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    Guest

    FIFA's letter to the CSA

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    Canadian Soccer News has obtained a copy of FIFA's letter to the Canadian Soccer Association, threatening sanctions, possible suspension and expulsion regarding the Alberta Soccer Association and its proposal to remove certain bylaws.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    You can read the full document here.
    Here is a quick excerpt:
    If you need further background on what is going on and what this means for Canadian soccer, you can read more here.
    Ben Knight and Onward Soccer will have more on this situation this evening.
    Guest
    Monday July 18th will be the big day. As a thank you to the club's dedicated fans, season ticket holders will be invited to attend a Vancouver Whitecaps v Manchester City game for free, as guests of the club. Non-season ticket holders are not quite as lucky. It sounds as though walk up tickets will be in the $60 range.
    According to the club's release in the last two match ups between these squads, City did not manage to put the ball in the back of the net. We will have to see if the trend continues but it's doubtful, City will be bringing one of the deepest squads in the Premiership, and that's not including any reinforcements Roberto Mancini brings in during the next transfer window.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Caps have agreed to bring in a grass pitch for this match and have indicated that they intend to retain possession of the grass after the game and install at their training facility later in the year. Mum was the word on the training facilities location but it seems as though an announcement must be in the works on that if they have already purchased grass for it.
    There are a few interesting connections between these two clubs when you dig a little deeper into the meat of this story. Terry Dunfield spent four years as a member of Manchester City's program and even managed to make it into the first team briefly. There is even a little bit of a family rivalry going into this one as Whitecaps workhorse Atiba Harris is actually cousins with MCFC defender Micah Richards.
    City will likely trot out a couple of new signings and maybe a trialist or two, but I would not imagine that we are going to see a full Whitecaps squad taking the field. The 'Caps actually play on July 16th at home on the grass against Real Salt Lake and then again two days after the City game in San Jose. Both of those games are going to be vital in the standings if Vancouver are going to be making a serious attempt at making the playoffs in their first season in the MLS.
    Does anyone out there really think that the 'Caps stand a chance? Wait a second... this is City we are talking about... nobody shits the bed like City.
    Guest

    Becks, refs and MLS

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    Last night, in his first on field appearance at BMO Field in Toronto, David Beckham left his mark in a way only he can.
    Despite ringing a free kick off the crossbar, it was his comments off the field, on the shabby state of MLS refereeing, that had everyone talking.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If you haven't seen the video, you can watch it here (captured by the Score's James Sharman) but to quickly summarize:
    MLS refs bad. Me want better.
    Actually, for a guy who has become known for being a bit of a knuckle dragger over the years, Beckham summed up things pretty well.
    He'll probably get hit with a fine. It will be a drop in the bucket compared to what he makes.
    In reality, it doesn't matter how many times the media, blogs and fans rail against the horrid inconsistencies of Terry Vaughn or Boldomero Toledo, the only time the league has any incentive to listen is when its brand ambassadors (David Beckham, Thierry Henry and the like) stand up and embarrass the MLS name. And embarrass it they should. For a league that has aspirations to be 'world class' they've done little to work with the USSF to improve the quality of referees available. Their weekly review process is a joke and rarely, if ever, results in some kind of tangible change.
    The MLS won't ask the USSF directly for certain referees, that lack of impartiality did in certain Italian teams not long ago, but perhaps it's time they started having more in depth discussions about the state of refereeing in their game. One starting point might be to look at the obvious - the impact of Latin-style refereeing on an English-style league.
    That's not discrimination, that's just a simple observation that certain refs don't mesh well with certain leagues. You wouldn't have a 14-year-old girl call a Men's league game - their ability and personality don't match.
    So, why continue to have a reffing style that doesn't mesh with MLS? The short answer is there is a lack of professional referees in North America. The long answer is that MLS and USSF haven't been largely motivated to do anything with their problems. Instead, their approach has been to fine coaches and players into silence, hoping to sweep the problem under the rug.
    But the problem isn't going away and the voices are only growing more apathetic and resigned to refs essentially stealing games. There is a danger there. MLS is a league that is constantly trying to gain the support of new fans by convincing them they're not a Mickey Mouse league any more. If they're seen to just be sweeping the issues aside, instead of confronting them head on, confidence could easily be lost.
    There are not going to be any easy answers when asking what to do about the state of reffing in MLS, but, frankly the league hasn't even started asking the questions.
    Guest

