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    SoccerPlus - Weekly Interview Edition

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    A small French club makes a giant step closer to a New York trip.
    The romantic side of soccer was in full display on Wednesday night in Caen, France with D3 side US Quevilly upsetting Ligue Un club Rennes with a 93rd minute goal in the semi-final of the French Cup. We are speaking this week with the man whose game-winning strike took him from anonymity to the national spotlight, Anthony Laup.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    We stay in Paris to discuss the repercussion of this David-beats-Goliath story with our correspondent Cedric Ferreira.
    Fresh off their first win in MLS, the Montreal Impact has left for Texas on Friday for their Saturday night game against FC Dallas, but not before speaking with our reporter Raphael Larocque-Cyr following their final training session in Quebec. Hear what captain Davy Arnaud, Sinisa Ubiparipovic and coach Jesse Marsch had to say. On the other side of the fence, we hear from NBC's Steve Davis on the Dallas side.
    We talk Whitecaps with AFTN's host Michael McColl on the nomination of John Furlong with the Vancouver club.
    As the Quebec Premier Soccer League kicks off its inaugural season on Sunday, we talk with Blainville's sporting director J.P. Ceriani on the importance of adopting a new mentality for the advancement of the game in La Belle Province.
    You can click here to listen to our 45 minutes show.
    You may also catch our Impact-only 20 minutes edition with audio bites from Arnaud, Ubiparipovic, Marsch, but also Eduardo Sebrango, Andrew Wenger and Zarek Valentin, by clicking here.
    Don't forget you can subscribe to the show on the iTunes Store.
    Our show is now on Stitcher!
    Listen to us on your iPhone, Android Phone, Kindle Fire and other devices with Stitcher.
    Stitcher is Smart Radio for Your phone. Find it in your app store or at stitcher.com
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps held a press conference this morning to make a “major strategic announcement”.
    When you get an email proclaiming such a thing, your mind starts whirring over all the great things that could mean and speculation was soon rife yesterday.
    Many expected it to be an announcement about the new training facility, others thought it might be about the new third kit. There was to be a photo opportunity, so I half expected to see Bobby Lenarduzzi, face smeared in mud, wearing a hard hat and posing with a shovel.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Since the press conference was being held in the ballroom of a Vancouver hotel, our other thought was that the major announcement was to be Tommy Soehn joining <i>’Dancing With The Stars’</i> and that he was going to give everyone a hot to trot tango demonstration.
    The actual announcement, although headline news, was a bit of a letdown.
    John Furlong, the former Chief Executive of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, has joined the Caps as executive chair with immediate effect.
    Furlong will become the most senior member of the club’s executive team, alongside President Bob Lenarduzzi and Chief Operating Officer Rachel Lewis, and will be tasked to lead the broad business operations of the Caps, whilst playing an active strategic role with the club’s ownership group.
    Whitecaps co-owner Jeff Mallet is more than happy to have him on board:
    <i>"Today marks another historic day for Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and on behalf of our ownership group, I am excited to welcome John to our team. Throughout his tenure at VANOC, from the bid stage through to the completion of a highly successful Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, John has become one of the most respected and recognized leaders in Canada.”</i>
    Furlong is a lifelong supporter of the Whitecaps and a current season ticket holder and has already issued an open letter to his fellow fans.
    The Whitecaps will be hoping that Furlong’s name and reputation will put the team at the forefront of sports in Canada, North America and worldwide and attract a lot of corporate interest in the team.
    It surely will, and this <i>is</i> a major coup for the Caps.
    I often describe myself as a bitter and twisted old-fashioned football fan, and I have the t-shirt to say as much. To my skewed take on football, I don’t think of executive appointments, sponsors and anything corporate, as being of huge strategic importance.
    Furlong’s appointment will certainly help the Whitecaps off the pitch, but I think we will see it having very little impact on building a successful team on it, and for me, that’s what the Club should be about. Maybe he's going to lace up and help us put the ball in the net, in which case we'll change our mind.
    You can argue that by bringing in corporate money that bigger and better players can be bought. Well we didn’t exactly see the results of that from the Bell money.
    Having been a volunteer with VANOC, I do have concerns that the Caps will become all about the money and the corporate $. That's all it felt like at times during the Olympics.
    For me, the ultimate “major strategic announcement” for the Whitecaps would be the news that they have bought or are starting a D2 club in order to fully develop their fringe players and future prospects, allowing them the chance to see much needed competitive action.
    That’s the way forward for the team.
    Maybe myself and John Furlong should have a chat.
    <p>
    Guest
    Former Canadian international Jason deVos announced via Twitter that a call to OSA leagues to not schedule games in conflict with Canadian World Cup Qualifying matches this year has been ignored.
    In deVos' words:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Should the leagues have avoided scheduling games on the WCQ dates? If so, is there something the CNT community of fans can do to pressure the leagues so consideration is made moving forward?
    Guest

    4-3-3 till I die

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Cause and effect is a basic tenet of science that is easily understood by most people. If a rock falls on your head you get a headache. If you forget to feed the cat for a month you have a dead cat. And if you play for the Toronto Maple Leafs your golf handicap improves.
    It isn’t always that straight forward, however.
    For instance when the United States failed to qualify for the Olympics it set off a debate within US soccer circles that has relevance to Toronto FC. Not quite a straight line, eh?
    The debate in question centres around the question of whether the 4-3-3 formation, which the US u23s used without success, can work when you have a bunch of soccer players on your team (as opposed to footballers). The thinking is that it’s a fine way to go about your business if you have the talent of the 1995 Ajax side, but when you have Nick Soolsma on the wing, or Brek Shea as your star player, you might want to re-think things.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Put less flippantly: The 4-3-3 is a demanding formation that requires all 11 players on the pitch to have a tactical understanding and a technical skill that most players trained in the United States or Canada do not possess.
    In MLS, where you are restricted by a $2.81 million salary cap, it is next to impossible to find 11 guys that good. Successful teams in the league have traditionally featured two to three stars that can put the ball into the net and a bunch of cheap and interchangeable plumbers that are athletic, organized and effective at booting the ball the hell out of trouble in the general direction of the guys that might be able to do something worthwhile with it.
