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    Guest
    As the Cascadia Supporters Summit Series drew to a close, the Vancouver Whitecaps got goals from Omar Salgado and Russell Teibert before the game was twenty minutes in. They managed to fend off a late charge by the Seattle Sounders to finish the game with a 3-2 victory.
    In a match that was hard to draw too many judgments from, there were some moments of absolute brilliance that it would simply be unfair to leave unmentioned.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Camilo Sanvezzo showed great passing ability throughout the first half. There were several occasions where he nearly sprung a teammate on a break, only to be foiled by some strong defending from the two time Lamar Hunt Open Cup Winners.
    Omar Salgado showed great form and created issues for the Seattle defence throughout the first half. His tireless efforts in pestering the Sounders defence paid off when the Sounders back line coughed up a turnover in their back end and he placed the ball perfectly into the gaping cage. His long range chip in the 2nd half created the opportunity for Camilo Sanvezzo to put the 'Caps back on top by two. The Brazilian buried his chance and the Whitecaps looked to have the game back under control.
    Russell Teibert blew my mind with his ball control, he looked to be one of the best players on the pitch and surely continued to try his case for a starting role on Teitur's squad.
    While I've tried to give credit where credit is due, the 'Caps faced a team that was predominantly back ups and plumbers. No Kasey Keller in goal. Neither Blaise Nkufo, nor Fredy Montero ever stepped onto the pitch and Steve Zakuani didn't come on until the 76th minute.
    Obie White certainly can not be considered Seattle's first option as a striker and it was good to see that the Whitecaps defensive players handled him well. Roger Levesque seemed to be the Sounder's most dangerous player throughout the game but Vancouver appeared to take full advantage of the fact that he was often caught up field when he was supposed to be in a fullback role. I've read a few Seattle fan pages where they have referred to Roger's position as a For-Mid-Back; implying he has free range to roam the pitch, but it became apparent quite early on that the 'Caps were able to find the gap in the pitch where he was supposed to be. In most cases Teibert was allowed to get two touches on the ball before being closed down and was able to create a couple of exciting plays in Seattle's end.
    At best this was a match up of a few starters and a lot of trialists and bench players. As each half came to a close it became a little obvious that Seattle's players had a tad more experience with the higher pressure that comes along with playing in the top tier of North American soccer. This is not to discount the Whitecaps effort; above all else they did manage to take the lead twice and held on to win the game. With that in mind it would appear as though some of the players were either outmatched or perhaps lost their focus as they were waiting for the whistle to blow.
    Seattle scored their first mark in the dwindling seconds of the first half, in what can only be described as a mad scramble in Vancouver's defensive end. Roger Levesque pounced on a free ball in the six-yard-box and put a left footed shot past Jay Nolly. Seattle's second goal came on the 77th minute on another Levesque effort where it appeared there may have been a bit of miscommunication between Bilal Duckett and Michael Boxall. Levesque crossed a low ball into the box and second half substitution Miguel Montano slid to knock the ball past Joe Cannon. Beyond the two opportunities that Seattle capitalized on Vancouver looked strong defensively with the exception of a set piece where Erik Friberg swung in a fantastic ball that Zach Scott was able to get a head on but the ball was saved by Jay Nolly and a defender then cleared from the box.
    Scoring Summary
    6’ – VAN - Omar Salgado
    12’ – VAN - Russell Teibert
    45’ – SEA – Roger Levesque
    47’ – VAN - Camilo Sanvezzo
    77’ – SEA – Miguel Montano
    Match Stats
    Shots: Vancouver 9 - Seattle 17
    Shots on Goal: Vancouver 6 – Seattle 7
    Saves: Vancouver 5 – Seattle 3
    Fouls: Vancouver 14 – Seattle 8
    Corners: Vancouver 1 - Seattle 13
    Offsides: Vancouver 4 – Seattle 1
    Cautions
    10’ – SEA - Taylor Graham
    18’ – VAN - Nizar Khalfan
    81’ – VAN – Joe Cannon
    Vancouver Whitecaps FC
    18.Jay Nolly (1.Joe Cannon 45’); 3.Bilal Duckett, 33.Michael Boxall, 14.Greg Janicki, 8.Wes Knight (25.Jonathan Leathers 62); 31.Russell Teibert (12.Jeb Brovsky 83’), 27.Alexandre Morfaw (7.Terry Dunfield 64’), 28.Gershon Koffie, 16.Nizar Khalfan (39.Cornelius Stewart 62’); 17.Omar Salgado (9.Atiba Harris 87’), 37.Camilo Sanvezzo (23.Long Tan 66’)
    Seattle Sounders FC
    28.Terry Boss; 5.Tyson Wahl, 4.Patrick Ianni, 26.Taylor Graham (16.David Estrada 45’), 20.Zach Scott; 14.Michael Tetteh (11.Steve Zakuani 76’), 8.Erik Friberg (6.Osvaldo Alonso 64’), 23.Servando Carrasco, 24.Roger Levesque; 2.Mike Fucito (27.Lamar Neagle 40’),13.O’Brian White (32.Miguel Montano 61’)
    Guest

