1993 Canadian National Soccer League season explained

Competition:Canadian National Soccer League
Season:1993
Winners:
Shield:Toronto Croatia
Shieldtitle:League cup
League Topscorer:Dwayne Dear
Tomasz Radzinski (15)
Best Goalkeeper:Charlie Mohamed
Matches:112
Total Goals:358
Prevseason:NSL 1992
Nextseason:1994

The 1993 Canadian National Soccer League season was the seventy-first season for the Canadian National Soccer League. The season concluded on October 17, 1993, with St. Catharines Roma claiming their first CNSL Championship after defeating Toronto Rockets in a two-game series.[1] Toronto Croatia secured their fifth CNSL league cup.[2]

The season was significant as the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) merged with the National Soccer League (NSL), which renamed the league the Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL). As the Canadian Soccer Association suspended the CSL on April 30, 1993, their remaining clubs joined the CNSL. The new additions included the Winnipeg Fury, which marked the league's first entry into Manitoba, and the reintroduction of a Quebec division making the league operative in three provinces.[3]

Overview

After the defections of the Toronto Blizzard, and Vancouver 86ers to the American Professional Soccer League the main financial sponsor of the Montreal Supra split with the front office to form another APSL franchise.[4] [5] These actions along with the financial crisis the Canadian Soccer League was experiencing caused the league to merge its interests with the National Soccer League.[6] The merger resulted in a name change to the Canadian National Soccer League with the additions of the North York Rockets (changed to Toronto Rockets), Winnipeg Fury, and the introduction of a Quebec division to house the former Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ) clubs.[7] [8] As a result of the changes to the Canadian soccer landscape, the Canadian Soccer Association recognized the APSL as the top tier in the country with the intention of designating the CNSL as a secondary league.[9] After a meeting conducted with representatives from both parties, the CNSL failed to receive sanctioning from the CSA.[10]

On April 30, 1993, the CSA officially suspended the CSL for one season, with the CSL in response sanctioning the CNSL for the 1993 season.[11] [12] Woodbridge Azzuri was suspended after failing to secure a proper facility according to league standards.[13] The executive committee of the league included Laurie McIvor as president, Rocco LoFranco as commissioner, Armando DiFruscio as vice president, and Harry Gauss with Tony Fontana as directors.[14] [15] Winnipeg experienced a tumultuous season in terms of fiscal operations as they struggled in making payments, and even applied to the provincial government for a grant to fulfill their league commitments.[16] [17]

Teams

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of
departure
Date of
vacancy
Position in tableIncoming coachDate of
appointment
St. Catharines RomaTony Novacic[28] Resigned March, 1993 Presason March 10, 1993
Winnipeg FuryTom McManus[29] Resigned Phil Wilson
Windsor WheelsOsvaldo Rizzo[30] Dismissed 2nd in May Peter Paglioti[31]
Toronto Italia Bruno Pilaš[32] ResignedJuly 16, 19936th in July Carlo DelmonteJuly 16, 1993

Final standings

Western Division

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Toronto won the series 5–0 on aggregate. Montreal won the series 8–2 on aggregate. Toronto Jets won the series 4–3 on aggregate. St. Catharines won the series 4–3 on aggregate.

Semifinals

Toronto won the series 6–1 on aggregate.St. Catharines won the series 2–0 on aggregate.

Final

St. Catharines won the series 1–0 on aggregate.

Cup

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all fourteen teams took part. All the matches were separate from the regular season, and the teams were grouped into two separate divisions.

Finals

Toronto won the series 5–1 on aggregate.

Individual awards

The 1993 annual CNSL awards were held at Auberge Universel in Sherbrooke, Quebec with the nominations announced on October 22, 1993.[33] The awards were presented on November 3, 1993, with Montreal Croatia receiving the most accolades.[34] The Golden Boot was shared between Dwayne Dear and Tomasz Radzinski with both finishing with 15 goals in their respective divisions.[35] Radzinski would ultimately play in noted leagues such as the Belgian First Division, and Premier League. Montreal Croatia's Zoran Petkovic was named the MVP and Krunoslav Piperkovic was given the Most Sportsmanlike Award.

After securing the Eastern division title for Croatia the Coach of the Year went to Simon Demo along with the Team of the Year award. The Montreal Ramblers finished second with three awards with Charlie Mohamed being named the Goalkeeper of the Year, and Paul Daccobert was recognized as the Rookie of the Year and would later play in the USISL Pro League. The Ramblers also received the Most Technical award, while Corfinium St-Leonard received the Most Improved award. The remainder of the awards went to Cosmos de LaSalle as Best Administration and Manuel Sosa was given the Best Referee award.

