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    Guest

    TFC to make major announcement

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    TFC will make a major announcement tomorrow at 10:30 a.m at BMO Field.
    It's expected that Torsten Frings will announce his retirement.
    CSN will have full coverage of the announcement.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    A one-off showdown against the United States, with the winner earning a spot in a FIFA tournament and the loser heading home.
    Chances like this don't come along very often.
    But that's what the Canadian men's U20 squad will be facing on Tuesday night, with a berth in Turkey 2013 on the line in their match against our cross-border rivals. Canada rebounded from a 2-1 loss to Cuba to open the qualifying tournament with a 5-1 drubbing of Nicaragua on Friday, while the Yanks posted one-goal victories against Haiti and Costa Rica to get here. But none of those results matter at this point.
    "At the end of the day it's a one-off game," head coach Nick Dasovic said Monday. "It's just about winning your battles and being ready to accept the challenge -- and it's a great challenge for the boys."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Canadians will come into the game in relatively high spirits after thumping a hopeless 10-man Nicaraguan squad and gaining valuable confidence in the process. But Dasovic knows the risks of getting carried away with youthful exuberance.
    "They are young, and with social media everywhere, they know how big this game is," he said. "We try to calm them down."
    Fueling that competitive fire will be the fact that Canada has fared well against the States as of late. The U20 squad posted a 2-1 victory over the U.S. at the Marbella Cup last October, while the U23 side helped doom the Americans' Olympic dreams with a 2-0 victory in last spring's qualifying tournament.
    But discipline is the order of the day, says Dasovic -- and not letting the magnitude of the moment overwhelm the realities of what needs to be done.
    "It comes down to the discipline of the whole group... understanding their roles and responsibilities," he said. "It's going to be a game where the boys will have to be focused for 90 minutes, 120 minutes, however long it takes.
    "It's about being the best on that day -- not any day, but that day."
    Canada will be at full strength for the match, with no players out due to injury or yellow card accumulation (the U.S. will be missing one player -- midfielder Mikey Lopez -- due to yellow cards). That leaves Dasovic -- who fielded decidedly different lineups in the matches against Cuba and Nicaragua -- with some decisions to make ahead of the crucial clash.
    "We're mulling over the videos," he said. "We haven't decided on our starting XI."
    Whoever does make the grade for the Canadian side will have already seen the team go through a miniature roller coaster, with the win against Nicaragua glossing over the disappointment of the sometimes-sloppy loss against the Cubans. Dasovic said that opening loss "shook" not just the players but the coaching staff -- and made them more aware of what was needed to qualify for the U20 World Cup for the first time since 2005 (Canada automatically qualified for the 2007 event as hosts).
    "At the end of the day, it's about how you end the tournament, not how you start it."
    And while Dasovic says the qualification process is a valuable "learning experience" for players regardless of the final outcome, suffice to say he and his troops will be hoping it's the Americans mulling the end of their tournament come late Tuesday evening.
    .
    Guest

