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    Guest
    Last week, outlets across the country reported that the Canadian Soccer Association had sent a proposal to the Women's Head Coach Carolina Morace in hopes she would remain with the team until at least the London Olympics in 2012.
    This past Saturday, Morace told Noel Butler on Oranges at Halftime that the players had received a proposal for financial compensation but that she was still waiting to hear from the CSA and stated that, "President Maestracci has confused the issues."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Go listen to the full interview where she speaks about the lack of links between the youth programs, professional clubs and national team programs and also the need for Canada to get behind the women in the lead up to the World Cup but the part that pertains to her future with the CSA and her contract begins at 12:50.
    Butler asks her about those reports and at the status of her negotiations with the CSA and she responded in frank terms.
    She is then asked what it is she is waiting for.
    I urge you to go listen to the full interview because despite appearances on this side of the ocean that the two sides (Morace and the CSA) are getting close to a resolution, a divide - communication or otherwise - clearly remains for those in Rome.
    Guest

    Impact fall to FC Tampa Bay 1-0

    By Guest, in Le12eJoueur,

    A few highlights of the Montreal Impact's loss against FC Tampa Bay. Much like the quality of the stream, the play wasn't all that pretty and the game looked like it was going to be a 0-0 draw until the hosts intensified the pressure in the last five minutes of the game.

    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    At the 85th minute, a shot from 35-yards by midfielder Takuya Yamada gave the home team all three points. It's hard to say (based on the low quality of the streams) but it looked like goalkeeper Bill Gaudette could have done better on the shot. A few moments before, the hosts had been awarded a penalty, but Tsuyoshi Yoshitake's shot missed the net.

    Ali Gerba and Luke Kreamalmayer seemed to have created the better chances but weren't able to make it count. The defensive end worked relatively well for the most part of the games...

    Let's be honest here: Montreal are coming in this league as strong favourites to win it all, which is just the perfect incentive that other teams need when they play the future MLS-ers.

    It's up to the Impact to show that they are in another class, which wasn't the case last Saturday.

    Next game @Carolina on Saturday April 16th.

    As for the highlights, not a big fan of the video montage with music, but that's all we got for now...
    Guest
    Compared to the <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1496-Whitecaps-Dynamo-preview-Salgado">highly-entertaining</a> nature of just about every Vancouver game to date, this one was a bit of a letdown. That wasn't necessarily all that unexpected, as the Whitecaps were facing <a href="http://rednationonline.ca/CountdownVancouverHouston4911.aspx">a talented</a> (if underachieving) Houston team on the road, and were forced to do so <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/soccer/Midfield+injuries+weaken+Whitecaps+loss+Houston/4592353/story.html">without their regular central midfield tandem</a> of Terry Dunfield and Gershon Koffie (plus having several other players held out and limited thanks to injury issues). To this point, though, Vancouver had largely made their reputation on pulling out points despite significant adversity (see the Kansas City and New England games), so <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+fall+Houston+Dynamo/4592118/story.html">a 3-1 loss</a> on the road has to be at least partially seen as a disappointment.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In some ways, though, this is perhaps more in line with what we can expect to see from the Whitecaps this season. It's worth keeping in mind that they are an expansion team, and one that doesn't have a huge amount of depth at some critical positions. (They've got <a href="http://rednationonline.ca/PositiveproblemsforWhitecaps.aspx">more depth</a> than some would have expected, as just about every player who's seen time so far has shown at least some potential, but they still don't have the experienced veteran depth of many MLS sides.) They're going to be missing plenty of players at some point in time over the season, thanks to injuries and international callups, and it probably isn't realistic to expect the next man up to slot in perfectly every time. This is a very young roster, after all, and much of this season is about building for the future. That's not to say that you should ever write this team off, as they've already demonstrated that's a problematic assumption, and they still have plenty of talent to put up a good fight and perhaps come away with a few wins even in trying circumstances. It is to say that the depth and parity in MLS means the Whitecaps aren't significantly better than most other squads out there, though, and that they can't expect to win every match on the road with injury-reduced lineups. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull out a few more miracles over the course of the year, but perhaps results like this serve to emphasize how unique what they've done so far is.
    <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mls/recap;_ylt=Aq6jPvBBqLA31K4_xtizDQqdbgM6?gid=2011041020">Sunday's match</a> didn't start all that poorly for Vancouver, even though they fell behind 1-0 in the 37th minute on a goal by Houston's Cam Weaver. Camilo quickly equalized in the next minute, and a 1-1 scoreline didn't look bad for the Whitecaps. The Dynamo notched their second from Bobby Boswell in the 42nd minute, though, and that was reflective of a larger swing in possession and chances. Houston added a third from rookie Will Bruin in the 76th minute, and they clearly deserved the full three points on the day; Vancouver only managed two shots on net throughout the match. The injury situation didn't getting any better, either, as captain Jay DeMerit (trying to return from a groin injury) struggled throughout the first half and was replaced at halftime.
