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    Guest

    Good seats available

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Although numbers have not been made public, it appears that ticket sales for the Toronto FC v Liverpool game are sluggish.
    A survey of Ticketmaster today revealed that fans could still by rows of nine tickets (maximum order) together in all but one price range. That would seem to suggest that there will be vast pockets of empty seats throughout the stadium.
    The one price range where you could not get rows of seats was the $65 level, which is the section the Liverpool supporters are being directed to.
    CSN continues to encourage supporters to avoid going to the game to send the message that we do not wish to play friendly games in the middle of the competitive season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    The MLSE question

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It's a frustrating time to be a Toronto sports fan. As we sit here 20 years removed from the Toronto Blue Jays first championship season (which also marks the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs were legitimate contenders) the losing has started to make everyone a bit crazy. That a 25-year-old sports fan has grown up without seeing Toronto good at, well, anything is hard.
    Lots of cities go through droughts, of course, but few are as universally bad as T.O. currently is. It's enough to give one a complex – or drive a young fan to his satellite dish to find another city's teams to cheer for.
    Wednesday was a particularly difficult day. Not one, but two Toronto sports teams lost out on their chase of big name free agents. Readers here will be familiar with the Nesta story and will know that the Montreal Impact swept in after Toronto had put an offer on the table that he was set to accept. Readers everywhere will know that Steve Nash is a LA Laker. Both losses burn and underline a belief that many in Toronto have that there is something seriously wrong with Toronto sports.
    And if you ask most fans what that is they will come back with one answer – four letters that symbolize a generation of frustration.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]M
    L
    S
    E
    It's hard to ignore that three of the five biggest teams in the city are all owned by MLSE. It's staggering to think that one company can be behind three teams that have struggled so much. It's especially difficult to comprehend when you realize that the company is so successful on the business side of the operation.
    Is Toronto's failure a simple case of one company not doing things right? Can you even compare the three teams, or are their circumstances unique and their concurrent failure simply a coincidence?
    To answer that you need to look at what the three teams do that is similar and then evaluate whether it's problematic.
    Nash and Nesta might be the best example of a MLSE similarity across teams. The Leafs, Raptors and TFC have all, to varying degrees, consistently gone after “names.” The Leafs, especially, were guilty of this for years signing aging start after aging star in an effort to put them over the top. The Raptors struggle to attract the biggest names, but there has been no shortage of name guys they've gone after over the years. TFC has three DPs.
    On one hand there is likely some belief that the names will make the clubs better. When the Raptors signed Hakeem Olajuwon they really did think he was the big they needed to compliment Vince Carter. Bringing Eric Lindros to the Leafs was a chance to land an elite power forward in the team's mind. And, TFC brought in Torsten Frings because it felt he could stabilize an inconsistent midfield.
    An argument can be made, however, that those signings were also at least somewhat cynical. The fan base is excited by names and signing them can help drive interest. Although MLSE doesn't need to sell Leafs tickets, the Raptors and TFC are less a sure thing. It's likely too simple to suggest that the only reason they go after the names is to sell tickets, but it's probably naïve to suggest that it doesn't play a role in the thinking.
    Names can be seen as band-aids. They cover-up system wide problems and help to ignore deeper rot. Signing a name gives the appearance of doing something, without actually addressing what needs to be addressed.
    Then, of course, there is the problem of what to do when the pursuit of the names falls through. Too often, Toronto lacks a plan B.
    That leads into the next similarity – at various times all three teams have appeared to suffer from the “advice” of MLSE management. It was long thought that the Leafs were influenced by suits that thought they knew more about hockey than the hockey people and it's only been since Brian Burke came along that the situation has changed.
    With TFC and the Raptors the advice often came from sources closer to the team, but still from those that should not have been driving the bus. Carter was as much behind the Olajuwon move as anyone and TFC currently has 3,876 people making decisions in the front office.
    In recent years there seems to be an effort by MLSE to change that and to put the power to make decisions into the hands of one person. This is a recent phenomenon and, so far, it's unclear whether they have the right people in place.
    And that brings us to the third commonality – upper management. Increasingly more attention has been placed on COO Tom Anselmi with the suggestion that he is the one person that has the most responsibility. He's the ultimate boss and the one that puts the people in place that are supposed to make the decisions. If all three are consistently failing should he not take the fall?
    Sports is a results oriented business. It's very difficult to argue that there shouldn't be a change. Almost impossible, actually.
    Would firing Ansemli change the fortunes of the three clubs? No, not on its own. There are other factors that make it a challenge for Toronto to field winning teams. As much as fans want to put all the blame on MLSE, it's too simple.
    But, something does have to give. Toronto sports fans have been loyal and they deserve more than what they are getting.
    And with Rogers almost set to take over control of MLSE change might be coming sooner rather than later.
    Guest
    With most MLS sides at, or about to reach, their halfway point of the season, we thought this was a good time to launch AFTN’s first competition of the year - <b>Last Man Standing</b>.
    The competition is open to fans of all teams, no matter who you support, or where you live, so take part today. There will be prizes!
    <b>You do have to be a registered member of the site and signed in to be able to take part. All unregistered entries will not count, even if you submit it with your name.</b> This is just for easy tracking and avoid people playing silly buggers! If you haven't already signed up, it's quick and easy, so do it now.
    So what is 'Last Man Standing'?
    Well, it’s a competition we’ve run on AFTN in Scotland since 2010, but has been popular on a number of football websites in the UK long before that.
    With MLS’ weird and wacky way of having their fixtures, it might make it a little bit more complicated than how we’ve previously run it, but we thought we’d give it a go. It may end up as a disaster, but we'll see! We'll try not to scrap it halfway through!!
    The competition will run mostly every weekend from now until the end of the season, when there are at least six MLS matches scheduled to be played over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Midweek games will not be included for the most part, but this may change as the season goes on and at short notice, so keep an eye on the site for when the next round is.
    Here’s the basic rules….
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <b><u>COMPETITION RULES:</u></b>
    - 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.
    - The exception to the "pick only once" rule will be towards the end of the regular season when you might 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 have to enter the competition in Week One (this week). 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/alien 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!
    Long winded, but hopefully that will explain all you need to know for those of you unfamiliar with such a competition.
    <center>**********</center>
    So, with all that out of the way, here are the eligible fixtures for this weekend:
    Sporting KC v Houston Dynamo
    Real Salt Lake v Portland Timbers
    FC Dallas v San Jose Earthquakes
    Chivas USA v Vancouver Whitecaps
    Seattle Sounders v Colorado Rapids
    Chicago Fire v Los Angeles Galaxy
    Philadelphia Union v Toronto
    New England Revolution v New York Red Bulls
    Montreal Impact v Columbus Crew
    <b>The first game kicks of on Saturday at 8pm EDT/5pm PDT, so you have until then to enter the competition and make your first pick.</b>
    Just sign in and simply leave the name of the team you are picking below. I'll kick things off.
    Good luck!
    <p>
    Guest

