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    Guest
    Chaos was the order of the day at the Asia Cup final in Qatar as more than 10,000 fans with legitimate tickets were denied entry to the stadium.

    Reporters on the ground indicated that the final had been oversold, reporting that officials were dismissive of the problem saying that fans should have arrived earlier to the game.

    Australian freelance journalist and media consultant Rachel Morris was reporting from the stadium via her Twitter feed. She said that there were suggestions that much of the problem came from the Qatari organizers allowing access to fans without tickets.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “Rumors (of)1000s without tickets (getting) into stadium,” she wrote. “Some reports that ticketless people already sitting in seats when legit holders arrived.”

    Morris stressed that the crowd outside the stadium remained peaceful. However riot police were deployed (the video above seems to confirm that report) to control the situation.

    “Just saw ISF guys with batons. Crowd peaceful. Signs on ticket boxes red "sold out". Security guard told me ‘should have been here at 2 p.m.’,” she wrote

    Saying that she was “completely embarrassed for her adopted home” Morris reported talking to fans that had travelled several thousand kilometres to watch the game only to be turned away.

    The Asia Cup is the first major football even hosted by Qatar since the awarding of the World Cup to the country. Today’s events will not ease concerns many have over the appropriateness of awarding the World Cup to a country as inexperienced at major event hosting as Qatar.
    Guest

