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    <p>Depth. You hear people talking about it a lot, from management to fans to idiot bloggers like me. In Major League Soccer, depth is everything. You carry a limited roster and can only pay your players so much money. Those players will charge out in stadiums of wildly varying quality in one of the most physical major soccer leagues in the world. To sum it up, players are going to get hurt and you're going to have a hell of a time replacing them.</p>
    <p>In theory, the Whitecaps should be aided by their strong Residency program, but in practice the Whitecaps have only a handful of Residency alumni currently competing for MLS roster spots. For their first season, they have to make up the depth in their roster the old-fashioned way. They've brought up most of the best players from their 2010 division two team and built from the expansion and entry drafts, bolstering a modest lineup with a handful of international players. The result is a strong-ish team that optimists hope will be fighting for a playoff spot and is built to improve in the long term.</p>
    <p>Apart from the expansion draft, however, the Whitecaps have been generally reluctant to add players with MLS experience. Some division two players such as Greg Janicki, Blake Wagner, and Jay Nolly had short MLS careers, but after the expansion draft the only player with MLS experience the Whitecaps have even looked at is trialist (and former Toronto FC enforcer) Kevin Harmse. The result is a team that's one-third MLS players who were exposed in the expansion draft, one-third foreign talent, and one-third young players from college or Division Two.</p>
    <p>Depth-wise, it sounds awfully dangerous. Young players and internationals, no matter how talented, are never a sure thing in MLS.</p>
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] <p>Those looking for a cautionary tale don'tneed to look too far back. Last year's Philadelphia Union were a good team in many ways. They scored big in the Expansion Draft, adding one of the league's best scorers in Sébastien Le Toux as well as a number of serviceable role players. They took the sublime Danny Mwanga and a few other promising sorts in the SuperDraft, and they brought in a number of quality professionals such as perhaps the best defender in the history of USL-1, former Puerto Rico Islander Cristian Arrieta. They even got out of the gate with some big wins and good results that convinced the world they might fight for a playoff spot. But as the season wore on, the starters grew tired and minor weaknesses grew into major gaps. The Union finished so low in the standings that even Toronto FC looked down on them with pity.</p>
    <p>So are the Whitecaps better off? They look good on paper, but it's a long way between paper and the pitch.</p>
    <p>In goal, the Whitecaps are fortunate in combining the services of two North American veterans: long-time San Jose Earthquakes star Joe Cannon and two-time Whitecaps most valuable player Jay Nolly. Combined with today's signing of American U-20 international Brian Sylvestre, the Whitecaps seem to have a strong goalkeeping setup for both today and tomorrow. In this area the Whitecaps are well ahead of last year's expansion Philadelphia Union. The Union relied on mediocre former Real Salt Lake 'keeper Chris Seitz and when he struggled their only alternative was Brad Knighton, a man who can generously be called a "journeyman". Either one of Cannon or Nolly could have been the best goalkeeper on last year's Union, and giving the number of points Philadelphia lost to goaltending problems that's a significant advantage.</p>
    <p>Moreover, while the Whitecaps are desperately short of world-class talent at striker, they actually have a fairly good number of decent professionals. If Eric Hassli can carry the mail, that leaves Long Tan, Jeb Brovsky, and (probably) Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo as permanent strikers, with Atiba Harris, Nizar Khalfan, and Davide Chiumiento as men who have played that role in the past with the Whitecaps. Come September, they'll also have Omar Salgado. Apart from Hassli there are no potential 10-goal scorers in the bunch, but there are also no players who'll slice the ball into the stands and stumble uselessly around the pitch, only pausing long enough to trip over opposing defenders. If Hassli gets hurt before we can play Salgado then the Whitecaps are in trouble, but you can say that about almost any team with their star striker: that's why he's called <i>a star</i>. Beyond that, the Whitecaps have a good number of solid professional options they can throw onto the field, enough that if Sanvezzo can't adjust to North America or Brovsky never realizes his college potential, there's still a backup plan.</p>