    2011 MLS preview

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Starting Tuesday, Canadian Soccer News will publish its 2011 MLS rankings. We will roll them out over four days with our pick for MLS Cup champion revealed Friday afternoon.
    And we're looking for your help! Send an e-mail ranking each MLS team from 1 to 18 to dgrollins@gmail.com or post your ranking in the comments section below. Only one vote per e-mail or IP address. The readers votes will be collectively be given the same weight as each of the CSN writers in the final rankings.
    Let's see those rankings!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest

    Maestracci responds

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    The following e-mail was sent to me this afternoon.
    This is CSA president Dominic Maestracci, responding to my request for a comment on Friday's ruling by three Alberta justices that the CSA is not entitled to suspend soccer officials in Alberta for taking their complaints to court.
    The e-mail was CC'd to CSA general-secretary Peter Montopoli.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ---
    Sunday, March 6, 2011 2:58 PM
    From: "Maestracci Dominique"
    To: "Ben Knight" <benknight103@yahoo.ca>
    Cc: "Peter Montopoli"
    Sir,
    I have sent this morning your article and the decision of the Alberta Court of appeal to the Director of legal affairs and the Director of Relations with National Associations of FIFA. These people are fully aware of the Alberta situation.
    As soon as, I will receive the FIFA answer, I will reply to your article in the respect of the ASA, CSA and FIFA By-Laws.
    By this e-mail I am asking our General Secretary to inform all members of the Board.
    D Maestracci
    President
    Canadian Soccer association
    ---
    Reprinted in full, without comment.
    Onward!
    Guest
    With the start of the Major League Soccer season less than two weeks away, many Canadian fans have likely signed up for MLS MatchDay Live, a web-streaming service that permits viewers to watch games online at a cost of around $40 for the season.
    But as of Sunday morning, fans in Canada -- even those who had already signed up for the service, credit card details and all -- were greeted with the following message on the MatchDay Live page: "You are accessing this page from a restricted territory. MLS MatchDay Live is not available outside of the United States."
    This, despite the fact that fans in Canada had been permitted to register for the service as recently as two days ago -- and despite the fact that MLSsoccer.com itself unequivocally states: "MLS MATCHDAY LIVE is available in the United States and Canada."
    So, what happened?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Two league sources told Canadian Soccer News via email that MLS is still working out the details of its Canadian MatchDay Live package for the 2011 season, in the wake of the league's new television deal in this country. The sources requested anonymity because the arrangement has not yet been finalized.
    (Updated 7 p.m. ET Sunday) Last month, TSN signed a six-year deal to be the official broadcaster of MLS in Canada. Canadian Soccer News contacted sources at TSN who confirmed that a deal with the league is currently being negotiated, but also requested anonymity prior to the details being finalized. One possibility that was suggested was TSN operating a service similar to MatchDay Live on its own website.
    Another source, a person familiar with MLS broadcasting rights, suggested that the issue of online highlights has been a sticking point between the league and TSN. The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
    No matter the issues at play, Canadian fans will surely hope for some clarity sooner rather than later, as we count down the days to First Kick between Vancouver and Toronto.
    Canadian Soccer News will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
    With files from Ben Rycroft and Duane Rollins
    .
    Guest
    A team struggling for offense rolled the dice on a 30ish striker struggling to regain his form after a nasty spell with injuries. At one time the player was a regular scorer, but the form dropped off so much that he no longer was a regular starter for his European club. Actually the stock has dropped so much that he did not command a transfer fee. However, a former teammate now with the team made the club think that he could regain something in MLS.
    Does the above describe failed TFC DP Mista, or the Vancouver Whitecaps first attempt at a designated player, Eric Hassli?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The correct answer is both. Mista was a couple years older, but he played at a much higher level than Hassli. So, it’s a bit of a wash. Hassli is only the second non-international DP in league history and the only one without a significant likelihood of ever being capped (at 30 and playing in MLS it doesn’t seem likely that the French are going to come calling).
    It’s also a good thing that the Caps don’t really need an attendance boost because Hassli wouldn’t give them one. Joe Casual MLS fan barely knows the players on West Brom Albion let alone FC Zürich.
    So, it’s a risk. Vancouver, as they are apt to do, has gone way outside the box again. Caps fans have to hope that the club knows what it is doing because the way they are building it is not conventional.
    The exact terms of the deal will not be known until the player’s association releases the first salary list, but there are references that it is a four year contract. Based on his history it’s safe to guess that he’d be paid somewhere in the $1 million range. What matters to fans, however, is the cap hit of $335,000. Is Hassli worth a max cap hit?
    We won’t know until the season is well under way, of course, but we can draw some conclusions based on the company he keeps. In 2010 there were nine MLS forwards paid more than $335,000. They were:

    Thierry Henry -- $5,600,000.04
    Landon Donovan -- $2,127,777.78
    Juan Pablo Angel -- $1,918,000.00
    Mista -- $987,337.50
    Blaise Nkufo -- $480,000.00
    Taylor Twellman -- $459,500.00
    Brian McBride -- $403,333.33
    Conor Casey -- $350,000.00
    Brian Ching -- $350,000.00

    Even the most wide eyed Whitecaps observer must admit that it’s a stretch to compare Hassli to most of that list. If he is in at about $1 million (and if it’s less it would be likely that Vancouver would use allocation to pay it down rather than have him as a DP) then the comparisons become even more ludicrous.
    Maybe Vancouver knows something the rest of us don’t, but the evidence suggests that they’ve over paid – even if he is successful. Succeeding in MLS is about finding value in players. Other than an historically good season by league standards it’s next to impossible to get value out of Hassli. Based on his history and pedigree the Caps should not be spending max dollars on him, period. It’s highly unlikely that there isn’t an equal talent out there that could have been found for half the cap hit.
    In case the point hasn’t been made clear yet, this is a move that you could see Mo Johnston making.
    Guest
    embargoed till i dunno, sunday?
    There will be more analysis of what the 2015 Women's World Cup will mean to Canadian soccer in the days and weeks ahead; but for now, I figured I'd take a completely speculative look at where the prestigious final game might be hosted (with a tip of the hat to colleague Steve Bottjer over at Red Nation Online, who's already made his prediction, although I did have this idea in the works for a few days. Honest!)
    Bottjer says Vancouver is a "good bet" to host the final. Well, I figured, why not present some full betting odds on the potential host sites? Betting always makes the beautiful game even better, right?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Keep in mind that this is based on nothing other than my own preliminary thoughts -- and if I'm stupid enough to actually accept bets on this matter, I retain the rights to fully disavow any knowledge of these odds several years hence.
    It's also worth noting that the final of this year's Women's World Cup will be played at Commerzbank-Arena, a 52,000-person-capacity venue with 85 years of history that was renovated in 2005.
    Alright, here we go, from the least likely candidate to the odds-on favourite:
    King of Donair Stadium, Halifax: 1,000-1
    Now, this stadium doesn't actually exist, though if and when it does, there is a decent chance it'll be sponsored by the city's most popular purveyors of those disgustingly delicious meaty treats. (The restaurant chain does have a solid history with soccer in Nova Scotia, after all.) The debate over a stadium in Halifax is nearly as well-worn as the debate over a revitalized waterfront in Toronto, and as much as I love the place, I'd be surprised if the 'Fax ends up as one of the host cities at all, never mind the destination for the tournament's highest-profile match.
    Stade Moncton, Moncton: 500-1
    Yes, it's odd -- given the fact that I'm now, somehow, widely associated with the city and its quest to host high-profile soccer -- that I'd give the folks in New Brunswick such awful odds. But while the new stadium seems like a nice venue, and would certainly be suitable to host international soccer (Mission Moncton, Mission Moncton, Mission Moncton), you needn't do much more than compare the 10,000-seat Stade Moncton to the aforementioned Commerzbank-Arena to realize that the final being held in one of the Atlantic provinces is, unfortunately, merely a pipe dream.
    BMO Field, Toronto: 200-1
    If you're a gambler, this is probably some damn fine value. Sure, Toronto (as has been widely publicized) hasn't even been named as a potential host city, so you'd think the chances of BMO Field hosting anything are nil. But I get the impression the CSA is a bit peeved at Hogtown's apparent lack of interest in the tournament, Pan Am Games or not. So if Toronto soccer fans raise enough of a stink, there's a chance some 11th-hour deal could be struck. But by now you've taken a look at Commerzbank-Arena, right? Yeah, I don't care if it's called our "national soccer stadium" or not; the final of a senior FIFA World Cup ain't being played in a utilitarian, 23,000-seat facility stuffed underneath the Gardiner Expressway.
