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    Guest

    Neely steps down from TFC

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    Toronto FC announced today that Stuart Neely had stepped down from his role as Academy Director. Earl Cochrane replaces him in the interim.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Word had begun circling on Friday, that following a series of staff reviews, Neely had either been released, or had walked away from the club.
    The official word from the team today is that it was a mutual parting of ways.
    Under Neely, six players have been promoted to first team duties and the program has seen strong growth since he was appointed the position in January.
    Sources close to the club suggested to CSN over the weekend that Neely was being forced out and leaving had not been his first choice. They stressed that he was not leaving to take another position. TFC's current assistant, Bob DeKlerk, who worked under Frank DeBoer in the Ajax youth ranks, has been put forward by the same sources as a potential long term replacement.
    CSN will have more on this story as it develops.
    Guest

    Nolly is on Fire

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Jay Nolly was traded to the Chicago Fire in for a first round selection in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft (i.e. a third round draft pick).
    The move is another example of how the 'Caps have moved away from players that played under Teitur Thordarson, opting to go with Tom Soehn selections instead.
    Nolly played 14 regular season matches for 1,260 minutes of action. He also started three matches in the 2011 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    When the well-traveled Nick Dasovic was anointed the new head coach of the men's U-20 team last week, the expected questions came up: What does this mean for the squad? What kind of prospects does the program have? What are Canada's chances as it relates to the 2013 U-20 World Cup?
    To get an idea of what the future may hold -- and as a reminder of how futile these sorts of predictions can be -- it's worth looking back at the last Canadian squad to participate in the U-20 World Cup. That, of course, was the team that went winless, pointless and goalless in a disappointing performance on home soil in 2007.
    Some of the standouts at that tournament -- Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria, Luis Suarez, Alexandre Pato -- have become world-class stars. So what about the Canadian team? What has happened to Canada's brightest prospects of four years ago?
    Well, as usual, some of it's good, some of it's OK, some of it's bad, and some of it's downright ugly.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    THE GOOD
    Simeon Jackson
    Current club: Norwich City (England)
    Caps for men's national team: 25
    Jacko had been wiling away for Rushden & Diamonds for several years by the time 2007 rolled around; it wasn't until a move to Gilingham in 2008 that his career truly took off. His play-off goal at Wembley in 2009 clinched promotion for the Gills, and also helped secure him a move further up the ladder -- to Norwich City, in 2010. Then in 2011, he would score the goal to put the Canaries back into the Premiership, earning himself a roster spot in the process. Though he's been used sparingly thus far this season, it's remarkable to think that a guy who only played the full 90 once in three games for Canada back in 2007 is now plying his trade in the world's top league.
    David Edgar
    Current club: Burnley (England)
    Caps for men's national team: 7
    The centre-back was the toast of the Canadian soccer world back in 2007, having scored his first Premiership goal for Newcastle -- against mighty Manchester United, no less -- on New Year's Day. But things spiralled downward after that: Newcastle was famously relegated in 2009, the same year Edgar was moved to Burnley. There, he struggled mightily to secure regular playing time, being loaned out to Swansea City for a spell. But this year, under new manager Eddie Howe, Edgar has finally established himself as a starter at Burnley -- and as a big part of the Canadian senior national team's plans.
    Marcus Haber
    Current club: St. Johnstone (Scotland)
    Caps for men's national team: 2
    The 22-year-old was one of the younger members of Canada's 2007 squad, but had made enough of an impression with the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency to merit the call. He'd go on to be the rookie of the year for the Whitecaps' senior team in 2009, earning a move to West Brom. He'd never see the field for the Baggies, however, as he quickly went out on several loans. During one of them, to St. Johnstone, he blew out his knee and required season-ending surgery. But he showed enough in his brief time there that after he was released by West Brom this July, he was signed by St. Johnstone, for whom he's made 14 appearances this season.
    Tosaint Ricketts
    Current club: Timisoara (Romania)
    Caps for men's national team: 9
    Ricketts made a name for himself in the lead-up to Canada 2007, scoring a hat trick in a friendly against the U.S. less than a month before the tournament and forcing his way into the squad with his performances. This year he's been doing much the same for the senior national team, becoming an increasingly popular and useful member of the player pool. As a member of Finnish side MyPa, he scored twice in an epic Europa League encounter with Poli Timisoara in 2009; in fact, he so impressed the Romanian side that they later signed him. Financial irregularities forced Poli's relegation to the second division this year, though they look set to gain promotion in 2011-12... with Ricketts' help, of course.
    Will Johnson
    Current club: Real Salt Lake (USA)
    Caps for men's national team: 24
    Johnson was plying his trade in the Netherlands when Canada 2007 came around. He moved to MLS in 2008 and quickly got his name on the radar by winning
    From there, he became a key cog in the well-oiled RSL machine that won the MLS Cup 2009 and has been a solid force in the league for years. Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault
    Current club: SC Preußen Münster (Germany)
    Caps for men's national team: 6
    Surely Canada's oddest incident of the U-20 World Cup in 2007 involved JBB being forced into playing 15 minutes in goal after the then-Canadian 'keeper was sent off. But at his normal position, as a defensive midfielder, he's found legitimate success, with five-plus years of service for several teams in Germany. Currently in the German third division, he's realistically on the fringes of the men's national team, but he's done enough to avoid becoming nothing more than the answer to a trivia question.
    David Monsalve
    Current club: FC Edmonton (Canada)
    Caps for men's national team: 1
    One of the few current members of the national men's team player pool with a top-flight national league trophy to his name (the Finnish title, with Inter Turku in 2009), Monsalve earns a spot on the "good" side largely because of circumstances. While there are plenty of Canadians playing at levels higher than NASL, Monsalve's presence on FC Edmonton's roster in 2011 forever links him to a domestic feel-good story: a squad largely comprised of up-and-coming Canadian youngsters (himself included) who made good in their first year of existence. Plus, considering Canada's depth (or lack thereof) at the goalkeeper position, Monsalve could very well find himself back in the senior-team mix in the future.