    Canada v USA u20 to be televised

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Sportsnet announced this morning that tomorrow's u20 qualifying game against the United States will be televised on Sportsnet World.
    The game, which will decide one of CONCACAF's four spotts at this year's FIFA u20 World Cup in Turkey, kicks-off at 6 p.m. EST/3p.m. PST.
    Toronto-area Voyageurs are encouraged to go to the Duke of Gloucester for a viewing party. Fans in other areas of the country should use the comments section of this article to plan viewing parties elsewhere. CSN will update as confirmation of other parties is received.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    Whether you live on the west coast or not, you can't have missed the whole Cascadia Cup trademark battle between Major League Soccer and the supporters in Vancouver, Seattle and Portland.
    If we had sporting papers here, it would have been front page news. As it was, there has been a lot of column inches and airwaves time devoted to covering the debacle, the vast majority of which was a PR disaster for MLS.
    With preseason now over and First Kick less than a week away, everyone's attention is starting to focus on the season ahead and the whole trademark issue is quickly falling to the back burner.
    I’m sure that's what MLS officials were hoping for and that the interest and negative publicity would die away soon enough.
    This cannot be allowed to happen and the issue needs to remain at the forefront of all of our minds, no matter what is happening on the pitch.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It has gone quiet over there, if we want to use some terracing vernacular. Although that's not through lack of interest or anger in the issue, but more due to there being no further developments to report, as both sides have drawn their battle lines in the sand and neither side is giving ground.
    There probably isn’t too much that can be written about the whole Cascadia Cup trademark battle that hasn’t already been written, but this doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be a lot more, for the simple reason that the issue needs to be kept in the public consciousness.
    The odd article every few days and weeks will keep that awareness in the public gaze, and this is my attempt to get you thinking about it again now that the regular season is about to get into full swing.
    It may long. It may ramble on and be a bit self indulgent at times. But this is written from the heart, so I make no apologies for it.
    I was wanting to write about the sorry saga when the news first broke weeks ago. That wouldn’t have been wise. As anger flowed through my veins, every sentence would have ended with calling Don Garber a cunt. Instead, as time has passed, I think I can write this with only every second or third sentence calling him one instead.
    I also hoped, but not expected, that despite the underhand way that Major League Soccer had gone about the trademarking issue, once they had been found out and the uproar amongst supporters was clear, then commonsense would prevail and everything would be dropped.
    Why I even thought this for a split second I don’t know, because it is seldom that commonsense and footballing governing bodies make happy bedfellows. And so it has proved once again.
    So in case you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, or just need some reminding if you're outwith Cascadia, let’s just bring everybody up to speed.
    MLS has made an attempt to register the trademark for the "Cascadia Cup" and assume control of how it is used, marketed, and undoubtedly sponsored, in years to come. The trademark attempt was made in Canada initially. It would be easier for them after all to go through the more complicated US process if they already held the trademark in another country.
    You know, the Cup that was created by the then three main supporters’ groups in the Pacific Northwest in 2004 - five years before any of the three competing teams were anywhere near competing in Major League $occer. The one that was <a href="http://davfal.powweb.com/CascadiaCup/supporters.htm" target="_blank"><u>bought and paid for by the fans</u></a>, presented each year to the fans and kept in the custody of the fans.
    Prefacing this with the fact that I’m not a lawyer blah blah blah, to me, the issue seems very simple.
    A company is trying to register a trademark over an entity which they didn’t create, have not contributed one penny towards, and have never had possession of.
    That’s pretty black and white to me. Certainly morally, and hopefully legally. Of course, once lawyers get involved, morals usually go flying out the window.
    And the lawyers are involved now sadly. The supporters have been left with no option but to take legal counsel.
    MLS didn’t help fan ire when they put out an article, buried on the day of the MLS SuperDraft, that read:
    <i>"We have not done a good enough job communicating with the fans in the Pacific Northwest. The goal is to have a trademark that’s managed, so that we – the league that has its teams playing in the Cascadia Cup – can ensure that that trademark is managed properly. That it’s not exploited by people that shouldn’t be exploiting it. That it’s not offered to those that might not have the right to be associated with Major League Soccer."</i>
    MLS showed that they had no plans whatsoever to scrap their plans and the fans fire was stoked further.
    They seem to have missed the point. Yes, three of their teams currently play for the trophy, but it was competed for by these same three teams long before they were in MLS and if the League ever went tits up, they’ll be competing for it in some form after too.
    At the moment we have Cascadia derbies between the Caps, Sounds and Timbers at every level from U16 up. What’s to say at some point in the future that not just first team games will count towards who wins the Cascadia Cup?
    And if MLS were to win any battle to the name, then moving the Cascadia Cup down to the teams at U23 PDL level would be an ironically fitting move.
    The Southsiders, ECS and Timbers Army have now formed the Cascadia Cup Council (CCC), who have filed trademark claims of their own. They may have had some criticism aimed at them for not taking such a step earlier, but seriously, whoever thought this would ever have been needed? Ah, the joys of modern football.
    A Conference Call was held on January 22nd between MLS and the three supporters’ groups to try and find common ground and work on a resolution.
    There can only be one. There should only be one. Sadly it will never be anywhere near that simple.
    MLS will not want to be seen to lose face and having bowed down to supporters. They have always struck me as terrified of the fans having a say in the running of the game over here. They’ll have seen the power fans can wield in Europe and no matter how much they can talk about the fans being an important part of the game in North America, they do not back it up with actions.