    In Toronto’s case you can only sign so many Torsten Frings. You need to have a couple Logan Emorys on the side.
    The conclusion most in the US are arriving at in the u23 fall-out debate is, to use an old adage, you can’t force a square peg into a round hole. It’s not the formation. It’s the players, stupid. You need to work a formation around the talent you have, rather than try and force a formation onto players that are not equipped to play it.
    It seems unlikely that Aron Winter is going to be hired by the USSF anytime soon. The Dutchman has been entrusted to bring the 4-3-3 to TFC and that’s what he’s going to do, 0-4 starts be damned.
    That thinking was at the root of his controversial and, to many, baffling comments in January that he would not measure the success of 2012 on whether Toronto FC made the playoffs. As I wrote at the time, those comments weren’t all that shocking when you understand the mandate Winter believes he’s been hired to implement.
    There is a reason TFC is the second youngest MLS team by average and has the youngest median age. Winter’s focus is long-term, not pragmatically focused on the here and now. He believes that he is putting the pieces in place to make TFC a great 4-3-3 team in 2013, 2014 and beyond. That’s why the overall development of the academy side
    and of younger players like Ashtone Morgan are far more important milestones to him than a 2-1 loss to Montreal is, no matter how frustrating it was to the fans.
    Pejoratively his critics call him stubborn. His allies would say he’s patient.
    Fans just see that he’s not winning. And therein lies the other square peg, round hole aspect to this – fans that have endured five terrible seasons being asked to wait just a little bit longer. The empty seats at BMO Field for the first three games suggest that it’s a big ask. Maybe too big.
    Whispers of a TFC front office power struggle between 4-3-3 idealists and MLS pragmatists are growing stronger...
    Guest
    Does the sight of a Canadian stadium, overrun with opposing fans, infuriate you? Are you sick of seeing Canada on the sidelines every time the World Cup comes around? Do you take actual pride in this country of ours, and relish opportunities to support proud Canadian athletes in international competition?
    Then there's one massively important thing for you to do. Buy tickets to this summer's World Cup qualifying games.
    Canada plays four times at BMO Field in Toronto this summer: June 3 (friendly vs. USA), June 12 (WCQ vs. Honduras), September 7 (WCQ vs. Panama) and October 12 (WCQ vs. Cuba). Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday), with a pre-sale in effect right now (Thursday, midday) and they're very reasonably priced; details after the jump.
    Fans of those countries will find their way to the games. They will travel. And they will make noise. The only way to neutralize them, the only way to crowd them out and ensure a true home crowd, is for Canadian fans to buy as many tickets as possible, as quickly as possible. If you're reading this site, you're likely already one of the converted; in that case, tell your friends, your coworkers, anyone who will come to the stadium and support Canada.
    If you want Canada to make it to the next World Cup, this is your time to help make it happen.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Individual game tickets can be had for as little as $25, and package deals for all four games can be had for as little as $80 -- and are on sale to the public as of 10 a.m. ET on Friday.
    Or, if you want to participate, stand and sing for 90 minutes (not just watch others stand and sing, but actually do your part), there's the Canadian supporters section in the south end. Non-Canada supporters, don't bother trying to get these tickets. Trust me.
    It's easy to sit at home and gripe about the CSA, or the number of away fans, or any other number of problems with the game in this country. But right now, Canadians need to put their money where their mouths are. Things will never improve unless we show that there is interest in seeing our national teams succeed.
    Fans from across the country were upset to learn all these games would be played in Toronto -- and frankly, their outrage was understandable. Those in southern Ontario have been gifted with a rare opportunity here. Some fans will travel from Saskatchewan, or further, for these games. Comparatively speaking, jumping on the subway, or a GO train, is nothing.
    Now, let me be clear: I'm fully aware that there are things the CSA could be doing -- but won't do -- to help ensure a pro-Canadian crowd. I'm no CSA shill.
    What I am is a passionate person who fits all the descriptors above. I'm tired of seeing our stadia overrun. I'm tired of watching World Cups without Canada in them. And I take pride in this country and its athletes.
    I've never asked you for a penny over the course of four years of writing and podcasting about this game. But now I'm asking you to put your collected pennies towards filling spaces at BMO Field with real Canadian fans. You, your friends, your coworkers, your family -- anyone who is willing to wear red and cheer for the home team, whether or not they've ever seen a soccer ball before in their lives.
    We all have a part to play if Canada is to get closer to a World Cup, and if the game is to move forward in this country. On this day, we play that part by buying tickets. It's as simple as that.
    .
    Guest
    Federico Pastorello tells CSN's SoccerPlus that Marco Di Vaio could still join Montreal this summer, despite reports otherwise.
    Responding to news report out of Bologna, that Marco Di Vaio shut the door on a two-year $ 3.8 million offer from the Montreal Impact, the player's agent says there is still possibility that his client could end up in Canada after all.
    "I believe Marco is tired of seeing rumours sending him to North America. He's preoccupied to see Bologna avoid relegation and that's all that matters for him right now," Pastorello said in a phone conversation on Wednesday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Bologna has six games remaining in Serie A after defeating Cagliari 1-0 on Thursday (Di Vaio was left out of the lineup for this one). They are 12th in the table, six points off the relegation zone. The Rossoblu still needs 13 points to guarantee its place in the Italian top flight next fall.
    For the first time since this saga kicked off, the stakeholders involced are naming names. The agent confirmed he had phone conversations with Montreal's sporting director, Nick De Santis, about his 35-year-old client, but that "no concrete offer has been made." He also denied information saying the Canadian club wanted to use his services to get in touch with more European players in the future.
    On this side of the Atlantic, Montreal's sporting director also identified Marco Di Vaio for the first time as a recruiting target in a chat with Radio-Canada Sports' Antoine Deshaies at the club's training session on Wednesday morning.
    "Marco is one of the player with who we are in contact. We are talking with his agent to see if we are able to bring him on. His contract his now owned by another club (Bologna) so we must be careful to respect this point," Nick DeSantis told Deshaies.
