When I first sat down with Brad Knighton and Matt Watson, the season had not yet officially started and both of them were eager to prove themselves. Hungry for a place in the Whitecaps starting eleven, the season saw Knighton and Watson grow in confidence and skill, and emerge as standouts (and fan favourites) among the squad.
As part of the first Canadian team to play in the MLS post-season, both Knighton and Watson started the game against LA, and while the result was not what we had hoped for, each put in a spectacular performance.
With their first year in Vancouver under their belts, I sat down with Brad and Matt again to recap the season and find out how things had changed since our first meeting back in March.
So, how was it?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
<i>BK: It’s been a very long year.</i>
<i>MW: …a very long year.</i>
(To be fair, Brad had a less than stellar experience moving his young family up to Vancouver, and has had a bit of hard time adjusting to the Vancouver weather.)
Care to elaborate?
<i>BK: The three days of sun that we had in June was probably the most depressed I’ve ever been. But the summer was pretty fantastic. It’s definitely a different city when the sun’s out and you’re able to do everything. Whether it’s going out to Kits beach and playing beach volleyball, getting in the water, or going up to Whistler. You can do everything here, and we totally took advantage of the time we were here. It sucks that we were on the road for five weeks of it, but the ten weeks we had were spectacular.</i>
And Matt, how about you? How are you feeling about Vancouver?
<i>MW: Love it, love it, love every aspect of it. [brad’s] from the States, so I think it’s different for him because it’s a different culture here. This culture is way more like England, and the weather is a lot more like England. My wife loves it here because we can go out and about all the time.</i>
(My favorite thing about talking with Watson and Knighton together is that they couldn’t be more different, yet they are clearly very good friends. Watson made a joke that “opposites attract” and it’s certainly true with these two. Knighton, the realist, and Watson, the optimist, are a great balance).
So, as with before, let’s talk about your favourite Whitecaps. Since it’s the end of the season, you can each pick your top three.
<i>BK: Greg Klazura, Michael Nanchoff and Barry Robson.</i>
Why?
<i>BK: Klazura is probably one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. Nano is just very quirky, and he plays off of Greg Klazura which makes it even more hilarious.</i>
And why Barry Robson?
<i>BK: Because he’s the most angry person I’ve ever met in my life, and it’s funny.</i>
[Watson laughs]
And Matt, how about you?
<i>MW: Before I name my three, I just want to say that I’m going to omit Brad, Jun [Marques Davidson] and Etienne [barbara], because I knew them previously and they would go on any list… any list of top people.
I feel like I cannot say Nano without saying Klazura, they’re like a pair. So I’m going to say Nano/Klazura as a pair, then Koffie, and YP Lee.</i>
So you’ve actually chosen four, but that’s ok. Why?
<i>MW: YP is one of the wisest men I’ve ever met. He’s a great guy and he has helped me so much with soccer. Talking to me, giving me tips and pointers of what I can do better. I feel like a lot of me getting better this season has been due to him telling me tips and tactics and how to navigate myself out there. He’s just a great guy, he’s everything. He’s one of the greatest people on the planet. He’s like… what’s his name? The Dalai Lama – he’s like the Dalai Lama.</i>
And Koffie?
<i>MW: Koffie is awesome. He’s young, but he’s always positive. I get along with him well. People who are very laid back I tend to get along with more.
And Greg and Nano for the comedy factor.</i>
<i>BK: You need a group like those two in your locker room and on your team.</i>
I’d say there’s no shortage of hilarious guys on the team this year, and everyone seems to get along really well. That being said, the season hasn’t always been a positive one. What would you say was the best game of the season, either personally, or as a team?
<i>BK: I thought the best game that we played all year was either the 10 man game versus Colorado, where we came back and won, or when Hassli scored in stoppage time and we won against San Jose.
My game of the year, even though we lost, was against Dallas. I felt like that was my best game that I played this year.</i>
I’m impressed that you chose a game that we lost as your best game. Matt, how about you?
