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    Guest
    Having left Canada at a tender age to pursue footballing glory in the Old World while simultaneously escaping winter weather barely suitable for human habitation, many European-based Canadian footballers spent the weekend ruing the misfortune of being stuck in winter weather barely suitable for human habitation.
    But being good Canadian passport holders, almost all of our Euro-based players trundled through the blowing snow and cancelled flights to complete their scheduled matches. So on the one weekend it would have been acceptable to trot out the classic Canadian excuse of bad weather to explain the lack of notable performances, we couldn't.
    The standout was this volley by Mallorca's maybe-Canadian Jonathan de Guzman. Whether junior deGuz warrants mention in a column about Canadian footballers is irrelevant, especially during slow weeks for enthusiastic Canadians. I certainly see no harm in showcasing what Spanish football mega-portal Marca.com dubbed a "golazo."
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It's a weird paradox to be trapped in, this following Jono de Guzman stuff. I can't recall in my brief history of sports fandom ever actually wanting a player to be good, but not that good if you know what I mean?
    (As in playing well enough to shine for Canada but not well enough to be called up by the Dutch squad.)
    As for Canadians who are publicly excited to play for Canada, Simeon Jackson finally got back into the starting eleven with Norwich City in the Championship, lasting 67 minutes in a winning effort.
    Goalmouth Lothario Josh Simpson served a suspension for accumulated yellow cards and sat out Manisaspor's 1-0 win over Instanbul Buy in Turkey.
    In Bundesliga 2, Rob Friend and Marcel de Jong stared at each other intently for 90 minutes from opposing benches in a top of the table clash between Hertha Berlin and Augsburg, as neither team deemed it necessary to put their Canadian on the pitch during the 1-1 draw.
    Augsburg is now top of the table on goal difference at the halfway mark of the season. The top two Bundesliga 2 teams gain automatic promotion, while the 3rd place team plays a playoff against the 3rd-last team in Bundesliga. That third-place team is Energie Cottbus, home of 19-year-old Canadian defender Adam Straith. In a perfect world, all three teams go into the Bundesliga next year and we have three Canadians playing in one of the best competitions in Europe!
    It's an airtight fantasy, except for the fact that none of the three actually plays regularly in the second division. Canada supporters who know a lot more about German football than me are convinced that while Bundesliga promotion would benefit Friend, it would condemn young Straith and de Jong to the bench forever.
    What do you think the chances are that any of these guys would enjoy regular playing time in the German top flight?
    Photo credit: Jean Farrugia
    Guest

    I know a debate that never ends

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Just when it looked as if the Hamilton stadium debate might be moving to a resolution, the latest plan has hit a snag. And it's a big one. Namely, the land they were going to build the stadium on - a nearly unused railroad yard -- would cost more to acquire than the city is willing to to spend.
    So, with about six weeks left to come to an agreement about where to build a stadium, the planning is basically back to the start. Actually it's literally back to the start as the latest noise is that council is preparing to bring forward a location that was on the original list of potential properties that was rejected more than a year ago.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The difference between now and when the location was originally rejected is that there is a new council in place. In particular, the new mayor is much friendlier than the old mayor was when it comes to building the stadium in an area outside the downtown core (*more on why that’s important in a minute).
    At this point you may be wondering what any on this has to do with soccer. The simple answer to this is that if a stadium gets built, the owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Bob Young, has indicated that he will bring a D2 club to the city. However, if the Tiger-Cats aren't satisfied with the location of the stadium then Young won't be a part of it (if it gets built at all) and without Young there is unlikely to be a D2 soccer franchise coming to town. (*Young wants a stadium where he can control parking revenue and develop the lad around it. Thus, the lack of interest in the downtown core).
    There is a good chance that a stadium will get built nearby regardless of what Hamilton does, but so far no one attached to some other suburban communities that have indicated an interest in the stadium (Markham, Mississauga and, the latest, Brampton) has come forward to indicate that they want pro soccer. Basically it's no Young, no soccer.
    The caveat to that is if Young up and moves his historic football team to the new stadium. That won't go over well as the Markham Tiger-Cats just doesn't seem right. However, this isn't a CFL site so...
    If all this is confusing to you just be glad that you don’t actually live in Hamilton. There it's both confusing and disheartening.
    .
    Guest