    " (For us) the door is not closed. Once again he (Di Vaio) must be careful about what he says. His intentions (appears) to be about staying in Italy, but we are always looking at possibilities."
    And about the salary figures printed on Tuesday in the Bologna paper? We must look at this as a negotiating move on the part of the Italian player, just as Pat Leduc suggested on our weekly show, which started airing on Wednesday.
    Another day, another twist, but things are moving. Will it be in the right direction? It's another case of wait and see.
    Guest
    Toronto FC fans can be forgiven for feeling as though they're paraphrasing a war slogan from Orwell's 1984 when referring to the squad's backline: "We have trouble in defence... we've always had trouble in defence."
    But in the novel, that slogan is mere doublethink, revisionist history meant to blind the citizens of Oceania to the fact that things haven't always been the way they are. "Ignorance is strength," as the dystopia's ruling class is wont to repeat.
    While comparing Toronto FC's five-plus years of existence to one of literature's most enduring totalitarian nightmares is somewhat harsh (somewhat), the team's early struggles in 2012 have gotten fans once again repeating the mantra that Toronto's defence -- particularly its central defence -- is and always has been wretched, putrid, its most glaring weak spot.
    So... has it?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This is hardly an attempt to analyze game-by-game, or even season-by-season, performance. Instead, much like my look back at the fates of the members of Canada's 2007 U20 squad, it's merely taking a look at where Toronto's former centrebacks have ended up, as a way of gauging... well, OK, it's really not a scientific measure at all. And some of these players weren't regular centrebacks, necessarily. Look, just take it for what it is, alright?
    Miguel Aceval (2012-present): He's with Toronto FC. For now.
    Nana Attakora (2007-2011): The longest-serving Red, "young Nana" (not really young anymore) currently finds himself out of contract after being bundled off to the San Jose Earthquakes in the Ryan Johnson trade. He had a few European trials (including with Hibs in Scotland), but didn't catch on, and thanks to MLS's arcane roster rules, even though San Jose has no further use for him, he isn't free to sign with another team.
    Andy Boyens (2007-2008): The Kiwi international (who was part of New Zealand's 2010 World Cup squad) was another original Red, drafted by TFC in 2007. He was cut by Toronto in 2008, then picked up by New York, before being dropped by them after three years. Chivas USA utilized his services last year, then decided they had no use for him. You'll now see him appearing (sporadically) for the L.A. Galaxy -- until Omar Gonzalez comes back, anyway.
    Adam Braz (2007): A member of TFC's CanCon contingent in Year One, Braz used Toronto as a mere pit stop between a pair of three-year stints with his hometown club, the Montreal Impact. With 12 caps for the Canadian men's national team under his belt, Braz also went on to help Montreal win the second-division title in 2009. Having retired in 2011, he's now part of the Impact's coaching staff. (And yeah, he was usually a right back, but hey, maybe some people were wondering where he went.)
    Adrian Cann (2010-present): After three years on the periphery of Danish club Esbjerg (and the Canadian national setup), the Toronto-area native was repatriated in 2010, and quickly ensconced himself in Toronto's backline. He even won the team's Player of the Year award in 2010, in a decision that had nothing to do with avoiding inflaming the egos of certain teammates. Nope. Totally on merit. Anyway, considering he was a local boy, performing well for TFC at a position the team needed help at, of course the fates intervened, and he tore his ACL last spring. But he should be back within weeks (fingers tightly crossed).
    Kyle Davies (2011): Was he even a CB? It's tough to remember. Sure, it was just last season, but in TFC-roster-turnover-time, a month counts as, like, three years. Either way, he's playing for the Three Lions now. Yeah, really. Why? The three-headed purple lions, Orlando City SC of the USL-Pro. Who did you think I meant?
    Logan Emory (2012-present): Has hair like a poor man's Marouane Fellaini. Came over from the Puerto Rico Islanders. Beyond that, see Aceval, Miguel.
    Hunter Freeman (2008): The only reason I'm including him here is to quote this passage from his Wikipedia page: "He was traded to Toronto FC on September 12, 2008. Despite Freeman having already agreed to join IK Start of the Norwegian leagues, Toronto FC gave up two supplemental draft picks to acquire him for four months. Trade conditions also dictated that New York retain the MLS rights to Freeman." Strange deal for Toronto. Oh well, I'm sure it was a mere blip on an otherwise sterling record of acquisitions by whoever was making those decisions for Toronto at the time.
    Nick Garcia (2009-2010): Oh Nick. Poor Nick. After seven years with KC and a couple with San Jose, Garcia came to Toronto seemingly for the purposes of absorbing wrath from the increasingly agitated fanbase. Monstrously unfair as it is, my lingering memory is of him blasting a doomed shot 30 feet over the bar late in a CCL qualifying game against Puerto Rico. He was let go by TFC at the end of 2010 and took part in the MLS Re-entry Draft, but wasn't taken. He appears to have (involuntarily) retired a Red.
    Kevin Goldthwaite (2007): Everyone remembers May 12, 2007 -- specifically, the 23:13 mark. Dichio, first-ever goal, flying seat cushions, etc. Toronto FC's first-ever MLS win. But you know who scored the winning goal that day? 'Twas Mr. Goldthwaite, with a 51st-minute tally against Chicago in a 3-1 win. Dichio's name is now in the rafters at BMO Field, his name sung during every match... and as for Kevin? He was unloaded to New York later that season, and retired as a Portland Timber last year after blowing out his ACL. Hmm.
    Emmanuel Gomez (2009-2010): Along with Amadou Sanyang, one half of "The Gambians". Initially gave fans hope that TFC could reach into untapped markets for footie potential. Was waived by TFC before the pre-season began in 2011. At age 21, doesn't appear to have caught on with another professional club. Surely just another blip for whoever was making TFC's personnel decisions at the time.
    Ty Harden (2010-present): Picking up the scapegoat slack after Garcia's departure, Harden surprised some by surviving the roster purge that took place when Aron Winter took the reins of the team. Continues to be employed in MLS, somehow, despite constant declarations of his incompetence by anonymous Internet commenters.