    Sober Second Thoughts: fine

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The result was fine.
    Saturday’s too.
    There were elements of both games, both draws, to be happy about. The defense is competing and only allowing one goal per game is an improvement over where things were. Danny Koevermans is on form, nine goals, third in league scoring. That's cool.
    Paul Mariner seems to have corrected the late game collapsing problem – if anything Toronto was the more likely late tonight.
    And, they are grinding out results. Seven points in six games under Mariner. Over the course of the a season that would work out to 37 points, which would still be short of the playoffs, but it wouldn't need a telescope to see them.
    So, it's better. A bit better. After the start of this season a bit better will have to do.
    But, it doesn't inspire. TFC's form doesn't make you believe in miracle playoff runs, or convince you with any certainty that 2013 will bring with it anything special. It just leaves you not angry.
    In past years the Reds were always close enough that you could dream. You'd still glance at the table and calculate what needed to happen to put them in the playoffs. It wasn't always realistic, but it was rarely absurd.
    This year, looking at the table became pointless in April. That's hard. So, a road draw does nothing for fans on an emotional level. No one is figuring out what it means beyond the night in question. The harsh reality is that TFC will not play a meaningful MLS game until next March.
    (unless you think they can get 36 points in 16 games, which might – MIGHT – be enough to grab the last playoff spot)
    Half a season is a long time to play out the string. It's going to be difficult to find ways to get up for games, especially those against teams that the club doesn't have a rivalry with.
    I don't write this to be depressing. It just is what it is and it really sucks.
    But, the result was fine tonight.
    Guest

