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    Dr. Maestracci, it is time to go

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    The Canadian Soccer Association took another round of largely positive steps forward at its annual general meeting in Montreal this weekend. In doing so, it roundly rejected multiple motions put forward by its president, Dr. Dominique Maestracci.
    And it is to him I wish to address myself today.
    Sir:
    Let’s assume, for a minute, that you are in fact on the side of the angels in Alberta.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    For this to be true, former Alberta Soccer Association president Chris Billings would have to be guilty of financial misconduct and abusive treatment of staff.
    We’ve heard this from the usurping Mario Charpentier crew all along, but no actual witnesses have come forward, and no conclusive evidence has emerged. Since even you would have to acknowledge this is not a time in Canadian soccer history where things stay secret for very long, that lack of evidence remains troubling.
    Okay. Maybe you know stuff I don’t. For the moment, and to be helpful, let’s assume that’s true, too.
    So then Charpentier runs around suspending everyone in sight, refusing medals at youth tournaments, and generally acting like a selfish, clueless embodiment of the old world of Canadian soccer. And when a court finally orders him to hold a special general meeting and face the music from his adoring public, you send him a letter assuring him the worst that can happen is he could face a simple motion of non-confidence.
    I’ve been told – by people I deeply trust – that you may even have been slightly, technically not completely wrong about that.
    But here’s what you had to ignore to get there. The three-page court order included an agenda for the general meeting, opening with dismissal motions against Charpentier and six of his directors. The nerve! How can courts interfere with soccer?
    Except:
    Those dismissal motions weren’t drafted by the court. They were drafted by Charpentier’s own ASA! And no matter how big a break I try to give you here, sir, I am baffled beyond words as to how you could not have understood that.
    The meeting was held. Charpentier and six of his directors were very loudly – and very publicly – fired. So much for your reassuring words. eh?
    Of course, Charpentier then wants to argue that the meeting was illegal.
    Except:
    - He made his own bed.
    - The Alberta membership overwhelmingly rejected him.
    And that’s not even pointing out a separate Alberta legal ruling that said your own conduct in the matter could, in the darkest light, be interpreted as criminal.
    So, a while goes by and Ole Jacobsen from Airdrie gets elected ASA president. The districts that backed Charpentier abstain from the whole election process, still hoping to get the earlier meeting overturned.
    I assume that’s what you had in your mind on Friday night, sir, when you tried to strip Alberta of their voting rights at this weekend’s CSA annual general meeting.
    Except:
    - Your own appeals committee has already rejected Charpentier’s bid, saying they lack jurisdiction.
    - Your motion to unseat Jacobsen was rudely and roundly rejected by the CSA board.
    Did you also notice that every by-law change you tried to put into motion yesterday suffered the same dismal fate? That level of overwhelming rejection, for a sitting president? How is it possible?
    Okay, I know we’ve left a lot of stuff out. These are complicated stories, so I’m trying to stay as close as possible to the main plotline.
    The truth, Dr. Maestracci, is that this whole inconvenient business of reform initially caught you off-guard. It has now totally run away from you. Your term will end in a year. You have no chance of being re-elected.
    Reform happened despite you. The heavy lifting of landing the Women’s World Cup for Canada was done by others. Faced with a cancerous upheaval in Alberta, you waited too long to act, then backed the wrong horse.
    Your continuing bid to isolate Alberta has been overwhelmingly rejected by Albertans and CSAers alike. Your own appeals committee won’t even hear the case.
    The Canadian Soccer Association has changed forever – and for better – on your watch. But you have done very little to help. I suggest to you, sir – and not at all in isolation – that any moral right you have to head this association for another year has expired.
    You do not speak for your organization. You no longer reflect your organization. And, certainly, you do not lead your organization.
    It is time, Dr. Maestracci, for you to do the only honourable thing … and resign.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Saturday's clash against the New England Revolution <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1674-Whitecaps-Revolution-Preview-Can-Vancouver-find-points-on-the-road">was always going to be a daunting one</a> for the Vancouver Whitecaps, particularly considering their poor run of form, their injuries and their incredible fixture congestion. It was their fifth game in 14 days, with another one to follow Wednesday against Toronto FC in the first leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup) final, so head coach Teitur Thordarson's decision to run out a young squad with <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ProvinceWeber/status/69559587619078145">an average age of 23.4</a> was certainly understandable if not quite predictable.