    THE OK
    Jaime Peters
    Current club: Bournemouth (on loan from Ipswich Town) (England)
    Caps for men's national team: 26
    If you'd have looked at Canada's roster in 2007 and predicted who'd be in the "good" pile several years hence, Peters' name surely would have made that list. But after a promising start to his club and national career -- heck, he debuted for the men's national team back in 2004 -- his progress seems to have stalled completely. Consider the last round of World Cup qualifying, in which Stephen Hart was frantically seeking solutions at right back, yet didn't bother calling up Peters. At 24, he's by no means completely past it -- but there's plenty of work to be done.
    Nana Attakora
    Current club: San Jose Earthquakes (USA)
    Caps for men's national team: 2
    The longest-serving member of Toronto FC in the club's short history, Attakora has proven himself a solid defender in MLS, though senior team callups have been few and far between. Attakora has plenty of good years left in him, and it's been suggested he has European ambitions (then again, who doesn't?), though playing under former Canada head coach Frank Yallop in San Jose could prove to be a valuable experience.
    Kennedy Owusu-Ansah
    Current club: Porin Palloilijat (Finland)
    Caps for men's national team: 0
    It appears that Randy Edwini-Bonsu isn't the only Canadian in his early 20s with a hyphenated, Ghanaian last name who last played for a team in Finland. Owusu-Ansah won the Finnish second-division title with RoPS in 2010, but is now back in the second division with PoPa, for whom he's made six appearances in 2011. He's unlikely to follow Edwini-Bonsu to the 2.Bundesliga any time soon, but at least he's making a living.
    Alex Elliott
    Current club: Sportfreunde Siegen (Germany)
    Caps for men's national team: 0
    This is where Wikipedia sometimes runs into a wall. Elliott, according to his Wikipedia page, is a current member of the fifth-division side in Germany. But the club's page lists him as a former player. Hmm. In any event, it's possible he still has a job as a footballer in Europe, which is good (if it's true). And his name may be familiar on the west coast, as he did make a number of appearances for his hometown Whitecaps in 2010.
    Michael D'Agostino
    Current club: Sportfreunde Siegen (Germany)
    Caps for men's national team: 0
    As in the case of Elliott, Wikipedia presents confusion as to whether D'Agostino is still actually a member of Sportfreunde Siegen. If not, maybe he (and Elliott) belong in the "bad" portion of this list. At best, they're fringe players on a fifth-division team, and close followers of Canadian soccer know that the only European fifth division worth a damn is the Czech one.
    Addendum: Hat tip to a reader who found the link to Sportfreunde Siegen's roster page, which confirms that Elliott and D'Agostino are, indeed, still part of the squad. The lesson here: Wikipedia is probably wrong about half the time. Case in point: Their teammate, Issa Issa (nee Issam Al-Edrissi), still plays for SG Wattenscheid 09, according to Wikipedia. Sheesh.
    Gabe Gala
    Current club: Mississauga Eagles FC (Canada)
    Caps for men's national team: 0
    Alright, you probably know exactly why Gala is in the "OK" category rather than the "bad" one: For providing one of the more surreal moments ever at BMO Field, when he scored for his hometown club in a friendly against Real Madrid in 2008. But that was one of only 17 appearances for TFC over the course of four seasons, during which time he generally served as little more than part of the Canadian quota.
    THE BAD
    None of the following ever made the jump from the U-20 side to the men's national team.
    Kent O'Connor
    Current club: unattached
    His last club, SpVgg Weiden, was relegated from the German fourth division last year after declaring insolvency. Not a good sign.
    Andrea Lombardo
    Current club: SC Toronto (Canada)
    Lombardo's most recent shining moment came in 2010, when he scored a late goal in a CSL playoff game and took the opportunity to shush a few dozen TFC fans who'd spent the majority of the match heckling him. Fisticuffs ensued at the final whistle. Yup.
    Christian Nunez
    Current club: unattached
    He moved to the Montreal Impact in 2008. Then he got loaned to their quasi-academy team, the Trois-Rivieres Attak. Then he played for the Universite de Montreal for a few years. Now he's focused on his studies. Who knows what the future will hold?
    Zach Kalthoff
    Current club: UBC Thunderbirds
    His name comes up in a 2010 Telegraph article entitled "Southampton's star pupils and contemporaries who failed to make the top grade". Among the former ("star pupils") are the likes of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott. Kalthoff, needless to say, falls into the latter category. He did, apparently, make the move to FC Kaiserslautern several years ago, but is evidently now back playing university footie out west.
    Keegan Ayre
    Current club: retired
    He gave up on soccer in 2009 to become a model. I'm not kidding.
    Olivier Lacoste-Lebuis
    Current club: unattached
    Having only turned 21 this past August, Lacoste-Lebuis could theoretically have many years of playing ahead of him. But his last pro experience appears to have come in 2008, for French fifth-division side RC Strasbourg.
    Stephen Lumley
    Current club: unknown
    He has an MLSSoccer.com profile page, which is proof that he exists. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine.
    THE UGLY
    That Bosnian goalkeeper
    Current club: Stoke City (England)
    You know the damn story. Unsubstantiated rumours abound that his defection to the land of his birth was, shall we say, less than completely voluntary. Either way, this one stung. A lot.
    Dale Mitchell (coach)
    The tournament was Mitchell's last at the helm of the U-20 squad -- not because of the poor results, but because he was already poised to take the full-time position as gaffer of the senior men's national team. He was set up to fail from the start, though, widely viewed as the CSA's compromise candidate after an acrimonious process to find Frank Yallop's replacement. And, sure enough, as the squad disastrously crashed out of the qualifying campaign for South Africa 2010, Mitchell was held up as the scapegoat by players and fans alike.
    His coaching tenures were especially unfortunate, considering the extent to which they've overshadowed his stellar career as a player representing Canada.
    So there it is. A number of complete washouts, a few more on the fringes of pro soccer life, and a handful who are currently enjoying productive careers for club and country. I eagerly await hardcore Voyageurs will weighing in to inform me as to some critical pieces of missed information about this list ("I can't believe you didn't know so-and-so is playing for FC Bumbleberry in Turkmenistan! Do your research!")
    So what does this mean for the lads vying to represent Canada at Turkey 2013? Not a thing. They can look to some of these success stories as inspiration, but ultimately, they'll be the authors of their own destinies.
    .
    Guest