    Mattocks' Rapid Redemption

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    Vancouver Whitecaps reached the halfway stage of their season this evening with a hard fought 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids.
    There is a lot of hyperbole in football reporting, but in terms of the Caps' playoff aspirations, this victory was simply huge.
    It wasn't a pretty game, but the Caps did what they needed to do in the heat and humidity, shutting down the home side and taking the one real chance they got, to ride off into the sunset with the three points.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    With injuries and a suspension to Jun Marques Davidson, Martin Rennie rang the changes and went with a 4-2-3-1 line up that was experimented with in training to good effect.
    There were three changes to the team that lost in LA, with Jordan Harvey coming in at left back, to allow Alain Rochat to fill the defensive midfielder hole left by Davidson's absence. Eric Hassli came in to play up top, with Sebastien Le Toux starting on the bench for the first MLS game this season.
    The big news was the debut of Barry Robson as a Whitecap, with the Scottish international coming straight into the starting eleven to bolster the midfield.
    With dramatic debuts marking his career, Caps fans were wondering would they see the scoring Scot or red card attracting one.
    It took just four minutes for him to have his first shot in MLS, send a dipping long range effort over.
    Colorado went up the field and had their own first attempt of the match, Jamie Castrillon heading a Luis Zapata cross past the right hand post.
    The Rapids came close again in the 14th minute after Martin Rivero easily dispossessed Robson just inside the Caps half, setting up Conor Casey to drive a low shot inches past that same post.
    There wasn't a lot happening, with Vancouver really struggling to string passes together in the Colorado half.
    As the half hour mark approached, Cannon spilled another low Casey shot for a corner, but the home side couldn't capitalise on the set piece.
    Any attacking danger was coming from Colorado, and Zapata sent in a dangerous cross into the box from the left, which Harvey did well to cut out for a corner.
    Hunter Freeman forced Cannon into a low save in the 36th minute, as the Rapids tried to turn their pressure into goals.
    Three minutes later and the ball nearly broke to Casey in the six yard box after a scramble, but Harvey did well to clear the danger.
    From out of nowhere, Vancouver took the lead in the 43rd minute.
    Harvey sent in a hopeful long ball from the left and Drew Moor sclaffed an attempted clearance on the edge of the box, straight into the path of Darren Mattocks, who buried it past Matt Pickens from ten yards.
    It's the mark of a truly dangerous striker when you can be shut out of a game for the half, then given one chance and you bury it.
    After being frustrated and sent off in the meeting between the sides last month, of which Moor played no small part, this was redemption on a grand scale for Mattocks.
    Colorado had one last chance to head into the break level, but Cannon did well to get down and keep out a Casey header in the last seconds of stoppage time.
    Neither team made any changes at the half, and Colorado tried to come out and take the game to the visitors.
    Brian Mullan should have done better five minutes in, shooting weakly at Cannon from the edge of the box.
    As the pace wilted, along with the players, both teams made substitutions, and it was Jamie Smith of the Rapids that nearly made the difference in the 67th minute, when his shot from outside the box was deflected by Martin Bonjour for a corner.
    Edu wasn't long on as a sub, but nearly made an immediate impact for Colorado, just failing to get his head on a neat Rivero free kick in the 74th minute.
    With Camilo now on for the Caps, Vancouver's pace picked up a little as the minutes ticked down.
    With eleven minutes remaining, another of Camilo's trademark curling free kicks, was nearly met by Koffie, for what would have been the killer second goal.
    Cannon came up huge again with seven minutes remaining, stopping a Tony Cascio shot at his near post, as the home side pushed to at least get something from the game.
    Jeff Larentowicz had a free header from a Smith corner in the 87th minute, but directed it wide left.
    Casey realised it wasn't to be his night when the ball came to him at the back post in the 89th minute, but the speed and surprise of the chance hampered his chance of trying to direct it on target.
    With the game in stoppage time, Larentowicz again found himself unmarked in the box and tried an ambitious bicycle kick which went wide left.
    Mattocks picked up a late booking for putting the ball into the net on an offside, but the Rapids could find no way back and the final whistle gave Vancouver their third away win of the season, and in terms of the playoff situation, it was a massive three points.
    Two games of the five game road trip down and with three winnable games to come, Vancouver could head home in the middle of the month looking very healthy indeed and right in the thick of it all.
    Not to mention having more points already than the whole of last season.
    Let the second half begin.
    FINAL SCORE: Colorado Rapids 0 - 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
    ATT: 18,757
    COLORADO: Matt Pickens; Hunter Freeman (Edu 72), Marvell Wynne, Drew Moor, Luis Zapata; Jeff Larentowicz, Jaime Castrillon (Jamie Smith 63), Martin Rivero, Brian Mullan; Omar Cummings (Tony Cascio 61), Conor Casey [subs Not Used: Steward Ceus, Tyrone Marshall, Joseph Nane, Wells Thompson]
    VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Alain Rochat, Gershon Koffie; Barry Robson (Sebastien Le Toux 56), Darren Mattocks, Davide Chiumiento (Michael Nanchoff 85); Eric Hassli(Camilo Sanvezzo 72) [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Greg Klazura, Carlyle Mitchell, Russell Teibert]
    <p>
    Guest
    Like the popular snack mix, I'm going to break down these news hits into the flavoured Shreddie (the best part), the Cheerio (you never see it coming), the pretzel (you've got to acknowledge it, like it or not) and that cheese-stick thing (what the hell is it?).
    The Shreddie: Now we can finally put names to faces -- err, uniforms
    Though the friendly against the U.S. on Saturday was Canada's "sendoff" match ahead of the Olympics, we've known for months that the women's national team would be playing a few more warmup games in Switzerland before London 2012 gets underway. And now we know (some more of) the details!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Big Red will take part in the Matchworld Women's Cup -- the most awkwardly-named thing I've written on this website since "Stade Moncton 2012 Stadium" -- a four-team tournament that also includes Brazil, New Zealand and Colombia. Canada faces New Zealand on July 14 and Brazil on July 17 as part of the tournament, and also faces Colombia on July 9. Though that's not part of the tournament. I don't get it either.
    The #5-ranked Brazilians always provide a stern test for Canada, though our luck has been good against them in recent years (up to and including a victory in the final of the Pan Am Games last fall -- albeit against a less-than-100% Brazilian side). The game against New Zealand (#23) will see John Herdman go up against his former side for the first time since becoming head coach of Canada (#7).
    And Colombia (#28)... um... did you know foreign direct investment in the country hit a record $13 billion last year? Neat for them!
    The more warmup the better as Canada prepares for its Olympic showdowns with Japan (July 25), South Africa (July 28) and Sweden (July 31).
    The Cheerio: Futsal is actually pretty cool... even if we're not the best at it
    Not knowing much about futsal, I can't really provide much of a lowdown on it. But I've watched more of it in the past two days than in all of my days previously. Which is to say, I watched part of one game. Canada played twice in the CONCACAF Championships -- the final stage of qualifying for the 2012 Futsal World Cup this autumn -- and though they looked impressive at times, they dropped their first two matches to host-and-apparent-regional-heavyweight Guatemala (7-3) and the U.S. (3-2).
    Their last group-stage match goes tonight (Wednesday night) against Panama, and will be shown live and free on CONCACAF.com. There may still be some wacky way in which Canada could mathematically squeak its way into the next round -- and qualify for Thailand 2012 while they're at it -- but even if not, the game is worth checking out, not just to support the boys in red, but to answer the question you may have been asking yourself for years: "What the hell is futsal, anyway?"
    (Though if you can't catch the game, for whatever reason, this oughta give you a decent idea too.)