    More FIFA dirt

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Andrew Jennings has released the documents that all bid cities for 2018 and 2022 had to sign.
    Go read them
    Guest
    Long-long-time Canadian goalkeeper Pat Onstad has shown us exactly the way Brett Favre's career could have ended: with a quiet, dignified retirement and instant ascension to the coaching ranks. Onstad won his first cap for Canada in 1988 and amassed 57 caps during his career, and played for just about every Canadian club he could: the Vancouver 86ers, the Edmonton Drillers, the Montreal Impact and three different Toronto-based franchises. His swan song with the nats came earlier this year in Buenos Aires, when we were stomped 5-0 by Argentina.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Rarely have we produced a player of such longevity and commitment to the national team, and for that, Onstad deserves our kudos and best wishes in his new role at D.C. United (except, of course, insofar as it could harm one of the Canadian franchises, of course). So long, Pat, and thanks for all the fish.
    Oh, who the hell am I kidding... he's going to be our #2 keeper for the 2011 Gold Cup, isn't he?


    The federal government has committed "up to" $15 million in funding if Canada is successful in its bid to host the 2015 Women's World Cup. Now, $15 million is better than nothing, don't get me wrong; and I'm not stupid enough to believe that sporting tournaments are more important than funding social services. But if this is all the cash the bid's going to get, sorry folks, we ain't getting the 2015 WWC.
    Fifteen million dollars isn't enough to build one senior World Cup quality stadium, and we're gonna need a few of 'em. BMO Field, Stade Saputo, Swangard Stadium... cute little venues as they are, and sufficient for the U20 World Cup, maybe. Would they be expanded? Are they sufficient, as is, for a senior World Cup?
    Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa is out of the question. Olympic Stadium in Montreal is a possibility, assuming it doesn't completely cave in by then. The refurbished B.C. Place would probably do the trick, as would Commonwealth Stadium, but where else? The Rogers Centre? Toronto hasn't even stepped forward to express interest in being a host city (and under Mayor Rob Ford, it seems pretty fuckin' unlikely). Moncton Stadium is nice, but insufficiently large. Could Halifax build a big enough stadium in time? Will Winnipeg's new stadium be built? What about the proposed new home for the Saskatchewan Roughriders?
    By contrast, the German government pledged its full support for the 2011 World Cup -- though their costs were cut significantly by the fact that they didn't need to build any new stadiums (of the nine stadiums they're using, the smallest one holds 23,000... which is BMO Field's maximum capacity, when all fire regulations are ignored).
    My point is... $15 million from Ottawa is a nice start, but there will need to be other contributors, either municipal and provincial governments, or the private sector. Otherwise, we'll all need to be planning a road trip to Chile if we hope to see Big Red play.


    Speaking of road trips... this news went under the radar a bit, but, for any Canadians planning to see next year's men's Gold Cup... well, it ain't gonna be easy. The host cities are: Dallas, L.A., Detroit, Charlotte, Miami, Tampa, New York (well, Harrison, N.J.), East Rutherford, Kansas City, Washington D.C. and Pasadena.
    If I may reciprocate the sentiment coming out of this scheduling... fuck you, CONCACAF.
    I'm going to risk my life going to Detroit, for the "pleasure" of seeing a game in a cavernous 65,000-seat NFL stadium? And why the hell are Chicago's games at Soldier Field, instead of Toyota Park? And why are only four of the 13 venues used by MLS teams (with only three of them being soccer-specific stadiums)? Does anyone really think that 800 people watching Haiti v. Guadeloupe in a gigantic stadium in North Carolina will do anyone involved any good?
    Seriously, CONCACAF. You always find a way to top (bottom?) yourselves, don't you?