<i>MW: Me personally, I don’t know if it was my best game, but the most important game, was Seattle at home. I was sitting around on the bench, hadn’t seen the field, and then I was thrust into the action so I was kind of unprepared. I think, at the time, the team wasn’t doing so well, so it was good to play against a big team and hold them to a draw. It would have been nice to have won. Personally, coming on in that game, gave me a lot of confidence and I think it gave the team a bit of a boost.
For a team game, that I played in as well, was the Chivas game at Chivas. It was my very first MLS game, Brad came on, Etienne came on, Jun was playing. So all of the guys that I played with before were all on the field.
BK: And Floyd [Franks] was playing.
MW: And it was the team’s first away win ever.
BK: And a shut out.
MW: Yeah, Brad played fantastic.
BK: And Joe [Cannon] played fantastic.
MW: At the time, we started well and we were on a high. That was probably my favourite game of the year.</i>
Ok, so on the flip-side, what was the worst game of the season?
<i>MW: That’s easy for me. Portland.
BK: I felt gutted after we lost that game.
MW: We didn’t play well. Not from an actual performance stand-point, just for the fact of how much was on the line and we didn’t perform. They got a great goal, they won the Cascadia Cup, they were celebrating in our stadium.
BK: That one hurt.
MW: Honestly, we were better. We ARE better than Portland. We should have won that game. That was the worst game. Just that feeling afterwards. We’re giving out the jerseys off the players’ backs and they’re singing and celebrating.
BK: Agreed.</i>
It’s unanimous.
<i>MW: The world is unanimous.</i>
Well, except for the Portland fans… So, games aside, what would you say were your highlights from the time you spend on the road this year?
<i>MW: Philly was good.
BK: You had your first cheesesteak possibly; well, you stood in line for cheesesteak.</i>
Why would you be eating cheesesteak? (FYI: Matt Watson is a vegan.)
<i>MW: I wouldn’t be.
BK: I tried to get him to eat one.
MW: I went across the street to Starbucks… I got a bagel.
BK: How about Boston? Boston was fun.
MW: Boston WAS fun.
BK: I took three guys to a Red Sox Game.
MW: I didn’t go. He didn’t invite me.
BK: He was invited but he didn’t go.
MW: I was not invited.
BK: Ok, he prefaced it by saying, “Baseball games are boring . The only baseball game I went to I walked out in the 4th inning.”
MW: No, you got the story wrong. I fell asleep in the 3rd inning and woke up in the 8th inning.
BK: See? Why would I take him to Fenway Park?
MW: Ok, there was an invite, but I didn’t go. It was fine.
BK: Would you have gone?
MW: For you I would have gone.
BK: That breaks my heart.
MW: I’m just saying, I’d do a lot for Brad. </i>
(These guys are hams…)
<i>MW: I got to see Lee Nguyen and that was the highlight of my road trip experience. Can you add that in there? Lee’s my brother from another mother.</i>
Ok, obvious bromancing and this tangent aside, let’s get back to the season. You started out not seeing a lot of playing time, but you both ended the season strongly. Everyone was really impressed with your performances in the game against LA. How do you feel about your performance this season?
<i>MW: I’m disappointed that I didn’t contribute more over the season. I feel like I finished on a high-note, but I wish I could have contributed more. For me, it was just a matter of confidence. As I said, YP talked to me a lot about my game, and I found confidence at the end.
At the start of the season I was kind of playing in fear, I have never played in front of so many people. In Carolina we were lucky to get 1,500 people. At first I was so all-over-the-place in my mind, just dribbling, fighting, and I didn’t get the flow of the game. Towards the end I just relaxed, and I find that if you relax and play your own game… it’s not “easy,” but it’s just soccer. It’s natural. I’ve been playing my whole life.
I think I’m disappointed I didn’t do more during the season, it took me so long to find some sort of form. I feel like I could have done more. But that’s what I want to do next year. I want to start next year from where I am now.