    British Columbia on governance reform

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    Author's note: Charlie Cuzzetto is president of the British Columbia Soccer Association.
    Now, try this on -- since the Alberta Soccer Association board got hoofed last Friday, the backstage buzz in my ear has been that B.C. is not in favour of CSA governance reform. Turns out -- according to Cuzzetto, at least -- there simply isn't a syllable of truth to that.
    Believe what you will. Here's the straight scoop from the Left Coast:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ---
    Does British Columbia support the original model for CSA governance reform – the one which removes all provincial and territorial soccer association presidents from the CSA board?
    We were strong supporters of the motion at last spring’s AGM, and felt that plan would be successful. However, I’m sort of a realist, and I came to the realization, with the various discussions that were happening, that certain provinces would not be in favour of that. And the reality of the bylaws is that you have to have a two-thirds majority for it to pass, and it wasn’t going to.
    So, instead of having nothing, we examined different options in different areas, and I guess it’s called the compromise model. I felt that, if that went through, we would get about 97 per-cent of what we would have gotten with the first model – including the separation of operational aspects from what the board should be doing.
    So clearly that means that British Columbia will support the compromise model if the original proposal is defeated a week Saturday?
    Yeah. We support the original model, but we also support the compromise. We believe it is important for the Canadian Soccer Association to move forward, and deal with all the issues we have to deal with – not just governance.
    I think that the compromise model, if you look at it closely, there’s not too many things that are different. As a matter of fact, there are some things that are enhanced from the original plan. There’s no executive committee in either, so that’s not an issue, but the national teams committee disappears in the compromise plan – which I feel is an important aspect because I don’t think Canada needs one.
    I strongly believe that the provinces should not be involved in the national team program. It should be run by professional people who understand all the aspects – technical, competition – and should be setting goals and objectives, and be evaluated on those. I strongly believe that we should have that separation, and I think it is happening.
    I’ve only been on the CSA board for a year and a little bit, but I’ve seen quite a bit of improvement. I think with this proposal – whether it’s the original plan or the compromise – I think you’ll see a big shift moving forward. Even with the compromise model, with three provincial presidents … some people think that’s going to be a big impediment, but I don’t think that it will. The structure of the board changes, and the functions of what the board does will be different. Long-term planning and strategic vision will change. We’ll reach a point where provincial presidents will feel that being on the CSA board is too much work. They’ll have to compromise on one, and not do both.
    Ontario Soccer Association president Ron Smale has been adamant that he does not support the compromise proposal. Ontario has a large percentage of the votes that would be required to defeat it. Do you see any possibility that the compromise model could fail, and we’d all be left – essentially – with nothing?
    I’d be shocked if that happens. I’d be extremely disappointed, because it would be a failure of the CSA, and all of us. I’m an optimist, and I believe either the full motion or the compromise will pass, which will be huge in the betterment of the CSA.
    I was the chairman of the B.C. governance committee years back, when we were trying to evolve or change our structure. And we made a big mistake. We made it all or nothing. The majority of the stuff was a no-brainer, but there were certain areas where the changes were too powerful for the membership. And they rejected it. And I don’t want to make that mistake again, and I’ve communicated that to the members. If we get 97 per-cent of the deal, I think that’s a big, big step.
    Guest
    The guys who follow Canadian soccer closely - I mean really closely - keep a list of Canadian footballers who have gone "missing in action." In other words, the players in the mens' national team pool who are currently without a club.
    It has emerged over the past few days that four of those players are on trial with Canadian club teams. David Monsalve, Gianluca Zavarise and Eddy Sidra with Toronto FC, and Carlos Rivas with the Montreal Impact.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    None of these players are anything remotely resembling regulars with Canada. Monsalve sat on the bench for the 2-2 draw against Ukraine in October, and played 90 minutes in a 1-0 friendly loss against Jamaica last January that featured what were essentially two C-teams. The only memorable bit for Canada supporters (or at least those who followed the match online) was the Jamaican radio announcers' bizarre preoccupation with the name of Canadian midfielder Massih Wassey.
    Zavarise sat on the bench for Canada's two friendlies in September against Peru and Honduras and saw the field for six minutes at the end of a friendly against Venezuela last May. Sidra, who's logged 102 minutes for Canada, is best-known for his performance in that same match, the highlight being a careening injury-time run down the left flank that may not have earned a lot of style points but did earn the free kick that lead to the equalizer.
    Rivas' lone Canada exposure is two minutes at the end of the aforementioned friendly against Jamaica.
    Goalkeeper is probably the most mission-critical position from the perspective of the national team. Even if Monsalve carved out a semi-successful MLS career, be it with TFC or anyone else, it would benefit Canada immensely by providing insurance against injuries or unavailability due to club commitments.
    I've only seen Sidra play once - against Venezuela - but if that showing at leftback is any indication, he certainly has a willingness to charge at defenders despite the fact he is one himself. He has fan favourite stamped all over his shiny forehead, and at 21 years of age it would be interesting if he caught on at TFC and then engineered a move back to Europe in the future.
