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    Guest

    Hyperbole FTW

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    TFC, winners of just one game of the last 24 played in MLS, have added another piece. Joining the Reds on loan is Tal Ben Haim. As with all of Kevin Payne's recent signings, Ben Haim will be on loan. In his case until the end of June.
    Coming off a year where he made just six appearances, Ben Haim is clearly battling for a contract. Payne appears to have confidence that he'll gain one.
    "Tal Ben Haim has been one of the top defenders in the EPL for nearly a decade," Payne said in a release.
    Well, then.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    With that absurd statement, TFC fans finally have a legitimate debate on their hands: Is it the most insane thing ever said by a TFC official, or is Paul Mariner's "greatest finisher of the modern era" description of Andrew Wiedeman still the frontrunner.
    Reds fans desperate for a saviour have mostly given Payne a free pass up to now, despite the former DC United managers love of hyperbole. To use a cliche, the honeymoon might have ended with this. Fans can understand that signing players isn't a science. Some don't work out. However, being treated like we're stupid is not good way to ingratiate yourself to an increasingly bitter fan base.
    Telling us that Tal Ben Haim has been one of the best defenders in the EPL for the last decade is to assume that we are know-nothing rubes that don't understand the sport.
    It's insulting enough to make one point out other things that Payne has said. Like, say, when he told us that "(TFC wasn't) interested in 33-year-old halfway over the hill EPL players."
    I suppose Ben Haim is only 31.
    In that case, we won't point out that the last team Payne built is the only team in MLS currently worse than TFC and that club had missed the playoffs in four of the last five years he was in charge, finishing last overall in 2010.
    We won't even express our concern that maybe Payne actual thinks that Ben Haim has been one of the best defenders in the EPL for the past decade. That would be far too terrifying to consider.
    Guest

    TFC announce Tal Ben Haim loan

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Toronto FC announced this morning that it had acquired Queen's Park Rangers defender Tal Ben Haim on loan.
    The 31-year-old fullback has bounced all over England, playing for Bolton, Chelsea, Manchester City, Sunderland, West Ham and Portsmouth.
    Despite that Toronto FC president Kevin Payne had high praise for the well travelled veteran.
    "Tal Ben Haim has been one of the top defenders in the EPL for nearly a decade. He captains his national team and Ryan thinks the world of him,” said Payne. “He’s exactly the sort of veteran defender we need.”
    Is this the sound of panic, on the part of Toronto? Or does this signing actually make sense for the club's needs?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Post game show (IMFC vs NYRB)

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    Recorded live in NYC following Montreal's 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at RBA.
    Hear both coaches post game comments, Thierry Henry on sir Alex Ferguson's retirement announcement, former Lyon star Juninho on his tough adaptation to MLS, and Canadian international Patrice Bernier.
    NYRB director Jerome de Bontin also discusses the imminent coming of NY2 in Queens and how his club prepares for the new neighbours.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    All this and more on this 45 minutes show.
    Click here to listen : SoccerPlus - Post Game Show
    Guest
    (About a year ago, Toronto FC striker Danny Koevermans famously referred to the squad as the "worst team in the world". Some days, it's difficult to disagree with that assessment. And by "some days", I mean more or less every day as of late. So here, unbelievably, incomprehensibly and unforgivably, is the same stupid bullshit joke post for the FIFTH TIME IN A ROW to vaguely cover the exploits of this group of ostensibly professional athletes.)
    When I was growing up, we'd routinely collect the neighbourhood kids for games of road hockey on weekends. One of them was a Portuguese kid named Tobias, about five years younger than me. He'd bring his stick and plenty of enthusiasm -- but at around 4 p.m. on any given Saturday or Sunday, his broom-toting mom would beckon him back to the house with shrill calls of "Tobias!... Tobias!"
    It was too late for lunch and too early for dinner... quite frankly, none of us really understood why he was being ripped away from our games at 4 p.m. with such regularity. But we'd come to expect it. Check your watch. It's getting close to 4 p.m. Time for what we all know is coming.
    "Tobias!.... Tobias!"
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Every once in a while, she'd fail to emerge at the expected time. We'd take this as a positive sign. Maybe she'd finally calmed down. Maybe he'd actually be able to stick around for full games. Hell, maybe she'd fallen down the stairs and we wouldn't have to hear that shriek anymore (hey, kids are assholes, what can I say?)
    But soon enough, there she'd be, twice as loud -- as if to compensate for her delinquency -- with the cry we all knew was going to come. Why, oh why, did we think she'd ever stop? We would need to always keep an eye on our watches at 4 p.m., even if she missed a week here and there. We'd never truly be rid of her interference, no matter how our games were going, or how old we got.
    I tell this story for two reasons. One, as an attempt to take everyone's minds off of THE FIFTH FUCKING STRAIGHT (if you can believe it) catastrophic, points-dropping, last-minute concession by Toronto FC. And two, as a way of reminding us all that the occasional hiccup should not make us forget certain inalienable truths about the universe: Tobias's mom will always call him back in the house at a strange time. And Toronto FC will always, always, always make things terrifying at the ends of games. (Although, at this point, how in the hell could we forget it, when the lesson is rammed into our heads every damned week?)
    I'm not even going to bother with the "TFC fans can take solace in..." paragraph because, fuck it.
    If you want an actual match recap, go read a mainstream media website where they get paid for that sort of thing, or just shell out the cash to get MLS Live and rewatch the full match yourself. Some people played well, probably, but in this context, who gives a hot damn.
    Anyway, here the Reds sit, with seven points from 10 league games... and at this point, there's really only one activity you can reasonably be indulging in:

    bemoaning the fact that it could have very easily been 15 points, if not for the late concessions against Philly, Los Angeles and Houston and New York and fucking Colorado and holy slapstick shithell San Jose too, are you serious, how the fuck can this keep happening?