    Still, it wasn't entirely a bad day for the Whitecaps. Although they continued <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1492-Why-Do-the-Whitecaps-Concede-So-Often">their disturbing habit of conceding plenty of goals</a>, they created some chances of their own from time to time and didn't look all that bad for an injury-depleted club playing their third match in eight days. Youth was served as well, as top draft pick Omar Salgado <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Omar+Salgado+takes+Whitecaps+home+state/4589588/story.html">did in fact see some time</a> before his family and friends in his home state of Texas, coming on in the 84th minute, and he showed some promise in limited action. On the whole, there weren't really any appalling performances on the Vancouver side, and many of the players involved who hadn't seen much time before (including Salgado, Mouloud Akloul and Jed Brovsky) looked reasonably promising. This isn't a crushing loss for the team; if anything, it's more of a notice that this isn't an easy league, and it's one where every point matters. They didn't come away with any points on this day, but there's still plenty of hope for what they can accomplish this season.
    Guest
    For the first time this season, Toronto’s 4-3-3 system came up against a squad willing to sit back, content to clog the midfield.
    Today’s It’s Called Tactics takes a look at why San Jose’s 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 grouping made it difficult for Toronto to dictate the pace the way it had done against Portland and Chivas and ultimately why most of the attack up the wings was useless.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What didn’t work?
    With San Jose playing five midfielders for much of the match, Toronto struggled to find any real progress into the attacking end. One clear weakness of a 4-3-3 is that when you come up against a team willing to play a disciplined 4-5-1 they can easily bully a midfield into making panic passes. By closing passing lanes and assigning dual coverage to individual players, San Jose stifled much of the attack before it even began to progress.
    The pressure resulted in Toronto players being dispossessed far too often in their own half and handed San Jose a number of quality chances from distance.
    Javier Martina was one player who couldn’t find a way to deal with this kind of pressure early and Toronto shifted its attack over to the left where Alen Stevanovich and Danleigh Borman had better success exploiting a weak Jason Hernandez and, at times, Ike Opara.
    The shift in play didn’t help to bring Maicon Santos into the game, who spent much of it running into space that never developed. His substitution 20 minutes into second half was likely as much about saving his legs for the LA Galaxy on Wednesday, as it was to continue to give Joao Plata some playing time. Plata, for my money, is now on the 14th of his 15 minutes of fame. While it is good for a smile to see the diminutive striker get a run out, he has done little to prove his critics – those that said he was too small for the physical MLS – wrong. Since early on, I have pled the case for the small Latin player who, by reputation, is a guy who is willing to do anything to win. But aside from drawing the occasional foul, he has done little to earn a regular spot.
    What did work?
    It was far from perfect, but Toronto’s attack did finally find itself in positions to make proper crosses against San Jose. Borman’s service into the box was top notch and his arrival marks the first player, aside from perhaps Jacob Peterson, who has shown an ability to execute a decent delivery on the run. Alan Gordon’s presence in the air has added another threat to Toronto’s attack but it means little if they can’t find more than one guy to get it there.
    Julian DeGuzman’s substitution for Nana Attakora at the half left some scratching their heads and it’s certain that JDG’s contributions will continue to go unappreciated by those who only see the dollar signs attached to his name. But make no mistake; his arrival was a major factor in limiting the number of chances Toronto gave up around the 18-yard-box. When he’s fully fit, his calmness on and off the ball will serve to improve the Toronto back line ten fold.
    The final question
    Dan Gargan, Mikel Yourassowski, Ty Harden, Donleigh Borman, Nana Attakora, Adrian Cann, Ashtone Morgan and Dicoy Williams have all played minutes on the back line this year. And given the amount of ball watching and missed assignments Toronto displayed last night, I have to wonder if the constant rotation of the Toronto back four has been the cause of the confusion.
    Head Coach Aron Winter has committed to trying a number of different combination's as he looks for the right fit but the tinkering has clearly come at the cost of one of last year’s defensive strengths – communication.
    Guest
    Yesterday, I was asked on Twitter, “What's with the media blackout after Canada U20 team were knocked out of WC qualifying?”
    Good question. How do you solve a problem like the lack of media coverage of the non-senior level Canadian national teams? Like for example, breaking the silence that followed the Canadian U20 mens team’s failure this week to qualify for the World Cup (which, counter-intuitively, came after a 3-0 loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF championship quarterfinals)?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I should make it clear that this is not a mainstream media problem. Nor is simply having too much stuff to cover in sports particularly limited to football, although in Canada where the issue of player development continues to be a source of raging controversy, covering the non-senior teams is arguably more important than, say, covering the annual “will Canada finish second or first in the World Juniors” event.
    The wide world of football is really, really wide, even within the confines of a country like Canada with two MLS clubs and one on the way; two headline grabbing national teams separated by gender and differing political issues within the CSA; and a myriad of lower amateur and semi-pro teams waddling about in this that and the next tier, a “pyramid” so confusing you’d need an idiot savant to sort it all out. To expect some intrepid reporter to file stories on each and every element that makes up the Canadian soccer tableau is unrealistic in the extreme.