    <p>Much has been made of Vancouver's midfield as their most talented position. A starting midfield four of Russell Teibert (still unsigned but fingers crossed), Terry Dunfield, John Thorrington, and Shea Salinas doesn't sound imposing, but so far during the preseason it's handled every challenge. It's also a very well-balanced crew, with Dunfield providing muscle and effortless short-range playmaking in the middle of the park, Thorrington able to move the ball through the centre, and both Teibert and Salinas as speedy, tricky wingers who'll punish mistakes. More importantly for the purposes of this article, every one of them has a solid replacement on the bench. Blake Wagner is a more conservative, less athletic and exciting replacement for Russell Teibert, but he's also a good professional-grade player who can come on when Teibert is struggling or when the Whitecaps need to avoid conceding a goal more than they need to score one. In the centre, Gershon Koffie has looked so good in training that he might take John Thorrington's job, and if healthy nobody has any doubts about Michael Nanchoff's ability. The right side is less clear-cut, but Philippe Davies was a starter last year in division two and all of Nizar Khalfan, Wes Knight, and Cornelius Stewart can and have played that role as a backup; Nanchoff will also be able to do it when he gets off the injured list.</p>
    <p>You probably notice I've saved the defense for last. It's here that two of Vancouver's biggest and brightest international names line up: captain Jay DeMerit at centre back and not-quite-Canadian Alain Rochat at left back. They boast reigning USSF D2 defender of the year Greg Janicki as their other centre back, and at right back it's a race between Jonathan Leathers, who's just some guy, and Wes Knight, who was probably the most popular player in Vancouver last year. It's a heck of a combination, and in the Cascadia Supporters Summit they lived up to the billing when they handily outplayed the Portland Timbers attack while Janicki, the theoretical weak point, played every minute of games in two consecutive days and looked fine.</p>
    <p>Those are four good players, assuming we're talking about Knight instead of Leathers (I'm convinced that Jonathan Leathers is secretly terrible... but more on him another time). But where's the depth? The replacement left back is Bilal Duckett, a recent SuperDraft pick who even at the time was described as "limited" and who the Seattle Sounders practically corkscrewed into the turf of Starfire as they attacked the left flank like the Germans in 1940. The best replacement centre back is Michael Boxall, a big tall slow type who went in the <i>Supplemental</i> Draft. It must be said that Boxall has also looked excellent and recently got called to the New Zealand national team, but his pedigree is so questionable it might just be a hot streak. And at right back, you have whichever one of Knight or Leathers fails to win the starting role. Roving as a wild card is Kevin Harmse, who hasn't won a contract yet, has been fighting career-derailing injury problems, and even when he was healthy was still just Kevin Harmse.</p>
    <p>That's poor. There's not a lot of professional experience there apart from Harmse and Leathers, both of whom have massive warts. Asking later-round MLS SuperDraft picks to step in and be core players immediately is an incredibly dangerous game but if DeMerit suffers another injury or the doubters turn out to be right about Janicki then that's just what the Whitecaps are going to ask. It may seem like a minor weakness, particularly on a team coached by Teitur Thordarson: he's famous for playing his starting defenders very heavily but also for training them to the point that it never winds up being a problem. But the Philadelphia Union only had a few minor weaknesses in 2010. Toronto FC was a minor weakness or two away from being a playoff team in 2009. MLS feasts on minor weaknesses.</p>
    <p>It's not a reason to write off the Whitecaps. But it's a reason to be wary.</p>
    Guest

