Jump to content

  • Articles

    Manage articles
    Show all categories
    Guest
    At the end of Eduardo Galeano's collection of essays entitled "Football in Sun and Shadow" he rails against a Fox Sports advert for the 1998 World Cup that exhorts viewers to watch how the "big fish eat the small fish" at the world's most popular soccer tournament. Galeano calls that attitude an invitation to boredom. I doubt he's a big backer of the Gold Cup then.
    Canada supporters know the big-fish-eats-small-fish narrative all too well when it comes to Concacaf. Plenty believe believe that the federation is somehow against both the country and the program. And while there have been several disturbing incidents to support that idea, Canada is by no means the confederation's only country to feels this way.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Take the controversy surrounding Concacaf's decision to allow Mexico to replace - ahead of Wednesday's semifinal battle against Honduras - its five players suspended at the start of the tournament for positive drug tests.
    From the reaction in certain corners of Honduras you'd think the Mexicans had been allowed to call up the second coming of Cuauhtémoc Blanco five times over.
    Honduran writer Jorge Cardona doesn't necessarily consider it a low-blow to the Hondurans from a footballing standpoint, but says Concacaf's decision to allow replacements "upsets the [Hondurans'] mental focus," and plays into the federation's desire for a Mexico-U.S. tournament final.
    He says that while some may argue that this decision is within the rules, the fact that Concacaf hasn't officially explained itself amounts to an act of cowardice. (Spanish link, paragraph six.)
    Meanwhile, Mexican and Honduran fans continue to have a go at each other in comment sections such as the one below this article. The Mexican supporters are quick to remind the Hondurans of, well, their place in both the real world and the footballing one, as well as the fact that it was the Mexican federation who conducted the drug tests in the first place, not Concacaf.
    The Honduran supporters, to sum this rather predictable back-and-forth up, are adamant Concacaf would never entertain the idea of permitting them to replace suspended players at this stage of a tournament.
    For what it's worth, as pointed out here, Mexico hasn't exactly suffered from playing in this tournament with 17 players, and FIFA endorsed the initial Mexican request to replace the players made immediately after the suspension.
    When it comes to the Gold Cup, I'm torn. I absolutely love watching the U.S. play Mexico not only because of the historical rivalry on the pitch, but because of the historical everything. All of the stuff in the background (ie. increasingly out-of-control rhetoric surrounding immigration) just adds to the intrigue. But Eduardo Galeano has a point. So just like on Saturday night when Guatemala jumped out to an early lead against Mexico, I will certainly be cheering aggressively if and when one of Concacaf's "little fish" take a chunk from one the big boys on Wednesday night.
    Guest
    There isn't much to say about the much-circulated rumour that Whitecaps forward/incomprehensible left winger Camilo might be on his way to Kuwaiti team al-Qadsiya for a $500,000 transfer fee. It's a rumour. We get loads of them and I notice that Andriy Shevchenko hasn't pulled on a Whitecaps jersey yet. If that happens, the Whitecaps will get a fraction of that transfer fee which they can use to build a training facility or buy 20% of a grass pitch of something.
    It sure has Vancouver fans talking, though. I've been e-mailed by fans hoping that it won't happen, and there's no doubt that young Sanvezzo has a lot of supporters. He's skilled, he's a scorer, he's young, he's flamboyant on the field, and he's Brazilian. There are loads of fans who'd be devestated to see Camilo go, even if the Whitecaps rake in a nice transfer fee and Camilo gets to advance his career abroad.
    I'm not one of them.
    This isn't to say he's a bad player; he's just not a great one. Camilo has his virtues (finishes well, flops like a fish) but he's not the straw that stirs the drink. If the Whitecaps gave Camilo up, they'd be slightly worse off... but only slightly. He certainly isn't worth raising a fuss over.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If we talk about what Camilo is worth, we should first discuss what Camilo is. Notwithstanding Tom Soehn's recent use of the diminuitive Brazilian on the wing it's obvious that he's a natural striker. He moves well with the ball at his feet and has a good shot which he employs judiciously. He has a goal-scorer's mentality. That's annoyingly rare in North America, where forwards sometimes seem determined to walk the ball into the net, and it's the main reason I like him. If you give Camilo a clean look at goal, he will go for it. If that was the only thing he could do on a soccer field he would still be worth something.
