Jump to content

  • Articles

    Manage articles
    Show all categories
    Guest
    The sights from the Toronto FC vs DC United game on April 16, 2011.
    All photos are taken by Chris Hazard from Photo Hazard. He will be shooting the Toronto FC home games for Canadian Soccer News this year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Smiles and smoke

    Playing innocent

    "We slip and slide and we fall in love and I just can't seem get enough..."

    Facing the media after a 3-0 loss at home
    Guest
    I wrote in <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1528-Whitecaps-Chivas-preview">the preview</a> of Saturday's Whitecaps - Chivas game that this game represented a critical opportunity for Vancouver. Through their first five games, the Whitecaps had played some highly-entertaining soccer and made plenty of impressive comebacks, but their record was still only 1-2-2. At home against a side in the basement of the Western Conference after a week of rest, the odds for them to break the cycle of entertaining play with less-than-stellar results seemed high, and the Whitecaps came out with a ferocious attacking pace that suggested things might end well for them. In the end, though, they couldn't convert their chances, and the final conclusion was the same; some tremendous positives to take away, but a disappointing single point in the standings from <a href="http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/04/whitecaps-fc-held-goalless-draw-mls-western-conference-rivals-chivas-usa-saturday">a 0-0 draw</a>.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    For the vast majority of the 90 minutes, this didn't seem like a game that was likely to end scoreless. Both sides created plenty of chances, with Vancouver's frequently coming from the run of play and Chivas responding by winning lots of corners. The Whitecaps hit the post twice in the first half, and Wes Knight and Eric Hassli in particular had plenty of superb chances. Camilo made things happen, Kevin Harmse had some solid runs, and Vancouver easily could have pocketed a goal or two. Things didn't fall for them, though, and it was 0-0 at the break.
    Chivas created many of their own chances, especially in the second half, but their finishing touch was somewhat absent as well. When they did manage to get a shot on target, Jay Nolly proved up to the task. Vancouver's attacking pace fell off a bit after halftime, but they still created chances of their own, especially late when substitutes Nizar Khalfan and Omar Salgado each had chances to win it at the end, only to have their strikes go narrowly wide.
    The <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/vancouver-chivas-tally-scoreless-tie-empire">stat sheet</a> looks better for Chivas than Vancouver, as they outshot the Whitecaps 18-12 (4-2 in shots on goal) and collected nine corner kicks to Vancouver's two. The Whitecaps' chances were arguably generally of a better quality, though, so this one easily could have gone either way. There are plenty of positives for Vancouver to take from this; while they allowed plenty of opposing chances, they limited the quality of those chances, and they recorded their first clean sheet, suggesting that the defence is improving (despite the absence of likely first-choice central defenders Jay DeMerit and Greg Janicki thanks to injuries). They also again showed that they have plenty of playmaking talent in the midfield and up front, which has historically been an issue for expansion teams, and they created a vast number of quality scoring opportunities. The finish wasn't there, though, and in the end, they came away from a golden opportunity with only one point. That doesn't mean things are all bad for the team, but they're going to have to start converting potential and chances into goals and wins at some point if they want to make the postseason.
    Guest
    On Thursday, as all not living under a rock will know, the Vancouver Whitecaps announced the long-rumoured Major International Friendly against Manchester City. Manchester City, for those who aren't aware, is a team in the English "Premier" League and isn't even the biggest soccer team (or "football club" as they call it) in their city. I think it's nice of the Whitecaps to give a struggling young club a leg up, though I wonder why we had to do it mid-season.
    Okay, now seriously.
    Obviously Manchester City is an illustrious opponent. While they're not Barcelona or Liverpool, out of all the "second-tier" teams in Europe they might be the most interesting. They have a lot of talented players, a lot of hubbub in the media because of their ownership and high-priced approach to building a team. Their style of play would be attractive on the temporary grass of Empire. And Terry Dunfield is probably going to strain something in his excitement to play against the club that developed him, put him in an English Premier League game, and was actually very good to him for a lot of years.