    Moreover, many of those players gave good accountings of themselves. Long Tan and Shea Salinas, both largely afterthoughts through this point of the season, looked pretty impressive, and other more-frequently appearing young players like Russell Teibert, Jeb Brovsky and Blake Wagner also had solid games. Still, when all was said and done, Vancouver came up on <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Struggling+Caps+lose+Revolution+penalty+shot+goal/4785639/story.html">the wrong side of a 1-0 scoreline and came away from Massachusetts without any points</a>.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It was the Whitecaps' fifth loss of the season, reducing their overall record to 1-5-5. You wouldn't necessarily picture that stat line from watching Vancouver's games, as they've been close in just about every match and have had plenty of chances to win. They just haven't been able to put it all together, though, and they've frequently been undone by critical mistakes. Saturday, it was a poorly-timed 49th minute Wes Knight tackle on Revolution star midfielder Benny Feilhaber that proved Vancouver's Achilles' heel; Shalrie Joseph converted the ensuing penalty for the only goal of the match. It seemed appropriate, as Terry Dunfield <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Penalty+kick+goal+turns+tide+against+Whitecaps/4785804/story.html">told Marc Weber</a>: "That penalty probably sums up our season.”
    The Whitecaps got plenty of chances, but couldn't find a way to bury any of them. Matt Reis made several spectacular saves to deny Vancouver throughout the match, including pushing a Salgado header just wide in the 70th minute. Even when Reis wasn't making the stops, the Whitecaps couldn't find a way to put the ball in the net; a early Salinas shot was blocked by defender A.J. Soares, while Tan had a superb chance off a header that went just wide. As Kyle McCarthy of the <i>Boston Herald</i> <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/kylejmccarthy/status/69610910221729792">pointed out</a>, Vancouver certainly controlled the ball well in the first half and made things difficult for the Revs. It's goals that matter, though, and New England managed to grab one while the Whitecaps didn't.
    There's only so much could have, would have, should have that really can apply, though. As Team 1410's Mike Martinago <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/MikeMartignago/status/69575830090686464">wrote</a>, "1 W from 11 league matches isn't good enough." While the Whitecaps have been competitive in just about every match, they haven't found a way to pick up consistent results, and that's something that's going to have to change quickly if they want to make the playoffs. Moral victories don't count for anything in the standings, and the Whitecaps are going to need some real points sooner rather than later. This wasn't an easy game for them, but not many in MLS are.
    Side note: plenty of fans in Vancouver were negatively impacted by Sportsnet's bizarre decision to use <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/tylergreen1040/status/69549220566286336">a nine-minute tape delay</a> in the first half (thanks to a Blue Jays' game that ran late) instead of joining the game in progress. There wasn't even much of an indication of what was going on on the broadcast. Fortunately, the radio broadcast on The Team was live and Sportsnet got things sorted out by the second half, but from this perspective, it was still an embarrassing situation that could easily have been avoided. There's nothing wrong with continuing your original event to the end, but if it runs into another live event, just go to that live. Tape-delayed sports don't work well in this age of information.
    Guest
    The operative word surrounding the Vancouver Whitecaps to date this season might be inconsistency. The team's shown plenty of spectacular moments, including <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1459-The-Miracle-On-Hastings-Street">an unbelievable comeback</a> to tie Sporting Kansas City 3-3 back in April and the last few minutes of <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1656-Late-Goal-Salvages-another-Draw-for-the-Whitecaps">Wednesday's draw with the San Jose Earthquakes</a>, but they've also looked awfully bad at times, including for the vast majority of both of those games. They've turned in some great showings, but not consistently enough to come away with more than one victory (in the opener against Toronto), and they still only sit at eight points <a href="http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/05/whitecaps-fc-take-revolution-new-england-saturday"> on the season</a>, thanks to a 1-4-5 record that's left them <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings">eighth in the Western Conference</a> (ahead of only the aforementioned Earthquakes).
    Those lacklustre results become even more concerning when you consider that the Whitecaps have already played 10 league matches, more than everyone ahead of them except the conference-leading Los Angeles Galaxy and two more than the Earthquakes (who are only two points back). If the Whitecaps keep achieving these kind of results all season, they very well could finish in the basement of the league.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    There are plenty of discouraging signs for the Whitecaps heading into today's match against New England (4:30 Pacific, TEAM 1410/Sportsnet Pacific) as well. Vancouver is just 0-3-1 away from Empire Field this season, and while the Revolution haven't been great overall this year (they're fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 2-3-4 record), much of their success has come at home, where they're 2-1-2. Moreover, the Whitecaps <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+Rochat+turning+back+Revolution/4782314/story.html">will likely be without</a> superb defender Alain Rochat (fatigue) and <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Vancouver+Whitecaps+England+Revolution+glance/4782309/story.html">designated player</a> Eric Hassli (hamstring injury), and they may or may not have Russell Teibert and Shea Salinas available. Fatigue's starting to take its toll on the team as well, and it's not going to get easier in the short term; this is Vancouver's fifth match in two full weeks (@Columbus April 30, vs. Montreal May 4, @Chicago May 7, vs. San Jose May 11, @New England May 14), and they have the first leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup) this coming Wednesday against Toronto FC. For a tired and injury-depleted squad three time zones away from home before a hostile crowd against a team that's very good on their own turf, this could be quite the challenge.