    The Pretzel: Something happened in the FIFA rankings. EVERYBODY PANIC
    The latest FIFA rankings have been released, much to the delight of sports editors in need of meaningless copy to fill space. With the FIFA rankings come the customary over-analysis of given team's rankings, hand-wringing about the supposedly flawed methodology (mostly by ELO nerds) and the one glaring example of the list's complete removal from objective reality (in this case, England being ranked #4 in the world).
    If you're the sort who cares, which you shouldn't be, Canada is ranked #68, up nine places from the previous ranking. As a courtesy, I'll also fill in the response from the usual gaggle of knuckle-dragging soccer haters: "Herp derp, Canada's lower than Sierra Leone and Uzbekistan, we sure do suck! lolololo"
    The Cheese Stick: "Kids, we're going to the happiest place on Earth... Tijuana!"
    Canadian men's U20 head coach Nick Dasovic is currently continuing his efforts to persuade his young charges of the merits of Lynyrd Skynyrd and AC/DC as we speak, down in Mexico. Actually, he's probably spending most of the time working on their soccer skills, as the U20 squad continues an eight-day training camp that began on Sunday and wraps up next Monday.
    The camp will also include two friendlies against Mexico, on Friday and Sunday. If you're keeping score (which I know you all are), the roster includes six members of the Whitecaps system, five from Toronto FC, one from FC Edmonton and one from the Montreal Impact. Plus, look, Keven Aleman is there! So, y'know, we can probably stop worrying about him.
    GK- Ricky Gomes | POR / Vitória FC
    GK- Callum Irving | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
    CB- Ben McKendry | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
    CB- Nikola Paunic | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
    CB- Daniel Stanese | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
    CB- Skylar Thomas | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
    FB- Dino Gardner | CAN / FC Edmonton Reserves
    FB- Jordan Murrell | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
    D- Tyler Pasher | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
    CM- Mauro Eustáquio | POR / Uniao de Leiria
    CM- Jonathan Lao | GER / FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt
    M- Keven Aleman | ESP / Real Valladolid
    M- Shadrack Mmunga | FRA / FC Metz
    M/F- Ben Fisk | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
    F- Yassin Essa | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
    F- Christian Travaglini | ITA / S.S.D. Teramo Calcio
    F- Stefan Vukovic | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
    M - Bryce Alderson | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
    M - Oscar Cordon | CAN / Toronto FC
    W / M- Alessandro Riggi
    As for why this is in the "cheese stick" category... guess it's just a pleasant surprise to see one of the youth teams running a camp like this, is all.
    .
    Guest
    By Michael Crampton
    Toronto FC continues their demanding twice a week schedule Wednesday night against a rested but wounded FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas. If there’s any side in MLS that reflects the league’s pliant and ever changing competitive balance it’s the Toros. Most TFC supporters will remember Dallas as the MLS Cup Finalist side who lost to the Colorado Rapids in the 2010 championship match staged in Toronto or the team that visited Toronto twice last season and earned away victories in both MLS and CONCACAF play. The victory that secured Toronto a place in the knockout rounds over that same Dallas team in the final game of their Champions League group was, at the time, seen as a monumental achievement over a good MLS side.
    What’s clear in hindsight however is that Dallas had just gone over the precipice and begun a steady decline to where they find themselves now. After losing comprehensively to both Tauro FC of Panama and then Toronto in the later stages of the CCL, the Hoops crashed out of the 2011 MLS Cup playoffs at home to the New York Red Bulls in the Wild Card round. Considered together with the defeat to TFC, Dallas lost what amounted to two consecutive single elimination matches less than two weeks apart, both at home, by a combined score of 5-0. For the most part, things have only gotten worse in 2012.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    After a respectable start that saw them win three out of their first six games, a combination of injuries and loss of form have combined to send Dallas on a club record 11 game winless skid. To put that in context, the Toros are only a loss or draw to Toronto away from equaling TFC’s own record winless streak from the agonizing summer of their 2007 expansion season. Since beating Montreal back on April 14th, Dallas has heaped further embarrassment on top of misery by losing 2-0 at home in the US Open Cup to the Charlotte Eagles of the third tier USL PRO. That loss extended their ongoing streak of being held scoreless in (de facto) single elimination matches at home to three games.
    That defeat also saw the loss of highly rated centre back George John – his mooted move to Blackburn Rovers, then still of the English Premier League, fell through at the last minute last summer – who is still listed as out with concussion symptoms. In fact, the current injured list for Dallas reads like a who’s who of the 2010 MLS Cup Finalist side. At the time of writing, in addition to John, defenders Ugo Ihemelu and Jair Benitez are listed as out, while midfielders Jackson, Daniel Hernandez, and the particularly influential David Ferreira are all listed as questionable due to a variety of lower body injuries. Between them, Jackson, John, Ihemelu, and Benitez represent the entire starting backline from the 2010 final.
    While injuries remain a major problem where Dallas will enjoy an advantage in Frisco is in rest and time for preparation. Toronto are about to embark on the second half of their 10 game long stretch of playing two MLS games a week. Since the Reds started that run on June 16th in Kansas City they’ve played in five matches, three of them away, while Dallas has only played twice. Dallas’ last match, a tepid 0-0 draw at home against Chivas USA, was over a week ago while Toronto will be arriving on only three days of rest since their home draw with the Red Bulls on Saturday. Tired legs and travel are major factors in the outcome of any MLS game and should more than balance the confidence TFC likely enjoys from their improved recent form.
    Transfer rumors and the departure of Joao Plata have dominated much of the news in Toronto over the past week but should have little influence on the outcome of the match in Frisco. Paul Mariner seems to have increasingly settled on a group of players who he trusts with only limited rotations to keep the squad fresh through their heavy schedule. If Toronto’s young back line can continue to stabilize and keep Dallas’ chances to a minimum the team will have every opportunity against a weakened opponent to continue their current undefeated streak even if they don’t enjoy the added guidance of a major signing at centre back.
    Guest
    I was told by a few people that I absolutely had to interview Michael "Nano" Nanchoff because he and I would get along really well. Things like that are always scary because you can't help but wonder what someone means when they say that. So when the 23-year-old midfielder agreed to join me at <a href="http://www.redcardsportsbar.ca/index.php" target="_blank">Red Card Sports Bar</a> for <i>'Nightcap With A Whitecap'</i>, I had no idea what to expect.
    Three hours later, I was delighted at how charming, witty and well-spoken Nanchoff is, and how dedicated he is to earning every minute of playing time he can get.