AwardPlayer (Club)
CNSL MVPZoran Petkovic (Montreal Croatia)
CNSL Golden BootDwayne Dear (Cosmos de LaSalle)
Tomasz Radzinski (Toronto Rockets)
CNSL Goalkeeper of the Year AwardCharlie Mohamed (Montreal Ramblers)
CNSL Rookie of the Year AwardPaul Daccobert (Montreal Ramblers)
CNSL Coach of the Year AwardSimon Demo (Montreal Croatia)
CNSL Most Sportsmanlike AwardKrunoslav Piperkovic (Montreal Croatia)
CNSL Most Technical AwardMontreal Ramblers
CNSL Most Improved AwardCorfinium St-Leonard
CNSL Team of the Year AwardMontreal Croatia
CNSL Best Administration AwardCosmos de LaSalle
CNSL Referee AwardManuel Sousa

References

  1. Web site: Soccer results. October 18, 1993. Newspapers.com. Times Colonist. 2. en. March 27, 2020.
  2. Book: Jose, Colin. On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. 2001. Vaughan, Ontario. 117.
  3. Web site: Wheels racing against time toward home opener. Hall. Dave. April 22, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Stars. 18. en. March 29, 2020.
  4. Web site: Three from here get U.S. invitations. December 16, 1992. baltimoresun.com. Baltimore Sun. en-US. March 31, 2020.
  5. Book: Jose, Colin. On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. 2001. Vaughan, Ontario. 135.
  6. Web site: Pro soccer changing its face. January 7, 1993. Newspapers.com. Edmonton Journal. 35. en. March 31, 2020.
  7. Web site: Soccer leagues join forces. January 7, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Gazette. 12. en. March 31, 2020.
  8. Web site: Wheels hope to score with new soccer league. Hall. Dave. March 9, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 12. en. March 31, 2020.
  9. Web site: Canadians go back to work. Stinson. Dan. January 13, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Vancouver Sun. 50. en. March 31, 2020.
  10. Web site: League exists despite lack of CSA sanction. January 20, 1993. Newspapers.com. Vancouver Sun. 49. en. March 31, 2020.
  11. Web site: CSL ordered to shut down. April 30, 1993. Newspapers.com. Calgary Herald. 36. en. March 31, 2020.
  12. Web site: Soccer's 86ers soak in red ink. June 22, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Gazette. 11. en. March 31, 2020.
  13. News: Christie. James. Uninhibited soccer team finds itself without a league. July 13, 1993. The Globe and Mail. C7.
  14. Web site: Roundup Overtime. January 7, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Leader-Post. 11. en. March 31, 2020.
  15. News: Da Costa. Norman. April 8, 1993. Soccer league gets 16 teams, names a boss. D11. Toronto Star.
  16. Web site: August 7, 1993. Fury running out of cash. March 31, 2020. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 16. en.
  17. Web site: Lyons. Steve. August 18, 1993. There's light at the end of the tunnel. March 31, 2020. NewspaperArchive.com. Winnipeg Free Press. 39. en.
  18. Web site: Fury on fire in romp. McDonald. Marvin. June 21, 1993. NewspaperArchive.com. Winnipeg Free Press. 37. en. April 14, 2020.
  19. News: Laskaris. Sam. April 15, 1993. Soccer Rockets change name and league. NY8. Toronto Star.
  20. News: Laskaris. Sam. Off-field battles continue to plague Kick soccer team. July 29, 1993. Toronto Star. NY4.
  21. News: Laskaris. Sam. April 15, 1993. Astros call Birchmount home for the season. SD5. Toronto Star.
  22. Web site: North York Astros Soccer Club Powered by Goalline Sports Administration Software. June 1, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090601082652/http://www.northyorkastros.ca/page.php?page_id=13527. June 1, 2009. December 4, 2019.
  23. News: Wallace . Jim . 10 March 1993 . Douglas has returned . . C3.
  24. Web site: Rolling wheels to become a traveling act in CNSL. Hall. David. July 16, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 14. en. March 23, 2020.
  25. Web site: Prima. www.lospecchio.com. April 9, 2020.
  26. Web site: Soccer side needs miracle. Taylor. Scott. August 25, 1993. NewspaperArchive.com. Winnipeg Free Press. 27. en. March 22, 2020.
  27. Web site: Players' love, members' pockets keep Fury afloat. McDonald. Marvin. September 1, 1993. NewspaperArchive.com. Winnipeg Free Press. 24. en. March 22, 2020.
  28. News: Wallace . Jim . 28 December 1993 . Life moves on: Perri leaves Wolves with strong legacy as coach and player . . C3.
  29. Web site: Wilson handed reins. McDonald. Marvin. April 10, 1993. NewspaperArchive.com. Winnipeg Free Press. 44. en. April 18, 2020.
  30. Web site: Wheels fire coach. Hall. Dave. May 26, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 7. en. March 28, 2020.
  31. Web site: Wheels' owners feel move best for team. Waddell. Dave. May 27, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 33. en. March 28, 2020.
  32. Web site: Rolling Wheels to become a traveling act in CNSL. Hall. David. July 16, 1993. Newspapers.com. The Windsor Star. 14. en. March 28, 2020.
  33. Web site: Sports - Miscellany. October 22, 1993. Newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette. 15. en. March 24, 2020.
  34. Web site: Canadian National Soccer League awards. November 3, 1993. Newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette. 48. en. March 24, 2020.
  35. Web site: Canadian midfielder relieved to be back on the soccer pitch. October 9, 1996. NewspaperArchive.com. Lethbridge Herald. 12. en. April 8, 2020.

External links