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    Guest
    Marc Weber of the Province is reporting tonight that the Vancouver Whitecaps will be introducing (actually, re-introducing) Alain Rochat as their latest signing on Friday.
    The centreback was signed to a D-2 contract in the Fall before he was loaned back to FC Zurich of the Swiss Super League.
    The Quebec born player won't count against the international spots but unfortunately, he's already capped for the Swiss so the national team conversation stops there.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    We'll be speaking to Marc Weber more about the signing and some of the latest 'Caps moves, Friday at 2pm on It's Called Football
    Guest
    Canada sucks.
    If you are a supporter of the game domestically you've heard that refrain before -- useless, without worth and embarrassment. Outside of the core of the Voyageurs, which might number 1,000 people in total, it's a battle to get soccer fans in Canada to support Canadian soccer. From time to time they will step out and cheer -- the August 20, 2008 game against Jamaica being the best example -- but the casual fan slips back into cheering for the old country soon enough.
    The lack of success is the main reason why. As stated, Canada sucks. The Great White North is a land of ice and pucks, not soccer.
    But what if we don't suck? Although it's hard to argue against the stark reality of 24 years since the last (and only) World Cup appearance there is more to this game than just the men's national team. Not only does Canada have a thriving participation rate and a club game on the raise (finally), but we also have one of the finest women's programs in the world.
    This isn't meant as a you-should-support-the-woman-or-you're-a-bad-person lecture, but rather a call for observers of the game to look at the whole game. If you are going to measure the success of a country at the sport should you not look at the sport in its entirety, with both genders?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    What if instead of having monthly jokes about what two third world nation that Canada is ranked between on the FIFA rankings (Togo and Georgia, by the way) there was a combined ranking of the men's and women's teams. Canada still wouldn't be world beaters, but the ranking would be a lot more respectful. It would likely be better than Togo and Georgia for instance.
    Although there is likely a better way to do it, let's add up the two rankings to get a combined ranking score. Then we'll order countries from the lowest score (best combined ranking) to highest. We'll restrict the rankings to countries that are ranked in the top 50 in either the men's or women's list and require a country to have a women's ranking.
    Here's what we find:
    1. 5 Germany
    2. 7 Brazil
    3. 16 England
    4. 17 Netherlands
    5. 19 USA
    6. 19 Norway
    7. 20 Spain
    8. 25 Italy
    9. 26 France
    10. 33 Russia
    11. 33 Argentina
    12. 35 Japan
    13. 36 Sweden
    14. 38 Australia
    15. 42 Denmark
    16. 47 Portugal
    17. 48 Switzerland
    18. 49 Mexico
    19. 55 Ukraine
    20. 55 Czech Republic
    21. 57 Korea Republic
    22. 59 Nigeria
    23. 61 Chile
    24. 62 Slovakia
    25. 64 Republic of Ireland
    26. 66 Ghana
    27. 68 Serbia
    28. 68 Greece
    29. 72 Hungary
    30. 74 Croatia
    31. 75 Belarus
    32. 76 Scotland
    33. 77 Slovenia
    34. 78 Uruguay
    35. 80 Colombia
    36. 82 Paraguay
    37. 85 Austria
    38. 86 New Zealand
    39. 92 China PR
    40. 93 Canada
    41. 93 Belgium
    42. 93 Romania
    43. 94 Egypt
    44. 95 Finland
    45. 97 Turkey
    46. 98 Bulgaria
    47. 98 Côte d'Ivoire
    48. 102 Poland
    49. 107 Northern Ireland
    50. 110 Costa Rica
    51. 110 Cameroon
    52. 111 Israel
    53. 115 Korea DPR
    54. 116 Algeria
    55. 126 Tunisia
    56. 130 Iceland
    57. 130 Trinidad and Tobago
    58. 140 Bosnia-Herzegovina
    59. 156 Uzbekistan
    60. 160 Wales
    61. 160 Guinea
    62. 162 Thailand
    63. 170 Vietnam
    64. 188 Chinese Taipei
    65. 193 Myanmar
    So, 40th. China and Belgium. That would set-up less jokes and actually be more reflective of where this country really stands.
    Guest

    What they're voting on

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    There is a fiction walking the night -- bolstered by yesterday's letter to the Alberta Soccer Association from CSA president Dominique Maestracci -- that all Mario Charpentier and his ASA cohorts will face tomorrow is a non-confidence motion.
    In fact, they're facing outright removal from office.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Check page 7 of Mr. Justice Tilleman's decision, if you're in any doubt.
    Onward!
    Guest

