TORONTO – Before a ball has even been kicked, FC Edmonton tops the Canadian Premier League in one particular metric.

Boasting 10 players who call Edmonton home, according to Oliver Platt’s assiduous investigation, the Eddies far outstrip any other Canadian Premier League side in terms of true local representation.

Cavalry FC is, naturally, Edmonton’s closest rival in this regard, with six Calgarians on their roster.

For players like Randy Edwini-Bonsu, who himself is eager to represent his hometown for the first time in his career after his European adventures, that local flavour makes suiting up for FC Edmonton an unparalleled experience.

“It’s unreal,” Edwini-Bonsu told CanPL.ca. “We’re going to have a lot of family and friends there.”

The full list of locals? Edwini-Bonsu, the Zebie brothers Allan and Bruno, Edem Mortotsi, Ajeej Sarkaria, Connor James, Dylan Powley, Ajay Khabra, and the FCE Academy trio of Prince Amanda, David Doe, and Marcus Velado-Tsegaye.

Local pride will be on full display.

“We all want to put Edmonton on the map,” Allan Zebie told CanPL.ca.

“We’re going to show people that there are good footballers in Edmonton that can compete at the national level.”

It is no accident that head coach Jeff Paulus first thought to look within when putting together his squad.

“You want players to be proud of where they’re representing; be comfortable,” the coach explained. “They’re only with us for two hours-a-day – maybe preseason a bit longer – and then they’re at home, with family and friends, for the other 22.”

“They really have to enjoy the city. If they don’t, that will come into their football and I don’t know that you’ll get best out of the player.”

That concept was similarly a factor in Paulus’ international recruitment.

“I want people that are happy to be here,” Paulus stressed. “You’re coming to a new country and if you’ve not experienced Canada, some of it will be a bit of a culture shock.”

In addition to those 10 who call Edmonton home, there are others – namely long-serving players like Tomi Ameobi and Kareem Mose – who have chosen to return to this latest iteration of the Eddies, and continue to call Edmonton home.

Both players arrived in 2014 with Moses spending two seasons with the Eddies, while Ameobi, a native of Newcastle upon Tyne in England, spent three.

“When I first came, I didn’t know what to expect, hadn’t even heard of Edmonton until a week before,” Ameobi recalled.

“It’s not just because the guys who come are professional footballers who play for FC Edmonton, (but because it’s) the culture (of the city).

“It’s very family-oriented, people really look out for each other, which was different to back home,” continued Ameobi. “It was a bit of a rat race. To get anywhere you had to climb over people; watch you weren’t getting stabbed in the back at the same time.

“From day one, Edmonton feels like home to you because of the people.”

The bond that provides, between players, fans, and the city, can be invaluable in the arduous season ahead.

“Moses, Ameobi? The fans know them well, and can relate to them … They’re Edmontonians,” Edwini-Bonsu declared.

“Everyone knows each other. If you watched us together, you would think this team has been together for years. I’ve never seen it like that with any team.”

“For us hometown guys, we love it. I wish there were more.”

You can bet Paulus won’t shy away from fulfilling exactly that desire if the local boys show well in 2019.