance waved flags, sang and danced while urging the home side on to victory.

“The supporters culture and just the feeling around the ground and what’s happening is exciting,” Gale said. “Because it’s just going to get bigger and bigger.”

SURVIVAL MODE; HOW DID THEY DO?

When the Valour crew takes the pitch Thursday against visiting Forge FC, it will be the club’s fifth game in 16 games. The gruelling early season schedule has taken its toll and a 2-2-0 record seemed like a fair result, all things considered. Injuries, meanwhile, are starting to pile up.

Defender Adam Mitter left Saturday’s game with a dislocated shoulder; midfielder Michael Petrasso (hamstring) was rested as a precaution; and Croatian import Josip Golubar, a casualty of Wednesday’s loss in Calgary, could miss extended time with a significant knee injury.

“Yeah, it was tough,” said Valour defender Skylar Thomas, who has been a steadying force while playing all 360 minutes thus far. “We had a lot of tired legs at the end of the game, but we had some guys in rotation who did a great job (as subs). Like Rob always says, we’re going to need the whole team and through this stretch here, four or five games in not many days, you’ll need the whole team.”

KEEPING THE TROOPS HAPPY

Gale made six changes to his starting 11 for Saturday’s match and the boss seems unafraid to shuffle his lineup. Goalkeeper Mathias Janssens made his first professional start on Saturday and posted Valour’s first clean sheet.

“(They are) young players and they’re starting out, some of them in their professional careers, and you see the sad faces on the travel sheet when we’re only taking 16 players (on the road),” Gale said.

“You’ve gotta be patient. There will be injuries, there’s going to be fatigue. It’s a long season… you’re going to need everybody.”

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Valour is currently one below the league’s 23-man roster limit and, as the addition of Bustos showed, Gale is always looking to improve the club’s depth.

“We deliberately kept some ink dry,” Gale said. “We’re only at 22 right now so there is the potential to add. Any coach would want to improve what they have.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14