    Most intriguing to me personally is Rivas. Readers of the fledgling Long Balls series know that I often mention one-time Canada U23 player (and I literally mean one time) Isidro Sanchez even as he wallows in the reserves for Mexican side Puebla.
    Stupid gimmick it may be, but there is underlying thought to it. Considering that the road to the World Cup for Canada runs though Central America, I've long figured it would be beneficial for Canada's national team pool to contain a handful of players who make a living south of the Rio Grande. The U.S. for example, has Jonathan Bornstein, Herculez Gomez and Jose Francisco Torres all playing in the Mexican first division.
    Canada could do far worse than having more players who know the culture of South and Central American football, and Rivas should be well-versed in that. He played youth football for Cruz Azul in Mexico and then spent five seasons in the Chilean first division with Deportes La Serena and Universidad de Concepcion.
    That he's now on trial with the Montreal Impact gives some indication of how his pro career has fared, but at 25 years of age he could catch on with Montreal now and maybe even make an MLS career for himself when the Impact join the league next season. And if we're being really hopeful, play himself back into the Canada picture.
    I doubt any of these guys will feature in too many of Canada's starting elevens through the course of the next World Cup qualifying campaign, but of the four, which one or ones do you think can make an impression with the clubs they're trialling at and perhaps with Canada at some point in the future?
    Guest
    Away from Toronto FC and away from the supporters pubs this week, the Toronto soccer community was rocked by the loss of one of its long time members.
    Colin Hodelin passed away suddenly last Saturday evening at just 43 years of age. The news has sent shock waves through the community who knew him as the little man, with the big voice.
    As many have begun sharing their stories, I thought I would share mine.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I remember seeing his face around Eglinton Flats a lot.
    He knew everybody and everybody knew him. The kind of guy who immediately ingratiated himself to you and would start the conversation.
    He'd ask me about how my team had done or just shoot the shit about the weekend's EPL fixtures. I got the sense he knew a lot of people that way.
    Having started his soccer career in the Nottingham system, he immigrated to Toronto and built a reputation for himself as fierce player with a huge presence on the field.
    He played for dozens of high level teams over the years and indelibly left an impression on this community.
    It's hard to imagine not seeing him around at Eglinton next year. In fact, having played against him as recently as just a few weeks ago, I'm still having a hard time believing it. I'm going to miss him.
    Toronto soccer has lost a familiar face. And a big voice.
    ____
    For as big as Colin's heart was, he wasn't as full in pocket.
    He's touched the lives of a number footballers in Toronto and if you'd like to make a donation and assist his family with the funeral costs the information is below.
    To make an e-mail transfer: n_hodelin13@hotmail.com and the answer to the question should always be (colin)
    To make a direct deposit to the bank account directly: TD 2626578313
    Wake
    Time: 9pm
    Date: Monday January 31 2011
    Time: 6pm -
    Place: 31 Holyoke Cres Etobicoke ON
    Visitation
    Date: Friday Feb 4 2011
    Time: 2-4pm 7-9pm
    Place: Newediuk Funeral Home
    2058 Kipling Ave
    Etobicoke, ON
    M9W 4J9
    416 745 7555
    Funeral
    Date: Saturday Feb 5 2011
    Time: 11-12 open casket 12-1 Service
    Place: Islington Evangel Centre
    49 Queens Plate Drive
    Etobicoke ON
    M9W 6P1
    416 747 7208
    Burial
    After the church service.
    Glenview Memorial Gardens
    7541 HWY 50
    Woodbridge, ON
    L4L 1A5
    905 851 0668
    Guest
    A somewhat surprising press release arrived in the inboxes of this country's soccer writers a few minutes ago, courtesy of the Canadian Soccer Association. Excerpts are below (emphasis added):
    Major League Soccer and the Canadian Soccer Association have announced that a joint task force committee has been struck to study the professional development side of the game in Canada. It is the task force's mandate to provide players in Canada, regardless of citizenship, the best possible environment and opportunities.
    "We are committed to improving the professional standards of our sport in this country," said Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary Peter Montopoli. "We want to create the best possible environment for our players and teams to be successful in MLS and at the international level with our National Teams."
    As part of the league rules released for the 2011 season, Major League Soccer has established that the MLS clubs based in Canada are required to have a minimum of three Canadian domestic players on their rosters. Players with the legal right to work in Canada are considered Canadian domestic players (i.e., Canadian citizen, permanent resident, part of a protected class).
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The task force members are Todd Durbin (MLS, executive vice president), Victor Montagliani (Canadian Soccer Association, vice president), Peter Montopoli (Canadian Soccer Association, general secretary), Stephen Hart (Canada's national head coach), Bob Lenarduzzi (Vancouver Whitecaps FC president), Earl Cochrane (Toronto FC Director of Team and Player Operations), and Nick De Santis (Impact Montréal Technical Director).
    The task force will closely monitor the effects MLS roster rules and youth development initiatives for Canadian clubs and make recommendations for future changes, if necessary.
    Now, the quota itself seems to be some kind of compromise struck by someone. It won't have any impact on Toronto or Vancouver this season, as both squads already have more than three Canadians on their rosters (plus the Whitecaps can always turn to their academy for more domestic youngsters, and TFC currently has three additional Canadians on trial).

