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    Last Man Standing: Week 5

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    34 entered. Only 2 remain.
    Who will be AFTN’s 2012 Last Man Standing? And how many people will actually read this article?!
    Here’s who is left in:
    Chris Withers
    Dirty Sanchez 3
    So just to confirm, no-one else can take part this season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <b><u>PRIZES:</u></b>
    Since we’re down to two we're just going to have two sets of prize packs and the overall winner will get to choose which prize pack they want from the following, and the runner up will receive the remaining prize:
    Prize Pack 1 - a special rare pin from the day the Whitecaps were announced as the 17th MLS side and a full set of the six Pepsi cap liners from the NASL era in 1983 that we <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3568-Found-In-The-Attic-Whitecaps-Pepsi-cap-liners" target="_blank">featured on Monday</a>.
    Prize Pack 2 - the same special pin as in pack 1 and a full set of 11 Upper Deck 2012 Whitecaps trading cards, which includes Darren Mattocks' rookie card.
    <b><u>COMPETITION RULES:</u></b>
    For those still in, here’s a recap of the basic rules….
    - Every week we will list the eligible fixtures and you pick one of the teams involved that you think will win.
    - If that team wins, you are through to the next round. If they lose or draw, then you are out of the competition.
    - You will only be able to pick a team once, until you have selected all 19 teams, so choose your weekly selection wisely. You don’t want to be left with the crappy teams playing the top ones if you can help it! He who dares, wins.
    - An exception to the "pick only once" rule will be when you only have a selection(s) left that have bye weeks. In such a scenario, you are free to pick a team you have already selected for that week only.
    - We will be keeping a running tally of who has picked what team.
    - You had to enter the competition in week one. Late entrants cannot join.
    - Selections must be made before the first game of that week kicks off. This time will be clearly laid out.
    - Anyone posting their entry after the first kick off time any week will automatically be knocked out.
    - The thread will be closed for new posts and amendments after the first game has kicked off.
    - Anyone selecting a team they have already selected in a previous week will be disqualified. If you notice you have selected a team you've already picked, you have until the first game kicks off to change it.
    - If you fail to make a selection in time one week, you are automatically eliminated.
    - The competition will run up to, and including, the last weekend of regular season action on October 27th/28th, unless we are down to a winner before then. If there is more than one person still in the competition at that time we may carry it on into the playoffs on a knockout basis. If there are only a handful remaining, we may give prizes to all. This will be entirely up to our discretion, but we will keep you posted. In the unlikelihood that there are loads of people remaining, we may have to carry it into next season.
    - The winner will be the last man/woman standing, who will then have the crown until next season. (Note – there is no actual crown, although if I end up winning I may end up buying myself one, just cos).
    - Prizes are football related memorabilia from over the years, mainly of a Whitecaps nature, so if you don’t want that either don’t enter or sell it on ebay!
    <center>**********</center>
    And here are this week’s eight eligible fixtures for this weekend:
    Houston Dynamo v New York Red Bulls (Fri)
    D.C. United v Columbus Crew (Sat)
    New England Revolution v Sporting KC (Sat)
    Montreal Impact v Philadelphia Union (Sat)
    Chicago Fire v Toronto FC (Sat)
    Colorado Rapids v Real Salt Lake (Sat)
    Portland Timbers v FC Dallas (Sun)
    Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy (Sun)
    The first game kicks off on <b>Friday night at 5.00pm PDT</b>, so you have until then to enter the competition and make your next pick. Remember who you’ve selected so far!
    Good luck!
    <p>
    Guest
    Author’s note: Before he jetted off to the Olympics last week, Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani chatted with Canadian Soccer News on a variety of subjects. This is the third of a short series of stories, based on that chat.
    Back in 2001, then-CSA president Jim Fleming teamed up with federal Minister of Sport Denis Cordere to launch a futile bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. There was no money, no stadiums – no hope of the single biggest tournament in all of sport taking place in the Great White North.
    Flash ahead to 2012, and newly elected CSA president Victor Montagliani has just recently announced Canada is back in the hunt, this time to land the World Cup in 2026.
    So – what’s changed?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Many things,” Montagliani says. “In 2001, we had not really hosted a FIFA event, other than the U-16 in 1987. We’ve hosted more since. The women’s U-19 in 2002, which we all know was a massive success. We then hosted the U-20 in ’07, and we’re now going to host the U-20 women and the Women’s World Cup. So, by the time the bid process starts, in 2018 and ’19, Canada will have hosted every other World Cup under the FIFA banner. You couldn’t have said that in 2001.”
    Montagliani also points to the sport’s rising profile in Canada.
    “We also have Canadian Soccer News, CBC.ca, MLS – that weren’t around in 2001. The game has gone to the next level, in terms of interest, in terms of economy. We didn’t have the people then that we have in the game now. The game has grown up tremendously, and is now ready to take the next step up, which is being a serious contender for 2026.”
    The stadium question still looms large. BMO Field and Saputo Stadium would be third-division parks in most of the world’s biggest soccer nations. And the various CFL stadiums aren’t exactly front-line soccer facilities.
    “The stadium that I’m looking out my window at right now – B.C. Place – was not, in 2001, near to what it is now,” Montagliani notes.
    “I think the important thing, when you’re looking at facilities – and I know it’s not easy to do this – is don’t look at 2012. You’ve got to look ahead, to the snapshot that needs to be taken six, seven years from now. Because some of our existing ‘A’ facilities might not be ‘A.’ Even the ones that look fantastic right now are probably going to need a bit of a nice little paint job.
    “We know we’re going to need facilities; we just don’t know how, what, when and where. Don’t forget, technology has changed tremendously. There’s modular technology now, and so many other things. Who knows what it’s going to be like five, ten years from now?”
    There’s still time, in other words. Montagliani also feels that the question of whether Canada could support World Cup stadiums after the tournament ends is also a premature one. He seems to be projecting the past decade of growth forward, adding in Canada’s rising profile in the FIFA backroom, and issuing everyone involved a challenge.
    “There’s a lot of work to be done,” he concedes. “Right now, it’s not just my vision. It’s the vision of many people within Canadian soccer. I think a lot of people within the game in Canada are starting to shed this ‘We can’t do it’ attitude, and saying ‘Why not?’
    “I can’t see why we don’t have the ability in this country to do that. We have the ability to do everything else.”
    Tomorrow: The final installment -- Montagliani on how CSA governance reform is going.
    Guest
    So, apparently Danny Koevermans was wrong.
    Toronto may have its struggles but stories about it being the worst team in the world are no longer floating about. A 5-1 spanking of CD Aguila should put the punch lines to rest for a while anyway.
    TFC would be an El Salvadorian giant. And, CD Aguila would most likely finish last in the MLS Eastern Conference. So, now that we're established that we can look at what last night meant.
    Three points.
    Yeah, that's pretty much the best way to look at it. CD Aguila was terrible, easily the worst team Toronto has ever played. Within three minutes it was clear that beating them was an afterthought. Scoring a boatload of goals was the focus.
    You can talk about goal differential if you like, but Santos could put 10 behind that team if it needed to. Toronto's CCL campaign is in essence a home and away tie with their newfound Mexican rivals. That's a tough ask, but one that should at least provide something for supporter's to look forward to at the end of this month.
    It's a shame so few people bothered to watch last night. It's also a shame that so many Torontonians chose to support the road team. Long-time fans of the domestic game here in Canada are used to it, of course. What they aren't used to is watching those fans go home with their tail between their legs.
    Maybe that was the biggest victory last night -- knowing that somewhere in the city an anti-MLS/TFC fan spent all day telling his friends and family how much CD Aguila was going to kick the sad sack Canadian side's ass and how this was the only time he'd ever go down to watch that glorified pub team.
    Maybe sometime between the third and fourth goals said fan had his eyes open. Maybe the local league is worth supporting after all.
    Guest