    There are some positives in Vancouver's favour, though. The Whitecaps matched up well against New England in their previous showing at home, and mostly came away with a 1-1 draw thanks to a couple of red cards and a late Revolution goal. If they can keep their composure today and if New England plays like that again, things could work out well for them; they're not ridiculously outgunned from a pure personnel standpoint, although new Revolution acquisition and American international Benny Feilhaber could make a difference. Moreover, New England <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/GAMEDAY+Whitecaps+England+Revolution/4781590/story.html">has plenty of injuries as well</a>, and they're not in particularly good form either; they've lost three of their last five outright and tied one. If the Whitecaps can find some energy and motivation and New England comes out flat, it's certainly possible to see Vancouver picking up at least a point here.
    As for predicting the lineup, Jay Nolly looks likely to get the start in goal again. He's generally been pretty good, so there isn't much reason to make a change there unless head coach Teitur Thordarson wants to give him a rest. On defence, Jonathan Leathers looks set to hold down the right flank again, but Jay DeMerit <a href="http://www.eightysixforever.com/2011/5/14/2170981/whitecaps-game-day-men-new-england-4-30-pm-pdt">may be ready to return</a> centrally and partner with either Mouloud Akloul or Greg Janicki (likely Akloul, as Janicki could use the rest more). However, even if DeMerit does start, he <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/soccer/Seat+sideline+been+tough+Whitecaps+DeMerit/4781508/story.html">likely won't play a complete 90 minutes</a>. If DeMerit isn't quite ready to go or leaves early, expect an Akloul-Janicki pairing again. Left back is probably Blake Wagner for the moment.
    There are plenty of options in the midfield, but none of them are sure things. The Terry Dunfield - Jeb Brovsky pairing didn't look all that great against San Jose, so Gershon Koffie may spell Brovsky again. Davide Chiumiento, who <a href="http://rednationonline.ca/ChiumientocrossturnsgoalinCaps11draw.aspx">got his first goal midweek</a>, is probably playing on the left again (despite the aversion he's shown to it, <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1668-Chiumiento-fracas-indicates-nothing-except-his-own-ego">as Ben described</a>), while the right flank could be Salinas, Teibert or Nizar Khalfan. The strike force is more assured, as only Omar Salgado and Camilo appear to be healthy at the moment (there's also Long Tan, but he hasn't shown much). It's not a bad lineup, but it's certainly not a first-choice one if everyone's healthy. That hasn't been the case since the season started, though, so we'll see if this group's good enough to pick up a point or three.
    Predictions? Leave them in the comments below. I'll go with a 1-1 draw.
    Guest

    Traficante ousted from CSA board

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Jeanette Kuc from Saskatchewan and Ken MacLean from Nova Scotia have been elected as directors-at-large for the Canadian Soccer Association.
    Among the defeated candidates -- veteran CSA board member Mike Traficante.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Traficante is seen by many as the embodiment of the pre-reform soccer hanger-on, a man more dedicated to the perqs of the office than the progress of the game.
    His dismissal is the loudest, clearest sign that a new, more progressive day has, in fact, dawned at Metcalfe Street. It's also another big setback for CSA president Dominique Maestracci.
    Deeper analysis to follow soon.
    Onward!
    Guest

    Montagliani re-elected

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Jason deVos has just Tweeted from within today's CSA AGM that Victor Montagliani has been re-elected as Canadian Soccer Association vice-president.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    No word yet on the fate of director-at-large Mike Traficante, a significant contributor to the recently resolved Alberta Soccer Association mess.
    Onward!
    Guest

    More setbacks for Maestracci

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Canadian Soccer News has learned that embattled, ineffective Canadian Soccer Association president Dominique Maestracci failed last night in a bid to have Alberta’s delegation stripped of its voting rights at today’s CSA Annual General Meeting in Montreal.
    Maestracci continues to feel the former rebel Alberta Soccer Association board – headed by first vice-president Mario Charpentier and ringingly fired by the Alberta membership at a court-ordered AGM earlier this year – are the province’s legal and proper representatives.
    A source close to the CSA reports Maestracci’s motion was soundly defeated.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    And while more complete details from the closed-door CSA sessions are not yet available, it is also being reported that every by-law amendment Maestracci made this morning was shot down.
    If I may be allowed to editorialize for a moment, this suggests strongly that a reform-minded CSA is finally outgrowing its alleged leader.
    More later.
    Onward!