    Doneil Henry (2010-present): The first home-grown player signed from the TFC Academy, Henry was immediately thrown to the wolves in his first start for the senior club, a CCL qualifier against Motagua in Honduras. The teenager hasn't made the jump to the senior team on a full-time basis yet, but showed some encouraging signs for the Canadian U23 squad at this year's Olympic qualifiers.
    Andy Iro (2011): Iro's a big, tall guy, which can be good for a CB (strength, presence in the air) or bad (lankiness). We'll let you decide. Despite becoming a lightning rod for fan criticism (noticing a trend?), Iro was actually wanted back by the club for 2012, but politely said "no thanks" (or at least we imagine that's how he responded; he always seemed like a nice guy). Until presented evidence to the contrary, I'm going to guess the 27-year-old is still currently searching for a club.
    Julius James (2008): Drafted by Toronto in 2008, he was a solid contributor, particularly insofar as he was part of the deal that brought Dwayne DeRosario to Toronto. James, though, made sure Toronto fans remembered him, scoring the lone goal for D.C. United in a 1-0 win at Toronto in late 2010 that essentially scuttled TFC's playoff hopes. He now plays for Columbus, which surely endears him to the TFC faithful even more.
    Diaz Kambere (2008): No clue if he was a centreback. Just wanna mention him as being part of that ridiculous game on Sept. 6, 2008, when TFC needed all sorts of emergency callups against Chivas USA due to having all sorts of players away on international duty. Kambere was signed on a "one-day" loan from the Vancouver Whitecaps. He's now with the PDL's Victoria Highlanders.
    Tyrone Marshall (2007-2008): Well, what can you say about the guy. You either love him, hate him, or have an opinion that falls somewhere in the middle. But at 37, he's still chugging away in MLS (with Colorado, where he signed last year), after a few years in Seattle. He's also amassed 82 caps for the Jamaican national team, which is really nothing to sneeze at. Unless you've got allergies. But that's a different matter entirely.
    Aaron Maund (2012-present): Rookie! Draft pick! Where's he going? Who knows! Up, hopefully!
    Chris Pozniak (2007): Simply to placate the many people who hold this opinion, I will state the following: Yes, Pozniak surely would be the panacea for all of the woes that Toronto FC and the Canadian national team have endured in the past few years. Now then. In actuality, after his brief spell in Toronto, Pozniak bounced to Chivas USA, Vancouver, Dundee United, back to Vancouver and eventually on to Hauguesund in the Norwegian league, where he currently plays.
    Marco Reda (2007): Another member of the CanCon Contingent, Reda moved to the Charleston Battery and then on to the Whitecaps, for whom he played his last bit of pro soccer in 2009.
    Dasan Robinson (2011): Kinda vaguely remember him coming in a few times last year, right? Am I right? I dunno. He was only around a few months. Traded Dan Gargan to get him, traded him to get Kyle Davies, now don't have any of the above. And Robinson is retired at age 27. Can't pin this one on Mo Johnston.
    Adrian Serioux (2009): Best known for his big hair, apparent attempt to cripple a newly-arrived-in-MLS David Beckham, and providing the one highlight of a disastrous World Cup qualifier against Honduras in 2008, Serioux moved to Houston in 2010, his final season in MLS. Don't worry, you can still catch him on GOL TV.
    Olivier Tebily (2008): He played for Sheffield United, he played for Celtic, he played for Birmingham City, he played for Toronto FC... for five games. Then he screwed up his ankle and wanted to go live in France. So that was that for his career.
    Rick Titus (2008): Who even remembers whether he was on the field in that infamous 2008 game (he was another one-day loan)? Well, lots of people do, probably. I don't. I was in Montreal watching Serioux score for Canada. But Titus's career has taken him through four different Toronto teams as well as the Vancouver 86ers and the doomed Edmonton Aviators. None of this has any bearing on TFC's current defensive troubles, but come on, it's Rick freakin' Titus! (p.s. He's 43 years old and retired now.)
    Marco Velez (2008-2009): Well, that name's already drummed up a reaction in your mind, so I'll let you just stew on it. After leaving Toronto -- involuntarily, that is -- Velez returned to the Puerto Rico Islanders, where he had previously played for several years, and where the 31-year-old continues to play to this day.
    Dicoy Williams (2011-present): The 25-year-old Jamaican international went on trial with TFC in early 2011 and did enough to earn himself a contract. After showing himself capable at the position, the fates once again intervened and screwed up Williams' knee, an injury from which he is yet to fully recover.
    Honourable mention: Marvell Wynne (2007-2010): A fan favourite known for his blazing speed, Wynne was used as a right back during his tenure in Toronto. But after being traded to Colorado in 2010, he was converted to a centre back and, well, the Rapids won the MLS Cup that year, so the experiment must be going alright. Although, anyone who saw Colorado's loss to Real Salt Lake over the weekend (where Wynne was paired with fellow TFC alumnus Tyrone Marshall) knows the system ain't quite perfect.
    Addendum: Jim Brennan (2007-2010): You know what he did, and where he ended up (retiring, joining TFC Academy as a coach). I'd forgotten about his temporary service as a centreback.
    So, what's the deal? Are the Reds subject to the same curse as other Toronto teams, where great players become mediocre upon arrival in Toronto? Was it Mo Johnston? Is it wind tunnels at BMO Field?
    Or, as is more likely, has the perpetual roster turnover made it difficult for Toronto to establish a solid pairing in the centre of defence, where good communication and anticipation of one's teammates are especially important for success?
    ... Nah, must be the wind tunnels.
    Either way, here's hoping TFC's defence going forward doesn't turn out to be another paraphrased and repurposed message from 1984: "If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot misplaying the ball inside its own penalty area -- forever."
    .
    Guest

    Di Vaio tells Impact "No Grazie"

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    A new chapter was written on Tuesday in Montreal's pursuit of a first DP as targeted Italian international Marco Di Vaio publicly turned down the Impact's offer.
    "I do not want to leave. I am doing great in Bologna and I want to see my kids grow in Italy", Di Vaio told Corriere di Bologna's reporter Francesca Blesio.