    As always, we start with "What’s your favourite nightcap?"
    <i>Well, I’m not an eighty year old man, so I don’t need to have a White Russian on the rocks to help me sleep or anything, but I am a fan of beer.</i>
    Care to elaborate?
    <i>All beers, nothing specific. I’ll drink something as dark as a Guinness or as light as a Natty Light.</i>
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Yikes, Natty Light? (For those of you who haven’t tried a Natural "Natty" Light, don’t.)
    <i>Not by choice, but it takes me back to my college days...</i>
    Which, let’s not forget, were not that long ago. Moving on, favourite Whitecap?
    <i>He’s no longer a Whitecap, but it was Michael Boxall, hands down.</i>
    Yes, your bromance is legendary, how about a current Whitecap?
    <i>Right now I’m a big fan of two people: John Thorrington and Alain Rochat.</i>
    I’ve heard Rochat mentioned several times before, so let’s start with John Thorrington. Why Thorrington?
    <i>He is an unbelievable leader and he has definitely taken me under his wing in terms of giving positive advice.</i>
    He’s not one of the most popular guys out there, so that’s an interesting choice.
    <i>I respect everyone’s opinion, just as I would hope they respect mine, but people don’t know who he is. He is a fantastic person. He is a family guy, his wife is an incredible person, his baby girl is the cutest thing - she smiles non-stop, uncontrollably - and that has to come from somewhere. That’s just one of the reasons why I like him; he’s also an incredible soccer player.
    This year he has held down the midfield, he has worked his tail off, which unfortunately has maybe lead to him fatiguing and picking up the injury against LA, but just like he always has, he’ll bounce back. That’s another reason I look up to him, I’ve had my fair share of injuries. I have learned a lot from him.</i>
    How about Alain?
    <i>He’s one of my idols. Not just because he’s left-footed like I am. He is one of the most well-rounded professionals, even though I’ve only been around professionals for two years...
    You know what, correction: Alain is THE ultimate professional. If I were to elaborate on that we’d be sitting here for hours.</i>
    I think my favorite part of these interviews is hearing you guys talk about each other. There seems to be so much admiration and respect among the players.
    <i>You just cannot pick one person. Like [YP] Lee. His English has improved drastically since the beginning of the season, which is really cool to see. He’s always asking how to spell certain words and sentences, and he brings his English class quizzes into the locker room every day.
    I was really struggling recently, when my best buddy from college passed away, and I don’t really know YP, and he doesn’t know me, we respect each other and get the job done, but for someone like him to come up to me and give me a hug, that was the ultimate respect factor. Especially for someone that is as legendary as he is.</i>
    Speaking of soccer legends, how much pressure do you feel because of your family’s soccer history? (Both Nanchoff’s father, George Nanchoff, and his uncle, Louis Nanchoff, played in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), and for the US National Team in the 1970’s and 80’s.)
    <i>I get that question a lot, and I don’t know if I’ve answered it truthfully to everyone who has ever asked me. I say "no", but at the same time, when I really think about it, someone like my dad who has achieved so much, alongside my uncle as well, it’s tough to fill shoes like that. It really is.
    That was a different brand of soccer. My dad and I were similar players, both left-footed, creative, had the vision and what not, but times have changed and the game has totally changed. I’m not going to use that as an excuse by any means, but if you’d let me use an excuse, that would be it. (laughs)
    My dad was never the type that treated me like a robot, he always told me that if I wanted to be the best I had to go out and achieve it myself. He would be there to support me along the way, which was awesome, but he never put that added pressure on me that a lot of people think there was.</i>
    What are you hoping to achieve? Have you set some personal goals for this year?
    <i>Well, my first personal goal is to win the FIFA World Championship... on PlayStation.</i>
    Oh wow, that’s a very lofty goal.
    <i>Just kidding. Let’s see, seriously? A starting role, for sure. I’m itching to play. I’m going to keep busting my butt to get that role and I’m going to earn it eventually.
    Personally, and I think it’s collectively felt as well, I think that we can win the MLS Cup this year.
    We have to keep understanding each other a little bit more, every single day, and when that happens it can turn into something special. But if it starts to taper off a little bit, that’s when things can start to quickly go downhill. Especially in pro sports, having that team camaraderie is huge.
    Did I just start ranting right there?</i>
    Don’t worry about it. You sound pretty psyched about this season. You also made some headlines this year with Team Nanchoff, how is that going, do you need more recruits?
    <i>Team Nanchoff is exploding! It’s out of this world, seriously. There’s a guy in the army, in Afghanistan, who sent me a message on Facebook to see if he could get a "TeamNanchoff" t-shirt sent to him!</i>
    That’s awesome! What are some other favorite memories from your time on the Whitecaps so far?
    <i>Usually my favorite memories come from the playing field, but something that really stands out to me was last year, during the Soehn-era, we went out to Deep Cove and spent the day out there. We got away from the game, we didn’t even think about it for a day. People rode around in canoes, flipping each other over. We shot arrows. Some were a lot better than others... I am not talented at shooting arrows. I missed the target about 101% of the time, if that’s even possible.
    That’s actually a tough question because more great memories continue to come along all the time. Ask me this again in a year and I’ll give you a new answer.</i>
    Challenge accepted. In the meantime, what is your favorite MLS stadium to play in?
    <i>BC Place is sick! BC Place is awesome. I’m not a huge fan of the turf, but that’s not a big deal. The architecture is pretty great. Also, CenturyLink Field is ridiculous. I got goose bumps when I went in there. Then Eric scored that goal and ten people are celebrating and me, the lone idiot, is standing in the corner with his hands on his head just confused because it was such a sweet goal. I was shocked.</i>
    Don’t worry, I think the rest of us were just as shocked. Do you have anything you’d like to say to the Whitecap fans?
    <i>I love them! They’re getting better and better every single game. They really are. It starts with the Southsiders and the Curva Collective and it seems like every game there’s another section added on that starts to chant. They’re starting to pick it up and it’s great!
    We’ve won more than last year, so obviously we think that helps.
    Slowly but surely we’re earning more of [the fans’] respect, and we just love them.</i>
    And with guys like Nano around, it’s hard for the fans to not love the Whitecaps right back.
    Hopefully everyone (including the fans!) have fully recovered from the 3-0 loss to LA and are ready for a little <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/%23CapsOnTour" target="_blank">#CapsOnTour</a>, kicking off tonight against the Colorado Rapids, followed by Chivas on Saturday.
    - - - -
    I want to give a HUGE shout out to <a href="http://www.redcardsportsbar.ca/index.php" target="_blank">Red Card Sports Bar + Eatery</a> for giving us the rock star treatment and unofficially sponsoring Nightcap with a Whitecap this month. Thank you so much!
    <p>
    Guest

