Bob Young Comments On CPL International Roster Rule Changes

For the last week or so, rumours regarding a potential league-mandated database of possible international signings for Canadian Premier League clubs have been mounting. Under the supposed regulations, the league will build a database of international players in partnership with a scouting agency, with CPL clubs only allowed to sign international players from the list.

As with any rumour, there are many variations of it to be found on social media: some believe the list will include a maximum age, while others have stated that the league will simply be reducing the amount of international slots for the next season.

For its part, the league has remained quiet regarding the rumours.

This week, however, a significant figure chimed in on the discussion: Forge FC owner Bob Young. Quoting a tweet discussing the rumours, the 59-year-old entrepreneur threw in a Moneyball quote that seems to imply that the league is, indeed, implementing a pre-approved international player database:

@Privateers1882, You know exactly what @CPLsoccer is doing: to paraphrase Billy Beane in Moneyball: “if we behave like established football/soccer in here we will lose to them out there.” And losing is not an option. ? https://t.co/Z8Lo6bL6ja

— Bob Young (@CaretakerBob) October 24, 2019

Given that Bob Young is one of the main reasons the Canadian Premier League was founded in the first place – and being a founder of Forge FC itself – it makes sense that The Caretaker would be in-the-know regarding potential changes to league regulations.

Still, many fans aren’t sold on the prospect of the league exerting more control over clubs, which leads to a more Major League Soccer-feeling heteronomy than the more European-style club-based freedoms that the domestic league was pitched on.

The Caretaker’s Moneyball tweet triggered a strong reaction from fans, which prompted him to double down with the following tweet:

Ooh I like it. Any others?
The point being: you can’t expect to be better if you don’t try. https://t.co/TZldh4Lj6J

— Bob Young (@CaretakerBob) October 28, 2019

With the Canadian Premier League being heavily comprised of free agents with no clubs recording any profits from player sales so far, it’s fair to see why league officials may want clubs to save on their own international scouting fees and build a database of players who, like Miguel Almiron did for Atlanta United, may arrive for a lower price than they ultimately leave on. It sounds like a move intended for overall league sustainability at the cost of club freedoms.

Of course, the rumours of a league-wide international player database aren’t confirmed, but the fact that Bob Young jumped in with a Moneyball quote that comes out in favour of such a move is certainly food for thought.

The inaugural season of Canadian Premier League action will conclude this Saturday, with Cavalry FC hosting Forge FC in the second leg of the Canadian Premier League finals. Forge won the first leg throughout what ended up being a controversial match, so fans can expect a heated second leg to close out the first year of CPL action.

Source: Bob Young (via Twitter)