    According to the article posted Tuesday on the Italian paper's website, Major League Soccer's latest entry offered the 36-year-old striker 3 million euros for two seasons (close to $4 million).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]"At that price I want to stay here (in Italy) close to my family," added Di Vaio. "(If) I was to go to Canada, it would not be for the money, but maybe for the experience."
    The move was set to happen at the end of the Serie A season, so is this declaration so early the real indication of the Italian's intentions or simply another round in the negociation process?
    Let's wait and see...
    Guest
    Tonight, we’ll talk about why Toronto failed to get three points in Montreal, how the winds of change are once again blowing down at BMO Field and get into what’s behind some recent academy moves.
    We’ll also talk about if a 4-3-3 can work in MLS, why the defence is not all to blame, and tell some stories from our away trip adventures in Montreal.
    The show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/30857/apr92012final.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>
    The next show will be Friday
    Subscribe and download It's Called Football on iTunes
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    Follow us on Twitter for updates on guests and shows
    Guest

    AFTN 3-2-1 Latest Standings

    By Guest, in AFTN,

    Our <i>"3-2-1 Award"</i> is AFTN's Player of the Year trophy.
    Every Whitecaps game we give three points to who we feel was the best Whitecaps player of the match, two for the second best, and then one for the third.
    Points are tallied up and then, at the end of the season, we have a winner! And this year, we're going to finally do what we've done for the East Fife players since 2004 and give the winning Whitecap an actual trophy.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    So much silverware for the players to win this season!
    The current standings for 2012, after the first five games, are....
    Young-Pyo Lee - 9 points
    Joe Cannon - 6
    Sebastien Le Toux - 5
    Alain Rochat - 3
    Martin Bonjour - 2
    Davide Chiumiento - 2
    Jay DeMerit - 2
    Eric Hassli - 1
    Do you agree? It's very early doors, but who would be your players of the season so far?
    <p>
    Guest
    Toronto FC sucks.
    Terrible Football Club.
    M£$€.
    Cut Try Harder.
    Release Julian.
    Go Barça.
    There are a lot of different ways to express your absolute disgust and frustration with Toronto’s MLS side, owners of a 0-4 record and providers of the Montreal Impact’s first ever MLS win.
    Thousands made the 7-hour journey east this past weekend to watch the Reds, but few left happy. A 90-minute exercise in frustration -- held at the inhumane kick-off time of noon – putting a damper on what was supposed to be a weekend of revival and Genesis.
    Breaking down the game is nearly useless. No one wants to hear about any of the factors that contributed to a lackluster performance. Toronto fans just want to vent. Swear. Hit things.
    Maybe watch the Blue Jays. They win sometimes. For now, anyway.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    For what it’s worth there are factors – the travel to and from Mexico being the most relevant. At the risk of provoking violence, it is worth pointing out that the Impact did make a frustratingly close goal line clearance and a have Save of the Week candidate mixed into the affair. You could argue that Toronto deserved a bit more than a late game consolation.
    Then again you could also argue that the goal of the game is to put the ball into the net. Montreal did that twice. Toronto once. End of.
    So, what now? This is the question that scares the hell out of the thinking Reds’ fan. Screaming profanity at the club might make a fan (briefly) feel better, but it in no way reflects on the impossibility of the situation.
    There are 30 games left. It is, of course, irrational to proclaim the season dead already. However, they have dug themselves a hole. You can overlook the Seattle loss – no shame in that one – but the six dropped points at home, combined with a loss against a team that will be near the foot of the table all year, is a lot of points left on the table. If this club is to challenge for the playoffs it will need to have a stretch where it plays out of its head to make up for what they’ve lost already.
    It’s not impossible, but it sure as hell looks unlikely. There is something, somewhere missing.
    The instinct is to blame the back-line, specifically Ty Harden. Although there is some truth to that it’s also too simple an evaluation by half. Yes, Ty Harden is slow and yes a back heel attempt was probably not the best choice to make on the second goal Saturday.
    However, he was also running at full speed back to cover a counter that had way too much space and was way too dangerous. Objectively, Harden was probably lucky to slow the play down at all and, well, where the hell were the rest of the defenders?
    Harden is what he is – a serviceable depth player on any MLS team. He is hardly the biggest problem.
    What is the biggest problem then? Well, that’s just it. It’s next to impossible to pin down a single thing. They did go almost three games without scoring (in MLS) however, and that can’t be overlooked.
    On Saturday the attack was predictable and close to impotent. There was next to no presence in the attacking midfield and watching Ashtone Morgan float cross after cross hopefully towards Danny Koevermans got a bit old, fast.
    For as much flack that Julian de Guzman gets for his contract and perceived lack of value, Koevermans – that actual highest paid player on the team – gets a free pass. One goal in eight games is not OK. And, it’s as big an issue with the early season form as anything de Guzman or Harden have done.
    It’s not all on Koevermans either though. It’s not all on anyone and there is no simple solution. And there is nothing to do but to wait it out and see if they can sort it all out.
    Frustrating, eh?
    Guest

    #TFCOptimism

    By Guest, in Some Canadian Guys,

    Like most members of my generation, I frequently use irony as a means of deflecting/ignoring uncomfortable emotional truths. And after Toronto FC gifted the Impact with their first MLS win on Saturday afternoon, Reds supporters were facing the uncomfortable emotional truth that their squad has dug itself a deep hole to start off the 2012 campaign.
    So in the game's immediate aftermath, I took inspiration from a fellow TFC supporter and began looking for reasons to still find hope in season six, despite the emotional "derby" loss and 0-4 record overall. My (yes, ironic) suggestion that a guaranteed top-three finish among Canadian MLS teams was a source of optimism seemed to particularly delight fans in Montreal and Vancouver.
    But a day removed from the Misfire in Montreal ('cause every important game needs a pithy title), legitimate reasons for continued belief about Toronto begin to emerge. Perhaps my newfound status as ardent optimist is the latest manifestation of a predisposition towards irony so deeply ingrained that even I can't tell the difference anymore. Or, perhaps, TFC's start, however ugly, truly isn't cause to unreservedly smash the "panic! for the love of God, panic!" button.