    It almost is the only thing he can do. The man cannot pass worth a damn; he neither picks the right time to make a pass nor hits it well when he does. Guys his size are usually assumed to be speed merchants but Camilo isn't that quick. He's shifty and agile, which is nice, but he has a nasty habit of playing himself into trouble and not being able to get out of it. Much of his famed flopping comes about because he realizes what a rotten position he's in and is hoping to get some advantage from it; watching Camilo and then comparing him to Davide Chiumiento is a study in contrasts. I'm not convinced Chiumiento is any better, technically, with the ball at his feet than Camilo is but Chiumiento is far better at knowing where to go and what to do when he gets ther.e
    Then there are the natural enough weaknesses. Like most born forwards (and, oddly, unlike both Eric Hassli and Atiba Harris) Camilo can't play a lick of defense. He roams too much and has little positional sense meaning that his teammates seldom find him with killer balls because they don't know where he's going to be. He's a useful player but he's limited. This isn't a popular thing to say (the guy's fan club rivals Hassli's) but it's true. Love to have him on the team, I can think of a lot of uses for him on a very good MLS team. Given time, he might have Jeff Cunningham's career and that's nothing shabby. Right now, though, he's replaceable.
    So that's why I can't get worked up about the possibility of Camilo leaving. It would be a good move for his career, and given that I like the little guy that means something. MLS rules mean Vancouver wouldn't get the whole $500,000 fee and they wouldn't be able to spend the bulk of what they got on players (the Whitecaps would see some allocation money but not a lot), but they'd be able to put some of it to other use like the long-hoped-for training facility. It would open up room for Russell Teibert and Omar Salgado; no bad thing in my books. The club would be just fine short-term for the loss of Camilo and, given that there's nothing holding him to MLS when his contract expires, might be better off long-term taking the money and running.
    Will it happen? Well, I have no inside information here. Remember, I'm not a very good journalist: I actually had his agent's e-mail address but seem to have lost it. My gut instincts tell me no, though.
    Camilo was available on a free transfer just three months ago after washing out with South Korean side Gyeongnam. He had a few MLS clubs sniffing around but no trials until the Whitecaps took a risk on him. Prior to his time in Vancouver his reputation had been made entirely on his fantastic scoring rate in Malta. How many teams, particularly in leagues like Kuwait where transfer fees for non-marquee players aren't always so readily available, would be willing to risk <i>half a million dollars</i>, just in transfer money, for a player because of fourteen fairly good but not elite games in a sub-world-class league?
    Of course, al-Qadsiya might like him just that much and have the money to burn. It wouldn't be the first time I looked like an idiot. I don't think it will, though, and even if it did I wouldn't be terribly bothered.
    Guest

    Ornoch back on trial with TFC?

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    TFC blogger Tim Drodge posted this photo to his Twitter account today:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Looks a bit like Andrew Ornoch, who has been playing locally here in Toronto for Erin Mills in the Canadian Soccer League.

    Guest
    CONCACAF has never really got the Gold Cup right. For years it was marred by the inclusion of guest teams (as much as Canadians enjoyed winning the 2000 tournament, it lost something in that it was Colombia in the final) and, everyone’s favourite, three team groups (coin flips FTW – literally in Canada’s case. Twice).
    Of late they have addressed those issues by going all CONCACAF and by having four team groups. The problem with that is there is no way to get the field down to quarterfinals without going to a best third place finisher format, or expanding to 16 teams.
    Watching Grenada lose 7-1 to Honduras and Cuba give up 16 goals while scoring just one suggests that 12 might be the upper limit to teams that can be competitive within CONCACAF.
    Lowering the field to eight would create a more competitive tournament, but you need to find a way to give the smaller countries something to shoot for. Grenada is not likely to ever come close to a World Cup spot, but they can strive to make the Gold Cup.
    How about this format:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The top 12 teams still make it. However, there is a preliminary round that sees six two game series. You could play those games in the host country, or, better yet, in as home and homes. That way smaller countries have a shot at hosting a big player and countries like Canada get battle tested in what they might see in WCQ.
    The winners of the two game series advance to a single six team group that then plays a single round robin.
    The one thing most fans from CONCACAF do like is the Hex. This would create a mini version of it to sustain fans until the real thing.
    From a scheduling standpoint there are currently 24 games in the Gold Cup. This would see 15 in the mini hex, plus 12 in the first round. If you played a final at the end of the mini hex you would be looking at four more games than is currently the case. Semi-finals would bring it up to six more games.
    Is it perfect? No, but no format is. However, anything that gets rid of near arbitrary best third place finisher spots while at the same time keeping the tournament open to the same amount of teams hasa to have some merit.
    How (or would) you change the Gold Cup?
    Guest
    I'm of two minds about this Women's World Cup promo running on ESPN now:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gHebuF8tNEM
    On one hand it's great that ESPN is running a promo of the WWC. However, is it a good thing that a member of the American team is so willing to play along with one of the most tired and cliché jokes about the sport?
