Summary: Now in the MLS preseason when teams are still putting together rosters, assessing their rosters and making the last of their moves for the 2013 season, we begin our first look at the league in Canada and with that comes the inevitable comparisons to the NHL which has caused a bit of a stir in soccer circles of late to a protracted lockout. Helping us dissect this talking point is John Molinaro of SportsNet in Canada who not only gives us the view from north of the border, but also weighs in on two important organizational changes for Toronto FC and Montreal Impact in the closed season as both brought in new first team managers. That means former QPR and DC United defender Ryan Nelsen with has been reunited with Kevin Payne and Marco Schällibaum who continues something of a continental trend for the Impact who reach for a foreign coach with no league experience. We examine what these changes represent and whether they simply confirm a narrative or could imply that important and positive changes are underway. We also break down the history of foreign coach success in Major League Soccer history with numbers, the finally settled issue of the New York Red Bulls manager after a strained period of organization angst about who the coach would actually be since the front office was rebuilt. We also weigh in on Mike Petke, his challenge going forward with some high profile players like Henry and Cahill and now with the arrival of free-kick wizard Juninho Pernambucano from Vasco de Gama of Brazil. In the closing section is where the NHL rant is reserved and with that comes some serious perspective based on salary caps, wages to turnover and how broadcasting and commercial revenue is the next objective for Major League Soccer as it attempts to leapfrog the bigger professional leagues in North America and where the real world powers is football truly make their money and recruit players. Lots here on Canada, the NHL versus MLS talking points this off-season and where foreign managers fit in the grand scheme.