    Your daily TFC: March 11

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Over the first four years of the club’s history, Toronto FC has been known for a lot of things – most of them negative. Long scoring droughts, coaching changes, overpaying for players and leadership deficits in the room have all, rightfully, been said of the Reds.
    Another common trend from year one through four has been that the players have appeared to be the one’s running the show. Chris Cummins complained of a divided room undermining his efforts in 2009 and the first rumours of a player revolt against Preki came in June of 2010 – just four months after he’d started the job.
    This off-season hasn’t been much better. DeRo taking off to Celtic without properly informing the club was not a great way to wake up on Boxing Day and Adrian Cann’s recent hold-out for more money (deserved, or not) was not a great message – especially coming from a player that has worn the armband.
    Within that context I found my conversation with Elbekay Bouchiba yesterday refreshing.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Although on the back-half of his career, Bouchiba has played for some big clubs in Holland and he carried with him a level of professionalism that any football team should want. This is a guy that played with Aron Winter. That one of the first things Winter would do is seek him out is telling, I think.
    It’s also telling that Bouchiba quickly accepted the call. He said in the interview that MLS wasn’t on his radar prior to Winter reaching out, but that his old teammate could still “teach him some things.” Again, this is a guy that has played for a lot of managers at clubs a hell of a lot bigger than Toronto. Those doubting Winter already should at least give some thought to Bouchiba’s recommendation.
    If you read the MLSsoccer.com article you’ll see that Bouchiba wasn’t afraid to speak candidly about TFC’s play in Carolina. His comments were appropriate, pointed and reasoned all at once. Hopefully , they’ll find the ears of the the rest of the Reds.
    It’s worth noting that Bouchiba’s English was quite good – he handled complicated questions over the phone (much more difficult than talking in person) very well. If he’s to step up into a leadership position that’s vital.
    A 10 minute conversation is hardly a full picture, but when thinking about a team that has struggled for leadership in the past it was promising.
    Guest
    Because this is my first official “official” column as a CSN writer, I thought I’d take a step back and look at the big picture.
    We all know Canadian soccer is going through what corporations sometimes euphemistically call a “transition period.” Canada will have three MLS teams by 2012, the Canadian Soccer Association has voted for reform itself (kinda sorta grumble grumble), rumours of the CSA’s interest in a pro all-Canadian D2 league are floating to the surface, we’re hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2015, TSN holds MLS rights coast-to-coast—in short, the future—while uncertain—isn’t exactly bleak for football in this country.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It may or may not be coincidence that these changes took place at the height of another “transition period”; that of print journalism into the digital age. That particular transformation (or disintegration depending on your perspective) hasn’t been as smooth or as hopeful. Again, most of us know the story—old media couldn’t come to grips with the loss of their means of revenue (ad and copy sales), nor the loss of their authoritative voice (enter the bloggers).
    While the distinction between MSM journos and independent digital writers has started to blur if not disappear altogether in some news sectors, the iron curtain between soccer bloggers and mainstream sportswriters in Canada is as thick as ever. While major outlets are no stranger to soccer writing, there have been some major gaps in the narrative, sometimes lasting years. The result is zero coverage of the Canadian national team in any meaningful way, and a reliance on AP reports to cover the European leagues in the weekend paper.
    Let me tell you right now—this is going to change, and it’s going to change quickly. Look forward to a slew of articles appearing over the next few years in papers, magazines and evening news programs about the “soccer explosion” in this country (the same slack-jawed reports we read around World Cup time when local journos wax embarrassingly about our soccer-loving, multicultural tapestry). Even so, after an embarrassing teething stage soccer will carve out a permanent niche on radio, TV, and newsprint, and eventually regular coverage of the Beautiful Game will become the new normal.
    What does this mean for those of us who’ve watched over the Canadian game for years while the giant slept? It means we have a golden opportunity to drop the soccer victim shtick (I’m as guilty as anyone else) and look at the Canadian sports journalism establishment as an opportunity rather than the bane of our existence. That means we need a) more Canadian soccer writers covering more diverse areas of the Canadian game a willingness for Canadian soccer writers to take risks by regularly querying pieces in mainstream publications.
    The second need presents the more exciting challenge for soccer writers in this country—writing about the game in an informative, and widely accessible way, tying in everything from the Long Term Player Development initiative (“Wellness to the World Cup”), the history of the game in this country, the relationship (if any) that currently exists between amateur youth soccer, the national team, and MLS. Writing about soccer in a way that will make readers excited about the enormous shift in soccer culture in this country. Writing about soccer in a way that will make it attractive to editors of non-niche, national publications.
    Why should Canadian soccer writers bother at all with the dinosaur that is “old media”? First of all because rumours of print’s death have been greatly exaggerated (there’s no reason to suggest an American style newspaper cull will in fact take place here), but also because MSM pubs are still THE major point of contact with the general, non-soccer-mad Joe Blow-type readers. Why do we care about Joe Blow? Because Joe's kids play in amateur youth leagues in the summer. Because Joe watches a bit of EPL action on Saturday morning and wants to know if MLS is worth his time. Because Joe has long wondered about the Canadian national team and why we never hear, read, see them on Canadian radios, newspapers and TV channels.
    So let me kick off and say Media Takedown is going to be less about griping and more about encouraging. I hope to spend time each week introducing you to a new Canadian soccer blog, an interesting piece on the game here that might have passed you by because it was featured in the Report on Business or the Financial Post. And it’s going to push both independent bloggers and MSM characters to do more—for the former to consider pitching pieces to hated MSM editors and for the latter to start telling old fashioned news stories instead of news items.
    So there it is. The old Canadian soccer victim act is dead. Long live Canadian soccer. Welcome to Media Takedown.
    Pictured: Galt Football Club, Canadian winners of the gold medal in Association Football at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. You can read more about them here.
    Guest