BK: Part of the credit goes to Ed, our equipment manager, for finding him leather shoes.
MW: YES! Half the year I was playing with plastic shoes. I don’t want to blame the equipment, but I didn’t like my shoes. Thank you Ed!
BK: See, I notice these things.</i>
You’re a really good friend.
<i>MW: If you watch my games, once I start playing with leather shoes, my game goes up.</i>
So that’s a tip from the pros?
<i>MW: Kids, wear leather shoes. Unless you’re a goalkeeper like Brad, then wear turquoise and green Umbros; do what you want. Brad’s a rock star; he does what he wants and just, performs. I would say that Brad does everything contrary to what you think an athlete should do, and performs better the more he does it.
He’s a different species. He’s a role model.</i>
Brad, would you agree? Do you feel like a rock star?
<i>BK: It’s tough. Obviously, being in the league for four years and then going down a league and playing, and coming back up, I was very fortunate to have an opportunity to come back up. I realized once I was down in the lower leagues that you can be replaced and you have to work your way back up to being where you need to be.
So I took it upon myself this year to do everything I could to have an opportunity to maximize my performance. Whereas the 4 years I was in the league before, I just kind of went with the flow; I was just happy to be there.
Once you get back down and you go through the re-entry draft and no one picks you, you realize that people didn’t want you and that really hits home. You have a family to support, and everything. I think going to Carolina was the best thing for me to get games, to build my confidence and to show people that I deserved to be back in this league.
So I took that on this year, as one of my main goals, to not be outworked, to train as hard as I could, to wait for my opportunity and make the most of it. In my position, only one person can play at a time, whereas with [Matt’s], multiple people can play that position, so he can come on for 15-20 minutes a game and get a spell, but I’m on the bench, waiting for my opportunity and being ready to be called on.
Fortunately for me I got in this season and got a taste of what it was like, but Joe [Cannon] was the number one shirt this year and he was fantastic this year. It was nice to be under him, and learning from him how the league works, and learn from his 15 years of experience.
It’s crazy how it comes to you; it’s just a matter of taking it when you can and making the most of it.
The results didn’t go our way the last 10 games of the season, and that’s one thing that was frustrating to me. I was in goal and we weren’t winning enough games. We were in games, and we had shutouts, but we weren’t scoring enough goals.
Defensively I think we were brilliant the last 6 or 8 games of the season. I was glad to be in there and be part of the team, but looking forward to next year, that’s one thing we need to get right, is scoring goals and keeping opponents from scoring goals against us.
We weren’t winning games, but we weren’t letting in bad goals.
The team and the players got behind me, and that helped build my confidence.</i>
The fans were majorly in your corner – even if we couldn’t work out the cheer.
<i>BK: That’s the one thing I think we need to work on next year if I’m back, is the cheer.</i>
IF?!?!
<i>BK: It’s not my option.
MW: But do you want to be back here?
BK: Yes. Absolutely. I think we have the best fans in the league, I really do. If I had my choice, I’d love to come back here next year. But it’s not my option.</i>
So you don’t hate us?
<i>MW: He’s so American at heart, and he has a real problem letting go of America. He wants to be in his homeland. He just wishes he was on American soil, that’s all.</i>
But you’re happy? For a while there you didn’t seem happy.
<i>BK: I was just frustrated. There were a lot of factors that played into it, but I want to play in Vancouver next year.</i>
Ok good, because we want you here! So, with that settled, what’s the plan for the off season?
<i>MK: I’m going to England, for three weeks.
BK: He’s going across the pond, back to the shire. [*said in a pretty good English accent!]
MW: Then coming back to beautiful Vancouver and just hanging out.
BK: You said “beautiful Vancouver” - in January.
MK: it’s still beautiful. Nature. Water.</i>
Tourism Vancouver is going to hire you! Brad, how about you?
