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    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    For some reason <b>Darren Mattocks</b> didn’t start against FC Dallas last week, coming off the bench as a second half sub. The number one player in the MLS top 24 under 24 should be on the pitch for kickoff where he will utilize his pace against a struggling backline for Colorado.
    After a strong start to the season (1G 6A in 12 starts) <b>Martin Rivero</b> has cooled down in his last 13 starts picking up only two assists. The Argentine’s struggles have directly affected the team as their scoring has gone from 24 in the half of the season down to 12 goals in the second half.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    The Whitecaps need to control the midfield more and need <b>Jun Marques Davidson</b> to return to the form he displayed early in the season, when he was getting some team MVP consideration. He will need to help control the tempo of the game and provide coverage for the backline that will allow the fullbacks to move into the attack.
    Standing under 5’10” <b>Marvell Wynne</b> doesn’t fit the normal measurable of a typical central defender but he has enough pace, athleticism and toughness to make up for his lack of size. The Rapids will rely on Wynne and hope he is able to neutralize the speed of Darren Mattocks in the defensive third.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    There is no doubt that <b>Brad Knighton</b> was easily the 'man of the match' for the Whitecaps in their last game against FC Dallas. The keeper looks to have secured the starting spot from Cannon for the remainder of the season after putting in some solid performances.
    On the whole, the Rapids have struggled to score recently but <b>Jaime Castrillon</b> has provided some dangerous play from the wing positions. The speedy Colombian is leading the club in goals scored this season including three game winning goals.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    10W-7D-12L
    5th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 1-0 Loss at FC Dallas
    Colorado:
    9W-2D-18L
    7th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 1-1 Draw vs Seattle Sounders
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
    Vancouver:
    Doubtful: FW Omar Salgado (foot)
    Probable: DF Andy O'Brien (adductor)
    Colorado:
    Out: DF Anthony Wallace (Achilles), MF Pablo Mastroeni (Headaches), FW Edu (foot), MF Davy Armstrong (personal medical)
    Questionable: MF Brian Mullan (hamstring)
    Probable: FW Omar Cummings (ankle), FW Conor Casey (knee), FW Tony Cascio (ankle)
    <b>GAME ANALYSIS :</b>
    Vancouver Whitecaps return to their home pitch for the first time since August 15 and looking to end their long five game losing streak. They face a Colorado team that has also struggled since the beginning of July, picking up seven points in thirteen matches. Both teams come into this meeting desperate for points as they look to capture the final spot in the playoffs.
    In goal the Caps will turn again to Brad Knighton for this game, and possibly for the rest of the season, where he will have Jay DeMerit and Martin Bonjour in front of him. On the outside of the backline will be Lee Young-Pyo and Alain Rochat, both of whom can be expected to attack the Rapids from the wide areas.
    The midfield will have Jun Marques Davidson playing in front of the backline while Gershon Koffie and Barry Robson will be in more attacking roles. Darren Mattocks should see the start up top, with Dane Richards and Camilo playing on either side of him.
    The Whitecaps and Rapids have a very even history in the MLS, each winning two games a piece, with Colorado being on top both times last year. The Whitecaps have won twice this year with 1-0 scores on both occasions.
    Look for the Caps to take advantage of the wide areas as they should be crossing balls into the box as much as possible. In fact both goals came from open play crosses with Chiumiento finding Le Toux at home and Harvey finding Mattocks in the Rockies.
    While the Rapids have struggled to score this season that doesn't mean that they are void of difference makers. Up top both Casey and Cummings have a history of breaking games wide open, while Rivero and Castrillon are contributing this season. In addition, the Caps can't ignore the capabilities of Jeff Larentowicz who can score at any time from any distance.
    Both teams have a sense of desperation as they enter this match, with the Caps especially trying to avoid a collapse of epic proportions. A full result will give Vancouver a four point lead over FC Dallas, with each team still having four to play. Equally as important, memories of a five game losing streak will be erased from their memories, with confidence high for the next three home games.
    <p>
    Guest
    By Mike Crampton
    With Toronto FC set to return to the Home Depot Center for a league match versus the Los Angeles Galaxy it feels nearly obligatory to mention their last visit to Southern California. March 14 was the high point of Aron Winter’s time in charge of Toronto FC. The unexpected 2-1 victory that evening secured the Reds progress to the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League and seemed to herald a new era of hope and optimism in Toronto. While it would be unfair to say that everything since has gone completely wrong – TFC gave themselves more of a chance versus Santos Laguna than expected, did win a fourth consecutive Canadian Championship, and briefly turned things around in the league during Paul Mariner’s first two months in charge – two nine game winless runs, with the current one showing no signs of abating, have come to define another wasted season in MLS play. For the most part it’s been a painful and grueling slog, further alienated a flagging fan base, and convinced many that TFC is a truly broken organization unworthy of their time, money, or even emotional investment.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Strangely, for quite a while, it seemed that the Galaxy might suffer what, by their recent standards, would qualify as an unmitigated disaster of a season as well. Pointed to as MLS’ best hope of advancing to the final of the CCL before being dumped out of the tournament by Toronto, the Shield and MLS Cup double winning Galaxy were forced to endure a rocky start to their 2012 MLS campaign. It wasn’t until well into the summer that they started to look like a likely playoff team again let alone the dominating sides of 2010 or 2011. Now, after the return of 2011 MLS Defender of the Year Omar Gonzalez, the Galaxy are the hottest team in the league and seem capable of going deep in the playoffs once again.
    It might be overstating the case to solely concentrate on Gonzalez’s return in the story of LA’s turnaround it’s hard not to compare the Galaxy’s 6W-2D-9L record without the big American to their 8W-2D-2L since and not draw an obvious conclusion. What the difference between LA’s form with and without Gonzalez really highlights is the impact small changes to the vital parts of a team can have in MLS. In the context of this league, even for a club with the perceived resources of LA, Omar Gonzalez is an irreplaceable player. The combination of budget and roster constraints in MLS make it nearly impossible to have a back up player anywhere near the calibre of a game changing starter like Gonzalez. So, while it is of little solace to Toronto supporters, the truth is that if an injury like Gonzalez’s can make a dramatic impact at a very good MLS team like the Galaxy the same is equally true at a poor team like TFC.
    News that striker Eric Hassli will not be available for selection in LA due to an ankle injury picked up in last weekend’s draw with Philadelphia means that TFC currently is without the services of all three of their expensive designated players. Taking into account the salary budget hit of a designated player (before even remembering goalkeeper Stefan Frei’s season ending injury) that means that Toronto will have over $1mil of playing assets, out of a $2.91 million salary budget, on the shelf rather than playing. While it’s fair to criticize the prudence of tying up so many resources in so few players it’s also hard to imagine any MLS team being able to deal with losing around a third of their available budget, and generally speaking their best players, and still expecting to compete.
    So the Toronto FC team that takes the field in Los Angeles is hardly representative of what the club should be able to offer their fans. Sadly, for those still tuning in, it probably doesn’t matter. If the team is battered, bruised, and likely demoralized by a series of poor starts, late collapses, and generally depressing performances the fan base is in an even worse state. A win, or at the very least something closer to a 90 minute performance, seems even less probable than it did back in March. The Reds have pulled off unlikely results before when little was expected but for that to happen Saturday night they’ll have to show a degree of character rarely in evidence over the preceding month and half. Whether they have the talent to make that even possible is also a fair question.
    Guest