    2011 MLS preview, part III

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    In part three of our MLS preview we look at the No 8 through No 5 ranked teams for 2011.
    The top picks will be revealed Friday afternoon.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    No 8 - Kansas City
    With a new stadium to look forward to and a solid close to 2010 to build on, KC looks to be a solid, if not spectacular side.
    There no real weakness and some nice attacking options -- not the least of which (stop here Canadian national team fans) being Teal Bunbury. The turncoat looks like the real deal and since his injury was less serious than first thought he looks ready for a breakout year.
    If that happens, KC should be a solid playoff side that slots somewhere below the true contenders, but above the mess of the bottom 10.
    No 7 -- San Jose
    The Earthquakes were the surprise team of 2010. They succeeded with a strong midfield and Chris Wondolowski’s breakout season.
    Wondolowski likely won't repeat his 2010 - that would be a big ask. However, the 'Quakes play a great team game and Frank Yallop seems to have finally remembered how to coach again.
    A drop back seems unlikely. Actually, if you were looking for a third straight darkhorse MLS Cup pick you could do worse than San Jose.
    No 6 -- Seattle Sounders
    With Freddie gone this is now Fredy's team. If the Sounders are to make the jump from very good to elite they will need the young star to live up to his new, big contract.
    They also need their original signing, Casey Keller, to hold back father time one more season. It hit Houston's Pat Onstad quickly and the effect was devastating. The Sounders had best hope there isn't a repeat in the northwest. He doesn't have a great backline in front of him either.
    This might be Seattle's last good shot at the MLS Cup for a couple years. They are a contender, but, unlike 2010, we're not willing to label them a runaway favourite.
    No 5 -- Colorado
    The champions will probably get a MLS Cup bump. The confidence of winning the championship can do wonders in a league like MLS where teams are close in talent. However, the truth is the Rapids weren't an elite team last year. They just won, that's all.
    Still, Connor Casey and Omar Cummings are as good a 1-2 as you'll find up front in MLS and they will continue to cause chaos across the league.
    There is more to this team than Casey and Cummings though. The midfield is solid, especially in the holding position, and the Rapids can play the cynical, physical game that is often successful in MLS as well as any team.
    They aren't the favourite, but they can repeat. It will be interesting to see how the Rapids do in the CONCACAF Champions League and how that impacts their playoff push.
    Guest