    I'm not sure. Experience tells me that there is a significant amount of people in this world that don't understand parody and satire. To those folks, this commercial probably just reinforces their perspective that soccer is a sport not worth their time.
    Am I overthinking this?
    Guest

    Injury set-back for Canadian u17s

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Canadian u-17 keeper Maxime Crepeau has been ruled out of the remainder of the group stage of the u17 World Cup.
    A best case scenario would see the Montreal Impact prospect return to action in two weeks. Head coach Sean Fleming gave high praise to his keeper while speaking to media today from the team's hotel in Pachuca, Mexico.
    "He's a great kid. Even injured he is playing a big role - he's part of our leadership group."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Fleming did not indicate who would take over as Canada's No 1, but Toronto FC Academy's Quillan Roberts was called into action after Crepeau was subbed off against Uruguay.
    Fleming said the team has full trust in all its keepers.
    "The way I'm looking at it is as an opportunity for one of them to step up."
    Canada plays England tomorrow at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT. Although they do not technically need a result to advance it would be very difficult to do so without taking something from the game.
    Fleming denied that the boys are having any difficulty bouncing back from Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Uruguay, a result that was likely a bit harsh when factoring Canada's overall play. Uruguay did not score until the 57th minute and both the second and third goal came late, with Canada pressing.
    "We're looking at it as a challenge," Fleming said. "Each game is an opportunity to make history for Canada. We're motivated by that."
    The game can be seen live in Canada on CBC Bold.
    Guest
    Today, Some Canadian Guys present the sixth and final clue that will lead one lucky person to a new Canada dale jacket, courtesy of the fine folks at Umbro Canada. And if you've been paying attention, that person just might be you.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The previous five clues have appeared over the past five days, scattered across our Twitter accounts (see the right-hand column on this page), our Facebook page and the most recent episode of our podcast. Here, as promised, is the sixth and final "clue"; or rather, clue in the form of a fairly easy trivia question.
    Who is the all-time leading scorer for the Canadian men's national team?
    The first person to send correct answers to all six questions to canadiansoccerguys@gmail.com will win the prize. Good luck everyone.
    Guest
    When you’re a fan of a tiny English lower-division football club, you don’t get a whole lot of World Cup action.
    Port Vale – the small yet scrappy fourth-division side that won my heart decades ago, both for its obscurity and ball-to-feet style of play – rarely gets mentioned on the beautiful game’s biggest stage.
    But it certainly did in 2006.
    And that’s just part of why ex-CONCACAF president Jack Warner’s rat-in-a-lifeboat departure from the Good Ship FIFA is making me smile this morning.
    Warner? Port Vale? I’m ever so glad you asked.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Toronto FC fans were recently reminded of the name Chris Birchall when the swift and useful L.A. Galaxy midfielder scored in the second minute of the Reds’ recent, eventual 2-2 draw in California.
    In 2006, in Germany, Birchall was a proud, contributing member of that astonishing, over-achieving Trinidad & Tobago team that drew Sweden, almost drew England, and were generally one of the better feel-good underdog stories of recent times.
    Birchall was “the white guy” on that team. He was also a regular starter for Port Vale.
    And like every other member of that wonderful, unlikely squad, he was screwed out of his World Cup players’ share by Jack Warner, who simply, flatly refused to hand over the money owed to his own nation’s brilliant, inspiring Soca Warriors.
    The scandal has faded over time, but it sure didn’t do anything to take the target off of Warner’s back for me. That entire team – not just its lone, heroic Vale man – deserved far, far better than it got. It was a once-in-a-lifetime jackpot, and they (lower-division scrappers to practically the last man) never got their share.
    Most soccer people don’t have to dig nearly that deep to find a reason to despise Jack Warner. The corruption is legendary, and there should be many more ringing allegations to come.
    For me, though, that single despicable act of greed far over-shadows the obvious blocks Warner threw to help Canada land the 2007 U-20 World Cup and get BMO Field built.
    All of that could and should have happened anyway. Perhaps we were all just lucky that someone with a bigger bankbook and smaller scruples didn’t come-a-tap-tap-tappin’ on Trader Jack’s back door that year.
    The disappointment for many, of course, is that FIFA has said it will not investigate any of the many charges and allegations facing its long-standing number-two man. I share your pain – but it doesn’t matter.
    There’s this thing out there called law enforcement. With Warner stepping down under a cloud, there is no longer any reason or excuse for the international anti-crime-and-corruption community to ignore the avalanche of allegations against Warner made by journalist Andrew Jennings and countless others.
    And it won’t stop at Warner.
    Warner threw more and bigger blocks for ongoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter than most. And even though the Trinidadian Trickster apparently turned against the Swiss Swish at the end, the links between the two men are legendary – and more than merely admissible in a court of law.