    There's quite a bit of anticipation in town for the Whitecaps playing City. Casual fans and even a few of the hardcores are looking forward to it. It's a free game for season ticket holders and, cleverly, the Whitecaps are including the game in new season ticket packages sold until the end of April; it might just be the biggest, baddest season ticket bonus ever. The team is sure to sell a few more 2011 season tickets now, and both the front office bean counters and the ordinary fan can be happy about that. At the same time, it gives the Whitecaps a ferociously difficult schedule, with the Monday game taking place between one on Saturday at home and one on Wednesday in San Jose, California. Vancouver may well be fighting for their playoff lives by then and could find the Manchester City friendly a most inopportune distraction.
    The question then becomes: is it worth it?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Most die-hard fans of Major League Soccer have long inveighed against the mid-season friendly. They say (quite correctly) that such games negatively affect the teams, crowd an already-heavy schedule, and don't do much to bring in new fans while furthering the perception that MLS is a "Mickey Mouse" league - look at the Yanks, they actually bring in our teams during the pre-season just to give their poor fans some proper football to watch.
    On the other hand, when executed properly it can bring in both fans and attention. Canadian soccer fans from coast to coast mocked seemingly-serious declarations that the Toronto FC - Real Madrid friendly of 2009 was the "game of the year", but it did bring in an unprecedented amount of attention. Die-hard supporters criticized the ticket prices and the fact that it wasn't included for season ticket holders, but Toronto did pretty well at the gate regardless. And, in spite of all those question marks and a predictably one-sided 5-1 Real Madrid victory, the game was still memorable (and not just for Gabe Gala).
    Did Toronto bring in any new fans of MLS soccer? Well, losing 5-1 couldn't have helped their cause. But we're still talking about it and it's not like Toronto looked like a bunch of amateurs out there; a lot of La Liga sides have been embarrassed by that team worse than Toronto was that night. If even 1% of the fans who showed up or tuned in just for that meaningless friendly wound up hooked on Toronto FC, than it might have been worthwhile.
    On the other hand, Toronto FC scheduled their Real Madrid friendly much more intelligently. The game took place on August 7, 2009, three days after their final CONCACAF Champions League qualifying game against Puerto Rico but a week before their next league game (a game they won 2-0 at home to D.C. United). The Whitecaps schedule is much more crowded. And, to state the obvious, Manchester City is a much less illustrious opponent than Real Madrid. Vancouver may be handling the ticketing for their friendly better than the Toronto front office did, but Toronto was in a much better position on the field.
    Ultimately, we don't know whether this Manchester City friendly will be a success or not. It depends on how many new season ticket holders this signs up, how many fans for one game are converted into fans for life, and whether the Whitecaps can hold it together in the two regular season games around the friendly. I'm apprehensive about the risks, and my instinct is that the rewards aren't that great. But only time will tell.
    Guest
    The Whitecaps come into <a href="http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/04/whitecaps-fc-return-home-host-western-conference-rivals-chivas-usa-weekend">Saturday's clash with Chivas USA</a> (4 p.m. Pacific, Sportsnet Pacific/Team 1410) on a bit of a low. Last week's 3-1 loss to Houston <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1499-Dynamo-3-Whitecaps-1-harsh-realities-MLS">might have been their most disappointing performance so far</a>, which is somewhat understandable considering <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1496-Whitecaps-Dynamo-preview-Salgado">how limited their roster</a> was thanks to injuries, international duty, and rest issues. The focus has largely gone away from that game locally thanks to the big midweek announcement <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1515-Whitecaps-to-Play-Manchester-City-in-First-Big-Friendly">that they'll play a friendly against Manchester City July 18</a> (a game that <a href="http://www.rednationonline.ca/VancouvertohostManCity.aspx">could prove important for developing their young talent</a>), but from the perspective of the MLS season, that's still both very much what they're coming in off of and what they're going to have to try and improve from.