June 29, 2017 League 1 Ontario--League1 Ontario Men's Teams Looking To The Future Wth U23 Focus (from League 1 Ontario)

League1 Ontario Men's Teams Looking To The Future With U23 Focus 
06/29/2017, 1:15pm EDT
By Anthony Gallo

The 2017 League1 Ontario season is still young, but for almost half the teams in the 
men’s division, they are looking to the future rather than the present.

When League1 Ontario was created four years ago, its commissioner, Dino Rossi, 
made sure that each member would build a competitive team, while also looking to develop 
the next generation of Canadian soccer players.

"Once we got down to analyzing the high-performance adult player pool, we realized that, 
due to the lack of fully professional options for Canadian players, we had an obligation 
to provide more playing opportunities to slightly older players," said Rossi.

"No matter whether it was U20 or U23 focused, we wanted to ensure that younger players 
would be able to get starting minutes. So we guaranteed that four players in that 
age bracket had to start." 

"I think it is an important feature of our league and I'm convinced that without it, 
several very talented young players may not have had the opportunity to shine."

To ensure that youth players could enjoy regular starting time, the league made it policy 
during year one for each club to start a minimum of four U-23 players per match, and have 
at least eight on their gameday roster.

So far this season, clubs like Aurora FC, Ottawa South United Force, North Mississauga 
Panthers, North Toronto Nitros, Pro Stars and Toronto FC III are putting their main 
focus on developing the next wave of talented Canadians.

All of the aforementioned clubs have started at least ten U-23 players per match and 
though the technical staff understand results won’t be easy to find, they are patient 
and thinking for the future.

"Give it time," said Aurora FC head coach Derek O’Keeffe. "These players are learning 
every day, every week, and we're getting there."

"Let's think long term, let's think of that two-year plan where we say 'ah I see what 
you're doing here.' You see that at clubs in England and Europe adopt the same kind
 of ideas, giving young players a chance."

Commissioner Rossi agreed that some teams with a more youth focus could struggle in the 
beginning, but said that these players need to be able to play a pressured and 
fast-paced game against men.

"The experience these future stars get playing regularly in League1 definitely prepares 
them for the speed and physicality of playing professional football, or what they will 
face at the College/ University level," said Rossi.

"Our clubs are all quite committed to developing the next generation of stars and the 
best way to do that is expose them to the best level of competition that exists 
in this province."

Pro Stars director of coaching, Josef Komlodi, has had a long history of coaching talented 
young players and moving them to European teams.

Komlodi acknowledges that he has a smaller academy compared to other League1 clubs, 
but that hasn't stopped him from fielding a team that has started at least ten U-23 
players per match.

The Pro Stars coach knows that it will be tough for his team to compete with every club, 
but he did say his focus is on the future. Komlodi expressed a belief that in the coming 
years his young sides will mature and compete for a league title, and that he is very 
impressed with his core 2000 and 2001 age group.

Just like Komlodi, North Mississauga Panthers head coach, Sam Medeiros, is a strong 
believer in youth. A big reason why he joined the Panthers before this season was because 
the club gave him freedom to develop their youth his way.

He told the club, "I would like to keep the players that have gone through the system. 
If they have been here since they were eight-years-old and paid their thousand, 
two thousand every year, why are we not using them and creating opportunities for them?"

Medeiros then set his mind on working with the clubs youth teams and creating a clearer 
pathway for them to make it to their League1 squad.

Even though it's always fun to see who will be the next young star and representing 
their national teams in the future, League1 teams that field many younger players will 
say that some do struggle to keep up with the more experienced players.

"Some of the kids coming from OYSL, they feel they can just kick the ball forward and run.
They have to play smart and understand tactics," said Komlodi.

"[They need to] accept the certain physical expectations."

"Within OPDL you kind of step up a bit. Within OYSL you kind of step up. But [League1] 
is a big step," said North Toronto technical director, John Hyland.

Since joining the league last year, the Nitros have put a big emphasis on youth, starting 
a minimum of ten U-23 players each game in 2017.

"As a club, we entered League1 with our younger players in mind," said Hyland.

"It has always been our intention to play them and develop players through our system 
in OYSL and OPDL."

Hyland mentioned that the Nitros have strictly built their League1 team with players who 
have progressed through the club's youth teams and/ or players that are attending the 
University of Toronto, who they have an affiliation with. This mixture has allowed them 
to field a consistent starting lineup with at least ten U-23 players.