    To expect some intrepid Internet blogger to do so is another matter altogether. The rise of interest-driven, niche sports coverage has largely picked up where the limited resources of mainstream media left off. In that sense, the Internet age has and continues to be a boon for lower level football in this country.
    The problem however (and it’s a good problem, as far as problems go) is that these news items are still largely atomized bits and pieces collated only by enterprising Google news searches. For example, the only two searchable outlets that provided any news on the U20 exit at all were goal.com and tsn.ca, and of the two, only the former provided regular, in-depth coverage of the CONCACAF U-20 championship since the start. Missing from this otherwise excellent coverage is a) why the U20 mens team crashing out matters in the grand scheme of things (does it?), what it means for our development model (How does our U20 player pool compare to Mexico’s, correcting for population, for example?), and c) whether any of these players or coaching staff might feature later down the line in the national set-up.
    This isn’t a media problem per se, this is a formal issue with the internet. The web, for the most part, likes one-off, single-sentence paragraph match reports, or 500-700 word declaritive posts that “tell it like it is.” It doesn’t suit long form analysis or serial narrative, except in a few rare cases (as in full time bloggers able to provide constant updates and analysis throughout the day). You read enough of these reports and posts and you start to wonder why they matter at all, what new information they yield. This is why it’s hard to get worked up when the media omits mention of the U20 Canadian mens team crashing out of World Cup qualification.
    The solution to this problem may lie in old, stodgy print. Recently, soccer journalist and author Jonathan Wilson started a 180 page plus quarterly magazine called “The Blizzard.” Wilson felt there was a gap in free, longer form football journalism, and so solicited pieces from his fellow sportswriters (including a few prominent bloggers). While he sold the initial issue zero exclusively as a PDF, Wilson made it clear the Blizzard is primarily a print product. Why? Because print requires thoughtful editing, a broader, more calculated attempt at a workable thesis, and provides a more lasting medium for opinion than an online server. It doesn’t allow for the instant, drive-by retort of the reader comment, but requires someone to take the time and effort to pen a letter to the editor.
    The more I read about Canadian soccer, the more I think what’s needed is something less “bullet point” and more “pointillism,” a pulling away from the immediacy of a seemingly unlimited and unconnected series of current events to get a sense of the bigger picture. While we do have one or two Canadian soccer mags, they’re more built on the Four Four Two and World Soccer photo-heavy models. I think what’s needed in this country is a new kind of soccer periodical, a series of essays on the game. It need not be a budget breaker, and I think there would be enough interest for a modest circulation and pro-bono submission.
    I think a print publication of one form or another would in many ways help flesh out some of the issues within the Canadian soccer scene and might be helpful in moving past “sack the CSA” rhetoric and into a real discussion about what further work has to be done to make Canada a global soccer leader. It could provide an equal opportunity meeting point for the small but dedicated group of Canadian soccer bloggers and journalists. I’m certainly not arguing it’s necessary as far as growing the game here is concerned (FIFA as far as I know doesn’t require a soccer literary culture from its member nations). But I think if we want a thoughtful record of the great progress made by football in recent years, print might still be the best medium to provide it.
    Guest
    If you had to pick one word to describe this year's Whitecaps season so far, "entertaining" would be an excellent choice. Their 1-1 midweek draw with New England might have been <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1483-Whitecaps-1-Revs-1-Bizarre-game-leaves-Vancouver-with-a-point">their strangest game to date</a>, but it faces plenty of competition for the title of most interesting from the likes of <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1459-The-Miracle-On-Hastings-Street">the 3-3 draw against Kansas City</a> (featuring two stoppage-time goals) and <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1382-Thoughts-from-a-tumultuous-Whitecaps-opener">the 4-2 win over Toronto FC</a> in the season opener. Even <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1414-10-man-Whitecaps-fall-to-Union">the 1-0 loss in Philadelphia</a> was more entertaining than the scoreline might suggest, particularly considering the way Vancouver adapted to Eric Hassli's dismissal. If <a href="http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/04/whitecaps-fc-head-texas-face-houston-dynamo-sunday">today's clash in Houston</a> (4 p.m. Pacific, Sportsnet/Team 1410) follows the script, it should certainly be well worth watching.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    One of the notable storylines heading into this one is the presence of top draft pick Omar Salgado, who's available for selection by the Whitecaps thanks to the U.S.'s <a href="http://www.matchfitusa.com/2011/04/aftermath-us-u-20-world-cup-failure.html">ignominious exit from U-20 World Cup qualifying</a>. Salgado may make his Whitecaps debut today, and he may do it in his native Texas. <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Salgado+excited+prospect+making+debut+home+state/4589820/story.html">Marc Weber</a> and <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Game+Whitecaps+call+Salgado+Houston+with+hopes+earn+playing+debut/4589588/story.html">Bruce Constantineau</a> both have pieces on Salgado's potential debut, which certainly should be an interesting aspect of this game. Salgado's only 17, but he's got plenty of talent, so he may be able to make an immediate impact in front of his family and friends. What will be most notable is how he looks, though; Salgado is one of the young talents who should be a huge part of this club's future, so he doesn't need to produce goals immediately, but if he can do some positive things and showcase his skills in the time he gets, he could make a case that he deserves a chance to become an important contributor to this year's team as well.
