As expected, Vancouver Whitecaps passed on their pick in the second stage of the MLS Re-Entry draft today.
After passing up their first round pick last Monday, Martin Rennie <a href="http://aftncanada.blogspot.com/2011/12/martin-rennie-impresses-fans-at.html" target="_blank">told AFTN</a>: <i>”We believe we can sign players that are better than that and hopefully we’ll prove that in the next couple of months”</i>. He was true to his word.
With no new additions to the Whitecaps squad today, unless Santa delivers an early stocking stuffer, 21 players will be taking Vancouver into 2012, with another seven or eight signings expected to be in place by the start of the new season.
Although there are no names firmly linked to Vancouver, where the remaining gaps are in the squad have now become a lot clearer.
As it currently stands, Vancouver’s 2012 MLS squad is shaping up as follows:
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
<u>Goalkeepers :</u> Joe Cannon; Brian Sylvestre
<u>Defenders :</u> Michael Boxall; Jay DeMerit; Jordan Harvey; Young-Pyo Lee; Carlyle Mitchell; Alain Rochat
<u>Midfielders :</u> Bryce Alderson; Philippe Davies; Gershon Koffie; Michael Nanchoff; Russell Teibert; John Thorrington
<u>Midfielders/Forwards :</u> Davide Chiumiento; Atiba Harris; Mustapha Jarju
<u>Forwards :</u> Eric Hassli; Omar Salgado; Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo; Long Tan
There is still the distinct possibility that some of these players will be subject to trades or transfers over the next few weeks, so fans shouldn’t order their replica jerseys quite yet.
Whether the Whitecaps will re-look at Greg Janicki, Jonathan Leathers and Peter Vagenas, none of whom were picked up in the re-entry draft, is unknown, but also unlikely.
If the season was to start tomorrow, the Caps could certainly field a semi-competitive team from their current choices, but the midfield would be a serious concern, as would be depth.
It’s now a case of filling in the gaps and building a strong squad to take the Whitecaps forward.
The addition of a third goalkeeper is a given.
Although Sylvestre is a good young prospect, he is nowhere near ready to be a MLS back up or challenge Joe Cannon for the number one jersey. He had mixed performances in the PDL games we saw last season, in a year which was plagued by injury woes for the big stopper.
The Caps will be bringing in a strong new keeper and one who will be expected to challenge Joe Cannon right away for that starting spot.
There’s some speculation out there that Carolina Railhawks’ Brad Knighton could be that guy. Rennie knows him well and he had impressive stats last season in the NASL, along with previous MLS experience with New England and Philadelphia.
One of the major problems for the Caps last season was the defence. With the worst goals against record in the West, and the third worst in MLS overall, it is a clear priority, and a further two or three defenders are likely to be added to the squad.
Rennie is known for building teams that are strong at the back and ones which are not afraid to start attacks from back there. This will almost certainly be the basis of his new-look Vancouver team.
Right back roulette seemed to be the game of choice with Vancouver last season, and that has already been addressed with the addition of veteran South Korean defender Young-Pyo Lee.
The signing of Lee may have caught the local media and Korean community’s attention last week, but there are concerns.
He’s no spring chicken, and will be 35 by the time the 2012 season gets underway. How much of a toll will the long season of travel, varying pitch quality and nippy young wingers running at him take? There’s a big difference between playing in MLS and the Saudi League, no matter how high a level you have previous experience at.
Lee will certainly bring experience and leadership to a back line that appeared to have no real coherence at times last season.
He’s clearly a quick fix and not a long term solution, as his reported one year deal, with a one year option suggests. As a professional cynic, it’s still hard to not see this as more of a marketing ploy, but I will reserve judgement till I see him play. At least it can’t be any worse than last year!
Another recognised right back will be added before the season starts for sure.
The left back position is strong with Alain Rochat. Jordan Harvey is capable cover, but impressed more when pushed up to left midfield towards the end of last season.
Another centre-half will likely be added to the squad. Injuries, international duty and performance issues meant a major lack of consistency with centre of defence partnerships last season.
Jay DeMerit will be hoping for an injury free year. Whitecaps fans certainly haven’t seen the best of him and he definitely needs to step up and play his Captain’s role next term.
Who will partner him?
Trinidad international Carlyle Mitchell impressed in the few games we saw him in towards the end of the season. I expect him to be the main man back there, depending on who else the Caps may bring in.
I’m actually quite excited to see how Mitchell and DeMerit works out.
Kiwi Michael Boxall was patchy last season, but would be an adequate short-term back up, but Vancouver’s best bet would be to add a further player to the defence that is versatile enough to come in and play in a few positions.
The Whitecaps midfield is needing bolstered and I would expect around three further additions to the squad there.
A ball holding midfielder with real dig is what is most needed. We badly lack someone who isn’t afraid to put themselves about a bit.
Newly named Canadian U17 ‘Player of the Year’, Bryce Alderson, can certainly do that in the USSDA games, but that would be a huge ask for a 17 year old in his rookie year. Give him a couple more years though…
If we were going to go down the experienced veteran route in some positions, I would much rather it would have been in the middle of the field than at right back.
This seems an apt time to bring Houston’s Adam Moffat back up (I know, I know. Again!! Bear with my obsession regular readers).
For AFTN newbies, <a href="http://aftncanada.blogspot.com/2011/08/houstons-adam-moffat-speaks-of-exciting.html" target="_blank">Martin Rennie brought Moffat over to North America from Scotland and the pair remain in touch</a>. A player like Moffat is just what the Caps are needing. Houston aren’t going to give up the Scot without a nice reward, if at all, so the move is probably nothing more than an AFTN pipedream.
Someone of his ilk and style though is the requirement.
A leader in the middle was lacking last year. Gershon Koffie came on leaps and bounds when playing alongside the experienced Peter Vagenas, but the rest of the team didn’t benefit.
The Caps need someone who can not only help the Ghanaian continue to develop, but also others around him. That’s key.
If Russell Teibert and Davide Chiumiento play to their full potential then we will have some exciting wingplay, but cover is needed on both flanks to challenge and support them, or at the very least be an impact player off the bench to run at tiring defences.
It would be worth adding a bit of an old head up front as well.
I wouldn’t have minded if the Caps had picked Jeff Cunningham up from the Re-Entry draft for a fair price salary-wise. Having someone of his reputation and track record coming off the bench would be nice, not to mention to cover Eric Hassli’s suspensions!
He would be a pricey bench player, but a better value one than Mustapha Jarju.
The Caps were being linked with Carolina’s Etienne Barbara, before it was announced that Montreal were holding his MLS rights. If Rennie want to bring the former Maltese international to the Club, then I’m pretty sure we’ll see a deal be made to secure his rights, maybe even giving them local lad Philippe Davies to help the Impact’s Canadian numbers.
Vancouver have a solid, core group on which to build. Rennie already has a clear vision of the road ahead and plans for where he needs to strengthen. Whether he gets the players he wants, under all of the MLS restrictions, is another matter entirely.
If the start of the close season is anything to go by, then the next few weeks will be a busy and exciting time for Whitecaps fans.
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