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    Guest
    The Canadian Soccer Alumni association, including 11 former national team captains has publicly endorsed Victor Montagliani as their choice for CSA president in the upcoming elections.
    The former captains include: Paul Stalteri, Mike Sweeney, Enzo Concina, John Limniatis, Frank Yallop, Bob Iarusci, Jim Douglas, Colin Miller, Mark Watson, Bruce Twamley and Jason Devos.
    You can read the whole statement from John McGrane, president of the Alumni Association, after the jump.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ____
    PRESS RELEASE
    The Canadian Soccer Association Annual General Meeting will be taking place on May 5, 2012 in Ottawa. At this AGM, the membership will be electing a President to take the Association forward over the next four years.
    This CSA Presidential election campaign is being contested by the incumbent, Dr. Dominque Maestracci from Quebec, Rob Newman from Saskatchewan and Victor Montagliani from British Columbia. The Canadian Soccer Alumni Men’s Association would like to congratulate all three candidates for their willingness to help move soccer forward.
    After diligent consultation with our members, the Alumni Association has agreed that we, as former Canadian International players, will be endorsing and showing our support for current CSA Vice President Victor Montagliani in this campaign for the Canadian Soccer Association’s Presidency.
    The Canadian Soccer Association is proudly celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2012 and, in conjunction with this historic milestone, the CSA has commenced a new governance reform movement that is designed to form a future CSA board of directors that will have a more national, rather than provincial, vision for the overall governance of the game of soccer in Canada. As the Association moves forward with this new governance model, it is important that the CSA has a strong leader at the helm during this critical time.
    The overwhelming consensus among the Canadian Soccer Alumni Association membership is that Mr. Montagliani has the overall technical knowledge and business/corporate background that the role of President requires. We believe Mr. Montagliani possesses the best ability to lead the Association as it seeks to deliver a clear pathway for player and coaching development throughout Canada, build strong relationships with corporate Canada, as well as nurture solid and professional relationships between all the various stake holders throughout the country.
    Mr. Montagliani strongly feels that creating an atmosphere of collaboration with all stakeholders is critical for our game to fulfill its growth potential on this country. As the CSA Vice President, he has worked diligently in his role as Chair of the National Teams committee, fought to protect the Canadian quota required of our domestic MLS teams, presented a solid vision for the growth of professional soccer in Canada and has demonstrated a strong understanding of the importance of creating consensus on a governance level.
    Quite simply, we strongly feel that Mr. Montagliani’s combination of passion and experience is what the sport of soccer in Canada needs to go forward in a more positive direction. He understands the game inside out, is a national B license coach and he played the game at a good level, representing Canada along the way. When combined with his impressive private sector business and governance experience, it was clear to our membership that Mr. Montagliani was the obvious choice for the presidency of the Canadian Soccer Association over the next quadrennial. All three candidates are worthy candidates for this position based on their experience and dedication to the game but we feel that Mr. Montagliani is best suited and most likely to lead our nation back to the level that we once enjoyed and where we can return.
    The following list of former captains of the Canadian Men's National Team, spanning a period of time from the early 1970's to 2011 wish to have their endorsement of Victor Montagliani publicly noted. Those former captains are Paul Stalteri, Mike Sweeney, Enzo Concina, John Limniatis, Frank Yallop, Bob Iarusci, Jim Douglas, Colin Miller, Mark Watson, Bruce Twamley and Jason Devos.
    In addition, Les Wilson, who had an extremely distinguished professional playing career and served as Team Manager for some of Canada’s most successful national teams, including the 1986 World Cup squad, wishes to be included among those the Alumni Association members who are publicly endorsing Mr. Montagliani.
    John McGrane
    President, Canadian Soccer Alumni Association
    Guest
    By Michael Crampton
    A month and a half ago, with Toronto FC nearing the conclusion of their epic CONCACAF Champions League run, Aron Winter faced the question of how to approach league games at the start of a season when seemingly more important matches loomed a few days later. Now, with the season off to a worse start than possibly imaginable, the Amway Canadian Championship for the Voyageurs Cup is set to kick off once again and Winter faces another stretch of managing two competitions at once.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]In the very recent past any game between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact would have been a rare and important enough event on the Canadian soccer calendar to not even merit the question of whether Toronto should field a full strength line-up. Now however, with the Impact’s elevation to Major League Soccer and the league’s decision to move to a regionally focused league schedule, Wednesday night’s game will actually be only the second of five scheduled meetings between the clubs in 2012. In addition, having just journeyed to Montreal to watch the first ever league match between the two clubs four weeks ago, it seems most TFC supporters are taking a pass on repeating the trip in such short succession so, for the first time ever, Toronto is unlikely to have significant away support at the match.
    Frankly, there is no good way for Toronto FC to approach this match. To restore any degree of confidence and attempt to change the already coalescing narrative for the season the team desperately needs a victory wherever they can find one. That suggests the only option is to ignore the dangers of exhausting the players who gave so much effort in Salt Lake City four days ago and starting the very best team available. The danger though, even ignoring how such a decision would affect Saturday’s match against DC United, is that if a full strength squad is soundly defeated at the Olympic Stadium it will further damage what little is left of their surely faltering self belief.
    In a perfect world the Reds would have had at least a reasonable start to their MLS campaign by this point and could possibly consider rotating in some players on the fringe of the first squad to give them a chance at match action. Aron Winter consistently repeats his mantra that “every match is important” but surely that doesn’t necessitate starting the exact same eleven in every competitive fixture. With a squad of more than 25 players getting what is available out of every position on the roster over the course of a season has to be one of the goals of any MLS manager. What would it say about the confidence Aron Winter has in the rest of his team if none of players beyond the first 15 regulars are capable of stepping up and contributing when the team needs a result?