    Guest

    Dead-end evolution

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    No one expects to win a championship from the scraps picked up in the expansion draft. However, it is an opportunity to pick up assets. As with anything in MLS what you do with those assets matters a great deal.
    So, how did TFC do back in 2006. Let's look:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Paulo Nagamura –> Chivas 2008 1st round - Julius James --> DeRo
    Danny O'Rourke –> Columbus - Allocation
    Jose Cancela –> Colorado – Youth international slot
    Adrian Serioux –> Ronnie O’Brien –> San Jose 2009 1st pick --> Sam Cronin—> San Jose - allocation
    Nate Jaqua –> LA - Allocation
    Rod Dyachenko --> Dc United 2008 1st round - Pat Phelan --> international spot
    Jason Kreis --> RSL allocation
    Tim Regan --> Edson Buddle -->Tyrone Marshall --> allocation
    Ritchie Kotschau --> waved
    Will Hesmer --> Columbus - Allocation
    Giving up Hesmer and O'Rourke might not have been Mo Johnston's best moment. Actually, when you look at this flow chart it becomes clear that TFC pretty much came away with nothing. Although you can trace the Nagamura pick into DeRo, that was a different situation. DeRo wanted to come back to Toronto and James was just a widget thrown into the deal.
    That so many of those picks eventually turned into allocation is also telling. As I've written many times in the past, Johnston overspent. Since he overspent he was in constant need of allocation. Therefore he was always trading warm bodies for wheelbarrows full of MLS cap room.
    That would have been fine if he had used that cash to upgrade the team, but, well...
    Let’s look at what Seattle did:
    Nate Jaqua – still with club
    Nathan Sturgis – Lost in expansion draft
    Jeff Parke – released
    Jarrod Smith – Released
    Khano Smith – allocation
    Peter Vagenas – Played two seasons
    Tyson Wahl – Still with club
    James Riley – Still with club
    Stephen King – 2011 DC United 2nd round pick –
    Brad Evans – Still with club
    As stated, it’s hardly stuff that makes your heart skip a beat, but four players still playing a role is a significantly better return on investment than TFC got. Old news, of course, but always worth revisiting when you question what went wrong with the club over its first four seasons.
    It’s also a bit of a warning to fans of Vancouver and, especially, Portland. You don’t have to dress the players you picked, but you had better get something for them.
    Guest

    Moncton makes it official

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Moncton made it official yesterday. There will be two Maritime cities in the race to host games in 2015 if Canada wins the right to host the Women's World Cup.
    City council agreed to move ahead, despite some reluctance from some local politicians . The reason for their reluctance to bring an international event to the city?
    "Many people tell me they don't mean a thing to them, they don't go to them," Coun. Kathryn Barnes told CBC.ca.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    It will cost $25,000 to submit a bid and if Canada wins the right to host the World Cup and Moncton is selected to host games the city would then need to kick in another $250,000. The province of New Brunswick would likely be on the hook for another $2 million.
    That's made some in the province question the need to keep pushing for events.. However, the stadium is already there. The alternative is to let it sit nearly empty.
    It seems unlikely that two Maritime cities will be chosen to host games. For the CSA the decision will be whether to go with a barebones stadium already in place and renovate it up to something closer to what’s needed, or to go into a more attractive city (Halifax) and build a stadium from scratch.




    Guest
    For our year-in-review podcast series, we spoke to soccer fans from across the country about their experiences during 2010. A new episode will be released on this site and via our iTunes feed every day, leading up to our own year-in-review special on December 28.
    Before there was Some Canadian Guys or The 24th Minute or It's Called Football, there was Out Of Touch. That site, one of the longest-running Canadian soccer blogs there is, is still alive and thriving today, based on the hard work of Jono, its Winnipeg-based creator. On this edition of the year-in-review series, we talk to him about Atiba Hutchinson's success in the Netherlands, get his report card on the performance of Stephen Hart and Carolina Morace, pick his brain on whether the PDL will succeed in Winnipeg, and find out his favourite newspaper headline of the year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Download the episode directly, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. Tomorrow we'll hit the former capital of Canada for some thoughts from the country's most populous province.
    Guest
    Tonight, in our last podcast of 2010, we're joined by the host of Montreal's Oranges at Halftime, Noel Butler to talk about the year that was in Canadian football, what's to come from the Montreal Impact in 2011 and his thoughts on the changes coming to the Nutrilite Voyageurs Cups.
    We'll also look back on the year that was for Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps - the moments that defined them and what lays ahead for 2011.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]<embed src="http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config={embedded:true,videoFile:%27http://itscalledfootball.podhoster.com/download/2540/21285/dec21.2010final.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