    So let FIFA stand aside. If Blatter can’t condemn Warner without bringing himself down, he really doesn’t have to.
    A very long line is forming at FIFA’s door, of those who’ll be delighted to take on both jobs.
    Soca Staffordshire!
    Onward!
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by John Pugh, the president of the new Ottawa team joining NASL in 2013 to talk about their plans to bring pro soccer to Ottawa, if they're interested in participating in the Nutrilite Voyageurs Cup and how they're planning to build their team.
    We'll also be joined by Sean Flemming, the head coach of the Canadian U-17 team, to talk about their goals at the U-17 World Cup, what role he plays at ensuring future Canadian players cap for Canada and how FIFA has cracked down on the age cheating that has plagued past U-17 World Cups.
    And, of course, we'll break down Toronto FC's loss to Seattle, talk about Alen Stevanovich's departure and 'allegedly' say goodbye to our old buddy, allegedly, Jack Warner. Allegedly.
    The archived show is now up
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/23988/jun202011final.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>
    Save me the effort of deleting your comments MK and just don't post...
    Guest
    By: Martin MacMahon
    There's been a nasty rumour swirling around Twitter and Internet message boards since the 1-1 draw between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact in the second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship semi-finals on May 4th about an Impact player spitting on a Whitecaps fan following the club's elimination.
    The Canadian Soccer Association has now charged Impact captain Nevio Pizzolitto with “committing an act that brings the game into disrepute,” under Rule 11 c (d) of the CSA Rules, Regulations and Administrative Guide in relation to that alleged incident, and the former Canadian international must attend a disciplinary hearing on June 27th.
    The fan at the centre of the alleged incident, Whitecaps season ticketholder and Southsider Ashley Perry, spoke with Canadian Soccer News about what he claims happened following the match.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Pizzolitto spat right in my face. I'm not talking about a little bit of spit on my shirt. I have witnesses that can prove that there were fairly large pieces of spit that landed on my face, as disgusting as that sounds.”
    Perry, an architecture student, says he was celebrating his team's victory and singing “Au Revoir” with other fans under the walkway to the dressing rooms. The song was directed at Impact players as they left the field following their elimination. By his own admission, Perry said the singing was “perhaps too sarcastic,” but stated that doesn't justify what he claims occurred.
    “(Impact player) Zourab Tsiskaridze flipped us off, and nobody reacted. We were surprised that someone would do that. Pizzolitto was within say eight or 10 feet behind him,” Perry said. “He looked right at me, right in the eyes ... I didn't have time to move, and he spat in my face.”
    Perry emphasized that he hasn't received an apology from Pizzolitto or the Montreal Impact for what he claims happened, and says that's all he's looking for.
    “A really heartfelt public apology that someone hasn't written for the player,” Perry responded when asked what he would like to see happen. “I'm not out to ruin this guy's career. I'm out to see a bit of remorse. You think that a Canadian national team player, a club captain for a team that's about to join the MLS ... you just expect a lot more from a player like that.”

    As for potential compensation, Perry said that wasn't his primary reason for following up on his complaint.
    “I never think it's right for the victim to be going around indicating what they want out of something. I think that's up to the guilty party (to determine fair compensation). It would be a great starting point with a really heartfelt public apology on TV or something like that. I'm certainly going to be pretty ticked off if they send me an apology by e-mail.”
    Pej Namshirin, another Whitecaps fan at that match, supports Perry's claims. He says he was standing approximately 10 metres away from Perry when the alleged incident occurred.
    “I saw (Perry) get hit, and I just stood there in disbelief, as a lot of us did,” Namshirin stated. “Never did I, or anyone else think that a player was actually going to spit down onto somebody like that. I was pretty disgusted and thought that it was not very respectable from a professional athlete to behave that way. A couple of weeks later when (Perry) was looking for witnesses, I came forward. I don't think it's right and Pizzolitto should face up to it and get whatever consequences might be coming.”
    Canadian Soccer News contacted the Canadian Soccer Association and the Montreal Impact about the alleged incident, but both organizations declined to comment before the disciplinary hearing takes place.
    It's uncertain what sort of punishment Pizzolitto faces if the CSA finds him guilty of spitting on Perry as there is no description of a penalty for that offence within the CSA Rules, Regulations and Administrative Guide, but there is a rule relating to spitting on match officials which outlines a five-year suspension for first-time offenders.
    Pizzolitto will travel to Edmonton for his hearing next week and Perry says he plans to attend.
    __
    Editors note: Canadian Soccer News has obtained the letter the Canadian Soccer Association has sent Mr. Perry in response to his claims.