    Inside The Box: Every day I'm shuffling

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    If there’s one thing Whitecaps fans have learned this year, it’s to expect the unexpected. While most have never faltered in their belief that, "In Rennie We Trust", the roster has at times seemed like a game of musical chairs, and even crowd favorites and heavy hitters haven’t been safe.
    The month of July was a whirlwind of away games and exciting trades, seeing Eric Hassli, Sebastien Le Toux, and Davide Chiumiento leave the roster, but it started at the end of June with the Whitecaps decision to waive defender Michael Boxall. As I said farewell to him this past weekend, I couldn’t help but wonder what life was like for these guys, and how, if ever, you adjusted to life as the human equivalent of a trading card.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    After spending a few weeks in a difficult limbo, Boxall officially left Vancouver on Saturday, bound for the Wellington Phoenix, returning to his home country of New Zealand. Trying to stay positive about the whole experience, Michael did admit that <i>"It’s very frustrating. Being a professional athlete, you want to play. If you don’t want to play week in and week out, then you’re in the wrong place. If you’re ok with not getting playing time, then you’re doing the wrong thing."</i>
    Always a gentleman, Michael spent part of his final night in Vancouver with fans, watching the Whitecaps play Real Salt Lake, giving away jerseys and donating a few to be auctioned off for charity. He was able to see the silver-lining of it all, and recognize that <i>"this has allowed [him] to find a new opportunity"</i> where he feels <i>"valued"</i>.
    Sadly it’s not all about the players' feeling of "value", in fact it rarely is, and we’ve seen it all too often that when the management and fans expect these guys to deliver results, we’re more than happy to send them packing when they don’t deliver.
    Sure, when you dedicate your life to being a professional athlete you have to be prepared for trades and changes, but what about your family?
    In addition to being talented athletes, many of the Whitecaps players are husbands and fathers to young families. Midfielder Matt Watson moved his wife and two children to Vancouver at the start of 2012, and is hoping to keep them here for a while as they’ve <i>"been moving twice a year for the past six years"</i>.
    Fellow Railhawks import, goalkeeper Brad Knighton, saw nothing but challenges in trying to get his wife Britney and their young daughter relocated in time for the home opener. He has spent the last few years moving from Boston to Philadelphia to North Carolina and is now happy to call Vancouver home. Though only 27, and still positive about his career expanding before him, he admitted that <i>"it’s tough, and I don’t know if I can do it many more times"</i>.
    Though getting here may have been difficult, Watson and Knighton are safe from the chopping block for now, but who knows when a move is in store for either of them, and their families, as their careers progress.
    In the "not so lucky" category, after a move that came as a shock to some, Hassli headed off to Toronto FC just months after Whitecaps fans celebrated his nuptials. One can only imagine how much fun it was to pack up his pregnant wife, their farm and horses to move them 4,000km across the country.
    Perhaps the smartest of them all has been Sebastien Le Toux. He arrived in Vancouver via Phoenix, joining the Whitecaps mid-training camp, and brought with him only his suitcases. Renting a furnished apartment, Sebastien teased his teammates about packing belongings and joked that instead, he is <i>"a citizen of the world, so everybody is my family"</i> and all he needs is what he can carry.
    Regardless of whether they leave Vancouver by choice, the sentiment of those departing seems to be the same time and again – trades and cuts are part of the life of an athlete, but leaving the city of Vancouver is difficult.
    Le Toux could not say enough positive things about Vancouver, but perhaps Boxall said it best when he told me, <i>"The thing that sucks the most is how cool and great this city is, and how the fans have embraced the team no matter what. The fans showed up week-in and week-out, despite us playing the way we did, that was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen."</i>
    So as we say farewell to players we loved, we have to remember to always show respect to those who remain, and be ready to embrace whoever might be arriving next. It’s our job as fans to learn their cheers, get to know them, and make them feel welcome, because you never know what they’ve left behind, or how difficult it was to get here. And it’s ok to still love them after they leave, just don’t go sporting a TFC jersey with a 29 on the back around Vancouver anytime soon.
    <p>
    Guest