    But while the effect of this task force is yet to be seen, it's encouraging to see the league acknowledging the growing presence (and importance) of Canadian clubs and players.
    What do you think? Is the quota too low? Too high? Not needed at all? Will this task force actually help our player development capabilities, or is it just another bunch of pig lipstick?


    Guest
    Canadian Soccer News has learned this morning that former head coach Nick Dasovic is no longer with Toronto FC.
    Sources told CSN that the Canadian had not traveled to Turkey with the team and that 'he was done with the club.'
    It was unclear who had initiated the departure - the club or coach - but the writing was certainly on the wall with the arrival of the new management team.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Dasovic is said to be on his way back to Vancouver - where his family resides - to figure out his next move.
    One obvious option for Dasovic could be Montreal. He is good friends with the Montreal Impact technical director Nick De Santis.
    Canadian Soccer News will have more as this story develops.
    Guest
    Today, we''re joined by the CEO of the NASL, Aaron Davidson, to discuss what's next for the NASL in their sanctioning bid, how things went so wrong so quickly and what's on the horizon for expansion in Canada.
    We'll also get into who the trialists are that Toronto FC has brought with them to Turkey and what they could bring to the club, Nick Dasovic's departure from the club, the MLS rule changes and restructuring and discuss what media group we'd like to see win the MLS broadcasting rights.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/21700/jan28.2011final.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
    Author's note: The three gentlemen named above are all that remains of the Alberta Soccer Association's board of directors following last Friday's "unburdening" in Edmonton.
    Now, for all that I've been trying to keep things on the record, there's been a lot of back-channel traffic this week, and I feel compelled to tell you what I know, even though I can't come clean about how I know it.
    Chris Billings, the Alberta Soccer Association's president-by-name, remains suspended by both the ASA and CSA, and will not be appearing and voting at the Canadian Soccer Association's Special General Meeting the first weekend in February. This is high-level stamped, folks. I'd love to be wrong about this, but there's no point debating it any further.
    That brings us to Scott Chen, Ray Calvin and Richard Adams.
    Some combination of these lads will be voting for Alberta when the issue of Canadian soccer governance comes to a final, binding vote a week Saturday.
    And we simply just don't know how they feel about the whole thing.
    So, we do what we do here -- we ask:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ---
    Gentlemen:
    1) Are you in favour of the original CSA governance reform model, drafted in April 2010 -- and why?
    2) If not, will Alberta be supporting the compromise model -- the one which allows up to three provincial presidents to remain on the CSA board?
    3) What role -- if any -- do you believe the provinces should have in running Canada's national soccer teams?
    4) Do you -- any of you -- have ambitions to serve Canadian soccer outside of Alberta?
    I can be reached any time -- benknight103 at yahoo.ca. All responses will be considered ON the record.
    Onward!
    Guest

    Fourth round FA Cup preview

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The fourth round of the FA Cup goes this weekend and it features five all Premiership match-ups. There are also six games where both teams are from outside the top tier, assuring a significant Football League presence in the fifth round.
    Here is a brief preview of each game.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Torquay United v Crawley Town
    On the surface it’s not the sexiest of match-ups, but for the FA Cup idealist this is what the magic is all about. Crawley looks to become just the sixth non-League club to make the fifth round since the end of the Second World War and first since 1994. The others were: Colchester United (1948), Yeovil Town (1949), Blyth Spartans (1978), Telford United (1985) and Kidderminster Harriers (1994). If they can’t get it done? Well, League Two Torquay United isn’t a bad story either.
    Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
    The Championship versus League One – Brighton is on top of the third tier and Watford is right in the think of the playoff battle in the Championship. The question here will be whether either club really fancies winning with promotion prizes to chase.
    Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic
    Bolton has cooled off after finding itself in European positions earlier in the year. Wigan has looked good for the drop all season and will likely be happy to focus on survival rather than hopeless cup chases.
    Everton v Chelsea
    The most intriguing match-up of the weekend and a repeat of the final from two years ago. Chelsea seems to have turned it around after its Christmastime freefall, but it’s hard to say. Everton, as well, seems to have separated itself from the drop zone. Both clubs should have a good go at it.
    Southampton v Manchester United
    United isn’t unbeaten this year, it should be noted. They lost in the League Cup. However, it seems unlikely that Southampton will have what it takes to hand the Red Devils a second loss on the year.
    Swansea City v Leyton Orient
    The forgotten team in Wales is having every bit as good a season as Cardiff and finds itself right in the thick of the promotion battle in the Championship. League One Leyton Orient is not in the same class and is a little too close to the drop zone for comfort.
    Burnley v Burton Albion
    It’s not a bad draw for Paul Peschisolido’s Burton Albion – Burnley isn’t untouchable, but still offers some excitement for a club that was non-League just two years ago. However, it doesn’t seem likely that a second upset is in the cards. Of note, it’s been nearly three weeks since Burton Albion last played.
    Birmingham City v Coventry City
    The biggest question here is whether Birmingham City will have a League Cup hangover. Coventry is comfortably mid-table in the Championship. This will likely be a priority for them.
    Stevenage v Reading
    Reading is just on the cusp of (sort of) being in the playoff race and Stevenage is mid-table in League Two. It seems likely that Reading will take it seriously and therefore make this one a mismatch.
    Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers
    It would make for a somewhat forgettable Premiership match-up. Factor in that both sides are likely to entertain some squad rotation and proceed accordingly.
    Sheffield Wednesday v Hereford United
    Not exactly a pulse racing match-up, but at least these guys are excited
    Arsenal v Huddersfield Town
    Arsenal, at home, against Huddersfield Town. An upset doesn’t seem likely, does it?
    Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur
    A London derby and likely the second best match-up of the round. Spurs might see the FA Cup as its most likely domestic crown this season. As we saw with the Europa League last season, Fulham is a club that can perform in cup play. It should be a good one.
    Wolverhampton Wanderers v Stoke City
    See Villa-Rovers
    Notts County v Manchester City
    On the surface a kind draw for City, who, like Spurs, likely see the FA Cup as the best hope for silverware in 2011. The Citizens have a history of losing in bizarre ways to unexpected teams in cup play though.
    West Ham United v Nottingham Forest
    Can West Ham overcome the disappointment of losing the League Cup semi? Should they even want to win this game with a relegation battle ahead? If you were going to pick one Premiership side to go down to a lower league club this round look no further than this game.
    Guest
    Marc Bircham may not have been the best player to have ever put on the Canada kit, but he was definitely one of the biggest personalities to wear the Maple Leaf in recent years.
    An Englishman who qualified for Canada through a grandparent, Bircham was the first man in the world to have earned a cap for a country before having ever set foot in it. Despite this, he always screamed the Canadian anthem before every game, and he turned his trademark blue QPR mohawk red for Canada matches.
    Here, he tells ESPN UK the story of how he and Jim Brennan got back at their national teammates after they turned Bircham's hotel room upside down. (video after the jump)
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]