    Rogers Centre, Toronto: 199-1
    See points above. Gets the slightly better odds because it's big. Though you can't spell "big, ugly piece of FieldTurf-filled crap" without "big".
    Stade Saputo, Montreal: 197-1
    Better chance than Toronto because, y'know, Montreal is actually going to host games. But unless Honduras becomes a world power in women's soccer in the next four years (and God help me if that happens), this venue would make no sense.
    New CFL Stadium, Winnipeg: 100-1
    Jerrad Peters suggests WWC games in Winnipeg would be held at the new home of the CFL's Blue Bombers, which is projected to open next summer with a maximum capacity of 40,000. New facilities are always nice places to host big games. Though if the NHL's Jets are back by 2015 -- which some in the mainstream media seem to be banking on -- I can't imagine anyone in the city bothering to take the time to even notice the Women's World Cup being played. If the franchise is still wasting away in Phoenix though, hey, you could do worse than "New Bombers Stadium".
    New CFL Stadium, Ottawa: 50-1
    Speaking of new CFL venues... since Ottawa's about to get a third kick at the can in pointy-ball, they'll also be getting a shiny new stadium, and they've also got the symbolic advantage of being the nation's capital. However, FIFA doesn't like public expressions of dissent, so I imagine the hordes of torch-and-pitchfork-wielding NIMBYs in the Glebe won't be the sort of P.R. that the CSA is seeking for this marquee match.
    Stade Olympique, Montreal: 20-1
    Yes, I did just call the Rogers Centre a "big, ugly piece of FieldTurf-filled crap" and then give the Big O significantly better odds of hosting the final. But don't forget, visitors of Olympic Stadium have the chance to bring home a piece of World Cup history with them -- if they're fortunate enough to have a chunk of the 34-year-old stadium's facade fall on their head. Sarcasm aside, it has 66,000+ seats, it's hosted soccer before, Montreal's a beautiful city, bilingual angle, culture, food dammit why can't every city in the country be like Montreal? (quiet weeping)
    Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton: 3-1
    I'm not gonna lie, I did a lot of internal equivocating about these final two choices. I alluded to BMO Field as our "national soccer stadium", but before it was built, Commonwealth had that de facto title. The country's largest open-air stadium has been home to some of the country's most significant soccer moments, including the
    with Brazil in 1994 and, of course, the final of the 2002 U19 Women's World Cup, in which Christine Sinclair and the Canadians lost an extra-time heartbreaker in front of nearly 50,000 fans.But the turf, the turf, damn you the turf. Sure, Vancouver is a higher-profile town, and B.C. Place is a newer stadium (with significant renovations being completed this year). But if Commonwealth still had natural grass, I might be inclined to give them even odds (or even superior odds) to the favourite. As it is, though...
    B.C. Place, Vancouver: 5-2
    The venue makes perfect sense, the city will be primed for soccer after a few years of the men's Whitecaps in MLS, the post-Olympic hangover will have worn off, and a large percentage of the Canadian women's national team plays for the lady Whitecaps. So yeah, you're perfect, we get it, alright? Shut up.
    Guest
    Chuck Blazer -- general secretary of CONCACAF and FIFA executive committee member -- has been a fixture here at Some Canadian Guys for a while. Partially because it's nice to have a name to fall back on when we tire of complaining about Jack Warner's corruption, but mostly because the personal travel blog of a globetrotting St. Nick lookalike with a large collection of suspenders provides plenty of comedic fodder (as you can see).
    But ol' Chuck gets the attention today for a much more important reason: It seems he's willing to rock Sepp Blatter's boat, an unthinkable act for anyone looking to retain a position of influence within FIFA. Blazer's bugaboo, as you can imagine, is the failure of his executive committee brethren to gift CONCACAF with an additional half-spot in the 2014 World Cup -- which, as Rollins notes, was considered a "done deal" by some CONCACAF members prior to Thursday's announcement that the number of spots per confederation would be kept as is.