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Vancouver does have some important factors in their favour that weren't present last weekend, however. For one, they're at home, which is generally a crucial advantage in MLS and certainly helps even more when you've got a bunch of fired-up fans, as the Whitecaps do. It's worth noting that the club's gone 1-0-2 at home and 0-2 on the road, and they've scored 8 goals at home and just one away from Empire Field (Camilo's goal in Houston last week). For another thing, they've finally gotten a bit of a break; after three games in eight days (Saturday, April 2 <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1459-The-Miracle-On-Hastings-Street">vs. Kansas City</a>; Wednesday, April 6 <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1483-Whitecaps-1-Revs-1-Bizarre-game-leaves-Vancouver-with-a-point">vs. New England</a>, and the previously-mentioned Sunday, April 10 <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1499-Dynamo-3-Whitecaps-1-harsh-realities-MLS">game against Houston</a>), the team had almost a full week to recover. Their absences thanks to international duty and injuries have also diminished a bit.
    Things still aren't all that rosy for Vancouver, though. As Bruce Constantineau <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+Gameday+Something+give+with+Chivas/4625334/story.html">points out</a> in his preview over at the <i>Sun</i>, they still have plenty of players <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-preview/unbeaten-home-whitecaps-host-hungry-goats">on the official MLS injury list</a>. Two of those players, defender Greg Janicki and midfielder Michael Nanchoff are both definitely out, while others, including crucial players like defender and team captain Jay DeMerit and midfielder Terry Dunfield, are questionable. With midfielder Gershon Koffie still away on international duty with Ghana's U-20 side, it's obviously not going to be the Whitecaps' ideal lineup that takes the pitch Saturday.
    What could that lineup actually look like? I'm guessing head coach Teitur Thordarson will stick with Jay Nolly in goal for the moment (though Joe Cannon appears to have recovered from injury). The back four could see more changes; defence <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Scoring+surprisingly+problem+expansion+Whitecaps/4624266/story.html">has been a larger issue of late</a>, and injuries to Janicki and DeMerit remove perhaps the team's top two central defenders. Michael Boxall seems likely to start in the middle again, and he could be paired with either Mouloud Akloul or Alain Rochat; Rochat is more proven, but he also has the ability to play as a wingback (where he may be best) or in the midfield. Jonathan Leathers will likely keep his right-back slot, while Blake Wagner could stay on the left or be replaced by Rochat. The midfield could see Dunfield if he's healthy and perhaps Jeb Brovsky and Rochat again in the middle; Kevin Harmse is also available. The wings have plenty of options, including Wagner, Teibert (who has <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+Gameday+Something+give+with+Chivas/4625334/story.html">some injury issues</a>), Davide Chiumiento, and Nizar Khalfan, and strikers Eric Hassli, Camilo, Atiba Harris and Omar Salgado should all be available (although Harris is fighting through a knee injury). If I was making the lineup, I'd go Nolly - Leathers, Boxall, Akloul, Wagner - Chiumiento, Dunfield (if healthy, if not, Brovsky), Rochat, Teibert - Camilo, Hassli. There are lots of different things Thordarson could do though, and I wouldn't be surprised to see changes partway through the match.
    Chivas is facing their own selection issues, though. One of the most notable injuries they're dealing with is a concussion to defender Jimmy Conrad, who can be one of their most effective players when healthy. Conrad is listed as questionable, so he may or may not play Saturday. They'll also definitely be missing striker Tristan Bowen and midfielder Blair Gavin, and midfielders Paulo Nagamura and Mariano Trujillo may also miss the match. However, they do have plenty of talent left, including former TFC midfielder Nick LaBrocca, Canadian defender Ante Jazic, and strikers Alejandro Moreno and Justin Braun, so they can't be written off.
    For Vancouver, this could be a crucial game. They've previously demonstrated that they do play better at home than on the road, but they still only have five points on the season (despite the very impressive ways those points were earned). That's enough to put them in <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings">fifth place in the West</a>, but they're going to have to keep picking up points if they want to achieve a playoff berth at the end of the season. This match represents a great chance to do that; Chivas is 0-2-2 on the year and in the bottom of the Western Conference, and while they have been a little better recently (earning back-to-back draws against Toronto FC and Columbus), they're still not exactly in ideal form. This is an important opportunity for the Whitecaps to pick up both some points and some momentum. We'll see if they're able to do it or not.
    Guest

