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    Guest
    Long Balls originally intended to discuss whether Jamie Peters' two recent starts at rightback for Ipswich Town make him the definitive choice at that position for Canada's friendly with Greece next month, but decided instead to engage in irresponsible speculation about what Ronaldinho could have taught maybe-Canadian striker David Hoilett at Blackburn.
    Brushing aside that the Brazilian was never going remotely near northwest England - as well as the wisdom of focusing on a player who refuses to clarify his Canada future over one who repeatedly answers the call - away we go.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Ronaldinho is famous for many things, but two incidents sum up his career nicely. One is the long, slaloming run through the Real Madrid defence in the 2005 El Clasico that earned him one of only two standing ovations the Bernabeu crowd has ever offered an opposing player. The second is how in 2007 he allegedly partied until 11am in a Rio de Janeiro nightclub, and then snuck out in the trunk of a car to avoid the paparazzi.
    If even a fraction of the moves Ronnie displayed at the peak of his Barca powers had rubbed off on Hoilett, well, that would be simply fantastic for the Canada program (or for the Jamaica one). But the Brazilian's acute knowledge of the European nightclub scene is also something Hoilett could share with his teammates to energize those lonely nights on Canada duty in Macedonia and Estonia. An added bonus: the Canucks could spend the dawn hours gyrating to the "Final Countdown" and stroll confidently out into the morning sun, as media rarely cover them on the football pitch, nevermind off of it.
    But the last thing Canada supporters would want to rub off on young Hoilett is Ronnie's misjudged sense of career longevity. What good would it do for Hoilett to win man of the tournament in the 2011 Gold Cup if by 2012 he retired prematurely due to drugs, hookers and extra poundage?

    *************


    Jamie Peters' two appearances last week at rightback for Ipswich didn't turn heads, but he's the only Canadian player besides natural midfielder Atiba Hutchinson getting minutes at this position. And Canada needs somebody new at this position. Yes, Paul Stalteri is on in years, but the biggest reason he should make way in Canada's starting eleven is that he now rarely plays with his club. Simple as that.

    *************


    Long Balls missed it last week, but on Boxing Day Wigan took to the pitch for the first time in 100 matches without a Honduran in their lineup. Both Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas were suspended for the match, killing a streak that dates all the way back to January 2008, when Wigan signed Wilson Palacios. If this doesn't settle it, nothing does: outside of Honduras, DW Stadium is officially the second-most Catracho-friendly stadium in the world, after Stade Saputo.
    Guest

    Transfer Talk: The Trouble with Twitter

    By Guest, in Euro File,

    Players in the English fourth tier don't usually get much attention during the transfer window, but today Marvin Morgan grabbed at least a little of the spotlight.
    Morgan, a striker with League Two's Aldershot Town, was fined two weeks' salary and placed on the transfer list by the club following a Twitter post that berated Aldershot fans for voicing their displeasure in a match on Monday.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    From Morgan's Twitter account after an Aldershot 2-1 loss to Hereford (emphasis mine):
    Nice sentiment.
    Morgan apparently apologized for the outburst, but Aldershot proceeded with the disciplinary action as they found his words to be against club values.
    Ultimately, Morgan paid the price for what was likely just a momentary outburst of emotion.
    This isn't the first time a player's Twitter account has gotten him into trouble with management. Just last week, Newcastle defender Jose Enrique announced that he would be missing a match against Tottenham due to injury, a vital bit of information that manager Alan Pardew had hoped to keep from his club's opponent until the last possible moment.
    Enrique deleted the Tweets about his injury shortly afterward, but at that point the cat was already out of the bag.
    Pardew said that while it's hard to keep players off social networks, he would like his players to refrain from releasing information that could affect the club competitively.
    "It’s something as a club we need to look at. Players can’t be giving that sort of information out," he told the Associated Press. "We need to make it as a club policy that it has to stop.”
    As social networks become more commonplace in everyone's lives, high-profile athletes will need to learn another level of discretion that simply was not required even five years ago. Information moves around now faster than it ever has, and even the slightest slip could become costly.
    Many clubs - across all sports - have instituted social networking policies, with some banning their players from the new media outright. Just as many "regular" professional environments are trying to adapt to the changing ways that people share information, so are high profile sports teams.
    And while we as fans love the added layer of access that social media provides to our favourite stars, it's not hard to see why such unprecedented access could present unforeseen problems, not only for team management, but ultimately for the players themselves.

    Some other transfer talk around Europe on Wednesday:
    England

    Aston Villa are interested in 20-year-old Tottenham defender Kyle Walker.
    Hatem Ben Arfa is now permanent property of Newcastle United, having impressed on a loan spell from Marseille.
    Nottingham Forest has completed the transfer of Marcus Tudgay from Sheffield Wednesday. Tudgay was previously on loan at Forest.
    Birmingham City have contacted Tottenham about acquiring Robbie Keane.
    Stephen Warnock is pondering a move away from Villa after being dropped from the starting XI.
    Arsenal is considering loaning Mexican Carlos Vela to Bolton Wanderers. Owen Coyle had expressed interest in the move earlier this week.