    Alberta judge opens SGM door

    By Guest, in Onward Soccer,

    According to many, many messages that just hit my in-box, a judge in Alberta has just ruled that all Alberta soccer districts -- suspended or not -- must be admitted to tomorrow morning's Special General Meeting of the Alberta Soccer Association.
    And ALL will be allowed to vote.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    This is not good news for acting president Mario Charpentier, and is yet another in a growing series of public embarrasments for CSA president Dominique Maestracci.
    Maestracci told the ASA, in a letter yesterday, that sitting directors cannot be removed from office at the SGM. Almost immediately, multiple sources fired back, citing a specific point in the ASA by-laws which clearly disagrees.
    More details as I get them.
    Guest
    It is … showtime!
    The future of amateur soccer in Alberta will not necessarily be sealed or revealed in Edmonton on Friday morning.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Apparently, though, tomorrow’s Special General Meeting of the unburied remains of the Alberta Soccer Association will NOT be chaired by anyone appointed by the Canadian Soccer Association – as was offered and insisted on in yesterday’s friendly, concerned letter from CSA president Dominique Maestracci to ASA place-holder Mario Charpentier.
    Maestracci’s offer was not only naïve and partisan, it directly violated the judge’s order that forced this SGM in the first place.
    (It was nice of Dr. Maestracci to out himself as a Charpentier enabler, though. It saves me having to complete a through, journalistic accusation of the man.)
    So we’re going to have a concerned flock of soccer folk gathering in the lobby of the Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel. There will be security guards on the SGM door, at least three CSA directors in the room, and a complex maze of procedural wrangling awaits all who make their way inside.
    All in an attempt to clarify the validity of Charpentier’s administration, which deposed the elected president, Chris Billings, early in 2010.
    I can’t tell you how things are going to go, but Canadian Soccer News will be watching closely from afar, and will be getting up-to-the-minute updates from what has become a fairly large – and prolific – roster of inside sources.
    And Mario, We’d all love to hear from you, as well.
    Yes, we’re clearly on opposite sides. But I am still willing to publish every (legal) word of any response you’d care to send me. You’ll find it’s a much more effective way of communicating than all these anonymous snipe-job comments your supporters keep posting on this site.
    1) What are your plans for Alberta soccer if you are still heading up the ASA by nightfall Friday?
    2) Why are you opposed to the CSA governance reform package drafted – and tentatively approved – last spring?
    I assure you, sir: everyone involved in this regrettable dispute wants – and needs – to hear your answer to those questions.
    For everyone else:
    The hardest part, of course, is that none of this – right now – is about what’s best for young Albertans who like playing soccer. Local ambition (Charpentier) has blended with national fear of change (Maestracci, CSA director-at-large Mike Traficante) to create a dreadful bureaucratic logjam where good people and one beautiful game are being needlessly victimized.
    The hope of these stories – and all that will follow – is to shine a light on the inner workings of those who stand accused – from multiple directions – of putting their own personal and political ambitions ahead of the good of the game.
    Billings supporters write me detailed, passionate e-mails, filled with times, places, quotes and citations. To date, all I’ve heard from the other side is anonymous personal attacks on their opponents. I’m not saying that, in itself, proves anything. But if the issue of who the rightful head of the ASA were really that murky, long experience tells me the comments would come significantly closer to balancing out.
