February 18, 2019--York 9 FC Pub Night at the Unionville Arms Pub & Grill in Unionville (by Rocket Robin)
Details of the pub night at the Unionville Arms Pub & Grill in Unionville held by York 9 FC. Attendance
was about 50 crowded into a party room which was the size of a school class off the main room of the pub.
This place was at least sympathetic to soccer as there were dozens of soccer team scarfs hanging from
the sloped ceiling. Other sports memorabilia was pinned to the walls as well as framed classic record albums
or at least replicas. When a glass door was shut, the noise from outside was cancelled. There were plenty
of mounted tv screens but no real place to transform to a CPL video presentation. The crowd inside our room
was quite loud but when the meeting was called to order and the crowd quieted down, it was very easy to hear
(well for me near the front it was excellent). A long table/counter at the front which had finger food trays
before the meeting was soon cleared and provided a clear space for them to be seen and heard.
mp3 File...first segment...33 min 10 sec
Ben Zayandehroudi the VP of Ticket Sales and Service opens by taking a survey of who has bought season tickets.
A majority of hands go up. He outlines how the road trip to Hamilton will work out but now adds a way for
people who want to drive themselves to meet up with fans who come by bus. A draw for an autographed scarf.
He outlines his time in the TFC office. Brennan gets the punch line "Tell me about it!" Brennan then takes
over and outlines their practice schedule until the season opener. Assistant coach Carmen Isacco is also
introduced. Brennan outlines the local angle of the team personnel. Goal is to eventually have a starting
eleven of all local players. Three out of seven internationals have been signed. (Ahh a nameless Venezuelan
makes the third one). Happy with the team they're building. I asked about the date of the first York home game.
Answer: The Blainville Voyageurs Cup game. I then sneakly ask about the name of the Blainville signee and
am called out by name! (about the 9 minute mark). His name should be revealed tomorrow. Currently working
on getting free transport to home games with the York Transit system. Relationship developing with local clubs.
Ganzhorn outlines now they've bought League 1 Ontario how they will develop it into a second division. Brennan
introduces the players with a brief bio on each one. Each player then expands on that intro.
Doner starts first at 13 1/2 minute mark,
Aparacio next at 15 1/2 minute mark,
and finishes with Furlano at 19 minute mark.
Isacco then is asked about this opportunity as a Canadian coach to be part of York 9. How dead end the path
for Canadians was with 'lateral players' (non-locally trained players) bumping them out. Encourage the local
Canadian players!
Ganzhorn explains his vision with his background story in Denmark and their soccer culture. Thanks us for
spending time on the 'Family Day' holiday together. Pleased with the choice of players. Outlines the stadium
plans. York University grounds for first years and the building of their own home. The owners are builders
(ie the construction industry). Three possible sites...one of them is in Markham. The 'greenness' of the
team with the environment. 12 to 15 thousand seats are planned comparable with English lower division stadiums
with their atmosphere. Last call for questions draws no response but they had promised that people could
ask one on ones so most of York 9 officials and players were talking for the next hour.
mp3 File...second segment...1 min 37 sec
Ben Zayandehroudi summarizes. Season schedule will be announced soon. Thanks for buying your season tickets.
Please tell your friends and business colleagues about us. (Our staff will be available to talk to you
about ticket packages). Thanks for coming out. Points to York 9 FC scarf mounted with other world soccer
scarfs on the ceiling.
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The players and coaches stayed around well after the presentation. I was scouting around for a quiet spot
to do an interview. This party room and the main bar were far too noisy. It was quiet enough at the bottom
of a staircase that led to the washrooms. I had asked Steven Furlano if I could interview him when I first arrived
for after the general meeting. I have followed his career for years and was stunned when he was suddenly off TFC II
after the 2017 season. I had made some cheat notes before coming here:
It was he who first came over to me years ago at a League 1 Ontario game to say I spelled his name wrong in
one of my reports. I didn't have a cell phone back then good enough to check right there but was happy to find
later on my computer at home that it was the league that were spelling his name wrong. I have a cousin named
'Stephen' and he's sensitive about his name.
mp3 File...Rocket Robin interview with Steven Furlano...4 min 59 sec
About his early TFC system days and how he heard about this CPL league. His time with Alliance (of L1O) in 2018
and transition from defender to midfield and his coach Ilya Orlov. His 'aggressive' play in prior years
and whether he's been told to change. Will he be a freekick specialist in his role with York 9?
A nice comment I had about him by his coach Stuart Neely about his toughness playing through bruised ribs.
Wow! Now this is the kind of interview I enjoy listening to...instead of the five second sound blips on the
sports news or in written articles where the five seconds are spread between five paragraphs of the writer's
interpretation. I don't know all the L1O players personally but I'd rather just let them talk.
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A few guys who looked familiar later in the night were talking to players. I admitted that I'm not good
at identifying players "unless they have a Number 9 on their back" so I asked. It was Tre Crosby and
Daniel Cramarossa. Crosby is a forward with Unionville Milliken and Cramarossa is a left back with L1O
champions Vaughan Azzurri. Yes I could believe them when they said they lived nearby and just checking
this place out. I remember both of them at the L1O/CPL combine on January 24th and both succeeded in
playing in the morning games and surviving the cut to play in the afternoon final. I'd say they are
equal to players signing with the CPL at this time so maybe we'll see them in the league!
The Generation IX guys have about 30 supporters so far and will have a place in the endzone. That
nickname reminds me of the wrestling show I'm missing tonight to be here.
So York 9 will have their first home game against AS Blainville except that isn't until Wednesday
May 22nd. Their first league game is away to Forge FC on Saturday April 27th. That then leaves then
leaves three weekends in between. I expect a few more road games and probably a bye week as there
is an odd number of teams. (I'm also missing the detective show Murdoch Mysteries). That will give
them more time to finish the renovations on the stadium. MLS teams have opened their seasons with long
road trips for years. TFC did it in their first year and when they added seats later.
I asked Isacco about photos on Twitter I'd seen about York 9 practices. National team player Diana Matheson
had dropped by last week and it looked like Ontario Soccer Centre with the banners in the background. I was
told players can't officially train until March 1st when their contracts take effect but they can train
on their own so it seems like they conduct their own small sided games for now. Isacco said Matheson and
other national team players played for Vaughan in L1O for awhile a few years ago for a couple of games.
Matheson has now left to join the nats for the Algarve Cup in Portugal.
I asked Ganzhorn and Brennan if there'd be any more events after the final scheduled pub nights the next
two Thursdays. They will then leave March 1st. My question is for the time after they return from training
near the end of March until the end of April before the season starts. They expect there will be something
but that's still being worked out.
Ben Zayandehroudi (VP Ticket Sales & Service) introduces head coach Jimmy Brennan (on right).
(Left to right) players Steven Furlano, Manny Aparicio, and Morey Doner all commented on their pathways to the club.
York 9 FC president Preben Ganzhorn and player Steven Furlano.
The ceiling of the party room with various international scarves and now including York 9 FC!
The Unionville Arms Pub & Grill (daylight, before the event started)
A York 9 FC team car--GMC Acadia among a fleet I've been seeing since last summer. (just to counter
some message board posters who've drawn York 9 kits with LEAGUE sponsor Volkswagen on the chests
of their self-designed uniforms).
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