    Italy

    Fiorentina is set to swoop on Brazilian keeper Neto.
    Genoa has agreed to a transfer of Slovakian midfielder Juraj Kucka from Sparta Prague.

    Scotland

    Aberdeen is hoping to get Nick Blackman on loan from Blackburn Rovers.
    Celtic is interested in signing SK Brann's Erik Huseklepp.

    Turkey

    Colin Kazim-Richards moves to Galatasaray from Fenerbahce.

    Czech Republic

    Tomas Zapotocny transfers from Besiktas to Sparta Prague.

    Ukraine

    Metalist Kharkiv signed Jonathan Cristaldo from Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.

    Guest
    La saison morte est enfin terminée pour l'Impact de Montréal.
    À quelques semaines du début du camp d'entraînement, l'organisation a confirmé le retour de son capitaine et vétéran Nevio Pizzolito.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Le défenseur de 34 ans entamera donc une 17e saison avec l'Impact (et une 18e en carrière) avec l'espoir de faire partie de l'équipe en 2012. Mais comme tout bon athlète professionnel approchant la retraite, il a préféré utiliser le cliché du "on prend une année à la fois" :
    « J’aimerais bien faire le saut avec le club en MLS, mais j’aborde une année à la fois. Après la saison 2011, je serai honnête avec moi-même. Je regarderai si je suis en mesure de poursuivre ma carrière. »
    Et qui pourrait-lui en vouloir ?
    Nevio Pizzolito est loin d'être le joueur le plus aimé de ses adversaires, mais il est sans doute adoré de ses coéquipiers (c'est peut-être le partisan en moi qui a écrit ça). Pizzolito a été et demeure un leader incontesté de l'équipe. Il reste maintenant à voir s'il pourra mener son équipe à un 4e titre.
    Après ça, on verra s'il pourra s'occuper de mener son équipe en MLS. Une année à la fois, comme il l'a dit.
    Guest
    First off, a big hat tip to our friend in Montreal for the idea.
    I had a couple hours of down time Wednesday night and wondered how I might actually confirm what everybody knows already.
    So, instead of crashing all the restaurants in the downtown area, I thought I'd call around to some of the Toronto hotels to see if a Paul Mariner and an Aron Winter had checked in anywhere.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I started with the Weston, known in the past to house MLS away teams, and worked my way West towards the ACC.
    It honestly didn't take very long. Under 20 calls. I won't tell you what hotel they're staying at - I'd probably never get another interview at TFC if I did - but I will say they won't have a far walk to the ACC for tomorrow's press conference
    It was especially nice of MLSE to check them in under their government names. And it was even nicer of the front desk staff to put me directly through, without questioning, to the rooms of the two men charged with bringing about a culture change at TFC.
    I called first at 7 - once for Paul Mariner, immediately after (with my British voice) for Aron Winter. Both went to voice mail.
    I saw this tweet from Paul Beirne not long after and decided to wait until 9 to call again - dinner takes about two hours right? I guess they had something to celebrate because neither was answering their phone by 9:30 pm.
    Just about to give up and rush out the door to watch the final moments of the Canadian juniors game, I suddenly had the urge to call Winter one more time.
    "Aron Winter's room please"
    1 ring. 2 ring. 3 ring.
    "Hello"
    Holy shit.
    Me: "Hello is this Aron Winter?"
    AW: "Yes."
    Me: "Aron Winter of Toronto FC?"
    AW: "Um, yes, I guess it is."
    The journalist in me could have asked him a million things at that moment.
    Who do you want to cut? What are your plans for the expansion draft? How long do you think it will take to get the team playing Total Football?
    Me: "Do you have a few minutes for some questions Mr. Winter. I'll understand if you are just settling in for bed."
    AW: "I am just settling in for bed. There will be plenty of time for questions tomorrow though."
    Me: "I understand sir. Let me be the first to welcome you to Toronto then."
    AW: "Thank you very much. Very kind. I am happy to be here."
    And that was it. Nothing groundbreaking. Just a 30 second conversation with the new head coach of Toronto FC. I passed on the urge to call Mariner again - I wasn't going to press my luck.
    I had confirmed what I set out to - what everybody knew anyways - the Winter and Mariner show is here.
    And it opens Thursday.
    Guest
    Welcome to the new year, footie fiends. With it being Wednesday, it's time to roll out a new edition of Don't Fight The Laws, wherein I'd usually combine my years of refereeing experience with my years of being a smartass to answer your questions about the Laws of the Game, recent controversial decisions and any general queries about referees and what they do.
    Trouble is, with everyone having been in a holiday haze for the past few weeks (that's what happens when you put Baileys in your morning coffee), I haven't received any questions as of late. So to make this column a success (or anything at all, really), I'll need your help. Send any and all questions about refs, rules and really bad calls over to canadiansoccerguys@gmail.com, and I'll endeavour to provide a response in an upcoming edition of DFTL.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Beyond soliciting material, I suppose there's no particular point to this installment of the column, other than to show off my spiffy new graphic. Thanks, Jean!
    Guest
    Editor: When CSN first met Pierce Lang he politely asked us to not stress that he was Kara Lang's brother. Fair enough, as a writer he should be given the chance to stand on his own terms. Today, however, I'm sure big brother would be just fine with the association. The following is his account of his sister's remarkable (but too short) career - DR
    At just a mere 24 years old the Canadian International and Vancouver Whitecap is calling it a career. [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It is a pretty simple choice when you really take a look at it. Like step back and really take a look at it. Play on through the pain everyday to risk further injury, or lead a relatively normal life like everyone else your age. Aside from a Championship on the World Stage almost everything has been ticked off your list before the age of 25. Not even at the quarter century mark of your life and suffering from agonizing arthritis in your knee with the prospects of full surgical replacement by age 35. It was a decision that she made fairly quickly.