    Historically bad

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Last Wednesday and Friday, I examined the opening six seasons of every expansion team in North America’s four biggest sports leagues (NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA) since 1967, seeking perspective for the chronic, ongoing struggles of Toronto FC.
    That's 57 teams, and what I found actually shocked me.
    Assuming that Toronto FC does not pull off a miracle, they will almost certainly join the deeply non-illustrious group of teams that missed the playoffs six years in a row out of the gate. That, we all know.
    In itself, that isn’t fatal. The parallel that might most warm the hearts of long-suffering TFC supporters is that of the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. They missed the playoffs in each of their first six seasons, falling back badly in year six. They won a championship the very next year, and were a playoff team 27 times in the next 28 seasons.
    An unlikely beacon of hope, perhaps. But it happened.
    To really make the point, though, let’s examine the lack of fortune of Toronto FC, directly compared to the worst six-year expansion starts in each of the four leagues.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Washington Capitals (NHL): Over six full 80-game seasons, beginning in 1974, the Capitals served up a winning percentage of just .305. They tacked on two more dismal seasons before finally making the playoffs in year nine.
    Seattle Mariners (MLB): Yes, they now hold the record for most wins in a regular season, 116. But before that, they opened their existence with fourteen losing seasons in a row. Their six-year win percentage seems unexpectedly high, at .399. Remember, though, that baseball is a spot where even teams that lose 100 times a season still win 38 per cent of the time. .399 over six years is truly, truly, bad.
    New Orleans Saints (NFL): Two full decades without playoff football. Winning percentage over the first six seasons was a paltry .256.
    Vancouver Grizzlies (NBA): In six full seasons on the West Coast of Canada, the Grizzlies’ winning percentage was an utterly laughable .220.
    So now, for comparison purposes, will you welcome Your Toronto FC!!!!!
    Toronto FC (MLS): Counting only MLS matches, the first five full seasons of TFC add up to 40 wins, 67 losses and 47 draws. That’s a winning percentage of .412. That’s bad, but not epic.
    Add in this season – 2-10-3 at time of writing – and it drops to .396. That’s on a par with the Mariners, and well clear of the Caps, Saints and Grizz.
    And yes, TFC has been a good cup team – well about .500 – but most of that was wins over minor-league competition. And, as you’re about to discover, wins on the field is not the only thing we’re tracking here.
    A little soccer perspective, before we draw conclusions:
    North American soccer has no parallel to what TFC has done here. No other MLS side has ever missed the playoffs five years in a row, let alone a possible sixth. Remember also that MLS is a salary cap league, which has often boasted parity to the point of parody.
    Four North American expansion teams – the Philadelphia Atoms, Los Angeles Aztecs and Tampa Bay Rowdies of the old NASL, and the Chicago Fire in MLS – have won championships in their first season. In the old days, no bad NASL team could ever survive long enough to miss six-straight racks of playoffs.
    In all the rest of the world of soccer, Toronto FC is impossible. Relegation would rip any franchise to shreds before it ever got half this futile.
    So, yes, Toronto FC has been consistently, relentlessly bad on the field. But what about the front office?
    Here’s the stat that surprised me – the one that puts Toronto FC squarely in the conversation with the very worst of the worst.
    Number of head coaches used in first six seasons:
    Washington Capitals – 6
    Seattle Mariners – 3
    New Orleans Saints – 2
    Vancouver Grizzlies – 5
    Toronto FC – 7 (in under 5.5 seasons)
    The Capitals are actually a screaming exception to the rule. Most bad expansion teams have three, maybe four coaches. The Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL, who had just one brief, pointless playoff run in their first six years, had only one.
    Any team, anywhere, can go through three head coaches in six years. Even championship sides can go through four.
    A seventh coach in a sixth season is pretty much unprecedented in top-flight North American sport in the last 45 years. I only zoomed in on the bad teams in their first six years, so if any team actually accomplished this, they were either well established, or winning at the same time.
    Yes, TFC does better on the field than the other sides we’ve isolated. But please understand, we’re comparing them to the worst of the worst, one from each league, for damn near half a century. Finishing atop that group don’t win you any trophies.
    When you combine win percentage with the seasick-making revolving door of managers, Toronto FC clearly stands as one of the absolute worst expansion teams on the entire continent – since before the significant majority of its supporters were born.
    And through all that time and all those setbacks, all those losses and all those strange hirings and signings, the one single constant at the top has been the ownership group:
    Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
    Much, much more to follow.
    Onward!
    Guest
    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    There is no doubt that <b>Sebastien Le Toux</b> has a high work rate, and he leads the club with four goals, but there seems to something missing from the Frenchman’s game. His normally reliable touch around the box has been absent and it has hurt Le Toux’s ability to be a playmaker for his teammates. Rennie needs his biggest offseason acquisition to step up his game as they enter the second half of the season.
    The Rapids continue to use <b>Martin Rivero</b> as their main playmaker and the Argentine continues to register assists, sitting fourth in MLS. In the first match-up against the Whitecaps, he was easily Colorado’s best player and was dangerous from start to finish. Rivero will either line up in the midfield as a central attacker or wide on the right side.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    Because of the absences in the midfield, <b>Alain Rochat</b> may be shifted to play as a holding midfielder in place of the suspended Jun Marques Davidson. He will most likely play a similar role to Davidson, sitting in front of the back four, but expect Rochat to venture forward and use his attacking style through the middle of the pitch.
    The Whitecaps were fortunate not to face <b>Marvell Wynne</b> in their first match-up, as the pacey central defender missed six straight games with an injury. While he stands less than 5’10”, Wynne is an athletic and strong player who will not shy from playing a physical game for the Rapids especially inside the box.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    There wasn’t much to the Galaxy game, as the Whitecaps were dominated, but the best player for the visiting side was <b>Davide Chiumiento</b> once again. The Swiss international put in another ninety minutes and was the most dangerous Cap on the pitch until Camilo was substituted in. With Harvey at left back, Chiumiento will be the main playmaker on that side when the Caps move on the attack.
    After missing a number of games due to injury <b>Conor Casey</b>, for the first time this season, will look to start his third straight game. He looked like his old self against Portland, where he dominated their backline and was able to contribute with his first goal of the season.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    7W-5D-4L
    4th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 3-0 Loss at LA Galaxy
    Colorado:
    7W-1D-8L
    5th in Western Conference
    Last Match: 3-0 Win vs Portland Timbers
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
    Vancouver:
    Out: GK Brian Sylvestre (knee), FW Atiba Harris (knee), FW Omar Salgado (foot), John Thorrington (quad), Matt Watson (ankle)
    Suspended: DM Jun Marques Davidson
    On Trial: FW Caleb Clarke
    International Duty: MF Bryce Alderson
    Colorado:
    Out: DF Anthony Wallace (L Achilles tear), MF Pablo Mastroeni (headaches)
    Probable: MF Jamie Smith (R ACL tear), FW Conor Casey (R hamstring strain), FW Omar Cummings (L ankle sprain)
    <b>GAME ANALYSIS :</b>
    The Whitecaps will look to bounce back from one of their worst performances of the season as they take on the Colorado Rapids for the second time this season. In the previous game the Whitecaps came out on top, having gone down to ten men with thirty minutes to go after Darren Mattocks received his second yellow. This will be a much different Rapids team, as they will have a number of players available to them that were missing due to injury or suspension.
    For the Whitecaps, there will be questions about their midfield as Jun Marques Davidson is out due to a suspension and John Thorrington is dealing with a quad injury. The Whitecaps will have to do some shuffling as they will also have Matt Watson still on the injury list, Bryce Alderson at a U20 camp and Barry Robson may not be ready for a start. Because of this, I see them shifting Alain Rochat in the midfield to partner with Koffie as the two holding midfielders.
    With Rochat moving up, Jordan Harvey will get the start at left back and join DeMerit, Bonjour and Lee on the backline in front of Joe Cannon. The wide spots will continue to have Davide Chiumiento and Sebastien Le Toux on the left and right sides. With Camilo receiving a knock in practice, Eric Hassli could see a start as the target man, while Darren Mattocks will play in behind.
    While many may not be happy with Mattocks as the withdrawn striker there will be benefits that could see him get more chances on net. He will be able to get away from the physicality of the central defenders, which has frustrated him the last two games. In addition to that he will need to start his runs early, which could catch the defenders as he either gets to long balls or receives a pass from Hassli who will hold up the ball for him.
    With Rochat playing as defensive midfielder, it will also be interesting to see if the Whitecaps switch to a 3-5-2 formation when on the attack as they send Lee and Harvey on the wings. Expect Gershon Koffie to play a big part of the midfield play as he will play the main connector from the backline to the attackers going forward. While he may not start, Barry Robson should definitely see some playing time, especially if the Caps find themselves behind late in the game.
    The Whitecaps will need to deal with a healthy pair of strikers in Omar Cummings and Conor Casey, who were unavailable three weeks ago. However, the main threat to the Caps will be Argentine playmaker Martin Rivero, who leads the club, and is fourth in MLS, with six assists. The Rapids has a midfield very capable of scoring from distance, with Jamie Castrillon and Jeff Larentowicz combining for seven goals this season.
    One of the biggest factors will be the altitude the team will have to play in at Dicks Sporting Goods Park, but Rennie doesn’t feel it will as much of a factor: "We can’t get too caught up about it psychologically, but also tactically there are a couple of things we can do. It is going to be different when altitude is involved."
    If the Whitecaps are looking to get a result, they will need to play a smart game and not chase the ball around the pitch. Expect them to keep their defensive shape and try to grind out some points against the team that is one place behind them in the table.
    <b>AFTN Editor's Prediction: Colorado Rapids 3 Vancouver Whitecaps 1</b>
    <p>
    Guest