    The Fix is In (your inbox)

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    You can place this story under the weird and even weirder category.
    In terms of scams, it was one of the more unique I’ve come across.
    And given it’s a subject matter I’ve been researching for over two years, it certainly piqued my interest when I learned this week that someone was direct messaging people on the Voyageur’s board offering to sell them information on matchfixed games.
    So, I thought, let’s have a look. I wrote a few friends and had them contact the mystery man
    Below is the series of emails that followed.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Simple enough. He’s not asking for any money. Or credit cards. Or SIN numbers. Or souls. Could it be possible this was just the latest offshoot from the ever-growing matchfixing industry? A second hand fixer who was willing to sell on his info to make a few extra bucks? It wouldn’t be the most unimaginable thing I’ve come across. But it does seem like a lot of work to solicit hundreds of people on a message board (individually, not through a bot as the V’s board administrators determined) to make $50 to $100 each time.
    Who am I to tell people how they should make money though?

    Still no requests for money but he’s certainly laying the groundwork for the hook or manipulation. Don’t you feel bad for the poor matchfixer who got ripped off by those dastardly criminals? They took his good, innocent tip of a fraudulent game and then never lived up to their honourable arrangement.
    Would he actually send the tip though? What if it’s real? As promised it arrived the next morning.

    As did another, to my other friend. Different game, different kind of bet, but there were the fixed games in their inboxes nonetheless. They wouldn't end up laying the bets. But, we would all end up tuning into our first ever Portugeuse Cup game and first ever Latvian Higher division game. Riveting stuff.

    So, did they hit? Well, for a while it looked like they might. The Portuguese Cup game was actually very close to fulfilling its fixed projection. And the right Latvian team was leading for a while. In the end though, neither finished on the promised result and Richard the Matchfixer turned out to be nothing more than Richard the Scammer.
    Also, Richie on the Voyageurs board, who was telling people he was from Sweden, turned out to be Richard Lorn from Poland. We grabbed 'Richard Lorn's' IP info.
    IP Address: 83.7.47.44
    Hostname: abfj44.neoplus.adsl.tpnet.pl
    IP Country: Poland
    IP Country Code: POL
    IP Continent: Europe
    IP Region: Lodzkie
    Guessed City: Pabianice
    IP Latitude: 51.6554
    IP Longitude: 19.3456
    Organization: Neostrada Plus
    ISP Provider: Neostrada Plus
    There are a few other places on the soccer web that Richie boy has tried his hand but still, for the effort it takes (remember they were soliciting people one by one, not using a bot), it seems like an awful lot of work to try and bilk strangers out of $50 and $100 at a time.
    And what if it had hit? What if his fake fix had landed? The bets he chose were pretty standard and safe. Odds are Richard occasionally does get one right. What then?
    A correspondence on how he wanted to be paid eventually gives some clue to that.

    If you’ve never heard of them - Moneybookers, PaySafeCard and UKash don’t have the greatest reputation around the web. Moneybookers especially has some pretty bad reviews that include allegations of everything from attempted identity theft to allegations of actual theft.

    And...

    And...