    Blah blah, one week Tobias moved away. Big deal. We're never going to be free of that stupid little runt, so just watch the games as mild entertainment for 80 minutes or so -- if you can still stomach it, at this point -- but don't expect anything especially encouraging or uplifting, unless you're a fool that hasn't been paying attention.
    Whatever. TFC still exists so, I guess I still care. But to follow my lead on this subject would be idiotic.
    Guest
    It's episode seven of <i>"There's Still Time"</i>, the AFTN podcast.
    Steve Pandher and myself take a look back at the Real Salt Lake game and ask why the Whitecaps make it so difficult to win on the road and <b>Andy O'Brien</b> shares his thoughts on the Caps away woes.
    One of the big talking points to come out of the game was the post game dressing down from the manager and Nigel Reo-Coker. With the dust settled, we hear from <b>Martin Rennie</b> and <b>Joe Cannon</b> about how good or bad that was for the team to hear.
    And there's still time to look ahead to the LA game at the weekend and the Whitecaps PDL season which gets underway on Friday.
    You can also hear our brand new theme tune, specially written for us by local Vancouver band <a href="http://www.theohwells.com" target="_blank"><b><u>The Oh Wells</u></b></a>. Check them out and support local music as well as local soccer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    We're planning to do another one of our post game shows on Saturday, so keep your eyes, and ears, peeled for that.
    You can listen to this week's podcast on iTunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/aftn/id628306235" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    Or download it for your later listening delight <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    We also have an iPhone app, so you can now add our podcast to your phone as an app. Visit the podcast's mobile site <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/mobile/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> and then at the bottom of the screen just click the "Quick Launch" icon and the podcast will be added to your home screen and appear as an app.
    Or you could just listen on one of the players below!
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    Guest

    Welcome to civilization, Duncan!

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    News today that former Columbus Crew player/coach Duncan Oughton has left the Crew to join the TFC coaching staff has caused concern for many.
    After spending several years in the hinterland, many fans are concerned that Oughton may struggle to adjust to life in civilization. In an effort to assist Oughton, CSN is offering the following tips to help him fit in*.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    1 – Don’t be frightened by the tall, shiny “sticks in the ground” that you see in the downtown core. These are call “buildings” and many people “work” inside them. These people can be identified by the fact that they are wearing the same clothes occasionally seen at Christmas Eve church services. In Columbus, you’ll be accustomed to people wearing nametags at work. Although, some people do that here as well, most are in “school” (more on that next year. I want you to settle in before overwhelming you) to make money.
    2 – You may see storefronts with photos of teeth on the window. These are called dentists and are common in Toronto. The people that work here will fix and clean your teeth***.
    3 - Yes, you can leave your credit card at home while visiting the doctor. Although we do pay for medical care (through taxes), we believe that being sick shouldn’t make you broke*****.
    4 – The (likely) white thing beside your indoor toilet is called a bathtub. You can wash in there.
    5 – You may see people wearing Greek letters in Toronto. These are actual Greeks and they will probably be on The Danforth, a high-end entertainment district located in the city’s east end. In Columbus those wearing Greek letters are douchbags******* standing in their own vomit while yelling “ HOE” at passing females in what they believe to be a mating ritual.
    6 – In Columbus, the above-mentioned douchbags can also be seen at college sports events, where they cheer on an over-bloated athletics program that has won several national championships in a (4-down) sport only played in the United States. In Toronto our university******** discovered insulin, saving millions of lives worldwide.
    7 – Do not be alarmed if the BMO Field scoreboard does not shoot flames. Outside of Columbus this is perfectly normal.
    8 – You’ll be delighted to know that in Toronto it is possible to go out for a meal that isn’t served on plastic trays*********.
    9 – The see-through material on the homes is called “glass” and is found in “windows”. Windows are typically found in the same place you’d see plywood in Columbus.
    10 – Unlike Columbus, Toronto has a professional ice hockey team **********
    11 – Do not be frightened by the fact that you’re surrounded by “liberals.”*********** Unlike what Columbus talk radio has told you we only have one head, don’t bite, aren’t going to feed your children heroin and actually believe in the wonderful dream of personal liberty and freedom that the U.S. Founding Fathers had.
    12 – Yes, they are allowed to do that in the strip clubs (please note: This is only what I’ve been told ***********)
    13 - And, most shocking of all, unlike Columbus we actually like soccer here**************.
    * Relax people. I’m taking the piss. It’s a game. We don’t always have to be so serious**.
    ** But Columbus is pretty …midwestern, so...
    *** Dentists perform a needed service…but are sadistic bastards that like to dispence pain****
    **** No, I don’t have any issues. Why do you ask?
    ***** Too Political?******
    ****** Just you wait
    ******* I’m kidding. Douchebag is far too forgiving a description for a frat boy.
    ******** York? Never heard of it.
    ********* But you can get poutine on a tray. And you should.
    ********** COME ON. There’s, like, one city I can make that joke with and it’s Columbus. How could I possibly resist.
    *********** I told you I was going to get more political
    ************ I SWEAR, baby. I Swear.*************
    ************* Can I crash on your couch tonight?
    ************** And, God willing, one day we might even get a team of our own to cheer for
    Guest
    Toronto FC finish up their Western Conference road trip Wednesday night with a game versus TFC West, otherwise known as the San Jose Earthquakes.
    The reigning Supporter’s Shield champions made waves in the TFC fan community earlier in the season by starting a backline that included Dan Gargan, Nana Attakora, and Ty Harden in a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders. Add in Sam Cronin in central midfield and Alan Gordon up top and it’s possible for San Jose to dress a solid contingent of one time Reds running right through the spine of their team.
    Fortunately for Toronto Gordon, along with the Quakes’ other big target forward Steven Lehnart, will be out of action due to suspension. In their absence young draftee Adam Jahn, picked up in the Supplemental Draft, has been paired with runaway 2012 Golden Boot winner Chris Wondolowski and has already chipped in three goals. Wondolowski meanwhile is nowhere near his record tying pace of last season but, as he consistently has, already leads the team with four goals.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Earthquakes’ season has gone more than a bit off the boil over the past few weeks. They’re currently mired in a six game winless run and have only managed to keep a clean sheet in the aforementioned match versus Seattle all season. San Jose were a surprise last season, probably even to their own supporters, but any ambitions of repeating as Shield champions have already been put aside. Simply keeping pace with the playoff pack in the Western Conference will likely be challenge enough for the remainder of 2013.