    Either way, here are a few honest reasons why all is not lost just yet.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It's a long season. It's true, this statement is the clarion call of teams that get off to crappy starts, most often used in a desperate (often futile) attempt to convince fans to continue purchasing tickets and merchandise. But whatever associations one may have with the phrase, it's indisputably accurate. Four games do not a season make. And while MLS history is certainly not on TFC's side as it relates to their playoff chances, if an NFL team with a 16-game schedule can start 0-4 and make the post-season (1992 San Diego Chargers), then an MLS squad in the weaker conference can surely (theoretically) recover from that deficit.
    Oh, and for what it's worth, that turnaround by the Chargers was their first playoff appearance in 10 years.
    Torsten Frings will come back. Is it worrisome that TFC is largely dependent on Frings in order to look like a cohesive team? Yep. Is it especially worrisome that he's 35 years old, and has already injured himself this year on a seemingly innocuous play? Yep. But one way or another, the team is demonstrably better with Frings in the lineup. No one's pretending that he is a long-term solution, or that his ability to compensate for other players' shortcomings is, in and of itself, a positive thing.
    But this roster is better when Frings is active. And he will be, once again, in a number of weeks.
    The team has shown itself capable of good things in attack. Sure, a -7 goal differential after four MLS games would suggest otherwise. But this squad, when they're ready and motivated, can move the ball around the park in ways that few TFC squads (to this point in the franchise's history) have been able to do on a sustained basis. The 1-0 loss to Columbus could easily have been a victory, had a few bounces and opportunities gone one way instead of the other. Which brings us to...
    Koevermans and Plata opening their scoring accounts. While Joao Plata and Danny Koevermans have yet to recapture the individual magic that made them such fan favourites in 2011, both got their names on the score sheet last week, with Plata potting a brace against Santos Laguna and Koevermans tallying the late consolation goal against Montreal.
    Momentum can help drive a player, particularly a striker, so one could hope that breaking the 2012 goose-egg is a harbinger of better days ahead for the pair of Toronto forwards.
    Roster congestion has eased... a bit... for now. TFC has just three league games to worry about in the next three weeks, with two of them (home games against Chivas and Chicago) looking winnable -- or at least, much more winnable than a visit to Salt Lake at month's end. A pair of victories and, maybe, a scraped-out draw at Rio Tinto would bump their record to 2-4-1: not inspiring, exactly, but less fatalism-inducing than the current mark.
    Aron Winter isn't Mo Johnston. Say what you will about draft picks and acquisitions that didn't work out as planned (and yeah, Winter has had a few of those). But Winter is the man who brought Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans to play in Toronto. He's the man who checked both items off of most fans' off-season wish list by successfully re-signing Joao Plata and Richard Eckersley. And he's also a man that has Paul Mariner's knowledge and experience at his immediate disposal.
    The days of "In ____ We Trust" banners being hoisted at BMO Field are gone; well-earned cynicism among supporters has ensured that. Still, when Winter admits that personnel changes are necessary to address TFC's deficiencies (something he's suggested the past two weeks), you can be reasonably assured he's not going to randomly throw players at the wall to see who sticks.
    The defence might not be as bad as some people think. A tough one to explain, but here goes. When people complain about "the Toronto defence", it's really just the central defence they mean, as Ashtone Morgan and Richard Eckersley are widely regarded as dependable pieces of the puzzle. And in the centre of defence, it's usually Ty Harden (a favourite whipping boy) sharing the blame with whatever newly-acquired player he's paired up with.
    And it's true, central defence has been TFC's Achilles heel since its inception, with the team seemingly never able to find a decent pairing for any extended period of time. That constant turnover has created an ever-present sense of uncertainty and dread, meaning that any new centre-back is immediately subjected to intense scrutiny, with the hope that they, finally, are "the answer". Paradoxically, this magnification of every error due to the pent-up CB anxiety can just serve to exacerbate the revolving-door syndrome, as fans clamour and hoot and holler for the mythical "world-class centre-back" that will cure all of TFC's ills.
    The point here is that, yeah, we pretty much know what Ty Harden is at this point. And newcomers Miguel Aceval and Logan Emory have already had some cringe-worthy moments. No one from that list is the "world-class centre-back" that some fans crave. But given time, and separated from the burden of five years of accumulated dashed dreams, perhaps someone currently on the TFC roster could develop into a solid contributor. Not a world-beater, by any stretch, but guess what, folks? There's only so much professional talent you can attract with a five-figure salary.
    Some of these suggestions may seem unlikely to come to fruition. But then, unlikely things happen all the time in sports. If they didn't, there'd be no reason to watch.
    A huge banner at TFC's season-opening CCL showdown with L.A. claimed that the supporters and team should "dream together and make history".
    The dream may be flickering a bit after the team's shaky start. But there's still history to be made... and 2012 could yet be the year in which it is.
    .
    Guest
    It had to happen at some stage of the season. The Caps had to concede a goal and lose a game.
    Many of us thought going into Saturday's game that Buck Shaw Stadium would be the place for both to happen, and so it proved. Bang goes the dream of an unbeaten season!
    The result might not have been exactly a shock but the nature of it certainly was, or the dramatic defensive collapse to be more precise.
    Last week, we started <i>"In The Cold Light Of Day"</i> by saying <i>"What can you say about this Whitecaps defence?"</i>.
    What a difference a week makes.
    This time, we have to ask the same question and add in <i>"after we scored?"</i> to the end.
    Those eleven minutes and three goals will surely be playing at the Caps Halloween party as it was nightmare inducing and it could have ended up a lot worse.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The defence was all at sea for that period of the game and San Jose, led by an impressive display from ex-Whitecaps Shea Salinas on the wing, could and should have punished us a lot more.
    It's hard to be too critical of a defence that has just set a Major League Soccer record. To go 427 minutes unbeaten to start a season is mighty impressive. To do so after the calamitous nature of our defending last season, even more so.
    There is a strange irony that we were only able to surpass New York's old record by five minutes before the floodgates opened. And opened they most certainly did.