    When team doctors took Kara aside in Brazil and broke the news to her about the condition of her knee, and her bid to recover from yet another injury, she wasted very little time in making a decision in regards to her future in soccer and really life as an adult. She almost immediately told the teams coaching staff. The next day a team meeting was held where she announced her plans to her teammates, and returned to Toronto just in time for a lovely Christmas in Oakville.
    It's funny I know. It's so hard to imagine for those of us who have never been there, but always dreamed of the glory of representing our country internationally, or even playing in a game that actually meant something. Seemingly giving it all up before every drop of oil has been burned by the engine. It seems so absurd.
    She's a smart kid, and has always made good decisions. UCLA came knocking on the door just after the University of Tulsa and UTEP if I recall correctly. It would have been a few weeks into her Grade 9 year at St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Oakville. Basketball scholarships, the letters kept coming from all over the US, but it became quite clear after every additional training session at the National Soccer Centre in Vaughn, that soccer was in fact the path Kara was going down. Eventually she turned down North Carolina and accepted a scholarship to UCLA and was set to star on the soccer team. UCLA always seemed to come up short in the end, year after year. Kara's senior season was cut short by yet another injury.
    She did finish her studies though, and graduated from one of the top institutions in the U.S.
    Having been a regular on the national squad for the better part of a decade there isn't a whole lot she hasn't done as stated before. Her college team was consistently ranked in the top 10, usually in the top 3. Domestically she won club championships with both Vancouver and the Pali Blue of the W League. Personal records and awards are too many to name.
    So entering the WPS draft this year was going to be a big challenge. Still recovering from a recent operation she quickly fell from a potential top 5 pick, down to right off the radar for most clubs. That sort of thing will really put your career in perspective.
    Realizing that most teams were unwilling to risk a coveted international spot on their roster for a player who was likely to miss the first half of the season rehabbing a serious injury, Lang opted to sign with her former club in Vancouver.
    With the club realizing the marketing potential of bringing back such a familiar face to the lower mainland she was signed on as a player and a club ambassador. As one of her main tasks this past summer she was sent out into the community to speak about the benefits of physical activity for teenage girls. Then there were the camps and clinics for youth clubs and the like.
    Once she was finally back in form and match fit she was struck down by more injuries. The Whitecaps had to play their playoff run without Lang, Melissa Tancredi, and Jodi Anne Robinson, eventually losing to the Buffalo Flash in the League Final.
    I find it hard to believe that it was her level of play that had diminished so much as simply her physical inabilities held her back from doing what she wanted to do. She's using the same body as someone twice her age. She was never one to take no for an answer, or be told she couldn't do something. Everything in her life has been on her terms to an extent. She wasn't about to be told she wasn't good enough to make the roster. All you need to do is look at the line up for the recent Brazil tourney where she was brought on as a defender. Not simply because she could no longer do the job up front but because she was to valuable too leave behind.
    I've asked about a million times already and have always got an adamant "No!" in response from her. She has absolutely no desire to coach... but she's really into the Yoga...
    While I have a million memories I could share like the WAGS Tourneys in D.C. or National Tournament fights between Oakville and Burlington parents in Ottawa I think the best one is this.
    We used to have a Scotch Collie, her name was Lassie. Lassie was a pretty chilled out pet and we were tasked with walking her as per every parent/child "can we have a dog" agreement.
    Aside from that agreement, Kara (Grade 2) and I (Grade 5) had a side agreement. She held the leash and I scooped the poop. We would walk Lassie for a grand total of 3 minutes from our house to the nearest park and tie her to a bench.
    On one particular occasion Lassie performed her business almost immediately after we left our yard. We ditched the evidence in the big green barrel tied to the Park Sign, and went about with our usual tree climbing. Kara fell from her tree. Maybe 12-15 feet to the ground. Kara immediately broke out into tears. She begged me to take the leash and walk Lassie home but I reminded her of the stipulations of our agreement and refused. That little girl put on her bravest faced and ran that dog home as fast as she could before she burst into tears again just in time to get me in trouble before she left for the hospital.
    Turns out she'd broken her arm. The following week she still insisted on playing the other kind of football with us at recess.
    If anything this young lady is as tough as they come. If the pain was too much for her, you have to believe that it would be too much for anyone.
    Well done lil sis, we're all very proud.
    Guest
    Since the anger has died down a little, and the information is now widely available, it’s likely safe to compare MLS season ticket packages. First, a look at how the clubs compare at the low end:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    Seattle - $436
    Toronto $433
    Galaxy - $400
    Salt Lake $350
    Houston $334
    Columbus - $324
    New England - $234
    New York $320
    Vancouver $319
    Portland $300
    Philadelphia $290
    Kansas City $280
    San Jose - $240
    Colorado - $221.00
    Chicago - $199
    Chivas $180
    Dallas - $170
    DC United – $1 billion (since they don’t list prices on Web site, I had to guess).