    Guest
    By: Nathan Terlesky
    Fans of any sport would agree that to lose only one game of five on the road is a success. In soccer, teams would kill for those results.
    While Edmonton only managed a draw against FC Tampa Bay Wednesday night, the team returns home in solid control of third place in the NASL and faces a much deserved ten day break. FC Tampa Bay posed more of a challenge to Edmonton than I was expecting, but the team pulled off some last minute heroics to walk away from the road trip with 4 points of a possible 6.
    The backbone of Edmonton continued to be the solid defense and goalkeeping that the team has become known for. However, there are signs of a revolution in net for FC Edmonton.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Rein Baart started as the go-to keeper for FC Edmonton this season. The Dutchman started all of FCE’s games in 2010, and built a reputation for being a solid keeper. In exhibition play, Baart held his own against Colo-Colo and Portsmouth, keeping FC Edmonton close in both games. Baart also started in the rest of the exhibition season, and though the opponents weren’t as strong as the Chilean and English sides, still managed to showcase his skills. However in 2011, there has been a different side of Baart shown.
    While he started the first 5 games (including the first leg against Toronto), he has not seemed as confident in net for Edmonton. Several times he has passed the ball low and up the middle of the field, both times resulting in goals for the opposing team. There have been awkward challenges as well, resulting in goals, and a red card.
    While I am not suggesting that Edmonton let Baart ride out the rest of his contract (presumably until the end of the 2011 season), I think that the club should look at keeping Lance Parker in net. While only starting in 3 games (including the second leg against Toronto) this season, the 23-year-old has showed serious composure.
    While losing his first start against Toronto, Parker has demonstrated an ability to communicate well with the back line, as well as making some big saves point-blank against Tampa Bay. Parker limited MLS experience, having played on Chivas USA’s reserve team, and starting in the North American SuperLIga in 2008. Though he did not start for Miami FC in 2010, I believe he has made a strong case for starting in Edmonton. Against both Atlanta and Tampa Bay, Parker was instrumental to success. Against Tampa Bay, he was forced to show his athleticism, punching away a header destined for the far corner of the net with a diving save. Against Atlanta, Parker kept communication going through the back line, and was able to stonewall Atlanta when they began to press in the second half.
    Baart has just turned 39 this season, and is undoubtedly moving toward retirement. His experience is invaluable to the youth of FC Edmonton however. I believe that Baart would be an excellent asset to FC Edmonton through a mentoring role to Lance Parker and Jas Gill. The practical experience that he has obtained in over 140 appearances should be passed on to the younger and less seasoned keepers. While it may be difficult to accept that a player that was signed as a starter may be moved into a supportive role, based on the first few games of the season, it appears that it would be a good move to make.
    With Baart finished serving his suspension for a cleats up challenge against Montreal, and the team being together in Edmonton once again, it will be interesting to see if Coach Harry Sinkgraven decides to ride the hot streak that Lance Parker is on, or to go with his experienced country-man once again.
    Guest
    Of course, he doesn't have a 'stache in this Chicago Fire headshot, but Jon Conway and his well-groomed moustache quickly became fan favourites at BMO Field in his single year in Toronto.
    Today, Conway returns to the Reds' House on Lakeshore, this time as the starting 'keeper for the Fire.
    Advantage, TFC.
    Don't get me wrong, Conway is a good, sturdy goalkeeper -- and a hell of a character -- and performed adequately for Toronto when called upon last year. That said, he's never been a great 'keeper in MLS, and at one point he had such confidence issues with the horrible New York Red Bulls teams of a couple of years ago that he earned the nickname "Wrong Way" Conway.
    And believe me, he earned that nickname.
    But Conway is not terrible, and if you were to plunk him behind solid MLS teams like LA, RSL or the current Red Bulls, he'd likely be in the running for goalkeeper of the year simply because he is competent enough not to make too many mistakes.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    That said, the 2011 incarnation of the Chicago Fire are not a solid MLS team. In fact, they are pretty close to awful, and, as Toronto supporters know all too well, awful MLS teams need outstanding goalkeepers to give them a chance at success.
    Again, advantage TFC.
    Chicago are one of the rare teams in MLS that Toronto have been consistently competitive with. Even in the heady days of Cuauhtémoc Blanco, TFC managed to find ways to beat the Fire. To be sure, this is TFC we are talking about, so being "competitive" with Chicago actually means they've won three times in nine total meetings.
    Curiously, the record between the two sides is 3-3-3, which each team having scored 14 goals. This includes a number of blowouts on either side, the most recent being that crazy 4-1 game at BMO Field last May in which Nick Labrocca scored one of the strangest goals you'll ever see.
    Will tonight's match be a blowout like that wind-assisted rout, or will it run more along the lines of the return match in Illinois in which neither side managed to find the goal?