    Jay DeMerit was absolutely dreadful on the first goal and I'm sure he'd be the first to admit it. Letting his man get goal-side of him was a bad enough mistake, but exactly what he was trying to do in the box after the throw in, when blasting the ball into row Z was the correct option, only he will know.
    All understanding of marking seemed to be sucked from the defence during that horror spell and you have to say that it has been coming.
    For all the resolute defending and game saving stops from Joe Cannon, we've rode our luck defensively several times this season. Just as we have been inches away from a foot or a header giving us more wins, we've also been a head or a goalie glove away from a couple of losses now.
    Football is a game of inches most days, funny shaped ball or not.
    The big difference between those games and Saturday is that we were finally up against a team who could finish.
    What's particularly crazy about yesterday is that apart from a couple of early scrambles in the box, San Jose never looked like stopping the Caps from setting the new shutout record. Then someone seemed to flick a switch in their attack and they didn't look like they were going to stop finding the net.
    Frustratingly, we didn't play bad for the other 79 minutes, and our defence clearly doesn't turn bad overnight, so I'm not too worried about what happened yesterday. It's probably good that it did happen, so we can address the problems early and realise we still have a lot to work on at both ends of the pitch.
    If we keep repeating those mistakes in the next few games, I won't be feeling so dismissive.
    You can be sure it's not something that Martin Rennie is going to just ignore. Tapes will be watched, discussions held, and there's some strong defensive back-ups eager to step up.
    When I was growing up, a popular phrase for pundits was that you were <i>"only as good as your reserves"</i>. Well, the Whitecaps reserves won 2-1 against San Jose this morning, so our depth is there and maybe some of them should get a bit of a closer look in the upcoming games.
    Moving away from nightmares to something which would give you sweet dreams, the build up play to John Thorrington's first half chance, when he hit the bar, was a thing of beauty.
    Fourteen passes, involving nine different players. If you needed any proof that this team was capable of playing football, then this was it.
    Cannon to Hassli to Thorrington to Bonjour to Lee to Davidson to Koffie to Harvey, then back to Davidson, then to Thorrington again, then to Koffie once more and back again to Davidson, whose beautiful flighted pass to Hassli was cut inside to Chiumiento, then on to Thorrington, then off the bar, when it really, really should have been buried.
    The attack in general was also much better this week.
    He may not have got a goal once again, but Eric Hassli probably had his best game of the season. He set up Sebastien Le Toux perfectly for his goal and put himself about well, shielding the ball and holding up play to allow support and neat lay offs.
    Hassli was instrumental in a number of the Caps sixteen attempts on goal. Six of those attempts were on target and it was a much better all-round effort after none in the last two games.
    Sebastien Le Toux shone from the start and was kicked off the park at times by a robust San Jose side, that got away with it time and again.
    Camilo looked sharp when he came on and you have to wonder what may have happened in the match had he been able to start, although you can also say the same thing about Steven Lenhart with San Jose.
    I'd have taken a point going in to the game, then thought we deserved all three by the time we scored, only to be left with the feeling that we got out of the game what we deserved in the end.
    Three bookings this week, and I was a bit nervous in that second half with Jun Marques Davidson and Martin Bonjour picking up their early yellows, especially since referee Ramon Hernandez seemed to have a penchant for players wearing only white.
    And, of course, I can't go a week without lambasting Sportsnet's coverage.
    Again, we don't know whether it was the channel's own camerawork or the local affiliate, but the fact that we nearly didn't see the Caps goal was dreadful. It's pretty basic camerawork to focus on the events on the pitch, especially when it's a throw-in in a dangerous position. Instead we got a shot of Wondo rubbing himself.
    I'm also sure that Craig MacEwen is now taking the complete piss out of everyone by saying both his <i>"it's in the back of the net"</i> AND <i>"would you look at that"</i> catchphrases when San Jose scored. Either that or he just completely panicked in the moment and just didn't know what to say, so reverted to his old standards.
    Oh for the few upcoming matches on TSN. Thank god for Paul Dolan. it would be unbearable without him. He is knowledgeable and knows what he's talking about. He has been a great addition to Sportsnet's broadcast team.
    Vancouver now have an eleven day break to try and get things back on track. It's going to be a toughie against Kansas City, but it will be a contest that will show us just how much of a serious threat the Whitecaps will be this season.
    If we can't shine and compete against the best, we're maybe not as good as we were starting to think we were.
    Mon the Caps.
    <center>********************</center>
    <b>AFTN 3-2-1 :</b>
    3 points - SEBASTIEN LE TOUX (Really stepped up to the plate this game and the attention he was getting from San Jose clearly showed what a threat they felt he was.)
    2 points - DAVIDE CHIUMIENTO (Another great game for Davide tacking back and helping out. We just need a little more at his usual end of the park.)
    1 point - ERIC HASSLI (A good team player yesterday, with a lot of effort into all the good things that the Caps produced. Now just find the net!)
    <p>
    Guest
    Going in to today's match up at San Jose's Buck Shaw Stadium, Vancouver Whitecaps were 62 minutes away from setting a new record for the longest start to a MLS season without conceding a goal.
    It was never going to be an easy ask. This was the first game of the season that the Caps would not only face a team above them in the standings, but one which actually had at least a win to their name.
    The record was secured, but the three points were the much more important thing at stake, and Vancouver were unable to deliver that part, going down to a 3-1 defeat, following a dramatic defensive collapse.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Vancouver made two changes to the team that started last week's goalless draw in Philadelphia. Eric Hassli returned from injury for the suspended Atiba Harris, and Gershon Koffie returned to the fold to add a little more defensive quality than Matt Watson to the midfield.
    San Jose were missing a key attacking cog, with a hamstring injury forcing out Steven Lenhart. Spurs loanee Simon Dawkins partnered goal machine Chris Wondolowski up front for the Earthquakes.
    With both sides having conceded only one goal between them all season, a defensive battle was always going to be on the cards and that was what we got in the opening minutes.
    Neither side were finding it easy to break down the resolute defences, although San Jose had a couple of half chances which Vancouver scrambled clear.