    Hat-tip to Keegan at the Voyageurs for digging this up.
    Guest

    The mess in Hamilton

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Another wrinkle was thrown into the Hamilton stadium debate today when Tiger-Cats president Scott Mitchell said that Bob Young was prepared to move the CFL team to Ottawa if the latest stadium plan is rejected by city council.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The city has until Tuesday to approve a plan to re-fit Ivor Wynne stadium. If Hamilton does not approve the plan the Pan/Am organizing committee has said that it would find a new municipality to host soccer during the games and build a modest stadium there. Mississauga, which is the largest suburban municipality in greater Toronto and located immediately to the west of the city, is the frontrunner to host if a solution in Hamilton can't be found.
    During public meetings this week Tiger-Cats officials went out of their way to stress the soccer component of Ivor Wynne's re-fit. To receive government support they must have a legacy component involving amateur sport in their plan. In this case, that would be the academy program attached to a potential NASL club.
    Obviously none of that would come to pass if Young moves out of the city. Although you might be tempted to think that he could just create the same thing in Ottawa -- and he could -- it would be redundant since, as Ben Rycroft reported earlier, Ottawa has an informal agreement in place to either move the Minnesota franchise to the capital in 2013, or receive an expansion club at that time*.
    Basically, it's Hamilton or bust for soccer fans.
    * If the league still exists, but that's a different topic
    Guest