    You cann't fool TFC

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    In the history of ineffective contract hold-outs this has to rank right up there. Adrian Cann is returning to TFC after sitting out about a week and, apparently, is going to play under the terms of his 2010 contract, which pays him about $40,000 less than what TFC had offered.
    Cann says he was promised a raise to about $140,000 this season by former manager Mo Johnston. Johnston made a lot of promises. They keep popping up like little surprises that your elderly dog might leave you behind the chesterfield.
    Reaction to Cann's hold-out were mixed. Although many fans were turned off by the player taking the dispute public, others felt that TFC was being cheap in not offering a more substantial raise.
    We can all sympathise (and believe) Cann when it comes to a broken Mo promise. However, as I've written in this space before, you simply cannot overpay for players like Cann. He's a good worker bee. Surrounded by the right group he can be a useful player. And TFC does need him this year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    But he's not special. An average centreback salary within MLS standards is appropriate. TFC offered an average salary.
    Aron Winter has said that Cann will be welcome back to the club, but that he must "apologize" for leaving camp. That's likely going to cause some to howl that Cann is being disrespected.
    Others may look at it and decide that it represents a new type of professionalism that is expected by the management. TFC managers have tried to be buddies with the players (Cummins, Dasovic) and they've tried to be tyrants (Preki). They've even been a little nuts (Carver) and they've been Mo. However, they've yet to find the middle ground of being approachable while demanding professionalism from the players.
    I'll let readers decide what side of the argument I'm on.
    Guest
    VANCOUVER--Today things were a little more exciting than they have been recently. The Whitecaps introduced their first DP, Eric Hassli, to the media. His English is going to need some work but he showed fantastic form in his first practice with the squad. Rumours about contract signings were all the buzz today as Tyler Green (of The Team 1040) pointed out to everyone earlier in the day that MLS's Twitter app was saying that the club has signed ST Long Tan, FB Blake Wagner and GK Brian Sylvestre.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Beyond the press conference, it was business as usual for the 'Caps. I'll post the video of Hassli's introduction as soon as it is finished loading onto my new YouTube channel.
    Atiba Harris: It's so hard not to like the guy. His work rate is fantastic, he's strong on the ball and he has a great touch. If only he had better luck in front of the net.
    Terry Dunfield: It's fun to watch a guy when everything seems to be going his way. He's working hard and looks very comfortable out there.
    Long Tan: Showing a little more every day, but still goes down too easily. He is quick, but needs to work on keeping possession. He seems to have the ability to finish when in close, but may lack the overall poise to create his own chances off the dribble.
    Cornelius Stewart: Again looking a little more like the odd man out as each practice ends. But at least I didn't catch him getting yelled at by the coaching staff today.
    Kevin Harmse: I never really got why he was deemed expendable by TFC when he was moved on by the Reds' management. He has the most MLS experience of anyone on the 'Caps back end and he's North American, which bodes well for him as First Kick draws closer by the minute. He brings a whole arsenal of clever moves and is strong on the ball. It's good to see a local guy getting another chance.
    Alain Rochat: He looked pretty happy to have a pal on the team, in the form of Hassli. Not that he ever appeared to be lacking confidence, but it seemed like he suddenly had an extra boost today from the addition of his former teammate. He took advantage of a loose ball that squeaked over to him about 30 yards out from goal and he caught the 'keeper off his line with a beauty of a shot. If this is what we can expect from him for the rest of the year, I am even more excited about him now than I was when he was signed.
    How are you feeling about the 'Caps' new signings? Who are you most excited to see this year?
    Guest
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOopxwRSpgc&tracker=False


    Vancouver Whitecaps FC continue their love affair with players who have plied their trade in the tiny Alpine nation.

    Forgive the fact that I'm welcoming you back; initially this was supposed to be part of a longer show but technical difficulties forced me to change plans. Stick with me here and you are not going to be dissapointed.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    I will be producing a show every new show every Wednesday and we have a podcast in the works. Stay tuned the Whitecaps Insider is about to change the game.
    Guest

    Support your national team

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    The Voyageurs, the national team supporters group for Canada, have secured a block of tickets to the Canada v USA game in Detroit on June 7th. To hold the section they need to sell the tickets right away.
    To assist the Voyageurs efforts (they're looking at booking day trip buses as well, you can read more here), Canadian Soccer News has added a Pay Pal button to the front page of CSN that syncs with the Voyageurs account. We encourage you to go buy your tickets now. I know it's difficult to make plans so far ahead and even harder because it's the summer months - but how often are you going to get to watch your national team play the USA so close to the Canadian border? And as far as rivalries go, regardless of sport, nothing inflames the national passions like an 1812 derby.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    As a further incentive, if the first block of seats sell out, I'll buy this house in Detroit and turn it into a Voyageurs Chapter house. Ok, maybe I won't do that. Actually... maybe I will.
    So, what say you? Are you heading to Detroit to support the Red and White?
    Guest