    For their part, the Impact seem like a squad with the depth available to comfortably handle two domestic competitions and should be relishing the opportunity to satisfy their supporters by heaping misery on a worse than struggling Toronto FC. Head coach Jesse Marsch’s emphasis on a team with significant MLS experience can be seen in the players he is able to call on when the squad is rotated. In fact, in a surprise to most, Montreal was able to voluntarily drop both club captain Davy Arnaud and Canadian international Patrice Bernier from the starting line-up in the previous match against the Reds. The gambit paid off as one of their replacements, midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic, opened the scoring in the Impact’s eventual 2-1 victory.
    That win in early April was the first of Impact’s season but they should draw further confidence from the fact that they remain undefeated at home. After finally picking up a point on the road in DC the schedule was kind to Montreal as they had a week and a half to prepare for the visit of the Western Conference’s bottom club the Portland Timbers last weekend. A 2-0 victory in that match was the club’s first clean sheet in MLS play and sets them up well for the visit of TFC.
    All things considered a draw would be an excellent result for Toronto and probably a let off for Montreal. In a week’s time it will be the Impact who are travelling to an away match on the back of playing at the home of one of the league’s best teams and they should seek to take advantage of their home and schedule advantage while they have it. Granted, what sort of state Toronto FC will be in at that juncture is an open question but, for them, taking advantage of their higher seed in the tournament and making sure that the second leg will be the decisive fixture in the tie has to be the goal at this point.
    Guest

    Inside The Box: Resistance is Futile

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    I had something else in mind for <i>'Inside the Box'</i> this month, but the recent uproar over Monday night’s comments on <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/extratime#downloads'>http://www.mlssoccer.com/extratime#downloads" target="_blank">ExtraTime Radio</a> has certainly piqued my interest.
    <a href="http://www.twitter.com/simonborg" target="_blank">Simon Borg</a>, senior editor and on-air analyst for <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com" target="_blank">MLSsoccer.com</a>, managed to ruffle more than a few feathers with his comments on female soccer fans, and his statements regarding a woman’s right to be a 'super fan' but how that might be a ‘turnoff’ for most men.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Here's the summary: (Since the podcast has since been removed from the site, this might be all you get.)
    Towards the end of the April 30th ETR podcast, the hosts were reading emails from listeners addressing the effect a love of soccer can have on your love life. The consensus was that, in order for relationship/marital bliss, never get involved with someone who doesn’t love soccer as much as you do.
    Now here’s where Borg managed to put his foot firmly into his mouth:
    <i>“It’s fine if you want to be a ‘super fan’ and you are a female. That’s fine, that’s your choice. There is something to be said for how appealing that might be to the other sex. Just having a woman that’s such a fan… painting your face… tuning in to every podcast… I just… I don’t know how many males are into that.
    It’s cool for women to be into it, but for the guy that wants to be in a serious relationship, do you really want that? If you are such a diehard, there might be a point where that becomes a turnoff.”</i>
    But, while some female fans out there are hoping Borg will now choke on that foot of his, there are others who, like me, can’t help but wonder “what’s the big deal?”
    As a female sports fan I am used to being the minority, but it appears that I am also in the minority within the female sports fan sector. In the same vein that many of my female friends cannot understand my desire to spend my weekends in pubs and stadiums, or use my vacation time to travel around the USA as part of <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23CapsonTour" target="_blank">#CapsOnTour</a>, there are many men out there who would consider me a poor choice for a girlfriend.
    <b>AND THAT’S OKAY.</b>
    I don’t want to date a man who doesn’t like sports, just as I don’t want to be the girlfriend of a man who is wearing body paint from head-to-toe. However, when I see couples painted up and screaming at games together, I think to myself, “match made in heaven.”
    So if Borg doesn’t want to date a ‘super fan’, or if there are men out there who agree with him, there are also loads of men out there who would relish the opportunity to share their love of the beautiful game with their girlfriend or spouse.
    If you take issue with Borg being a spokesperson for the MLS, that I can understand.
    Just as any public figure or role model should think before they speak, Borg’s comments were certainly biased and showed more than a little ignorance, but the desire to have Borg’s head on a platter goes a little too far in the opposite direction for my liking.
    The <a href="http://www.womenunitedfc.com" target="_blank">Women United Football Club</a>, a growing online community for MLS-loving women (which I am proud to be a member of), is at the forefront of the fight against Borg and has taken their fight to the <a href="http://www.twitter.com/wunitedfc" target="_blank">twitterverse</a> saying, <i>“Simon Borg says a lot of things that are meant to cause controversy. [sic] But this has crossed the line. We won’t ignore it.”</i> They even donned the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23WUFCvsBORG" target="_blank">#WUFCvsBORG</a> and will be appearing on the May 3rd episode of ETR to ensure their opposition to his comments are heard.
    Having listened to the podcast in question, and I’m sure glad I did when I had the chance, I did not get the feeling that Borg ever called female football fans “ugly” or “inherently unattractive,” as some of the people on twitter are suggesting. I can’t help but wonder how many of them actually listened to the podcast, or are just jumping at the opportunity to argue about sexism in sports.
    If Borg had said that most men found plastic surgery unattractive, would that have upset women? I would imagine that most women would be congratulating him on his progressive view and his maturity. Sadly, that is not the case.
    So I suppose what we have learned is that, not only does a relationship depend on finding someone who loves sports as much as you do, it’s also important to find someone who takes Simon Borg’s comments only as seriously as you do too.
    I'm dying to know what the men out there are thinking about all of this. Comment below or find me on twitter at @djwendo and share your thoughts.