    The best thing I can say, at this moment, is … hang in there.
    Be good and true witnesses, and proud and dedicated servants of the game of soccer.
    You are caught in the middle of a much bigger dispute – one that will ultimately determine who runs soccer in Canada, and how the future will unfold.
    Whatever does – or doesn’t – happen in that Edmonton boardroom tomorrow, public scrutiny will be immediate, and intense. Canadian Soccer News will make sure the story gets told, and the word keeps spreading.
    Keep talking, keep rallying, and let’s all just strive to be proud of ourselves when this long, annoying day is done.
    Never forget how wonderful it is to watch young Canadians discover the sport of soccer – and realize the game will go on, regardless of Mario Charpentier, Mike Traficante, Chris Billings, Dominique Maestracci and anyone else on either side of this chronic, embarrassing dispute.
    Let’s all go have a really good Friday.
    Onward!
    Guest
    We're a couple days late getting to this, but it bares mentioning that the Portland Timbers coach John Spencer told MLS Soccer's Extra Time radio earlier this week that the oft-rumoured Cascadia pre-season tournament is a go for March.
    And while the label 'Cascadia Rivalry Week' has been widely mocked and dismissed as amateurish, supporters are reacting positively to the idea of a week long round robin tournament held in Seattle at the Starfire Sports Complex.
    No dates have been confirmed (although this is a pretty good indication) and the Vancouver Whitecaps have not offered any official comment yet, but Spencer sets a pretty high bar of expectations for MLS pre-season games.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    What do you think? Will you be attending some of the Cascadia games? Would you like to see other regional MLS teams putting on such pre-season tournaments? Or should things grow more organically?
    Guest
    Perhaps it's fitting that the man now tutoring striker Iain Hume is mildly famous for once having talked a suicidal woman off the Humber Bridge.
    Hume delivered new manager Phil Brown an immediate gift the past weekend, scoring an injury-time equalizer - his second goal in three matches and fifth this season - against Leicester City to give relegation-threatened Preston North End a valuable 1-1 draw.
    One league match is far too early to draw conclusions about the flourishing relationship between manager and player. But I can't deny that upon learning of Brown's appointment at Preston I fantasized over Hume convincing him to one day take the reigns of the Canadian mens' team, and how his amateur psychology skills would be put to such excellent use treating the team's hardcore supporters.
    But Canada has a manager, and the bigger implication from Hume's continued good form is that he is playing himself into the starting eleven for Canada's upcoming friendly against Greece.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Writing about Canadian strikers that aren't Simeon Jackson can be a delicate matter at Some Canadian Guys, given that my colleagues would nominate him for FIFA player of the year if they could. But starting spots should go to players who are playing and scoring, and Jackson is doing not much of the former and even less of the latter.
    Here's what the Guardian said about Hume's performance:
    Ok. That dampens somewhat the enthusiasm for a vital injury-time goal, but rather than dwelling on how many goals Hume didn't score let's focus on the one he did. The one confirmed call-up for the Greece friendly at striker is Olivier Occean. He got off to a great start in the German 3rd division this season, but that's also part of the problem. He plays in the German 3rd division.Other notable Concacaf and Canadian performances abroad the past weekend:

    Pedro Pacheco won his first start of the year for Santa Clara in the Portuguese second division. He played 85 minutes in 1-1 draw against Freamunde in an apparent midfield attacking role. This builds on two recent substitute appearances and maybe indicates a more permanent role in the side.


    David Edgar came on as a 85th minute sub for Burnley in a 0-0 draw with Queen's Park Rangers. Those five or so precious minutes rank alongside the injury time runout against Sheffield United on Jan 1 as the first time Edgar has seen the pitch since a substitute appearance also against Sheff. Utd way back on October 16.


    Julian Uccello made his first start of the season playing the full 90 minutes in a 5-0 thumping by Pro Patria. Wait, Pro Patria doesn't play in Serie B, and it turns out neither does Julian Uccello at the moment. He's on loan to Casale Calcio in the Lega Pro Seconda Divisione A (the Italian fourth division). Am I happy to have another striker in the national team player pool demoted to a lower league? No. But based on the work Uccello put in to get to Italy in the first place, I'm sure he'll ride this opportunity with everything he's got.


    Canada's eternal Concacaf rival Honduras has placed another player in Europe's top leagues. Georgie Welcome left the Honduran squad early at the Copa Centroamerica to complete his physical and sign papers with French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco.

    Guest
    If you're a fan of Toronto FC, you've likely heard of Rohan Ricketts. If you're a TFC fan who uses Twitter, then you've definitely heard of him.
    Ricketts was under contract in Toronto for about a year and a half, but unlike other former players he's one that is hard to forget, probably because he wont let you.
    The Englishman has become far more known for his self-promotion on Twitter and other means of new media than he ever was for his actual playing time as a Red.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Sure, he showed flashes of intelligence on the pitch, including a couple of multi-goal games at BMO Field, but overall he was just one of the many promising foreigners brought in by Mo Johnston who contributed to an entirely underwhelming TFC side.
    One way Ricketts did stand out was his personality. He was as outspoken as they come, and having experienced a cup of coffee at the highest levels of club soccer - he was a trainee at Arsenal and was actually Player of the Month for Spurs many moons ago - he always had something to say about the state of soccer, both here and abroad.
    Since leaving TFC, he has actually carved himself a nice side-venture as an insider of big time European football, getting himself gigs with Sabotage Times, The Mirror, Fan 590, and even ESPN.
    There's nothing wrong with a player branching out in the media, and Ricketts clearly has a knack for it. But when the "player" part becomes less important, that's when the credibility starts to slip.
    Yet Ricketts still fancied himself a player, and traveled all over Europe to pursue that. Throughout his brief stopovers in places like Hungary and Moldova, he was Tweeting and blogging away, spending more time focused on telling the football world about himself rather than showing the world.
    So while he was dishing out advice to all and sundry about the "truth" about the game and the importance of keeping an eye on the prize, he seemed to be ignoring his own advice.
    Surely, a 28-year-old trained at Arsenal and with actual Premiership playing experience with Tottenham can land a job somewhere, can't he?
    Not with outbursts like the following, from his Twitter feed just a few hours ago (unedited):
    There's nothing published that indicates what exactly Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill said to set Ricketts off like that, but it becomes easier to see why Ricketts is having a hard time of things in Europe. Regardless of what was said, Ricketts should know better than to air grievances out when trying to secure a contract.It's not like this is the first time it has happened, either. When it became clear that his playing time with TFC would be diminishing with the arrival of Dwayne De Rosario in 2009, he took to Twitter to complain about it. To no one's surprise, he was gone from the team not too long afterward.
    With all of this in mind, it's a wonder how he hasn't been completely blacklisted from the sport.
    Well it seems that he is indeed on trial right now. In Germany, actually.
    But while even Edson Buddle - once the MLS poster child for not living up to potential - can catch on in the second tier of German soccer, Ricketts, who has done the exact opposite (started at the top and worked his way down), is now trying out for a Regionalliga West side known as SV Eintracht Trier 05*.
    The Regionalliga West is the fourth tier in the German pyramid.
    To say that Ricketts has lost sight of what is supposed to be most important to him is a massive understatement. He claims to love the game more than anything else, and yet he has allowed his "media personality" to take centre stage while his prime playing years continue to slip by.
    At least he'll have Twitter.
    * Update: Ricketts did not impress in his half game with SVE, and has already left the club. (Hat tip to Ed from the Voyageurs)

    Some other transfer talk from around Europe on Tuesday and Wednesday:
    England

    Aston Villa set to raise bid for Blackpool's Charlie Adam.
    Chelsea may offer player to seal the deal for Benfica's David Luiz.
    Reading sign duo Sean Morrison and Brett Williams.
    Shaun Wright-Phillips in talks over Fulham move from Man City.
    Tottenham interested in Mark Van Bommel.
    Zoltan Gera considers move away from Fulham.

    Scotland

    Rangers and Celtic battle for Derby's Kris Commons.
    Celtic keen on Everton striker James Vaughan.

    Greece

    Aris signs Nery Castillo on six-month loan.

    Germany

    Hoffenheim's offer for Ryan Babel was accepted by Liverpool.
    American defender Sachir Hot on trial at 'Gladbach.

    Switzerland

    Swedish midfielder Alexander Farnerud moves to Young Boys from Brondby.