    The TSN effect

    By Guest, in It's Called Football,

    For most, today’s arrival of a soccer column on TSN’s website (penned by Noel Butler from Oranges at Halftime, no less) would mean nothing more than the lumbering dinosaur that is Canada’s biggest sports network, finally giving slight acknowledgement to the world’s largest game.
    I’ve made no secret of my frustration with the big three letter over the last year. How a national broadcaster can continually ignore major soccer sporting events in favour of covering that blockbuster Atlanta Thrashers v NY Islanders game is beyond me. But I’ll resist piling on and not make a big deal of the fact that TSN had someone writing about fantasy sports before it had someone covering a real one.
    Noel’s a great writer and an unabashed supporter of the Canada game, so I can’t think of a better choice as an addition to the TSN lineup, but as I alluded to – there is more to this innocuous move than just adding a writer.
    For those who have been paying attention, you’ll already know that TSN has been quietly sliding back into the soccer scene for the past couple years now and their recent addition of TSN 2 has given them more of a platform to move further into that market. They now regularly broadcast Champions League and EPL games without interrupting the programming success that is their regular channel.
    What you may not know is that TSN is among those currently bidding for the MLS broadcast rights in Canada. Sportsnet, CBC and the Score also find themselves in the mix – and speaking to insiders there, there is legitimate concern on their part as to which way the cards are going to fall.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It was revealed recently by the Sports Business Journal that MLS had asked Fox Soccer in the U.S. for $20 million a season for the rights to broadcast games. Fox, on average, only brought in about 53,000 viewers per game. By comparison, CBC Saturday afternoon games drew about 150,000 – a far cry from their Saturday evening movie, which brings in around the 800,000 range, but still within their targets, I’m told.
    Making the current Canadian bid more interesting was the recent departure of CBC’s executive sports director Scott Moore. Moore, known as a soccer-friendly guy (think CBC’s massive World Cup undertaking), jumped ship on CBC in December and joined Rogers one day later as its president of broadcasting.
    Sources tell Canadian Soccer News that Rogers and TSN are presently considered the two leading bids to win the MLS rights in Canada. It should come as no surprise considering the financial backing both are flush with, but what is surprising to hear is that TSN, with the three Canadian MLS teams on the horizon and a general Canadian public increasingly interested in the game here and abroad, are determined to win the rights.
    For those who don’t remember it, TSN had respectable coverage in the 1990s with Graham Leggett and Soccer Saturday, but fell off completely in the first decade of the 2000s, opting instead to invest in the other Canadian football. Which, subsequently, with the full support of the broadcaster and their Friday Night football branding, they turned what was a floundering league into a ratings juggernaut.
    This is something I’ve come to realize while covering Toronto FC and MLS: media groups – like TSN and Rogers Sportsnet – don’t offer an accurate picture of the sports landscape on their flagship programs. They offer a reflection of the sports properties they are invested in.
    When people complain that they never see Toronto FC or MLS on TSN Sportscentre , the reason isn’t that the producers are acting on some kind of old boys conspiracy - hell bent on keeping the sport, they don’t understand, out - they’re acting on promoting the interests of TSN.
    It’s no accident that the CFL has seen a return to health. Through exposure on their flagship program, additions of a dedicated panel of analysts and creation of a regular show, the league had its public profile raised to the point where corporate Canada took notice and invested.
    And that is why, for those like myself, who have been waiting to see if domestic football would take off in Canada, are watching this TSN bid very closely.
    Guest
    Today the intensity picked up a bit as the focus seemed to be geared a little more towards getting into game speed applications of what they have been working on all week. Everybody seemed to have calmed down from their first couple days where you could clearly see the players were nervous or even anxious to prove their worth to the club.