    <p>
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps once again start in their pursuit of the silverware that has eluded them when they face FC Edmonton at Commonwealth Stadium. They came close to capturing the Cup last season, leading TFC 2-1 in the two leg final with 30 minutes to go when it was called off due to BMO Field being washed out in a lightning storm. As we all know, the replay, held about a month later, did not go as well and they lost the match in the midst of a long road trip.
    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    Having yet to register a goal this season, starting against FC Edmonton may be the perfect tonic for <b>Eric Hassli</b> to get out his slump and gain confidence. He will go up against a smaller backline which struggles against bigger strikers and should be able to dominate physically.
    If there is such a thing as a DP in the NASL, <b>Yashir Pinto</b> would be that player for FCE, the striker having played for one the top clubs in Chile. In addition to that he has played on numerous youth national sides for his country and scored 8 goals in 20 caps for the Chilean U20 side.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    It looks as though <b>Alain Rochat</b> will be in the starting eleven for the Whitecaps but it may not be in his normal position. There is a chance that the Canadian born defender will play in the middle of the backline, which will cause less stress on his recovering knee.
    The former Whitecaps residency and Trinity Western product, <b>Paul Hamilton</b> was arguably Edmonton’s best defender last season. While he is not very big, the former Canada West 'player of the year' is solid in the air and is a danger to score on set pieces.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    While he has yet to play a match in the MLS this season, <b>Carlyle Mitchell</b> has been one of the best players for the Whitecaps in the reserve games played so far this year. The defender is strong on the ball, rarely makes a misstep when defending and is great in the air on either side of the pitch.
    Another former Residency product <b>Kyle Porter</b> is a dangerous player on the wing for the Eddies. He has a solid combination of size, pace and crossing ability. The Whitecaps did offer the youngster a MLS contract but Porter wasn’t happy with the terms so he has a point to prove to his former employers.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    4W-2D-2L
    3rd in Western Conference
    Last Match: 1-0 Win at Columbus Crew
    Edmonton:
    0W-1D-3L
    8th in NASL
    Last Match: 4-3 Loss vs Minnesota Stars
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>GAME PREDICTION :</b>
    The month of May will be a busy one for the Whitecaps as they could potentially play 8 games in 24 days if they advance to the Voyageurs Cup Final. In order to do that they will have to first defeat FC Edmonton, of the NASL, in a two leg semi-final. While the talk leading up to the game from the Whitecaps has been about how anything can happen on the pitch, it would have to be considered a major upset if they don’t get past this second year squad.
    Martin Rennie will employ a much different lineup against the Division 2 side than the one that beat Columbus Crew on Saturday night. Brad Knighton should see his first start of the season in place of Joe Cannon and his backline will have a new look as well. Also getting their first starts of the season will be Greg Klazura at right back, Russell Teibert at left back and Carlyle Mitchell as one of the center backs.
    FC Edmonton is more technical than big up front, so Alain Rochat may see a start as a central defender next to Mitchell. Boxall may have been deemed not have been swift enough to play against Edmonton, whilst Bonjour may not have had familiarity with Mitchell. Another reason to have Rochat in the middle is his calming influence, which will be a benefit to his younger team-mates, and there is less running at this position for his knee
    The midfield should have assistant captain John Thorrington pairing with Gershon Koffie as the holding midfielders, with Davide Chiumiento playing in an attacking role. There is an outside chance Floyd Franks could see a start, as the former Railhawk played last season against Edmonton.
    The combination up front could be any one of many combos but Rennie may use his size advantage by starting Eric Hassli and Atiba Harris. Returning from injury Michael Nanchoff could also see a start on the left wing and provide his distribution abilities.
    The Whitecaps will look to try and overpower the smaller Edmonton defenders and establish dominance inside the box. Despite having less experience at the wing back position, don’t expect Rennie to change his tactics, as both positions will be expected to attack wide and supply crosses into Harris and Hassli. Chiumiento will key, playing behind Hassli, as he will look to be the connection through the middle and try to find the attackers on going forward.
    It’ll be up to Thorrington and his partner to control the midfield against the typical Dutch 4-3-3 formation that Edmonton employs. The attacks for Edmonton will most likely come from the wings, with young Canadians Shaun Saiko and Kyle Porter both being able to break down defenders along with sending crosses into the box.
    FC Edmonton are looking to put on a good show and avoid giving up an away goal, so the Caps could do some damage to the Albertans mentality by getting an early one. If the underdogs have any hope to upset Vancouver, and advance to the final, they will need to get the victory in the first leg. While most expect the Caps to pick up the win, a draw would do just as well, especially if they can pick up an away goal going into the second leg next week in BC Place.
    <b>AFTN Predicted Score: Edmonton FC 0 Vancouver Whitecaps 2</b>
    <p>
    Guest

    Affare fatto!

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    An agreement in principle is reached between the Impact and Marco Di Vaio
    SoccerPlus has learned that the Montreal Impact and Marco Di Vaio have come to terms last Thursday for the coming of former Italian international Marco Di Vaio in La Belle Province in the coming weeks.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Asked to comment on this information on Tuesday, the Montreal club's spokesperson said there would not be any official declaration on the matter.
    According to our sources, this deal would be a standard MLS, one year plus three or two years with a two-year option. Only the details on Di Vaio's liberation from his Serie A side are left to settle since his current contract with Bologna expires in June 2013.
    Last week, SoccerPlus reported that Di Vaio's wife was in Montreal at the beginning of April to shop for a future appartment or house.
    Marco Di Vaio, who will turn 36 on July 15 helped Bologna to remain in Serie A next season. In 34 league games this season, he played 2560 minutes (75 mins/match) and scored 10 goals. Since the fall of 2008, he scored 65 goals in 140 Serie A games, which in his case represents a strike rate higher than 0.5 goal/90 minutes.