    Mission 2016?

    By Guest, in Some Canadian Guys,

    Update (July 4 11:32pm ET): According to Justino Compeán - president of the Mexican FA and vice-president of Concacaf - if a 2016 version of the Copa America is held, it will be held in the U.S. and feature 10 South American teams and 6 Concacaf ones. The latter six would qualify based on their performance in the 2015 Gold Cup.
    Remember that talk of a 16-team mega Copa America featuring squads from both South America and Concacaf? Well it never really went away. Concacaf officials have travelled to Brazil as part of the Copa Libertadores festivities and will meet their South American counterparts this week to discuss the idea further.
    There is no guarantee Canada would be at this party - proposed for 2016 - but it may represent the soonest chance for this country's long-suffering soccer supporters to see their national mens' team play in a major tournament.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The biggest issue surrounding this tournament would probably centre on which Concacaf teams get to enter, as there wouldn't be enough calendar time for a proper qualification process. I've encountered various scenarios bandied around in the Spanish-language press, such as using the 2013 or 2015 Gold Cup as a qualification process, or basing entry on Fifa rankings at some point in time. Since the South Americans would technically be inviting the North Americans to participate, I suppose they could simply decide arbitrarily who comes. Don't tell me stranger things haven't happened.
    Nothing has been settled yet, but there does seem to be willingness from both sides to make the event happen. In January, the president of the Ecuadorian FA Luis Chiriboga said that the tournament could be held in either the United States or Mexico, with six teams from Concacaf and 10 from South America.
    To be clear, what seems to be being discussed here is not an ongoing tournament but a special Copa America held one year after the regularly scheduled 2015 tournament in Chile to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Conmebol.
    What, readers, do you think? Will this happen? Would Canada be in it? Looking four years out, would our mens' squad be able to hold its own?
    Photo is from Flickr user LGEPR.
    Guest

    Occean to Eintracht Frankfurt

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Olivier Occean has completed a transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt.
    The Canadian international will make the move from Greuther Fuerth after helping lead that club to promotion last season. It can be viewed as a move up, as Frankfurt has been aggressive in the transfer market this window.
    The transfer was said to be for €1.5 million.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    The Canadian futsal team was able to compete with the defending CONCACAF champions for one half yesterday, before ultimately falling 7-3 to Guatemala in the first game of the World Cup qualifying tournament.
    Guatemala has a fully professional futsal league and is considered the class of the region in the sport. The Canadians held a 3-2 lead before Guatemala stormed back with five straight goals.
    Canada can still qualify for the World Cup in Thailand, but it must get a result tonight against the United States (8 p.m. EDT). If the Canucks can do that it will likely set-up a winner take all game against Panama on Wednesday.
    Panama beat the US 5-2 yesterday. Other games saw Mexico and Costa Rica draw 4-4 and Cuba hammer St. Kitts and Nevis 10-0.
    All games can be watched for free on CONCACAF.com.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    One of the hot topics amongst fans at Residency games is always which players do we think can go on and become professional footballers, either with the Whitecaps MLS squad or somewhere else in the world.
    That got us thinking. Who are the top prospects in the Whitecaps Residency program and how would you rank them? So looking at only the current U16s and U18s (who have not signed a MLS contract), that's what we've done.
    We continue our top twenty countdown of Residency talent with a look at numbers 11 to 15.
    The rankings are a snapshot of where the players are in their development combined with the potential they show to develop into professional footballers.
    You can find Part One of the series HERE.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] *******************