    Now, the high end:

    DC United –$10 billion (since they don’t list prices on Web site, I had to guess).
    Galaxy - $3750
    New York - $3000
    Chicago - - $3000
    San Jose - - $2300
    Philadelphia - $2120
    Salt Lake - $1750
    Seattle - - $1642
    Toronto - $1562
    Houston - $1535
    Portland - $1500
    Vancouver - $1492
    Chivas - $1296
    Kansas City - $1250
    Colorado - $1190
    Dallas - $1080
    New England - $954
    Columbus - $684

    The bottom four all struggle with attendance, so you can see the basics of supply and demand at play. It’s also a little scary to think how little Columbus contributes to the overall revenue stream, but we shouldn’t belabour that point least we be accused of picking on the Crew.
    With the most second most expensive low end seats in the league, TFC will likely not be hurting next year when they implement their promised one year price freeze.
    For those that like to compare apples to oranges, here are the EPL prices (converted into loonies, which are pretty much the same as USD right now. Low end first, high second):

    Arsenal –$1396.13 – $2853.24
    Liverpool –$1063.12 – $1227.28
    Spurs –$1016.22 – $1837.02
    West Ham – $914.60 – $1297.64
    Chelsea – $859.88 – $1891.74
    Wolves – $816.10 – $984.95
    Man Utd – $802.03 – $1455.54
    Everton – $692.59 – $1542.34
    Man City – $656.64 – $805.16
    West Brom – $623.80 – $780.15
    Stoke City – $623.80 – $936.49
    Sunderland – $617.55 – $1321.09
    Blackpool – $597.23 – $687.90
    Bolton – $576.90 – $623.80
    Fulham –$576.90 – $1405.51
    Birmingham –$562.83 – $906.78
    Aston Villa – $547.20 – $1344.35
    Newcastle – $515.93 – $1524.33
    Wigan – $390.85 – $461.21
    Blackburn – $350.21 – $614.42