    It's worth noting that the Salgado storyline is only part of Sunday's clash, though. He's a crucial part of the team's future, and it will certainly be interesting to see how he does at the MLS level, but he isn't expected to start despite Eric Hassli's suspension. The future's important, but there are still three points up for grabs this weekend, and they may yet prove very significant to this current season. With Salgado likely coming off the bench, he may still make an impact, but he probably isn't going to have a huge role in the outcome of this game.
    On the lineup front, Camilo and Atiba Harris should get the start up front again, and they looked pretty effective together against New England. The larger issues are in the middle of the pitch; after sticking together for the first four games in central midfield, both Terry Dunfield and Gershon Koffie will be unavailable against the Dynamo. Kevin Harmse <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Short+handed+Whitecaps+Houston/4585939/story.html">is likely to nab one of the midfield slots</a>, but who will pair with him is an open question. John Thorrington is capable, but is still dealing with a calf injury. The Whitecaps do have a small surplus of wingers thanks to Russell Teibert's return, so Nizar Khalfan or Davide Chiumiento could slide into the centre, but perhaps the most intriguing option may be <a href="http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/backofthenet/archive/2011/04/07/caps-set-for-midfield-experiment-in-houston.aspx">moving Alain Rochat up from defence</a>. Rochat <a href="http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/backofthenet/archive/2011/04/09/what-we-learned-04-08-11.aspx">has arguably been the team's MVP so far</a>, and he's shown tremendous touch on the ball and attacking ability as both a wingback and a centre back, so he might be a nice fit in the middle of the park. That could lead to Chiumiento and Teibert starting on the wings with Khalfan in reserve, and that looks like quite a formidable attacking lineup.
    If Rochat does move up, the Whitecaps will need a replacement in defence. Jonathan Leathers has been a solid fixture at right back so far, and Blake Wagner has been pretty good on the left when called upon, so those two seem likely to hold their spots. (Rochat may be best as a left back, but it seems more likely that he'll play in central defence or central midfield this week, as the Whitecaps have less options at those positions and he could be very good at both.) In the middle of the defence, Greg Janicki appears to probably still be out, but Jay DeMerit <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Whitecaps+Dynamo+Glance/4586004/story.html">could be set to return</a>, and Michael Boxall was certainly pretty solid last week. Both Jay Nolly and Joe Cannon have looked good in goal in their appearances thus far, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Nolly get another start after his superb midweek showing.
    On the Dynamo front, Houston's off to a pretty rough start so far. They're <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/standings">last among the East's nine teams</a> at the moment with a 0-1-2 record through three games. However, they've played less games than most MLS teams, and their goal differential is only -1 (thanks to a 1-0 loss to East-leading Philadelphia in their season opener). They're not exactly a team that can be written off easily, and <a href="http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-preview/whitecaps-head-texas-face-winless-dynamo">they've got plenty of talent</a>. Bryan Ching <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/soccer/Game+Whitecaps+call+Salgado+Houston+with+hopes+earn+playing+debut/4589588/story.html">is likely out</a>, but they still have players like Geoff Cameron and Will Bruin, and they'll be eager to try and notch their first win of the season before the Robertson Stadium crowd. We'll see if they're able to pull that off against Vancouver.
    Guest
    On the very day FC Edmonton is set to play its very first official game, away to the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, Canadian Soccer News has learned the team could be barred from playing competitive matches if the Alberta Soccer Association passes a controversial reform allowing court intervention in soccer-related matters.
    In a private, early-morning meeting with two sources intimately connected with this weekend’s special meeting of the Canadian Soccer Association, I was told unequivocally the CSA will have no choice but to immediately begin suspension procedures against Alberta if the ASA continues on its present course.
    If such a suspension is imposed, all sanctioned soccer teams in Alberta – up to and including FC Edmonton – would be unable to take the field without facing severe penalties to management, coaches and all players.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The controversial motion will be considered at the ASA’s annual general meeting on April 16. It stems from the long recent dispute over who actually runs Alberta soccer, which led to multiple court actions in defiance of world soccer law.
    FIFA forbids soccer players, teams and administrative bodies from seeking court relief. All matters are to be handled internally – and all outside concerns about basic human rights are considered to be non-soccer issues.
    The implications could reach far beyond FC Edmonton. The new NASL, the only tier-two professional soccer league in the United States and Canada, is operating this season with the bare minimum number of teams required for USSF sanctioning – eight. If FC Edmonton were barred, the consequences for the entire league – and North American Soccer pyramid – could be severe.
    Both sources stressed that the CSA would have no choice here. This entire story is already written, they said, in the by-laws of the ASA, CSA and FIFA.
    When asked if FIFA would move to suspend Canada if strong action was not taken against Alberta, both sources responded identically – and simultaneously:
    “Oh fuck, yeah.”
    The profanity is included here, to underscore their sense of imminent urgency.
    If Canada were suspended, Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact would all be forced to the sidelines. Canada’s national teams – including the women in their upcoming World Cup and the men in the CONCACAF Gold Cup – would be barred from playing.