    Baby Reds lucky to grab point

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It wasn't the best of starts for Canada's u17 girls side at the World Cup. However, they gamely held on -- and took advantage of four shots off the post -- to draw Nigeria 1-1.
    The Nigerians were vastly better in all areas of the game. Canada was lucky not to be embarrassed.
    However, the draw does keep the Canucks in the conversation. They next play group leaders Colombia on Tuesday. The South Americans were easy 4-0 winners today against hosts Azerbaijan.
    With no best third place spots in the quarterfinals, the game against Colombia is close to a must win. It seems unlikely thatr Nigeria will drop points against Azerbaijan.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    NCAA - Daniel Haber, the Striking Canuck

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    A Torontonian currently leads the (American) nation at Cornell
    The three Canadian MLS clubs would do good having a look south of the border these days with a local player leading the much trumpeted NCAA for goals scored this season.
    Torontonian Daniel Haber a Cornell University junior scored twice again on Wednesday in the Big Red’s 5-0 victory over Binghampton.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Haber now has scored nine goals this season to top the NCAA in this statistical category with about 10 more games to play this season.
    The Cornell Big Red (6-0-0) only recently climbed on the NCAA’s coveted Top 25 Standings.
    Haber (not a sibling of Canadian international Marcus Haber of English side Stevenage) is one of 126 Canadians playing in NCAA’s D1 this fall according to an annual survey conducted by SoccerPlus.
    Guest
    It's been quite a year for the women's game in Canada. It started with the success of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Vancouver in January, and saw the women's national team come through Moncton (!!!) en route to the London Olympics. And we all know what happened there, of course.
    That success led to an unprecedented level of interest in Canada's performance at the U20 Women's World Cup in Japan last month. And now, as the whirlwind continues, another batch of Canadian footballers head off to national duty in Azerbaijan for the U17 Women's World Cup, which officially kicks off on Saturday.
    Now, remember, these are teenagers. So any effort to predict their behaviour is utterly, utterly futile. Still, let's take a quick look at who's suiting up for Canada, and how the team got here.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Who's on the squad?
    The squad assembled by head coach Bryan Rosenfeld is as follows:
    Goalkeepers
    Kailen SHERIDAN (GK)
    Taylor BUCKLIN (GK)
    Maryse BARD-MARTEL (GK)
    Lindsay AGNEW
    Madeline IOZZI
    Amanpreet SHERGILL
    Kadeisha BUCHANAN
    Rebecca PONGETTI
    Victoria PICKETT
    Nicole LONCAR
    Larisa STAUB
    Rebecca QUINN
    Ashley LAWRENCE
    Valerie SANDERSON
    Elissa NEFF
    Emily PIETRANGELO
    Jordyn LISTRO
    Summer CLARKE
    Jasmin DHANDA
    Amandine PIERRE-LOUIS
    Nichelle PRINCE
    Who's the starting XI?
    Based on the lineups in the qualifying tournament, a probable starting lineup is as follows:
    GK: Sheridan
    D: Buchanan, Iozzi, Agnew, Loncar
    M: Pongetti, Lawrence, Quinn, Sanderson
    F: Clarke, Pierre-Louis
    How did Canada get here?
    By finishing second at the CONCACAF Women's U17 Championship, held in Guatemala in May. Canada breezed through a group containing Panama, Jamaica and Guatemala, with three wins and a +15 goal differential. We then squeaked past Mexico in the semifinal to officially qualify for the World Cup, before falling to the Americans (who else?) in the final by a 1-0 score.
    Who are the players to watch?
    Summer Clarke finished second in tournament goal-scoring at the U17 championships with six, including a hat trick against Panama, while Valerie Sanderson was right behind her with five, including a hat trick against Guatemala. Ashley Lawrence started with the team at age 14, and is the only returning player from Canada's roster at the 2010 U17 Women's World Cup. She's also the reigning Canadian U-17 Player of the Year. Kadeisha Buchanan is the only defender to have started all of Canada's games in the qualifying tournament.
    Who will they play? How can we watch?
    Canada's group at Azerbaijan 2012 includes the hosts, as well as Nigeria and Colombia. This age bracket is always a bit of crapshoot, but Nigeria is presumptively Canada's toughest test, while the other two games should be manageable. Canada's schedule:
    Canada v. Nigeria -- Saturday, Sept. 22 -- 5 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. ET
    Canada v. Colombia -- Tuesday, Sept. 25 -- 2 a.m. PT / 5 a.m. ET
    Canada v. Azerbaijan -- Saturday, Sept. 29 -- 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET
    All games will be streamed live on cbcsports.ca.
    Any other random facts?
    Sure, why not. Canada is the only country to have qualified for all three editions of the U17 Women's World Cup (2008, 2010, 2012). We lost out in the quarterfinals to Germany in '08, and failed to advance from the group stage in '10. The GDP of Azerbaijan is $94.25 billion, with its main economic driver being oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline*.
    We'll endeavour to provide ongoing coverage of the tournament here at CSN.
    Guest