    The flight of a well-struck ball

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    It’s not just a case of running up to the ball and thumping it.
    On and on, in Major League Soccer, you see free kicks hit in the general direction of the opposing net. Some are useful, some aren’t. Quite a few do find attacking teammates, but many’s the time they end up in disadvantageous positions, with no clear chance to create a goal. Many more are lost to defensive hustling, or – at the south end of BMO Field especially – a following wind that sails the ball ineffectively over the crossbar.
    And then you see it done … right.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Correctly,” I suppose. Must mind one’s grammar whilst discussing craftsmanship.
    There’s a few things that need to happen. The ball needs to get to a dangerous position, but it also has to find an attacking player. Turns out this is simple: thump it to a height and location no defender can actually reach. Speed is essential, too. Enough height to clear the bad guys, with all the steam coming out nicely so your arriving teammate has … options.
    This takes a certain amount of time and calculation. But that’s okay. Play has stopped, after all. The referee is bundling the other-shirt guys back ten yards (or so). There’s time to size things up, read the wind, send a little signal that a particular play is on.
    It’s a bit like golf, really. Decide how you want to strike the ball, then stand and watch it fly.
    On this night, nothing ended up in the net. Teammates were certainly well-served, but a hot goalie here, a goalpost there …. At least you have the satisfaction of knowing you gave your guys a few decent chances, and did your part mucking in to keep the other guys from scoring, either.
    This was the first time I’d even actually seen David Beckham do his thing live in a stadium.
    And my goodness, does the fellow have a nice touch on the ball.
    Onward!
    Guest
    In this It's Called Football Post Game show we're joined by Rudi Schuller, Ben Knight and Duane Rollins to help breakdown the performances in Toronto v LA draw.
    We'll talk about the absences of Maicon Santos and Alan Gordon and the impact that had on Toronto's attack, how Jacob Peterson has started to find his role on this team and if Toronto fans should be concerned about another near goal so early in the game.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/22715/apr132011final.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

    Barrett talks DeRo

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    PR people have a dark sense of humour. With about 50 journalists, most on tight deadlines, waiting for David Beckham yesterday (and after they had started their press event 45 minutes late) in came the anti-Beckham.
    Chad Barrett was introduced to the largest scrum of reporters he will likely ever see. Bemused, he took about 10 minutes of questions, many from entertainment reporters trying to be polite.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    However, within the pedantic there was some gold -- particularly as it related to the Dwayne De Rosario situation. Barrett was a very involved fly on the wall over the last year, so his perspective is worthwihile.
    Asked whether he was surprised by the move, he answered "yes and no."
    He stressed that DeRo was happy in Toronto and that his family was excited to have him here. However, he said something interesting about how De Rosario's strong personality might have fit in under the new leadership.
    "I heard that Winter is a hardnosed guy," he said, "and I thought that they might butt heads a bit."
    Saying that DeRo's contract dispute with management was "not (other players) concern, he did have some empathy to DeRo's position.
    "God knows if they were going to pay someone the money it should be the guy putting up the numbers."
    Ultimately Barrett said that he wanted to move on now that he was with the Galaxy. However, he also stressed that he didn't ask to be moved and would have been excited to play another year in Toronto.
    "There was never great stability when I was here," he said. "I think that's why they brought Winter in."
    Barrett is well aware of the love-hate relationship that many TFC fans have with him. For him, however, it's just a love-love thing.
    "It will be interesting to see what the fan reaction will be," he said. "They'll probably call me a 'T.O. reject' - but that's just how it goes.
    "It's fine," he added with a smirk on his face.
    Guest