    In 19 professional seasons, he played 18 in top flights in Italy, Spain and France. He wore the uniform of Lazio, Salerno, Parma, Juventus, Valencia, Monaco and Genoa before landing in Bologna for the 2008-09 campaign.
    He won one Scudetto (Juventus 2002-03), one Coppa Italia (Parma 2001-02), three Italian Super Cups and a UEFA SUper Cup (Valencia 2004-05). He was also an unused sub in Juventus Champions League final loss to AC Milan in May 2003 in Manchester.
    On the international scene, Di Vaio scored two goals in 14 games with the Squadra Azzuri between 2001 and 2004. He played the final seven minutes of the Euro 2004 group match victory over Bulgaria in replacement of Marco Materrazzi, another confirmed Montreal recruitment target these last few months.
    Currently 11th in the table with three games to go, Bologna clinched its spot in next year's Serie A championship by defeating Genoa 3-2 at home on Sunday (the second goal was set by Di Vaio), combined to Lecce's 2-1 loss to Parma. Bologna will play its final three games on Wednesday May 2 in Catania, Sunday May 6 at home against Napoli and Sunday May 13 in Parma.
    An official announcement from Montreal could be expected in mid to late May.
    Guest
    When Halifax pulled out of consideration as a Women's World Cup host city last month, due to its (unsurprising) decision not to fund a suitable stadium, it seemed the lineup of 2015 host cities was set: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Moncton. Six host cities needed, six contenders, perfect.
    The Canadian Soccer Association is, oddly, still treating the host city lineup as a surprise, convening a big press conference (featuring Sepp Blatter, oh boy!) this Friday in Ottawa to make the official announcement. Well, fair enough, I guess. It's a big tournament, a big deal, no harm in a little pomp and circumstance to get people excited.
    But there was a real concern, right up until Monday, that Ottawa's participation (the city, that is, not the federal government) could still be in question, even as CSA and FIFA officials smiled and waved from Parliament Hill.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The redevelopment of Lansdowne Park in Ottawa -- site of Frank Clair Stadium, which hosted games in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, before promptly falling to bits -- had been delayed by protests and appeals from a group called Friends of Lansdowne, who will say that they're just concerned taxpayers, but who I will (probably unfairly) characterize as implacable NIMBYs from the Glebe.
    But finally, thankfully, it appears the project is set to go ahead, thanks to a ruling on Monday from the Ontario Court of Appeal. Sure, there's probably merit in some Friends of Lansdowne complaints, and the project (like every development project in human history) will probably be delayed and over budget.
    But for the purposes of our narrow-minded interest in Canadian soccer, a thorough and unreserved HURRAH! for the decision.
    We can now be reasonably assured that Ottawa will indeed be ready to host the Women's World Cup in 2015 (preventing a horribly embarrassing theoretical situation in which the CSA would need to beg Toronto to get on board, at the 11th hour), and will have a home for its NASL franchise, set to begin play in 2014.
    And, y'know, if you like the CFL, it's good news for your Rough Riders/Renegades/whatever they'll be called next too. Just don't let anyone named Glieberman near the team.
    With Toronto busying itself showcasing its "world-class" credentials by hosting a non-world-class sporting tournament (the Pan Am Games) in 2015, whilst the rest of the country takes care of a legitimately world-class event (the Women's World Cup), having the nation's capital also fall out of the mix would have been devastating.
    But as it is, we can now breathe a sigh of a relief -- and also get excited about the prospect of a five-team Voyageurs Cup in just two years' time.
    .
    Guest

    Weekly Analysis & Commentary Show

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    Is the Patrice Bernier situation becoming a negative distraction for the Montreal Impact?
    We discuss this question with Pat Leduc (LaPresse/RDS) as we return on Montreal's 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers over the weekend, making Les Bleus undefeated (2-0-1) so far at home this season. We also talk about the virulent criticism of away teams on the Big O turf.
    Marc Tougas (CP) talks CSA elections with the Quebec angle and also weighs in on what's becoming "The Bernier Situation" in town.
    We revisit last weekend's action in MLS with our American correspondents Lisa Erickson (www.centerlinesoccer.com) and Jonathan Tannenwald (www.philly.com) and peek at the battles still to be fought in the main European leagues with our French correspondent Cedric Ferreira (France 24) in Paris.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Enjoy our show, by clicking here!
    We are currently experiencing difficulties with our feed on the iTunes Store and on Stitcher and we hope to resume regular service soon. Thanks for your patience.
    Guest
    Ontario has gone from one extreme to the other in the handling of its CSA presidential vote – but the overall effect hasn’t really changed.
    Just after an interview with Canadian Soccer News back in mid-March, just as the phone call was winding down, OSA president Ron Smale let slip that Ontario was going to publicly announce its choice for president publicly a week before the May 5 vote.
    Smale described this to me as a bid to get the selection process out of the backrooms.
    This idea carried some real weight, because Canada’s largest province holds 25% of the overall vote. Whomever Ontario backs is halfway home.
    But as last weekend’s OSA AGM wound down, it became very clear that no public announcement was coming.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    So off we go, scurrying about, picking up crumbs and clues. Turns out, the OSA board did not share its president’s desire for complete transparency. Another quite different approach was ultimately adopted.
    Here’s Smale himself, in an e-mail to me yesterday:
    ---
    Ben:
    At our Board meeting this past weekend during discussions it was the board’s decision to keep our choice as a "secret ballot". As such each board member completed a secret ballot of their choice. The ballots were collected and sealed in an envelope. The envelope will be opened at the CSA-AGM next weekend by the Executive Committee and the candidate with the most votes will be announced as our endorsement going forward.
    Ron Smale
    President - The Ontario Soccer Association
    ---
    In other words, nobody – not even Ron Smale – knows for certain who’s getting Ontario’s votes in the first round of presidential balloting.
    If so, that should – indeed – keep matters out of the back room.
