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    Guest
    Impact remains undefeated at home a few days before kicking off the Amway Canadian Championships
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    A penalty goal from Italian import Bernardo Corradi and another home goal for super-sub Sinisa Ubiparipovic paved the way for Montreal's shutout victory over the lifeless Portland Timbers.
    Hear post game comments from head coach Jesse Marsch, captain Davy Arnaud, goalscorer Corradi and much acclaimed sub Eduardo Sebrango who stepped on the field for the final minutes of the game for the first time this season.
    Thanks to our reporter Raphael Larocque-Cyr for his great work once again collecting these sound bytes for us.
    Click here to hear our 20 minutes post-game show.
    You can also listen to us via the iTunes Store and Stitcher.
    Guest
    By Michael Crampton
    This wasn’t the way it was supposed to work out.
    Not back in 2007 when TFC’s launch energized an entire league.
    Not in January 2011 when Aron Winter, Bob de Klerk, and Paul Mariner were introduced.
    Certainly not a mere month and a half ago when Toronto FC defeated the LA Galaxy to become the first Canadian team to reach the semifinal of the CONCACAF Champions League.
    Yet here we are. Winless, pointless, and heading into one of the most difficult away venues in Major League Soccer. So, it’d be easy to call TFC’s match against Real Salt Lake “hopeless.” Fortunately, Toronto plays in the topsy-turvy world of MLS and, as the saying goes, football is a funny old game. The Royals have been one of the most consistent teams in the league ever since their MLS Cup championship in 2009, but this is still a league of small margins and no team, in any context, is unbeatable.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In many ways it’s probably too easy to read too much into the result tonight in either direction. Any loss, short of a complete failure of the players to compete for Aron Winter, won’t tell us anything new we don’t already know about TFC or RSL. Conversely, an unlikely win or (what would normally be) a creditable draw doesn’t necessarily signal a change of direction. Toronto FC will get some results this season. Those results will come against both good teams and bad. Mostly they’ll happen at home, even it doesn’t feel that way right now, but sometimes they’ll happen away.
    Individual results are just that -- one offs decided as much by things like the “luck” and “sharpness” that Winter likes to reference.
    Notwithstanding the Dutchman’s confident utterances, until the Reds can put together a string of consistently good performances that all result in points, it’s not worth making any definitive proclamations about the chances of TFC resurrecting their season. The odds of a playoff berth are long already and it will likely take a run of form worthy of a top club in the league, maintained over the entire remainder of the season, to seriously contend for even the final few Eastern Conference playoff spots. Picking up points in places like Salt Lake City will be required but not, in and of itself, enough to make a difference.
    From the Lakers perspective this will be a match they approach in two minds. As recently as two weeks ago RSL were being cast as inevitable contenders in the race for the Supporters’ Shield, but after a winless three game road stretch, including a midweek match at Dallas just three nights ago, Real now find themselves looking up at San Jose in the Western Conference standings. Surely a return to Rio Tinto Stadium to face the league’s bottom club will be viewed as a great opportunity to pick up three points and start moving in the right direction once again.
    On the other hand, Real Salt Lake are a mature enough side to be wary of Toronto FC. It’s a sporting cliché, but clearly the Reds are a wounded animal right now. Desperation is setting in and even the idealist camp of Toronto’s management has publically acknowledged the importance of short term results in steadying the ship. Jason Kreis’ RSL have been one of the standard bearers championing the possibility of stylish soccer in MLS and there’d definitely be an irony to them dropping points to an Aron Winter TFC side finally prepared to act pragmatically.
    Finally, it’s worth noting that the aura of invincibility Salt Lake once enjoyed at altitude in Utah has been proven less than convincing over the past 12 months. Already this season RSL unexpectedly dropped three points at home to a Chivas USA side who ground out a win on the back of great goalkeeping and a healthy dose of luck. If Toronto FC is prepared to be pragmatic, fight, and show the same level of fearlessness they exhibited in Champions League away matches this season there’s no reason to believe they can’t take something from the game.
    That might not be enough to qualify as something that restores hope for the season but at least it gives fans a reason to watch the game.
