Part of the key gameplan for the Whitecaps in tomorrow's playoff game in LA is to keep the Galaxy off the scoresheet.
A job easier said than done.
A lot of pressure is on Brad Knighton, which means a lot of pressure is also on the Caps goalkeeping coach Marius Røvde.
Røvde joined the Whitecaps as a coach in June 2011, after nearly two decades as a goalkeeper in Europe and coaching at international level.
There's not been a lot written about the 40 year old Norwegian, so we sent Christopher Vose to have a chat with Marius to try and get to know him a little bit better and to look ahead to the MLS playoffs....
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<b>Christopher Vose: Having worked under Tommy Soehn, and now Martin Rennie, can you tell us how your role has changed, and how the manager utilises you?</b>
<b>Marius Røvde:</b> I think that they are very different, different cultures, from different football backgrounds, and things like that.
Martin is European, and so both are clever in their own fields, but I think Martin lets me have more say here, and he asks my opinions more, but that could be also because I've had longer time with Martin than I had with Tommy.
I came in new to Tommy, and so if I had been working for the same amount of time maybe he would have used me the same. I don't know, hopefully.
<b>You spent time in Trinidad and Tobago as the Tobago Football Federation's Director of Goalkeepers and head goalkeeper coach at Joe Public FC, how did you find that whole experience in the Caribbean? </b>
It was fantastic. A little bit better weather than here, but I was working tight with Even Pellerud, who had the woman's national team here for ten years, and I made a great friendship with him.
We were there together, we travelled to 25 different countries in three years, and we saw a lot of international football. But overall it was a great experience.
<b>Before coming to Vancouver, you worked in Southern Ontario. What attracted you to Canada?</b>
I was working for the Ontario Soccer Association and did their course, their coaching courses, and things like that. And I worked for the provincial program.
Even Pellerud got hold of me, and he took me to Trinidad, then I changed to start to work with him. Then I worked with both. I was commuting from Toronto, two weeks in Toronto and two weeks in Trinidad every month, all year round.
<b>Shortly after you joined the Whitecaps, Joe Cannon became the starting goalkeeper. Can you tell us a little more about this?</b>
When I first came to Vancouver, he had been struggling after he broke his ankle, and Jay Nolly was the starting goalkeeper here. I could see straight away the difference, and Joe Cannon was clearly a better goalkeeper than Jay Nolly.
He is a fantastic, nice guy, and a good friend, but Joe Cannon was a much better goalkeeper and we just had to get him in shape and get him in the goal as soon as possible.
<b>The playoffs are tomorrow and it's expected that the Whitecaps will face Josh Saunders in goal. What's your assessment of the challenge he represents?</b>
Josh Saunders is a big target, big man, and a gentleman, nice guy. I really like him as a person, and as a goalkeeper as well. He's a good shot stopper, doesn't like to be pressured with his feet, be a little bit stressed then.
He is a little bit wild on the crossed balls, he's a brave guy, and will go for anything. Maybe he should judge it a little bit better sometimes.
I wouldn't be surprised if you see him coming flying for a low cross sometimes, but he is a brave, good goalkeeper. I like him.
<b>And lastly, do you have any message for the travelling supporters?</b>
We have high expectations, and they have high expectations, and I think it's great that they're coming, supporting us, and we will give them the best shots we can do. Enjoy it.
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