    Guest
    The Canadian u23 squad lost 4-0 in a closed door friendly against the USA (mostly) domestic senior side yesterday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Clearly not the best result, but one has to consider that the Canadians were playing a full senior team, albeit one that is far from the American's best. So, the Canadian Olympic team (minus some Euros) lost big to the US non-Confederation Cup qualifying Gold Cup team.
    The USMNT Facebook page has been nice enough to post some photos.
    You don't want to know that Teal Bunbury scored. Mikkel Diskerud, Chris Wondolowski and Alejandro Bedoya too.
    Guest
    Eric Cantona is trending worldwide on Twitter today.
    Although that has nothing to do with MLS or football in general, it’s the first thing you need to wrap your head around when trying to come to grips with the New York Cosmos story.
    Cantona, one of the game’s true legends, has been out of the game for nearly 15 years and has no managerial experience. Yet, the New York Cosmos, a team that hasn’t existed in more than 25 years, has hired Cantona to run the club. Except there really isn’t a club -- it’s an idea, possibly unworkable, rather than anything tangible.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Confused yet? Don’t worry if you are because understanding what exactly the New York Cosmos are could baffle even the most astute of observers. However, one thing is clear – they, whatever they are, know how to get attention.
    Moments after today’s announcement that Cantona was joining, Prajwal Melanta, a Manchester United fan from Mumbai, Tweeted “Ok its official. From now on I’ll try to follow MLS and support NY Cosmos. Reason simple KING ERIC to be in charge of that team .” So, there you go. The subcontinent market is covered.
    But It’s not just guys in India that are excited. There has always been a subsection of American soccer fans that have been more attracted by the idea of the Cosmos than the reality of the Red Bulls. The Cosmos are setting themselves up to be the MLS team that people that hate MLS can love.
    It’s easy to be cynical about the Cosmos (and we will get to those reasons in a minute), but you do have to give them a little credit. Bringing back Pele and hiring Cantona does keep the momentum going for the return of the Cosmos. Since Don Garber has often said that he favours a second team in the New York market and the Red Bulls have indicated that they have no problem with some local competition, you would think that the Cosmos have moved to the front of the line for the 20th MLS spot, which could come as early as 2012.
    As much as some want to dismiss the importance of bringing the Cosmos name back to the mainstream of American sports, it’s difficult to argue that it wouldn’t have an impact. Just look at the amount of attention a team without players has already received. In the mind of most sports editors, the Cosmos evoke memories of Studio 54 and more glamorous times. Red Bull reminds them of their layabout, deadbeat son playing video games in the basement all day. That matters.
    Still, as many others have said by now, the problem comes when the hype of the Cosmos gives way to the reality of the club circa 2012. Signing Cantona is exciting. Watching Cantona sign Marco Velez, less so.
    There is also the fair criticism of why the Cosmos are focused on big name managerial signings rather than the nitty-gritty of getting a stadium approved and working with MLS to approve them as an expansion side. MLS should likely be worried that the ownership group behind the Cosmos thinks it can ignore the salary cap and build a super team. That doesn’t seem like they want to be team players in this whole slow and steady growth thing.
    And then there is the sneaky suspicion that all this is just an elaborate scheme to sell jerseys and that the Cosmos know that they won’t be granted a MLS team. That can’t be true, can it?
    Guest
    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...
    Really pedantic question that makes me crazy - why are keepers often allowed to step just a little bit outside the box when making a drop kick. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]It's like the logic in hockey that says it's not icing if you dump the puck in from 6-inches behind the red line.
    Shouldn't hands outside the box be called really strict since the rule speaks to the very essence of the game? -- Duane Rollins
    For a good explanation as to why Rollins and I frequently don't see eye-to-eye on subjects, look no further than his usage of the word "pedantic". While he regularly uses the word in a pejorative sense, I relish the opportunity to get pedantic about, well, just about anything. So to start off here, a clarification: If the keeper steps outside of the penalty area on a drop kick, but has already released the ball from their hands prior to it breaking the "invisible plane" of the penalty area, then no foul has been committed.
    Now, I was a keeper myself, so while I'd like to say the 'keepers should be given the benefit of the doubt in this situation, Duane is right in that the rule about where players can and can't handle the ball speaks to the very essence of the game. So, as soon as the whole of the ball (on the field or in the air) is entirely outside of the penalty area, any player should be penalized for deliberately handling it -- even if it's the keeper who's in the process of releasing it from his/her hands for a drop kick.
    Referee positioning is often an issue, however. It's nearly impossible for the centre ref to judge whether the keeper's released the ball by the time it breaks the invisible plane. It's technically the assistant referee's job to monitor this (and flag if an infringement occurs), but more often than not, the AR either isn't in the correct position to properly evaluate it, or they, as I said, give the keeper the benefit of the doubt.
    But Duane, let's be real here. You're not asking this question because you're concerned about the spiritual essence of the game. My guess is that you're still pissed off about some USIL game when you lost track of where you were, accidentally grabbed the ball outside the area and the ref -- about whose physical appearance and sexual proclivities you'd surely already make mention -- had the nerve (the nerve!) to actually call it. Then Gary Jambo thumped one past you on the ensuing free kick.
    But now, to hide that damning reality, you're pretending to be a champion of the strict, pedantic enforcement of the Laws as written. I'm not falling for that trick. I'm a ref, Rollins. I perceive things. I can see all. (Well, except for whether the keeper has handled outside the area... then it's a bit of a crapshoot).
    What's the formal process on opening kickoffs? There always seems to be one player who nudges the ball to another player who then passes back to a third player on their team. How much of this process is merely semantics and how much is, by-the-book, proper kickoff procedure? For instance, can the first player take a shot on net without nudging the ball to a second player? -- mulliganl
    While 99 times out of 100, a kickoff will entail the short tap-ahead, followed by a pass back to another player, every once in a while, you'll see something like this:


    That's a legit goal, as the Laws state that a goal may be scored on a kickoff. However, this would be an idiotic way for most teams to take kickoffs, as the chances of scoring off of one are incredibly low (unless the opposing keeper is named Rollins). The Laws, though, state that "the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward". In other words, you can't pass the ball backwards on the first touch.
    Hence, we have the nearly-automatic procedure of one player tapping it half an inch ahead to a teammate, whereupon the teammate passes it backwards. It conforms to the Laws, and it allows the team to keep possession. I don't know why FIFA bothers with the rule about putting the kickoff forward, since it's circumvented nearly 100% of the time anyway. Weird for FIFA to be unattentive to the contemporary realities of the on-field game, I know.
    (On a side note, I truly wish someone would enlighten house league youth players [more specifically, parents and coaches] about this rule, so that the kids would stop being praised and rewarded for counter-productively hoofing the kickoff to the opposing defenders.)
    Oh, and if you've ever wondered, the centre circle's sole purpose is to give opposing players a visual cue as to how close they can be on a kickoff (like any other set piece, opposing players need to provide 10 yards of distance between themselves and the ball until it's kicked).
    What is the proper procedure on a throw-in? I know it has to go directly over your head and both feet have to be on the ground. But is there a rule stating where your feet have to be placed; both behind the line, can be just on the line, can have one over the line. -- zooko62000
    Oh baby, it's Pedantic City! Law 15, take us away:
    "At the moment of delivering the ball, the thrower:
    • faces the field of play
    • has part of each foot either on the touch line or on the ground outside the touch line
    • holds the ball with both hands
    • delivers the ball from behind and over his head
    • delivers the ball from the point where it left the field of play"
    So, as long as you don't have either of your feet completely over the touch line, you're golden.
    But how about this?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb5Vx1BsHmQ
    While most can agree that demolishing a 12-year-old's face with the ball ain't really kosher, the so-called "flip throw", demonstrated above, has been a source of confusion for some people. Let's try to clear it up.
    The advice given to American refs states that "The acrobatic or “flip” throw-in is not by itself an infringement so long as it is performed in a manner which meets the requirements of Law 15." Refs Chuck Fleischer and Michelle Maloney have also categorically denied any ban on the flip throw, so long as the throw itself is taken in line with correct procedure.
    The kid above... facing the field, check. Feet behind the touch line, check. Both hands, check. Behind and over his head, check. Proper placement, check. But can he really wallop his opponent in the face like that? Depends on the referee's discretion: "If a player, while correctly taking a throw-in, intentionally throws the ball at an opponent in order to play the ball again but neither in a careless nor a reckless manner nor using excessive force, the referee must allow play to continue."
    So while I doubt that the kid there really had any malice, generally speaking, attempting to decapitate your opponents is a no-no.
    That's it for this week. Send me an email at canadiansoccerguys@gmail.com, and your query may turn up in the next edition of Don't Fight The Laws.
    Guest
    Steve Nash. Off the top of my head, he's the only high-profile, genuine celebrity Canadian soccer fan I can think of. And I don't know if he's even been to an MNT game recently. Plus he's a Spurs fan. Ugh.
    This is an issue for Canadian soccer.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It all stems from the old, tired problem that Canadian soccer (not "soccer in Canada" but Canadian soccer, played by the Canadian national team) isn't cool. It's cool, for some reason, to be Canadian and cheer for Italy or Brazil, for some reason, and there's even some cache to be found in supporting some an obscure country to which you have tenuous - or entirely made-up – ancestral ties. ("Yeah, my grandma is one-fifteenth Burkina Faso...nian. So I bought the jersey on eBay. Moumouni Dagano is the best!")
    But it's not cool to support Les Rouges.
    Well, you know what is cool? Celebrities! If celebrities have one use in this world (and that's a stretch) it's their power to bring attention to under-appreciated causes, like kabbalah, the South Beach Diet and Scientology. Why can't we add Canadian soccer to that list?
    Imagine this: The CSA holds a press conference to unveil the national teams' new jerseys. The lights go down. The bass starts thumping. The dry ice drifts onto the stage. Suddenly – Lasers! Strobe lights! Fireballs! And when the smoke clears, who's standing there wearing the spankin' new Umbro kit? Pamela Freaking Anderson and, I don't know, Michael Bublé or something. Whammo! That, my friends, is gonna be in the next issue of Hello magazine.
    Then the buzz starts building. Next thing you know, Chad Kroeger's wearing a Simeon Jackson T-shirt at the next Nickelback concert (they're still touring and stuff, right?), Elisha Cuthbert is dating Will Johnson and Kara Lang starts her retirement by landing her own show on the CBC. From there it's only a matter of time until, at the next WCQ match at BMO Field, we look up from the south stand and who do we see in a private box, his V's scarf carefully choreographed around his neck? Justin Motherfucking Beiber.
    Actually qualifying for Brazil 2014 would be a mere formality at that point.
    Now, this all may be so much smart-ass hyperbole, but there's a grain of truth. If we can get one or two genuinely famous genuine Canadian soccer fans, we'd be better off. If someone who has the ear of the tabloids actually drops a "big up" (as the kids say) for the Canadian national teams, think of how many people that would reach. Far, far more than a post on this blog would, to be sure. While a respected and well-informed personality like Jason DeVos can promote and talk up Canadian soccer 'till he's blue in the face, he's generally preaching to the choir. On the other hand, an idiot celebrity who doesn't know his Onstad's from his offsides, but is favourite fodder for trashy media, can actually raise a bit of awareness beyond the converted.
    I know the hardcores out there will loathe the idea of hoardes of douchebag poseurs riding a (at present hypothetical) wave of support for Canada because celebs made it trendy and cool, but, well, too damn bad. Canada needs the visibility, the money and the pro-Canada fan support – even if it's just asses in seats. From there, things can only get better.
    The U.S. has Drew Carey (who, I realize, isn't "cool," but at least he can spread the footie-lovin' word on late-night talk shows) and even Barack Obama. Who do we have? Steven Harper? That doesn't count. We need someone famous – the sooner, the better.
    So start thinking: Are there any famous Canadian soccer fans out there?*
    (*Note: Matthew Good is ineligible.)
    Photo credit: chris_heald
    Guest