    El Clásico: Four times the fun

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    La Liga. Copa del Rey. UEFA Champions League semi-final, legs one and two.
    Over the next 17 days, Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off four times in the aforementioned three competitions, an epic stretch that is guaranteed to get every football fan excited.
    But will our excitement be rewarded?
    This season's first edition of "El Clásico" came about with great fanfare and huge hype last November. Everyone was looking forward to the battle of the two giant clubs led by modern-day footballing gods.
    The blogosphere nearly ran out of superlatives to adorn upon that first November league meeting, with all and sundry comparing the likes of Messi and Ronaldo to legends gone by like Puskas and Cruijff.
    Then the game happened.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Like many overhyped matches before it, November's El Clásico failed to live up to its billing.
    Not because the game was lackluster and tepid, mind you, but rather because one team was just overwhelmingly better than the other.
    For all the hype of the "two great teams clashing" in last November's match, there was only really one great team on the pitch -- and that team happened to run into the all-world side known as FC Barcelona circa 2010-11.
    It was nearly painful to watch as Real Madrid looked like mere mortals trying to contend with the seemingly omnipotent beings that seem to make up this current edition of the Blaugrana.
    Why then, five months on, would these four rapid-fire Clásicos matter when the two sides are still made up of nearly the exact same players that featured in that 5-0 rout back in November?
    Well, the circumstances surrounding each game are different.
    Today, we've got the league Clásico, the direct rematch from that late fall slaughter. This will be Real's first chance to cleanse that embarrassing chapter from their palates, and get themselves back into contention for a La Liga title that Barcelona has a stranglehold over.
    With Barcelona heading into the match with an eight-point edge in the standings, today's objective for Real Madrid is simple: Win at the Bernabeu, or forget about the league.
    On Wednesday, the two teams meet again for the Copa del Rey. Played in Valencia, that match will be the sole Clásico to be held on neutral ground this season, nullifying both sides' substantial home field advantage.
    For Barca, the Copa del Rey would be another trophy en route to the league title (they'll still be heavily favoured even if they lose today), and another yet thing they can lord over the heads of Madrid and their fans.
    For Real, the Copa del Rey represents the first real opportunity to steal something from their rivals - and perhaps more importantly, the opportunity to swing the momentum heading into the first Champions League fixture a week later.
    A Copa del Rey victory by Real Madrid would indicate that Barcelona is not infallible, something that may be worth more to Madrid by the end of the season than the King's Cup Trophy itself.
    Finally, the two sides will meet April 27 and May 3 in the Champions League, with the first leg in Madrid. On paper, a two-legged series should favour Barcelona quite heavily. as they could play their brand of patient, lethal football and simply wait for Real to open things up.
    But it all depends on how the previous two matches go. If Barcelona does the expected and wins both the league match and Copa del Rey final going away, then it should be expected that the two Champions League games will fall in line.
    But if Madrid can nick one, especially the Cup final, then all bets are off.
    Guest
    The sights from the Toronto FC vs LA Galaxy game on April 13, 2011. All photos are taken by Chris Hazard from Photo Hazard. He will be shooting the Toronto FC home games for Canadian Soccer News this year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Dark clouds on the horizon

    Closing the ranks

    Martina: the face of determination

    Faces: Old and new

    Dollar for dollar value
    Guest
    The sights from the Toronto FC vs LA Galaxy game on April 13, 2011. All photos are taken by Chris Hazard from Photo Hazard. He will be shooting the Toronto FC home games for Canadian Soccer News this year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Eying up the competition