    Terry Dunfield kept on keepin' on, he is clearly going to be one of the players to watch this year with The 'Caps, I think he's really going to do well in MLS, his skill set is going to be incredibly valuable . Kind of a poor mans JDG.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Atiba Harris continues to live up to his billing as a shifty player who can't finish. I don't think he put the ball in the net once during the entire practice. I am confident in saying that he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 20 feet away. He does bring blinding speed and decent ball control. So as long as he can keep his turnovers down he should be able to contribute. He claims he can play anything but keeper, so I'm looking forward to see if he can bring something more then just some good jokes.
    Phil Davies is showing some confidence, a few times he even beat Alain Rochat one-on-one. There were a couple real great battles between the two Quebec-born players.
    The second funny thing in today's training session was Wes Knight and Blake Wagner managing to lose a ball during a ball control drill. I don't mean that the ball just rolled off and then they went and chased it down. I mean they lost the ball. It disappeared. Wagner looked directly at me after looking for the ball and said "It's gone for good". It disappeared somewhere into the framework of the stadium.
    But the funniest thing by far was the battle between Michael Boxall and Davide Chiumiento. The 200 pound Kiwi vs. Heidi. I still don't see what is so appealing about an undersized midfielder who doesn't track back, and is scared to tackle. They've already got Gershon Koffie... and at least he'll make a tackle.
    Speaking of Gershon; I'm still convinced that Koffie isn't big enough to make the transition to MLS. In addition to that he gets far too down on himself when he misses the net in simple shooting drills. I'm pretty sure he's missed the net before so he should probably just worry about focusing on improving rather then focusing on the fact he's sent a ball 8 feet wide yet again.
    Ryan O'Leary was not participating in full training as he was suffering from what a Google search of the symptoms would call Black Toe. Basically due to his choice of footwear and the wet turf, the nail on both of his big toes has gone black. He said he spent the night draining the blood from under his nails and there was no improvement. He felt that practice wasn't going to go well for him today as he was in "agony" and the coaching staff gave him the Ok to sit this one out. He expects to be back training on Saturday.
    Alain Rochat looks to be gaining confidence and growing more comfortable with his teammates. He really looks to be the best player on the field and for a "quiet guy" seems to have a pretty good sense of humour. This guy is good, I can't wait for the rest of you to see what he brings to the pitch.
    The 'Caps received striker Long Tan in return for Jonny Steele and Ricardo Sanchez last year (technically they got him after the season, but they sent Steele and Sanchez the other way last summer). I can't see him making the team. He runs right at guys, which would be fine if he actually made a move, or got by them. He really just runs at them, and into them, losing the ball in their feet immediately then either ends up on the ground or just standing there without the ball. If Long Tan makes the team he'll be on the bench for a long time.
    Blake Wagner finally seemed to be getting into the swing of things. There appeared to be a complete change between Thursday and Monday. His first couple of days in camp I was really unimpressed with what he was bringing to the table. His body language and his enthusiasm didn't seem to be sending the right message. By the end of training on Thursday he had a smile on his face and seemed far more alert and even his posture was different. He is definitely looking forward to getting down to Arizona and "playing on real grass" and getting some sun.
    The 'Caps players will have Friday as a travel day before they begin training again on Saturday in Arizona. They will face Real Salt Lake (Tuesday, February 1st) and The Columbus Crew (Tuesday, February 8th). Both will be preparing for their upcoming matches in the CONCACAF Champions League. Columbus have undertaken a massive overhaul on their roster and Real Salt Lake have just reloaded their very deep roster. The games will each consist of three; 45 minute periods so that the coaching staffs will be able to get a good look at the large number of players that they will be bringing.
    I will not be able to make the trip to Arizona, so I will try to keep you updated with any information that comes my way between now and the teams return home to Vancouver.
    Guest