    Guest

    TFC Academy schedule

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Sat, May 05 Invista Centre 7:00 PM Kingston FC v TFC Academy
    Sun, May 20 Lions Park 6:00 PM Brantford Galaxy v TFC Academy
    Fri, May 25 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v London City
    Sun, Jun 03 CS St Jean De Vianney 2:00 PM Montreal Impact Academy v TFC Academy
    Fri, Jun 08 Lamport Stadium 8:00 PM SC Toronto v TFC Academy
    Sun, Jun 17 Esther Shiner Stadium 4:30 PM North York Astros v TFC Academy
    Fri, Jun 22 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy Mississauga Eagles v FC
    Fri, Jun 29 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC v Academy Kingston FC
    Sat, Jul 07 Kalar 7:00 PM Niagara United v TFC Academy
    Fri, Jul 13 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v York Region Shooters
    Sun, Jul 15 Victoria Park 3:00 PM Brampton City Utd v TFC Academy
    Fri, Jul 20 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v North York Astros
    Fri, Jul 27 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v Windsor Stars
    Fri, Aug 17 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v SC Waterloo
    Fri, Aug 24 Hershey Centre 8:00 PM Mississauga Eagles FC v TFC Academy
    Wed, Aug 29 Club Roma 8:00 PM St. Catharines Roma Wolves v TFC Academy
    Fri, Sep 07 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v Toronto Croatia
    Sun, Sep 09 St. Joan of Arc 6:30 PM York Region Shooters v TFC Academy
    Fri, Sep 14 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy Montreal Impact v Academy
    Fri, Sep 21 Centennial Stadium 8:00 PM Serbian White Eagles v TFC Academy
    Fri, Sep 28 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy SC v Toronto
    Fri, Oct 05 Downsview Park 8:00 PM TFC Academy v Serbian White Eagles
    Guest
    The Whitecaps bounced back from a pair of 3-1 losses by blanking FC Dallas 1-0 last Saturday night showing, in Rennie’s words, character. This week they travel east and try to make it two wins in a row when they face Columbus Crew. Last season in the Caps were unable to pick up a point against the Crew, losing the game at home in the final moments.
    <b>KEY PLAYERS :</b>
    ATTACKING
    With Hassli struggling to find goals and Camilo struggling with a quad injury, and missing the trip, the Caps will need to rely on <b>Sebestien Le Toux</b> in order to find goals once again. He has had success against the Crew during his two seasons with the Union, scoring three goals in four games.
    Columbus brought in striker <b>Olman Vargas</b> from Costa Rica to be the goal scorer they’ve been missing since 2008 MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto left the club in 2010. Vargas is a big and quick target who is especially strong in the air, which is how he scored his only goal this season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    DEFENCE
    After a tough game against San Jose, <b>Martin Bonjour</b> had a bounce back game in the cleansheet win over FC Dallas. The Argentine defender has been solid all season, with bone crunching tackles that get under the skin of the opposing players. He leads all defenders on the club with 13 fouls.
    Since he left Stanford, <b>Chad Marshall</b>, now in his ninth season, has been a mainstay on the Crew’s backline. The central defender, whose contract was extended in the offseason, is a physical force, especially in the box on both sides of the pitch.
    <b>WHO'S ON FORM :</b>
    The man of the match might have gone to Camilo but <b>Lee Young-Pyo</b> had another phenomenal match, as he kept Brek Shea off the scoresheet. The Korean international hasn’t had a poor game this season, playing every minute of every game so far and even picking up his first assist with the Caps.
    When the Crew lost Robbie Rogers to Leeds United, they moved <b>Eddie Gaven</b> over to the left side hoping for similar production. While it started out slow, Gaven finally broke through last week with his first two goals of the season against Houston Dynamo.