    TFC's money problem

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Two names have dominated the thoughts of most Toronto FC supporters this off-season – Joao Plata and Richard Eckersley. Most view getting the tiny Ecuadorian and redheaded Englishman back in the fold as a major priority for the Reds, if not the biggest priority.
    News broke this week that securing Plata long-term might be days away. Since MLS teams treat salary information as state secrets we won’t know how much TFC is spending to bring him back, but you can expect that he is receiving a considerable raise from last year. As well, the Reds have likely used a great deal of allocation to pay for the transfer fee needed to buy out the player, who spent 2011 in Toronto on loan.
    Getting Plata back was important. With the Dwayne DeRosario era quickly becoming a distant memory, Plata has become the face of the club. And, although his MLS stats weren’t as strong as many might remember, he clearly has talent and is just 20 years old. On a club that has had far too much turnover from year to year, it’s nice to get a young, exciting player locked up long-term.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It would also be nice to get Eckersley locked up. However, it might not be in the cards. The problem is that TFC is very tight up against the cap. Without factoring in Plata’s new salary, the Reds only have about $500,000 available to them. As all know, they need a centreback or two (and, it should be noted, Adrian Cann is out of contract). It’s a bit bleak.
    Eckersley can make far more money staying in England, even if his parent club Burnley doesn’t want him. The Championship side would probably be open to releasing him, but Eckersley would need to be willing to leave a lot of money on the table. If he’s open to a short term contract, or a structured contract, that pays him a low amount in 2012 (say $100,000) then he might be back. If he’s not, then TFC is going to need to find a fullback that will play for about that.
    Eckersley says he likes it here. We will find out how much he does soon.
    Toronto’s money problems go beyond those two players of course. If they are to upgrade significantly they are going to need to get creative. Paul Mariner built his reputation in New England as a guy that could find undervalued talent and he’s going to need to tap into that skill this off-season.
    TFC fans looking at the SuperDraft and re-entry draft need to remember the cap situation. In the SuperDraft, Generation adidas players are even more valuable to TFC than they are in years when the cap is less of an issue.
    They need free players. In the re-entry draft you can pretty much forget the idea of TFC going after a pricy veteran. Any player taken will be a guy that makes less than $100,000 (Former Red Andrew Boyens is an interesting possibility as a depth player). Most likely, TFC will be sitting the re-entry draft out.
    It seems likely that academy players will be given a good look as well as the Reds look to find cheap depth wherever they can.
    The other option for upgrading the talent is through trades. The most likely candidate to be moved is Stefan Frei. It would be a shame to move the longest serving player, but if a starting quality MLS centreback was available, they might not have much choice. Regardless, the 50 days from today until training camp opens in January are bound to be busy for Canada’s first MLS team.
    Guest
    By the time you read this, the second – and maybe last – attempt to create a top level women’s professional soccer league in the United States might be less than 24-hours from failure. And, although not strictly a Canadian issue, the future of the league, WPS, does affect several of the Canadian national team’s better players, including Christine Sinclair.
    For those who have not paying attention the basics of the latest crisis:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In 2011, USSF extended WPS a one year waiver to operate a D1 league with fewer than the required eight teams. In total, there were six clubs in the league last year, including the comically named magicJack (the lower case “m” is not a typo). Although magicJack was a strong team on the pitch it was run by an egomaniac who appeared to have misogynistic tendencies, which was an odd combination for an owner of a team in a fledgling women’s league.
    After a series of bizarre e-mail exchanges, the league eventually grew tired of magicJack ownership and booted the club out. As you would expect, legal action is ongoing.
    As much as it was a relief to get rid of magicJack, the decision has become problematic for WPS. It seems that the USSF was OK with six teams, but five was a number that they just couldn’t justify. The federation gave WPS a couple weeks to find a sixth team or face not receiving D1 sanctioning.
    That deadline is up tomorrow. There does not appear to be anyone willing to step up and fill that sixth spot, although the league claims that it has several teams lined up to join in 2013. The question is whether the league can last to 2013 if it has to play 2012 as a D2 league.
    Another question – and one that very few people are asking (although some are) – is whether it’s in the best interest of women’s soccer to return in 2012 or 2013.
    It says here it isn’t.
    For years women’s soccer has relied on faulty thinking to allow itself to repeat the same mistake over and over. That thinking is twofold – first, participation numbers are used to convince investors that girls who play the game can be converted into girls who watch the game. The second thinking error occurs every four years when interest in the Women’s World Cup is interpreted to mean that there will suddenly be interest in watching women’s club football.