    One thing that hasn’t changed is the Quakes’ propensity for late game theatrics. On the weekend versus Montreal it was Sam Cronin getting in on the act with an injury time goal that rescued a 2-2 draw from an incident filled game. That was already the third time this season that San Jose has changed the outcome of a match by scoring in second half injury time and it was only a series of improbable saves, posts, and goal line clearances that prevented them from pulling off the same trick versus Vancouver.
    The Quakes are a side filled with belief in their ability to find goals at the end of matches and facing a Toronto team that can’t seem to find a way to stop letting them in will know that, if they need it, pushing for a late goal has every chance of being rewarded.
    With the Reds’ winless run in the league now extended to seven games a slow slide down the table has been the consequence and Toronto find themselves barely off bottom of the Eastern Conference with the playoff positions starting to disappear over the horizon. It’s a busy mid-week night in MLS with five other games and a failure to pick up maximum points in San Jose could easily leave TFC in last overall by the time they take the field to face Columbus next weekend.
    According to TFC’s new management 2013 wasn’t supposed to be a year about positions or playoffs but rather about staying competitive and working towards their vision of where they want to take the club. To their credit, for all the pain of late collapses, Ryan Nelsen’s team is yet to lose a league game by more than one goal. It’s even been argued in the past that the “Tobias” syndrome has actually been the sign of an improving Toronto FC: to drop points late they had to at least be in a position to win or draw.
    Regardless, the idea of entering summer already well back of meaningful participation in the hunt for a playoff position has become all too common in Toronto since 2011. The fans who are still around seem prepared to extend patience through yet another rebuild but to enjoy the process more than one win in ten is likely to be required. Even if it were to ultimately prove illusory at least remaining in the playoff conversation into late summer was not an unreasonable goal.
    For that to remain possible TFC is going to have to occasionally pick up points where not expected, including on the road. A winless in six San Jose, missing two of their regular forwards, is an opportunity for Nelsen’s Reds even if surviving the last 10 minutes with any sort of stake in the game will very likely be the sort of test of character they’ve so far been failing at.
    Guest
    In the past, I have often been accused of being hyper-critical and pessimistic of the Whitecaps and their players, so the previous week has taken me by surprise. I shouldn’t be that shocked, as the fickle fans come out of the woodwork when any team in any sport goes on an extended losing streak, but there is a growing swell of fans that are at least willing to entertain the idea of sacking the gaffer.
    I find myself feeling the need to plea to fans of the Whitecaps to maintain a level of objectivity. I understand the frustration and disappointment. I feel it too. But let’s not call for Martin Rennie’s head until he’s been given the entire season to turn things around. After all, the Whitecaps have shown noticeable improvements in many areas of the team. Unfortunately, those improvements have not translated to the table.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It’s extremely unscientific, but consider the pure visual results so far this season.
    In Houston, the Whitecaps played well and could have taken three points, and certainly deserved one, but came away with none. Again, a similar story in Chivas, where the Whitecaps probably should have gotten a single point. San Jose made up for it, as the Whitecaps got a single point they didn’t deserve. RSL at home was another game where the Whitecaps dominated and should have won, but only came away with a single point. The home game versus Dallas is another one which could have wound up with a win for the Caps. They took twenty seven bloody shots. Part of that was from being at home and fighting from behind, but still, that’s an unusually high number. So, do the math and that could be as many as seven more points. Seven points would mean the Whitecaps would be two points clear for second in the west.
    Reality is though we didn’t earn those points. The Whitecaps are second last in the west, only ahead of Seattle who have a whopping three games in hand and are only three points back. So everything is under a microscope and Rennie is being put on the hot seat. Many have been critical of some of his tactics and selections.
    Rennie has certainly mixed it up this season. After 2012, it was obvious that the club needed to find some depth players to rotate in so guys like YP Lee could get a much deserved rest. So, he did. He’s rotated a player or two for rest, and he’s rotated a few to try something new or to send a message.
    His only really truly failed attempt at a selection this year was in Dallas. He claimed he was trying to rest some players due to numerous upcoming games, but the additions of Watson and Heinemann reek of Rennie overthinking it and trying to surprise and out coach FC Dallas.
    However, Rennie also appears to be learning from his mistakes. Klazura and Harvey did not look out of place, and if his reaction when asked about his away selection of fullbacks is any indication, it appears they will be used more often, especially on the road. Also, he appears to have dealt with young Kekuta Manneh well. After a nervy first match against Toronto, Manneh was pulled back and is now being used to great effect as a super sub to change a game. And let’s not forget Russell Teibert.
    Teibert has been the poster boy for the Whitecaps inability to connect the dots between the academy and the first team. Teibert has been moved from his usual left sided position into a central attacking role, and he’s been given the green light to go and impact the game. And he has. Some credit must be given to Rennie for giving Russell the reigns.
    Not only that, we lost our skipper and highest paid defender for the season, and lost our highest paid striker with a niggling hamstring injury. Neither are exactly world beaters, but it shouldn’t be surprising that you lose your allegedly best defender and allegedly best attacker and end up having problems finishing chances and errors on marking.
    To call for Rennie’s head at this point would be extremely premature. It’s been a mixed bag so far this season, and a bounce here or there and the Whitecaps would be solidly in the fight for tops of the conference. I understand that progress must be made, but there is plenty of season left for the Whitecaps to turn it around.
    Now, for one area of the game where there is plenty of evidence to draw a conclusion, it’s set pieces. For whatever the reason, the Whitecaps have been terrible at set pieces since their entry into the MLS. It’s getting to the point where any corner should be taken short and any free kick not taken by Camilo should be a short pass if no other reason than to retain possession.