    <b>2012 RECORD :</b>
    Vancouver:
    3W-2D-2L
    3rd in Western Conference
    Last Match: 1-0 Win v FC Dallas
    Columbus:
    2W-1D-3L
    7th in Eastern Conference
    Last Match: 2-2 Draw vs Houston Dynamo
    <b>PROJECTED LINE-UPS :</b>

    <b>INJURIES/MISSING :</b>
    Vancouver:
    Out: FW Camilo (quad strain), FW Darren Mattocks (shoulder), FW Etienne Barbara (groin strain), FW Caleb Clarke (quad strain), GK Brian Sylvestre (knee)
    Questionable: DF Alain Rochat (knee)
    Columbus:
    Out: FW Ben Speas (sports hernia), DF Rich Balchan (sports hernia), FW Tommy Heinemann (knee), DF Julius James (illness), GK William Hesmer (hip)
    Doubtful: MF Dilly Duka (hamstring strain), DF Carlos Mendes (hamstring strain)
    Questionable: MF Danny O'Rourke (ankle sprain)
    <b>GAME PREDICTION :</b>
    There will only be minor changes this week, with Camilo being the only one to be removed from the starting lineup, through injury. He will be replaced by Eric Hassli. The two wingers that will play up top with Hassli will be Omar Salgado, on the left, and Sebestien Le Toux. Watson, Koffie and Davidson will be looking to control the middle. Joe Cannon will start his eighth straight game in goal with Lee, DeMerit, Bonjour and Harvey forming the backline in front of him once again.
    While it seems like the Caps are suffering through injuries, missing Camilo, Rochat and others, the Columbus Crew are suffering more. They are currently without their starting goalkeeper, left back and two midfielders, along with a number of important players that would usually be available from the bench. Normally a strong defensive team, the Crew has allowed an abnormal amount of goals this season and the majority of them have come off the wings.
    In this match, especially with an inexperienced goalkeeper, the Caps will generate more chances by having their wingers and wingbacks swing crosses into the box and try to breakdown the Crew defenders. The presence of Chad Marshall, and his fellow defenders, will make it difficult for the Whitecaps to break down the middle. They may be able to negate Marshall if Hassli can pull him away from the backline by starting deeper in the midfield, which will open up space for others to make a run.
    Expect the Caps to employ similar defensive tactics by having Jun Marques Davidson play deep and provide coverage for central defense, while Koffie and Watson will have the freedom to use their athleticism and work rate to create turnovers in the midfield for a counter attack. If Eddie Gaven plays the left side there will be more tag team marking by Lee and Le Toux in order to slow down the MLS vet.
    Although the Crew are riddled with injuries, the Whitecaps can’t take the Ohio side lightly. Players on this club are well coached and organized. A draw would match their road point total from a year ago, whilst a win would obviously surpass the total of five. On paper this match is winnable, however in their short MLS history Vancouver has yet to collect the full three points when traveling outside the Pacific Time zone.
    <b>AFTN Predicted Score: Columbus Crew 0 Vancouver Whitecaps 0</b>
    <p>
    Guest
    I'm the first to admit I haven't held a lot of positive thoughts about the true role of the Canadian Soccer Association this past couple of decades.
    Just four years ago, I wrote five stories in five days for the Globe and Mail website calling for the organization's abolition. I also got chewed out by Gerry Dobson for wearing a "Sack the CSA" t-shirt in the BMO Field pressbox while I was still scribbling for Sportsnet.
    But things are very different now. There's a new wave of reform, new governance structure, and a crucial rack of elections coming up next weekend.
    So when Canada's four professional soccer clubs stepped up as one to put their 4-out-of-936 CSA presidential votes behind quiet, efficient reform champion Rob Newman, I suddenly had a clear idea of something I really want the CSA to do:
    Stand up to the professional clubs.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Not in a petty, aggressive, nit-picky, "do this, do that" sort of way. But as a basic gatekeeper of bottom-line principle -- an organization with the self-righteous stones to tell the big boys when they have to get in line.
    I speak, of course, of player development.
    The pro clubs are an interesting and very necessary fly in the "Wellness to World Cup" ointment. However strong the CSA's vision for long-term player development becomes (an actual curriculum would be nice!), the top of the pyramid will, from here to eternity, be the professional youth academies.
    The candidates took notably different turns on this topic in the recent interviews I conducted here on CSN. Newman, a strong, quiet consensus builder, essentially said he's here to help, and he looks forward to getting started.
    Victor Montagliani took a tougher stance. On the vexed, oft-manipulated issue of Canadian roster spots on MLS teams, he said something very much along the lines of "I'm here to develop Canadian players, not American ones."