    A decade plus of evidence tells us that both interpretations border on the delusional. The blunt truth is that many women who play soccer don’t watch soccer, those who do are as likely to only watch men’s soccer as they are to watch women’s and a good number of people who watch the World Cup are unaware that WPS even exists.
    Fans of women’s soccer are often true believers and they are often deaf to the message. But, they need to hear it. The truth is you could start a pro women’s league 100 times and it would fail 100 times – so long as they keep using the same top down, franchise model that they currently use. You simply can’t create a team out of thin air and expect a fan base, beyond the hardcore, to materialize.
    However, that’s not to say that you should give up. There could be a market for a women’s pro league, but it will need to be cultivated from the grassroots on up. The basic structure is already there. It just needs some support and direction.
    Below WPS there are two leagues that are considered to be the second level of the North American pyramid. The W-League has 27 clubs (including eight in Canada) and WPSL has 64. These teams are elite amateur and it’s been suggested that the best teams in those leagues might be able to compete with WPS sides right now. If you support the best of those 91 clubs to upgrade themselves to semi-pro status, then you have the basis of several affiliated regional leagues that would be in every corner of the U.S. and Canada.
    Let the best players go to Europe if there is more money for them there. Focus on getting more women playing at a professional level, even if the money they are receiving is supplementary income rather than primary. Ideally, a few of those clubs will eventually outgrow semi-pro status and when that happens you refigure the set-up to have a nationwide and fully pro league at the top of the pyramid. By growing it organically you might even be able to finally have promotion and relegation in a North American league!
    It would take years, but it would also be far more stable than the current situation. And isn`t that what everyone wants?
    Guest
    Under the guidance of former Whitecap Nick Dasovic, five of Vancouver's brightest young starlets will be headed to Sunrise, Florida, to train with the U-20 National Team as they prepare for 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey. The list of players who will be making the trip includes such notables as Bryce Alderson, and Ben Fisk who have been on the National radar for the last few years. Both players had strong showings at the recent post season evaluation camp held by Whitecaps Head Coach Martin Rennie, and will look to build on their recent success' as they strive for a trip to Turkey.
    Alderson impressed the Whitecaps staff enough to be given a MLS contract last month, and needs no introduction to our loyal readers. Ben Fisk is a speedy winger who will require further development, and did not make the same impression on Caps staff as Bryce. Even though he was not offered a contract, he was still good enough to not get bossed around by the big boys last month in Burnaby.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Caleb Clarke was also at last months end of season camp, but looked a bit out of place. There are two things you can't teach in sports. Size and Speed. Clarke possesses both. His raw talent is undeniable, and he could prove to be the most impressive of the three but he will take a little more time to progress. He will hopefully get some more guidance on proper positioning so he does not need to rely solely on his sheer athleticism to create opportunities. This is his first call up to the national squad but it will likely not be his last. The Whitecaps evaluation camp was likely quite an eye opener for someone who has been the big fish in a small tank among his peers. Competing with the best the country has to offer should only improve his game.
    The Whitecaps Residency will also be sending two talented fullbacks to Florida, Daniel Stanese, and Ben McKendry. Each have represented The Reds at the U-17 and U-18 levels respectively. Both should get good work outs as there will only be one other centre back in camp
    Another player who is on the squad but not listed as a member of the Whitecaps, but kind of is, is Keven Aleman, of Spanish Second Division side Real Valladolid. Aleman spent time as a member of TFC Youth system and has represented Canada previously. Rumours ran rampant that he would be joining every other national set up available to him this past spring, but it appears he has chosen to continue with the Canadian squad. Aleman's MLS rights are currently possessed by the Whitecaps and were acquired via the Terry Dunfield trade.
    Should Alderson be captain this time around? Are you glad to see Keven Aleman is still a Canadian? Is Nick Dasovic the right man for this job?
    Guest
    The CSA announced Friday that Nick Dasovic has been hired on to coach the Canadian men's under-20 squad.
    Dasovic's last coaching duty was as interim head coach of Toronto FC last year, after having spent a couple of years as an assistant with TFC. He was, of course, replaced by Aron Winter in January.
    But that wasn't the only significant news coming out of the U-20 camp on this day.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Also announced Friday was that five members of the Canadian squad that competed in this year's U-17 World Cup will be making the jump to the U-20 side: Bryce Alderson, Keven Aleman, Samuel Piette, Quillan Roberts and Daniel Stanese.
    Aleman, of course, had been linked to a possible jump to the land of his birth, Costa Rica, so his presence on the Canadian roster surely comes as a relief to some fans. Alderson was recently signed to a homegrown player contract by the Vancouver Whitecaps, while Roberts' name probably rings a bell because of this:


    Dasovic, a former Canadian international himself, will lead the youth national side toward qualification for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be held in Turkey. His first camp as U-20 coach will come later this month in Florida.
    Guest
    A report out of Bermuda suggests that former Ipswich Town midfielder Reggie Lambe is set to finalize a deal with Toronto FC.
    The Royal Gazette is reporting that the 20-year-old Bermudan international will sign with TFC within the next few days. Lambe has been linked to the Reds for a number of months, and has even spent time training with the side.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    More on this story as it develops.
    Guest
    While we generally try to stay away from reporting rumours here at CSN, but an interesting story seems to be coming from Sweden today.
    A former National U-17 player and current member of Utsiktens BK appears to be on Tommy Soehn's radar. Anton Hysen, son of former Liverpool hero Glenn Hysen seems to have made quite an impression on the Whitecaps Front Office. He previously had a stint as a member of BK Hacken where he would have trained alongside Seattle Sounders man Erik Friberg. He sounds like he'll bring a blue collar attitude to the pitch as when he's not playing soccer he works part time as a construction labourer.
    Hysén became a bit of a media sensation earlier this spring when he became the first professional footballer in [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Sweden to come out of the closet. People have already tried to make links between David Testo's coming out last month and this announcement by Hysén, but he has shot these presumptions down immediately. He says the initial contact was made based on the fact that his agent has a connection with former head coach Teitur Thordason.
    Supposedly the Whitecaps are not the only team currently recruiting the young defender. According to the Swedish website aftonbladet.se, Sporting Kansas City are also looking to secure the services of the young Swede.
    Although you can never trust the online translations provided by the internets, his quotes sound like he was very impressed with the clubs presentation to him, and has a strong understanding of what his role would be. "I talked with them and it looks good, I can say. They are interested. It was a good talk and they have said how they want it"
    Any way you cut it the Whitecaps are desperate for someone to fill the hole at right back and this if nothing else shows that Tommy Soehn is making a concerted effort to search out new talent.
    Apparently Travelling Tommy has been fairly busy lately. Earlier in the week local media was all over the scent of former Korean international Lee Young-pyo. A left back who has experience having played for the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, and PSV Eindhoven. While he has played most of his career on the Left, the position is pretty well reserved for Alain Rochat at this point. A defender of his ilk should be able to transition to the right and at least do a better job then Jeb Brovski. Experience and age tend to go hand in hand, and as has been documented Lee has a lengthy C.V. but his age (34) could be a snag for him signing with the Whitecaps. Selling quality youth players to bigger clubs has always been the mantra with the Caps, and signing at 30+ defender goes against everything the club stands for. Supposedly. Mind you another last place finish would be devastating to a team who's main bright spot was it's solid fan support. A few more wins next year and a flashy signing would go a long way for seasons ticket renewals.
    In either case it is the agent who is doing the talking and mum seems to be the word on the clubs end of the line, so only time will tell. Try not to get too caught up in the transfer rumours, apparently anyone who has won a World Cup in the last 12 years is going to sign with Montreal. While they are just rumours it sure does make the offseason a lot of fun.
    Do you have big expectations for Travelling Tommy to sign some big names this year? Disappointed in the names you've heard rumoured so far? Do you believe anything you read during the month before the January transfer window opens?
    Guest