The reason behind this was explained by Hyland.

"Players, parents and clubs have invested a great amount into these players for many 
years, so this is their opportunity and one they are taking."

"Our kids have paid for this, so it’s going to be our kids playing in it."

Newly expanded team Ottawa South United are similar to the Nitros, in that they are trying 
to promote players to League1 who have played within their youth teams.

Ottawa South is well known to put together some strong youth teams, while also being able 
to move some players to professional academies across North America and abroad.

Technical director Paul Harris stressed the notion that it's important to test 17 and 
18 year-olds in a more physical environment, gauging their abilities against older, 
experienced players, as well as talented peers around their age.

The Ottawa South technical director, like Aurora's O'Keeffe, stated that results don't 
really show what he and his staff have implemented.

"We've always been competitive, even though we had some games where we lost by a few goals. 
Generally if you watch the balance of play, we're competitive," said Harris.

Harris also reiterated what Hyland and Komlodi stated, that some younger players do 
add a degree of vulnerability to a team.

"It's usually what you call novice or rookie mistakes that are costing them on the 
scoresheet," he said.

Harris added that one big reason why his club decided to field a League1 club was 
because members of Toronto FC said the league would allow his young team the opportunity 
to play against more physical and experienced players compared to ones in youth leagues.

"[Toronto FC] said we should [do] similar to what they are doing in terms of really 
trying to get some of these boys 17,18,19 [years old] experience against older players 
to help them with their future careers."

"We've had a good reputation in the last four or five years of moving players into youth 
academies and into pro environments. We saw League1 as a continuation of this."

When it came time for Major League Soccer side Toronto FC to determine which league their 
talented youth pool would compete in, they decided that League1 Ontario was the best way 
their youth players could be tested against more experienced players at the 
Toronto FC III level.

Since 2007, Toronto FC remains the only MLS side to not field a team in the U.S Soccer 
Development Academy (USSDA) league. Even fellow Canadian clubs Vancouver Whitecaps 
and the Montreal Impact have their U-15 and U-17 teams play against MLS academies and 
the best U.S Soccer academies.

The Toronto based club did field a team in the now defunct MLS Reserve League, but have 
since shifted to having their youth sides compete against the best players in Ontario.

By doing so, the only pro academy club in League1 have been able to field some talented 
Canadian youth internationals in recent years. First team player Raheem Edwards comes 
to mind right away as a player who played in League1 before making it pro.

The same can be said about former Toronto FC players Molham Babouli and Chris Mannella, 
who were among the first players to climb the pathway from the club's 2014 League1 
Championship team to the MLS side.

TFC III head coach Danny Dichio shares a different view than other coaches mentioned 
earlier. He said his squad of strictly U-23 players have handled themselves 
in a professional manner in each game.

"Thankfully we do not have to deal with instilling an emphasis on working hard within 
this group."

"They train daily for eleven months of the year, so most of them are in prime condition 
for their age."

Dichio mentioned that a reason why Toronto FC created a League1 team was because 
it was able to bridge that gap between academy and the first/ second teams. He said that 
he loves seeing players give it their all in League1 and challenge his young group.

"There have been some physical and tactical battles already this season that we have 
really enjoyed and we know every team loves playing against us."

"This is exactly what kind of environment and resistance we need for these young players."

A very different approach of youth development is the way Oakville Blue Devils head 
coach, Duncan Wilde, has taken to build a consistently strong League1 team.

Wilde mentioned that while a team needs youth, they need experience as well.

"If you want to compete for a championship you have to [have a mixture of both]. 
That experience down the stretch is invaluable."

Oakville's good mixture of youth and experience is a key reason why they were crowned 
league champions in 2015. And Wilde brought up the fact that last year's 8W - 4D - 10L 
record was difficult considering they fielded more youth players that were apart 
of their 2016 Ontario Soccer League U-21 winning team.

"Last year we had numerous academy players playing in the league to give them that 
taste of what we were doing."

Even though his approach and ideals are different compared to other coaches, Wilde 
says his club still wants to see youths develop and take up more spots on his roster.

"We all want to see young players come through. We have a diminishing group of older
 players now."

"I just believe to be consistent, to be able to have cover, to be able to give these 
players rest from time-to-time, and to also give them the competition time they need, 
that has to be managed well throughout the season."

back to 2017 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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