    The very existence of Major League Soccer complicates that, of course. A long and restrictive rack of roster rules forced heaps of unprepared Canadian players on Toronto FC right out of the gate in 2007, and it didn't go well. Even if you slap a Mo Johnston filter on it, you couldn't have been surprised when the pro clubs asked for -- and got -- a sharp reduction in the number of Canadians they had to carry.
    The number stands at three now -- not much for a country that is dearly hoping the pro teams will keep our best young talent at home.
    The perception -- fair, I believe -- is that Newman will assist the pro clubs, while Montagliani will demand they do better.
    Toronto FC is doing better. Head man Aron Winter is devoted to academy kids, and promising lads like Ashtone Morgan and Doniel Henry are coming along nicely. Vancouver's been another story entirely. The Whitecaps invest hugely in youth, but are not giving their best prospects anywhere near the same opportunities.
    These are not simple issues. I freely admit that.
    But looking ahead, one of the things I really want the CSA to do is step up and get snarly in the face of things like this. Ultimately, they're a pretty small organization, and they've been wandering in the footballing wilderness for far too long. The pro clubs have a much simpler, clearer mandate, and won't hesitate to do what they believe they must.
    But I want to know the CSA will be there, throwing blocks for young Canadian prospects when no one else can.
    And if that means a pissed-off Victor Montagliani calling TFC, the 'Caps, L'Impact and FCE on the Rue Metcalfe carpet every now and then, so be it.
    I'm all for coherence and co-operation. But it can't be the main goal, going forward.
    Thoughts?
    Onward!
    Guest
    Every week we’re going to bring you our look at the upcoming games that weekend and what we hope to see from those to benefit the Caps to the max, along with what impact the different results from the Whitecaps own match has to our playoff hopes.
    For some background to our feature, see <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?3099-Schedule-Dynamics-Adding-Interest-To-MLS-Season" target="_blank">HERE</a>.
    <center>********************</center>
    Last week's games produced a mixed bag or results, which we'll give a <i>BCS</i> success rate of 50%.
    The Caps won last Saturday at home to Dallas, and moved up to third in the West and fourth overall in MLS. They face an inter-conference clash this weekend in Columbus, but what are the <i>”Best Case Scenarios”</i> we’re hoping to see in the rest of the week 8 games?
    Nine games this weekend, all on Saturday. Two all-Western Conference clashes, five inter-conference match ups and two all-Eastern ties, so seven matches this time to keep a really close eye on, including our own.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <b><u>Columbus Crew v Vancouver Whitecaps</u></b>
    Current Whitecaps Points: 11 (3rd in West)
    If Whitecaps Win: 14 points (Best Case Scenario = 3rd in West, two points behind leaders / Worst Case Scenario = 4th, five points behind leaders)
    If Whitecaps Draw: 12 points (BCS = 3rd / WCS = 6th)
    If Whitecaps Lose: 11 points (BCS = 4th / WCS = 6th)
    Maximum Points Total Possible: 92
    Projected Points Total On Current Results: 52 - 53
    Playoff Likelihood: 61%
    <b><u>Montreal Impact v Portland Timbers</u> - Montreal win</b>
    Our Canadian rivals v our Cascadian ones. Really? We have to pick someone we want to win this? Have to go with the eastern Impact to do us a favour and keep the Timbers rooted to the bottom of the West. A second win of the season for the Impact would also set them up nicely confidence-wise for next week's Voyageurs Cup game against Toronto. If they can win that, the Caps are looking at home field advantage in the second leg of the final.
    <b><u>New York Red Bulls v New England Revolution</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
    One of just two all-eastern clashes this week. No impact on Caps. Always nice to see dirty NY lose though.
    <b><u>Philadelphia Union v San Jose Earthquakes</u> - Philadelphia win</b>
    East v West, so we have go with our feeder team down in Philly to do us a favour. With San Jose making the trip to BC place next Saturday, some suspensions and injuries to the Earthquakes would be the icing on the cake. Any points dropped by San Jose will be a bonus and keep them pegged back a little at the top of the table. Can't afford any team to start running away with anything right now.
    <b><u>DC United v Houston Dynamo</u> - No impact on Caps</b>
    The other all-eastern clash, so no real interest in what happens here.
    <b><u>Chicago Fire v Seattle Sounders</u> - Chicago win</b>
    Another East v West battle. Those pesky Sounders are sitting just a point behind the Caps with three games in hand. We need to start putting a little bit of daylight between us early. Let's hope Chicago really will be on fire for this one.