    Plus que 2 semaines

    By Guest, in Le12eJoueur,

    Je vous l'avouerai : les nouvelles de l'Impact ne coulent pas à flots ici, à Montréal.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    L'Impact a signé son capitaine Nevio Pizzolito et son partenaire en défense Hicham Aaboubou, portant à 13 le nombre de joueurs confirmés pour la saison 2011.
    L'organisation a également assisté au SuperDraft 2011 de la MLS, mais dans un rôle de pur spectateur. Comme la plupart de mes collègues de CanadianSoccerNews, je l'ai regardé attentivement. Je n'avais pas vraiment d'émotions en regardant les joueurs se faire choisir par les clubs. J'étais simplement impatient. Impatient que ce soit au tour de l'Impact d'annoncer son premier choix.
    J'imagine que l'organisation montréalaise devait se sentir comme ça eux aussi.
    Don Garber semblait également bien optimiste quant à la préparation du club en vue de la saison 2012


    "They’re very active in their television negotations, sponsorship sales…they’ve not yet started in ticket sales but it’s gonna be another great MLS team"
    Camp d'entraînement
    Le camp d'entraînement débutera le 1er février au Complexe Bell, et on aura enfin (moi, en tout cas!) un certain engouement "soccer" à Montréal.
    L'engouement explosera probablement au moment où l'équipe fera le voyage en Arizona pour les matchs préparatoires contre le Portland Timbers, le Sporting Kansas City et le LA Galaxy. Un très bon avant-goût de ce qui nous attendra lors de la saison inaugurale en MLS.
    Il s'agira d'une préparation bien plus excitante que celle des années précédentes alors que l'Impact affrontait des clubs quasi inconnus du Portugal.
    Alors, d'ici le 1er février, on continue à espérer. Espérer à une saison 2011 qui passe vite. Bien vite!
    Guest
    Personally I haven't the slightest clue about the players selected by the Whitecaps in the supplemental draft, but here is the official release from the club.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC selected New Zealand international defender Michael Boxall as the first overall pick in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft on Tuesday morning. The club then used their two other picks to select Canadian midfielder Joe Anderson (19th overall) and American defender Santiago Bedoya (37th overall).
    Boxall, 22, comes to Vancouver after four seasons at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defender started 75 of his 78 appearances for the Gauchos and contributed offensively by scoring one goal and adding five assists. The native of Auckland, New Zealand, has represented his country at the U-20, U-23, and senior international levels. Boxall earned two senior caps with New Zealand during the 2006 Agribank Cup in Vietnam and started two matches during the 2008 Men's Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing, China. He also made three starts for the All Whites during the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.
    Anderson, 24, joins Whitecaps FC after completing his junior and senior years at Coastal Carolina University. The native of Brampton, Ontario, made 55 appearances in his two years with the Chanticleers, scoring 10 goals and adding one assist. Prior to joining Coastal Carolina, the 6-foot-1, 155-pound midfielder attended Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a member of the Golden Eagles, Anderson was named to the All-Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Second Team at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school.
    Bedoya, 22, joins the Blue and White after four seasons at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. The native of Weston, Florida, made 76 total appearances for the Huskies for 6,107 minutes of action, scoring three goals and recording nine assists. The 5-foot-8, 155-pound defender was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) First Team in 2009 and the All-CAA Second Team in 2010.
