When in 2004 Paul Munster, a 23 year old striker stepped on the Strahov Stadium surface in the Czech Republic to play for Slavia Prague, it was hard to realize the native of Northern Ireland had just a few months earlier sought a trial at Cove Road in London, Ontario in an attempt to play for London City reserves in the Canadian Soccer League, known then as the forerunner CPSL.
Munster was recommended to London City by Eddie Edgar, a well-known coach in Kitchener whose son, David Edgar played for Newcastle United in the English Premier League. The younger Edgar, 19, caused a stir when scoring an important tying goal in only his second game for Newcastle against Manchester United before 52,000 fans on New Year’s Day, 2006.
Munster made the London City reserve team, scoring 12 goals in just three games and the talented striker was then moved to the first team where he found the net 25 times to win the CSL First Division scoring title by a record-breaking 10-goal margin.
Munster later played for Orebro SK of Scandinavia, was then transferred to Bunkeflo IF, assisting the club in promotion. He eventually returned to the Czech Republic to join SK Hradec Kralove, finishing as the club’s top scorer before returning to Northern Ireland to play for Linfield where he won the league title and Irish Cup and was the club’s top scorer in the 2009/2010 season.
London City players won the CSL Rookie of the Year honors in 1998, 1999 and 2004, a time when several players followed Munster’s footsteps to gain trials in top soccer overseas. Defender Tyler Heming signed for Toronto FC, goalkeeper Scott Mueller, strikers Semir Mesanovic and Cameron Medwin all travelled to Europe.
Other CSL clubs were similarly busy with trials and signing players showing promise. Bermuda-born full back Andre Manders said “Playing for York Region Shooters definitely helped me get into the national team of Bermuda. Playing in the CSL helped me physically and mentally.”
A number of players in the CSL have been selected for Canada’s national youth teams, such as centre back Nikola Paunic of Serbian White Eagles. Others in the league to gain youth honors in recent years were centre back Skylar Thomas, full backs Dino Gardner and Jordan Murrell, defender Tyler Pasher, midfielders Keven Aleman, Bryce Alderson and Oscar Cordon. And the list goes on, with Justin Maheu, Sergio Camargo, Jonathan Lao, Brennan McNichol, Matthew Stinson and Ashton Morgan all playing in the CSL prior to being selected Odaine Demar was selected to play for the Jamaican U-20 team, Julien Edwards and Taylor Benjamin were selected for Guyana, Stephane Emard named to the St. Lucia team. There are more, of course, particularly in Quebec where players of the CSL teams were selected for Canada’s youth squads.
CSL clubs continuing with trials leading up to kickoff time for a new 2018 season later this month, a time when CSL coaches will be attempting to identify more prospects for higher level soccer in Canada and elsewhere.