    <b><u>Colorado Rapids v Chivas</u> - Draw</b>
    The first of the all-western games. Both teams are sitting two points behind the Caps right now. A draw would keep them both below us, no matter what we do in Columbus. If we come home with a draw or defeat in Ohio, a win for either side will likely see them leapfrog us. If someone has to win this one, we have to look at the long term prospects and say that a Chivas victory won't be the end of the world.
    <b><u>Real Salt Lake v Toronto</u> - Toronto win</b>
    West v East. RSL sit joint top of the West and five points ahead of the Caps. Reel Real in now. It's always hard to cheer for a Toronto win, and their form and injuries don't look like giving us one. Still, I'm going to say that a TFC win is the BCS for the Caps. Not sure I can root for one though and it would spoil what I have lined up for later!
    <b><u>LA Galaxy v Dallas</u> - Draw (just - LA win very close second)</b>
    The second all-western clash. Dallas are level on points with Vancouver, so if they go one better than what the Caps achieve against the Crew, they'll go above us in the table. Even both teams winning or losing could see the Texans go above us on goal difference, although unlikely. I'm going for the draw as the BCS here, but with the Galaxy finding their stride, they're going to start to climb the table no matter what, so it's perhaps even better to cheer for a LA win and keep Dallas behind us.
    So that’s what we’re rooting for this weekend. Let’s see how it all leaves the Caps looking come Sunday evening.
    <p>
    Guest

    Plata's transfer fee

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Canadian Soccer News has learned that Toronto FC paid a transfer fee of $500,000 for Joao Plata.
    Information obtained from a well placed staff member suggested that the transfer fee was per-determined prior to Plata going on loan with MLS in 2011 and that all clubs were aware of the fee when he was available to be drafted. It's likely that the fee is what allowed Plata to drop to the third round of the SuperDraft.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    CSN was told that Paul Mariner and Aron Winter were unaware of the fee when they drafted Plata.
    Generally, transfer fees are either paid down through allocation money, or the fee is distributed over a player's entire contract. In the latter's case, Plata's cap hit would be higher than his actual salary throughout his time in Toronto.
    Regardless, it would appear that the signing of Plata has further handcuffed Toronto's ability to sign more players in 2012. There is some indication that the signing of Geovanny Caicedo would have helped to reduce that fee but that has yet to be confirmed.
    CSN will have more on this story and its inner workings in the days ahead
    Guest
    Today, we're forced to do a shorter show again but we'll take the time to set up the Real Salt Lake game, talk about how the latest injuries will affect Toronto's lineup and what happens if TFC suffers another loss.
    We'll also get into how much Toronto paid for Joao Plata's transfer, how Toronto's hands were cuffed on the deal and how it can be spread out to help pay it down. And we'll also talk about a disturbing pattern of players not getting paid in the lower leagues in Europe and why it's making MLS a more attractive option.
    The archived show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/31292/apr272012finalnew.mp3%27,initialScale:%27scale%27,controlBarBackgroundColor:%270x778899%27,autoBuffering:false,loop:false,autoPlay:false}" width="400" height="25" scale="fit" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>
    Subscribe and download It's Called Football on iTunes
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    Follow us on Twitter for updates on guests and shows
    Guest
    Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlej...
    If you've read this space long enough, you'll know that there is a long-standing (and mostly dormant) feud between some CSN writers (mostly me) and a not-to-be-named blogger from Ohio.
    He's mostly not worth engaging with, a lesson that took me too long to realize. He's a bully, has a gift for rhetoric that the biggest talk radio blowhards would envy, and is very good at presenting himself as a victim, even when a close look at the evidence shows otherwise.
    One of his favourite things to do is to take something you've written, or that has been reported, and present it out of context – usually with a snide comment or two added on for good measure. His fans – and God help me, he has fans – eat it up. There really is no room for any sort of nuanced debate with him, which is why I've ignored his trolling for the better part of a year now.
    I'd continue to do so now, except his most recent piece (I'm not linking. If you know who I'm talking about you can find it) makes reference to something that is starting to get too much play, some of which from far more legitimate sources than he-who-shall-not-be-named.