    Beckham: Pretty dull

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    David Beckham is finally coming to Toronto to play a competitive game and he says he’s happy to finally be making the trip.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]“It’s a great city,” he said to media Tuesday. “The two times that I’ve actually been here I’ve enjoyed myself. I’m glad to be back.”
    Although Beckham has faced the Reds in L.A., a combination of injury, concerns with the former playing surface at BMO Field and international duty, he has never played for three points in front of Toronto’s infamous fans. Yes, there was an all-star game in 2008, but Beckham wasn’t the villain that night. Until he finds himself walking towards the south-east corner of BMO Field, his MLS experience can’t really be complete.
    On Tuesday Beckham gave credit to Toronto’s “great” fans and reiterated that he was happy that some fans were excited to watch him live. However, he reminded the throng of media – not all there to talk about the soccer, it must be said – he was in Toronto to do a job. And that job was to play midfield for the LA Galaxy.
    Brushing aside questions about viral you-tube videos (yes, it was real, he curtly said of the Diet Pepsi ad) and of his growing family (“it’s exciting” was all that was offered up regarding the impending birth of his first daughter), it was made clear that he was mostly interested in talking about the task at hand.
    “It’s important [that we win],” he said. “We played well [against DC United], but the way it ended was tough. We’ve moved on and are looking forward.”
    As stated, you can’t really fault the Toronto fan for getting caught up in the hype. Actually, for some it might be a little off-putting that it’s taken this long for Beckham to play the Reds here. After all, TFC’s debut in MLS was arguably every bit as important as Beckham signing was in 2007.
    Although both TFC and Beckham have occasionally failed to live up to their early hype – The Reds have yet to make the playoffs and Beckham has only averaged a little more than 13 games a season over the four years – both have also been incredibly important to the league.
    Beckham has opened the eyes of the world’s biggest stars to the possibility of playing in MLS and Toronto now provides the business template that every new expansion team follows.
    So maybe it's it’s about time the two stars of the MLS class of 2007 finally met, eh?
    Guest
    As David Beckham prepares to suit up against Toronto FC for the first time, news that the L.A. Galaxy star might return to Major League Soccer in 2012 came as a shock to some soccer fans.
    Others, however, weren't quite as blown away.
    "Yeah he's, like, a thousand years old, so I guess it's weird that he'd come back," said TFC fan Aiden Marsh, 10. "But of course he's gonna play in MLS. Where else would he play, the NHL?"
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Aiden, who says he became hooked on soccer after being taken to BMO Field for a game last summer, was unable to identify any of the clubs Beckham had represented prior to signing with L.A. in 2007.
    "I heard he went to Italy for something last year, but I thought that was, like, a vacation. Or I dunno, some kind of party, like a bunga bunga or whatever."
    Mentions of Manchester United, Real Madrid, the red card, the Greece free kick and the Spice Girls were met with glazed expressions.
    "But he did kick all three balls into those three garbage cans on YouTube!" chimed in Aiden's friend Cody Johnson, 11. "That was pretty sick."
    "Oh that was fake, you idiot," posited Aiden. "It's just an ad for Pepsi."
    "Just 'cause it's an ad doesn't mean it's fake," retorted Cody. "I heard he practiced for, like, three days. Someone could probably do it."
    "You're so stupid," concluded Aiden.
    The two were asked why, since they're obviously technologically savvy, they'd never thought to google Beckham's name.
    "Why would I bother?" asked Aiden. "He's not even that good."
    "His wife is hot, though," said Cody.
    "Yeah, you would say that," said Aiden. "Idiot."
    .
    Guest
    While I'm going to guess a good 40 per cent of the crowd will be watching only one player this evening, there are five things to watch for in the game tonight and shockingly, one of them is actually Chad Barrett.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    5. Chad Barrett - No. This isn't a revisionist history bit. Chad Barrett was and always will be a guy who got too much sympathy because he worked hard in practice. Finishing is the only thing that matters at the striker's position but during his time here, too many bought into the club's spin that he deserved special exception from that criticism because he was a hard worker. But, tonight, the reason to watch him is because, if he's in the game, it means Landon Donovan (questionable with a knee injury) is not. And as the Galaxy's most dynamic player (Donovan, not Barrett) his absence will have a dramatic impact on how L.A. attacks.
    4. Toronto's back four - Aron Winter has tinkered with the starting back four over the first four games, using eight different players at defender. At some point he needs to define a final four, if just to improve the communication on the pitch. Ball watching and missed assignments plagued Toronto against San Jose and it resulted in Nana Attakora's halftime substitution. Toronto got away with the poor marking against a struggling San Jose team, but L.A. will expose those opportunities.
    3. Juniho - In their First Kick opener against Seattle, I had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how talented this young Brazilian midfielder is. He is equally adept at ball winning as he is at eluding tackles but it's his first three steps that are the most impressive. A few of the more lead footed Toronto defenders would do well to just take the foul because there is no way they will keep level with his pace.
    2. How LA matches up against Toronto's possession game - The Galaxy, while missing a few key players, got picked apart by Real Salt Lake a few weeks ago. I'm not suggesting Toronto is anywhere near RSL's quality but L.A. did show a willingness to get pulled out of position by their opponent's slow build and that's been one area where Toronto has done well this year. Portland and Chivas both got caught chasing the ball and their system got broke down because of it.
    1. The Galaxy's defensive speed vs. Toronto offensive height - With L.A. only having one regular, starting defender over 6'0, you can be certain Toronto will continue to swing the ball into the box in search of the of Alan Gordon and Maicon Santos' height. Omar Gonzalez, who has only had a pair of starts this year, could find himself throw in to the mix to assist the tiny by comparison Sean Franklin, AJ DeLagarza and Leonardo. Former Toronto FC man Todd Dunivant will also get the start. Where they fail in the air though, L.A. makes up for with backl ine speed. Toronto could run into trouble if they try to keep it on the deck and play through balls beyond the back four. Outside of perhaps Martina, Toronto simply doesn't have the foot speed to compete with L.A. on that ground.
    What are your predictions for tonight? Can Toronto take points off an L.A. team who has been inconsistent at times this year? Or is the Beckham show going to steal more than just a few teenage hearts?
    Guest