    The culture is very different here of course, with many that attend MLS games not having anywhere near the emotional buy in that you get elsewhere.
    What I feel is important for the Southsiders, ECS and TA to get across is the fact that the Cascadia Cup is not just about them. It's not about the supporters' groups. It is a Cup for ALL supporters of ALL three teams. That’s a message that needs to go out there regularly and in a major way.
    Reaction from fans outwith of the Pacific Northwest has been mixed. Many are standing shoulder to shoulder with us, some don’t see what the fuss is about, others don’t give a toss and feel that fans in Cascadia already give off an air of smug superiority and deserve to be taken down a peg or two.
    Some other supporters are asking why we’re making it just about the three of us and not their local rivalries and associated cups. Well this issue isn’t about them. That’s their fight. Resources are stretched as it is, but they will always have the support of all involved to take on the fight themselves.
    And it isn’t just about the fans. The majority of the players at all three clubs want to win the trophy, part of which is because they know how much it does mean to the fans. Players that come to the clubs already know of the Cup and the rivalry.
    The CCC issued a statement after the conference call stating:
    <i>"The Cascadia Cup Council continues to believe that it is well positioned to represent the interests of the Cascadia Cup trademark and the supporters who created it."</i>
    There has since been a second conference call which although respectful, produced no advancement on the issue whatsoever.
    So how will this play out?
    There is just no way of knowing how the legal process will go. All we know is that it will be costly and take a while. You just have to hope that it doesn't get down to which party has the deeper pockets, as there can only be one winner there.
    MLS will want to avoid a PR disaster. Win or lose, they already have one.
    I would like to see the supporters' groups trying to get official statements from each of the clubs on the issue. They may say nothing, but it's asking the question. Put the pressure on MLS and play a bit of hardball. I'd also love to see media across North America regularly asking Don Garber about the situation. Don't let him off the hook at any point.
    If they were to lose my gut feeling is that they will come out with a corporate sponsored trophy of their own anyway and try and get rid of any mention of the Cascadia Cup, possibly even thwarting presentation in the stadium.
    Microsoft Pacific Northwest Cup anybody?
    It's a mess, but it's something we all need to keep fighting for and keep up the vigorous social media and press campaign.
    I’ll leave you with this story.
    One of my best ever footballing memories involved the Cascadia Cup and a trip to Portland in 2009. It was a Thursday night and the Caps were heading down to play the Timbers in USL action.
    Vancouver may have been the reigning USL Champions, but sadly, Portland were about to lift the Cascadia Cup for the first time with victory in this game on August 6th. Travelling Caps fans were obviously few and far between for such a midweek encounter back in the day, but three hardy souls, Zach Meisenheimer, Ricky Pak and myself, were making the trip down.
    Not only that, but we were entrusted with transporting the Cascadia Cup to the game in my car.
    The journey down was horrendous. The line up at the border was long and once we got through it we were kept at customs for over a hour. They searched my car twice, asked us numerous questions and seemed truly puzzled as to why three dodgy looking guys were transporting a big piece of silverware to be played for by two professional sports teams.
    What was this trophy? How much did it cost? Why did we have it? And would it be staying in the US? My answer to the last question of <i>"it better not be"</i>, probably didn’t help proceedings move along all that quickly. I’d like to see Don Garber answer those questions today.
    Eventually we were sent on our way. The border guards still seemed genuinely puzzled by the whole thing and it was playing out like some sort of "A Canadian, an Asian and a Scotsman" kind of joke.
    But you know what? They had every right to be confused. What other professional sports teams would allow a trophy they are competing for to be transported by three fans that have no official connection to either club or the league they’re playing in? That’s whats so special about the Cascadia Cup. That’s why it’s worth fighting for.
    Traffic was horrendous and our journey took over eight hours, during which the Cascadia Cup was strapped into the spare seat in the back all safe and snug. Nothing could happen to our precious cargo. Although, little were we to know that the Timbers fans would break the fucker a year later in their over zealous celebrations. They don’t win much though in Portland.
    We got to Portland just as the game was kicking off, couldn’t find parking but some lot managed to find room for one more, squeezing us into a space that I still don’t really know how we got either in or out of.
    We then headed into Piggy Park, Cascadia Cup in our trusty hands, where the whole day became even more sublime and nothing like I’ve ever experienced before or since in my many years of going to the football on both sides of the Atlantic.
    The game was just over five minutes in, so we didn’t want to miss a second more of it. We headed through the turnstiles, without anyone even asking or blinking an eye as to why we had a big shiny Cup with us. Walking around the concourse would mean we couldn’t see anything, so we decided the best way to get to our allocated away section (yes, it was roomy that night) was to head in the first tunnel we came to, which of course was right in the heart of the Timbers Army.
    Dressed in our Caps and Southsiders colours, we were met with boos, abuse, banter and loved every second of it as we paraded the Cup past the TA and the whole stadium. We took our seats, the Cup was given one of it’s own (as you can see in the photo at the top), and sadly watched a Caps loss, meaning the Timbers had won the Cup for the first time in their history. Our <i>"34 years, fuck all"</i> chant was gone.
    So we had to bid farewell to our little friend, but we did it in some style. We were invited on to the pitch and walked around the pitch with the Cup, milking it for the crowd obviously, stopping in front of the TA section where Zach made the official presentation from the one set of supporters to the others, as it always has been and as it continues to this very day.
    Timbers joy obviously ensued and we were invited back to The Bitter End to celebrate their victory, before the long drive up the road and getting back home at 5.30 in the morning.
    It was a great night. It was a classy night. And it was a night that none of us involved will ever forget. You can even experience a little bit of it yourself (Note: No Don Garber or anything MLS anywhere in sight):
    <center>