    In the end, like most scams, they’re just after your banking or credit card information. The proposition of fixing is probably just a simple way to weed out the desperate and dumb.
    I would warn everybody off of Rich and Co. but if you’re willing to place bets on what you thought were fixed games, well, in my books you’ll get what you deserve.
    ----
    And before anyone asks, if you want to know when the matchfixing documentary I’ve been working for CBC will air, you can email me at itscalledfootball@gmail.com
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps added former Irish international Andy O'Brien to their squad this morning.
    The 33 year old free agent, comes to Vancouver having played the last two seasons with Leeds United, and comes with a wealth of experience at both club and international level.
    He has played for Bolton, Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Bradford City in the English Premiership and was in Ireland's 2002 World Cup Squad.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Yorkshire born O’Brien started his footballing career in the Leeds United youth system but was released from their academy at age 14, before soon being picked up by near neighbours Bradford City.
    O’Brien quickly worked his way into the Bantams first team and played an important part in the team’s promotion to the Premiership in the 1998/99 season and their two seasons in the top flight.
    With City facing relegation, O’Brien made the move to Newcastle United in March 2001 where he remained for just over four seasons under Vancouver Royals legend Bobby Robson.
    He played in the Champions League whilst with the Magpies and also earned his first international cap.
    As his form dipped and he lost his place in the starting eleven, O’Brien made the move to first Portsmouth and then Bolton, but hampered by injuries he ended up out on loan with Leeds United, before making the move permanent.
    O’Brien holds dual Irish and British citizenship, but despite playing for England at U18 level he opted to play for the Republic of Ireland, going on to make 26 appearances and scoring one goal over a six year international career which included being part of the 2002 Irish World Cup squad.
    He retired from international football in 2006.
    O’Brien comes to Vancouver as a free agent following his release from English Championship side Leeds United at the end of last season, where he had a spell on the sidelines to <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2094496/Andy-OBrien-returns-depression-treatment.html" target="_blank"><b>deal with depression</b></a>.
    He is currently in town on a flying visit to finalise the transfer and will be heading back to England to sort out his belongings before making the permanent move over to Vancouver next week.
    O’Brien is certainly happy to be here:
    <i>"I’m very grateful for the opportunity given to me by Vancouver Whitecaps FC. I appreciate the hard work that’s been put in by Vancouver, given the short period of time there was to get this deal done. I’ve had the opportunity to look around the city, which is fantastic, and I’m really looking forward to contributing on and off the pitch."</i>
    Martin Rennie certainly seems to like to add experience to the squad and he has that with O’Brien who has played at the top level but certainly seems to be on the decline in his career.
    Going in to the season run-in and then the playoffs, that experience can be vital and Rennie seems pleased to have landed the big stopper:
    <i>"Andy is an experienced centre half, who is good in the air and comfortable on the ball. He has spent several years in the English Premier League and with some of England’s best-known clubs. Andy also had the privilege of being at a World Cup. We’re delighted to add a defender of Andy’s experience to our squad."</i>
    I’m not totally convinced by this signing initially. Is O’Brien an improvement on what we currently have in the centrehalf position? Is he coming as depth or is this the end of Martin Bonjour as a regular starter?
    We’ll soon see and will obviously reserve judgement until then.
    We certainly do need help back there and as we said on Saturday when we mentioned we were expecting a new defender to join soon, DeMerit and Bonjour need to be put under pressure.
    O'Brien will wear the number 40 jersey for the Caps, which was his squad number for Leeds. His usual number 5 jersey being retired here of course for Bobby Lenarduzzi.
    Now we have three big centrebacks fighting for two starting spots and that competition can only be good for the Caps.
    <p>
    Guest
    By: Michael Crampton
    The tournament that brought the greatest highs of Toronto FC’s brief existence is set to begin again. For the fourth consecutive year Toronto FC will represent Canadian club football in its region’s club championship and compete with some of the elite teams of North and Central America for continental glory. Shorn of the qualifying stage in a re-organization designed to lessen the number of games and reduce travel demands, the 2012-2013 CONCACAF Champions League is set to kickoff for Toronto FC this Wednesday evening with Group 1’s opening match versus Salvadoran side CD Aguila.
    While the move to direct qualification to the group stage for all 24 participants theoretically made the tournament more open, the practical effect for Canada’s representative has been to make their route to the knockout stages shorter but, in all likelihood, vastly more difficult. Rather than competing with another MLS side or quality Central American team for second place in a four team group the Reds, to advance, must now do something that has never happened in CCL history: eliminate a Mexican team before the knockout stages. Of course, just to add extra spice, the team that stands in their way is the same Santos Laguna side that eliminated TFC in the semi-finals of the 2011-2012 tournament last spring.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    To put the task ahead of Toronto in context it’s worth remembering one in important point: no non-Mexican team has ever eliminated a Mexican club since the inception of the CCL in 2008. Not in the qualifying stage, the group stage, or the knockout stage. Not after Montreal and Puerto Rico’s near shocks of Santos and Cruz Azul respectively. Not during Real Salt Lake’s run to the final or Toronto’s to the semis. There have been some notable upsets over the past few years such as TFC’s win at home over Cruz Azul or FC Dallas’ historic win in Mexico City over Pumas. In the end though the Mexican teams have always stood strong, made it through, and maintained their record of exclusively eliminating each other before one is left to be crowned champion. Toronto even making it out of their group would literally be a history making achievement.