    It should be noted that the very best seats at the majority of EPL grounds are not available to be sold to the general public. So, the top end prices are not a direct comparison to the top end in MLS. They are still getting a hell of a deal at Wigan (well, other than the fact it’s Wigan)
    Guest
    Author’s note: Chris Billings was president of the Alberta Soccer Association until he was ousted in a boardroom uprising last spring.
    He wrote to me last night, answering all the questions I asked in my open letter of December 13, 2010.
    >>> Answers to two further questions -- submitted by a reader involving specific aspects of the charges against Billings -- will be published in a separate Canadian Soccer News story tomorrow morning.
    Presented as received, and without comment:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    ---
    1) Your brief term as ASA president has certainly stirred up a lot of accusations and controversy. Is there anything you feel you could or should have done better?
    Not sure that I would categorize the term as ‘brief’, as I was elected in January of 2009 and there were many positive changes in 2009 for the Association. In terms of the situation that ASA found itself in 2010, there is one item that certainly should have been considered further, and that is the involvement of the CSA Executive Committee. From the outset, the CSA stated that they would not become involved. They were well aware that the Membership had called for the removal of Mario Charpentier, Fred Kern, Colin Innes & company. The CSA was well aware of the April 24th meeting, and had been offered the opportunity to attend, if they so choose. The CSA instead repeated numerous times to both the Charpentier group, and the Membership of Alberta Soccer, that they would allow the matter to be sorted out internally; within the Province. Without external involvement. And the ASA Membership went forward, under the ASA Bylaws, to affect the changes that were put forth in the petition.
    However, the day after the decision on April 24th was reached by the Membership to remove Mr. Charpentier and company, the CSA Executive Committee reversed their previous stance, at [CSA director-at-large] Mike Traficante’s forceful persistence. If their involvement had been anticipated beforehand, then the Membership could have had the opportunity to address the matter with CSA. After April 24th they (and the new Board) got no opportunity to present their perspective to CSA prior to the CSA taking sides in the matter. If CSA had stood by their previous stance, the decisions reached on April 24th would have stood, and the Association would have moved forth from that point, at the will of the majority of the Membership.
    2) Was your support for the proposed CSA governance reforms a factor in your removal?
    Without question. The factor that does get overlooked at times is the elections to the CSA Board of Directors, in particular that of Mr. Traficante, whose term expires in May.
    3) As far as you know, did anyone from the CSA apply pressure to have you removed?
    Yes. After the decision of the Membership on April 24th, Mr. Traficante applied considerable pressure to the CSA Executive Committee, and continues to do so today.
    4) Should provincial association heads have any role on the CSA board, helping Canada qualify for the FIFA World Cup?
    A difficult, but very good question Ben. I know firsthand how much work has been put into the CSA Constitution by the CSA Bylaws Committee, and I certainly would not want to give an indication that I’m not supportive of their efforts. The individuals composing that committee have a great deal of knowledge as to how the Bylaws of a National sports organization should be structured.
    Being said, the qualification for a World Cup doesn’t come, strictly speaking from a financial perspective, without the support by the Provinces. As Gerry Dobson recently remarked on his year-end show, the number of fixtures that Canadian National teams play will be directly proportional to their overall performance on the CONCACAF and world stage. These international matches come at a cost of course. And as with any organization, those who contribute financially have an expectation, rightfully so, as to how the organization should be run. Finding the right balance in a Constitution between how the Provinces have their views heard and how a Board of Directors functions from that point is the key.
    In short however, the appointment of specific individuals to the CSA Board of Directors by virtue of their status within a Member Province doesn’t allow for their impartiality on the CSA Board. Even if the individual has the best interests, it doesn’t put aside the reality that the Provincial Membership has an expectation that their Provincial Association’s welfare is being looked after on the CSA Board of Directors. This simply cannot be overlooked.
    As far as a compromise whereby 3 Provincial Associations get representatives on a CSA Board of Directors, in order to allow the CSA Bylaws to pass, I think it would be a step in the wrong direction. Not only does it not solve the problem, it further compounds it democratically by quashing the opinions of 11 other Provincial & Territorial Members.
    5) It has been suggested that everyone involved in the ASA dispute should step aside, and an entirely new board be selected. Your thoughts on this, please?
    Ben, I think you would agree that the members need to be able to select an entirely new board. If everyone needs to step aside to do this, then they should. I am not going to say who should and should not run although I certainly have my own views about who is and who is not going to be able to keep the association together and do good by it.
    6) How well, in your opinion, is the ASA serving Alberta soccer at present?
    Clearly not too well at the moment...
    ---

    Canadian Soccer News invites both Mike Traficante and Mario Charpentier to respond. All responses will be considered on the record.
    Tomorrow, Billings offers a detailed refutation of the charges against him, and explains why he chose to go to court instead of relying on ASA and CSA appeals mechanisms.
    Onward!
    Related:
    Alberta: Bound
    An open letter to Mario Charpentier
    An open letter to Chris Billings
    An open letter to Mike Traficante
    A second open letter to Mario Charpentier
    Guest