    </center>I defy you to watch that and tell me that the Cup belongs to anyone else but the supporters.
    So what was the point of this old man’s rambling tales from his rocking chair?
    Simply this.
    Tales like that are part of the Cascadia Cup’s folklore. The same with Portland's tales about the broken handle.
    No one in the offices of Major League Soccer can share any such tales.
    Has Don Garber even held the Cup in his hands?
    If he has, you can be sure it hasn’t been in the backseat of his car.
    Those hands need to be kept off the Cup so that future generations of supporters will have their own stories to tell.
    The Cascadia Cup has never been the property of Major League Soccer, Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders or Portland Timbers. It never should be.
    By the fans. For the fans. Always.
    The new season may be about to begin, but this is the biggest battle fans of Vancouver Whitecaps, Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers face this year.
    Now get out there and keep reminding every single person connected with football in North America. And remember to use the <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23GrandTheftCascadia&src=typd" target="_blank"><u>#GrandTheftCascadia</u></a> hashtag on Twitter.
    We have to keep it in the public and the media's consciousness and every single one of us has a part to play in that.
    <p>
    Guest

    Knighton: Year Two

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    As a child, Brad Knighton saw his association host the FIFA World Cup. For the first time ever, football was the talk of America.
    Eleven years later, Knighton decided to travel and learn the beautiful game from the country that invented it.
    And so he made the six thousand kilometre trek from North Carolina to Middlesbrough. Aidan Heaney, the long-time manager of UNC Wilmington Seahawks, knew the president of Middlesbrough FC, and arranged a three week trial for the young goalkeeper. Knighton remembers it fondly, claiming that <i>"it was one of the best experiences of my life."</i>
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Noting the wide differences in footballing cultures, especially coming from a college background, he considered it an important stepping stone in his development into the man he is today. He trained alongside goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer and Brad Jones, while facing the three pronged attack of Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and Ray Parlour.
    <i>"It was nice to be in the mix and in an environment that those guys were accustomed to."</i>
    From there it was on to Burjassot CF of Spain’s fourth-tier Tercera División, before returning home to continue his academic education.
    Although he had made stops in New England and Philadelphia along the way, he has now come under the tutelage of Marius Røvde. The 40-year old Norwegian is an able taskmaster. <i>"He’s been fantastic,"</i> pushing the goalkeeping union every single day. <i>"He knows when to push the buttons, and when to back off. And I think he’s helped me tremendously since I got here."</i>
    But it hasn’t been a complete overhaul, more of a refinement on what Knighton already had within himself. In the past, <i>"I haven’t really had the type of training that I’ve gotten with him."</i>
    Since he started working with Røvde, he’s <i>"been able to focus more on handling, being able to hold onto more shots, stronger hands, and footwork. We do a lot of footwork here. Your feet have to get you to the ball, so if your footwork is good, then the rest will take care of itself."</i>
    Of all the positions on the team, that of goalkeeper is often the most precarious, a situation of which Knighton is only too keenly aware.
    <i>"We’re in an environment where they’re always trying to bring someone in to take your spot, so if that’s not enough motivation, I don’t know what is. I come in every day and train like it’s my last."</i>
    Having played parts of 14 matches over a four-year span, he knows this better than most.
    <i>"I’ve gotten better over the last couple of years with that aspect, not taking it for granted, especially after having a chance to go down and play in the NASL."</i>
    Although he could have remained a backup in MLS, he chose to sign with Carolina instead. It proved to be the right choice, as he played all 2,730 minutes of the RailHawks’ NASL table topping campaign.
    Carolina is a market keen to attract MLS. They are in the process of adding 3,000 seats to WakeMed Soccer Park, bringing it up to a 10,000 seat stadium, but as for making the step up, Knighton thinks that <i>"it’ll be tough"</i>.
    <i>"Overall, the facilities are fantastic. I think the practice facility is probably the best in the country in regards to field maintenance, training fields, and everything. I think it is top notch. If they find an owner able to build onto the stadium and attract more fans, that’ll increase the likelihood of an MLS team being there."</i>
    Knighton will take to the WakeMed pitch one more time on Sunday, when the Whitecaps take on the RailHawks in a pre-season friendly. Hopefully this year he doesn't take any penalties.
    Obviously, Carolina holds a special place in his heart, having been born in Hickory, and playing for UNC Wilmington Seahawks and the RailHawks. He was raised in Richmond, Virginia, and spent four years with New England and Philadelphia, which explains the accent. But his growing affection for Vancouver should not be overlooked.
    <i>"It’s nice; I’ve always said it’s nice when it’s not raining. Obviously, it rains probably 75% of the time here, but on the days when it’s sunny and warm, everybody wants to be outside. You see people walking around the city. Once, I saw this guy painting a mural on a sidewalk. It’s incredible, just the artistic perspective that some people in this city have.
    "Being a sports town too really helps me, with the Canucks and the Lions, just being in a city that totally embraces every athlete in every walk of life. I think it’s something spectacular. You can’t compete with the views of the mountains in the background with snow on them, Kitsilano, the beach, it’s got everything that anyone could probably want in a city, it’s just super pricey, and always raining."</i>
    His goals for the upcoming season are numerous, but they can be summed up in one word: winning.
    <i>"Obviously getting further than we did last year in the MLS playoffs, winning the Canadian Championship, to win a Cascadia game, not only a game, but a Cup, those are some of the team goals. And for me, to start on a regular basis, and build from what I started last year."</i>
    But despite these lofty goals, he remains grounded, knowing that at a moment’s notice, it could slip right through his fingers.
    <i>"I realise how fortunate I am to be in MLS, and to be one of the select few that gets to play this position. It’s just one of those things that I’ve taken on my shoulders, and not letting the person beside me, take my spot."</i>
    And it's worked. That starting spot now seems to belong to him. Enough to put a smile on the face of the Dark Knighton, no matter what the weather might be outside.
    <p>

    <p>
    Guest
    Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
    Yes, scorelines like 5-1 don't come along often on the men's side of Canadian soccer (in a positive way, anyway), but it's best to keep Friday's night's shellacking in U20 World Cup qualifying in context. Nicaragua's senior team is ranked #145 in the world, played more than half the match down to 10 men, and could reasonably assume their fate was sealed after a 3-0 drubbing by Cuba on Wednesday night.
    So we should enjoy what we saw on Friday night -- some well-manufactured goals, some good strings of possession (in the game's latter stages, anyway) -- but not lose sight of what it all comes down to, which is what we all kinda figured it would all come down to: A one-off showdown with the United States with a berth in the U20 World Cup on the line.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    A number of Canadian youngsters acquitted themselves well on Friday night -- foremost among them was Caleb Clarke, with a pair of well-taken goals. Samuel Piette also launched one of his quickly-becoming-a-U20-trademark bombs to open the scoring, while Dylan Carreiro was solid in the midfield. The backline, which was victimized on several occasions against Cuba on Monday, would have also gotten a confidence boost from the comfortable result on Friday.
    So, what's next?
    The U.S. made its way to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Haiti and a 1-0 result over Costa Rica. But Canada's had some good luck against our cross-border rivals as of late, particularly at the youth level. Beyond the pair of 0-0 draws the senior men's national team has earned in the last 12 months, the U23 side nabbed a 2-0 win in Olympic qualifying last spring, and the U20s got a 2-1 victory at the Marbella Cup in Spain last October. That's where Piette potted the long-range bomb that started the trend:


    Head coach Nick Dasovic has some important decisions ahead of him for that match. While Keven Aleman undoubtedly has some individual skill, he was benched for the entirety of the Nicaragua match. Will he see the field against the Americans? Has Clarke sufficiently established himself as the focal point of the Canadian attack? Will there be a showdown for a spot between a pair of QPR teammates, Carreiro and Michael Petrasso?
    And, most of all, which Canadian team will show up against the Americans on Tuesday?
    The team that we saw against Cuba -- disjointed, often tentative and lacking in urgency until the very end of the match? Or the team we saw against Nicaragua -- poised, confident and even willing to show a little bit of swagger?
    This team has talent. That much was suspected coming into the tournament. But in the same way the Cuba result wasn't the end of the world, nor is the Nicaragua result the dawning of a new era. The real test is the game where everything is on the line. Canadian teams don't generally come out on the positive end of games framed in that way.
    But then again, Canadian teams don't generally come out on the positive end of games that end 5-1, either. So the hype, the bluster, the rhetoric, they all mean nothing. All that means anything -- all that ever means anything -- is what the team can do on the field. And right now, we have no clear way of knowing just how that'll all come together.
    That, in the end, is why they play the games.
    .
    Guest
    SoccerPlus will be out in Seattle and Portland, March 1-10 for a series of daily show to launch the 2013 MLS season.
    We will be on site for the Impact's first two game of the 2013 season under the management of new head coach Marco Schallibaum against the Sounders and Timbers, as well as the opening match in Portland between the Timbers and the New York Red Bulls.
    These show will be a great opportunity to have a team-by-team look for the new season.
    See you here starting March 1.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    SoccerPlus Encore (Feb. 22 show)