    "Really not happy with today's FIFA Exco meeting," Blazer tweeted on Thursday. "Everyone protects their own interests rather than doing what's right. Convenient decisions."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    That tweet seems to have lit the Twitter fire under Blazer's ass, as he has (as of this writing) sent out 18 more tweets since that one, representing more than 10% of the total tweets he's sent out in the nearly two years he's been using the service. And he's not shying away from his original comments; he's tweeted a link to a story published online about his disapproval with the ExCo's decision and -- in clear defiance of FIFA's presumed "don't ever say anything to anyone" policy -- he's actually been interacting with fans concerning his original remarks.
    @chuckblazer: Really not happy with today's FIFA Exco meeting. Everyone protects their own interests rather than doing what's right. Convenient decisions.
    @constantlyoff: probably cuz our reps didnt push hard enough to get a world cup. they spent too much time taking pics for their blog.
    @chuckblazer: idiot
    @constantlyoff: oh goodness this is awesome. very professional and def who I want negotiating high level FIFA politics
    OK, so maybe Blazer needs some social media training. But suffice to say, he's less than thrilled with the way things have unfolded as of late. Despite suggestions to the contrary, Blazer firmly asserts that he voted for the USA's bid to host the 2022 World Cup -- and surely couldn't have been pleased when Qatar got the tournament. Now we've got his clear dissatisfaction with the World Cup spot allocation. And there's a quote I found in an interview he did with the New York Times back in December:
    It's long been believed that Blatter and Warner have a comfortable mutual-back-scratching agreement in place: Blatter does nice things for CONCACAF (or Jack's family, whatever, same thing, right?) in exchange for Warner promising Blatter the support of the 35 CONCACAF member nations when it comes time for a presidential re-election.But if Blatter's gone (as early as this year, if the challenge from Qatar's Mohammed Bin Hammam turns out to be a serious one), that alleged relationship disappears -- as does, perhaps, Blazer's ability to collect pretty pictures for his blog on the world soccer community's dime.
    No one knows for sure where this is heading. But if Grant Wahl really is serious about his run for the FIFA presidency, then he may wanna reach out to a fellow American with a wealth of insider knowledge... and a bone to pick.
    Guest
    Sir:
    Yesterday, three justices in Alberta rejected your attempt to suspend Alberta soccer officials for seeing legal remedy to various matters arising from recent deep divisions within the Alberta Soccer Association.
    The judges found that your actions -- viewed in the darkest light -- could be interpreted as criminal.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Quote:
    ---
    [18] One must also note s. 139(3) of the Criminal Code on obstruction of
    justice by attempting to dissuade someone from giving evidence, by means of threats.
    [19] We must emphasize that the issue here is not merely litigating in
    some forum topics such as who has jurisdiction, or when proceedings are premature. This is a question of express threats to harm someone for going to court or acting as a witness in court. Or of punishing him for having done so and (partly) won.
    [20] This is not judicial review of a jurisdiction decision, still less judicial review of a decision on the merits of an election. It is judicial review of punishment for merely having gone to court. The respondent is going beyond supervising the superior court, which would be upside down. It is emasculating the superior court.
    ---
    The reason I am asking in public, Dr. Maestracci, is so the question remains on the record, even if you choose to maintain your ongoing public silence on all matters relating to the Alberta dispute.
    Given the importance of the issue -- and the stern wording of this legal ruling -- I again ask:
    Would you please care to comment -- or clarify?
    benknight103@yahoo.ca
    Onward!
    Guest