    Del Piero, Bernier linked to Impact

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Montreal Impact manager Jesse Marsch confirmed tonight that the club has had talks with Italian star Alessandro Del Piero. However, he said that it has been several weeks since they last had contact and he did not give any indication that they would sign the player.
    Del Piero has indicated that this will be his final year at Juventus and it’s long been suggested that he would end his career in North America. The Impact have strong links with the Italian community in Montreal and, as such, Del Piero has been thought to be a good fit as a marquee DP signing for the club.
    However, there has been little to suggest that the link is more than fantasy prior to today.
    Marsch also said that the club was in talks to bring Canadian international and Montreal-native Patrice Bernier to the club. He did not indicate whether they were close to the deal, but said that talks were ongoing.
    Earlier this year, Bernier spoke to It’s Called Football and said that he would be “thrilled” to be part of Montreal’s launch into MLS, but that he had not had any contact with the club at that time.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Impact kits revealed

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Montreal Impact unveiled their inaugural MLS kits at a special ceremony today.
    The Impact uniforms are predominantly blue and white, with a bit of red in the BMO logo on the front of the chest. The jerseys have a stylized cross design consisting of numerous fleurs-de-lys embossed on the front, as well as the team's new motto -- Tous Pour Gagner -- written across the back of the neck.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Waking The Red has more screenshots of the uniforms here.