    No greater example of this can be found than last game in Real Salt Lake. The Whitecaps earned six corner kicks and were fouled fourteen times. Of those fourteen fouls, eight resulted in free kicks inside the opponent’s half. It’s reasonable to say that a free kick from inside the opponent’s half is at least a opportunity to get the ball into a dangerous position. So, eight free kicks, and six corner kicks.
    Of our fourteen chances, the most significant event was a goal against after Nigel Reo-Coker blasted a free kick long for a goal kick, resulting in a quick break and some shoddy defending resulting in the ball ending up behind Joe Cannon. It’s hard to blame Nigel Reo-Coker, as he’s not usually relied upon for set piece delivery, but after watching Kobayashi, Camilo, and Teibert waste chance after chance, he must have felt like he had to do a little more than his already Superman like performance.
    I don’t expect a goal from set pieces every game, but the Whitecaps are entering comically bad territory. Let’s take corner kicks as an example.
    A few studies I looked at suggested the average success rate of a corner kick is somewhere between 2.2% to 2.8%.
    Last season, the Whitecaps earned 216 corner kicks. From that, they scored three goals. I was fairly liberal in the application of “goals scored from a corner,” as only one of them was a true goal from corner (DeMerit in Chivas,) and one (Bonjour vs New York) was after two failed clearances. That means a slightly below average of 2.16%.
    The Whitecaps this season have taken 44 corners in MLS play and scored zero goals. Add in the Voyageur’s Cup, and they’ve taken 56 corners and scored one goal. So, 0% success rate in MLS this season, and 1.79% overall.
    Compare this to our corners against in 2013. We’ve conceded 47 corners in MLS action and conceded three times for a 6.38% success rate for our opponents. Add in the Voyageur’s and it’s even worse, as 4 goals in 53 attempts gives you an abysmally bad 7.54%.
    This is only for corner kicks. Unfortunately, the statistics are a little harder to compile for free kicks, so I have no numbers to support it, but I’d suggest our free kick numbers are also depressing.
    Even on this season’s small sample size, we’re talking about a swing of two or three goals. That’s enough of a difference that we could be talking about breaking away from the log jam in the fight for second in the west.
    I don’t know what the answer is, as Camilo and Teibert have both proven to be able to provide good service and O’Brien, Rusin, Mattocks, and Heinemann should be good enough targets that you’d think eventually a set piece would bounce of one of the big guys’ asses and beat a keeper (and hopefully this time the opponents keeper.) But in the end, it is the coaches responsibility to determine the systems on set pieces.
    So please, be critical. Be frustrated. Demand better. But let’s be careful what we’re blaming Martin Rennie for, and let’s give him a chance to iron out the kinks before we send him to the EI lineup.
    <p>
    Guest
    Salaries, amazing performances and a battle for first place in the Eastern Conference on the menu of this week's first of three shows.
    We revisit Montreal's 2-2 tie in San Jose and the great performance from American midfielder Justin Mapp. We also look at at the publication of MLS players' salaries and we set the table for Wednesday's battle for first place between the Impact and the Red Bulls in New Jersey.
    Our guests: Marc Tougas (CP), Nick Sabetti (Sportsnet.ca) and Jonathan Tannenwald (Philly.com).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen to our weekly epidode: SoccerPlus - May 7, 2013
    Guest
    Every year at this time, the MLS Players’ Union unveil the list of salaries and the most recent publication brought Montreal’s DP Marco Di Vaio up three spots into the top 5 salaries. Di Vaio was eighth in October 2012’s list.
    No one country of origin really stands out when looking at the Top 20 salaries with French, Irish, Colombian, Argentinian, Dutch and American players tied at two a piece. In terms of clubs, the Red Bulls, L.A., Seattle and Toronto each have two members in the top 20.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Since last October, the number of millionaires dropped from 12 to 8 (down 33%)
    The value of the Top 20 salaries is $ 28 million (31 % of total) compared to 39,4 million in the Fall (down 28.9%)
    Eight players are out of the Top 20 since last Fall, including David Beckham (3rd - PSG, D1/France); Kris Boyd (11th - Kilmarnock, D1-Scotland); Julian de Guzman (9th - Jahn Regensburg, D2-Germany); Torsten Frings (6th - retired); Rafa Marquez (2nd - Club Leon, D1-Mexico); Juan Pablo Angel (17th - Atletico Nacional, D1-Colombia); Barry Robson (18th - Sheffield United, D3-England); Eric Hassli (13th – pay cut, Dallas).
    The new comers are Nigerian Obafemi Martins, Argentinians Federico Higuain and Diego Valeri, U.S. international Chris Wondolowski, the Netherlands’ Sherjill MacDonald, Brazil’s Kleberson, Costa Rica’s Alvaro Saborio and Frenchman Kalifa Cisse.
    MLS Top 20 Salaries (May 1, 2013)
    (Fall 2012 position between brackets)
    1.(1) Thierry Henry (NY/FRA) $4,350,000
    2.(5) Robbie Keane (LA/IRL) $4,333,333
    3.(4) Tim Cahill (NY/AUS) $3,625,000
    4.(7) Landon Donovan (LA/USA) $2,500,000
    5.(8) Marco Di Vaio (MON/ITA) $1,937,508
    6.(NC) Obafemi Martins (SEA/NGA)$ 1,725,000
    7. (10) Danny Koevermans (TOR/NED) $1,663,323
    8. (12) Kenny Miller (VAN/SCO) $1,132,492
    9. (14) Fredy Montero (SEA/COL) $856,000*
    10.(15) David Ferreira (DAL/COL) $730,000
    11.(16) Dwayne DeRosario (DC/CAN) $645,333
    12.(36) Federico Higuain (CLB/ARG) $604,000
    13. (41) Chris Wondolowski (SJ/USA) $600,000
    14. (19) Shalrie Joseph (SEA/GRN) $599,333
    15. (21) Sherjill MacDonald (CHI/NED) $527,115
    16. (NC) Kleberson (PHL/BRA) $495,000
    17. (23) Darren O'Dea (TOR/IRL) $456,250
    18. (39) Alvaro Saborio (RSL/CRC) $453,333
    19. (NC)Kalifa Cisse (N.A./FRA) $445,000
    20. (NC) Diego Valeri (POR/ARG) $400,000
    *loaned to Colombia’s Millonarios.