    15 - Marco Carducci
    POS: GK
    HT: 5'11"
    YEAR: 1996
    HOMETOWN: Calgary, Alberta
    2011/12 STATS: 14GS, 13GS
    ANALYSIS: Carducci made an impressive debut at his first home game as a Cap, where he made a stop on a penalty early in the match which they won 1-0. The Calgary native is a smaller keeper who relies on his reflexes as well as his command of the box. While he is not afraid to go get the ball in the air Carducci will need to get stronger as he progresses to the next levels of development.
    OUTLOOK: One of the younger players on the U16 side, Carducci is eligible to remain at that level where he will be the odds on favourite to be the number one keeper.
    SCOUT'S TAKE: "Another up and comer for the organization. As one of the younger kids, it’s hard to predict where he’s going to be in a few years. He’s already come along leaps and bounds within the program and will need to continue working with the coaches to learn the game."

    14 - Adam Polakiewicz
    POS: LB
    HT: 5'10"
    YEAR: 1994
    HOMETOWN: Kitchener, Ontario
    2011/12 STATS: 23GP, 20GS, 0G
    ANALYSIS: A player who came to the organization as a midfielder/defender, Polakiewicz has exclusively been a left back for the Residency program. A three time starter for the Canadian national team at the U17 World Cup, he plays a solid physical game on the backline, showing good ability at distributing the ball going forward. Polakiewicz will need to work on his consistency going forward in attack and delivering crosses into the box.
    OUTLOOK: While he is eligible to return to the U18 team for another year, we have heard that Polakiewicz will test his chances in Europe, starting in Poland where he holds citizenship.
    SCOUT'S TAKE: "Another player among the U18s who has improved greatly since his arrival. Possessing a great left foot, Adam's decision making has come along as to when to go forward and when to stay back. He's not afraid to play physical and enjoys the game, giving him a future in the game."

    13 - Wes Cain
    POS: MF
    HT: 5'10"
    YEAR: 1994
    HOMETOWN: Guelph, Ontario
    2011/12 STATS: 26GP, 16GS, 3G
    ANALYSIS: Another native of Ontario, Cain possesses great pace down the right side of the midfield where he displays his athletic ability. He is strong on the ball and has decent finishing ability for a wide midfielder. The one part of his game that Cain will need to work on his distribution ability from the wide side, especially on his crosses into the box.
    OUTLOOK: Cain is eligible to return to the Whitecaps residency program for another season with the U18 team.
    SCOUT'S TAKE: "He's a quick and athletic player who can finish at times, but shows those attributes in flashes. Wes needs to show more extended periods of him impacting the game than he does now."

    12 - Jackson Farmer
    POS: CB
    HT: 6'2"
    YEAR: 1995
    HOMETOWN: Edmonton, Alberta
    2011/12 STATS: 24GP, 24GS, 1G
    ANALYSIS: Named the captain of the U16 team from the beginning of the season, the coaches recognized the leadership ability of the central defender. Farmer is physically mature for his age with room to grow and is a gritty defender who excels at tackling and clearing the box. Having already played for Canada at the U15 level, as a Captain, he was recently called up to a U18 camp for the national team.
    OUTLOOK: Farmer has graduated from the U16 level and will move up to the U18 team where he will be strongly considered as a starter on the backline.
    SCOUT'S TAKE: "Jackson has a physical presence for a young kid. He is huge and still growing into his body. On the pitch he is a leader, is composed and comfortable on the ball and very effective at clearing the ball out of the box. Similar to all the U16s, it will be exciting to see how he develops in the next few years."

    11 - Alex Rowley
    POS: CM
    HT: 5'10"
    YEAR: 1993
    HOMETOWN: Maple Ridge, BC
    2011/12 STATS: 25GP, 19GS, 1G
    ANALYSIS: An all-around footballer, Rowley plays a balanced game as a holding midfielder in the U18 team. He does everything well on the pitch, including playing solid defensively, is strong on the ball and can distribute well in tight spaces. Rowley, who has trained in Europe, possesses many of the intangibles that clubs are looking for on their team.
    OUTLOOK: Having graduated from the Residency program, he will be attending university at SFU where he will look to continue his development.
    SCOUT'S TAKE: "I am very high on Rowley as he has a fantastic workrate, plays a blue collar type of game and is prepared to get stuck doing a lot of the dirty work required by the team. Having said that he has the ability to play but must work on his long range passing and decision making at times."
    **********
    Before we end part two of our countdown, we wanted to note that not every player could make the Top Twenty. Some missed out through either injury or not having seen them play enough for the Caps this season.
    So we felt it was only right to have some honourable mentions and in the first two parts of our countdown. Last week we looked at the U16s who just missed out and today it's the U18s.
    U18 Honourable Mentions
    There were three players who were unable to crack our Top 20 Residency players from the U18 squad for various reasons. We feel Tim Hickson was miscast as a central defender when he was converted from a midfielder. If he is looking to continue his work towards a pro career his option would be a holding midfielder. Jason Van Blerk, according to our scout, is one of the most athletically gifted player among the U18s but will have to work on his technical skills and avoid the injury bug as he continues his development at SFU. The U18 backup keeper Sean Melvin suffered a knee injury early this season and was unable to get on track but should return to the U18 team where he will be the number one keeper.
    Guest
    It's the halfway point, time to look back and analyze what happened.
    Marc Tougas (CP) shares his surprises and deception on the Impact's first ever half of a season in MLS as well as his expectations for the rest of the way. We do the same exercize league-wide with Jonathan Tannenwald (Philly.com) and we cross the pond to wrap-up the Euro 2012 tournament and discuss the main transfer headlines with Cedric Ferreira (France 24) in Paris.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here to listen to our 40 minutes weekly show.
    You can also pick us up on the Canadian iTunes Store and on Stitcher Radio (www.stitcher.com)
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