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    A first trophy for the Impact since 2009?
    The Montreal Impact will play the Disney Pro Soccer Classic final on Saturday against the Columbus Crew in Orlando, Florida and we talk about les Bleus' intention for this match with MLSsoccer.com writer Olivier Tremblay. Olivier also discusses the thought process that led him to his Impact Depth Chart for the March 2 match in Seattle.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    We also look at this week's European Cups and Copa Libertadores action with our guests Arcadio Marcuzzi and Cedric Ferreira.
    Click here to hear our 36 minutes podcast: SoccerPlus - February 22 Show
    Guest
    Canada's never finished lower than second place in the five-year history of the Cyprus Cup tournament -- and they'll be looking to keep that streak alive once the 2013 edition kicks off next month.
    With reigning champions France not taking part in this year's tournament, Canada comes in as the highest-ranked nation (#7) and prohibitive favourites, having won the tournament in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Big Red will contest Group B alongside 26th-ranked Switzerland (March 6), 19th-ranked Finland (March 8) and the 14th-ranked Netherlands (March 11).
    Winning Group B would set up a championship showdown with the winner of Group A (England [#8], Italy [#11], New Zealand [#21], Scotland [#23]) on March 13.
    But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a look at the 25-woman roster head coach John Herdman will bring into the pre-tournament camp:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    GK- Stephanie Labbé | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
    GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Portland Thorns FC
    GK- Erin McLeod | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    CB- Kadeisha Buchanan | CAN / Erin Mills Mighty Eagles U-16
    CB- Carmelina Moscato | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    CB- Lauren Sesselmann | USA / FC Kansas City
    CB- Emily Zurrer | USA / Seattle Reign FC
    FB- Melanie Booth | USA / Sky Blue FC
    FB- Robyn Gayle | USA / Washington Spirit
    FB- Ashley Lawrence | CAN / Erin Mills Mighty Eagles
    FB- Bryanna McCarthy | USA / Western New York Flash
    FB- Chelsea Stewart | USA / UCLA
    FB- Rhian Wilkinson | USA / Boston Breakers
    M- Tiffany Cameron | USA / Seattle Reign FC
    M- Jonelle Filigno | USA / Rutgers University
    M- Kaylyn Kyle | USA / Seattle Reign FC
    M- Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit
    M- Christabel Oduro |
    M- Jodi-Ann Robinson | USA / Western New York Flash
    M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / Sky Blue FC
    M- Desiree Scott | USA / FC Kansas City
    M- Brittany Timko |
    F- Christina Julien |
    F- Adriana Leon | USA / Boston Breakers
    F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC
    TOURNAMENT NOTES:

    Sinclair will miss the opening game against Switzerland as she serves the fourth and final game of the suspension she picked up for comments made after last year's Olympic semifinal match against the U.S.
    The youth movement continues for Canada, with Buchanan, Lawrence, Cameron and Leon sticking around after making their senior-team debuts at the Yongchuan Cup in January. Leon scored her first goal for the senior team in that tournament, and could get a shot as a starter in Sinclair's absence. Oduro, 20, was first called into a CanWNT camp in 2012.
    Labbe is back with the team for the first time since last year's Cyprus Cup. It was believed she had stepped away from the national team, but those who remember her play during the 2010 Gold Cup will likely be pleased to see her back in the fold.
    Melissa Tancredi continues taking time away from the national team to pursue other ventures, including her education. And while nothing is set in stone about her future, she did tell CSN back in December that she doesn't feel she's done with the sport.
    The team is set to arrive in Cyprus on Monday to begin their camp. There will be cuts to this roster prior to the final tournament roster being announced.
    To those unfamiliar with the Cyprus Cup, a warning: Do not expect these games to be on TV. This is not a conspiracy. This is not Canadian broadcasters failing in their duties to promote the game. The reality is that these games are attended by, literally, dozens of people -- and happen in a fairly remote location. For what it's worth, choppy, quasi-legal webstreams have been available in years past; if I discover any, I'll share via Twitter.

    .
    Guest

    Frings to be released

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    As first reported on the 24th Minute Twitter feed this morning, several sources close to TFC have suggested that Torsten Frings will be released by TFC today or tomorrow.
    There has been no word from Frings or the club.
    We will continue to follow the story.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Nigel Reo-Coker finally a Whitecap