    Timewasting: MLS Team Of The Week #20 - Pirate XI

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    We haven’t done this for a few weeks, but every week we feel like doing it, we think of a subject for a football team to be based around, then fill it with our starting eleven of current and recent MLS players with some appropriate name changes, or even better, just as is!
    Your scouting job is to come up with the subs bench, from any player from around the world, and leave your player suggestions in the comments section.
    Wednesday was the annual "Talk Like A Pirate Day", so with this in mind, this week’s "MLS Team of the Week" is the <b><i>"Pirate XI"</b></i>…
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <center>********************</center>
    <b>GK:</b> Kevin Blackhartman (Dallas)
    <b>D :</b> Lee Young-Pyo-ho-ho (Vancouver Whitecaps)
    <b>D :</b> Booty Harden (Toronto)
    <b>D :</b> Steven Keelhaul (New York Red Bulls)
    <b>D :</b> Grog Klazura (Vancouver Whitecaps)
    <b>M :</b> Davy Jones' Locker Arnaud (Montreal Impact)
    <b>M :</b> Jolly Roger Espinoza (Sporting KC)
    <b>M :</b> Captain Jack Jewsbury (Portland Timbers)
    <b>M :</b> Justin Treasure Mapp (Montreal Impact)
    <b>M :</b> Luis Long John Silva (Toronto)
    <b>F :</b> Jairo Arrrrieta (Columbus Crew)
    And obviously the team name will be Portland Shiver Me Timbers.
    <p>
    Guest
    According to a report Thursday afternoon in the Honduran newspaper Diez, the Honduran Football Federation has asked FIFA to reschedule the kick-off time of its third-round final group stage match against Canada from 2pm local time to 7:30pm. (That would be from 4pm ET to 9:30pm.)
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Similar to final group stages matches at major tournaments like the World Cup or the European Championship, Fifa schedules the sixth and final matches in each of the three Concacaf qualifying groups at exactly the same so teams won't (theoretically) know beforehand whether they've qualified. According to the Diez article, as it stands now, the Panama-Cuba match is set for 3pm local time, which means Honduras-Canada would go at 2pm in San Pedro Sula.
    The key here is what happens in the second-last group stage game between Panama and Honduras. If Panama wins that match it goes through to the Hex. In that case, the Honduran FA is asking Fifa whether the Canada game can be played at 7:30pm local time, as the corresponding Cuba-Panama would have no impact on the second place finisher.
    Interestingly, the aforementioned article says that Pedro Marrero Stadium in Havana doesn't have lighting installed and that local energy-saving laws in Cuba prohibit events of that scale to be held at night. If accurate, that would contradict the widespread assumption among Canadian fans that Cuba schedules its home matches in the afternoon to try to gain advantage from the stifling heat.
    In any case, a multitude of reasons exist why a 7:30pm kickoff would be better for Canada.
    First and foremost, it's far better from a Canada perspective if Panama wins on October 12 anyway, because it means Canada needs to do less in Honduras. A draw would see Canada through.
    Second, it would allow people like this writer and other Canadian fans to able to watch THE MOST IMPORTANT Canada game in years at a pub with friends. Third, the average October daytime temperature in San Pedro Sula is about 32C, which would not suit the Canadian players. Of course, an almost-as-hot and muggy night wouldn't really suit them either, but you take what you can get.
    And finally, if the Canadians are going to have crazed locals blaring music and shooting fireworks at their hotel all night, the players could probably use the extra five hours rest.
    Check back with CSN in the days to come for updates on this story.
    Guest
    While hockey fans in Edmonton are probably tired of hearing seemingly-intractable wrangling about the future of the city's new home for the Oilers, the city's soccer fans have reason to be excited about another bit of sports-venue-related chatter.
    FC Edmonton, founded in 2010, has played games in three different venues in its short existence (Foote Field, Commonwealth Stadium and its current home, Clarke Stadium), all three of which have been met with their share of criticism. But the team announced on Thursday that they are in talks with the city about a new, 10,000-seat, soccer-specific home for the Eddies.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The full FC Edmonton release is as follows:
    Beyond the potential new home for FC Edmonton -- which would surely help raise the NASL team's profile in the city -- the indoor facility is an exciting prospect. As Fath mentions in the release, having such a facility in an environment such as Edmonton (and yeah, I'm talking weather here) would provide many more opportunities for youth and local teams.
    And, yeah, a shiny new stadium could help Edmonton's chances of landing hosting duties for a senior national team game in the future (though, as some have suggested, Commonwealth will assuredly still be the venue of choice for the 2015 Women's World Cup, irrespective of the whateve progress may occur with this new stadium).