    Of course, all of this will be academic if the Reds can’t get results against the club from San Miguel, El Salvador. A former champion of CONCACAF back in the days of the old Champions Cup in 1976 CD Aguila are making their first foray into the modern iteration of the regional championship as reigning Clausura champions in their domestic league. Finishing second in the league table they defeated L.A. Firpo and Isidiro Metapan – both familiar names to dedicated CCL watchers – in the playoffs to win their first domestic honours in six years.
    Consecutive home wins over Motagua, Arabe Unido, Real Esteli, and Tauro FC during the past two Champions League campaigns likely mean that victories over Central American teams have become considered relatively routine by Toronto supporters. Regardless, this is not a team to be taken lightly. As FC Dallas learned, much to their embarrassment, even a real outsider (and team written off by virtually everyone) like Tauro FC can still be a potential banana skin in a more forgiving CCL format. Any slip up at home to Aguila could be disastrous to Toronto’s chances before the tournament has barely even gotten going. If fans want to have hope, or even entertain the possibility of eliminating Santos Laguna, the first step is to earn three points on Wednesday night.
    At least for once the priorities of the club are in no doubt. While the faintest of slim hopes of a playoff push resurrection still exist in league play the new format of the CCL means that TFC has little reason not to devote maximum resources to the Champions League. After playing Aguila on Wednesday night the club does not play another mid-week CCL fixture, also at home, until August 28th. This is no longer the epic journey of summer 2010 and 2011 spent shuttling across the continent while trying to simultaneously manage the late stages of a league campaign. Instead, it’s a mere four games over three months and a chance, however long, to make history.
    Guest
    Show me, don’t tell me.
    Forget talk of redemption -- that should be the motto of the Canadian women’s soccer team at the Olympics. For years Canadians have been told that this team is ready to breakthrough to the world’s elite. However, the country has been shown a string of poor results at major competitions.
    The instinct is to say that changed today. It did. A little.
    Canada played its best game at a major championship since 2003 when it stunned China in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. That result has been the basis of much of the hope over the years and it helped hide the fact that it remains the last time that a Canadian team defeated a higher ranked side in the Olympics or World Cup.
    That infamous streak was stretched to nine games today.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    As much as the effort and play was exciting to see – and as much as you can argue (likely, rightfully) that they were unlucky not to have won – the bottom line remained a draw. Better than a loss, sure, but when you consider that a win would have put Canada on top of the group there was still wasted opportunity.
    Yes, there are a lot of good things to build on. Again, this was as good an effort that Canada has put forth in a long time. However, it illustrates that there is still work to be done. The team still finished third in the group and you never want to be hoping for best third place berths into the knock-out stage. If they can play well against Sweden then why couldn’t they step up against Japan? That’s especially the case when you look at the mediocre way Japan finished the group stage.
    This team is still widely inconsistent and it would be foolish of fans to be blinded by one decent (but non-winning) result.
    So, we’ll say “good job” today and look to build on it against the hosts in the quarterfinal.
    Some will argue that Canada caught a break by avoiding USA or Brazil in the quarters. Maybe. However, Great Britain has been a revelation in this tournament and are playing with an emotion and drive that few teams can match. They will likely be playing in front of a full house and you can be sure that Team GB will be motivated to keep the good vibes going.
    Women’s football struggles for attention in the UK and the women must understand that they are looking at a once in a lifetime opportunity to finally get the attention they deserve from the British public. Forget the clichés about Canadian heart and warrior drive that you’ll likely hear from the Canadian media heading into the game. Do not kid yourself, Team GB wants to win this game every bit as badly as Canada and has as much warrior drive as the women wearing red.
    If Canada is to win and advance to play for a medal it will need to repeat the effort of today and take it a step further. And if they can do that then the Olympics will truly have been a great job.
    If they can’t then it will have been an uneven and largely mediocre job highlighted by a draw.
    Guest
    (Updated 5 p.m. ET with Canada's quarterfinal opponent)
    They had to get better, if they were going to get a result in a make-or-break game against Sweden.
    They had to put all of coach John Herdman's psychological preparation to good use, and show the sort of mental toughness they've lacked in the past. They had to overcome a rash of injuries on defence. They had to get their tactics right. And they had to find goal-scoring power from a source other than Christine Sinclair.
    Well wouldn't you know it, they did it all. And for their reward: A berth in the Olympic quarter-finals.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Canada put together the most composed, focused and organized match not just of this tournament, but in recent memory, in a comeback draw against Sweden on Tuesday morning. After Canada struggled at times to assert themselves against the #61-ranked South Africans on the weekend, they were worthy peers of the #4-ranked Swedes on the day, and even dominated the play for long stretches.