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    After days of wrangling, Vancouver have finally got their man and former West Ham and Aston Villa star, Nigel Reo-Coker, is now officially a Whitecap.
    The 28 year old midfielder was confirmed today as the Caps' latest signing, in a four year deal which will see Reo-Coker come in on a low wage this season, then moving up to Designated Player status, and salary, if the transfer proves to be a success.
    It's a deal that should hopefully avoid Reo-Coker joining the Jarju and Robson club. The player needs to be at his best, make a valuable contribution and earn his way to DP status. Hopefully the terms have been set that he needs to perform on the pitch if he is to get his future monetary rewards and there are not too many guarantees.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    For anyone who has been following the story for the last few days, it's not been a smooth signing for Martin Rennie.
    Portland Timbers held his discovery rights and would no doubt have wanted something decent in return, after the player made it clear he wanted to join Vancouver.
    In the end, Portland had to settle for Vancouver’s natural second round picks in the 2014 and 2015 MLS SuperDrafts, after Martin Rennie played hardball and imposed a noon deadline last Friday to get the deal between the clubs done.
    It's not a lot when you consider that Portland had to give Houston a first round pick in the 2013 SuperDraft for the rights to Kris Boyd. Seeing how that worked out, someone really needs to deliver a better bartering course to the good people of Portland. At least some allocation money would have helped them in paying for Mikael Sylvestre.
    All that was left was to finalise the contract terms with Reo-Coker, and in particular around what the former England U21 international will make from year two of his deal. He is expected to make around $200,000 this season but as for the full details of the deal, and just what is guaranteed, we'll just have to wait and see.
    Reo-Coker flew out of London this morning to join up with his new teammates in their Charleston training camp and he will take part in his first training session on Friday. It may be too soon for him to see any gametime against Chicago or Carolina, which is a little concerning with 'First Kick' just over a week away.
    There's not much more we can write about Reo-Coker than what we have already. If you missed it earlier, here's our <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?4199-Whitecaps-making-plans-for-Nigel" target="_blank"><u><b>detailed profile</b></u></a> of the player.
    He comes to Vancouver with a wealth of experience at club level in the English Premiership and Championship, and at European level in the UEFA Cup. He has captained club sides and the England U21s, and whilst he brings a new leadership quality to the club, he also comes with some baggage around his attitude.
    Can we read too much into the latter? We've detailed it pretty thoroughly in the article above, but Martin Rennie likes to work on projects and problems.
    There is a fine line between confidence and perceived arrogance, and personally, I like my players to come with a lot of swagger. If you don't believe in yourself, no-one else is going to believe in you, and that shows on the pitch.
    You do feel that if a manager can get Reo-Coker back to his glory days through the right mindset, then it will be someone with the approach and off the field techniques of Rennie.
    Reo-Coker sees the move to Vancouver as a chance to get his career back on track and I have no doubt that he will come here in the right frame of mind and with the right attitude. He just needs to keep that, which can be hard for anyone making the move to a new city.
    He’s had recent offers to join West Brom and to play in Russia, but chose Vancouver. That says a lot about Martin Rennie and the Whitecaps organisation at this moment in time.
    Let's just hope that Reo-Coker's past issues don't come back to the fore in Vancouver and he does arrive with a freshly turned over leaf. After Barry Robson, that's the last kind of story that the Caps need to play out and they can't afford another high profile foreign flop.
    The main question now is just where he will fit in to the team, following the signing of Johnny Leverón on Tuesday.
    Reo-Coker is primarily known as a mostly defensive midfielder. He can also play on the right, either in midfield or as right back.
    Initially it was felt that Reo-Coker would get the nod in that right back slot, with Y-P Lee moving to the left and Alain Rochat taking the defensive mid position.
    Lee is not expected to travel for the east coast games, so will the Caps look to have Reo-Coker as cover there and play him elsewhere the rest of the time, or will they want their new name to just consolidate in the one position?
    This may be still what Vancouver look at, but the addition of Leverón, who can seemingly play left back and defensive mid as well as centreback, gives Martin Rennie a whole host of options and depth for some much needed squad rotation this season.
    It's certainly a nice position for Rennie and the Whitecaps to now be in. Let's just hope it doesn't cause too many headaches as the season progresses.
    <center>[For Nigel Reo-Coker's own thoughts on the signing, read this <a href="http://www.prostamerika.com/2013/02/20/77026/77026" target="_blank"><u>article</u></a> on Prost Amerika and <a href="http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8513168/Vancouver-Whitecaps-have-agreed-terms-with-Nigel-Reo-Coker" target="_blank"><u>this one</u></a> on Sky Sports]</center>
    <p>
    Guest

    Ephraim Toronto bound?