    Listed below are their vitals
    Michael Boxall
    Position: Defender
    Height: 6-02
    Weight: 200
    Born: August 18, 1988, in Auckland, New Zealand
    Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
    College: University of California, Santa Barbara
    Citizenship: New Zealand
    How Acquired: Selected first overall in MLS Supplemental Draft on January 18, 2011
    Joe Anderson
    Position: Midfielder
    Height: 6-01
    Weight: 155
    Born: June 21, 1986, in Brampton, Ontario
    Hometown: Brampton, Ontario
    College: Coastal Carolina University
    Citizenship: Canada
    How Acquired: Selected 19th overall in MLS Supplemental Draft on January 18, 2011
    Santiago Bedoya
    Position: Defender
    Height: 5-08
    Weight: 155
    Born: January 18, 1989, in Weston, Florida
    Hometown: Weston, Florida
    College: Northeastern University
    Citizenship: United States
    How Acquired: Selected 37th overall in MLS Supplemental Draft on January 18, 2011
    Guest
    Canadian national team fans of all stripes can find common ground with supporters of Blackburn Rovers over their increasingly impatient wait for the arrival of the Junior Hoilett that has been promised for so long. He's been called a wunderkid, he's been touted for great stardom, he even managed to make Sam Allardyce get his lumpy self on a plane to Brampton to talk the Hoilett clan into signing a long-term deal with Rovers.
    But that's all promise, not payoff. He was supposed to breakout last year, but found himself eclipsed by other Blackburn youngsters, including Swede Martin Olsson. While not awesome, Hoilett had been able. But supporters have been waiting for the sparkling match-winner they've been promised.
    Maybe he's finally here.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    In the past few weeks we've seen a different Junior Hoilett from last year. He's been more confident, more imposing and more important to Blackburn's efforts. The bulk of his 13 appearances so far this year showed how well he's growing as a player – especially his game-winner-scoring man-of-the-match performance in the FA Cup against QPR.
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    A strong performance against Liverpool this month again showed that Hoilett is worth of the minutes he's getting. Good timing, too, since Blackburn's recent takeover by the McNugget farmers at Venky's – and the sacking of Sam Allardyce – left the Canadian on shaky ground at Ewood Park.
    But Junior earned praise from veteran Blackburn defender Michel Salgado, who says having a player like Hoilett around is "great for the club." More importantly, he's got the support of Rovers' new manager, with Steve Kean saying he believes Hoilett has a bright future with the club.
    For Keane, the stutter in Hoilett's development has been a confidence issue. "I think there have been times when he’s played, last season, and things haven’t happened for him early in the game and he’s gone into this shell a little bit," he said, as reported in the Lancashire Telegraph. But Hoilett's current form – and the confidence boost he should get from it – may be a tonic for such youthful woes.
    But the club having faith in the young man, and the club waiting around for Hoilett to get start firing on all pistons are two different things. And the recent loan signing of Man City spare part Roque Santa Cruz suggests that Keane isn't keen (see what I did, there?) to leave any question marks up front.
    The imposition of a big-money international acting as a road block in Hoilett's path to the starting XI at Rovers could do one of two things: force Junior back into that shell, or spur him on to better performances. Only time will tell, but here's hoping that these latest performances haven't been mere blips. Here's hoping that we're starting to see the real Junior Hoilett.
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