Joe Mason available

[Ottawa Green]

Joe Mason missed his 8th game in a row tonight due to injury.

 

[Adam]

@Ottawa Green What is the standard of the Canadian league that he plays in? As in, how does it compare to 'our' leagues here? League One/Two equivalent do you think?

 

[Knibbsworth]

Ditto. Also, he cant get a regular starting berth in the MK Dons team so why would we want him?

If only Ryan Lowe had applied that logic to Jordan Houghton.

 

[Ottawa Green]

@Ottawa Green What is the standard of the Canadian league that he plays in? As in, how does it compare to 'our' leagues here? League One/Two equivalent do you think?

The Canadian Premier League (CPL) started in 2019, so is only 3 years old, It started with 7 teams, spread from Halifax to Victoria, approx. 5800 klms. apart. The next year Ottawa joined, but because of Covid the league only played a one month schedule in a bubble in Prince Edward Island, all teams played each other in a round robin formula, giving each team 7 games and then top 4 played a playoff. Before CPL started there were only 2 pro teams Toronto and Ottawa Fury and they played in the USL a league based in the US with over 60 teams, this was the 2nd best league in the US right behind the MLS and i would say the quality was as good as League 1 and a few teams were maybe Championship level, at least 4 teams moved on to MLS when they expanded. I was fortunate to work for the Fury as a volunteer working on the 4th officials desk, and was fortunate to meet a number of well known players including Bruce Grobbelar, Anthony Pulis, (Tony Pulis's son), Jason Bent, etc.
The Ottawa Fury was forced to leave the USL by the Canadian Soccer Association as they did not want a Canadian team to play in the US when there was now a Canadian Professional league, the Fury said they would not join the CPL so they folded.
Mason's team Cavalry based out of Calgary is the #1 team, crowds in the league average between 3-5000. I would say the level of the CPL is League 2 or National League, most of the players are Canadian, with each team having maybe 5-6 Non Canadians. Atletico Ottawa is partially owned by Atletico Madrid and they have loaned Ottawa 4 players but they are youngsters 18-20 year olds who are struggling, language, travel, playing players older and more experienced. The season runs from April till November and it is a 28 game schedule. Also they play the Canadian Championship which consists of 13 teams, the 8 CPL teams, the champions of the semi pro ontario and Quebec leagues and the 3 Canadian MLS teams. The winners of the CPL and the Canadian Championship then qualify to play in the CONCACAF league and tournament. which takes in teams from Mexico, Panama, Costa Rico and the Caribbean
The main aim of the CPL is to improve the standard of Football in Canada.

 

[Ottawa Green]

Joe Mason is back in Canada for this season he's playing again for Cavalry the team from Calgary, it's the first game of the season and the game is here in Ottawa.

 

[Forest of Dean Green]

Not for me

 

[bd1981]

The only former players I'd bite your hand off to take back tomorrow are Sonny Bradley, Ruben Lameiras, Scott Sinclair, Yannick Bolasie, Curtis Nelson, Ashley Barnes, Conor Hourihane, Joe Bryan, Bobby Reid, Jack Stephens, Dan Gosling, Ben Gibson and Zak Vyner.

And none of them are coming back.

So otherwise, fresh blood please.

Ladapo?

 

[Cobi Budge]

Ladapo?

I wouldn’t take Ladapo back if Rotherham paid us.

 

[Lancastergreen]

We probably won't go up this season, but whether we do or not, you don't need a stroppy child in the ranks

 

[Cobi Budge]

We probably won't go up this season, but whether we do or not, you don't need a stroppy child in the ranks

Exactly, simply being a good player doesn’t always make you an asset.

 

[JannerinCardiff]

Exactly, simply being a good player doesn’t always make you an asset.

Is he that good anymore?

 

[Cobi Budge]

Is he that good anymore?

I always preferred Taylor and I said during that season that he was being underused, he was a better team player despite Ladapo’s goals, Carey & Lameiras always performed better with Taylor.

 

[Ottawa Green]

Joe Mason still here in Canada playing for the Calgary Cavalry, season starts today

 

[Ottawa Green]

Joe Mason`s career in Canada is over, at the end of the 2023 season his contract expired, he played 21 games this season but only scored 1 goal.
His club Cavalry said

``Joe Mason has been great for us over the past three seasons, and we respect his wish to return home to the United Kingdom.``​

 

[Tugboat]

See if Barry Hayle’s is free whilst we’re at it