    TFC looking at two young Canadians

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    CSN has learned that Toronto FC is close to signing two members of the Canadian u20 player pool.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It's being suggested that former TFC Academy stand-out Matt Stinson has decided to leave Winthrop University after his freshmen year and accept a home-grown contract with the Reds.
    Stinson was voted Most Valuable Player of the 2010 Winthrop team, the first freshmen to be named MVP since 1991. He was also selected to the Top 100 Freshmen in the NCAA by Top Drawer Soccer. He started in all 18 games, despite playing the majority of the season with a broken hand and finished tied for second on the team with three goals and six points. He played nearly 200 minutes more than any other player on the team and earned All-Big South Second Team honours as well as being named to the Big South All-Freshmen Team.
    One Canadian soccer insider told CSN that Stinson is likely one of the top 2 to 3 u20 players in Canada. He's said to have tremendous upside, with potential European possibilities down the road.
    The other likely signing is a less of a sure thing. Forward Jerome Baker was released from the Whitecaps residency program earlier this year (rumours suggest that it was a "personality conflict"), but Toronto appears ready to take a chance on him. The insider is less certain of Baker's potential.
    Baker would be brought in as a development player and would be primarily playing with the reserve side.
    Guest
    With Toronto’s impending introduction of Aron Winter and his Total Football compatriots we’ve begun looking at what that style and culture will mean for the Total Football Club.
    Yesterday, in our It’s The Tactics Stupid column, we looked at what Ajax Total Football means, why it works and how it’s played today.
    Today, we’re looking at TFC player by player and talking who we think will fit in that new system.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Expected to succeed
    Nana Attakora
    Nana has consistently shown a willingness and ability to get forward into the attack. His fitness, pitch awareness and physical presence make him an excellent candidate for Total Football
    Chad Barrett
    Strangely, the man most had written off for dead (myself included) because of his inconsistent attack, might be the man who is the best fit under a total football system. He’s shown he can play a variety of positions, works his ass off at everything and with a little coaching (ie. Instead of throwing your arms up every time you get frustrated with yourself Chad, how about you track back?) he could become one of the most effective players in that system. Don't write him off just because he can't hit the broad side of the Exhibition food building.
    Dan Gargan
    Play him at left or right back and let him run. He’d be perfect for making those 2v1 passes and runs down the wing. And if he gets caught, he’s tactically aware enough to know to man mark as he tracks back.
    Nicholas Lindsay
    I was going to put him in ‘the could’ succeed category but he shares much of the same qualities as a Dan Gargan and he’s moldable.
    Could succeed
    Adrian Cann
    Cann’s been described as stiff in the past. I can’t see him ever trying to get forward but maybe he doesn’t have to. He does, on occasion, dive in too quickly. If he’s going to sit back, which is what that style requires, he will need to develop the patience to allow opponents to come at him. Also, last I heard he was still negotiating his contract, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be even in the squad. But, at the very least, he won't have to worry about having a certain agent forced on him this time around. $30,000, paid over the life of a contract to an agent, is a lot of money.
    Julian de Guzman
    As it has always been, Julian is going to need players around him to make his game effective. I have no doubt that he will buy into the system and I have no doubt he will excel at finding ways to make it work, what I do question is whether TFC will have the personnel signed to make it happen. Julian spent a great chunk of time last year dealing with players who weren’t in the proper position to receive the ball. Toronto needs to find him some support this year or there will be more of the ‘this guy isn’t worth the money’ talk.
    Dwayne De Rosario
    Put aside the entire recent BS and assume for a second that he will be back in a Reds uniform (whether you want him or not). DeRo is as anti-system as they come. No matter what formation (and, hell, there have been a lot of them the past few years) he’s ran all over the pitch playing ‘his’ game. He could do very well in this system but he will be putting a lot of pressure on players around him to fill in the holes. His vision for seeing the pitch is one of the best on the squad. At the very least he’ll find creative new ways to exploit weak defenders on the attack. But, his play will still puts demands on others around him.
    Maicon Santos
    My only question with him is how he’ll do in the three-man triangle offense. He’s shown an ability to be both the holding and slashing striker, but I’m unsure of how he’ll fair when he’s expected to fill the space left by an attacking mid.
    Doneil Henry
    He has a decent tactical awareness but certainly needs some work on that crucial first touch. Those from the Academy side speak highly of his willingness to learn and adapt to new systems. I still haven’t seen enough of him with the first team to be convinced either way.
    Won’t succeed
    Ty Harden
    He's sound defensively but fitness and speed have shown to be a problem in a traditional system. It will certainly get exploited under this one. If Adrian Cann and Nana Attakora pair in the central defense again this year and he’s forced to play a wing back role – one where he will be expected to get forward – he will rendered useless.
    Jacob Peterson
    His touch on the ball has been described as terrible and his tactical awareness is far from sound. He did okay as a holdover from Preki’s anti-football system but much of that success was born out of a holding, stagnant style of play. He will struggle in anything as fluid and complicated as Total Football.
    Nick LaBrocca
    I spent a lot of time last season defending LaBrocca and looking back on it now, I'm not really sure why. His awareness on and off the the ball is sorely lacking and he's not exactly a stand out player in any other category. If Toronto signs more players before First Kick then I expect he'll be relegated to the bench - maybe the resurrected reserve division.
    Undecided
    Astone Morgan
    Of the little I saw of him with the first club he did show some skill and willingness to adapt. I can’t say for sure how his inexperience would play in a system like this.
    Nathan Sturgis
    Having never really watched him closely, the best assessment I can give is that he's been left unprotected and selected in two Expansion Drafts now. That tells me clubs value him but not enough to ensure keeping him. He should be a bench player but then again Toronto has only signed 15 guys.
    Emmanuel Gomez
    Huh? Who? Oh ya. He’s still around? I barely remember anything about the ‘other Gambian’
    Guest