    Even though the final vote counts for each province won’t even be determined until after the CSA convenes this weekend, we know for mathematical certainly both Ontario and Quebec will hold 25% shares of the vote. That’s the maximum, and both provinces would hold more than that if their true percentages of player registration fees were used.
    Quebec fully intends to back sitting CSA president Dominique Maestracci in the opening round. Ontario is expected to vote for either Rob Newman (widely believed to be Smale’s personal preference) or Victor Montagliani.
    Quebec’s second choice (should Maestracci not survive to a second ballot) is less clear. As noted previously, QSF president Martial Prud’homme seems to be leaning Newman, while his board is thought to prefer Montagliani.
    To have Ontario arrive at this crucial election with a literally sealed ballot, and the real possibility that no one in their delegation actually knows for certain what’s in there?
    Well, it’s a novel approach, to be certain. If they actually pull it off, it will be very hard for any potential deal makers to know what deals they need to make.
    What’s less clear, though, is how Ontario will vote in the balloting for the six elected regional board seats. Certainly, they will back Nick Bontis, their own chosen candidate for the Ontario slot. But Smale has yet to answer my queries about whether the OSA board has expressed preferences in the other races.
    If so, how does it work? This is a complex balloting process, with multiple elections and fluid voting scenarios.
    If not, is Smale making the choices? A small group of advisors?
    I’ll let you know as soon as I get clarification.
    What makes this all the more intriguing is that Smale, himself, is a noted back-room operator – a huge driving force behind the compromise reform package passed a year ago, when it seemed likely the original plan was doomed to defeat.
    To have Ontario’s vote handled this way – with total secrecy not only replacing Smale’s promised openness, but apparently trumping it in the stated goal of eliminating backroom deals – is quite the intriguing development.
    Onward!
    Guest

    It's Called a Hiatus

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    It's Called Football will be away this week as we work on other things. We've been hinting that this could come up over the next month, so we appreciate your patience.
    We'll be back next week. If you're looking for a fix, there are a few links to the archives after the jump
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Subscribe and download It's Called Football on iTunes
    Subscribe and download It's Called Football for other devices
    Follow us on Twitter for updates on guests and shows
    Guest
    Show me a team that can win ugly and I'll show you a team that will win trophies.
    Now don't get me wrong. In no way am I saying right now that Vancouver Whitecaps are going to be anywhere close to being MLS champions, but look back at some of the best championship sides around the world over the years and you'll see teams that have won with late goals, undeserved victories, lots of luck and avoided losing despite playing poorly.
    If you are a Caps fans, the game in Columbus was not an enjoyable one to watch for most of the ninety minutes.
    You just kept waiting for the sky to fall in, but this isn't the 2011 Whitecaps we're talking about and that's a big difference and why we're now sitting on 14 points after eight games.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Somehow, we came away from Ohio with three points and that's ultimately the main thing that matters.
    I'm half expecting the team to turn up at training on Monday wearing highwayman's masks.
    The Whitecaps performance was like some of my old girlfriends. Not the prettiest but it got the job done.
    And like some of those girls, they were tight at the back but a bit sloppy up front.
    That was one hell of a test for the Whitecaps defence and they held firm. I'm still not quite sure how, but they did.
    It's getting to the stage that we just need to cut and paste this in to the reports every week, but once again, Y-P Lee was immense.
    It was great to see him get his first goal in a Caps jersey, as flukey as it was, and we certainly had lady luck on our side at times.
    When Columbus has two goals disallowed in the opening minutes, you feared the worst.
    Full credit to Lee, Martin Bonjour and Jun Marques Davidson for helping us to our sixth clean sheet in eight games.
    Rennieball isn't going to be spectacular to watch at times, especially away from home, but the team that Martin built is going to be hard to break down.
    We just need to work on the fact that when teams do get that breakthrough, it can go off the rails big time.
    Jay DeMerit had a shocker out there for the first hour, and the US international was shown up time and again by rookie Aaron Schoenfeld. He was only saved more embarrassment by the 22 year old going off injured in the 57th minute and then DeMerit came on to a game and was the Jay of old.
    With the midfield we had out there, it was never going to be spectacular and full of flair. You had three workmanlike performers, but you knew that magical spark wasn't likely to come.
    The overall passing of the team was pretty disappointing. A 68% passing accuracy for an away game, in which you want to try and have some control on the match and what you do in it, is worrisome.
    Not as much as the 37.2% possession stats though. Columbus must be looking at the overall post game stats and wondering how the hell they didn't get something from this game. But even after all that, they only managed two shots on target, compared to Vancouver's three. Therein lies the tale.
    Our attack is so lacking something right now.
    We badly missed Camilo out there, just to give some spark, if not all round team effort. Sebastien Le Toux needs to be playing as an out and out striker. He's being wasted.
    Omar Salgado had some good glimpses and I like what I'm seeing from the kid recently. He seems to have a whole new attitude and zest for life.
    Then we come to Eric Hassli.
    I'm not going to dwell on his drought quite yet. He knows he's not scoring, we all know he's not scoring, and the frustration was played out in front of everyone when he was subbed off in the 73rd minute and took it out on the dugout.
    I'm happy to see he was angry and frustrated. I would like to think that it's because he didn't score rather than the fact he was taken off. We'll try and find that out.
    What Hassli, and the whole team, needs right now is some pressure from the squad members.
    The attack in particular have it fairly easy with Darren Mattocks and Etienne Barbara still being injured. By the end of next month, they should hopefully be in a position to challenge for a starting place and then we'll see the competition for spots that will hopefully provide a vital spark.
    It's going to be interesting to see what kind of team Martin Rennie puts out against Edmonton on Wednesday.