    All of this, in a direct domino-effect from Alberta’s attempt to allow the courts to comment on the business of soccer.
    Fortunately, it is unlikely to ever go this far. FIFA has issued several suspensions in recent times – Turkey, Greece, a few others – and all matters were swiftly resolved, largely because whoever was challenging the status quo backed down.
    The deeper issue of why and whether soccer people should have to forfeit a fundamental part of their human rights is not going to be resolved here, under these circumstances. The hammer FIFA holds over everyone, everywhere, will be – for now – the ultimate deciding factor.
    Much more on this story as it develops.
    Onward!
    A note on anonymous sources: I don’t like it either, folks, but sometimes there is no other way.
    Keeping on top of the news frequently means having background chats with key people, who tell you what they know in exchange for anonymity. Many times, it is the only way to complete – or ever learn about – an important story.
    Sometimes – as happened this morning – a major news story breaks right in the middle of a confidential chat. The only thing that can be done then is to try to negotiate with the sources, so as much of the tale as possible can be told, even if the ultimate source cannot be revealed. That happened this morning. You’ve just read the results.
    I’ll do everything I can to put names to quotes in the future. Not long ago, we wouldn’t have got this story at all.
    Guest

    2011 NASL preview

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    On the eve of the first season (and possibly last) of the second version of the NASL it’s time to turn our attention to the wacky world of D2 soccer.
    Below the jump, our predictions for 2011. I’ll spoil one: the league will make it to the end with all eight teams still alive. Just. And then it will all start agin.
    Before we get going a moment of thanks to Brian Quarstad of IMSoccerNews. I spoke to Brian yesterday to finalize my thought on the league and his insight was invaluable. The picks are mine, but there is little doubt that they were influenced by him – you would be hard pressed to find anyone in North America not influenced by Brian when it comes to D2 soccer.
    In reverse order, the picks:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    No. 8 – Atlanta Silverbacks
    The Silverbacks are doing the league a favour by coming back – they weren’t ready and they won’t spend the type of money needed to compete. This is a mostly local team that is not designed for the long haul. If a few more investors can be lured to NASL next year it’s possible the Silverbacks may go away again. They are young, they have barely played together and they lack stand-out performers.
    That spells a long season in Atlanta
    No 7 – FC Edmonton
    Another young team that has focused mostly on local talent. That’s a fine thing to do – for a D3 team, but in D2 it’s a one way ticket to a terrible season. There are a couple good prospects there and the club deserves some credit for spending on the coaching side of things, but Edmonton and Atlanta are a clear step behind the rest of the league.
    I’m giving Edmonton the nod above Atlanta because it played an exhibition season last year.
    No 6 -- NSC Minnesota Stars
    Although I’ve been told by a couple people that they could surprise. There is a lot of offensive talent here, but the back-line looks vulnerable. Those in the know suggest that Minnesota could be a fun team to watch this year with lots of high scoring games.
    The question is will they win many of those games?
    Based on 2010 you would think that it will be struggle more than it’s not. Still, an improved team that is looking up – something that might be good news for Ottawa fans *cough*.
    No 5 – Carolina Railhawks
    The best team in the league in 2010 (but not the champion), Carolina has been hard hit by defections in 2011. Still, lead by a sold, veteran back-line and one of the best coaching staffs in the league you shouldn’t count them out completly.
    Look for the Railhawks to take a step back early, but to be a solid challenge down the stretch. As they learned last season, it’s more important how you finish your season than how you start it. A darkhorse championship contender? It seems odd, but maybe.
    No 4 -- Fort Lauderdale Strikers
    The former FC Miami have finally found some stability and direction and have added some key parts accordingly. Although they came up short on the playoffs in 2010, the core of the club looked good down the stretch and they’ve added just enough to make the Strikers look like a top of the table team – just.
    No 3 – FC Tampa Bay
    The Cosmos are still nothing but a concept but FC Tampa Bay -- the Rowdies -- arguably the second most famous original NASL name is looking solid as it re-built itself for a second season.
    There is talent here, especially on the front end. The Rowdies will score goals.
    The question, as it was last year, is whether they can prevent them. The back-line has been completely re-built. How this team starts will be key. However, if they keep in the racew there looks to be enough here to make Tampa one of the pre-seson favourites.
    No. 2 - Puerto Rico Islanders
    The Islanders just know how to win and know how to win big games. Although it’s a short history, it’s a winning history and there is nothing to suggest that they will take that big of a step back in 2011.
    Well, there is one thing – the loss of keeper Bill Gaudette to rival Montreal. Gaudette was a glue player that was key to the Islanders success the last few years.
    Puerto Rico will be there at the end, but they might not quite have enough intangible this season to finish the job and repeat as champion.
    No 1 – Montreal Impact
    It’s not actually that close. Montreal is the slam-dunk consensus to win the D2 title in 2011. No one on this team is there unless Montreal management thinks they can make the jump to MLS in 2012.
    The Impact are playing with more money than every other side in the league and more ambition than all but the Islanders. You can bet that Vancouver is going to have its hands full in the Voyageurs Cup tie.