    Now, let's be absolutely clear: This is the starting point. All we're talking about at this point is a potential feasibility study. That study could be done and come back with a clear message not to build the stadium. Even if it's feasible, there may be no funding. Or other problems. Or it could get started, then 86'ed. Et cetera, et cetera.
    But, the fact that these sorts of discussions are even happening portends well for the continued development of the game in Edmonton, in Alberta and the country as a whole.
    And who knows... at this rate, maybe FC Edmonton will get its new home before the Oilers do.
    Guest
    Based on past history, and on noise coming out of the club, TFC season ticket prices will be announced next Monday (or no. Moments after publishing this TFC announced that they were waiting until the end of October to announce prices). As CSN has suggested in the past, the club needs to make a significant gesture to re-gain trust from many fans.
    Whereas there was talk of a simple freeze being enough a few months ago, now it’s clear that a rollback is needed.
    Additionally, there should be some additional gesture to those fans that have made a significant financial commitment -- in the form of buying season tickets -- to the club over the six seasons. That is not to say that you are only a “real fan” if you have season tickets, but it is an acknowledgement that being a season ticket holder does demonstrate a certain level of support. Also, it stands to reason that when devising a season ticket price it’s fair to look at how long someone has been a seat holder and rewarding those that have been around the longest.
    Indeed, the club told the Toronto Sun last week that loyalty rewards will be a part of the pricing point for 2013. In the past, CSN advocated for a 5 percent discount being applied for each year a fan as been a SSH, up to a 25 percent discount.
    In an ideal world a complete rollback to 2007 prices would be done. However, there needs to be some acknowledgment that the 2007 prices were set with a different market – a market that even current TFC crowds are stronger than -- in mind.
    Still, some kind of symbolism is needed.
    With that in mind CSN looked at prices in 2007 and 2008, as well as prices across the league, to come up with a pricing structure that we believe to be fair.
    Below the jump:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    [TABLE=width: 500]
    [TR]
    [TD]Section[/TD]
    [TD]single[/TD]
    [TD]New price[/TD]
    [TD]Max 25% discount[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Club[/TD]
    [TD]$70[/TD]
    [TD]$1,197[/TD]
    [TD]$967.25[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Red[/TD]
    [TD]$60[/TD]
    [TD]$1,026[/TD]
    [TD]$769.50[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Dark blue[/TD]
    [TD]$50[/TD]
    [TD]$855[/TD]
    [TD]$641.45[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Dark grey[/TD]
    [TD]$45[/TD]
    [TD]$769.50[/TD]
    [TD]$577.13[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Medium grey[/TD]
    [TD]$35[/TD]
    [TD]$598.50[/TD]
    [TD]$448.88[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Light blue[/TD]
    [TD]$25[/TD]
    [TD]$427.50[/TD]
    [TD]$320.60[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Light grey[/TD]
    [TD]$18[/TD]
    [TD]$307.80[/TD]
    [TD]$230.80[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]Yellow[/TD]
    [TD]$12[/TD]
    [TD]$202.50[/TD]
    [TD]$153.90[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [/TABLE]
    This would represent a significant reduction, but based on 2006 projections these prices will allow the club to be profitable at an average attendance of just 14,000.
    Thus, we feel it’s more than fair when you consider how poor the product has been over the last six years.
    Guest
    Since 2009 the 24thMinute started in 2008, I have calculated the second half standings throughout the stretch drive of the MLS season. It’s done partly to track Toronto’s fruitless attempt to get into a playoff space (clearly that is not the case this year…) and partly it’s done to understand what teams are peaking at the right time.
    It’s not a perfect measure, but it can be entertaining. At the very least it might help someone fill out their ProLine ticket.
    Below is the overall MLS standings from July 18 until today. The start date was chosen as the start of the ‘second half” as it was the first date after the start of the transfer window.
    Below the jump:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Galaxy – 2.22 (20 pts)
    Seattle – 2.12 (17 pts)
    Chicago – 2.11 (19 pts)
    Columbus – 1.9 (23 pts)
    San Jose – 1.88 (17 pts)
    Kansas City – 1.8 (18 pts)
    Houston – 1.8 (18 pts)
    Montreal – 1.77 (16 pts)
    Dallas – 1.7 (17 pts)
    NY – 1.7 (17 pts)
    SLC – 1.25 (10 pts)
    DC United – 1.22 (11 pts)
    Portland – 0.90 (10 pts)
    Chivas -- 0.81 (9 pts)
    Vancouver - 0.77 (7 pts)
    Philly – 0.77 (7 pts)
    Colorado – 0.7 (7 pts)
    Toronto – 0.6 (6 pts)
    New England – 0.54 (6 pts)

    To expand on these numbers we can look at how the playoff races might finish if teams stay on the same pace they have played at since the transfer window started.
    Eastern Conference