    We'll get a rough idea on Tuesday, as the players that are not travelling will be training in Vancouver in the morning, with the rest training in Edmonton later that day.
    I'm a little torn. We shouldn't, and can't afford to, take Edmonton too lightly, but should be more than strong enough to see them off with a mix of first teamers and fringe players.
    The reserve guys struggled a little in their last two games (against Washington Huskies and Portland Timbers), especially up front, so I would be a little bit nervous about relying solely on them to get the job done.
    I think we'll see players like Cannon, DeMerit and Le Toux staying in BC, but I'd like to see Hassli get the start and hopefully get some confidence boosting goals. That could backfire of course, if he then doesn't score and feels he couldn't score against a D2 side.
    No offence intended to Edmonton, but you would expect your DP striker to find the net on such an occasion.
    I'm confident with whoever plays at the back, especially with Carlyle Mitchell, and Alain Rochat is rumoured to be aiming at getting back into action at Commonwealth Stadium.
    A good performance from some players in this game, could make Rennie's starting choices a lot more interesting.
    The main thing is to come away with a win and no injuries.
    Saturday's upcoming game against San Jose is huge. They already hold a five point gap and giving them eight, even at this early stage, will be a hard ask to claw back the way they are playing.
    The strikers are due a break out game soon. There would be no better time to do it than against the Conference leaders.
    'Mon the Caps.
    <center>********************</center>
    <b>AFTN 3-2-1 :</b>
    3 points - YOUNG-PYO LEE (Running out of superlatives, but deserves all the praise going)
    2 points - JOE CANNON (Another couple of big saves that kept us in the match and ultimately helped us to the win)
    1 point - JUN MARQUES DAVIDSON (Understated in many ways, but is such a key cog to the whole backline now)
    <p>
    Guest
    That hurt.
    Not the loss of a point – points frankly don't matter much anymore. The playoffs are a farfetched idea that would require TFC to play at Supporter's Shield pace the rest of the way. What really hurt was the way that it happened – piercing, soul crushing, devastating.
    In the moments after, I received a message from a Montreal Impact supporter expressing their empathy for the way it shook out. When fans of your biggest rivals are feeling for you, you know that things are going bad.
    I'm sure that many TFC fans were less charitable. Actually, I'd imagine that TFC's biggest critics last night were their own frustrated fans. Seven losses in a row will get to anyone. It's hard to watch when you are emotionally invested in a team. It's really hard to watch when there are no easy answers for what is going wrong.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Reds played OK last night – better than OK in the second half. Salt Lake is a fine team and if this was a normal season you could focus on the positives – Julian de Guzman's best MLS game of the year, Eric Avila's good form and the way that the team stepped up the intensity after the break being the most encouraging.
    But, it's not a normal game. The reaction is not going to be normal. It would be unrealistic to expect it to be.
    It's likely that for most the impulse will be to react with anger in stadium next Saturday – rage they will claim is directed at management, rather than the players. It will be impossible to tell the difference.
    I am not here to tell you how to be a fan. If you want to boo and create a negative environment at the stadium Saturday there is little anyone can do to stop you. As stated, your frustration is understandable. No one likes what's going on.
    However, I am going to suggest that you take a different approach. If you really feel that MLSE and TFC are not giving their full effort towards winning then you need to do the only thing that will really resonate with management – not go. A sea of empty seats will convey your dissatisfaction far more effectively than any banner, chant or in-stadium protest.
    When you are in the supporter's club culture it's easy to get lost in the echo chamber. Whereas you might think that there is widespread interest in a protest, there isn't. The vast majority of fans in the stadium want to enjoy themselves during the game. They might boo from time to time and you likely could get them to agree with you that “MLSE sucks” while waiting in line for a beer. But, that's as far as it goes. For them, TFC is a distraction, not the all-encompassing lifestyle it is for you.
    That means that any of the following (all ideas I've read on the message boards) will not have the desired effect:

    Cheering all of DeRo's touches.
    Wearing DC United black
    Leaving seats after opening kick-off
    Sitting down in supporter's section.
    Rather than having any sort of meaningful impact, those ideas will alienate you with the vast majority of supporters in the stadium.
    So, stay home. Write your ticket rep to tell them what you're doing so the club gets the message that they need to improve or they risk losing your loyalty.
    By staying home you make your statement in a way that you're comfortable with, while allowing those that do go to make their statement the way they want to.
    For every supporter that feels that they have to stand up to the club and voice their anger there is a supporter that feels as strongly that their role is to support the players. Many feel that you should sing loudest when the team is losing. They can't do that effectively when there is a cesspool of negativity in the stands.
    Those type of supporters are unfairly labeled as naive, or, even, as part of the problem. They're not. They have a different perspective on what it means to be a supporter – less Italian Ultras, more Fever Pitch. You bitch and moan all week about the club, and use lots of dark humor, and are as critical as anyone about them, but when the game starts you support. Fully. Loyally. Till you die.
    As most know, I'm a lifelong Manchester City supporter. As a blue I tell you with full sincerity that I am proud of the number 35. Of course I would have liked to see more success over the years, but the essence of City to me is the faith and loyalty that “35 years and we're still here” represents.
    It's why I'm no more proud of the club today than I was when a top 10 finish was a great year. Don't get me wrong – I LOVE winning now. But, winning isn't why I support City. I support the club because something about it spoke to me all those years ago. Today, it's become like family to me.
    You don't shit on family when they're down. You try to help them up.
    Again, I am not trying to tell you how to support. But, if you saw the devastation on the player's faces last night after Salt Lake's winner you must understand that they are as hurt and confused by the losing as you are. Likely, more so.
    To me if there was ever a time to support Toronto FC, it's now.
    You have a week to decide TFC fans...