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    A vague Tweet by QPR's Hogan Ephraim seems to indicate that he is on the way to TFC
    The Tweet:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Toronto">#Toronto</a></p>— Hogan Ephraim (@HoganEphraim) <a href="
    ">February 21, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    He went on to have a conversation on Twitter where he said he was on his way here.
    Since he's under contract he could only come to TFC on loan, if QPR released him from his contract, or during the summer transfer window.
    Regardless, it's a gamble if Toronto is looking to bring him over. He's an attacking player with just two goals since 2009.
    Guest
    A few days ago, an article was posted here at CSN entitled "People always fear what they don't understand". While that story had nothing to do with the Canadian Soccer Association's long-term player development (LTPD) plan, that headline would have been equally fitting to this discussion.
    LTPD is once again in the middle of a public relations firestorm, as news outlets have jumped on the fact that the Ontario Soccer Association will mandate the removal of scores and standings from youth leagues in 2014. The plan has generated mainstream-media columns (some positive, some negative), well-thought-out opinions from some regular Canadian soccer voices (de Vos, Rollins, Sandor), and the predictable wave of anonymous Internet commentary of varying levels of insight and validity.
    There are plenty of viewpoints about the best path for Canadian soccer, to be sure. But what unites many (if not most) of us involved in the community is the realization that change is needed. While the LTPD plan is imperfect (as all plans are), and there is legitimate criticism to be leveled, we agree that the status quo is no longer acceptable -- for the sake of the game in our country and all who play and follow it.
    But as one Ontario soccer stalwart told me earlier this week, messaging has been a problem. The general public only views LTPD through the distorted prism of misleading headlines about "scoreless leagues" and ideologically-driven bluster about kids needing to learn "life lessons" through sport. So it's up to all of us to help ensure the narrative around LTPD stays on track, by communicating directly and honestly with those in the community yet to be sold on the idea -- and I've got 10 bits of guidance about how we can do that.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Don't make presumptions about the intentions or motivations of LTPD opponents.
    It's easy, and satisfying, to assume that someone who disagrees with you on a topic is simply stupid, or impossible to reason with. And while there are plenty of stupid people who are impossible to reason with in this world, most people (I hope) are guided by the sincere belief that their way of thinking will lead to the best outcome. So when attempting to persuade someone involved in the game as to the merits of LTPD, give them the benefit of the doubt. Start off by presuming that they are legitimately concerned about the welfare of the kids, or of the sport in general, and go from there.
    Don't confuse legitimate criticism of the LTPD plan with an outright aversion to change.
    Say there's a problem with cars speeding through your neighbourhood. You believe the speed limit should be lowered by 10 km/h. Your neighbour, however, believes speed bumps need to be installed. While your solutions to the problem may differ, remember that you and your neighbour still want the same thing: Change. Some prefer change incrementally, while others opt for wholesale revisions. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, always recognize those rowing in the same direction as you, even if their stroke differs slightly -- and remember that if you both stop rowing in order to argue, the boat won't move.
    Realize that some minds can't be changed, and move on.
    For some inexplicable reason, Don Cherry decided to refer to the LTPD plan in a recent episode of his radio show Grapeline -- and, as you'd expect, it was just another "everything with the world today is scary and bad!" rant. His is the sort of drive-by commentary that doesn't deserve any attempts at refutations; Cherry and some others use LTPD in soccer merely as a proxy for their complaints about "kids today"/"social engineering by the government"/"socialism"/whatever. These people rarely have any legitimate interest in the game of soccer, and so attempting to change their minds on the subject is simply a waste of everyone's time. Use your energies more wisely.
    Emphasize that the scores/standing issue is just one element of a larger plan.
    Taken on its own, the news that scores and standings will be taken out of a sports league is jarring. It seems bizarre, possibly pointless. The first time I heard it, my visceral reaction was to reject such a massive shift. So, realize that this is surprising stuff to those who don't yet know that it's one piece of a larger puzzle -- and take the time to explain how the removal of scores and standings isn't random or arbitrary, but that it fits into a larger development ecosystem.
    Use examples of what the ultimate end goal of LTPD is: To help create the next generation of Christine Sinclairs and Dwayne DeRosarios.
    Sinclair and DeRosario are, of course, the two national-team players that even casual soccer observers or parents would probably recognize -- so using them as examples is likely to help people understand that the end game is an integrated development system that will try to ensure our men's and women's national teams have success in the future. Which brings me to my next point...
    Understand that many folks in youth soccer don't care about the national teams, and merely use the game as something to keep their kids active during the hockey off-season.
    This is a big one. It's easy for us to get the blinders on from time to time when considering soccer's place within this country. But the reality is that for a large percentage of folks whose kids are in soccer, the development pyramid doesn't (and won't ever) enter their minds as a meaningful concern. They're simply looking for a fun activity their kids can take part in when they're not busy with hockey, karate, baseball or whatever else. And for many, the idea of "fun" is wrapped up in ideas of winning and losing: "My kid has fun because they strive to win."
    The counter-argument is that a system in which kids aren't punished for trying new things, and where attention is paid to improving the individual skills and confidence of each player, is ultimately more fun for more kids -- even if soccer is just one among many activities in which they participate. Which brings me to my next point...
    Concede the point that "kids will still keep score", because they will. And this is perfectly fine!
    The ball will still go in the net, it will still be counted as a goal, and no one will deprive children of their ability to identify their team as the day's winner, or themselves as a goal-scorer. The "kids will keep score anyway" argument actually undermines the overall point of the LTPD opponents -- because if kids will naturally keep score (and, by extension, naturally want to win), then there's no harm by removing official tables, is there? Kids won't be deprived of the "life lessons" they supposedly learn through scorekeeping, nor will their competitive spirit be extinguished.
    Hey, don't you want our kids to play like Barcelona?
    Well, they won't, of course, because no club in Canada will ever come close to being La Masia. But much like using the examples of Sinclair and DeRosario, using the commonly-recognized example of Barcelona (and Lionel Messi) will hopefully help people understand that the "Canadian way" (boot it to the kid who happens to be the biggest and strongest) isn't the path to success. Messi is far from the biggest and strongest -- but he's the best. How did that happen? How can Barcelona do what it does with the ball?
    Yes, they can do it because their roster is stacked with preternaturally talented players, but the fundamental point is that LTPD's aim is to increase each player's technical skills -- without these, any hope of stringing together passes like Barca does is a non-starter. Which brings me to my next point...
    There are ways to measure success and development beyond the final score.
    We've established that kids will keep score in their heads anyway. But if parents and coaches are desperate for other ways to quantify whether or not their registration fee has been worthwhile, there are plenty of ways beyond the scoreline. One clever suggestion I've heard (unfortunately I've lost the original source) was counting the team's number of successful passes each game, and using that as the benchmark to beat for the following game. It's still numerical, it still drives kids' need to succeed -- but it also works on useful ball skills.
    That's just one possibility -- inventive coaches, parents and technical directors surely have others up their sleeve.
    Games are games, no matter what outside markers we attach to them. Kids love games -- and kids will still be playing games under LTPD.
    While many will associate "development" with "drills" (and "drills" with "running back and forth 50 times"), the reality is that a massive part of LTPD training is small-sided games. 4 v 4, 3 v 3, even 2 v 2. You put kids of any age on a field with two nets and tell them the idea is to get the ball into the opponent's net, and they'll figure it out. They'll play indefinitely, finding new ways to get the ball where it's supposed to go. And in a small-sided environment, each player gets more touches on the ball. More participation. More confidence. More fun.
    As someone who was a bit of a daisy-picker as a youth player, and then went on to coach and referee the games for years, I can tell you that many parents -- whose kids are fringe participants at best, under the current setup -- would love a system that gets their kid more involved in what's happening. Ironically, some of these parents are probably ardent opponents to the change being brought on with LTPD -- but that, I believe, is simply because no one's been forthright with them about what the change actually entails.
    Change is coming. The OSA and CSA seem intent on pushing things ahead regardless of ongoing questions and complaints from some circles. But the ideal outcome is not one in which the powers-that-be merely bulldoze over the legitimate concerns of parents and other stakeholders. Instead, people should be able to make up their own minds about their and their children's involvement in the game based on facts, not on the alarmist, drive-by commentary of those simply trying to use soccer to make grander social points.
    .
    Guest