    The upbeat conclusion could hardly have been expected after 20 minutes of play. An encouraging start from Canada was quickly undone by a pair of against-the-run goals from Sweden within two minutes of each other, one coming off another unfortunate decision from goalkeeper Erin McLeod. This, we could be forgiven for having presumed, was where Canada would fold. Where the Swedish floodgates would open and Big Red would stagger for 70 minutes in a futile attempt to keep the final score respectable.
    But this time, we got the opposite. There had been skepticism about Herdman's insistence that his team was better psychologically prepared for this tournament than they'd been in the past. But the truth is, when it mattered the most, the team responded. They did precisely what they needed to do. They didn't fold. They kept fighting.
    And that stubborn determination wasn't the only revelation on the day for the team.
    Revelation: Christine Sinclair isn't the only Canadian striker who can score
    Canada's success in this tournament was always going to hinge on someone stepping up to provide secondary scoring -- and lo and behold, that provider has emerged, in the form of Melissa Tancredi. With four goals in three games, Tanc has picked the absolute perfect time to step up her game, particularly considering that Sinclair has been neutralized for long periods thus far. While Tancredi's name was already well-known to followers of the national program, it's safe to assume she's stamped her name in the general sporting consciousness with her display thus far.
    Revelation: Christine Sinclair can do things other than score
    Herdman has experimented with Sinclair in a withdrawn striker/attacking mid role over the past year -- and Sincy has responded, showing that she can create plenty of Canadian goals even if she's not the one with the final touch. To that end, she was integral in creating both goals against Sweden -- her give-and-go with Rhian Wilkinson set up Tancredi's first, and it was her masterful cross that served up Tancredi's second -- in addition to pulling the attention of defenders away from Tancredi and Jonelle Filigno.
    Revelation: Canada can move the ball out of the back, without aimlessly thumping it!!!
    Perhaps the most satisfying and telling element of Canada's game on Tuesday was their willingness to be patient with the ball in their own half. For years, this Canadian squad has relied too heavily on the "boot it forward, hope Sinclair can run onto it" approach to everything -- and has found the habit very, very difficult to shake. But against Sweden, the Canadians looked composed. They looked confident. They took a moment to weigh their options on the ball. And, as a result, they kept possession more often than not, and looked more dangerous on the attack. Fancy that, eh?
    Revelation: Desiree Scott is a beast
    Not really a relevation; we've learned this over the course of the past 12 to 18 months. But still worth saying. Her transformation into the reliable bulldozer in the middle of Canada's midfield has been a delight to watch.
    Revelation: John Herdman has hops
    Just watch the replay after Tancredi scores the first goal.
    Revelation: Good preparation can help a team overcome injury troubles
    The combination of injuries to Candace Chapman, Emily Zurrer and Robyn Gayle seemed as though it would deprive Canada of a fighting chance against the powerful Swedes. And shifting Lauren Sesselmann into the centre of defence to compensate, while bringing Marie-Eve Nault off the "taxi squad" made it seem certain the backline would be hanging on by the skin of its teeth. If nothing else, the fullbacks surely wouldn't have the freedom to get involved in the attack, as per Herdman's preferred tactics, right?
    The team conceded two goals, so no one's going to pretend the defensive performance was impeccable. But both Sesselmann and Nault performed admirably in their roles, and the fullbacks indeed helped give Canada the sort of width it needed to keep pressure on Sweden.
    Far too often, the narrative around the women's national team gets caught in a strange vortex, halfway between those unwilling to cut the team any slack until they finally live up to their much-touted potential and those who continue to fuel the hype machine with unflinching boosterism even in the face of glaring problems.
    On this day, perhaps both camps could be content to meet in the middle. But for Canada to truly make its mark, games such as these must be the rule, not the exception. A 90-minute performance such as Tuesday's -- with, perhaps, the elimination of some crucial errors -- could allow Canada to compete with any of the world's top nations. The temptation is to say "except the unstoppable Americans" -- but then, this is the Olympics. Sometimes the seemingly impossible happens. Sometimes a team like South Africa holds the reigning World Cup champions to a draw.
    Canada may yet get a chance to test their mettle against the world's top team, our neighbours to the south. But first, they'll need to get past the Olympic host nation, Great Britain, who will be Canada's quarterfinal opponent on Friday (2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT). While England (from whence Great Britain draws most of its players) sits below Canada in the FIFA rankings (England's at #9, Canada is at #7), the Brits are coming off a perfect record in the group stage, including a victory over the #4-ranked Brazilians on Tuesday.
    Plus, there's that whole home-field advantage thing. Yeah, you can imagine the crowd in Coventry will be jacked up for this one. But remember, the 73,000 German fans in Berlin were pretty jacked up for the opener of the Women's World Cup last summer, and Canada acquitted themselves fairly well on that occasion.
    A victory on Friday is attainable. Guaranteed? No. Easy? No. It will take some good fortune and a few good bounces. But it will also take a refusal by the team to rest on their laurels, or to consider the comeback against Sweden the pinnacle of their capability. It will take the same sort of mental and physical performance as we saw on Tuesday. Not just thinking about it -- doing it. Not just displaying their potential -- living up to it.
    The belief that Canada would bring home a medal in women's soccer was always far-fetched, bordering on delusional. And even if Canada gets past Great Britain on Friday, all that earns them is a semifinal showdown with the #1-ranked Americans (presuming they get past New Zealand in their quarterfinal game).
    But with what we've seen so far in this tournament, and at these Olympic Games, are you still willing to completely dismiss the possibility?
    .
    Guest