    Guest
    There are occasions when you're just not sure whether to laugh or cry. Sometimes, drinking is a good way to split the difference. The aftermath of Toronto FC's loss on Saturday night was one of those times.
    Anyone who's spent any time following Toronto sports teams -- specifically TFC -- knew exactly how it was going to end, even if they momentarily (foolishly) allowed themselves to dream otherwise. Doneil Henry's goal was always just going to be a cruel trick, inflating our sense of hope just long enough to have it all catastrophically ripped away in the game's final moments.
    Believers in karma would tell you that the dwindling group of masochists who voluntarily call themselves Toronto FC fans clearly must have all done something very, very bad in their previous lives.
    And the calls are getting louder and louder from the armchair economists: Vote with your dollars. Show the team, show the coach, show MLSE that this record-tying run of futility is unacceptable. Stay home from the games. Don't watch on TV. Give up on the team. Do what good consumers do.
    So why -- why? -- do I find myself more desperate, more eager and more enthusiastic about seeing the team get a win than ever before?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I've followed the team since its inception, but never counted myself among the ranks of any supporters group. The season-ending 5-0 loss to New York a few years back was one of the most devastating results of my life as a sports fan. When the team plays, I always want them to win, which is how I imagine all sports fans feel about the teams they follow.
    But winning is never guaranteed. I don't support the teams I support because I believe that my financial or emotional investment will always have a return. I don't support the teams because I believe that winning a game, or a tournament, or a trophy, will have a discernible long-term impact on the quality of my life (in fact, following Toronto sports teams has almost certainly had a deleterious effect overall).
    I follow the teams because -- for some inexplicable and utterly illogical reason -- I'm the sort of person who cannot help but be psychologically enthralled by the fortunes of whatever collection of mostly-foreign athletes happens to be earning their paycheques playing in the same city where I randomly happened to have been born.
    It's irrational, unreasonable and will probably take years off my life. But I can't help it. And that ridiculous addiction doesn't end when the team goes on a losing streak.
    Some people take a different (and probably much more mentally healthy) approach. Some people treat sports teams like other products and services, which carry a reasonable guarantee of return on investment. If you buy a microwave and it doesn't heat your food, you'll return it to the store. Maybe you'll never buy that brand again. Consumer goods are defective if they don't do what they're supposed to do 100% of the time.
    Sports teams aren't microwaves. They're all going to be somewhat defective. (Or, if you're from Toronto, highly defective.) And if you think of sports teams like you think of microwaves, then you might be among the growing chorus of people looking to abandon ship (permanently or otherwise) when it comes to Toronto FC.
    It's your time and money. Do with it what you want. Maybe you've got kids and a mortgage, and continuing to invest in a defective microwave of a team simply isn't feasible anymore. Maybe in a few years' time, I'll be in the same boat and look back on my current mind set as ridiculously naive and destructive.
    And y'know what, perhaps I'm a sucker. Perhaps I'm part of the problem. Perhaps it's because of people like me that teams owned by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment can keep stinking up the joint while continuing to draw crowds.
    But the thing is, when I watch one of my teams play, I don't think, "the money I'm spending is a vote of confidence in the board of directors of whatever corporate conglomerate owns this franchise." What I'm thinking is, "I want my team to win. If they do, I'll be happy. If they don't, I'll be pissed off."
    It's childishly simplistic, of course, but that's inherent in sports fandom, whether we choose to readily admit it or not.
    An 0-7 start might be enough to turn some people off of Toronto FC for the season, or forever. But for me, paradoxically, it only strengthens a stubborn, resolute desire to see things through, in the feeble, likely-delusional hope that all of my increasingly-pitiable emotional investment will, some day, in some way, be rewarded.
    I know full well that it might never be. But in the end, that's what makes the whole preposterous ride so exhilarating.
    .
    Guest

    Smale re-elected

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Ron Smale has been re-elected as president of the Ontario Soccer Association.
    Much more to follow, but Smale's aggressive, fast-moving approach on making changes to the Ontario soccer structure has been officially endorsed by the OSA board of governors.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The OSA has also voted on who to support in next week's CSA presidential race, but has apparently decided not to make their selection public until next weekend's CSA AGM.
    This runs counter to what Smale told me earlier -- directly and on the record: that we would all know Ontario's preference a week in advance.
    More soon.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Another defeat for Toronto FC and they now tie Kansas City for the worst start to a MLS season, ever.
    It's the stuff (bad) Hollywood movies are made of.
    Their win-draw-loss column is looking very James Bond - 007 (you know, the way it <i>should</i> always be listed).
    Maybe that will get the Bond people interested in basing their next movie on the struggling franchise.
    Or maybe they could just adapt some of the existing James Bond movies for the team.
    But what ones?
    We lend a helping hand, with our suggestions of the best <b>'Top Ten Toronto FC James Bond film adaptations'</b>....
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    (10) Quantum of Very Little Solace - <i>The Return of Torsten Frings</i>
    (9) Die Another Day, And Another, And Another
    (8) Licence To Make Ill
    (7) The Living Lowlights
    (6) Blunderball
    (5) For Your Poor Eyes Only
    (4) A View To No Skill
    (3) You Only Win Twice - <i>An Optimistic View Of TFC's 2012 Season</i>
    (2) Dr No No No No Nooooooooooooooo
    (1) Octopussies - <i>TFC's new team nickname after they lose to DC United next Saturday</i>
    <p>
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps headed to Columbus this evening looking for their first MLS away win against eastern opposition. Somehow, they got it.
    The Caps played ugly, rode their luck on several occasions, and kept another clean sheet under intense pressure throughout from the home side.
    Teams that pull off such feats, are the teams that compete for championships.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Whitecaps were forced to make one change from last week's winning starting line up against Dallas. A quad injury to Camilo Sanvezzo in training on Tuesday prevented him from making the trip to Ohio, and Eric Hassli regained his place up front to partner Sebastien Le Toux and Omar Salgado.