    Whitecaps to open against Toronto FC

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Bucholtz published the same thing a minute prior. Great minds...
    MLS has finally released the First Kick schedule for the 2011 season, highlighted by an all-Canadian match at Empire Field.
    The Vancouver Whitecaps will kick off their incarnation as an MLS club against the original Canadian club in that league, Toronto FC, on March 19, 2011. If the buzz in BC wasn't big enough for the Whitecaps historic step back into the top tier of continental club football, a visit by the (in)famous Reds should help boost excitement to dizzying levels.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Some Whitecaps fans have expressed concern that a guaranteed "big game" against TFC is being used as the grand opener, when a match against any side in the league should sell out the 'Caps first ever MLS match. Someone at the league felt otherwise, and I'm sure the CBC and the Whitecaps front office are quite happy with the decision.
    Vancouver now has nearly three months to hype up the opener against an opponent that the rest of Canada was born to hate. A raucous, sell-out crowd - which would have happened any way - is now absolutely assured.
    The 'Caps follow up their inaugural home opener with a trip to Philadelphia to meet the Union on March 26, 2011.
    As for TFC, they follow up the historic first MLS trip to BC by hosting expansion Portland Timbers at BMO Field on March 26, the earliest MLS match ever at the Lakeshore stadium.
    You can check out the entire First Kick schedule here. MLS generally releases its full league schedule in late January or early February.
    Guest
    After a lot of rumours, the Vancouver Whitecaps’ first MLS opponent was <a href=“http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/first-kick-home-openers-revealed-2011”>officially released today</a>. Despite playing in a new league, the opposition is a familiar one for Vancouver fans; they’ll be hosting Toronto FC at Empire Field in their first MLS game on Saturday, March 19.
    This move seems a bit odd from a scheduling perspective. Yes, Toronto FC is going to be one of Vancouver’s greatest MLS rivals (along with Seattle and Portland) , and the clubs do have a fair bit of history from clashes in the Voyageurs Cup over the past few years (<a href= “http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?752-Voyageurs-Cup-format-to-change”>even if they may not</a> <a href=“http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2010/12/16/1879420/voyageurs-cup-drops-round-robin-format-will-play-two-semifinals”>face each other this year</a>). However, from a hype perspective, the season opener at home was going to be a big deal regardless of opponent.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Bringing in Toronto FC in the season’s first clash might elevate the local levels of excitement slightly, but fans were going to be pumped up for the Whitecaps’ first MLS clash even if they were playing Sporting Kansas City. This game was going to get tons of media coverage and TV ratings regardless of who took the field against Vancouver. I guess Toronto FC’s involvement should help bring in more viewers from Eastern Canada, but I’d imagine a lot of TFC fans would have been tuning in for the Whitecaps’ debut even if it didn’t involve their team.
    To me, it might have made more sense to start with a less thrilling team and save the marquee matchups for later in the season. Toronto – Vancouver is going to draw massive amounts of hype and interest regardless of when it’s played; it’s tougher to say the same about teams like FC Dallas or the Chicago Fire. Rivalries against those squads may develop over time, and there’s enough fan interest in the Whitecaps in Vancouver that most games should sell out regardless of opponent (especially at the reasonably small Empire Field; B.C. Place <a href=“http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/cfl/blog/cfl_experts/post/B-C-Place-set-for-September-opening-Buckley-sa?urn=cfl-289663”>is set for a September opening</a> and should allow them to bring in bigger crowds for the last few games of the year), but I can guarantee you that a game against Kansas City isn’t going to inspire as many casual fans or attract as much media buzz as a clash against Toronto or Seattle. Facing TFC should be a stellar opener for Vancouver, but from an overall perspective, it might have made more sense not to put all the best eggs in one basket.
    Guest
    For our year-in-review podcast series, we spoke to soccer fans from across the country about their experiences during 2010. A new episode will be released on this site and via our iTunes feed every day, leading up to our own year-in-review special on December 28.
    Our guest today is Jeff Salisbury of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a long-time Voyageur and member of Saskatoon Celtic (who, sources tell me, won their league game yesterday). Jeff fights through technical difficulties that would have felled a lesser man to tell us what support for soccer is like in his home province, what his enduring memories will be for 2010, and about the Saskatoon-Toronto-Montreal-Chicago jaunt that's certainly earned him consideration for Ridiculous Voyageur Road Trip of the Year.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Download the episode directly, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. In Part 6, coming out tomorrow, we talk to one of the ol' timers (it's a relative term) of the Canadian soccer blogosphere.
    Guest
    Author’s note: Mike Traficante is a director-at-large of the Canadian Soccer Association, and past-president of the Alberta Soccer Association.
    Good morning, sir:
    I’m a reporter with canadiansoccernews.com, probing the twin issues of CSA governance and the ongoing upheavals at the Alberta Soccer Association. Sorry to trouble you so close to Christmas, but some things happen when they have to.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    I’m going to be asking you some tough questions today, but I need you to be clear on two things before I do:
    - These questions are not meant to be accusatory. They are all being asked, by various people, behind the scenes. This is merely an attempt to make the private conversation public, because I believe there is no benefit to anyone – Alberta, Canada, the national teams, fans – to allowing the present veil of secrecy to remain.
    - While you are – of course – under no obligation of any kind to answer, others will. All truths will emerge. I believe it is far better for everyone to hear the direct thoughts and opinions of all those most closely involved in these events.
    Please note that any response from you will be considered on the record, and will be published on this website in full.
    Similar letters have already been published for Mario Charpentier and Chris Billings. Mr. Charpentier has not, as yet, answered. I am told Mr. Billings is preparing a full and detailed response.
    As always, I can be reached directly – benknight103 at yahoo.ca.
    The questions:
    1) Did you, or anyone from the CSA, directly intervene in the dismissal of Chris Billings as president of the Alberta Soccer Association?
    2) If so, why was his removal necessary?
    3) Do you feel the proposed removal of provincial soccer association presidents from the CSA board will help or harm Canadian soccer?
    4) What do you see as your best and most proper role in a restructured CSA board?
    Despite the bluntness of these questions, let me assure you again I am solely interested in clearing the air, and setting the public record straight. Any and all assistance you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
    Onward!
    Related:
    Alberta: Bound
    An open letter to Mario Charpentier
    An open letter to Chris Billings
    Guest
    Could the year really have ended any other way for this team?
    Down to 10 women, down a goal and facing a Brazilian team, a Brazilian crowd and a Brazilian referee, our ladies held things together long enough for their captain, Christine Sinclair, to pull out one of the nicest goals she's ever scored and propel Big Red to its latest piece of hardware.
    A heads up, Canadian soccer fans: If you haven't done so yet, it's time to jump on the #CanWNT bandwagon.
    The rather remarkable final tally for our women's national team in 2010:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    13 wins, three draws and two losses.
    11 clean sheets, including a string of eight in a row.
    38 goals for, 13 against.
    Three championship trophies: the Gold Cup, the Cyprus Cup and today's Torneio Internacional Cidade de Sao Paulo.