    A month to go

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    It appears that we are less than a month away from Toronto's first game. This Croatian Web site has the Reds set to play Partizan Belgrade Feb. 2.
    Kind of scary, eh?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Right now Toronto has about 15 serviceable players. A month to find 15 more will be a challenge (not that beating Partizan Belgrade is at all important, but having a full camp is).
    One of the biggest issues in 2010 -- well, every year, actually -- was the lack of warm bodies in camp. Mo Johnston waited until April to fill out the roster and as a result Toronto has thrown points down the drain early every season. TFC's record in the first four games of its first four seasons is 4 wins, 2 draws and 10 losses, with 14 goals scored and 34 allowed. That's just 14 points out of a possible 48. Not good.
    So Toronto fans can be forgiven for getting a little antsy that a new management team isn't officially in place (although all signs are pointing to Thursday). The window hasn't opened for MLS, but still.
    Just 29 days until the Reds (sort of) kick a ball in anger.
    Guest
    Is Arsène Wenger secretly an 'MLS snob'?
    A few weeks ago, the Arsenal honcho called for a North American-style spring-through-fall schedule in the Premier League, and today he suggested a salary cap for the top English league, which he says would be the fairest way to crown a true champion.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    “The real, real true test would be to give 100 million pounds to all the 20 clubs in the Premier League and say ‘let’s go’,” Wenger told reporters at a press conference today ahead of tomorrow's crucial match against Manchester City.
    “That is the real test. Then you can say at the end of the year, the best club has won. The real, real test would be that everybody has exactly the same resources."
    The Frenchman was careful to point out that he sees nothing wrong with City's free-spending ways, "as long as they respect the rules."
    Wenger's opinions on the matter were shared when reporters asked him about City's philosophies on team-building, especially in light of that club's 30 million pound signing of Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko today.
    “I personally am a big fan of the way we do it, so I try to be successful with the way we do it," he said, referring to Arsenal's long-standing tradition of buying relatively cheap younger players and bringing them along. "You can also do it the way Inter do, or Manchester City do, they buy the best players in the world, and it works as well."
    It's unsurprising that Wenger would favour a more steadfast approach to building a roster, but it's still interesting that he would suggest a cap similar to that used in MLS (albeit with a much higher ceiling) when many fans loathe the North American salary restrictions.

    Some other transfer talk from around Europe Tuesday:
    England

    Liverpool's Daniel Agger has demanded either more playing time or to be moved from the club.
    Blackburn boss Steve Kean says his club's bids for Ronaldinho and David Beckham indicates ambition. Meanwhile, Chelsea have bowed out of the race to get Beckham on loan, but Spurs and Sunderland are still in the running.
    Hull City have bought James Chester from Manchester United for £300,000.
    Steve Sidwell's move to West Ham from Aston Villa is on hold as the player considers offers from other clubs.

    Italy

    Tottenham starlet Gareth Bale has drawn interest from Italian giants Juventus, Inter and AC Milan, according to his agent.
    Genoa is prepared to buy Gabriel Milito from Barcelona.
    Chilean international Alexis Sanchez has decided to leave Udinese, and is linked with Inter.

    Holland

    Mido leaves Ajax after only four months.

    Scotland

    Rangers are set to sign Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell on a free, ahead of the summer transfer window.

    Guest
    Julian Assange hates Canadian soccer.
    Or maybe he loves it.
    It's probably neither, as even the highly-scrutinized new champion of free speech would be frustrated by the historical roller-coaster ride that is being a supporter of the Canadian game.
    What Assange does love however, is exposing corruption. And world football is a breeding ground for the stuff.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    All of that in mind, this week brings about the renewed allegation that lowly Canada, currently sandwiched between Moldova and Malawi in 84th place in the FIFA world rankings, was involved in a fixed match in 2009.
    No, this isn't the Merlion Cup scandal all over again. The Canadian men's team has not been accused of any wrong-doings. Neither has the Macedonian side, Canada's opponent in the November 14, 2009 international friendly.
    Under suspicion is referee Anton Genov of Bulgaria. Genov was actually suspended by UEFA shortly after the match was played, and the Bulgarian referee commission was fired around the same time.
    At issue was the extremely bizarre way Genov called the match, specifically the unusually high number of penalties given. Those who watched the match will likely recall just how easily the penalty kicks - two to each side, including a very dubious one in second-half injury time - were awarded.
    "Anything was really a foul. It was along those lines, any sort of contact was a foul," Canadian coach Stephen Hart told The Canadian Press on at the time of the referee's suspension.
    "The penalty situation, it was just odd that four penalties would be called."
    The January, 2010 cable released by WikiLeaks, written by U.S. deputy chef de mission to Sofia Susan Sutton, connects Bulgarian soccer as a whole to organized crime figures who use the game "as a way to legitimize themselves, launder money, or make a fast buck.”
    UEFA's investigation seems to confirm those allegations, at least where referee Genov is concerned, citing “obvious irregular betting patterns” during the match.
    Guest