    With TFC no news is...terrifying

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Of MLS’ 19 teams five have yet to add a player from outside the league for 2013.
    Three of those teams – Seattle, San Jose and Houston -- are established clubs looking to keep a successful side together for another run at a title.
    The fourth side is Chivas USA.
    Chivas has become a punch line this off-season as it continues the great Gringo sell-off of 2013. MLS’ version of the 1995 Clippers wants to be all Mexican, all the time and is doing all that it can to make that happen. Well, all but signing actual Mexicans yet. You can anticipate that will happen soon enough though.
    And then there is Toronto FC. Coming off its worst season in history the Reds have yet to make a move to bring in a player. The season starts in nine days.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Like an abused spouse that wants to believe that this time everything will be different, many TFC fans are choosing to view this as a good thing.
    “It’s evidence that they aren’t going to make rash decisions,” is something that is said a lot by those that want to believe that TFC finally has a plan in place to build the club into a winner.
    Those voices go on to point to promises that are made that signings are coming “in the next couple weeks” as evidence that it’s an overreaction to criticize the club for not having made any moves yet.
    They go on to suggest that a plan has been articulated and the club is starting the process of implementing it by tearing down the team. That plan? To get younger and more Latin.
    It’s a pretty generic plan.
    When I first attacked the club for not having made a move a couple weeks ago I was told that I was overreacting. When I repeated the criticism last week the reaction to my criticism was hostile. I expect more of the same today.
    However, what people fail to understand is that my panic about the lack of moves is based on a few undeniable truisms.
    Namely:
    1) As wonderful as it is (and perhaps necessary) to have a long-term view with the club, the simple fact is they actually have to play the 2013 season. They need warm bodies to fill out the roster. That means that…
    2) They are going to have to make “panic signings” to fill those spots out (or use academy players who aren't ready/play players out of position). They have no one of note on trial and the only signings they can bring in now are out of contract. Jacob Hustedt, the former San Jose reserve player currently on trial, could be this year’s Maksim Usanov.
    3) They are in danger of becoming the next Toronto Rock (without the success). At the end of 2012 TFC was fast becoming irrelevant. If they start 2013 like they started 2012 they will finish the job. Like TFC, the Rock were the talk of the town once. Now, after they drove fans away with a move to the ACC and high ticket prices, they are a niche game again that only matter to a very small group of loyalists and drunks. Do we really want TFC to become that?
    4) As constructed this team is terrible. It’s worse than last year. Work has started on the 2013 MLS preview here at CSN. I’ll give you a preview: As it currently stands, Vancouver is drafting first or second overall in the 2014 Superdraft.
    5) It doesn’t have to be this way. There are dozens of examples of MLS teams that turned things around in one off-season. It’s unclear why it has to take TFC multiple years.
    To those that think this is still an overreaction allow me to ask you this: When will it be OK to start to criticize the current direction of the team?
    Guest
    Like everything else in Major League Soccer, the homegrown player rule is somewhat ambiguous and often confusing. When supporters really have a need for a "Director of Understanding MLS Rules" you know there's something wrong.
    Take Corey Hertzog for example.
    Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and having two seasons of Penn State Nittany Lions under his belt, Philadelphia Union thought that he might qualify as a homegrown player as he grew up in their back yard. But the league, in its wisdom, dutifully informed the Union that they were too young to have a homegrown player.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    With the fifth selection in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, the Union passed on him, even though he was a local boy, and a Generation Adidas player. Instead, he went 13th overall to New York and it was the Red Bulls that benefited from having the talented striker on their books, but not part of their salary budget. Not only does Generation Adidas confer a budget-free player to the club, but it also <i>"means they can pay for my schooling if I want to go back."</i>
    As a Red Bull, he didn’t see much action, limited to only five matches. But one of them happened to be in Vancouver, where he came on for Dwayne de Rosario at Empire Field.
    <i>"It’s always good to get some minutes in. It was a good experience for me, but it’s funny driving by the old stadium,"</i> or rather the empty pit that was the site of the old stadium.
    Growing up, Hertzog had the benefit of being coached by his own father, a former goalkeeper.
    <i>"He wasn’t a big player; he just played high school and club ball. But he helped me out a lot when I was younger."</i>
    No doubt having a coach who was used to being on the receiving end helped his development as a striker, so just what can he bring to Vancouver?
    <i>"I think my play is just working and getting in behind. I like to make runs off the two centre backs. Obviously I was with Henry for the past two years, so I learned a lot from him. I just tried to watch him all the time. But any game that’s on, I watch the forwards up top, not really a specific person. Really, I see myself as a poacher."</i>
    In the past, Vancouver has had a number of talented strikers, the kind that will score the brilliant, fantastical goals. We seem to excel at the pretty goals, but they are too few, and far between. Sometimes you need a player who’s something of an opportunist, someone with a killer instinct, who knows that a goal doesn’t have to be pretty to show up on the scoreboard. Someone who can read the game and pounce on the mistakes of opponents.
    <i>"We were playing Houston, we came out, pressured high, and I had turned the ball over, so I wanted to win it back as quickly as possible. I saw the winger look up at the goalie, I knew he was going to pass it back there, and I just read the play."</i>
    That was Hertzog's take of his goal against the Dynamo in Arizona at the start of the month. Hertzog found himself on the scoresheet against Houston again today. And once again, it was from pouncing on a poor passback. True poacher's instinct indeed.
    As for the upcoming season, Hertzog plans to <i>"keep working hard, try to make the roster, get some time there, and score some goals for Vancouver."</i> And as for the Cascadia Cup, he didn’t know a lot about it before joining the Whitecaps, but <i>"hopefully this year we can bring it home".</i>
    <p>
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