    It's tough to remember, now, that the team struggled at the end of 2009 as it tried to adjust to head coach Carolina Morace. Suffice to say, as our ladies head into next year's Women's World Cup with a full head of steam, any worries about Morace's tactics and techniques have definitively been put to rest.
    Morace has not only brought out the best in team stalwarts like Sinclair and Diana Matheson, she's also worked hard to build the team's depth, giving opportunities to newer players like Jonelle Filigno, Kaylyn Kyle and -- as we saw during the Sao Paulo tournament -- Stephanie Labbe.
    Sunday's result was massive not just because it keeps the team's momentum rolling heading toward Germany 2011, but it also provided the team with some real adversity for the first time in a few months. The Brazilians showed some fancy footwork (to the delight of the crowd, and the commentators) and stretched Canada's back four with their speed. But the team stayed organized enough to keep Marta and the girls off the score sheet in the first half, and then showed the needed resilience to grab the late equalizer.
    Josee Belanger got at least three quality chances at goal in the opening 45, and managed to bury one just before the interval, converting a cross from a resurgent Melissa Tancredi. Belanger is another player who's burst onto the scene in 2010 -- given her performances, she's already become an indispensable part of the squad's attack. For what it's worth I think it's great, in terms of the team's national profile, to have a Quebecois player making such important contributions.
    (crappy segue alert)
    But another Quebecois member of the team made some unfortunate negative contributions on Sunday. Marie-Eve Nault was victimized twice by dubious decisions from the hometown ref. She earned her first yellow card early in the second half, after supposedly wasting time while taking a throw-in. Then she picked up her second yellow, and was sent off, for having the audacity to let the ball inadvertently strike her arm while she was in the area.
    Marta converted the ensuing penalty, and looked to put things right in the footie universe, giving Brazil the 2-1 lead. But along came Marta's erstwhile WPS teammate, Captain Sinclair, to recalibrate that little universe.
    Sinclair has 112 goals to her name as a member of the Canadian team, but few were as pretty -- and as clutch -- as her strike on Sunday. You can take a look for yourself in the highlight vid at the end of this post.
    On Part 4 of our year-in-review podcast series, our guest (Ingrid Green) predicted that Canada would win the 2015 Women's World Cup. I reacted with surprise since, no matter what gender or age division you're talking about, saying that Canada will win a World Cup in soccer is a pretty bold statement.
    But after Sunday's performance in Brazil, and putting the year in perspective, my shock at hearing that claim has almost completely dissipated. In fact, if Ingrid or anyone else were to start making the argument that Canada could win the 2011 Women's World Cup... I'm pretty sure I'd hear them out.
    If this all sounds like I'm cheerleading... it's because I am. Because someone needs to do it.
    It's bad enough that non-soccer fans continue perpetuating the outdated, idiotic cliche that Canada sucks at soccer and no one cares. But all too often, even actual Canadian supporters fall into the trap of being self-loathing or apologetic about rooting for our teams.
    The women's national team's performance in 2010 can hopefully lay to rest all of those tired, bullshit arguments... this team is, as Sinclair says, "really good." And as for whether people care? On an NFL Sunday, where sports fans' attentions are surely pretty divided, the #CanWNT hashtag on Twitter was trending second in the country (trailing only NFL star Michael Vick). For you Twitterphobes, that's a good thing.
    So it's time to step out of the shadows, folks. There's nothing wrong with you if you openly support the Canadian women's national team.
    Hell, given the way they've been playing, there might be something wrong with you if you don't.