    You can read that document here
    __
    Martin MacMahon is a broadcast journalism student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He covers Vancouver Whitecaps FC for a number of soccer websites.
    You can follow him on Twitter @martinmacmahon
    Guest
    By: Alyssa Ally
    With a well decorated college career behind her, Emily Zurrer has spent the last couple years using her positive outlook on life and hard nose play on the pitch helping the Canadian Women's National team get to the World Cup in Germany. With only six days left before the opening game against the host nation, Zurrer spoke about playing under Carolina Morace, pre-game superstitions and preparing for the hostile atmosphere.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You started your national career playing under Even Pellerud. Now that Carolina has stepped in, how as her system changed your game?
    Even was more focused on the long ball and the raw athleticism and the fighting Canadian spirit of our team. He brought a lot of good things to our team and I am grateful for the time I got to play under him. With Carolina, it is more about quality and not quantity. She has completely changed the style and training mentality of our team, and we train our bodies in soccer specific ways both in the gym and on the field. We are much more possession oriented and have become faster, smarter and more efficient on the ball since she took over in 2009.
    What has been great is that we still have the passionate Canadian mentality and fighting spirit, that, we will never lose, but we are now able to balance that with the intelligence and skill of the European style that we have worked hard at since Carolina became head coach.
    You’ve always been so dominate in the air. Is that something you’ve had to work on, or is it just natural ability?
    Winning balls in the air came pretty naturally to me at a young age, and once I realized that it was something that I could excel at and use both offensively and defensively, I worked and focused (and still do) on honing the skill. I did a lot of jumping events in track and field growing up - long jump, high jump, triple jump, hurdles - and I think that also helped my aerial ability on the field. Having a taller frame definitely works to my advantage as well.
    Why did you decide to go to the University of Illinois?
    My coach, Janet Rayfield, was a huge factor in why I chose to attend U of I. She was a mentor to me not only on the field, but off as well. I credit a lot of my soccer success to her, as she was instrumental to my development as a player and as a person throughout my college experience. Her, along with my other U of I coaches, as well as my teammates who will be lifelong friends, made my college experience amazing and unforgettable. Aside from that, the academics were great, the athletics and school spirit were excellent, and the campus was beautiful. When I went on my visit, everything just felt "right."
    Many people criticize the women’s team saying “they’re vacationing in Rome instead of training.” What’s your reaction to these kinds of comments?
    It makes me sad to hear that people would think that about us. I consider myself lucky to get to travel the world and play soccer for my country, but in no way are we on vacation. I can promise anyone that thinks otherwise, we are working our butts off to make our country proud, and those days that we do get off to rest and recover bodies and minds, yes of course we take advantage of the beautiful country that we are currently living and training in. We work very hard but we also need some balance in our life; our coaches understand this, our families understand it, most of our fans understand it. I think it’s unfortunate that a few people choose to say negative things but at the end of the day, all that matters is that we know who we are and what we are doing, and that we have done everything possible to be the best we can be come June 26th.
    Can you give us any comments on the agreement the players and the CSA have made over the compensation issue?
    We would like to thank our lawyer, James Bunting and his associate, Maureen Armstrong, who have worked tirelessly and unselfishly on our behalf in order to reach an agreement with the CSA regarding compensation until 2012. We are extremely grateful to them and happy that the issue has been resolved before the World Cup.
    Do you have any pre-game superstitions/rituals?
    The more interviews I read from other players, the more I realize that this is actually really common for many soccer players. So, I know you’ve heard it before, but I always have to put my shin pads and cleats on left before right. Other than that I usually take a hot and cold shower and say a prayer before heading to the field. In college I had a lot more superstitions such as handshakes, pre-game chugging with my roommate, Kara (don’t ask), the exact same warm-up and juggling group… everything had to be done the same way. Nowadays there is less of a ritual, but those two things will always be the same.

    Knowing the crowd will be pro-Germany on June 26th – how will you channel that and turn it into something you can feed off of?
    For me personally, I feed off the energy the crowd provides, regardless if they are cheering for or against us. Earlier this December, when we were in Brazil, we walked out of the locker room before the final game to thousands of Brazilian fans screaming at us and chanting “Brazil.” It was awesome! I think if anything, it inspired me and pumped us up more for the game. Another time, at the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 when we played China, the entire crowd of almost 60,000 (minus the few Canadian fans we had) was chanting “Chiiii-na, Chiii-na,” but at the time it sounded like they were saying “Canada,” so we just pretended that the sea of red was representing our flag and that they were cheering for us. I think that there are many ways to use the energy to our advantage, and for me it is pure motivation. Seeing a few Canadian flags in the crowd will help too.
    We ask everyone we interview: off the field this team is known for its funny antics and pranks. What’s the best prank you’ve witnessed/pulled?