<i>BK: I am going back to North Carolina. I have a sister in law that’s pregnant. Then I’m possibly going to train overseas. In the UK. I think it will help me for next year. Then settle down for a couple weeks at home, and then head back here.
MW: He’s coming to see me in the UK.</i>
You two just can’t be apart.
<i>BK: It’ll be a fun off season. Last year was way too long, we finished in the second week of October.
MW: I haven’t had any time off in 5 years. I’ve been playing indoor and outdoor which overlap at both ends, so this is my first time off where I’m actually getting paid.</i>
So you’re excited then?
<i>MW: I’m psyched.</i>
Are you psyched about what’s coming up next year? Are we in a good place?
<i>MW: The LA game was definitely a step forward in the right direction. Maybe not what we hoped for, but we did make the playoffs and we gave it a good shot. Martin has gained experience and that will be crucial for next year. He’s been dealing with bigger egos and a bigger squad. I think he’s going to come in more confident. I think whatever group of players he brings back, maybe make some shrewd acquisitions in the off season, and we’ll be flying next year.
BK: “Shrewd Acquisitions”? That’s an SAT prep word.
MW: I’m from England, we just use better words than you. We invented the language, that’s all I’m going to say.
BK: This year was a big step forward from last year. They were at the bottom of the MLS, now we’re the first Canadian team to play a post-season game. I think it’s huge for the club, I think it’s huge for the city. A lot of people in Vancouver have latched on to us and the NHL lockout helped with media publicity and fan support.
The results didn’t go our way, but we felt like everyone in the city was behind us, wanting us to win. Fans definitely have something to look forward to next season. Next year we’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of where we were even this year.
Like Matt said, it’ll be exciting times with the players we’re bringing back and the new guys we’re going to bring in. We’ll have the support of our city to win out first Canadian Cup, get into the CONCACAF championships, win a playoff series, and be more consistent next year.
And we’ll do that if we have the right players in place.</i>
Do we have the right players now?
<i>BK: I think we have the right players, but we need to figure out the direction we want to go with those players. Or if we want to change the direction, we need to get the players who are suitable for what we want to do. We got to a point where we bit off more than we could chew with the players that we brought in and it kind of bit us in the tail a little bit.
MW: I think it’s good that the standards are so high for our club. We made the playoffs, and we didn’t do that well, but the fact that we’re disappointed is huge for us. It’s not enough that we just made the playoffs. We want more. And the fans want more. And that’s what they should want.
That pushes us. We’re only here because of the fans. We’re pushing hard and the coaches are respecting us for wanting more.
We could have said, “We made the playoffs, let’s have a party.” But we’re setting the bar too low. We made the playoffs but other teams are still playing and we’re packing up. And we’re disappointed, and that’s great.
It’s not enough for us, we’re still hungry.
BK: It takes years to build a brand and build a culture, and we have everything here. From the stadium, from our staff, from our technical staff, our youth academy, the fan support. Everything is here, it’s just waiting to be tapped into.
We’ve got a vibe around the city, being the first team to make the playoffs, Toronto had several attempts and they just didn’t pull it off. We’ve got that going forward, and I think there are a lot of great things coming that people just aren’t aware of.
MW: The future is so bright for Vancouver. The players coming through the youth system are amazing, and that only pushes the players that are already here further.
BK: It’s definitely one of the best markets I’ve ever seen in this league. It’s just great.
MW: There’s no way this franchise is going anywhere. I think when I’m finished playing, not just in Vancouver, but in my whole career, this franchise is going to be, if not THE best, one of the best.
BK: One of the elite in North America.</i>
It’s pretty hard to top that.
I challenge anyone to not be inspired by the energy and drive of these guys, and their eagerness to start working towards the 2013 season, just days after ending 2012. If what Watson and Knighton say is true, and their passion is any indication, the future of soccer in Vancouver is a bright one, and next season is going to be a great time to be a Whitecaps fan.
Expect big things from these two, and let’s dust ourselves off and get ready for 2013.
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