    MLS pre-season games and results

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    This page will be updated regularly with results and new pre-season games as they are announced/reported. You may want to bookmark it directly. If you are aware of confirmed pre-season games involving MLS teams please send a message to Duane Rollins through this Web site, or post in the comments section
    The full pre-season schedule (last updated Jan 27) below the jump:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] Feb. 1:
    Vancouver vs. Real Salt Lake
    Feb. 2:
    TFC VS. Partizan Belgrade
    Feb. 5:
    Houston vs. Houston Baptist University 11 a.m., Carl Lewis
    KC vs Columbus Crew (12 pm ET), Phoenix, AZ
    Feb 6:
    TFC vs TBD
    Feb. 7:
    San Jose vs. Portland Timbers
    Feb. 8:
    Dallas vs. Houston Baptist (11 a.m. CT at PHP Complex Fields)
    Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers
    Vancouver vs. Columbus Crew
    Feb. 9:
    San Jose vs. TBD
    Feb. 10:
    Galaxy vs. San Jose Earthquakes
    TFC VS. Dinamo Zagreb
    Feb. 12:
    Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo (2 p.m. CT)
    KC vs. Colorado Rapids (12 pm ET), Phoenix, AZ
    Feb. 15:
    Dallas vs. SMU (7:30 p.m. at PHP Complex Fields)
    Houston vs. Sporting Kansas City Phoenix AZ
    Feb. 16:
    Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids
    Feb. 17:
    Fire vs. Florida Gulf Coast University
    Houston vs. Columbus Crew Phoenix AZ
    Feb. 18:
    Vancouver vs. Chivas USA
    Feb. 19:
    DCU vs. Ventura County Fusion (6:30 pm ET)
    Houston vs. Portland Timbers Phoenix AZ
    Philly vs. Orlando City at the Florida Citrus Bowl (7 pm ET)
    Feb. 20:
    Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
    Fire vs. TBD (TBA)
    Feb. 22:
    Houston vs. Seattle Sounders Orlando FL
    Galaxy vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
    CCL Quarterfinal Leg One RSL v. Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium – 8 pm ET
    Feb. 23:
    Fire vs. New York Red Bulls (10 and noon)
    Feb 24:
    Disney Classic – TFC, Houston, Dallas and Orlando
    Feb. 26:
    Fire vs. TBD
    Disney Classic - TFC, Houston, Dallas and Orlando
    KC vs. Portland Timbers (1 pm ET), Phoenix, AZ
    Mar. 1:
    CCL Quarterfinal Leg Two RSL v. Columbus Crew at Rio Tinto Stadium – 10 pm ET (FSC)
    March 2:
    Dallas vs. Montreal Impact
    Mar. 4
    Portland vs. Seattle Sounders at Starfire, Tukwila, Wash.; 10:30 pm ET
    KC vs. Arizona Sahuaros (9 pm ET), Tucson, AZ
    March 5:
    Fire vs. Toronto FC (4:00 PM)
    DCU vs. Charleston Battery (7:15 pm ET)
    Portland vs. Vancouver Whitecaps at Starfire, Tukwila, Wash.; 8 pm ET
    KC vs. New York Red Bulls (9 pm ET), Tucson, AZ
    March 6:
    NER vs. Columbus Crew (Finley Stadium, Chattanooga, Tenn.), 4 p.m. ET
    Seattle v Whitecaps, Starfire, 6pm ET
    March 7:
    Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls
    March 8:
    Houston vs. Real Salt Lake 11 a.m., Carl Lewis
    SLC vs TBD
    March 9:
    Fire vs. D.C. United (4:00 PM)
    NER vs. Columbus Crew (Kennesaw, Ga.), 7:30 p.m. ET
    TFC VS. Charleston Battery
    Seattle v Colorado, Qwest Field, 10pm ET
    Mar 10:
    SLC vs TBD
    March 11:
    Houston vs. Columbus Crew
    March 12:
    Fire vs. Charleston Battery (6:15)
    DCU vs. Toronto FC (5 pm ET)
    Dallas vs. Chivas USA at Pizza Hut Park (7:30 p.m. CT)
    March 13:
    Houston vs. New England Revolution
    Guest
    Our weekly summary of MLS in transfers was delayed by a couple days this week as I attended to some personal matters. However, that just makes it BIGGER! And BETTER!!
    From Jan 17 to Jan 27:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]The biggest name this past “week” was Kenny Cooper to Portland. The former Dallas forward didn’t find as much success in Europe and he might have hoped, but he’s proven MLS commodity. The question with the Timbers is whether he’ll get enough support.
    It’s not an in transfer, but the inking of Juan Pablo Angel was finally completed this week. The Galaxy are clearly loaded and set for 2011 (especially if MLS goes becomes an over 30 league). They also added a player on loan. Miguel Lopez comes in from Quilmes in Argentina
    It was long rumoured, but confirmed this week that Philly brought in its Colombians -- Faryd Mondragon from FC Koln and CB Carlos Valdes from Santa Fe in Colombia.
    The Crew, who look about as settled as TFC right now, made a minor move by bringing in Kwaku Nyamekye after a failed trial with Rangers. Nyamekye was a Crew draft pick in 2010, but chose to stay in school last season.
    The Chicago Fire have apparently signed a virtual unknown in Miguel Ángel Garduño from Egyptian side Zamalek SC. We think. There is very little information available on the player.
    Portland Timbers signed a pair. Keeper Adin Brown was with the club for sometime last season after coming over from Aalesund FK in Norway and they “promoted” Steve Purdy from their USL roster.
    The Earthquakes won the weighted lottery for keeper David Bingham. If you don’t know what a weighted lottery is consider yourself lucky.
    Additionally there were two home-grown players signed. Matt Kassel in New York and Jack McBean for the Galaxy.
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