    Well, neither club are really scoring all that much these days, so that lowers the possibility of a goalfest. Chicago are in worse shape than Toronto in terms of recent form, with the Fire having gone win-less in their last six matches.
    TFC will be missing Alan Gordon again, changing the dimension of whatever offence they can muster, while the Fire will be relying heavily on Guatemalan trickster Marco Pappa and Uruguayan Diego Chaves to provide a spark going forward. Ghanaian Partick Nyarko would have been another weapon in Chicago's arsenal, except that he's out with a concussion.
    That's pretty much it for Chicago going forward, as everyone else on their roster has been mediocre at best.
    This is a tough match to handicap, based simply on how erratic TFC have been thus far in 2011. Like all of MLS, Toronto have shown better at home than on the road, and yet they also shown that they can be spanked at BMO Field by a crappy team like DC United.
    Chicago is an even crappier team than DC, on a long stretch of uninspiring play, which likely means that they are due for a "wake up game" at some point. TFC have been on the opposing end of too many of those wake up games over the years, and will need to keep the Fire off the scoresheet for the first 15-20 minutes -- while maintaining a lot of that "possession" that Aron Winter preaches about -- if they plan to keep Chicago in doldrums for at least one more match.

    Toronto FC v. Chicago Fire
    Saturday, May 14, 2011. 7:00pm EDT.
    BMO Field. Toronto, ON.
    Watch: GolTV Canada, MLS MatchDay Live
    Listen: Sportsnet Radio Fan 590, Fan590.com
    --
    Photo: Chicago Fire / MLS
    Guest
    Sometimes it's worth it to obsess over the details a little.
    Earlier today, Vancouver's indefatigable Whitecaps beat man Marc Weber of the Vancouver Province carried an excellent story on Whitecaps playmaker Davide Chiumiento. The mercurial Chiumiento was quite open in his frustrations, telling Weber that he feels he's best employed in the middle of the pitch as opposed to the wide role he's been asked to play most of the season.
    Chiumiento was polite enough, acknowledging that it's not his decision. But at the same time, this is a guy who was telling a major Vancouver soccer reporter that his coach has it wrong. It's not a big deal; nobody in this town needs to be told that the man they call "Dede" has an ego and he's hardly demanding a transfer or cutting Teitur Thordarson's brake line. It's part of what makes him such an effective player. But we fans seize on it anyway, because in what's been a frustrating couple of months it gives us something to blame.
    Me? I don't blame Teitur Thordarson, that's for sure.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Now, I actually agree with Chiumiento to an extent. I've advocated putting him in the middle before and will do so again. He's not the quickest player and doesn't go for goal as much as a central player should but he has a good natural playmaker's eye. I think he could do some good there.
    But at the same time, Teitur Thordarson has been justified in playing Chiumiento on the wing just because he hasn't had two healthy, superior wingers yet this year. Shea Salinas started out the year hurt, and just as he started to get healthy a Montreal Impact defender stepped on Russell Teibert's foot and set the young left wing back a couple of weeks. Nobody needs to be told how catastrophic Blake Wagner is on the left wing, or how Wes Knight on the right-hand side has usually been little better. Nizar Khalfan is sometimes a genius, but usually isn't and probably hasn't played a good game as a starter in twelve months. It's that bloody depth problem again. If the Whitecaps haven't got both Teibert and Salinas available, then they have to play Chiumiento on the wing or essentially give up on having any offense over a third of the field.
    Besides, it's not like Chiumiento has to stay in his lane. As Thordarson quite rightly pointed out in Weber's article, Chiumiento cuts inside and does what he likes anyway. I've compared him to Dwayne De Rosario except as a playmaker rather than a goalscorer: he'll do what he wants unless he has a very bloody good reason not to. This can lead to some transcendent moments of offensive brilliance, but it also makes it a bit rich when Chiumiento spends ninety minutes playing out of position then complains he doesn't like his position very much.
    Moreover, Chiumiento hasn't given a full ninety-minutes effort all season. There's a reason I keep calling him "mercurial". Too often he'll drift off into his own little world. He won't work to get the ball, and when he has it he'll either dump it off uselessly or just try to juke by defenders until one of them get the ball back. At no point will he do the team any good, except accidentally. Then he'll sense an opportunity or get fired up by the game circumstances or just feel like giving it his all for a while. Those are the moments where I understand what Chiumiento is for. He's definitely a talented enough player to be worth his weaker moments and even his inflated sense of self-worth. When the game's on the line he will bust his ass to set up teammates. This is a better team with Chiumiento than without him.
    But he's not Leo Messi. And he hasn't earned the right to play coach, particularly when his arguments are so weak.