    Your morning TFC: March 10

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It's all about perspective.
    OK, so yesterday’s 2-1 loss to the USL-Pro’s Charleston Battery was not encouraging. If you’re keeping score that’s two games now against D3 opposition without scoring a goal in open play. To repeat: not good.
    Once again Aron Winter used an experimental line-up with a lot of trialists and academy guys getting a good look. Winter told me Monday that he has yet to start the best 11 together, but he thought that his starting group was as good as any in the league.
    “Depth is our problem,” he candidly stated.
    Predictably the sky has fallen amongst many in the fan base. The Reds failure to win a Carolina Challenge Cup game is viewed as reason to use the season tickets as kindling.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]If you take a short view there is likely some justification to your panic. TFC might not be all that good in 2011. However, Winter et al were not hired to win in 2011; they were hired to establish a long-term winning mentality. That’s going to take time. Whenever the question is asked of Winter, he responds the same – “We want to learn the system and fight for a playoff spot in 2011; we want to compete for a championship in 2012 and 2013."
    After four years of losing it’s understandable why TFC fans want to see success RIGHT NOW! However, think of it this way:
    If a genie were to pop out of a bottle and grant you the opportunity to either A) have a one night stand with the most attractive man/woman in the world, but struggle to find long-term love, or find a perfect long-term partner of average attractiveness that you can share a good and fulfilling life with, it would be pretty short-sighted to chose the former.
    TFC could likely find some older, established MLS players that would put the club on more solid footing for 2011. But, that would be the one-night stand.
    Winter’s just not that kind of man.
    Guest
    For the background, please read "Why are Canadians being shut out of MLS MatchDay Live?" (Sunday, March 6)
    First Kick between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy is now only five days away, and many Canadian fans are still wondering whether they will have a (legal) way to view it.
    Several Canadian fans have received emails from Neulion -- the provider of the webstreaming service -- with the following message: "We have been informed that access to users outside of the US will be available shortly. Unfortunately package details have not been released yet."
    But now, an official with Major League Soccer has provided Canadian Soccer News with a clear answer on the situation.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "All non-national TSN games will be available via MatchDay Live in Canada," said the official via email. The official requested anonymity because the deal had not yet been officially announced. "The bottom line is that if the match is not broadcast on TV in Canada, then you are able to watch it on MatchDay Live. As for the error message Canadian fans received when they registered, we are looking to correct that."
    Can Canadian fans expect MatchDay Live to be up and running by the start of the season?
    "Yes, our goal is to have (the issue) rectified as soon as possible."
    This appears to be a positive sign for Canadian MLS fans who were worried about the potential of not having access to the service in 2011 (even though as of this writing, 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, users are still being told that MDL is not available outside the U.S.)
    For the sake of clarity, the MLS official quoted in this story is not the same person as either of the MLS officials quoted in the original story.
    Guest

    MLS on TSN has its voice

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    UPDATE: TSN's OTR Twitter feed has pulled the Wileman/DeVos tweet down. I'm guessing some OTR staffer is catching hell right now
    I'm not sure if I missed the official announcement or if TSN's Off the Record has let it slip but the pair that will call TSN's MLS games this year, are appearing on OTR's Next Question today.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Calling the game will be Luke Wileman, who, most will know from GolTV broadcasts. And joining him will be former national team player and CBC commentator, Jason DeVos, who will be doing the colour.
    It has still yet to be revealed if the TSN broadcasts will employ a studio analysis team for the haltime, pre and post game shows. But Vic Rauter and Noel Butler have been doing the halftime broadcasts of the UEFA Champions Leagues game, so they would be a natural choice.
    There has been a lot of discussion about who the final selections would be. Are you happy with Wileman and DeVos at the helm?
    Guest
    Well first things first, here's a sneak peak at the Youtube channel I've just launched. I'll be posting interviews with players, coaches, girlfriends, janitors, junkies and mailmen.