    Beckham may return to MLS

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    David Beckham says that he’s considering another season in MLS.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Yeah, you know, there’s a chance,” he said in Toronto Tuesday as the Galaxy prepared to take on Toronto FC. “I haven’t made any decision about what I’m going to do after this year... at the end of the day I am 35 years old, I’ll be 36 in May, and I’m getting older so I’ll need to see how my body feels at the end of the season and if I feel that I can perform and continue then I will continue.”
    Beckham stressed that a decision to play in 2012 would not be about a desire to play, but rather an ability to continue to perform at the level he is used to.
    “In a few months I will think about what I want to do and (decide). I still love the game like I did when I was 21 years old and I still feel fit. I look after myself,” he said.
    The midfielder indicated that he feels fit while playing for the Galaxy this year and is happy with his play so far in the young MLS season.
    One reason why Beckham may opt to come back is because he’s seen an improvement on the overall level of play in the league since he first arrived.
    “I think it’s defiantly gone up,” he said “You’ve got improved (player) performances and improved team performances and the way the league has gone...with the franchises that have come into this league.
    Having players like New York Red Bulls Thierry Henry coming to the league continue to increase its profile and overall skill level. “It can only do good and promote the sport and obviously the MLS,” he added.
    One thing that won't factor into Beckham’s decision to return is whether L.A. wins the MLS Cup.
    “I think it’s always disappointing when you don’t win trophies,” he said, “but no, (I wouldn’t consider my time in MLS a disappointment). Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time here. I have lots of friends throughout the league, throughout the teams I’ve played against and I think that it’s been very enjoyable.”
    Certainly with English Premiership, La Liga and Champions League winner’s medals already won, Beckham doesn’t need silverware to solidify his legacy. However, as a “proud Englishman” there is one competition that does intrigue him – the 2012 London Olympics. And with countries allowed to add three overage players on the otherwise u-23 team, Beckham does seem like a natural fit.
    “I think that the Olympics are something that I’d like to be involved in and that I’d like to be involved in as a player.”
    However, he cautioned that it was still too early to make plans for 2012.
    “We’ll see,” he said. “It’s still a year away.”
    Guest
    This article hasn't really got anything to do with anything on the field. But after Sunday's stultifying loss, I really don't want to think about that. This is just something else that bugs me: why do the Whitecaps have such a schizophrenic approach to their own history?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    As everybody knows, this is the Vancouver Whitecaps' first season in Major League Soccer. But it's not the organization's first year of existence: this incarnation of the Whitecaps dates back to the Vancouver 86ers of the old Canadian Soccer League founded in (you guessed it) 1986. The original Vancouver Whitecaps, after whom this team is named, were members of the first North American Soccer League in 1974. This team folded a decade later in 1984, when Big Brother's strict new anti-football ordinances caused the NASL to fold. The 86ers changed their names to the Whitecaps in 2001.
    It's not actually complicated, I think you'll agree. Yet the Whitecaps seem to have a rather schizophrenic time of it, history-wise.