    Source: MLS Players’ Union
    Guest
    The publication Monday of the biannual MLS’ Players’ Union led us to put up a few interesting standings to illustrate the monetary value of goals scored since the beginning of the season (up to May 6, 2013).
    Of course, we are only 25 per cent of the way into the season and not every team have played the same amount of games. Therefore these standings must be taken with a grain of salt and we will benefit from an updated list in October. Still, it is interesting to look at trends coming out of a few numbers put together.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Only four of the 10 teams with the highest salary mass are in playoff positions this early in the season. This includes Montreal, L.A., New York and Dallas.
    The clubs that spent the least for each point in the standings this season are Houston, Kansas City and Dallas, all three on top of their respective conference.
    The clubs that spent the least for each goal scored so far this season are Chivas, Portland and Kansas City.
    The Seattle Sounders and DC United are getting the least bang for their bucks where each point and each goal has cost them close to a million dollar each.
    Worst team in the Eastern Conference this season, DC is also the club that has the most non-DP players making over $250K.
    The Portland Timbers is the team with the most players (16) making less than $100K, but above the minimum wage of $35,125.
    The cost of points in MLS standings (May 6, 2013)
    Seattle $993,135
    DC United $976,516
    *Los Angeles $691,805
    Toronto $679,620
    *New York $638,880
    Chicago $619,038
    Vancouver $534,364
    New England $386,232
    Philadelphia $323,256
    *Montreal $311,100
    ----------------------
    San Jose $306,537
    *Columbus $298,490
    *Colorado $270,944
    *Real Salt Lake $260,457
    *Portland $255,321
    Chivas $237,013
    *Kansas City $216,228
    *Dallas $215,668
    *Houston $214,626
    Cost of goals in MLS in 2013 (Up to May 6)
    Seattle $1,191,762
    DC United $976,516
    New England $869,021
    Los Angeles $807,105
    Chicago $722,111
    New York $678,810
    Vancouver $534,364
    Montréal $480,790
    Toronto $475,734
    Colorado $421,416
    Real Salt Lake $405,155
    San Jose $337,190
    Philadelphia $323,256
    Columbus $298,490
    Dallas $287,557
    Houston $280,665
    Kansas City $262,563
    Portland $255,321
    Chivas $217,262
    Salary Mass in MLS (in millions of dollars and to the nearest $10K)
    *New York $10.86 millions
    *Los Angeles 9.69
    Seattle 5.96
    *Montreal 5.29
    Vancouver 4.81
    Toronto 4.76
    Chicago 4.33
    *Dallas 4.31
    DC United 3.91
    Philadelphia 3.88
    -------------------------------------------------
    *Kansas City 3.68
    *Houston 3.65
    *Real Salt Lake 3.65
    *Columbus 3.58
    *Portland 3.57
    New England 3.48
    San Jose 3.37
    *Colorado 3.37
    Chivas 2.61
    Number of players making over $250K (# of DPs)
    Dallas – 5 (3, including one under $250K)
    DC United – 5 (1)
    Montreal – 4 (1)
    Chicago – 4 (2)
    Kansas City – 4 (1, under $250K)
    Los Angeles – 4 (2)
    New York – 4 (2)
    Seattle – 4 (3, including one under $250K)
    Toronto – 3 (2, including one under $250K)
    Philadelphia – 3 (1)
    Columbus – 3 (1)
    Portland – 3 (2)
    Real Salt Lake – 3 (2)
    Vancouver – 2 (1)
    Colorado - 2
    Houston – 2 (1, under $250K)
    New England – 2 (1, under $250K)
    San Jose – 1 (1)
    Chivas – 0 (1, under $250K)
    Number of players making under $100K
    Columbus - 19
    Portland - 18
    Real Salt Lake - 18
    San Jose - 18
    Colorado - 17
    Dallas - 17
    Toronto - 16
    Vancouver - 16
    Seattle - 16
    Chivas - 16
    DC United - 16
    Kansas City - 16
    Los Angeles - 15
    New Englaid - 15
    New York - 15
    Philadelphia - 15
    Chicago - 13
    Montreal - 13
    Houston - 11
    Number of players at minimum wage ($35,125)
    New England – 5
    New York – 5
    Montreal – 4
    Kansas City – 4
    Columbus - 4
    Real Salt Lake – 4
    San Jose – 4
    Seattle – 4
    Chivas – 3
    Los Angeles – 3
    Colorado – 3
    Toronto – 2
    Vancouver – 2
    Portland – 2
    Philadelphia – 2
    Chicago – 2
    Dallas – 2
    DC United – 1
    Houston -1
    Guest
    As an extension to Canadian Soccer News’ MLS Week in Review, further details regarding the performances of the Canadian players who saw the pitch in MLS this week.
    Will Johnson, Nana Attakora, and Russell Teibert claim the top three spots this round.
    With DC United sitting out and the likes of Patrice Bernier and Ashtone Morgan rested due to midweek exertions in the Voyageurs Cup the pickings were slim.
    Find out what they did to deserve recognition, as well as who else earned their keep this weekend.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Will Johnson
    Will Johnson’s Portland Timbers failed to follow up their impressive 2-3 victory at Kansas City last week with a win over New England, drawing 0-0 in an offensively underwhelming performance.
    They sparked plenty of chances, but their finishing – and some fine saves from Revolution keeper, Bobby Shuttleworth – left something to be desired.
