August 2, 2012 CSL--story on Brantford Galaxy (from Brantford Expositor)
Former Galaxy coach 'shocked' and 'confused' By Darryl G. Smart, Brantford Expositor Thursday, August 2, 2012 8:50:44 EDT PM Gerry Crnic was right when he compared sports to marriage this week. The Brantford Galaxy's managing director was explaining the expulsion of coach Ron Davidson prior to the team's loss last Sunday to SC Waterloo. And, like many marriages that end, there are plenty of questions, coupled with confusion and anger, emotions that Davidson experienced this week. "I am both shocked and confused as to why they removed me," Davidson said Thursday. "I had taken the team to one point out of first. In the last nine games there were 27 points up for grabs and we got 24 of them. No other team in the CSL has done that." The Galaxy, at 8-4, are in fourth place in the Canadian Soccer League's First Division. Replacing Davidson is assistant Tomo Dancetovic and Ranko Golijanin, a fan favourite who is returning to the Galaxy in a player/assistant coach role. Despite being in Brantford for only a few months, Davidson said he enjoyed every minute and is disappointed he isn't finishing what he started just weeks prior to the start of the current season. "Honestly, I am gutted to have left the community and the team that I had built," Davidson said. "I built this team from my network, quality players and quality people who gave everything on the field. "I honestly thought we could make the championship final," he said. "The locker room was a fun place, the chemistry on and off the field was there, training was great with a full turnout every week. The players were really enjoying themselves. And, wallop, out of the blue, the ownership turns things upside down." Crnic said there was a difference in ideology, especially when it came to local players, opposed to imports. "We're now looking towards next year and hope to have a number of kids from Brantford to dominate the roster," Crnic said. Although many of the players Davidson brought in were from the Greater Toronto Area, they all loved being part of the community, he said. "This is a great community and I really like being part of it," Dave Simpson said after the team's first win of the season. "I can see myself moving here. It would be a great place to set some roots." Unfortunately for Galaxy fans, Simpson, a former Canadian international, is one of several casualties in this divorce. He has left the team in support of Davidson. Also packing it in are goalkeeper Melford James Jr., along with Damion Scott and Jeremy Shepherd. "I had assembled a good quality winning team without having to bring in any European imports," Davidson said. "All of my players where Canadian guys, proving you can compete for the championship without imports. All imports do is take away playing time from local players and Canadian players." As for the homegrown talent that was on the Galaxy roster, Davidson said he was impressed, and saw a growth in the local game that would eventually turn into more Brantford talent on the Galaxy's main roster. Unfortunately for Davidson, there were just too many hurdles to see it through. "The local players I had on the team where excellent to work with and talented," Davidson said. "The ownership mentioned budget restraints and a different direction. When you are at the top, the only other direction is down. If they did not have the ability to budget a team for six months, they should have told me from the start." Davidson said he is looking at what has happened as a learning experience. "We all live and learn in life and I put this down to an experience and remain positive and leave with my head held high for what I achieved in such a short period of time in Brantford," Davidson said. "I wish the players the best moving forward for the rest of the season. "It was a pleasure to bring a winning team to the community. The Brantford people were nothing but first class to me and my players." On Friday, the Galaxy travel to London to take on London City at 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday they visit Brampton City United at 3 p.m. darryl.smart@sunmedia.ca or twitter.com/darrylsmart1
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