    Well my roommate Britt and I have an ongoing battle with our goalkeeper coach, Max Colucci, where we try to hide and scare each other whenever the opportunity arises. I am definitely Max’s favourite target because, for some reason, whenever he sneaks up on me (and I will admit he is very stealth), I jump about three feet in the air and shriek like a little girl. Embarrassing I know! I am not a person who generally gets scared very easily, but when it comes to people jumping out and startling me…I am the worst! Probably shouldn’t be admitting this, but I would hands down take skydiving and bungee jumping (I have done both) over being startled any day.
    As for the best prank… this recent April Fool’s Day was pretty hilarious. We had a few different ones but the best was when we planned a fist fight between Rhian and Tank in the middle of practice. Our assistant coach Betty, who is the nicest person in the world, was so shocked, surprised and frazzled, she had no idea what to do and just kept yelling, “Stop! Girls! Stop! Please!” So funny.
    What are three things you can’t live without?
    Family. Friends. The outdoors
    Who is the toughest player to defend?
    Christine Sinclair. Luckily I get to train with her every day in practice.
    You are only 23 and have accomplished more than most people will in a lifetime. What’s been you’re greatest achievement thus far?
    I feel very blessed to be able to have the experiences I have had so far in my lifetime. I think my greatest achievement up until this point would be competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics because it was something I had dreamed of ever since I was 5 years old. It was a surreal experience and being able to represent my country at the World’s most prestigious athletic games was something that I still pinch myself about. Right now, the only thing consuming my thoughts is this World Cup 2011. Our first game is nearing and I’m hoping and believing with all my heart that my greatest achievement is about to change…
    What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your teammates?
    I am so lucky to have the teammates that I do on this team. There are many different personalities, backgrounds, experiences, ages…but there is a great feeling of camaraderie, chemistry and respect, and we truly are so close both on and off the field. Being in the environment such as the one we’ve been in for the past 5 months, can sometimes be very grueling. We have each other to get us through the days when either our bodies or minds are having trouble getting going for the second practice of the day, or a tough fitness session. I think that the most important thing I have learned from my teammates is to just enjoy the experience and to not take it for granted. We won’t be able to do this for the rest of our lives, so each and everyday that I get to be a professional soccer player and represent my country is truly a gift.
    Do you have any hidden talents?
    Hmm hidden talents...well I have my black belt in Karate, would that be considered a talent? I would say that and my singing voice, definitely. Just ask my teammates. I have been told many times that I have the “voice of an angel” and have recently been compared to a young Celine Dion.
    Assuming Canada medals at the World Cup, what difference do you think it will make for the sport in Canada?
    I think that it would be huge for women’s soccer in Canada if we were to medal at the World Cup. I remember watching the girls compete in the 2002 U-19 World Cup as a young player and it was inspiring and exciting to see our Canadian team do so well on an international stage. Excitement for the women’s game has dropped off a bit since the team did so well in the 2003 World Cup, and I hope that we can bring it back and take it to an even higher level at this tournament. I think that the market for women’s soccer in Canada has a lot of untapped potential, and we would like to inspire young girls and make our country proud at this upcoming World Cup. I think if we medal here, publicity for the team and sport would grow in Canada, and it would have a vastly positive impact on young soccer players and women’s soccer in general in our country.
    What do you see yourself doing after your playing career is over?
    After my playing career is over I definitely want to travel. I have been lucky enough to travel to many countries with the national team, but a lot of it is mostly soccer fields and hotel rooms so we don’t usually get a chance to really become immersed in the cultures. I have been backpacking a few times (in the rare occasion when I don’t have soccer commitments!) and I would love to do that again and see the many parts of the world that are still on my bucket list.
    Career wise, it has always been a goal of mine to own my business so I would love for that idea to become a reality one day. I definitely see myself being involved in sport in some way, whether on the side or as part of a career. Sports have always been a part of my life and I can’t see that ever changing, whether it be competing, marketing, managing, training, or even carting a vanload of kids from practice to practice sometime in the (far!) future.
    ___
    Alyssa Ally writes about the Canadian Women’s National team, the WPS and women’s soccer in general. You can find her stuff at cdnwomenssoccer.blogspot.com
    Follow her on Twitter at @cdn_chica
    Guest
    embargoed till i finish... assuming i ever do
    Well, after missing these for a couple of weeks, it wouldn't seem right to jump back in as if nothing had changed. So I figured I'd forgo the usual roundup and, instead, take a look at the league's 16 DPs and rank them in terms of effectiveness, performance and value so far in the 2011 season. It's a numbered, ranked list based on one person's subjective, arbitrary and potentially contentious judgment. This is what the Internet was made for!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    #16: Branko Boskovic (DC United)
    Frankly, ol' BB's greatest utility has been serving as a punchline in these posts of mine; that is, until, he decided to blow out his ACL. Barring some marvelous recovery, his 2011 MLS regular-season stat line will read as follows: four games played (one start), eight shots (two on goal). Don't mention his brace in that U.S. Open Cup game; the more important brace is the one on his leg, which has rendered him a big ol' DP albatross.