    The NCC title might be a ask too much, but anything less than a double out of the Impact in 2011 will represent a failure.
    Guest
    The prodigal daughter returns home... wait a second let me rephrase that one... Mrs. Bunbury returns home. I doubt they are dating let alone married, but for the sake of this article we will lump them together. Sydney LeRoux was born and raised in Surrey, BC. She was developed in OUR youth set up and once the opportunity came knocking she chose to play for the USWNT at the U-20 level and then received her first full international cap this past January vs. Sweden in the Four Nations cup.
    LeRoux is a dynamic player up front, her university goal scoring statistics point to her uncanny ability to put up big numbers against the top domestic players in her own age group. Since the fall of 2008, Sydney has played with the UCLA in the NCAA Division 1. She led the Bruins in 2010 with 13 goals and 27 points. The year previous she tied a single-season school record with 23 goals and was in the running for the MAC Hermann Trophy. In her first campaign at UCLA, she started in all but 1 of her 19 appearances. Basically what I'm getting at is that since she's done really well for herself since joining the Bruins and has continued on her path to success ever since. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Sydney's potential was clear from a young age, she was in fact the youngest player to suit up for the Whitecaps Women's full Sr. Squad, having accomplished the feat at a mere 15 years and 7 days. That's pretty impressive when you look at some of the other players who have come up through the club's system on the men's or the women's side. Her debut was back in 2005, and it sounds like she has developed into a solid goal scoring machine since then.
    LeRoux scored 30 goals in 36 appearances with the US U-20 National Side and that makes her the most capped and highest scoring player for them in that age category. It should turn out to be an valuable signing for the 'Caps as they look to return to top position in USL -W League this year. It will also turn out be a slight loss for the National Women's Team, lucky for us we're fairly solid upfront. I can't wait to find out what forced her to decide against playing for Canada.
    While I doubt that her choice to turn Yank is of the same magnitude as the decision of Mr. Bunbury, or even the potential decision of Junior Hoilett, it should still draw the same emotional response to anyone who bleeds red and white.
    With all the players from last years squad who are currently in camp with our National Squad her presence will be invaluable. What do you think about this whole deal? Are you a little disappointed to see yet another young star switch passports? Are you just flat out happy to know that despite her current national status the 'Caps women are clearly showing that they mean business this year?
    Guest
    For some reason, the Vancouver Whitecaps seem to love conceding goals almost as much as they like scoring them.
    Four games in, the good guys have no blank sheets. They've only managed to hold the opponent to one goal twice: in Philadelphia (where they lost) and against New England (whom they drew). They conceded two goals to Toronto FC and somehow allowed three at home to Sporting Kansas City, which is bloody hard to do.
    And this team's defense was supposed to be a strength! Oh, sure, Jay DeMerit and Greg Janicki have been hurt more often than my feelings at a speed dating night, but Alain Rochat (the best one) and Jonathan Leathers (the most surprisingly good one) have played constantly. Joe Cannon and Jay Nolly have both been nursing injuries in goal, but apart from the first Kansas City goal where Nolly apparently thought he was bowling rather than playing soccer, we haven't conceded any goals that made me resent the 'keeper.
    Excuses are everywhere if you're looking for them. But excuses suck. The truth is that the Whitecaps do have a few problems we couldn't necessarily have foreseen as well as ones we could have. And those problems mostly affect them at the back.
    [prbreak][/prbreak]
    The problem that could be foreseen is the Vancouver Whitecaps' lack of depth. I know because I foresaw it, put it down in writing, and I'm the sort of guy who can't even tell when his shoes are tied.
    Injuries happen, fatigue happens, international callups happen. This is Major League Soccer and everybody knows all of that; it's been a problem for every MLS team since this league sprang from the ground. With MLS rosters recently expanded to thirty players each, there was really no excuse for the Whitecaps to go through shorthanded. And yet, four games in, that's what they've done. It's a good thing that Michael Boxall, a supplemental draft pick, turned to be a serviceable centre back because otherwise we'd be screwed.
    The Whitecaps have spent too many roster spots on guys like Bilal Duckett and Jeb Brovsky who they hope might be good someday. They've been carrying Mouloud Akloul around trying to get him back into shape, but haven't stocked enough pieces to get them through the interim period. Kevin Harmse might be able to do it on paper, but he's had injury problems, he joined the team late, and he was only ever a journeyman. They need some MLS-scale Chris Williamses, guys who have no flair and can sit on the bench every game but will be there when you need them. It says something that injuries to just two defenders, DeMerit and Janicki, threw the back line into turmoil: in this league you have to be able to make up losses like that without relying on guys like Blake Wagner. It's not like DeMerit or Janicki were ever the healthiest guys in the world, either.
    The situation isn't bad, not really. If Mouloud Akloul gets back to one hundred percent fitness, the depth on the back four is decent. If either one of Duckett or Brovsky is a usable MLS player by midway through the season, the depth will actually be good. The problem is that the team has put itself behind the eight-ball for the first half of the season. Everybody knew were they were doing it, and they did it anyway hoping the team would stay healthy enough to get them through. Nope.