    The relevant part:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    The Twitter “report” he is referencing was posted by an account that is clearly fake. Someone with an issue with RPB leadership created an account that claimed to be of a journalist (and, oddly, aspiring model) with the purpose of defaming those individuals. To someone outside of Toronto, the account looked legitimate on quick glance. And, if the blogger-that-shall-not-be-named had reported this 10 days ago when it first came out then he might get a pass.
    However, it's been long established that the account is fake and the accusations are without merit. Said blogger could have learned that with 10 seconds of research. However, he chose to put it out there, thus continuing the lie.
    Unfortunately, said blogger has an audience that is also unlikely to do 10-seconds of research. But, in case they do, let's state it clearly.
    There is absolutely no evidence that anyone in the Red Patch Boys took anything from Toronto FC's front office in exchange for preventing in-stadium protests. And, suggesting otherwise is tinfoil hat territory.
    Guest
    According to this report out of Romania, Canadian international Tosaint Ricketts and a number of his teammates filed paperwork Thursday with the local federation to be released from their contracts with FC Politehnica Timişoara
    The move comes, the players state, after they did not receive any wages for four months.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Ricketts was on a 3-year-contract with FC Politehnica Timişoara, which he began in late 2010, and the club was showing well, earning a Champions League birth last season and promotion to Romania's first division. Ricketts too was showing well, accumulating seven goals with 17 starts in all competitions.
    Perhaps a sign of what was to come though, the team was denied entry into the Champions League and remained in division two after they were declared financially unable. It is expected that the club will continue its fall and will declare itself a not-for-profit team by the end of the year.
    Ricketts, who has been a regular for the Canadians during the latest World Cup qualifying, scored his first international goal in 2011, notching a stoppage time equalizer against Ecuador.
    He wasn't able to be reached for comment but he did take to Twitter late Thursday to seemingly confirm the news.
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Monkeys out of the bottle son...</p>— Tosaint Ricketts (@TosaintRicketts) <a href="
    " data-datetime="2012-04-26T19:41:36+00:00">April 26, 2012</a></blockquote><script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    HT to Madison Soccer for the heads up.
    Guest

    SoccerPlus - Weekly Interview Show

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    Put your hard hat on, the Timbers are in town!
    The Portland-Montreal rivalry resumes on Saturday in Montreal after a year of separation and Timbers' play-by-play host John Strong sets the visitors' table two days before the game at the Big O.
    We also discuss how are things at the beginning of Year 2 at FC Edmonton with Fabrice Lassonde, who also talks about early preparations for the Amway Canadian Championships series against Vancouver.
    We first go to Paris to recap the two UEFA Champions League semifinal bouts with our correspondent Cedric Ferreira.
    We also discuss recent updates on Marco Di Vaio, summer friendlies, CSA presidential elections and the importance of school visits by Impact players.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Click here you listen to our 35 minutes show.
    You can also pick us up directly on the iTunes Store and on Stitcher (www.stitcher.com)
    Guest

    Turning a bad idea into some good

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    There is little need to re-hash our position on the Liverpool friendly.
    It's an unnecessary burden for a struggling team. It's pandering. It sends the wrong message about priorities. The player's clearly don't want to play it. Ronnie O'Brien. Trophies not friendlies, and all that.
    However, it doesn't seem likely MLSE will see the light and cancel the damn thing. So, what can we do to make it palatable?
    When it comes to the game itself, not much. But, beyond simply not going to the game, why not turn it into something good?
    CSN is advocating for Toronto FC fans who are unhappy with the Liverpool game to take the money that your tickets would have cost and donate it to Toronto Community Housing to send an at need child to a Canadian World Cup qualifying game.
    The information for donation can be found here. Let's get as many people out as possible to support the Red...and White.
    Note: It would be helpful to let the club know that you are not going. Please send a firm, but professional, e-mail to your ticket rep explaining your decision for not going.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    In a press release just sent around, Canada's four professional soccer clubs -- Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact and FC Edmonton -- have announced they will vote for Rob Newman in the upcoming CSA presidential election.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This doesn't mean much in terms of the actual election. Although we've just learned the voting weights will be tweaked somewhat before the presidential vote, the clubs hold just 4 votes out of 936 in the present set-up.