    Beating the wall but not the woodwork

    A touch of class

    Beat to the ball

    The smallest man on the pitch gets low for the header
    Guest
    Let's face it: Every season of every sports league needs a good narrative. It's a handy way for fans and pundits to weave together the significance of a collection of discrete games that really have nothing to do with one another beyond being played under the same jurisdiction.
    A month into the 2011 MLS campaign, a well-worn narrative has emerged: "The refereeing is shit." It's familiar, it's easy and it's something that nearly everyone can agree on. But simple repetition does not empirical evidence make.
    So, all things considered, is the refereeing on display in MLS egregiously and unforgivably worse than the officiating one would find elsewhere? It isn't, and here's why.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What's important to remember is that referees, like goalkeepers, can have an otherwise perfect performance spoiled by one critical flashpoint. A dozen remarkable saves are forgotten after a 90th-minute howler, the same way that 89 minutes of solid, fair officiating mean nothing in the eyes of fans if one crucial, game-altering call is (in the fans' eyes) missed.
    This is not to absolve referees whose mistakes fundamentally alter the outcome of games. L.A. Galaxy fans were rightly outraged after their team was deprived of the full three points against D.C. United over the weekend, when referee Abbey Okulaja bit on a dive by Charlie Davies and awarded him a penalty kick right at the death.
    The validity of that call notwithstanding, it would take supreme naivete or ignorance for anyone to tell me that diving doesn't trick referees elsewhere in the world. There are entire leagues, entire countries, entire confederations where "simulating" is seen not as dishonourable, but as a cheeky (even celebrated) manner of acquiring an advantage for one's team.
    So if Davies's deception of Okulaja is the strongest case you've got against MLS, then you may want to reconsider your stance.
    Now, David Beckham was likely still cheesed off at that decision on Wednesday night when he lamented that the refs were wrongly "becoming the stars of the MLS". That Beckham was facing a suspension after racking up five yellows in less than five weeks
    Toronto fans had their own moment of rage earlier in the season, when Mikael Yourassowsky was sent off by Silviu Petrescu in a situation that was, in many's eyes, an overly strict application of the Laws of the Game. The fact that Petrescu had a solid game overall was lost on those who felt the urge to curse his name in the aftermath of the match.
    The "referees are shit!" narrative caused an explosion of reaction during Thursday's showdown between Portland and Chicago, with plenty of invective hurled at Ricardo Salazar after Kenny Cooper's goal was disallowed on what most assumed was a phantom foul. Later, folks came to realize the goal had been disallowed because the ball had gone out of play -- and, again, Salazar turned in a solid performance under some difficult circumstances. But the damage was already done, the mental connection already made: "Salazar = bad call = bad ref".
    Which brings me, of course, to Baldomero Toledo. Even if you just started following the league this year, chances are you've already become aware of his well-earned reputation. During his MLS tenure, he's thrown out red cards at a pace of about one every two games and, truth be told, a good number of them have been of a pretty dubious nature. The point made by my colleague Ben Rycroft on multiple occasions has been that once Toledo hands out his first yellow, the game quickly spirals out of control, and a sending-off becomes inevitable.
    That's the other complaint lodged against refs: That games are allowed to spin out of control. Paul Ward lost the plot somewhat in a matchup between L.A. and Philadelphia earlier this season
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Vancouver Whitecaps CEO Paul Barber to discuss the decision behind the Manchester City friendly, their reserve team and the decision to go into the US Development system and to talk about how they plan to handle match congestion this year.
    We'll also set up the Toronto v DC United game, discuss the latest signing and update on where Alberta stands on its bylaw amendments after the FIFA threat was leaked yesterday.
    There is also an interesting discussion towards then end about MLS 1.0 vs MLS 2.0 and where Toronto and Portland fit into that.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/22733/apr152011final.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

    Toronto to add another piece

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    News out of England today has Burnley defender, Richard Eckersley, joining Toronto FC on loan until January.
    Eckersley played under Paul Mariner during his time as Plymouth Argyle manager and got his start in the Manchester United system, winning their reserve player of the year award in 2008.
    The addition will give Toronto FC head coach Aron Winter some added depth on the backline, which has struggled to define an identity for itself this year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Here is a brief highlight package of Eckersley during his time with Manchester United.