    The second, less anticipated problem has been in midfield. The team's suffered some serious injuries there as well: John Thorrington only just made his season debut, Shea Salinas has finally managed to return to the bench, Davide Chiumiento is seemingly never healthy, and nobody even knows if Michael Nanchoff is still alive. But, unlike in defense, the team had the depth to mostly make good those losses. Who hasn't been impressed by 19-year-old Gershon Koffie, or pleased by the energetic Wes Knight, or willing to put up with the erratic but sometimes brilliant Nizar Khalfan?
    No, the depth players have been fine. The problems have been where we least expected them. For all their flair at moving the ball up the field, the midfield has turned out surprisingly turnover-prone. Terry Dunfield remains a masterful shutdown defensive midfielder, but his passing has let him down slightly at MLS speed and he hasn't been splitting defenses like we were used to. Koffie has actually been frightened out of offense, and when he goes on the attack you can see why. Khalfan, of course, is erratic as ever, and for all his energy and intelligence Knight was never exactly a precise passer. As a result, the team struggles to retain possession against good midfields.
    Some of the problem has to be experience. MLS players tend to be a lot quicker than in League Two and Terry Dunfield is being asked to carry a lot of the playmaking mail. No doubt he has to get used to MLS speed. He had moments against Sporting Kansas City which showed he was at least starting to figure it out. Koffie is just nineteen years old and wasn't even an everyday player in division two, so any growing pains on his part are easily explained and forgiven. But some of the players, like Khalfan and Knight (and, I fear, John Thorrington) are turnover factories.
    The Whitecaps have conceded some chances and a few goals, such as the New England equalizer, just because they haven't been able to hold onto the ball through midfield. There's so much skill and speed in the centre of the park that they also get some marvelous scoring chances that way. But there's no denying that the midfield is letting the team down at times.
    The defense should get healthy, of course, and hopefully the midfielders will improve with experience. But for now, the causes of the Whitecaps' goal-stopping woes are obvious. And it's probably too late in the season to do anything but hope they'll take care of themselves.
    Guest
    In this Interview Only edition of It's Called Football, we're joined by Jean Francois Begin, the sports editor of La Presse, to talk about the challenges the Montreal Impact face in getting mainstream media coverage, what level of coverage to expect from La Presse and what the club needs to do to market its to the city.
    This is the first in a series of interviews we're planning in the lead up to Montreal's launch in 2012.
    We'll be back with our regular show on Monday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/22654/jeanfrancoisbeginfinal.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 Vancouver Whitecaps depleted roster took another big hit today as they announced that Gershon Koffie has been called up to the Ghana U-20 national team.
    Koffie is set to leave Vancouver on Thursday afternoon and join his country's U-20 set up in Naivasha, Kenya, before heading to South Africa for the 2011 African Youth Championship in Johannesburg.
    The 19-year-old has been instrumental in the central midfield for the blue and white thus far this season. Having started every game this year his presence will certainly be missed especially since his central midfield partner Terry Dunfield has joined the injured reserve and the 'Caps clearly lacking a bit of depth in the middle of the pitch. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Koffie will be unavailable for Whitecaps FC's next three matches in MLS. With his ejection from yesterday's game against New England he would be suspended for Sunday's match vs. Houston anyways.
    This year's roster is almost as turbulent as last years with players being available to play one game and not the next. Hopefully the results are not the same. Our current record seems very familiar as well.
    Guest
    Ahead of this summer's Women's World Cup, we'll be doing audio interviews with a number of members of the Canadian women's national team. Today it's goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, who talks about growing into her role with Big Red, learning under head coach Carolina Morace and the prospect of playing in the World Cup on Canadian soil in 2015.
    She also gets into the idiosyncrasies of goalkeepers, the soccer environment in her hometown of Edmonton, her alma mater's terrific performance at March Madness and her "5 C" approach to life (which I may or may not have just invented during the course of the podcast).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Listen to/download the Stephanie Labbe Interview (mp3)
    Subscribe to the Some Canadian Guys podcast on iTunes
    .
    Guest

    Europa: Quarterfinal Thursday

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    The UEFA Champions League has given us an enthralling set of matches this week, with sky-high scorelines and enough drama to satisfy even the most ardent soap opera fan.
    But what of that other European club competition?
    The old UEFA Cup will always be the "also-ran" of football on the continent, as the big name teams and their big name players hog the spotlight. But the Europa is a damned fine competition -- far harder to handicap than the CL could ever be -- which gives it an air of "purity" that appeals to the soccer junkie.
    And like its bigger, more famous cousin, the Europa League is now on to its own Elite Eight.
    Let's have a look at the matchups.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    FC Porto v. Spartak Moscow
    The Russian side is fresh off laying the smackdown on Ajax in the Round of 16, prevailing 4-0 on aggregate. After a tentative first leg, Spartak found their groove in the return match, thoroughly dominating the Dutch side.
    They won't find this leg to be so easy, though.
    FC Porto comes into this tie having just dispatched Spartak's cross-town rival CSKA Moscow, and will look to make it two in a row against Moscow-based clubs.