    Johnson started and went the full match, continuing his run of playing every minute of the Timbers season. As with his display in KC, his duties leaned more towards the defensive side of the game – tackling (winning four), tracking runs, collecting loose balls (ten recoveries), clearing the danger (two clearances) and stifling the opponent - rather than committing forward.
    Most impressive was his sheer determination; upon committing a turnover in his own half – he tried to pirouette out of trouble and was caught – he hustled back, dove in and stripped the ball off the ever-dangerous Sair Sene. His side then worked the ball up pitch for another half-chance. That sort of responsible play, making up for any missteps, is captain material.
    He did have a late right-footed attempt from outside the box that sailed over the bar – his only shot of the match.
    The Toronto-native completed 54 of 61 passes on the night, but in truth what he and the club contributed the day before – Wednesday – was so much more valuable.
    Eight-year-old Atticus Lane-Dupre and his team, the Green Machine, joined the Timbers, the Timbers Army, and the Oregon Make-a-Wish foundation in creating one of the most memorable matches of the season.
    Doubtless by now most have seen the
    , but in analyzing the highlights, Will Johnson experienced mixed fortunes that day.<iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OQ7v7n1EQzw?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    He was nut-megged by Atticus for an early goal, bagged one himself – going on to shush the heavily pro-Green Machine crowd – and was then sent off for barging over a defender as he went up for a header.
    He had this to say after the match on trading jerseys with the star of the afternoon, Atticus, “Trading jerseys is a fun thing in the game. I’ve actually never asked anyone to trade jerseys, so that was probably the first and only time in my career I’ll ask for somebody’s jersey. I’m glad it’s that way because he’s a special kid and I’m quite proud to own his jersey.”
    All told a wonderful moment, good on everyone involved. Will - in his own words - once a “young punk” has matured in recent years.
    Portlandtimbers.com spoke with him about his entrance to the professional game and his aspirations for Portland in a recent edition of ‘Timbers in 30’.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MSTjpa4-Sp4?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    Nana Attakora
    Nana Attakora’s San Jose overcame a two-goal deficit to draw level with Montreal by dint of another stoppage-time goal, tying the match at twos.
    It was Nana’s third-straight start and fifth appearance of the season; his performances earned him this praise pre-match from coach, Frank Yallop, “I’m very happy with Nana’s performances, I always knew it was in him. He has the confidence to know he can handle anything. Not only off the ball defensively, but I thought he used the ball really well, too, last Saturday. And that all comes with the team moving for him, but him also being confident enough to play out of the back.”
    Defensively he struggled a little on the afternoon and played a role in both Montreal goals.
    Justin Mapp’s laser beam strike saw too many Earthquakes hold off from pressuring the midfielder as he cut in from the right. Nana was not the primary offender, but if given the chance to have the play over he would undoubtedly have stepped up more quickly.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j9SbWG4DVEw?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    On the second goal he did well to follow the cut-back, staying with his man, Andrew Wenger, as the forward made a move towards the near-post to receive Andres Romero’s pass, but failed to track Wenger when he stole the ball off the foot of centre-back partner, Victor Bernardez.
    Attakora would not have expected Bernardez to relinquish possession so cheaply, but he could have held up Wenger’s progress a little and prevented the chance from coming about.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sl3lzioPY18?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    That said he was dominant in the air once more, handled the probing challenges of Wenger and Marco Di Vaio rather well, once skillfully cutting out a dangerous long ball to the Italian poacher, nullifying any threat. He also combined well with Bernardez to squeeze off a surging Sanna Nyassi run who tried to force his way between them – good luck with that strategy.
    The referee was not his friend on the afternoon, once harshly blowing play down when the defender went up with Troy Perkins for a ball – never a foul – and once not whistling a foul on Wenger when the forward barged Attakora over midway and raced in on goal.
    The North York-native completed 16 of 24 passes, won three fouls - conceding only one – and four tackles; he made seven recoveries, five interceptions, and four clearances.
    Nana has been a constant threat on attacking set-pieces as well, showing a hunger to get on the end of service. Hassoun Camara was tasked with marking the big man and had his hands full. The two clashed heads, leaving the Frenchman worse for wear, and Nana completely shirked his marker on one occasion but couldn’t beat Perkins to the ball. He made twirling shoulder-contact with a corner kick in stoppage-time, but could not direct it on goal – his one attempt at goal.

    Russell Teibert
    Russell Teibert had a tough night, as did his entire side, with Vancouver falling 2-0 to Salt Lake.
    He returned to the side after being an unused sub against Dallas, though he did feature prominently in both legs of the Voyageurs Cup – it was his fourth start of the season, starting all four of his appearances, but only his second full ninety.
    Teibert began the match on the left-side of a three-man midfield, which morphed into more of a 4-4-2 as the Whitecaps struggled to deal with Salt Lake’s passing and the spacious pitch at the Rio Tinto. He later popped up on the right-side after Kekuta Manneh was introduced, a position from which he crafted his best chance of the night, eluding Chris Wingert and Ned Grabavoy with a tidy bit of footwork, cutting in and unleashing a shot, which was blocked.
    His passing – 16 of 33 completed – was marred by a very stretched game; his incomplete passes matrix for the match shows he was often isolated from teammates and forced into attempting long passes, with the Whitecaps failing to link up for quick, short interplay.
    They did manage one nice passage, where Russell tried to thread through to Camilo making a slashing run into towards the six-yard box, but his ball was slightly over-hit.
    He was kept busy defensively by a very active Tony Beltran, playing right-back for Salt Lake, and did an awful lot of chasing on the night, making two recoveries and one each of clearances and interceptions – mileage is not tracked in MLS, but he surely would have tallied one of the higher numbers that day.
    As seen in Canada’s match against Denmark in February, Russell is occasionally caught in two-minds, hug the touchline as a true, chalk-on-the-boots winger or move in-field to find the game and get involved. It leads to him roaming between the two, often caught in the wrong place at the wrong time; the inexperience of youth. With time he will learn to read the game better and not feel the need to be overly busy, picking his time and place with better efficiency.