    Guest
    In four years’ time, when we look back at how Canada did at World Cup qualifying -- good or bad -- I think we’ll see Simeon Jackson as a leader of the side.
    I had the opportunity to sit in on a teleconference with him yesterday, and it was easy to tell just how much playing for the national team means to him. This is a young man that truly knows what it’s like to bleed the red and white -- he celebrated Norwich City’s promotion with a Canadian flag wrapped around his shoulders.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If you read my latest MLSsoccer.com piece on Jackson, as well as Lori Ewing’s recent Canadian Press article, you get a sense that Jackson really wants to personally lead Canada to new heights. Of course, he is but one player, and may not even be the best player on Canada’s roster, let alone the best player eligible to wear the maple leaf.
    That said, his kind of exuberance and drive to succeed is exactly what our national team needs to reach that elusive next step. This is a guy who moved up from the dregs of England’s non-league to the cusp of the Premiership, so he knows what it takes to advance from seemingly nowhere in the world of football to the big dance.
    And make no mistake, Canada is nowhere in the world of football at the moment.
    Not only that, but he has the right attitude about it all. He actually said that he takes it to heart when his English teammates joke around that they weren’t aware that Canada even had a national program, and he said that it’s become a goal of his to change that poor perception of Canadian football around the world.
    To that end, he says the onus is on the players -- not the CSA, or the coaches, or the system -- to make things right, through results.
    “I don’t see [the perception of Canada as a poor soccer country] changing without winning a Gold Cup or qualifying for the World Cup,” he said.
    He added that home support is crucial, something that has not always been assured in Canadian cities when large ex-pat crowds show up to cheer on the other country.
    “It does play a part,” Jackson said. “Your home supporters can definitely make or break you.”
    Again, he makes no excuses about it, and lays the responsibility on the players to raise their game and change those ex-pats into Canada supporters.
    “I think it’s important to make sure that players on the team are doing our part, getting results on the field to make it attractive.”
    Refreshing stuff, especially when considering how some players in the last WC cycle were a little too eager to throw everyone but themselves under the bus for their failure to advance to South Africa.
    Perhaps my favourite quote of his that didn’t make my MLSsoccer.com story was the following:
    "I've grown up watching Team Canada, and I always felt that if I had the opportunity I would go out there and give it my all, and hopefully try and do something great for the country. That's what my dream is, that's what my goal is, and I'm going to keep going out there and try to achieve that."
    Note that he also said that he’s been working on Junior Hoilett to don the maple leaf, as well.
    --
    UPDATE: Video of Jackson saluting Norwich fans while wrapped in a Canadian flag:

    --
    Photo: CanadaSoccer.com
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by CBC's John Molinaro to discuss his story on Toronto FC freezing out Nana Attakora over a contract dispute, assess how the TFC re-build has gone so far and what pieces are still missing for the club as they head into this weekend's game.
    We'll also set up the CSA AGM and discuss the major plot points, debate Vancouver front loading NASL contracts to pay MLS players lower salaries this year and look at what's next for Simeon Jackson and Nick Dasovic.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/23138/may132011final.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>
    Guest
    The penalty was bullshit. At the risk of being called unprofessional, let’s just leave it at that. We could take the rest of this space and rant about refereeing in MLS and how TFC always seems to be on the wrong end of calls, but that would be pointless. It would also be a thinking error. MLS referees are horrible for every team, they are just particularly horrible for teams that aren’t good enough to overcome the additional obstacle.
    So, yes, bullshit. The game should have been 0-0.
    But, did TFC deserve a draw? In that, we have a much less obvious answer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]On one hand MLS is a home league. The onus is on the hosts to force the issue and take the play to their opponents.
    Although Stefan Frei had another strong outing, the truth was that Dallas didn’t create all that much. Frei only had a couple memorable saves on the night and the possession stats were not glaring. Dallas was the better team, but not to the point that anyone would have thought it was unjust if TFC had nicked it late.
    The other side to that argument, however, is that TFC generated literally nothing. Statistically, the club had one shot on goal and it came from outside the 18. The only player that seemed to be creating anything was Joao Plata and Aron Winter subbed him off early in the second half for reasons that only he can understand.
    Time and time again TFC threw hopeful balls towards the box, or would gain some space down either flank. The cross was always lacking. Or, more accurately, the cross was always a bad idea.
    With Alan Gordon out again, Reds’ fans are seeing how important it is to have a big man playing up in a target role in this league. Gordon has been a God-send for TFC when healthy and it’s clear that it’s vital to keep him healthy.
    When you are playing a possession, skill game you need the option to occasionally bang one in route one from time to time. It keeps the opposition honest and frees up space for the little creative guys. Gordon’s size gives TFC that look. The club needs him back soon.