    Guest

    Alberta blinks

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    A proposal to end soccer's ban on court action to resolve disputes has been withdrawn from the agenda of Saturday's annual general meeting of the Alberta Soccer Association.
    Faced with the hugely real possibility of suspension, the Edmonton Inderdistrict Youth Soccer Association has withdrawn its request for a bylaw change. This backs the ASA and CSA away from the brink of FIFA sanctions -- but does nothing to resolve the many controversies arising from -- and contributing to -- the Alberta soccer mess.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "EIYSA looks forward to working with the ASA to reform how disputes are adjudicated," EIYSA chief operating officer Barry White wrote. "The current system has failed to provide an effective mechanism for adjudicating disputes at both the ASA level and the CSA level. If there is a truly fair, independent and impartial dispute resolution mechanism, the need to seek recourse to the courts is reduced."
    A letter from FIFA, published here yesterday, threatened the CSA with suspension and possible "expulsion" should Alberta be allowed to make the amendment.
    Withdrawing the motion removes the threat of an Alberta suspension, which could have adversely affected FC Edmonton, potentially sidelining the team at the start of its inaugural season in the tier-two NASL.
    Still unresolved are the multiple legislative issues arising from last year's lengthy dispute over who, in fact, runs the ASA. Sitting president Chris Billings was ousted by his first vice-president, Mario Charpentier, who was ultimately shown the door as a court-ordered ASA special general meeting in January.
    And speaking of Charpentier, Canadian Soccer News has learned his attempt to appeal his dismissal to the CSA Appeals Committee will not be heard. The committee apparently feels it lacks jurisdition to hear the appeal.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Here at Long Balls, we've concocted a lifestyle based around "expectations management." That is to say, never hoping too eagerly about anything because of the possibility it could end in disappointment. This worldview definitely included avoiding further mention of Blackburn striker David Hoilett.
    Unfortunately young Hoilett refuses to cooperate. Or more accurately, he refuses to fade into mediocrity, thus rendering his decision on which country to turn out for internationally a moot point. The goal he scored against Birmingham on the weekend was his third in four matches, and his splendid form is helping to prop Blackburn's breathing orifices above the water line in the Premier League relegation battle.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Yes, the more heads Hoilett turns in England the more transparent are the brave faces put on by Canada supporters who claim not to care which way he eventually goes. But it's interesting how these matters play out. As Blackburn fight to stay up, another Canadian striker, someone who has never made any bones about where his international priorities lie, helps Norwich City fight to move up.
    The Canaries are fluttering third in the Championship, one peg below the top two automatic promotion prizes to the Premier League, thanks in no small part to Simeon Jackson's goal from a substitute appearance to salvage a 2-2 draw with Watford midweek.
    Of course, if Blackburn is relegated, David Hoilett will likely be scooped up by a Premiership club, whereas Jackson will probably be sold to a Championship one should Norwich jump up. But would there not be some sort of sweet karma at work in seeing Jackson line up in the Premier League next season while David Hoilett kicks off in the Championship?
    Or, you could look at the situation dispassionately and conclude there is ample evidence to suggest Hoilett is indeed the better player and carries far more potential, nevermind the fact there remains a solid chance he will choose to represent Canada, thereby making his demotion to the English second division a horribly short-sighted thing to hope for, even secretly.
    As for the rest of the Canadians near and abroad:
    Iain Hume started for Preston North End against Portsmouth on the weekend and scored at the end of the first half. His recent exploits saw him nominated for Championship player of the month, which eventually went to some guy from Reading.
    Jaime Peters and David Edgar continue their struggles with Ipswich Town and Burnley respectively, sitting on the bench for games on the weekend and midweek.
    Josh Simpson was subbed off after 50 minutes against Konyaspor in the Turkish top flight. The last time he scored was, horror of horrors, on February 27.
    Mike Klukowski was not in the squad as Ankaragucu lose to Gaziantepspor. Get used to that previous sentence, as he reportedly wants to leave the club due to unpaid wages.
    In the Netherlands, Atiba Hutchinson played the full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw with Heerenveen on the weekend as well as 90 minutes in Europa League against Benfica on Thursday.
    Marcel de Jong is still around and still on track for Bundesliga promotion. He played 62 minutes way back on Friday in a 0-0 draw against something called Greuther Fürth. His club Augsburg are still holding onto 2nd place and automatic promotion from the 2.Bundesliga, three points ahead of Bochum with five matches to play.
    And closer to home, Julian de Guzman continues his revival from injury, playing the second half against San Jose on the weekend and then 65 minutes in a starting performance against the LA Galaxy on Wednesday.
    Guest