    The Niagara Falls-native took a pretty heavy fall when he got tangled up with Beltran, but shook it off to continue the match. He won one foul on the night and, further indicative of his isolation, conceded possession 21 times.
    Patrice Bernier
    Patrice Bernier entered Montreal’s 2-2 draw in San Jose in the 73rd minute, replacing Wenger with the score 1-2 for the Impact. It was his eighth appearance of the season - all but the last two starts, with his role in the Voyageurs Cup seeing him rested in recent league play.
    Stationed alongside Collen Warner in the centre of the pitch just in front of the centre-backs, his duty was to lock down the match, clog the middle, and see out the result.
    At first he appeared to nearly be man-marking Marcus Tracy, the withdrawn forward and then Chris Wondolowski when the two switched, but that soon evaporated.
    He cut out a very dangerous Cordell Cato run and then kept the ball from going out for a corner and later nearly sprung Felipe for a quick counterattack with a lovely outlet ball, juggling to control and then lashing a weighted-punt up the left-flank, behind the San Jose back-line.
    He played a small role in the game-tying concession. He and Warner went up for the same ball on the defensive right outside the box and both were slow to react to the second ball in, leaving Wondolowski and Sam Cronin too much space to create the equalizer.
    <iframe width="533" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mU66WSifFpo?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    The Brossard-native completed six of nine passes in his brief cameo, made five recoveries, one clearance and a single tackle.

    Jonathan Osorio
    Jonathan Osorio replaced Matias Laba in the 87th minute of Toronto’s 1-0 loss at Colorado; it was his eighth appearance of the season, all, bar one, from the subs bench, to feature in every TFC match since the opener, when he was an unused sub.
    He was again perfect in his passing, completing two of two, but had little impact for a deflated side that had once again conceded late.
    The Rest
    Karl Ouimette, Maxime Tissot, and Wandrille Lefevre were unused substitutes for Montreal, while Doneil Henry and Emery Welshman were on the bench for Toronto.
    Ashtone Morgan was left out entirely, whether for his defensive miscues or his involvement in the previous three match over a seven day spell, is a matter for debate.
    Guest
    It appears that TFC is about to add another loan player.
    Australia's The Age had this to say this morning:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Brockie, 25, is coming off his best season of his career having scored 16 goals for the A-League bottom-of-the-ladder Wellington Phoenix.
    He has 34 caps for New Zealand, but has not scored.
    TFC has not confirmed the signing.
    .
    Guest
    An analysis of TFC’s salaries.
    It’s not fair, really. No one wakes up and evaluates whether you or I are overpaid. No one evaluates our work and determines whether we should be canned.
    Then again, we aren’t working in a salary cap environment and we don’t play a game for a living.
    Since life isn’t fair, a breakdown of TFC’s salaries is below the jump.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Agbossoumonde - $46,500.00 (cap hit: $53,166.67)
    A minimum salary for a player that has played significant minutes? This is likely fair.
    Bekker - $46,500.00 (cap hit: $67,750.00)
    The fact that the third over all pick is making a league senior minimum is telling. Did TFC trade the first overall pick because they didn’t want to pay first overall salary? Andrew Farrell is on a $161,000 cap hit.
    Bendik - $46,500.00 (cap hit: $46,500.00)
    If he continues to start he’ll need to be given a raise -- $175,000 is the going rate for a starting keeper in MLS.
    Bennett - $46,500.00 (Cap hit: $46,500.00)
    League minimum, yes, but probably still too much.
    Bostock - $99,996.00 (Cap hit: $99,996.00)
    It’s surprising that it’s this low, but, based on his performance so far it’s probably about right. The key will be what is offered once the loan ends. There is a good chance that Spurs is paying some of the wage bill.
    Braun - $112,200.00 (cap hit: $114,700.00)
    He needs to be a lot less brittle, but there have been enough flashes to suggest that he’s worth the cap hit – strikers, even those that are third options, aren’t cheap.
    Califf - $165,000.00 (cap hit: $165,000.00)
    He’s being paid for the past. This is a salary error that can’t be blamed on the sins of the past.
    Dunfield - $120,000.00 (Cap hit: $120,000.00)
    This is nearly $40,000 raise from 2012. The injury makes it difficult to take, but Dunfield was one of the few earning his money in the early going of the year.
    Earnshaw - $138,000.00 (Cap hit: $155,150.00)
    Clearly this is very good value.
    Eckersley - $210,000.00 (Cap hit: $310,000.00)
    Eckersley continues to carry the burden of TFC’s decision to hide Joao Plata’s loan extension fee – they used all allocation available to pay down Plata, therefore requiring an additional $100,000 cap hit each year of his contract. Is he worth a $310k cap hit? No. But, he’s too valuable to the team to get rid of, so TFC is stuck with it.
    Emory - $48,400.00 (cap hit: $48,400.00)
    You get what you pay for.
    Ephraim – $180,000.00 (Cap hit: $180,000.00)
    He hasn’t come close to earning this. Another cap hit that can’t be blamed on others.
    Frei - $145,000.00 (Cap hit: $200,000.00)
    Clearly, he’s over paid for a back-up keeper. The question is whether he should be a back-up keeper. His salary is in line with what other starting keepers get.
    Hall - 80,000.00 (cap hit: $90,000.00)
    Before the season started there would have been many that would have questioned his number. However, he’s been one of the few players to play above expectations.
    Henry - $50,000.00 (cap hit: $62,083.33)
    Unfortunately, Henry has not advanced and is a tad bit over paid.
    Koevermans - 1,250,000.00 (Cap hit $0 until returns. Likely $167,500 once returns – half-season DP number. Full DP is $368,750)
    If he’s able to return to form he’s worth a DP cap hit. If not…
    Laba - 200,000.00 (cap hit: $150,000)
    Too early to tell
    Lambe - 67,500.00 (cap hit: $70,000.00)
    Considering the amount of time he’s played, it’s good value. Considering that many feel he shouldn’t be playing as much, it’s not good value. The truth is probably in the middle: he’s valued correctly.