    Oh, and it also needs to not to have anymore bullshit penalty calls go against it. But, we’re not talking about that.
    Guest
    Julian de Guzman gets paid a lot of money. He drives nice cars that irritate Green Party voters. He spends a significant amount of time each year in Spain.
    In short, he’s a lucky guy.
    He’s also a hell of a good football player and a much more intelligent influence in the TFC dressing room than many people give him credit for. De Guzman is soft spoken, but that doesn’t mean that he has nothing to say. If you listen to him, you’ll find him to be far more reflective and thoughtful than most athletes.
    Yet, he continues to be a target of criticism by many TFC fans. Those fans can’t get by the fact that he makes nearly as much money as a fourth-line goon in the NHL, or, if they are tuned into the Canadian soccer scene, that his brother chose to represent Holland internationally (It’s unclear whether Holland chose to let him represent them at this point, but that’s a different topic).
    Does he deserve some of the criticism? Sure. He’ll be the first to admit that he does. He did not play well in 2010. However, there were legitimate excuses that many fans don’t seem willing to accept.
    The word “excuses” is a loaded term in sports. Since they are well paid, modern athletes are expected to perform at their optimal regardless of the circumstances. Anyone that points out that there are certain situations that make that difficult is said to be “making excuses.” Athletes that make excuses are mentally weak and unfit for championship teams is the thinking.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    There is likely some truth to that. When I fail to take the garbage out because I was watching re-runs of Survivor on the Reality Channel my addiction to bad TV is an excuse for my inconsiderate behaviour. When an athlete is worried that his girlfriend is going to find out about his lover and tell his wife it’s also an excuse. I need to get off my ass and get the trash out and the athlete made his bed and is spending too much time lying in it.
    But, what people need to understand is that excuses are different than reasons. A reason is a justifiable excuse for a less than optimal performance. If I didn’t take the garbage out because I was on Survivor than that’s a whole different thing.
    Bringing it back to de Guzman, it’s clear that he actually had reasons, not excuses, for 2010. Namely he was playing on a bum knee and rarely in the position that he has spent his whole career playing.
    Last night, de Guzman spoke candidly about that. He said that the knee injury was far worse than people knew and that it’s only been the last two weeks that he’s been asked to play in the same role he played in Germany and Spain. “I’m feeling much more comfortable out there doing the same thing that I did throughout my time in Europe,” he said.
    He said that the knee wasn’t right from August on, but that he fought through the discomfort because the club was chasing Champions League and MLS playoffs. He should have rested it, he acknowledged, but “(he’s) not the type of player that stops because of a little discomfort. (He) plays through it).”
    De Guzman said he’s not making any excuses about last year. And, he’s not. However, the fans would be wise to accept the reasons and look forward to a season where there are none of either.
    Guest
    I beg your indulgence as I talk about something a little different today.
    Last night, you may have heard, FC Edmonton had one hell of a game. Going down 1-0 in Tampa Bay, the Eddies kept fighting, fighting, getting their chances, surging towards the Tampa Bay goal, and then snatching a dramatic equalizer at the absolute death of stoppage time courtesy midfielder Chris Kooy. I watched FC Edmonton, a team I cheer for in spite of myself, grab this miraculous point on a mediocre UStream feed from the Vancouver Whitecaps press box. Then, not two hours later, I watched the Whitecaps pull the same trick: Davide Chiumiento knocking in a goal with no time on the clock in remarkably similar fashion.
    It was a bloody good time to be a fan of both those teams, let me tell you. Notwithstanding the fact that neither team got the three points. Edmonton, taking on a mediocre Tampa Bay squad, did nothing to convince skeptical fans that they're as good as their record makes them out to be. Vancouver, playing at home to a team that ought to have been an easy three points before a ferocious run of the schedule, looked better and more composed than usual but by no means like a team which deserves a crack at the MLS playoffs. Approaching both games from a strictly rational perspective, they may have been slight disappointments.