    Porto are no strangers to these knockout stages, having famously won the UEFA Cup and Champions League back-to-back in the early part of the past decade. Of course, none of those players are still around, but sometimes just knowing that a club has recently pulled it off is good enough motivation for the current side.
    Benfica v. PSV Eindhoven
    Another Portuguese power that has seen better days, Benfica will have their hands full with a PSV side that will be looking to atone for just having lost their lead in the Eredivisie over the weekend (after topping the league for much of the season).
    Benfica squeaked into the quarterfinal by the slimmest of margins, edging out PSG by a single goal on aggregate (albeit after stuffing Stuttgart quite handily in the Round of 32).
    PSV went one better, also advancing on a one-goal aggregate lead, but doing so by defeating Scottish giants Rangers 1-0 over the two legs.
    This pairing looks like it'll be decided by a goal, perhaps two at most, if recent form is any indication.
    Villarreal v. FC Twente
    Villarreal are a team that can score in bunches, and did so in the previous round when they hit Bayer Leverkusen for five goal over the two legs. Led by American-turned-Italian Giuseppe Rossi, the Spanish side is currently in a hotly-contested slugfest with Valencia for the title of "best club in La Liga outside of those other two" (and looking quite well in doing so).
    FC Twente have spent the better part of the entire season chasing PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, and should come into this first leg on a high after having finally surpassed Eindhoven over the weekend.
    Well that help or hinder the new Dutch table toppers in this crucial away leg? Only time will tell.
    Dynamo Kyiv v. Braga
    I can't say I've seen much of Dynamo Kyiv this season, but I did manage to catch their home leg against Manchester City, a match in which they made the richest team on Earth look very average.
    Kyiv face a Braga side that has done just enough to advance in every round thus far. Dynamo will want to channel fellow Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk by making a real impression in this tournament, and they'll have every opportunity against their Portuguese opponent.

    Guest
    It may have been the most unusual 1-1 draw I've ever seen, but when the smoke cleared, the Vancouver Whitecaps came away with a point against New England. That's not all that bad, considering <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1475-Whitecaps-Revolution-Preview-More-adversity-for-Vancouver">the injury and international limitations</a> the Whitecaps faced heading into this one and that they were reduced to nine men for over half an hour, but it's not as good as it could have been, considering that they were at home, they dominated much of the play and they led 1-0 until the final moments of the game. Still, on the whole, picking up a point in a game like this is hardly a bad outcome.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Marc Weber <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/ProvinceWeber/status/55792543610306560">predicted</a> this one was likely to see a lot of cards thanks to the rather infamous history of referee Baldomero Toledo (who had handed out 42 red cards in 108 games coming into this one), and that prediction was vindicated right from the start. Toledo began handing out bookings almost as soon as the game started, dealing out a yellow card to Atiba Harris in the sixth minute and adding one to New England's Ryan Cochrane in the 14th minute. Camilo then went in the book in the 25th minute and the Revolution's Zack Schilawski followed 15 minutes later. The Whitecaps' midfield took a hit in the 38th minute, when Terry Dunfield was substituted thanks to injury, and it took a worse one shortly thereafter; Gershon Koffie picked up a straight red card in the 44th minute, leaving Vancouver short a man and without either of their starting midfielders.
    Unlike in the Philadelphia game, though, the Whitecaps didn't collapse with 10 men. They maintained the majority of the possession and continued to attack. Eric Hassli came on at the half, and he got involved right away; unfortunately for Vancouver, though, only part of that involvement was positive. Hassli was booked in the 49th minute on a rather suspect call, but he made up for that in the 56th by converting a penalty and putting Vancouver into the lead. Hassli immediately undid much of the good he'd accomplished, though, rather brainlessly whipping off his shirt in celebration and earning a second yellow card (and a sending-off) in the process.
    That left the Whitecaps with nine men, and that was certainly ominous with more than half an hour left. However, they continued to play well despite the odds and created several more promising scoring opportunities. New England started to press as time went on, but Jay Nolly made some excellent saves and Alain Rochat was particularly effective in defence. The stakes seemed to be evened somewhat in the 74th minute when A.J. Soares was sent off, making it 10-on-9, and it looked like Vancouver might hang on for the win.
    Things changed yet again in stoppage time, though. The Whitecaps were getting tired, and the Revolution were creating more and more chances. Shortly after an apparent equalizer was called back thanks to an offside, a defensive breakdown left Ilija Stolica alone in the box, and he drilled the ball past Nolly to tie the match. That gave New England a point on the day and left Vancouver with one instead of three, but on balance, they can't be too unhappy with that considering the circumstances. The Whitecaps turned in one heck of a showing for a squad dealing with severe adversity thanks to injuries, internationals and refereeing. Even though the final result wasn't as good as it could have been, they still came away with a point; perhaps even more importantly, they again proved that they're a squad willing to battle against the odds. It's still quite early in the MLS season, and Vancouver's record so far is only 1-1-2, but there's a lot for Whitecaps' fans to like from what we've seen so far.
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