    The Whitecaps had a scare in the 13th minute when Sebastien Le Toux crumpled to the ground in a heap, but the French striker was okay to continue after some treatment.
    The visitors had their first shot on goal in the 18th minute, when Eric Hassli fired weakly at the keeper after some good build up play. It was first shot on target in three matches for the goal shy Caps attack and it seemed to spur Vancouver on, as they enjoyed some possession.
    Both sides were being restricted to long range efforts and Steven Beitashour shot wide of the Caps' right hand post in the 22nd minute, under pressure from Jordan Harvey.
    Le Toux forced Jon Busch into the first save of the match in the 33rd minute, when he got his foot on the end of a Hassli cross, but couldn't get enough power on the shot to do more than to poke it in the direction of the Quakes' goal.
    Vancouver came the close to breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute when John Thorrington chipped a 13 yard effort off the crossbar, with the goal gaping. The shot came on the end of a delightful 14 pass move that started with Joe Cannon, involved nine players and saw the ball sprayed across the pitch.
    It was great to watch, but with the danger still on, Davide Chiumiento hit the rebound off Victor Bernardez and Busch managed to smother the second rebound.
    As the half entered three minutes of stoppage time, Joe Cannon was forced into a sprawling save from a Shea Salinas rocket from the left edge of the box.
    San Jose pushed for the breakthrough but none was forthcoming and the sides went in at the break scoreless.
    The parity was to last less than four minutes of the second half.
    Jordan Harvey took a quick throw in near the left corner flag, and with the Quakes defence napping, Hassli held off his man and set up Le Toux to coolly bury it low into the right hand corner of the net for 1-0 Vancouver.
    Two minutes later and the Caps nearly doubled their lead. Gershon Koffie set up Hassli, but his low drive was straight at Busch, who parried the danger clear.
    With Vancouver in the clear ascendency, Le Toux broke quickly on the left in the 58th minute. Playing in Hassli, his fellow Frenchman took a rough first touch but recovered to send a ball across the goal and just inches away from the head of a diving John Thorrington. The Caps kept the danger on and Chiumiento saw his effort go just past the left hand post.
    As the game went past the hour mark, all eyes were on the clock, and with the Caps on the attack when the 62nd minute hit, the new clean sheet record was set and had never been under much threat of not being achieved as the game had gone on.
    Chiumiento tried to put the cherry on the celebratory record cupcake, but hit a curling free kick just over, with Vancouver now looking to add a vital three points to their place in MLS history.
    It would have been ironic for the Caps defences to be breached just after setting the shutout record, and Alan Gordon had a great chance to do just that two minutes later when he was clear in front of an open goal, but couldn't get on the end of Salinas' dangerous cross.
    With the home side now pressing, Cannon had to be quick of his line to get on the end of a Salinas through ball before Gordon.
    San Jose got the breakthrough their play was threatening in the 68th minute and this time it was the Vancouver defence which was caught napping from a throw in.
    Ramiro Corrales saw Chris Wondolowski in space from his marker Jay DeMerit and the hitman shook off DeMerit's attentions to chip the ball over an advancing Joe Cannon from a tight angle, four yards out, to tie things up.
    It was poor defending from Vancouver's captain, who not only let his man get away from him, but then miscontrolled the ball in the box to set up the finish.
    San Jose should have taken the lead three minutes later. Former Whitecap Salinas sent another low ball across the goalmouth but both Gordon and Wondolowski let the ball skip though under their feet.
    The Earthquakes did get their second moments later. Corrales whipped a dangerous ball in from the left and this time Gordon connected, getting in front of Martin Bonjour to head home low past Cannon.
    With 72 minutes gone, it was some turnaround from the home side. They kept going and six minutes later it was three.
    Tressor Moreno curled an inswinging free kick to the back post from the left. Jordan Harvey mistimed his jump and that left Wondolowski unmarked and with the easy job of hitting home for his second of the match, and his sixth goal in five games.
    The collapse of the Whitecaps defence was alarming. It was the first poor defending that the team have shown this season, with San Jose making them pay dearly for some very bad marking.
    Camilo had come on as sub for the Caps, giving away the free kick that led to the third goal. He tried to make amends with eight minutes remaining, picking up a short ball from Chiumiento, before shooting just wide.
    As the time ticked down, Chiumiento played Hassli through with two minutes remaining, but the striker should have done better, wildly firing over from a good position, as his goal drought continued.
    Despite some pressure from Vancouver in the closing stages, San Jose held firm to open up a four point gap on their visitors.
    Vancouver will now have eleven days to lick their wounds and try and find some attacking cohesion and work on their defensive lapses.
    With all the praise heaped on the team and Martin Rennie so far this season, it will now be interesting to see how they bounce back from their first loss.
    FINAL SCORE : San Jose Earthquakes 3 - 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
    ATT : 10,525
    SAN JOSE : Jon Busch; Steven Beitashour, Victor Bernardez, Justin Morrow, Ramiro Corrales; Shea Salinas, Sam Cronin (Khari Stephenson 69), Rafael Baca, Marvin Chavez (Tressor Moreno 38); Chris Wondolowski, Simon Dawkins (Alan Gordon 52) [subs Not Used: David Bingham, Brad Ring, Jason Hernandez, Ike Opara]
    VANCOUVER : Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Gershon Koffie, Jun-Marques Davidson (Camilo Sanvezzo 76), Davide Chiumiento, John Thorrington (Matt Watson 79); Sebastien Le Toux, Eric Hassli [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Omar Salgado, Carlyle Mitchell, Long Tan, Greg Klazura]
    <p>
    Guest

    SoccerPlus - The Post-Game Show

    By Guest, in SoccerPlus,

    A mixed sense of relief and joy permeated the Montreal Impact locker room following their first ever victory in MLS, 2-1 over Toronto FC.
    Hear out what Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Andrew Wenger had to say after scoring their first goal of the season as well as coach Jesse Marsch.
    Also, TFC coach Aron Winter promises changes on his roster.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Hear our 20 minutes post-game show by clicking here.
    Also, you can subscribe directly on iTunes.
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