    Doesn't matter. Those are two teams getting on an airplane full of confidence and excitement. They've proven, in a small way, that they can bend without breaking. Their fans, too, have something to celebrate about deep into the night. Some dissatisfaction has turned into optimism, some cynicism converted to excitement. All over a single lousy goal for a single lousy point. More than any sport I can think of, soccer runs on emotion for both fans and players. It can all turn so quickly; hopefully this marks a turn in the right direction.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It's not a popular thing to say in Canucks town during a deep playoff run for the home team, but I truly believe that soccer, even if it isn't always as exciting as hockey, can be a more emotionally involved sport. I'm an Edmonton Oilers fan, so I've seen some playoff runs in my time. I've also seen some
    . But I'm not sure you can match the tension in soccer: the constant hope and despair as your team gets a chance and it goes awry, followed by the explosion of success. Every scoring chance takes so long to build, developing almost languidly even in the last desperate moments of a game, and each chance has such a remote shot at becoming a goal, that when the miraculous does happen it feels all the more amazing for it. I can't compare it to any feeling in any other sport, and really it's rash to try. I might love hockey but the emotional high from soccer is something else entirely.It matters to the players, too. Don't tell me that these guys put every setback and every encouragement behind them as soon as the final whistle blows. This is a game which relies on individual skill and simultaneously working with your teammates down to the finest level. A guy like Davide Chiumiento's greatest strength is that he never seems to want for confidence. He'll always try to make the play, always take on both defenders, with the knowledge that he's more likely to win. Chiumiento can be an infuriating player a lot of the time, but on a team like this one can see his value. They're tired, they're beaten down, they've heard all the discouraging signs and they know very well how long it's been since they had a win in the league, but there's Chiumiento still trying to devour entire defenses. Compare him to Eric Hassli, undeniably more talented and more physical but difficult, bummed out by rough treatment in a league whose referees seem unwilling to protect him and by a couple bad performances. There's a guy who could use an ugly goal. But, even having come off the field thanks to a hamstring injury, you could see Hassli bouncing after the game. He got as much a lift from Chiumiento's marker as anybody.
    Or take Jay DeMerit. He played, what, half an hour? But perhaps there's an upside to having missed so much time with injury: he's sat out some of the unimpressive performances the Whitecaps have suffered and came out with something to prove. He's the man who wears the armband. He's the leader, both officially and unofficially. So, in a three-man defense, he was barking orders and throwing himself into tackles and trying to launch the ball back up the field all by himself. It was actually rather rough and DeMerit's lack of match practice showed. But it was effective enough and it seemed to fire up his cohorts. Even Terry Dunfield, who had the worst game I've seen him play in any jersey, found a little more energy and played a key supporting role in Chiumiento's goal. Sheer chutzpah can have its benefits.
    It happens to the opposition, too. Sporting Kansas City seemed set to be a pretty good mid-table team... until Camilo picked them apart a few weeks ago. Since that famous game they've had an awful time. Conversely, FC Dallas came into Vancouver a couple weeks ago with a point to prove. They proved it with their most complete, solid performance of the season. Since then they've come out with far more fire in their bellies, as Toronto FC discovered to their cost yesterday evening (not that Toronto played at all badly: you could see the influence of that great Houston game in their more-confident-than-usual ball handling and will to get an equalizer).
    I don't want to overstate my case too much here. Momentum isn't everything. Vancouver followed their last great comeback with more injuries and some crappy, crappy games. Simply being in a good mood can't turn a bad team into a good one. But it can turn a mediocre team into a fair one, or a team that's been struggling for coherence and consistency into a more reliable points-grabbing unit. The real test for Vancouver will be on Saturday against New England, when they'll face a fairly strong team in their own barn. There won't be much of a crowd, we know that, but there will be a Revolution team capable of taking all three points... if the Whitecaps let them. If, on the other hand, they come out with some vim and vigour then they might get onto a winning roll of their own.
    Guest
    NASL 1, MLS 0. Well, Sort of.
    The Montreal Impact hosted the New York Red Bulls last night in front a near-capacity-crowd at Stade Saputo.
    Ali Gerba scored the game's only goal as the Impact beat an MLS team for the first time in Montreal. (I would have preferred if he had scored that golden chance in last minutes of the return leg at Empire Field last week.) Nonetheless, the Impact looked like the stronger team on the pitch. Actually, they looked like the only team on the pitch.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Let's be honest: New York didn't really want to play this game. Was it a case of too many games in a week? The team are probably still recovering from an intense 90 minutes in Los Angeles and have to prepare themselves for the Chivas USA game in Harrison, NJ this upcoming Sunday.
    Personnally, I wasn't expecting much from the away team. I'm just glad that this event -not a match, an event- was well covered by the mass media. In the end, I'm also glad we won.
    If the hype was all around the Red Bulls and Thierry Henry before the game, it certainly shifted during and after the game. The win will most likely give a boost not only to the first team but also to the marketing team for the weeks to come.
    With minimal marketing effort (which was mainly put on the visiting team), the organization was able to get a strong media attention as well as a 12 000+ crowd. The spectators were certainly enjoying the show last night but it would be interesting to see if this will have an effect once the team goes back in that good old NASL league.
    Let's just hope that the organization can keep the hype going until we reach next year's entrance in the MLS. In the meantime, we've got business to attend.
    The Impact will be hosting the Railhawks this Saturday. Well ok, it's not the Red Bulls but Etienne Barbara certainly has more goals than Thierry Henry, hasn't he?
    Highlights of the game with the usual over-dramatic music:


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