    Morgan - 60,000.00 (cap hit: $72,000.00)
    His struggles, combined with this cap hit, puts Morgan very much in danger of becoming the new Nana Attakora.
    Morgan, Taylor - 35,125.00 (cap hit $0)
    A development contract is nothing to get too worked up about one way or another.
    O'Dea - 350,000.00 (Cap hit: $335,000)
    O’Dea is TFC’s best defender, but at that cap hit he should be one of the league’s best defenders. He isn’t.
    Osorio - 46,500.00 (cap hit $0)
    A very good value so far. Osorio is the best story in Toronto this year – by far.
    Richter - 35,125.00 (cap hit $0)
    So far this looks like a nice piece of business by Kevin Payne.
    Roberts - 46,500.00 (Cap hit $0)
    The kid needs to play somewhere. His salary should be the least of TFC’s fan worries.
    Russell - 99,999.96 (cap hit: $109,874.96)
    Based on the evidence, this is a bad contract. And, free of Winter/Mariner blame.
    Silva - 70,400.00 (cap hit: $105,400.00)
    One of the few contracts that is a great value.
    Welshman - 46,500.00 (cap hit $46,500)
    Needs more playing time to determine if he has what it takes to stay long-term.
    Wiedeman - 55,000.00 (cap hit: $65,000.00)
    He’s not the greatest finisher of the modern era, but he is worth $65,000. Really.
    If you’re keeping score at home, TFC’s total estimated cap hit right now is $2,533,020.96.
    That would leave about $416,979.04 in cap space.
    Guest
    Last week, we showed how FIFA mandates that pro clubs must pay youth teams when a players signs his first contract. Not suggests. Mandates. We also told you how Canadian clubs are largely missing out. And that the main reason clubs here don't participate is largely based on false impressions that they don't qualify for that development fee.
    Further, we heard from experts who explained why there is a concerted effort to keep that practice of not paying ongoing - one that sees our players continually mined for cheap - and that the onus is really on the local pro clubs to step up and support development.
    Today, we hear from Costas Smyrniotis, an MLS agent, on how MLS is, in fact, paying for international player transfers and why they don't extend the same practice locally to development compensation. He also tells us how that practice may be changing in the U.S. and points to a recent FIFA document (released just this week) that shows in detail just how much teams are supposed to be paying these youth clubs.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    On May 3, FIFA released a document entitled Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players - Categorisation of clubs and registration periods. Within it they detail exactly how much a region is required to pay youth clubs when they sign a player to a pro contract. What's interesting about this document is that it clarifies that the pro club must pay a fee based on what it costs their region to develop players. Not what it cost the region from where a player hails from.
    Here is table breaking down the costs

    For perspective, here is where CONCACAF countries are ranked.

    To use a hypothetical example, if a UEFA club was to sign a Canadian player, the fee owed would be based on what it costs there to develop a player there (90,000 Euro), not what it cost in Canada ($10,000 for category 3 teams or $2,000 for category 4.)
    Ignore for a second that Canada is ranked in the same category as Trinidad and ask yourself: with so much money to be made from a Canadian player signing abroad, or even closer to home in the U.S. why aren't cash strapped youth clubs looking to collect?
    "I don’t think it’s ever been in the mindset here. We’re too busy focused on the youth game in terms of numbers and registration," Smyrniotis said. "We’ve never really thought beyond that. It’s never been anyone’s mandate, motivation or responsibility. It all comes back to the pro game not being the priority."
    A big part of that lack of focus, has to fall to the shoulders of the Canadian Soccer Association. They're the ones who need to be providing direction to these clubs when their players sign pro-contracts.
    "Once a player signs his first contract in another country, the national association he’s with before is notified. And if no one is reaching out to the clubs, then that indicates no one is asking on their behalf. Or there isn’t an internal framework to say what happens when it occurs. That indicates a lack of direction as well from the federation," Smyrniotis said. "I don’t think it’s ever been discussed (on the CSA level.) And I don’t think there has ever been any direction as is done in other countries from the national association to say ‘here how it works on an international transfer’ or even more ‘here’s how it works on a domestic transfer’"
    The blame for lack of education doesn't just fall to the shoulders of the CSA, it's a result of the way the MLS system is set up. By and large the league has denied paying transfer fees for players. That's become a blatantly obvious 'untruth' in recent years. Any time a foreign player comes here now, the local papers abroad are always rife with reports on the transfer fee details.
    Smyrniotis, who represents Toronto FC's Kyle Bekker, among other players and prospects, states the situation bluntly.
    "Do they pay for player transfers? Yes. Do they want to pay education fees? I think the answer, is well they haven’t. Or it's not public knowledge that they have. According to them (MLS), 'the players have left the system and have gone off to college where we get free players.'"
    But that's something that, according to Smyrniotis, clubs in the U.S. are trying to better figure out as well.
    "There is a front working, from south of border, that this is a point that has to be dealt with. I think that as that system (U.S. development system) evolves the question will have to be answered eventually. It can’t just be the case you’ve left the academy and you’ve gone off college and everything from before is forgotten."
    Especially, given the recent release from FIFA spells out the standards of paying for youth players with enhanced clarity.
    "I think if you ask anybody within the academy system down in the U.S. its right up there on their list of things that need to be addressed."
    That's not to say it doesn't ever happen. There are examples of youth clubs in North America, who have begun collecting development fees from pro clubs.
    "It’s been done in one off situations. If you have relationships with clubs outside the country already established than those types of agreements are already in place for players they consider valuable."
    So, why not everywhere?
    "Partly it's education. People don't know about it. The other part is did anyone pipe up and say ‘hey, we were somebody that was part of his development here.’ Whether it was a team here or a team abroad and did the federations help assist them. At this point, largely, people aren't speaking up."
    The series continues later this week when we hope to have something from the CSA and its registrar on what their policy is.
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