    Kansas City – 63
    Chicago – 63
    New York – 58
    Houston – 55
    Columbus – 55
    DC United – 51
    Montreal – 46
    Philly – 33
    New England – 31
    Toronto – 25

    Western Conference

    San Jose – 66
    Seattle – 61
    Galaxy – 57
    Salt Lake – 52
    Dallas – 43
    Vancouver – 41
    Portland – 34
    Colorado – 33
    Chivas - 33

    Obviously things can change quickly, but this is how it projects out if the post-transfer form holds up. We will track this periodically down the stretch.
    Guest

    CSA's first comment on #FixTheCSL

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Canadian Soccer Association made its first public comments since the #FixtheCSL documentary aired last week on the CBC.
    There isn't much, but here it is, presented without comment.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]___
    Following recent media reports concerning match fixing in the Canadian Soccer League, the Canadian Soccer Association issued the following statement:
    The Canadian Soccer Association does not condone match fixing in the sport of soccer. We will continue to work within our governing structure in full cooperation with FIFA, CONCACAF and our members, to eradicate this type of activity from our game. We are committed to growing the sport of soccer in this country under the right circumstances.
    Guest
    This is the second part of an occasional series evaluating how other MLS teams have re-built themselves from also-rans to championship contenders. Earlier we looked at Sporting Kansas City. IN NO WAY IS THIS AN ARGUMENT FOR OR AGAINST CURRENT TORONTO MANAGEMENT.
    In 2006, the Columbus Crew were a mess. They finished in last place. At one point they went 13 straight games without a win.
    New head coach Sigi Schmid even offered to resign. It was that bad.
    Summing up the frustration, Schmid was quoted on July 9, 2006. He said: “Right now I am embarrassed. I am embarrassed for the City of Columbus. That is not the kind of team that I want to put on the field."
    "We just have to do better," he continued. "We cannot keep blaming on our youth. We cannot keep saying we have injuries. It is a reality that we have injuries. It is a fact that we are young. By the same token we have to find a way to get it done."
    Fans were divided. Many suggested that Schmid had the team on the right track and that he had been stung by bad luck, especially when it came to injuries. Others suggested that he had overhauled the team too much at the start of the season and that the younger players he was leaning on simply were out of their depth.
    In the words of one fan:
    “Sigi took everything we loved about this team and either traded it away or changed it for whatever purposes.
    I'm just not excited about driving to Columbus anymore. I can't bring myself to spend 4 hours in a car (round trip) to watch our hijacked team lose in a lifeless and painful way.
    Give us back our team, goddamnit!”
    Two years later they were Supporter’s Shield and MLS Cup champions.
    How did he do it? Let’s look.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If you were going to sum it up briefly, the best way to put it would likely be to say that he was decisive. At no point did Schmid allow sentimentality or fan pressure influence his decisions. He made a lot of quick decisions about players and was not afraid to roll the dice on trades if he didn’t feel that the player fit with his plans.
    In fact, from the 2006 disaster only seven players returned for 2007. And only three were there when the Crew lifted the cup in 2008.
    The ’06 roster is below. Italics indicates player with club in ’07. Bold indicates player with club in ’08 championship year. For each player CSN indicates what asset, if any, was acquired by the Crew for them).
    Edson Buddle (traded for Eddie Gaven)
    Marc Burch (traded for a draft pick)
    Jon Busch (waived)
    Knox Cameron (waived)
    Simon Elliott (free transfer to England)
    Luis Gallardo (waived)
    Bill Gaudette (waived on player’s request)
    Frankie Hejduk
    Chris Henderson (treaded for Tim Ward)
    Stephen Herdsman (waived)
    Matt Jordan (traded for draft pick)
    Kei Kamara (traded for Brian Carroll)
    Ritchie Kotschau (selected in expansion draft)
    Chad Marshall
    Kyle Martino (traded for Joseph Ngwenya [then traded for Alejandro Moreno] and Ned Grabavoy [then selected in expansion draft])
    Bret McNabb (waived)
    Domenic Mediate (traded for a draft pick)
    Duncan Oughton
    Mario Rodriguez (waived)
    Marcus Storey (traded for a draft pick)
    Jamal Sutton (waived)
    Danny Szetela (transferred to Europe)
    David Testo (waived)
    Eric Vasquez (waived)
    Jonny Walker (retired)
    Christopher Wingert (traded for a draft pick)
    As you can see, the assets of 2006 were used by the Crew to acquire four additional parts that were part of the 2008 championship team. If you view players as assets that need to be converted into useful parts then you can say that, despite the last place finish, Schmid was able to find a core of seven useful things from 2006. It also should be noted that there were two players lost to the expansion process that likely would have been with the Crew moving forward – both were active players in MLS in 2008.
    An interesting observation can be found in the lack of yield the Crew got from acquiring draft picks. Not a single roster player emerged from the five draft picks the Crew picked up. As CSN has illustrated in the past, late MLS draft picks are akin to lottery tickets – in theory you’ll find something, but it’s also technically possible that you could secure a date with Scarlett Johansson. She is single, after all.
    Less flippantly put, when a player is traded for a pick outside of the first round it’s as much a favour to the player as it is an attempt by the club to get something of value for him. The league requires that there be an exchange of assets, however menial.
    With so few players returning, the 2007 off-season was vital to Schmid’s rebuilding process. While Toronto fans watched Mo Johnston with the naïve belief that he knew what he was doing, Schmid was busy adding useful MLS pieces.
    The 2007 additions are listed below. Players that were there when the black and gold confetti rained down in 2008 are in bold. Once again, CSN tracks what asset were received for those that didn’t last. We also indicate how Schmid acquired those players that were part of the 2008 team)