    Photo (top): RDS.ca
    Photo (bottom): Yvan Delia-Lavictoire / Le12e Joueur


    Guest

    (Early) Draft preview - Toronto FC

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Although the MLS SuperDraft is a bit of a shot in the dark, the three Canadian teams are drafting in a position where they could get a good piece so long as they do their homework.
    There is still lots of factors that we need to know – who the Generation adidas class is chief among them -- before we can truly rank the limited talent available in the draft, but over the next few days we will have a look at the five most likely picks for each of the three teams.
    We start today with Toronto:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]1 - Kelyn Rowe (midfielder, UCLA)
    At the start of the year, Rowe was the consensus No 1 – and he still might be – but some questions emerged that may see him drop a few spots. He’s the most creative player available in the draft and might have the most upside. If he drops to three he seems like a perfect fit into Winter’s system and, although he plays in a position of somewhat strength for Toronto, he would be too good to pass up.
    2 - Austin Berry (centreback, Louisville)
    Berry is a big body and one of the most MLS ready defenders in the draft. At the start of the year Berry was expected to go high in the draft but a poor season by his team has dropped his stock. He’ll probably be there for Toronto to select and it seems likely that his skill-set will be more compelling than a poor college season.
    3 - Matt Hedges (centreback, North Carolina)
    Another big (6’4”) centreback that appears to be MLS ready. He may be the most technically gifted player in the draft and Toronto will be lucky to have a shot to pick him. He’s ranked below Berry because it seems likely that he might be grabbed before.
    4 - Aaron Maund (centreback, Notre Dame)
    You may be noticing a trend here...Maund is a little more raw than the CBs listed above, but may have more upside. He is athletic and has played most of his career as a fullback. The versatility may interest Winter, but he’s expected to be a CB at the pro level.
    5 - Eric Schoenle (centreback, West Virginia)
    Tall and skinny, Schoenle might need to hit the weight room before he is able to step in and perform. However, as a left-footer, he fills a hard to get role in Winter’s system (he differentiates between the left and right centrebacks).
    Guest

    Caps trade Salinas

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Vancouver Whitecaps have traded Shea Salinas to San Jose for allocation money.
    It's a homecoming for Salinas, who played two seasons for the Earthquakes starting in 2008. He was a borderline player for the Caps.
    With Vancouver declining the option on both of its experienced keepers today, there is some speculation that this deal is part of a larger move that Vancouver is working on, with the allocation received flipped to another team as part of a larger deal for a keeper.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Canadian teams decline nine options

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Nine veteran players under contract to Canadian MLS teams had their options declined today, making them eligible for the MLS re-entry draft. They are:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Ryan Pore - Montreal
    Greg Sutton - Montreal
    Danleigh Borman - Toronto
    Joe Cannon - Vancouver
    Greg Janicki - Vancouver
    Jonathan Leathers - Vancouver
    Jay Nolly - Vancouver
    John Thorrington - Vancouver
    Peter Vagenas – Vancouver
    For the full list of players available in the draft click here.
    In the past, a veteran player who had his option declined was forced to either negotiate a smaller contract with the club, or hope that another club thought enough of them to trade an asset for them. Otherwise, they were stuck. – MLS rules, in an effort to eliminate even the hint of a bidding war for a player, prevented them from looking for a new club within MLS.
    The re-entry draft is far from perfect, but at least it allows the players a chance to move at the salary that was promised in the option year of their contract. In practice most of the players on the list are done, or are coming back at a lower number.
    There are two stages in the draft. In the first round teams are offered a chance to claim a player’s current contract. If they do, things are pretty much done – the player will be with the club that selected him next year.
    In the second stage, teams are claiming the right to exclusively negotiate a new contract with the player. Simply being selected in the second stage does not guarantee that a player will be with the club that picked him as they are not under contract.
    If a player is not picked in either stage, they are free to talk to any club in MLS.
    The first stage takes place Dec 5, with stage two going Dec 12. Vancouver has the first selection, Toronto the third and Montreal the 19th.
    Guest
    Representatives for South Korea international Lee Young-pyo are suggesting that the fullback is about to sign with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
    There is no word whether he will be joining the Caps as a DP, but with 127 caps for South Korea you would expect that he will not come cheaply.
    He's best known for his time at PSV and Spurs, but was most recently playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Hilal. Vancouver fans should not expect many goals from the player, as his last club goal was in 2005.
    More as it develops.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
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