    #15: David Ferreira (Dallas)
    A bit unfair for him to be here, considering FCD probably still sells a few tickets based on leftover marketing material from his MVP campaign in 2010. But due to injury, he'll likely end 2011 with only six games played, though he did manage to bag a trio of goals in that time.
    #14: Omar Bravo (Kansas City)
    Not a slight against Bravo, as he started strong and had slid back into the lineup for SKC (albeit, an SKC side that is struggling to remain in the playoff hunt, at the season's halfway point). But missing a month and a half due to a sports hernia injury has, as you'd imagine, severely limited his impact his year. If another ranking is done at season's end, I'd expect he wouldn't be drooping his low.
    #13: Julian de Guzman (Toronto)
    It's no surprise that I'm a JDG defender, you could even say "apologist". So I will readily make all sorts of excuses for him, such as the fact that he had off-season knee surgery, that the effects of the rumoured locker-room animus with Dwayne De Rosario may still be lingering, that he can't truly perform at his peak unless surrounded by players of a high quality, so on and so forth.
    But the cold truth is that he's one of the league's most underperforming DPs, by any measure. He's not there to score goals (which is good, 'cause he hasn't), but the fact he has one assist this year suggests he's not creating them either. Alternately, if his role is as a marshal on the defensive end of midfield, well, that also bodes poorly, since TFC has conceded more goals than any other team.
    #12: Diego Chara (Portland)
    More of an incomplete score than anything, since Chara joined the Timbers partway into the season and plays an organizational role in midfield more so than a scorer's role, hence his progress is tough to track on a statistical level. But Portland has had a solid start in their first MLS campaign and find themselves right in the thick of things in a difficult Western Conference table, so Chara's clearly doing something right.
    #11: Alvaro Fernandez (Seattle)
    Oddly shaped as he may be, he has scored three times for the Sounders this year, and helped soften the blow to the roster that came with the disastrous injury to Steve Zakuani. Not really sure that the ideal usage of a DP is as "a good depth player", but hey, there you go.
    #10: Fabian Castillo (Dallas)
    The 18-year-old (!!!)... wait, what? Oh, OK, the 19-year-old (!!) has made 14 starts for Dallas and potted two goals, while showing off his blazing speed and presenting plenty of upside. Happy belated birthday, Fabian.
    #9: Andres Mendoza (Columbus)
    Considering how often he makes starring appearances on the DP Deathwatch, it's surprising to see the 33-year-old Peruvian this high (it's all relative) on the list. But the big lug has managed to score five goals in 12 league appearances for the Crew this season, more than all but six other guys in the league. Still, he isn't higher than he is since a) I've heard Columbus announcers question, on-air, what exactly he's doing out there, and this.
    #8: Juan Pablo Angel (New York)
    Sometimes overshadowed by teammates such as Thierry Henry and the somewhat-new arrival Luke Rodgers, the 35-year-old has still bagged a trio of goals in 15 appearances. It's a precipitous dropoff from his previous years of production in MLS, but his reputation probably still buoys him quite a bit.
    #7: Rafa Marquez (New York)
    Solidifying the Red Bulls' back line,
    #6: Alvaro Saborio (Salt Lake)
    #5: Fredy Montero (Seattle)
    #4: David Beckham (LA Galaxy)
    #3: Eric Hassli (Vancouver)
    #2: Thierry Henry (New York)
    fff
    #1: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
    Say what you will about Landycakes, but he really is the personification of what a designated player in Major League Soccer could, and should, be. An all-world homegrown talent who serves as an on-field leader for both club and country, Donovan is in a tie for most goals, with eight in 11 appearances. He also moves merchandise and puts asses in seats and, at 29, certainly has some more very productive years ahead of him.
    Guest

    Tracking Back: Frozen Footie

    By Guest, in Some Canadian Guys,

    This week's Tracking Back isn't meant to reveal some long-forgotten triumph. Nor does it reach way back into the past to pluck out some proof that soccer in Canada has more history than anyone gives it credit. But this may be my favourite picture of all, if only because of it's unexpected and undeniable Canadianness.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This photo was taken in 1966, in Cape Dorset – then in the Northwest Territories, now in Nunavut. Similar photos of kids gleefully playing street footie come from just everywhere, but you just gotta love the Canadian take on it. It should be noted: I can't remember a time when I was as excited to do anything as that kid on the right appears to be, and all he's got on the agenda is "move three feet forward, kick ball." Damn him.