    Just a quick note on some things that happened over the last two days:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Michael Boxall was called up by the New Zealand National Team.

    The Whitecaps Women have signed a new Community Ambassador. Several of our Whitecaps's Women won the Cyprus Cup championship for the second year in a row on Wednesday. Whitecaps FC announced a new partnership with Kia Motors.

    Oh and please welcome Ben Massey, a fantastic addition to our ship of fools here at CSN. Ben has been writing the always opinionated 86 Forever page for SB Nation and will bring a depth of insight that is unmatched so far in our Left Coast representation.
    Guest
    It took an accumulation of yellow cards and the resulting one-game suspension to do it, but for the first week in a while Josh Simpson is not the centre around which the universe of Canadian footballers abroad revolves.
    It was a varied week, with a Japanese debut here, a Mexican goodbye there and the small matter of this dandy goal by Atiba Hutchinson, which helped earn the Canadian midfielder man-of-the-match honours and a spot in the Eredivise best eleven of the week.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Thanks to the indefatigable research skills of Canada's most loyal supporters, Long Balls feels confident in proclaiming Matt Lam the first Canadian footballer to play professionally in Japan, as the 21-year-old midfielder started for J2 League's JEF United in a 3-0 win over Giravanz Kitakyushu on the weekend. Now, is 82 minutes in the Japanese second division by a loaned-out FC Edmonton player a reason to jump over the moon? No, but as Asian football improves it can't be a bad thing for a Canadian to secure a tiny beachhead there. Honduras, for example, already has a handful of national team semi-regulars who play club football in China.
    Other notable performances:
    Ligue Deux outfit Nimes is now sitting in the relegation zone, which poses the question: Would it be worse to have a member of Canada's goalkeeper rotation riding the pine in the French second division or playing in the third? Or would it probably not matter anyway, because Haidar Al-Shaibani would simply ride more pine in the Championnat National?
    In better goalkeeping news, Milan Borjan stormed back from his winter break, playing 90 minutes as Rad Belgrade defeated Cukaricki Belgrade 3-0 in the Serb top flight and kept their eyes on the Europa League.
    Saturday was derby day for Canadian strikers in the English Championship, assuming the word "derby" can refer to a match between two clubs that share no real rivalry beyond each having a player from the same country, which I'm pretty sure it can't. Predictably, Iain Hume started for Preston North End and played 90 minutes, while Simeon Jackson came on as an 81st minute sub. Neither scored, although Hume played on Tuesday against Leeds and grabbed his sixth goal in 21 appearances.
    Tosaint Ricketts roared on as a 70th minute substitution for Timisoara and scored his first goal in Romania to give his club a 2-1 win over Cluj, who -- if their Champions League appearances and position at the top of the table are any indication -- are quite good.
    And again, thanks to the Voyageurs, specifically a gentleman with the Internet moniker Nolando, for digging this one up: former Long Balls darling Isidro Sanchez is of Mexican club side Puebla no more. It doesn't particularly sound like the two parties had a sweet goodbye either: Sanchez had money owed to him and this article includes a line about how he and two other players are finally going to get it.
    So. Severance package in hand, what's a young, out-of-work Mexican footballer with a Canadian passport to do? I recommend squeezing all the fun he can from what's left of the ski season by working as a chairlift operator in Sunshine Village. Who knows? He could improve his English and perhaps enjoy some friendly female companionship along the way. Then, league rules be damned, show up at an FC Edmonton practice and demand a walk-on tryout.
    Guest
    Today, ICF is joined by a pair of new writers who will be joining Canadian Soccer News as full time columnists starting this Friday. One you may already know, the other Vancouver fans will get to know very well soon.
    We'll also breakdown Toronto FC's loss to Charleston, debate if there has been any progress with that club this year, talk about if the Women's win in Cyprus puts the power back in Carolina Morace's court and discuss the importance of Canada vs USA in the Gold Cup.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
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    Welcome to this week's edition of Don't Fight The Laws, in which I combine my years of being a referee with my years of being a smartass to provide my answers to your questions about the Laws of the Game, controversial decisions and other odds and ends relating to referees and what they do.
    Got a question? Send it over to canadiansoccerguys@gmail.com. But for this week, we have the following...
    (incoherent swearing) -- Jamie Doyle, Toronto
    Yeah, my Arsenal-loving colleague had a little trouble articulating his question, but I interpreted it as "Please, good sir, do inform me as to the legitimacy of Robin van Persie's sending-off against Barcelona on Tuesday, won't you?"
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    Interestingly, I was unable to catch the first half of the match, and have no idea what RVP's first yellow card was for (though I hear he went ballistic over something-or-other). But that, ultimately, is irrelevant. You have to remember, the Laws of the Game are cool, disinterested creatures, unbeholden to human ideals of "context", "compassion" or "the capability to hear a blown whistle".
    The second yellow to van Persie was, certainly, for unsporting behaviour -- and we've all seen cautions given for players kicking the ball away when their team is ahead (which Arsenal was at the time). Referee Massimo Busacca applied the letter of the law, irrespective of RVP's contention that the crowd noise prevented him from hearing the whistle.
    Those unhappy with the call have been howling "where's the common sense? You can't send a guy off for that!" I'd agree. But RVP wasn't sent off for that. He was shown a yellow card. If it had been his first, the game would have carried on, and no one would have cared. But it was his second, and all of a sudden, we need a royal inquiry into Champions League officiating.
    The purpose of a first yellow card is to signal to a player that they're on thin ice. Sure, common sense should factor into a referee's decision-making at all times. But if the referee allows a player who's on one yellow to get away with more than they'd normally be able to get away with -- for fear of sending them off -- then it defeats the purpose of cautioning them in the first place.
    I won't dispute that it was an extraordinarily unfortunate situation for Arsenal, and it's entirely possible RVP really didn't hear the first whistle. But as Busacca showed at the World Cup -- when he controversially sent off South African goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune -- he's a stickler for the laws as written. In this case, harsh as it may have seemed, his decision against van Persie was justifiable under the Laws of the Game.
    If a player tackles a streaker, is it really a red card? -- Fred Jean-Francois, Montreal