    Guest
    For our year-in-review podcast series, we spoke to soccer fans from across the country about their experiences during 2010. A new episode will be released on this site and via our iTunes feed every day, leading up to our own year-in-review special on December 28.
    By the time you're reading this, the Canadian women's national team is probably playing, or has already played, its final game of the year, down in Brazil. So it's fitting that on today's installment of the series, we speak to Ingrid Green, a fervent supporter of Big Red (who claims to be their biggest supporter, actually). She talks about the team, its evolution under Carolina Morace and makes some bold claims about its future with a passion that you'll definitely want to hear.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Download the episode directly, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. Stop by tomorrow for Part 5, wherein we hear about the Voyageur trek of 2010.
    Guest
    For our year-in-review podcast series, we spoke to soccer fans from across the country about their experiences during 2010. A new episode will be released on this site and via our iTunes feed every day, leading up to our own year-in-review special on December 28.
    Today we go a bit off the beaten path (in our own special way) to talk to Peter Sheldon, a journalist stationed in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Pete regales us with tales of the soccer culture in Nunavut -- including the dynasty known as the Rankin Inlet U16 squad, and a certain bike-riding Spanish fellow who made his presence known during the World Cup -- and tells us about what it's like to be a third-generation West Brom fan living in Canada. If you guessed "fun", well... you're quite the guesser.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Download the episode directly, or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. Tomorrow, in Part 4, we head back down to the provinces to talk Big Red, just in time for their big match down in Brazil.
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