    FIFA reneges

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    For the second time in less than a year CONCACAF was blindsided by FIFA officials who assured them of one thing before doing something entirely different.
    Earlier this year the USA was overlooked for the 2022 World Cup; last week a promised was reneged to extend another half sport for 2014 qualifying.
    The same CSA officials that told CSN that the fourth spot was "a done deal" on Sunday were angry and frustrated Friday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    "FIFA left (CONCACAF) holding the bag," one official said.
    The decision to keep the status quo relates to a power play for the FIFA presidency. Facing a challenge from Asia, Sepp Blatter can't afford to award sport on merit when his power base is amongst the smaller nations in the "minor" confederation.
    Unfortunately CONCACAF continues to be the confederation that can be taken for granted.
    Guest

    Alberta judges slam CSA

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    "Everyone in Canada has a constitutional right of access to Her Majesty’s courts as a litigant or as a witness. The punishment impending here (and imposed against the other litigants in the parallel proceedings) is for doing just that. Public policy dictates weighing that when considering the balance of convenience."
    These are the words of three Alberta justices, as part of a ruling that the Canadian Soccer Association is not entitled to suspend three Alberta soccer officials who took their fight to reform the Alberta Soccer Association to court.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    World soccer, in general, discourages legal entanglement. That's why the CSA is trying to suspend these folks in the first place. The judges openly dismiss this, essentially telling Canada's national governing body of soccer to take -- what would the proper legalese term be for it? -- a running jump.
    Here's the full judgment:
    This would be a really good time to hear from CSA president Dominic Maestracci, don't you think?
    Onward!
    Guest
    DeMerit Named Captian
    Yesterday the 'Caps named Jay DeMerit their team captain for their first season in MLS. Rightly so, the centreback has far and away the deepest leadership skill set following his World Cup experience at this year's tournament in South Africa. And he's competed at the highest level of anyone on the team, having played for Watford while they had a brief stint in the Premiership. Terry Dunfield and John Thorrington were named as the club's second and third captains.
    Kevin Harmse on Trial
    Canadian International and former TFC defender is currently in camp with the Whitecaps. He has undergone an incredible comeback, after playing last season with Port Coquitlam FC in the Fraser Valley Soccer League while rehabbing a right knee injury - one that he first noticed while playing for the 'Caps in 2004. Harmse has MLS experience with LA, Toronto FC, and Chivas. He was under contract with Houston but never made the team as they never got a chance to see him play after his injury.
    Rogers Sportsnet signs on as Vancouver's Regional Broadcaster
    Rogers Sportsnet has agreed to be Vancouver's regional broadcaster over the next 3 years. Sportsnet Pacific and Sportsnet One will carry 20 of the Whitecaps games this year while they will leave one game for City TV to show.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Line Ups for Cascadia Summit Series
    Teitur Thordason has let the word out that the team he plans to field both against Seattle and Portland is who he expects to have in his starting rotations as the season begins.
    Portland Set to Sign A DP
    According to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle Portland are set to sign a yet to be named Designated Player. One that, apparently most of us will not recognize, but they insist is worth the money.
    Darlington Nagbe and Brite Dike won't play this weekend
    Nagbe will be out 2-4 weeks with a sports hernia. Nagbe was the consensus number one overall draft pick this year. The Whitecaps shocked most pundits by taking Omar Salgado with the first pick after rumours spread like wildfire that Nagbe did not want to play in Vancouver and that it would negatively affect his green card application.
    Dike, a thorn in Vancouver's side every match last season will likely miss the next six to nine months after tearing his Achilles tendon early in February during a preseason friendly against the Ventura County Fusion.
    Guest
    According to Vancouver Sun reporter Bruce Constantineau, Vancouver has signed French striker Eric Hassli. Click Here for Bruce's Article.

    At 6'4, the large target striker should fit in well with the 'Caps, who have been dying for a big man to bring the ball down in the opposition's final third, since the departure of Charles Gbeke. While in Zurich he amassed 27 goals in 84 games, and that is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately those 84 games have been between 2007 and yesterday. He's had to deal with a few nagging injuries but appears to be in good health once more.

    He has apparently signed a 4 year contract with the club and will be released before the summer transfer window in appreciation of his many years of service to FC Zurich.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Tom Soehn is still in Europe and the rumours have be swirling about who the 'Caps will bring in next. Word on the street is that Vancouver are currently in talks with Swiss National captain Alexander Frei and Everton goal poacher Louis Saha.