    Frankly, for tackling such an annoyingly useless streaker in such an entertaining fashion, I think Dorchester City's Ashley Vickers deserves a medal, rather than an early exit from the match.
    But the Laws of the Game are clear. A player is to be sent off for violent conduct "if he uses excessive force or brutality against a team-mate, spectator, match official or any other person." Also worth noting is that "violent conduct may occur either on the field of play or outside its boundaries, whether the ball is in play or not."
    "Serious foul play" (also a sending-off offence) may only be committed against an opponent, when the ball is in play. But if a player punches an opponent, punches a teammate, or goes into the stands to accost supporters with a pitchfork, that's violent conduct, and a red card.
    As you can see, Vickers' plight is not unprecedented:


    We've also got this classic moment in Magpies history:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFLeTm46CqQ
    Snoods! -- Daniel Squizzato, Toronto
    Great question, Squizz. And by question, I mean exclamation. Surely you're inquiring about FIFA's recent decision to ban the silly-looking neck warmers.
    From a sartorial standpoint, I couldn't give a toss. From a supporter's standpoint, I'm as peeved as anyone that the world governing body wastes its time clamping down on this sort of thing whilst goal-line technology, diving, the full professionalization of match officials and other pressing issues remain unresolved.
    But from a referee's standpoint, here's what the Laws have for us: "A player may use equipment other than the basic equipment provided that its sole purpose is to protect him physically and it poses no danger to him or any other player."
    One could argue that a snood's purpose is to protect the player from the weather. But Sepp Blatter's contention is that it could inadvertently choke a player -- and choking is, indeed, a safety hazard. While players like Samir Nasri seem to have snoods that fit properly, some of the looser-fitting varieties definitely open the door to danger:

    Oh, and FIFA, if you're cracking down on silly things worn by Mario Balotelli, maybe you could also issue a special edict against this... thing:

    That's it for this week. Send your questions to canadiansoccerguys@gmail.com, and your query may turn up in the next edition of Don't Fight The Laws.
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