After Lengthy Spell In Germany, Nik Ledgerwood Returns Home To Help Grow Canada Soccer

The sport of soccer continues to grow in Canada and more international players are returning home. Julian de Guzman joined Ottawa Fury FC last season and recently re-signed. Now, Nik Ledgerwood, another veteran Canadian international, is returning closer to home after landing with FC Edmonton.

“I’ve always wanted to play in Canada, when I left it wasn’t a huge opportunity here,” Ledgerwood told NASL.com after spending more than 10 years playing in Germany.

“Now, at the age of 30, I’ll be 31 in a week [Jan. 16], I still have enough time left in my career and I’m healthy and fit and feel I can give back something to the game. Being close to my family and where I grew up is important.”

Hearing only good things from de Guzman about his time in Ottawa and in the NASL during national team stints together, Ledgerwood is ready to match up with Canada’s captain in the Amway Canadian Championship and league play.

“I respect Julian, he’s done phenomenal things for Canadian soccer, but at the end of the day when you play against friends and old teammates you always want to win,” Ledgerwood said. “The friendship is put aside for 90 minutes and you get down to business.”

Part of the reason for Ledgerwood’s return to Canada from Germany, where he spent the majority of his career, is to help the game to continue to grow. The Eddies, who have sent several youngsters into the first team from their academy, felt like the right opportunity.

“I know there is quite a few Alberta or Canadian boys playing with the team, and I think that should be the focus for any Canadian team,” he said. “The fact that Edmonton is giving those kids a chance to move up in the ranks is great for the organization. It’s something I believe very strongly and I want to be a part of that. I want to help Canada Soccer move forward and I hope I can be a part of that as a player and later on as something else.”

Ledgerwood is hoping to imprint the lessons learned from his time with teams such as 1860 Munich and Energie Cottbus, among others, on the young Eddies.

“I think what Germans are known for is their discipline, hard work, and work rate,” he said. “That’s what I’ve learned in my time there – the professionalism of the German player and the hard work that they put into all their training. A lot of people say Germans are machines and it’s kind of true.

“I hope to bring that hard work and the experience I’ve had in the last 12 years to Edmonton. I hope I can be a positive impact.”

The return of players like Ledgerwood and de Guzman shows how far the game has come.

“It has grown exponentially,” Ledgerwood said. “Before guys wouldn’t even talk about staying in Canada. The first step was having to be overseas.

“I think a lot more Canadian kids are seeing that this is a good place to play and that has changed the whole mindset of players. There are better coaches and facilities. I think Canada is on the right track.”

While helping the game grow, Ledgerwood is also hoping to push FC Edmonton into the postseason for the first time since 2011.

“Edmonton has a lot of potential when speaking with the coach and team managers,” he said. “They have big ambitions, and I want to be a part of that.

“They’ve been right on the fence for a number of years, and it was a matter of one or two wins that they lost out on a playoff spot. We have to focus on every game almost like a final – you have to get as many points on the road and a win every time at home.”