    Kara Lang: In perspective

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    News today that Kara Lang is retiring from football should not come as a shock to anyone that follows the women’s program. Once a can’t miss star, Lang had struggled to live up to her teenage year’s hype as a young woman. Two devastating knee injuries – to the same knee – had reduced her to a role player in the national team set-up under Carolina Morace.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Lang always played a physical game so the injuries were even more devastating to her than they might have been to a more technically gifted player.
    Still, her retirement is a loss. Obviously you never want to see an athlete forced out of the game that they love prematurely and, if she could regain a degree of her past athleticism, Lang still had a role to contribute with the national team. For instance, she could still be deadly in dead ball situations.
    It would be foolish to suggest that her departure has much impact to the nats’ World Cup preparation however. Lang wasn’t even a sure bet to make the squad that goes to Germany. Morace has brought in a new generation of young stars that have been fortunate enough to have received better coaching than Lang did as a teenager. Kaylyn Kyle might be the best of the new bunch, but there are others that have surpassed Lang on the depth chart. Jonelle Filigno, Sophie Schmidt and Desiree Scott, to name a few, all had a more likely role to play in Germany than Lang did.
    This is not an effort to dismiss Lang’s accomplishments – at the 2002 u19 tournament she was as big a part of the team’s success as anyone, she’s an Olympian and her 92 caps are not to be forgotten or ignored. However, sports are a results orientated, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately discipline and that fact shouldn’t be ignored, as it often is, when evaluating women’s sports.
    There is, however, an area that Lang will be missed tremendously – on the marketing side. Not to belabor the point, but Lang is an attractive woman. Many of the young men that fill soccer stadiums in Canada today grew up having teenage crushes on her and the young women that are in the stands with them grew up wishing they could be like her. She’s clearly intelligent and articulate. The tattoos that appeared in recent years suggested that there was a little edge to the wholesome, girl-next-door image and a look at her personal Web site reveals a confident and media savvy young woman that isn’t afraid to use a little sex appeal to advance her personal and business interests.
    In short, she is a marketers’ dream. It’s a big reason why her retirement today has touched a nerve with so many here in Canada. Had things turned out just a little differently Lang could have been Canada’s answer to Mia Hamm.
    That stuff shouldn’t matter, but it does. The women’s program needs more corporate support and to get that it needs a greater level of popularity. It’s cynical, but the Canadian women need to become more recognizable and with Lang going they are losing their most recognizable player amongst the general public. Her retirement is being reported on updates on the country’s biggest sports radio station today. It’s unclear whether any other player on the national team – Christine Sinclair included – would be treated the same.
    That the CBC was the first to report her retirement isn’t likely a coincidence. The Corp has the World Cup rights after all and Lang seems to be a natural for TV. It seems that Canadian fans will have to hope that she can have the same affect from the TV booth as she might have from the pitch.
    Photo from Canadian Soccer Association
    Guest
    Considering the banner year the women's national team had in 2010, it's entirely possible that the following news was held off until the new year so as to not dampen the mood. But in any event, as first reported by John Molinaro at CBC Sports and first posted to CSN by Yvan (en français), Kara Lang will officially announce her retirement from the sport tomorrow.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Ben Massey at 86 Forever has penned the definitive retrospective on Lang's career, and the injuries that prematurely ended it, so I won't attempt to replicate or top it. But I will echo his sentiment that despite her myriad knee troubles, Lang has been one of the CanWNT's two predominant marquee names for the better part of the decade (you know who the other one is). So, losing her at a critical juncture like this (with the World Cup only months away) is a significant blow to the team on the field, and from the all-important perspective of marketing.
    The implications for the team notwithstanding, it's sad whenever an athlete is forced to cut their career short because of injuries -- especially so when they're as young as Lang is. Despite the feeling that she's been around forever (she scored her first goal for the nats in 2002), she's only 24. I'm sure she'll continue her association with the sport (possibly joining Jason de Vos at the Oakville Soccer Club, in some capacity?*), but it surely would have been nice to see what she could have done on home soil if (if) we end up being awarded the 2015 Women's World Cup.
    But again, this isn't about us, the fans, and what we've been deprived of -- it's about Lang, who suited up for our national team 92 times in her career and was a tremendous contributor in growing the profile of the sport in the country. I don't doubt there are contemporary CanWNT players who looked to Lang as inspiration even though they may only be a few years apart in age -- and that's saying something.
    So on behalf of Some Canadian Guys Writing About Soccer, a sincere thanks to Lang for all she's contributed to the national team and Canadian soccer in general, and best of luck in whatever her future may hold.*
    Lang is on Twitter (@karalang15) if you'd like to send her your own thoughts. Don't forget to affix the #CanWNT hashtag.
    *It's worth noting that tomorrow's press conference, to officially announce Lang's retirement, is being hosted by the Oakville Soccer Club (Lang's hometown) and de Vos, the OSC's technical director, will also be in attendance. Perhaps she's wasting no time in transitioning into a player development role of some variety.
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