    Aaron Chandler (waived)
    Brad Evans (selected in SuperDraft)
    Jason Garey (selected in the SuperDraft)
    Marcos Gonzalez (Transferred to South America)
    Andy Gruenebaum (Selected in supplementary draft)
    Ezra Hendrickson (acquired from Chivas for draft pick)
    Andy Herron (waived)
    William Hesmer re-acquired from TFC for partial allocation after the Reds selected him in expansion draft)
    Ryan Junge (Selected in supplementary draft)
    Stefani Miglioranzi (acquired from LA for conditional draft pick)
    Adam Moffat (signed from D2)
    Brandon Moss (retired)
    Danny O'Rourke (acquired from TFC for partial allocation, after Reds selected him in expansion draft)
    Andrew Peterson (Signed from D2)
    Rusty Pierce (retired)
    Robbie Rogers (acquired through allocation draft lottery)
    Guillermo Barros Schelotto (discovery signing on a free)
    Jacob Thomas (waived)
    Ricardo Virtuoso (waived)
    Jed Zayner (selected in SuperDraft)
    When evaluating what Schmid did in 2007 it’s important to remember one key fact – the Crew missed the playoffs again. Although they were five points better, only Toronto’s expansion season kept them out of the basement.
    Very few people could have predicted that Columbus was one year away from a title, despite having 17 players on the roster that would play a role in the title run. That’s the thing about re-building processes – most fans want to blow it up just before it gets good. That’s not a criticism of fans. Rather it’s an observation of fan psychology. By its very nature a team that is re-building has played poorly for a good period of time and, as such, fans are frustrated and lack patience.
    It takes a strong personality to remain true to their vision and upper management that also believes in that vision.
    To bring this back to Toronto for a moment, those are two characteristics have been missing here since the beginning. Mo Johnston changed direction more times than a slalom ski racer and MLSE has tended to give up on various 5-year/3-year/impossible plans as quickly as they sold them to fans.
    That includes, of course, the decision to fire Aron Winter just one and a half years into his three-year plan. This space has been clear in its position on Winter in the past – he needed to be fired – but it would be disingenuous to ignore that it’s an example of the type of behavior that this piece attempts to illustrate as counterproductive.
    For the sake of keeping the comments section focused, this piece is not attempting to make any argument about Paul Mariner’s ability. It is simply examining a re-building process that proved to be successful, with an eye towards starting a productive conversation about how to fix the mess that is TFC now. Mariner is back next year. Calling for his head is pointless. If you still care about this club, and wish to stay with them, then there comes a time when you need to re-focus the conversation onto something other than talk about firing the manager.
    Bringing it back to Columbus, Schmid added the following in the lead up to their dream season in 2008.
    Emmanuel Ekpo (Discovery signing)
    Cory Elenio (selected in the supplementary draft)
    Andy Iro (selected in the SuperDraft)
    Steven Lenhart (selected in the SuperDraft)
    Pat Noonan (Allocation return – traded from N.E. for 1st round pick, which became Kevin Alston)
    Gino Padula (Discovery signing)
    Six additions, five of which played a significant role in the season. Despite missing the playoffs, and facing an, at best, indifferent fan base in Columbus, Schmid stuck to his guns – he believed that the players he had assembled in 2007 were good enough if the right pieces could be added.
    In 2007, Schmid developed his core – a core that fit nicely around two star players in Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Chad Marshall. In 2008, he swung for the fences with the two discovery signings and the trade for Noonan. Suddenly a solid team that had been snake bitten by injuries became a very good team.
    Then they stayed healthy. A little luck is a part of every championship run (see, also, Robbie Rogers and allocation lottery wins).
    A key distinction of Schmid’s re-build is that he started with the grunts. Rather than trying to go out and get big names in 2006 and 2007 he focused on finding a solid domestic core. And when it didn’t work out in 2006 he wasn’t afraid to change gears.
    He also allowed younger players to develop in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Chad Marshall wasn’t the best defender in MLS in 2006. He was in 2008.
    And then there was GBS.
    Barros Schelotto was the engine that drove Columbus in the championship season. He wasn’t a DP. Schmid recognized that big name European stars were not likely to be attracted to the home of Ohio State football. So, he went out and found value.
    Traditionally the best on-the-pitch value in MLS comes from Latin America. Schmid understood that with GBS and, to a lesser extent Padula – let L.A. chase David Beckham. Columbus didn’t need the glamour. They needed results.
    They got them. The Crew won the double and repeated as Supporter’s Shield winners in 2009. It’s hard for a TFC fan to admit, but Schmid’s Crew teams are on a short list for best in league history – all done without a big name European star.
    The Crew were built with a core of solid domestic players, by showing some patience and supplementing with high value discovery signings when the time was right.
    It’s pretty much the opposite of what Toronto has done since day 1.
    Guest

    SoccerPlus - Weekly Podcast

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    The Impact is fading out of the playoff picture after a better than expected first season in MLS.
    We talk Montreal and MLS with our guest commentators Raphael Larocque-Cyr, Marc Tougas and Jonathan Tannenwald. We discuss the repercussion of the CBC report on match-fixing in Canada with CSN's Ben Rycroft. We look at the beginning of Ligue 1's season and the French club's pronostics in Europe with our man in Paris, Cedric Ferreira.
    We make a rare foray in local club action with a chat with Panellinios's U13 boys AA squad's head coach Luis Timoteo who led his squad to a +105 goal differential campaign. Although we agree with you it's still way early to talk about prospects, he's got a few interesting players on his team.
    All this and more on this week's show.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen to it.
    Guest