    How ridiculous would it be to have either of those two suiting up for the Blue and White next season?
    Guest
    Today, we're joined by Noel Butler, TSN commentator and Oranges at Halftime host, to talk about the Montreal Impact pre-season, the curious case of Kyle Porter, what their goals for this year are, as well as a theory of his involving MLS teams and training in the south.
    We'll also get into the Women's World Cup coming to Canada (and why Toronto was left out), what happened behind the scenes with CONCACAF not getting its reported four spots and we'll discuss Adrian Cann's departure and Andrew Ornoch's arrival at Toronto FC. We'll even throw in a jab or two at Junior Hoilett's comments.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/22220/mar4.2011final.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
    It's the end of the week, and after hearing about high profile players shooting interns and failing drug tests, perhaps it's time to look at the lighter side of the sport.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    A new endorsement opportunity for Ca$hley?
    By now, you've probably heard the story of how Ashley Cole accidentally shot a Chelsea intern last week. What you may not have heard about is the new game making the rounds on the Internet.
    In the vein of popular first-person shooter "Call of Duty" (and all of its sequels) comes "Cole of Duty", a web-based game in which you assume the role of the esteemed Mr. Cole while he takes aim at various targets.
    Have you ever wanted to shoot both Wayne Rooney and Cheryl Cole in the face? Well now you can.
    Go ahead and kill some of those passing-all-too-slow final hours of your work week.

    A virtual shot in the dark
    Speaking of work, I'm sure everyone reading lists "manager of a football club" as one of their dream jobs.
    Back in 2006, John Boileau - a 25-year-old self-professed expert in the popular game Football Manager - applied for the managerial position at Middlesborough vacated by Steve McLaren (who had just become England's gaffer).
    Here's his actual cover letter:


    He included a C.V. that highlighted his Football Manager "experience" alongside his real-world experience of managing an under-11 side.
    'Boro Chairman Steve Gibson actually took the time to formulate an official response to the application. Click here to read Gibson's hilarious rejection letter (and to see Boileau's full C.V.)

    He totally meant to do that
    Finally, here's an example of why no goalkeeper should never take his eyes off the ball until he is absolutely sure it is out of play.


    Happy Friday, everyone!
    Guest
    Never have words been spoken that more accurately reflect the state of Canadian soccer today.
    "I'm a Canadian, of course...(but) it's nice to have options"
    That was Canadian/Jamaican/American/English footballer Junior Hoilett speaking to the The Toronto Star's Dave Feschuk about his thoughts on suiting up for Canada. Feschuk asked and Hoilett answered exactly in the way we've all become much too accustomed to: I'm a Canadian but the second it better suits my career I must have misplaced my passport.
    If you'd like, accuse me of reading between the lines, but having heard the same sentiment before and seen the results, my reaction to Hoilett's line of choice is simple: Fuck. That.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Over the past 10 years - as footballer after footballer have trickled away, hopes raised and then dashed - there has been a quiet, growing sentiment among Canadian fans, to a place of far less patience. It's an attitude that steers away from the proper, politically correct, let's all play nice because this is Canada, to one that is far less flinching - a why the hell are you not capping for our country? edge.
    It's not easy for Canadians to pound their chest and espouse national pride. In fact, it seems ground into our DNA to do the opposite. We only see glimpses of it when our national hockey team wins and then we dance in the streets with wild, primitive pride.
    But the time has more than come for Canadian football supporters to step forward to that edge - if for nothing more than to look around and realize that no other country in the world treats the game of football with such kid gloves. The last thing we should be doing today, at the news another footballer wants to weigh his options, is shrugging our shoulders in apathy.
    A decade ago, that attitude might have been acceptable. The CSA was in complete disarray. Despite winning a Gold Cup, our national team program was in shambles. Women's football - what's that? The last thing a Canadian football fan deserved to be feeling was entitled.
    But, again, look around. A lot has changed in the past few years. Our house is getting itself in order. The CSA is on the path to reform. Our youth national team's are showing a future and our Women's National Team, how they're playing right now, might be top three in the world.
    The last piece of that puzzle is the Men. And if a few more players like Junior had gone the other way - if we hadn't wasted so much time waiting for that ilk to commit and instead set about developing and assisting those that do want to play here - it might even be said that the CMNT would be on a path to health.
    And so, to Junior, I tell you this: I'd love to see you and your brother patrolling the pitch together for Canada, it would be fantastic, but the time has come, pal, to shit or get off the pot. Whether you are Canadian, American, Jamaican or an Englishman - you've had long enough to decide.
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