    Montagliani on the Olympics

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Author’s note: Before he jetted off to the Olympics last week, Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani chatted with Canadian Soccer News on a variety of subjects. This is the second of a short series of stories, based on that chat.
    CSA president Victor Montagliani couldn’t help but be an excited soccer fan when asked about his official trip to the London Olympics.
    “Other than the players’ parents, I’m probably the number-one fan,” he beamed.
    But the real reasons for Montagliani’s English adventure lie off the pitch – in the backrooms and boardrooms of international footballing politics.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Unlike some other sports, FIFA runs the Olympic soccer tournament,” he says. “It’s almost like a World Cup. It’s a great opportunity for me, as a president, to meet with other presidents, not only from my own confederation, but other presidents throughout the world. I already know there’s a lot to do, because I have a lot of meetings set up.”
    With the 2015 Women’s World Cup already secured, and a bid being prepared to host the world’s biggest tournament in 2026, Montagliani feels Canada is very much in play right now, internationally.
    “In terms of pushing our agenda, as it relates to Canadian soccer and where we want to be on the world stage, with these types of events, when you’re not there, it’s not good. We’ve always been there, but I think we’ve done a very good job in the last little while of not only being there, but being heard – which is very important.”
    Montagliani anticipates coming back from London with some key announcements, though he’s not willing to be specific just yet.
    “Obviously, when you announce you’re going to host the Women’s World Cup, that’s a massive thing. But there are a lot of other, smaller things, whether it’s Canadians joining committees or whatever, which is a sign of us growing up in the international arena. This is why you need to be there.”
    He notes this is a particularly crucial time in CONCACAF history, with incoming president Jeffrey Webb beginning anew following the overthrow of embattled former president Jack Warner.
    “I have nothing but very good things to say about him. He’s a top-class guy. He loves the game. We witnessed that at our AGM, when he made a speech. The first thing out of his mouth was that he was tired of talking about constitutions and stuff. He wanted to talk about football. He has a very high professional background, very high pedigree in the corporate community in the U.S. and in the Caribbean.”
    Montagliani feels his revamped, redesigned CSA is in a strong position to do well, in the new political climate Webb is establishing.
    “There’s nothing but a good opportunity for Canada – I actually think a lot more than there has ever been,” he concludes.
    “You see a different attitude towards CONCACAF and how we’re going to move forward, in a more business-like and transparent sort of environment. I’m very optimistic in terms of our future.”
    Thursday: Montagliani on Canada’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
    Guest
    A player that is referred to as Darren Oh Dear by fans in the UK and Ireland (that's former Celtic defender Darren O'Dea for those keeping score at home) looks to be the solution to Toronto's back-line issues.
    If by solution you mean "stopgap gamble."
    Sources in Europe are reporting that the deal to send him to TFC is done and he will be introduced next week. Positive thinkers will see this as adding an occasional Irish international that played 49 games for Celtic and is coming off a fairly successful loan spell with Leeds where he scored twice in 35 appearances.
    A cynic sees Andy Iro redux.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Regardless, he's a warm body and something is better than nothing.
    What would have been best is Olof Mellberg. However, the league had different ideas about that.
    Many feel that the front office isn't to be trusted on this, but, to use an old adage, sometimes a blind squirrel gets a nut . CSN is far from the only source reporting that the league were the ones that shot it down. Of course, it's been a long time since Toronto FC's front office got the benefit of doubt from fans.
    There is no need to go through the multitude of errors, omissions, spins and "un-truths" that has contributed to the lack of trust over the five plus years. It's just understood that the cynicism is earned. That much is clear.
    But, that doesn't mean they are always wrong. Just like the poor Sheppard with loose lips was helpless when the wolves ate the flock on his watch, TFC has found itself a bit screwed in regards to the Olof Mellberg signing.
    Don Garber may have said that it was a TFC decision to walk away from the deal, but Mr. Garber is also a master at speaking politically.
    Yes, TFC put the breaks on it. They did so after the league made it clear that it wasn't going to give them cap relief on Danny Koevermans. Without that cap relief - and the rules on it are unclear - it became impossible for TFC to sign him.
    Tomato, Tomatoe.
    Garber isn't lying per se when he says the league didn't strike down the deal, but he is purposely leaving out details that, if provided, would give fans a true understanding of what happened.
    MLS is a private company. Garber has every right to hold back information. However, fans should not be blamed for feeling frustrated by what seems like a double standard. The league helps New York add another world class piece, but can't help a struggling team finally sign a player to fill its most glaring hole? It just seems unfair.
    This is not to say TFC is without blame, although much of the blame can be traced back years to people no longer there. Basically, the Reds management lacks political clout within the league and the reason it does is because many of their past actions have rubbed members the wrong way.
    Whereas the league partners might be willing to extend New York and L.A. a favour - and dream of what kind of TV contract they might gain by having power teams in the power cities - they are cold to helping Toronto.
    Meanwhile TFC fans get taken for granted again, as they hope a man nicknamed Oh Dear can solve a six year problem in the centre of defense.
    Guest