    A solution to satisfy no one

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The thing about compromise is that it rarely satisfies everyone, or, really, anyone.
    It’s unlikely that TFC’s decision to keep Paul Mariner and Earl Cochrane on for an additional year, but to give them a one year ultimatum to make the playoffs or walk the plank, will be seen as positive by many.
    For those that believe that the club needs to completely start over, nothing short of a full house cleaning would have satisfied. And, for those that believe that long-term stability is necessary, the one-year deadline seems arbitrary and possibly dangerous -- faced with the prospect of losing their jobs, will the two men make short-term decisions for the false gold of a one game playoff appearance?
    However, in the current environment, it was the only possible decision the club could have made.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Mariner has faults. He’s not as experienced as a head man as you’d like and there is early evidence that he struggles to man-manage skill players. Julian de Guzman’s post-game comments last weekend should be troubling to even the most hardened Mariner supporter.
    Tactically he favours a counter game, with a safety-first approach to defending. Many fans find that style to be unappealing and believe it to be outdated. Certainly the style we’ve seen for the second half of 2012 needs to be more nuanced moving forward.
    The counter argument to that is that he does not have the players that he needs to play exactly the way that he wants. It’s also as disingenuous to ignore the role injuries have played – especially Koevermans’ – when dismissing Mariner, as it is to ignore de Guzman’s comments when supporting him.
    That’s the crux of the “needs time” argument. If you don’t believe that Mariner had full control of player signings prior to Winter’s firing then it stands to reason that you’d want him to have more time. The truth is that it is exceptionally rare that a new manager can come into MLS and immediately be successful. It’s also true that the best way to ensure this team is never successful is to continue to have a constant turnover of management.
    There is no guarantee Mariner is the right man to lead TFC to a playoff berth in 2013. However, it’s pretty close to guaranteed that more change now will result in more of the same next year. Unless TFC can bring in one of the proven MLS winning coaches – and why would any of those coaches want to come to TFC when they have a history of throwing them under the bus at the first hint of adversity – then every bit of history suggests that the best way to guarantee a losing season in 2013 is to start over again.
    One year might not be enough. However, it’s a compromise solution that attempts to create stability while still acknowledging that there needs to be accountability.
    It should be just enough to annoy everyone.
    Guest
    Much like the shadowy cabal of bankers, oil executives and lizard people that secretly run every facet of modern society, the operators of Toronto FC have benefited greatly from dissension among the rank and file. Indeed, evaluation of TFC's on-field talent and off-field management has become so redundant by this point that followers of the team routinely turn, instead, to evaluating one another's bona fides as a fan.
    The trouble, of course, is that while on-field talent can be objectively measured by wins (imagine a game where Toronto has more goals than the opponent, and then the final whistle blows at the 75-minute mark), there's no standard manner in which to judge just how good of a Toronto FC fan someone is.
    Until now!
    That's right, folks. We've compiled a definitive list of questions that, once completed, will tell you exactly where you fall on the totally-legit-and-not-just-arbitrary-we-swear hierarchy of TFC fandom! C'mon, take a minute to provide your answers! What else are you gonna do, re-watch "highlights" from season six?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Just answer each of these questions to the best of your ability. There's a key to decoding your answers at the bottom -- but don't peek yet! Figure out your answers to the questions first.
    1. Where do you typically watch a Toronto FC game?
    a) at the stadium, if they're at home
    at the stadium, wherever they are, because where they go I follow, I follow, I follow...
    c) at a bar with like-minded people
    d) at home, with un-like-minded people
    e) depends... is there a Jays game on?
    2. Are you a season seat holder?
    a) yes, since day one!
    something other than a)
    If answer is a), please answer the following questions as well; if not, skip to 3.
    2a. Where are your seats located?
    a) south end, baby -- where the real fans sit!
    north-west corner, baby -- where the real real fans sit!... unless there's a walkout
    c) I forget, I usually just sneak into the wheelchair-accessible seating and steal food from the press box
    d) beer garden
    e) wherever they serve the prawn sandwiches
    2b. Will you be renewing your seats for next season?
    a) of course! Toronto till I die!
    probably! Toronto till I die, or until I run out of disposable income!
    c) maybe -- if someone can find me a cheaper way to buy baby food and diapers
    d) hell no! I've gotta vote with my wallet and show the team things aren't acceptable!
    e) hell no!... because the company I work for isn't bothering
    3. Say there is a game at BMO Field tonight at 7:30 p.m. What time will you show up at the stadium?
    a) 7:00 p.m.
    7:29 p.m.
    c) 7:30 p.m.
    d) 7:55 p.m.
    e) What, tonight? Ah hell, tonight's poker night. Craigslist, here I come.
    4. You are attending a Toronto FC game. The game is tied 1-1 at the 75th minute. What are you most likely to do?
    a) same thing I do all game, Pinky -- try and tear the house down with noise!
    be rejected while attempting to buy a large beer at the concession stand
    c) witness Toronto concede a goal on a broken play/defensive breakdown
    d) leave to beat the traffic
