Canada Soccer President: Men’s team plays with advantage, inspiring Canadians

VANCOUVER — The morning after a tough defeat, you might expect Canada Soccer’s president to be in a less than cordial mood. Peter Augruso, however, is not one to rest on his laurels. He’s already seen enough, both on and off the field, to keep his spirits up.

After all, it’s not often that a man in his position gets to see his sport grow and develop before his very eyes, all through the lens of the World Cup on home soil.

Losing to Switzerland 2-1 on Wednesday and missing top spot in Group B may have cost Canada the chance to play more games in Vancouver, but the road continues – albeit in Los Angeles with a round of 16 match against South Africa on Sunday.

“Obviously we’re disappointed when we don’t win because our expectations are higher now, but think about what we’ve accomplished: Canada’s first World Cup point, Canada’s first World Cup win, now an opportunity to get to the round of 16,” Augruso told Sportsnet.

“On the men’s side, we’ve achieved something we’ve never done before. The women’s program has been setting the standard for years and now the men’s side is starting to make its own story.”

This story turned upside down on the field, and at the same time turned heads.

“Right now we’re gaining a huge amount of credibility as a football nation,” Augruso said. “Every federation president I talk to around the world tells me the same thing: ‘Wow, Canada has really come a long way.’ From the outside it seems that everything happened quickly, but this, of course, is not so. It took years to build. (Former manager) John Herdman really started this movement when he came to Canada with the women’s program and then took over the men’s side. Jesse (Marsh) took all of John’s accomplishments and took it to the next level.

“Now it’s nice to hear people talking about Canada as a legitimate soccer country. We’re not seen as an easy game anymore.”

Of course, football history is only half the picture. The success of the World Cup in both Toronto and Vancouver exceeded the expectations of most people, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who watched Canada’s historic 6-0 victory over Qatar with Augruso and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“I think he was pleasantly surprised by the reception the tournament received here,” Augruso said. “The march to the stadium was incredible. We had about 8,000 fans before the match in Qatar. Everywhere you go in Vancouver you feel like you’re in a World Cup city.

“(Vancouver) totally embraced this tournament. Toronto was fantastic, too. We had a ton of support there, but Toronto hosts big events all the time. The Blue Jays were playing on one of our game days, so there was a lot going on in the city. What impressed me – and him – was that football didn’t just compete with other major sports, it surpassed them. A few years ago, that probably wouldn’t have happened.”

Marsh, who was Augruso’s most important employee as president, helped create some excitement during this tournament. Augruso welcomes this.

“Jesse is a charismatic guy and I think he has done a great job for the sport of this country,” he said. “He may offend some commentators or some former players in the United States, but you know what? He taught Canadians to believe in themselves.

“Canadians have always been considered polite and respectful people – it’s ingrained in the Canadian psyche. Jesse is not trying to take away our Canadian identity, but he has brought an edge to this group. If we want to compete with the best countries in the world, we have to have that advantage.”

The advantage seemed to be accepted by everyone on the field. Off the field, Canada has developed into a country with a legitimate soccer culture that will only grow with more moments in motion.

Of course, the party is always fun as long as the music is playing and people are dancing. What happens when the lights come on and the hangover sets in? Will this dynamic continue? Will this moment become a legitimate movement, as Marsh claims?

“I think we’ll see the effect almost immediately,” Augruso agreed. “There are approximately three-quarters of a million registered soccer players in this country right now. After this World Cup, I’d like to see that number surpass a million by this time next year. This is the opportunity in front of us. We’ve created millions of new fans. Now it’s our responsibility to turn that fandom into participation. We have to inspire young Canadians to believe that they can play this game, that they can wear the Maple Leaf one day, and then make sure that they actually have that opportunity.”

“The excitement is there. The dreams are being born. Now we need to pave the way.”

Promises of growth were made by previous generations of leaders, but sport in Canada regularly stagnated. Augruso acknowledges this, but also sees the World Cup as a unique opportunity.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned in this role is that it’s not enough to inspire kids to play – we have to make sure we have the capacity to support them.”

Infrastructure is beginning to develop throughout the country.

“There are about 20 mini-pitches built here in British Columbia. Jumpstart has invested in another 25 public pitches across Canada. Canada Soccer has also started to contribute. We’ve already completed one public pitch project in Atlantic Canada and are looking at another on the West Coast because we want kids, no matter where they live, to have access to the game. But we need so much more.

“Soccer is already the number one sport in Canada,” Augruso continued. “I think we have more influence than we sometimes think. If we work together and act collectively, governments will understand that investing in football infrastructure is not just an investment in the sport, it is an investment in communities. That’s how we ensure that momentum continues.”

Augruso believes the government seems to recognize the potential of the sport.

“The Prime Minister has a genuine interest in what’s going on with this team and soccer in general. He sees first-hand what this World Cup has done for Canadians. At a time when a country can always use something positive to bring people together, this team gave people that.”

Katrina LeBlanc, a former national team goalkeeper, told Augruso something that stuck with him: “There are only two groups of people who wear the maple leaf—those who protect it and those who inspire it.” That’s what this team does,” he said. “They inspire Canadians. They bring people together, and it’s about so much more than football.”

It’s hard to argue with this. Just take a walk on the streets – not just in Vancouver and Toronto, but across the country – and football fever will set in. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.

In the short term, support for local football will determine whether this is a real movement. Will we see attendance increases in Ontario League 1, Canadian Premier League and Northern Super League?

“It’s absolutely important,” Augruso said. “We can’t let this World Cup become just a wonderful memory. We have to support our national leagues.

“The Northern Super League has only been around for a short time and we’re already seeing players coming into our national team. That’s exactly what you want. It creates opportunities for Canadian players to develop at home. The Canadian Premier League has done the same thing with the men’s team. It’s been an important pathway.”

“If we want the sport to continue to grow, people need to support local football. Go watch your local club. Go to a CPL match. Go to an NSL match. These leagues matter because that’s where the next generation is developing.”