    The real threat

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    As reported on Canadian Soccer News earlier this week – and confirmed here – FIFA is strong-arming the Canadian Soccer Association to shut down a key Alberta soccer reform. The word “expulsion” features ominously.
    As you may know, deposed members of the Alberta Soccer Association went to court last year after being ousted in a nasty backroom coup.
    FIFA bars, objects to and prohibits court intervention in soccer matters. As Alberta prepares to remove the anti-court clause from its constitution at an annual general meeting set for Saturday, the CSA is working hard behind the scenes to try to head FIFA sanctions and suspensions off at the pass.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The biggest obstacle? The CSA was so hammer-handed in its handling of the Alberta mess, a significant portion of that province’s go-to soccer folk are in absolutely no mood whatsoever, thanks, to be told what to do by Metcalfe Street.
    The CSA is now caught squarely in the middle, with little apparent choice but to suspend Alberta if the by-law in question gets bounced. Consequences of that could be dire – including a possible sidelining of NASL expansion team FC Edmonton.
    Hence CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli’s carefully worded letter to Alberta earlier this week. Montopoli – a firm, quiet, clever man who has done a world of good for Canadian soccer in recent times – is hoping Alberta can step back from the brink, and agree to be part of a longer, deeper discussion of the matter, to be somewhere other than the receiving end of FIFA’s bureaucratic blunderbuss.
    As a guy who’s been on the Alberta story for months – and the FIFA angle since 4:30 Saturday morning – I’m pleading with everyone to understand that FIFA’s a little too big to beat right here and right now.
    I absolutely hate the court restrictions. To have a famously corrupt international body of sport tell anyone – let alone Canadian citizens – they don’t have fair access to the justice system enrages me. Damn right Alberta ended up in the courts!
    Montopoli has, at least, acknowledged that the CSA has to make significant changes to its dispute-resolution mechanism. He hasn’t put a time deadline on it, either, which is good because there is a long, long way to go to heal all the recent damage.
    FIFA has been brought to heel by governments in the past. The European Union, in particular, has done valiant work to keep Sepp Blatter, Jack Warner and the rest of them in line with the prevailing law of the land.
    But with a federal government that commits only $1 million per year to soccer, and a federal sports minister who clearly doesn’t want to get involved, there’s nothing on the battlefield right now that has the guns needed to outdraw FIFA.
    So – truly – someone has to blink.
    Who does it – and whether it happens at all – will be determined in Alberta on Saturday.
    More to come tomorrow.
    Onward!
    Guest
    For once no one was arguing about the legitimacy of the announced attendance. Having stood both in the south-east corner of the stadium -- I was damned if I was not going to experience the atmosphere first hand last night -- and from the press box I can tell you the joint was packed.
    It was also alive, a great reminder of how good BMO Field can be when the fans aren't angry at the home team. One thing that is heartening about a TFC crowd in games like last night is that it's a partisan crowd, rather than a star gazing one. Sure there were plenty of flashbulbs whenever David Beckham was close to the stands, but those there to only cheer on Becks were clearly in the minority.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The cop in front of section 113 certainly had a good laugh at hearing 500 or so voices sing "You can shove your David Beckham up your ass" just after the opening kick-off. What made the song, however, is those singing it really meant it. Once the game kicked off, No 23 was just a midfielder wearing the wrong colour strip.
    As I wrote yesterday, there were two important arrivals in MLS in 2007 -- Posh Spice's husband and our beloved and dysfunctional football team. Although Beckham was the more visible arrival, TFC was the most important. Why do I say that? Because Becks will leave one day (probably soon) and TFC, and more to the point, those that love it, are here to stay. Sure, there will be hiccups, even the odd "little break" by some fans, but that more than 21,000 can shove themselves into the stadium on a crisp April evening to cheer against David Beckham tell you that TFC is bigger than the chance to stare at a celebrity - -no matter how dreamy some may think he is.
    Back when Toronto was bidding for the 1996 Olympics a group emerged that was determined to make sure the bid was unsuccessful. They adopted an effective slogan of Bread not Circuses, which captured the imagination of the city. See, Toronto is a bread not circus kind of town -- for all T.O. talks about being a world class place with exciting and sexy things to see and do, it's ultimately a meat and potatoes kind of town.
    So is MLS. The league may like to trot out its glamour players and use them to try and sell the sport to reluctant fans, but the league is really only as strong as its core, domestic guys.
    After all, the circus only comes to town once a year.
    Guest

    What's up with Nana?

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It’s a bit cliché to say, but you can tell a lot about a player’s character by the way they handle adversity. So, Toronto FC fans should have a better understanding of Nana Attakora soon. After a steady rise from the local kid, he’s taken a step back this season. He was pulled from two straight games and, for the first time in two seasons, he did not play in a game in which he was healthy and eligible.
    I had a chance to speak to Attakora over the phone Wednesday afternoon. The conversation came hours after TFC had trained and it was set-up outside of normal media availability. The point being that he didn’t have to make the call and could have just as easily avoided talking – he had to know what the questions would be about, after all.
    So, it probably says something that he called.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Attakora made mention of a off field “distraction” that was contributing to his struggles, but did not elaborate. He was clear that he didn’t want to make an excuse though. He needed to play better.
    As for what he needs to do better it’s a little more up in the air. Against San Jose, the coaching staff was concerned with the space that the Reds were giving. They wanted the team to be more aggressive and since Attakora was the player subbed out you can make a safe assumption that he was part of that problem.
    He’s always been a more athletic player than a tactical one. That could make it difficult in a system that demands a lot out of its defenders.
    Another thing Attakora said was that it was important to remember that he was only 21. He accepted that he had more demands than a typical player that age because of the amount of time he’s been with the club and the trust he’s been shown up to now as a player.
    But, he’s right. He is just 21, so TFC fans should not get overly worried about this set-back. If he takes the lesson to heart and improves the tactical side of his game under Winter, Attakora could emerge as a overall better player than if he had just kept plugging along as he was.
×
×
  • Create New...