    The sidelining of their division two history was somewhat inevitable. With so many players as well as head coach Teitur Thordarson surviving from the USL-1 days, the Whitecaps have actually done a better job keeping in touch with their second-division history than, say, the Seattle Sounders ever did. But you still here the occasional away commentator stammering as he tries to reconcile Teitur Thordarson having been in Vancouver for four years with this being Vancouver's first year. Wes Knight is still officially "inexperienced" despite having already played two professional seasons, mostly as a starting right back in a good league. Little things like that.
    The club itself adds to the confusion. Pick up one of their authentic jerseys and look on the back, under the collar. You'll see the words "Since 1974". Well, yes, the name "Whitecaps" dates back to 1974 but this team certainly doesn't; the 86ers organization that brought soccer back to Vancouver after the demise of the NASL had no connection to the old Whitecaps and everybody knew it. You hear occasional references, sometimes from people within the organization who should know better, of the team's "history" in the first NASL. When they speak of the Whitecaps "returning" to the Canadian/American first division, they're never referring to the CSL (or to the APSL, first division until 1994 if only by default). Actually, there are no doubt new Whitecaps fans who came aboard with MLS and had no idea the team was in the CSL at all.
    If you're a non-Whitecaps fan, you probably went through this entire article in one huge yawn. Why do I care? Why should anyone care?
    Because, more than any sport except perhaps baseball, soccer embraces its history and traditions. Why else are Chelsea fans still serenaded with "you ain't got no history" despite having won four first division league titles dating back to 1954-55? Why else did Duane Rollins name his blog "The 24th Minute"? Why else do Vancouver Southsiders serenade the players with "na, na na na-na-na-na, na-na-na-na, eight-six" in the 86th minute even though a third of the Southsiders (this one included) weren't even born during that first season? This is an essential part of soccer culture. If you're a Toronto FC fan and you don't know which minute some big bald Englishman scored their first ever goal, well, you will soon. Likewise, if you're a Whitecaps fan wondering what that "Hey Jude" nonsense is about, there are plenty of people who weren't around for those days in the eighties but would still be happy to tell you.
    What the Whitecaps and Major League Soccer are doing is muddying the waters. Why sing "eight-six" when the club was founded in 1974 (it wasn't, that's why)? The club half-embraces, half-rejects its division two days, doing things like trotting out the Lenarduzzi brothers before the second home game and refusing to issue unofficially retired numbers like Domenic Mobilio's #10 but simultaneously painting the Major League Soccer era as a new beginning rather than a promotion. They even changed the mascot for no immediately obvious reason.
    This makes for a confused picture for the many new supporters of the team. It makes the old supporters wonder if their great icons of history, like the famously versatile Davey Morris (still heralded with the very occasional, very long song), will fall by the wayside before the tide of "we were in the NASL from 1974 to 1984 and then in MLS in 2011 and nothing happened between then". The Vancouver Whitecaps/86ers actually have plenty of history, at least by Canadian standards. Let's hold onto that. And let's not embellish it by claiming an earlier team's history as well.
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Robert Jonas, a San Jose Earthquakes beat writer to discuss the snickers at Toronto over the Sam Cronin trade, Frank Yallop's tactics against Toronto and why the club has put their main supporter's group on probation and how the Ultras reacted to it.
    We'll also discuss Toronto's tightly controlled Beckham circus and what we'd really like to ask of Mr. Posh Spice, debate where the Impact rank in the NASL this year and coming on the heels of the disastrous Vancouver v New England game, we debate why the USSF and MLS keep Baldy Toledo around.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/22690/apr122011final.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