    Michael Nanchoff has been the story of the week in the build up to the game and he found a place on the bench for the first time this season, after finally recovering from a heel injury he sustained pre-season in Orlando.
    The 500 plus members of his family and friends that were in attendance were delighted to see him there, although he wasn't able to see any gametime action.
    Columbus themselves were plagued with injury problems going in to this game and had a weakened side from the start. You couldn't tell, as they immediately took the game to Vancouver and thought they had opened the scoring in the third minute.
    A Crew inswinging corner from the left was met perfectly by Josh Williams in the six yard box, and although he buried the ball past Joe Cannon, the goal was ruled off for a foul by Chad Marshall on Jay DeMerit as the ball had come over.
    It was an early let off for Vancouver, but showed the danger that the home side posed on set pieces.
    Three minutes later and Columbus had the ball in the net again, through Eddie Gaven, only for this effort to be ruled off for a clear offside.
    Vancouver's marking was already being called into question, but the whole team were struggling to stamp any authority onto the game in the opening stages.
    With nine minutes on the clock, and against the run of play, the Whitecaps forced Andy Gruenebaum into the first save of the game.
    After miscontrolling a short pass from Young-Pyo Lee, Matt Watson showed tenacity to first win the ball back in a challenge with Danny O'Rourke, before playing a neat one-two with Eric Hassli, powering through the Crew backline and firing a shot on goal from 12 yards out.
    Gruenebaum could only parry the fierce shot but Sebastien Le Toux blasted the rebound high and over.
    Gaven was given another chance to break the deadlock in the 11th minute when he was left wide open to get on the end of an Aaron Schoenfeld cross but headed over from just inside the box.
    Crew rookie Schoenfeld had done well to push DeMerit off the ball and get the cross in, as the usually solid Whitecaps defence looked very out of sorts.
    Columbus were looking the more dangerous and forced a couple of corners, and they came close again to opening the scoring off one of them in the 16th minute.
    Nemanja Vukovic sent a corner deep to Marshall at the back post, which the Crew captain headed dangerously across the goalmouth and Williams met it with a spectacular overhead effort which crashed off the bar.
    It was yet another lucky escape for the Whitecaps and you had to wonder how long they could hold firm under the constant Crew pressure.
    Luckily for the Whitecaps, the pressure relented and although the home side were dominating possession, the Caps backline had regrouped and were looking more composed.
    With seven minutes of the half remaining, Cannon was forced to turn a long range Gaven effort out for a corner, after his dipping ball took a dangerous hop in front of the veteran stopper.
    And Cannon had to show quick reactions again in the 44th minute when Schoenfeld collected a short pass on the edge of the box and DeMerit allowed him time to turn and fire off a goalbound effort, which saw Cannon do well to get down to his right and turn around the post.
    The half time whistle must have come as a relief to the Whitecaps and gave Martin Rennie the chance to regroup and re-look at the tactics for the second half, with Columbus dominating possession 58.3% to 41.7% and looking likely to score on most attacks.
    And it only took the home side 53 seconds of the second half to come close again to the game's opening goal.
    Gaven cut the ball back to Olman Vargas inside the box and his shot ricocheted off the side of DeMerit back into the path of Gaven, who hit narrowly wide under pressure from Martin Bonjour.
    Omar Salgado had his first success of the game out left four minutes into the half, when he powered through to the byeline before Vukovic turned his cross over for a corner, with Le Toux waiting to pounce on the goal-line.
    Tony Tchani was allowed to run at the Caps defence just past the hour mark and shot into the side netting, after first Hassli just gave up tracking back and then DeMerit continued to stand off him.
    Gershon Koffie responded for the Whitecaps, with a weak shot from the edge of the box and, moments later, Le Toux had a quick breakaway but was let down by the lack of support, which when it finally came through Hassli and Salgado, wasted the opportunity.
    A quick turn from Hassli in the 73rd minute saw O'Rourke bring him down for a free kick to right of the box.
    It was the be the Frenchman's last action in the game and he unhappily made way for Atiba Harris.
    As both sides regrouped for the Y-P Lee's free kick, the Korean's diagonal outswinger lost a bit of curl, and with Gruenebaum flapping, the ball settled into the top left hand corner of the net for an unlikely Vancouver lead.
    The goal seemed to take all the wind out of the Crew's sails and they became a spent force.
    Vancouver had a couple of half chances to wrap things up, but easily saw out the remaining time. That alone, is a marked difference between the team this year and the Whitecaps of last season. This team can hold on to a lead.
    Columbus will be left wondering how they came out of this game with nothing.
    Vancouver may have staged a smash and grab, but the morale boost that winning after such a performance will give the team is huge. Now they can look ahead to the forthcoming Voyageurs Cup with even more confidence.
    ATT : 11,978
    FINAL SCORE : Columbus Crew 0 - 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
    COLUMBUS : Andy Gruenebaum; Sebastian Miranda (Kirk Urso 87), Chad Marshall, Josh Williams, Nemanja Vukovic; Eddie Gaven, Danny O'Rourke, Milovan Mirosevic, Tony Tchani; Olman Vargas (Emilio Renteria 71), Aaron Schoenfeld (Ethan Finlay 57) [subs Not Used: Matt Lampson, Eric Gehrig, Cole Grossman, Shaun Francis]
    VANCOUVER : Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Jun Marques Davidson, Gershon Koffie, Matt Watson; Omar Salgado (John Thorrington 83), Eric Hassli (Atiba Harris 74), Sebastien Le Toux [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Greg Klazura, Carlyle Mitchell, Michael Nanchoff, Davide Chiumiento]
    REFEREE : Hilario Grajeda
    <p>
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