    But Newman is known to be more sympathetic than fellow candidate Victor Montagliani to maintaining or easing the present number of Canadian players each of the teams is expected to carry.
    A little early to plan a victory parade, but the endorsement is informative of the interests involved.
    Onward!
    Guest
    It's been a busy Whitecaps week since the last podcast.
    Three MLS points in the bag against Dallas, a new first team member, the Under 16 and 18 Residency teams have qualified for the USSDA playoffs and the Caps are travelling out east to face Columbus Crew on Saturday.
    So much to cram in, but we try, and we're joined by two guests to try and makes sense of it.
    First up is Ohio lad <b>Michael Nanchoff</b>, to talk about heading back to his home state for a game which will have 500 plus members of Team Nanchoff in attendance to cheer on the Caps.
    Our second guest is <b>Caleb Clarke</b>, fresh from signing his MLS contract with the Caps. We chat about his development, his goals, and how the Under 18's are going to fare in the playoffs.
    Some things we learn this week's show and from our new <i>"Room-mates"</i> feature....
    - Some Whitecaps are terrible snorers, whilst some just breathe like they're snoring
    - Davide Chiumiento knows some choice Serbian swear words
    - Paul Ritchie is a lean, mean, gaming machine
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Oh, and we may have forced Caleb Clarke to join Twitter!
    No hot dog chat this week, but we're ready for a sausagefest.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]You can listen to this week's podcast (and the previous ones) on iTunes HERE or download it for your later listening delight HERE. Can't wait? Have a listen on one of the players below:
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    The friendly tournament will not stop in Quebec in 2012
    Only two games are labelled WFC so far, including the July 21 ‘Battle of Reds’ at the Rogers Centre, but we can already say that Montreal will not be on the itinerary this summer.
    In order to put all its eggs in the same basket in their inaugural MLS season, Montreal Impact’s management preferred to skip its turn where as three European clubs were knocking at the Olympic Stadium doors to play in Montreal in their off-season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Montreal’s reputation is made as a soccer hub within European circles and SoccerPlus has learned that Portuguese clubs Benfica, FC Porto wanted to drop by to face each other or the Impact. Also, based on a very positive visit in 2010, AC Milan also was in line to cross the Atlantic to face the Impact at the Big O. Montreal’s decision was both a question of priority, but also a monetary issue since the coming of European visitors comes with a hefty price tag.
    On Thursday evening, the Impact responded to this report saying the door was still open for an international match to be played, but that it was too premature at this point to identify any foreign opposition.
    The World Football Challenge was created in 2009 with the two Milanese sides, Chelsea and Club America of Mexico played six games in a round-robin tournament in Atlanta, Baltimore, Foxboro, Dallas and the California cities of Palo Alto and Pasadena. The London side won its three matches to prevail.
    The organizers chose not to go ahead with a second edition in 2010 with the presentation of the South African FIFA World Cup.
    In 2011, another format was adopted with a move to 13 clubs, including five MLS sides (Vancouver, New England, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles), but also the two Manchester giants, Juventus, Sporting, Barcelona, Real Madrid as well as Club America and Guadalajara from Mexico. The foreign teams each played three games while the results from the five MLS clubs were brought under MLS East (PHI, NE & CHI) and MLS West (LA & VAN). Real Madrid and Manchester United each won their three games, but the Spaniards topped the English side on goal difference (7-6).
    With the announced participation of Toronto FC and Seattle, let’s assume the 2012 edition will be similar to last year’s event.
    2012 WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE
    July 18 – Chelsea vs Sounders (CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA)
    July 21 – Liverpool vs Toronto FC (Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON)
    OTHER UNASSIGNED INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES
    May 23 – Valence vs Timbers (Jeld-Wen Field, Portland, OR)
    May 31 – Valence vs Dynamo (BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX)
    July 21 – Aston Villa vs Fire (Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL)
    July 24 – Tottenham vs Galaxy (Home Depot Center, Carson, CA)
    July 24 – Aston Villa vs Timbers (Jeld-Wen Field, Portland, OR)
    July 25 – Liverpool vs AS Roma (Fenway Park, Boston, MA)
    July 31 – Tottenham vs RedBulls (RedBull Arena, Harrison, NJ)
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