    CSA letter to Alberta - dated today

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Canadian Soccer Association secretary general Peter Montopoli today sent a letter to the Alberta Soccer Association, outlining the CSA position on a proposed Alberta by-law change which would allow soccer people in the province to turn to the courts for dispute resolution.
    Such a move is a violation of FIFA regulations. It is clear the CSA intends to suspend Alberta, should it be passed at the ASA annual general meeting this Saturday.
    Montopoli's letter -- in full -- is here:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The letter is in response to a query letter to the ASA last Wednesday, from Edmonton Interdistrict Youth Soccer Association COO Barrie White.
    The letter asked ASA executive director Richard Adams to ask the CSA to clarify if suspension was, in fact, a possibility.
    Montopoli's response echoes the rising perception that the CSA is taking action because of pressure from FIFA, including a direct threat that Canada will be suspended if Alberta adopts the new by-law.
    The CSA GS also concedes there is unhappiness with the current CSA dispute-resolution process. He makes an open-ended promise (no time deadline) that the situation will be addressed and modified, to address concerns without violating FIFA law.
    The clear intent of the letter is to offer Alberta a chance to change course, heading off the suspension threat, while still making efforts to address the ASA's concerns.
    As reported here on Saturday, suspending Alberta could lead directly to FC Edmonton of the tier-two NASL being barred from playing competitive matches.
    Thanks to the Reform Alberta Soccer website for making these documents available.
    Onward!
    Guest
    Welcome to this week's Designated Player Roundup, taking a look at how the league's 14 DPs fared over the past week of MLS play. For some background on each of these fellows, check out the first edition of DP Roundup. Done? Good. Let's see how some of the league's ostensible marquee talents did this week.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Week 4 (April 4 - April 10)
    Archives: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3
    David Beckham (LA): Becks, wearing the armband, did what Becks does: Served up a tasty set piece. This time, it was an early corner kick that earned him an assist on Mike Magee's goal in L.A.'s 1-1 draw with D.C. United. But it got a bit ugly after that, as Becks saw yellow for a two-legged challenge that crumpled D.C.'s Josh Wolff and got passions flaring -- that was his fourth yellow card in as many weeks, meaning he'll be in suspension trouble if and when he gets cautioned again (which, based on the trend, will probably be this week).
    Juan Pablo Angel (LA): Angel played the majority of the match, registering one shot on goal and being subbed out after 89 minutes... which was right around the time that a rather contentious penalty kick* was awarded to D.C., allowing Charlie Davies to score the equalizer.
    Landon Donovan (LA): Landycakes had the benefit of missing the on-field shit show, nursing a leg injury and getting some rest ahead of the Galaxy's midweek game against Toronto. That didn't stop him from weighing in, though, as he took to Twitter to express his eloquent thoughts on the game's biggest flashpoint.
    Julian de Guzman (Toronto): For the second straight week, JDG came in as a halftime sub, as he reintegrates himself into the lineup after offseason knee surgery. He certainly had a chippy 45 minutes, as he committed four fouls (one of which was punished with a yellow card, his second in as many weeks) but also began to show some signs that he could be as effective in coach Aron Winter's system as many had hoped.
    Branko Boskovic (DC): His biggest contribution of the game -- and of the season to this point, really -- was being the one to play the through ball to Davies that, soon after, led to the contentious penalty kick.* Oh, I suppose I should say that the * indicates that it was an utter dive on Davies's part. But hey, that's kinda, sorta an assist for BB, right? (Note: It's not. Also worth noting, he came on in the 81st minute, meaning he's retaining the title of DP Albatross 2011 for this week.)
    Thierry Henry (NY): Henry is continuing his fine form, going another game without scoring a goal. Wait, did I say "fine"? Well, I meant something else. None of his teammates could convert either, as New York fell 1-0 at home to the upstart Philadelphia Union. Still, Henry better bag some goals quickly... 'cause if new teammate Dwayne De Rosario manages to pot one for New York before he does, holy smokes, can you imagine how many cheque-signing motions we'll see?