    Rock the Pitch 2012

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    If you haven't heard, the Athletes for Africa Rock the Pitch tournament has upped the stakes for this year's event.
    In addition to the normal giveaways for fundraisers, two of the main participants are putting their pride on the line to help raise money for this terrific charity.
    James Sharman of the Footy Show and Eon Sinclair of Bedouin Soundclash have now decided to go head-to-head to see who can raise the most money for Rock the Pitch. The bet? Loser dresses as a baby in the opening match of the tournament.
    The Canadian Soccer News community have been big supporters of this event over the past few years - making us one of the top fundraisers each year we've entered - but this year, due to prior engagements I won't be able to go. Daniel Squizzato will be making his return and I encourage you to support him.
    But I wanted to up the stakes in the Sharman v Sinclair bet and really encourage people to get behind this cause.
    That's why I'm donating $500 to Team Sinclair. It's nothing against Sharman - love that guy - but I really don't know Eon and didn't think it would be fair to put someone you don't really know through that kind of torture. Sorry Sharms, the price of my friendship, I guess.
    And just to be clear, this isn't the kind of money that I can typically throw around. But I did happen to have some funds stashed to do a skydiving trip later this summer and if I'm being honest about it, that's something I can live without. While I was looking forward to that trip, I'm pretty sure that money will be better suited going to the A4A programs that promote development in communities who needed it the most. If you want more info on their programs check it out here.
    And if you're considering giving to Rock the Pitch this year, perhaps put it in that same framework - what frills can you afford to go without so that others can have the basics?
    To donate to Team Sharman
    To donate to Team Sinclair
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    Author’s note: Before he jetted off to the Olympics last week, Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani chatted with Canadian Soccer News on a variety of subjects. This is the first of a short series of stories, based on that chat.
    After three years of waiting, the Canadian Soccer Association has finally embarked on a meaningful search for this nation’s next soccer technical director.
    CSA president Victor Montagliani freely admits it’s taken a long time to get to this particular starting line. But he stresses there were good reasons for the delay.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “When Stephen Hart left us for the big show with the men’s national team, there was an immediate board meeting that said ‘we’ve got to fill it.’” Montagliani explains. “And to give credit to the board, we took a step back and said, okay, we’ve done this before, and the truth of the matter is I’m not sure when we last had a successful technical director.
    “We’ve had a lot of good people, but we’ve always seen this position as someone who can come in with holy water and fix all our problems. And that is so unrealistic, it’s not even funny. The truth of the matter is, the reason why we took time was we were in a massive process of, not only governance reform, but also – and I think this has been missed by a lot of people – there’s been a lot of reform on the operations side.”
    This refers to CSA secretary general Peter Montopoli, who has been spearheading the day-to-day running of the sport, while all the larger governance changes were debated and adopted.
    “Everybody’s been fixating themselves on the elimination of the provincial presidents from the CSA board, thinking that might be the silver bullet. But the truth of the matter is, we have changed the structure of the equation. And the governance committee has done work on rules and regulations, policies and procedures, and on the overall bylaws, which has gone unnoticed.”
    In other words, the CSA held off the search for a TD, putting in place the people and structures the new appointee would need to actually move Canadian soccer forward.
    “We feel confident now that the person in this position will have the resources that will help them in their vision,” the CSA president notes. “It probably took a year more than we would have liked, but we knew rushing right back in to hire a single person, who’d be doing the same thing over and over again, wasn’t what this was about.”
    One of the major tasks facing the new TD will be filling out Wellness to World Cup, the CSA’s sweeping visions for long-term player development (LTPD). It’s been noted frequently that there is presently no curriculum to turn the outlines of the plan into a concrete teaching reality.
    “First and foremost, it’s knowledge and experience, not just in the technical portions of the game, but also in terms of the realities Canadian soccer faces. Every country has realities. Even in Spain. There’s realities there too, even if you’re the world champions. In Canada and CONCACAF, you have to realize there are cultural differences in how we do business, in this country and in this region.”
    Montagliani notes that Montopoli will remain in charge of operations, and the new technical director will report directly to him. And he promises that decisive things will get done.
    “We’re the national body. This is our vision, and this is the way we move forward. And yes, we will build consensus, but we’re not going to have death by committee and death by royal commission. People are going to make decisions here, and we’re going to move forward.”
    Montagliani declined to discuss specific possible candidates. The names Tony Fonseca and Jason de Vos were both raised on CSN recently.
    “I think, to be fair to the process, I’m not going to comment on these people as technical directors. Anything I say – positively or negatively – could prematurely influence the process.
    “Peter is fully aware of the journey we’ve traveled as it relates to the LTPD document. When he has this person sitting in front of him, he has the skill set to decide, in terms of the filtering process, if that’s the person that is in line with where we want to be five, ten years from now.”
    Tomorrow: Montagliani on the Olympics.
    Michael Mccoll
    I'm a collector. Always have been, probably always will be. Not weird stuff, just good things, and especially football memorabilia.
    Programmes, stickers, cards, badges, books, magazines, comics and a lot more besides. Anything and everything football related, and if it’s to do with either East Fife or Vancouver Whitecaps then all the better.
    Looking through some of it the other day prompted me to start another new feature here on AFTN, 'Found In The Attic'.
    'Found In The Attic' will look at some of the wonderful pieces of Whitecaps and North American footballing memorabilia and collectibles from both yesteryear and more recent times.
    We'll kick things off with an item from the days of the old NASL.
    The old North American Soccer League attracted some big names in the footballing world over it’s history. It also attracted some big name sponsors too, and one of them was Pepsi.
    Look through any of the old 'Kick' programs from the time and you’ll see some glorious full page ads, full of colour, bad hair and dodgy clothes.
    Here's one with Bobby Lenarduzzi from back in 1983.
    As long time supporters of the game in North America, Pepsi took their involvement with the Whitecaps one stage further that year and produced a set of Caps cap liners!
    It was a neat little twist and a great play on words.
    If you bought specially marked bottles of Pepsi cola, under the caps were special liners encouraging you to "Catch the wave with Pepsi".
    There were six to collect in the set, each one embossed with the strangely drawn face of one of the top Whitecaps players of the day. Legends one and all, but a strange mix for the set all the same.
    There was goalkeeper Tino Lettieri, who played two seasons with the Caps and played for Canada in both the 1986 World Cup and two Olympics.
    English international central defender Dave Watson only played one season for the Caps and he was lucky enough that it was the one that turned him into a drink liner!
    Appealing to more of the ex-pats was Irishman Fran O'Brien. Two seasons in Vancouver but ingrained into Whitecaps history thanks to Pepsi.
    The same fate was bestowed on Dutch midfielder, and Ipswich Town legend, Frans Thijssen.
    The last two cap liners in the set were thankfully set aside for two of the greatest Whitecaps legends. The ones that are still here today, tying the NASL and MLS Caps together.
    Ad starlet Bobby Lenarduzzi and Carl Valentine would be the two guys you'd really want to find under your Pepsi cap.
    I wonder if they got free Pepsi for a year for taking part in the promotion? I wonder if they even remember it! I'll have to find out and feed back.
    Does anyone reading this remember them? Or have them? There was a set going on ebay recently for $50 which I thought was crazily high. Obviously so did everyone else as they didn't sell!
    One lucky AFTN reader will be the proud owner of them though, as that's one of the prizes for the winner of our "Last Man Standing" competition.
    I'm a sucker for these kind of promotional items. They're great to look back on and think about what were very different times in football.
    It would also be nice if Pepsi or some other drinks company did something similar today for the current crop of Whitecaps. Who wouldn't want to find Joe Cannon under your cap?
    The Barry Robson ones would be reserved for ginger ale of course.
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