    Photo credit: Charles Gimpel / Library and Archives Canada / e002414689
    Guest
    Toronto FC announced today that midfielder Alen Stevanovic has been recalled by Torino FC in Seria B.
    For someone that was used sparingly, underperformed when he did see the pitch and found himself down more blind alleys than any midfielder should, it's hard to classify this as a big loss to Toronto.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The one area where his departure will be felt, and it's the now the one that is most glaring, is depth.
    For all of Toronto's problems - whether it be the lack of a true striker or the need to add another centreback - the bare reality is they lack any kind of surplus at any single position on the field. Now part of that has been injuries, part has been sketchy scouting, but Stevanovic's departure (and freeing of salary cap space) presents the opportunity to add some able bodies to their shallow pool.
    As the transfer window nears its opening, the losses mount and the clamoring for some solutions increase, instead of looking for a name signing - one who will be undoubtedly heaped with the same kind of a saviour burden that Julian DeGuzman has placed on him and his DP salary - it would be refreshing to see Toronto just add bodies that can contribute. I'm talking about guys who are, and will never be anything more than, workhorses. Sometimes it's those players, who make the team more solid but will never win an MVP award, that will make the biggest difference.
    What Toronto doesn't need now is to add a name that will show they, as the club, are 'doing something' to improve.
    Albeit it's just a rumour, but as someone who has his best year's behind him, I'd suggest that Rob Friend would fall into that latter kind of an addition.
    Guest
    It took 15 games but the Whitecaps were finally able to break their winless streak with what was their best game of the season so far. In Tom Soehn's home coaching debut the team he spent the last 2 years assembling finally seemed to play to their full potential, or at least they played to a much higher standard then they had in any of their previous matches thus far this season.
    12 minutes in Alain Rochat played a ball across his own 18 to Michael Boxall, who turned and sent the ball on to Jonathan Leathers who pushed the ball up to Shea Selinas, and then on to Davide Chiumiento. Dede went on to show some fancy footwork going down the wing, made a quick one two with Hassli, and laid a ball off to a streaking Alain Rochat who finished the play he started with a perfectly placed strike that curled just beyond Faryd Mondragon's outstretched fingers.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    While Alain Rochat deservedly won the Man of the Match an agruement could be made that Davide Chiumiento was also worthy of the honour. He had his best game of the season, and hustled like... like... well like someone who is not Davide Chiumiento. He chased down defenders went in strong for tackles and played several fantastic balls to teammates that may have caught them a little off guard by how precise they were. In the 57th minute Jeb Brovsky was so dumbfounded to have the ball in the middle of the 18 yard box he had to take a second touch before he realized he should just hammer it into the yawning cage. Unfortunately by the time he gained the presence of mind to shoot he had been closed down by his mark. Chiumiento found Nizar Khalfan with a nutmeg pass on Jordan Harvey in the 78th minute. Khalfan had stolen the ball of a Mondragon miscue that took place outside his own 18, and calamity insued. Chiumiento's pass caught Khalfan unexpectedly and the chance was wasted.
    Referee Alex Prus and his crew helped suspended Portland Coach John Spencer's case with a number of mind boggling missed calls. The linesman on the bench side was especially aweful, and left me to wonder if he had taken his Ritalin before the match. There was a clear pass back between Danny Califf and Mondragon that the three blind mice miraculously missed. Danny Carrol received a Yellow on a studs up kick to the stomach of Terry Dunfield that only Howard Webb could have let go.
    Dunfield scares me a bit lately. I'm not going to comment on his play at the Gold Cup, but I am genuinely concerned every time he gets the ball. His passes always seem to be just a bit off their mark. Case and point; a waist high back pass/shot on his own goal that surely got Joe Cannon's heart pumping. The only thing that is scarier then Terry Dunfield with the ball under pressure in his own end is Gershon Koffie being his replacement. The two of them make more turnovers then your local Tim Hortons.
    Moving forward it was a great performance but the 'Caps were lucky to be facing a Philadelphia team that has been giving points away lately as Coach Peter Nowak said "like a charity".
    Not having goal poacher Carlos Ruiz couldn't have helped (he did score in a losing effort tonight against Mexico) and if new Serbian signing Veljko Paunovic was supposed to fill his boots he was doing his best Casper the Ghost impression.
    The Cap's next game is a battle for the basement at Kansas City in the brand spankin' new Livestrong Sporting Park on Saturday June 25th at 5:30 pm pt.
×
×
  • Create New...