    e) turn to the person next to me to complain about those "idiots" leaving at the 75th minute, then leave at the 85th minute (I mean, c'mon, traffic!!!)
    5. How many articles of TFC merchandise do you own?
    a) does a heart count as merchandise? 'cause if so, I've got the most important one... <3
    no bodily organs, but 15+
    c) 5-15
    d) 5 or fewer
    e) does the scarf I got in Kensington that says "Torotno CF" count?
    Now on to the team itself, and your knowledge thereof.
    6. Who is the best midfielder Toronto FC has ever had?
    a) Amado Guevara
    Dwayne DeRosario
    c) Torsten Frings
    d) Dan Gargan
    7. Who is the best defender that has ever suited up for Toronto FC?
    a) Rick Titus
    (no other answers available)
    8. What is your opinion of Julian de Guzman's stint with Toronto FC?
    a) listen, those morons who don't like him will say otherwise, but here's the truth... he was a beast in La Liga, he got signed here to a big contract that put unrealistic expectations on him, and then he couldn't play his game because he was surrounded by a revolving door of mediocre teammates and managers... but he's still good for the national team, so that's something
    listen, those morons who defend him will say otherwise, but here's the truth... he got a payday that dwarfed that of his teammates and couldn't live up to the hype, he was lazy and complacent and couldn't complete a short pass to save his life, not to mention the yellow cards, and it's his fault we lost DeRo!... but he's still good for the national team, so that's something
    (no other answers available)
    9. What is your opinion of Dwayne DeRosario's stint with Toronto FC?
    a) he got screwed by the club
    he got screwed by his teammates
    c) he screwed the club and his teammates
    d) his teammates screwed the club
    e) Bret screwed Bret
    10. Which of these players has never been part of Toronto FC's roster?
    a) Joseph Nane
    Nane Joseph
    c) "Ibby" Ibrahim
    d) Abbe Ibrahim
    11. Which of these people has never been manager of Toronto FC during its six (6) seasons of play?
    a) Mo Johnston
    John Carver
    c) Chris Cummins
    d) Preki
    e) Nick Dasovic
    f) Aron Winter
    g) Paul Mariner
    h) Guus Hiddink... yet
    12. On that note, what is your opinion of Paul Mariner as it relates to the 2013 season?
    a) give the man time! Toronto's had too much turnover as it is, and needs to settle things down! Whatever Mariner's failings, nothing can be gained by changing the manager and the philosophy yet again!
    MARINER IS THE DEVIL, DON'T SAY OTHERWISE YOU MLSE PUPPET, FIRE HIM NOW
    (no other answers available)
    13. What, in your opinion, has been the biggest Achilles' heel for TFC in its six years of existence!
    a) nothing! TFC is a beautiful, unspoiled snowflake, which I will love forever!
    constant roster and managerial turnover has made it impossible for the team to create any sort of cohesion, which is usually vital to a team's success
    c) world-class centrebacks! we need world-class centrebacks! five of them, preferably
    d) BMO Field had artificial turf for a while, and that's thrown everything off forever
    e) Mo Johnston! don't tell me he hasn't worked for the team for years, I know what I'm talking about
    14. When I say the name "Gabe Gala", what comes to your mind?
    a) the thing that's supposed to
    who's Gabe Gala?
    15. What is your opinion of the Toronto FC Academy?
    a) it's good to see the club investing in the team's future, and the future of the local game
    it's a nice idea and all, but they should spend the money elsewhere, like on reducing beer prices
    c) it's good, I guess -- but hey, what happened to all those kids who graduated?
    d) umm, is that, like, a classroom where they learn about soccer history and stuff?
    16. If you could have any of the following, which would it be?
    a) Toronto FC winning the MLS Cup
    Toronto FC winning the CONCACAF Champions League
    c) a time machine to go back to 2007 and make some different decisions
    17. In your opinion, what team is Toronto FC's greatest rival?
    a) Columbus Crew
    Montreal Impact
    c) Vancouver Whitecaps
    d) Toronto FC
    18. Who ate all the pies?
    a) Ali Gerba
    Collin Samuel
    c) Danny Koevermans
    d) Andrea Lombardo
    19. Would a system of promotion/relegation be a good thing for Major League Soccer -- and, in particular, Toronto FC?
    a) doesn't matter, I'm with the team even if/when they play in the Lamport Stadium parking lot
    probably a good thing -- it'd give real meaning to those last two months of the season when the team's already out of playoff contention
    c) a bad thing! Toronto sports fans don't bother attending sporting events unless they're perceived to be at the highest level of competition (see: Marlies, Argonauts, Maple Leafs baseball, etc.)
    d) what's promotion/relegation?
    20. What is the greatest moment in Toronto FC history to this point?
    a) Danny Dichio's goal in the 24th minute
    swearing at strangers / getting hit with a Taser / urinating on a church in Columbus
    c) the "Miracle in Montreal"
    d) the rain delay prior to the season finale against New York in 2009
    e) throwing a beer can at David Beckham at Rogers Centre... herp derp yeah!
    RESULTS
    So, hopefully you've been keeping track of your answers. If not, go back and record all of your a), , c), d) and e) answers in separate columns on a piece of paper. Now, take that piece of paper, crumple it up and throw it away. This is Toronto FC, after all... results don't mean a thing!
    Whatever your answers to this stupid quiz, the fact that you saw it through to the end means that, in some way, you care about the team (or you hate the team, and like this quiz because it mocks them).
    But if you do care about Toronto FC, then just go about following and supporting the team in whatever way makes you feel comfortable, and let everyone else do the same. That's a test that everyone is capable of passing, if they put in the effort.
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