    Rafael Marquez (NY): No red card for Rafa this week. Just a yellow... though he did get it, essentially, on reputation (and because Sebastian Le Toux barked at the referee until he showed it). Still, we're awaiting Rafa's first true meltdown moment of 2011. When it comes, it's going to be glorious.
    Alvaro Fernandez (Seattle): While Fernandez did nothing for the Sounders this week (he was on the bench for the entirety of the team's 2-1 win over Chicago), he did make a move here at the DP Roundup, inching ever closer to Branko Boskovic's title of DP Albatross 2011. One more week like this one, and that crown may switch hands. Stay tuned.
    Fredy Montero (Seattle): Montero is still out, recovering from wrist surgery. Thankfully for Seattle, the offensive slack was picked up by... O'Brian White? Wow. Well, at least Nathan Sturgis is working out in Toronto.
    Omar Bravo (KC): As Kansas native Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, "there's no place like home". Well, that's where Bravo will be spending much of the month and a half, as he was diagnosed last week with a sports hernia. SKC didn't miss him this week -- since they didn't play -- but his absence shall be no trifling matter going forward.
    Alvaro Saborio (Salt Lake): Following RSL's momentous aggregate victory over Deportivo Saprissa in the midweek, which saw them advance to the CONCACAF Champions League final, a number of regulars (including Saborio) got the day off for the team's weekend fixture with New England. And they still won 2-0. Yeah, there's a reason Salt Lake was the unanimous choice around here to win the MLS Cup in 2011.
    (For what it's worth, the absences gave young Canadian Will Johnson the opportunity to wear the captain's armband... which he then relinquished in the second half after being deservedly sent off.)
    Eric Hassli (Vancouver): Y'know, for a guy that was a relative unknown upon entry to the league, this burly Frenchman sure is making a name for himself. Cautioned during Vancouver's 1-1 midweek draw with New England, yup. Called upon to take a penalty, which he converted, yup. Removed his jersey to celebrate the goal, drawing the automatic second yellow and a sending off, yup.
    So if you're counting, that's three games, three goals, two red cards. Thanks to that moment of incomprehensible on-field stupidity, Hassli missed the Whitecaps' match against Houston on Sunday, which they lost 3-1 to Houston.
    Andres Mendoza (Columbus): No Mendoza in the lineup for the Crew's 0-0 draw with Chivas, as he sat out with an adductor strain. Emilio Renteria took his place up top for Columbus but, as you can guess from the scoreline, he didn't find the back of the net.
    Fabian Castillo (Dallas): The 18-year-old (!!!) may have had his coming-out party in Dallas's 3-0 win over Colorado, in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup. He turned in his first full-90 performance for Dallas, had a couple of great opportunities at goal, and created David Ferreira's first goal (though, for some reason, wasn't credited with an assist). Ferreira subsequently put a pacifier in his mouth to celebrate, which I'm going to (incorrectly) guess was an homage to the fact that Castillo is 18 freaking years old.
    .
    Guest

    Clarifying the FC Edmonton threat

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    There's been confusion the past two days over how, exactly, FC Edmonton's season could be put in jeopardy if the Canadian Soccer Association is forced -- by direct pressure from FIFA -- to suspend Alberta.
    Apparently, it is not a matter of where FCE's players are registered.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    According to rule 9, section (i) of the CSA's rules and regulations (page 43-44):
    - A team must first be a member of province.
    - The province then presents the team's application to CSA with recommendation.
    - If the CSA approves, the club must become a member of both the provincial and national associations.
    The confusion arises because CSA rules explicitly require a pro club to be a member of their province. The language is "shall be", not "may be."
    It is the interpretation of this rule which could create serious problems for FC Edmonton, depending on the outcome of the ASA's annual general meeting next Saturday.
    Onward!
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