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    Duane Rollins
    It's understandable, just not logical.
    So, what's the logical evaluation of this signing?
    To answer that question take the TFC out of the evaluation. If any other MLS team signed a 27-year-old Italian international what would you say? You'd likely say 'Wow, what a get!'
    It is a get. It's a signing that very few MLS teams could get done and it's absolutely something that TFC should be praised for. Unqualified praise.
    “You can't fix things by throwing money at them” is the single most absurd position a football fan can take. It's the single most effective way to fix things. It's how every team in the world fixes things.
    In MLS there is one way a club can set itself above the rest of the pack – by getting the right DPs. Yes, you need to surround them with solid players that fit within the cap, but in MLS in 2015 you need to have your stars right.
    While there are ways to nickle and dime DP signings – to try and find a bargain -- you're still looking at the same cap hit as you are if you dump the truck full of money at their feet.
    There is nothing inherently superior about spending $1-million on a DP versus $6-million. You're just limiting your options.
    By signing Giovinco, TFC has indicated that it's willing to play on a different level than the vast majority of MLS teams. You can question the players that they are spending the money on, but you cannot question the spending. It's not a flawed approach to building a MLS team in 2015.
    Unless you feel that the current TFC management is unable to identify talent – and remember it's a group that's only been in place for one full season. You can't hang the errors of Aron Winter, Paul Mariner or Mo Johnston on them – there is no reason to logically suggest TFC won't eventually get it right if it's spending at this level. The scale they are outspending others is just too big. They will eventually find more talent, even if by luck.
    Logic is hard when talking about sports though, so people are going to need to see it to believe it. TFC (who had the second biggest season points improvement in MLS last year -- something no one wants to remember, it sees), will be a punchline until it isn't.
    Aaron Campbell
    The Good:
    Long term stability
    I know this is a new concept for Canadian MLS teams, but having a coach stay more then one or two seasons can only be good for the team. Robinson came in last season and laid out a long term plan for the club that involves a big effort from producing regular talent from the Residency to building talent from South America. This plan isn't a one to three year plan. This is a long term five to six to ten year plan that should make the team and Canadian soccer better over the long term.
    By signing Robinson, Forrest, Pert and Rovde to extensions, it gives the players reassurance that the gameplan moving forward is for the long term. Players like Marco Bustos, Kianz Froese and Marco Carducci now know that the path that there young careers have been led down the past season will continue to give them the best chance to be quality MLS players down the road. They don't have to worry about a new manager coming in and changing the path and moving away from youth.
    Look at Caleb Clarke, under Martin Rennie he was shipped off to Germany and told that the club's direction was to have him play over there. There was no talk of having him in the MLS squad in Vancouver. There where rumours that there was no way he was re-signing in Vancouver this past off season. Once Robinson was signed and the proper communication opened up with Clarke and the chance to play MLS and USL Pro in Vancouver he decided to stick around.
    He was not the first player under Rennie to question coming to play in Vancouver or who was mistreated. Look at Atiba Harris, Alain Rochat, Davide Chiumiento and Eric Hassli. They all had various issues with Rennie and mistrust about what was said to them.
    The players know they won't have to worry about being mistreated and lied to like that with Carl around. He says one of his best qualities is his honesty, which has to go down well with his players.
    The Average:
    Can't Settle For Average Effort Moving Forward
    Some people say Robinson over achieved last season. I myself thought the team would be a 7th place finisher in the West. This contract moving forward will put added pressure of Robinson and the coaching staff. People will now expect continued improvement, difficult in itself after a season of bests.
    That's means we as supporters, bloggers and media shouldn't and won't settle for average effort anymore. We are going to see the peaks and valleys (see below) but at times last season the effort was average or below average at best.
    The players have to realize if they don't give 100% it's not the coaches that will be leaving if they struggle. These extensions means if players (Canadian or not) can't cut it or can't get to the level to make first team there is a chance of them being demoted to USL Pro or being cut from the team all together.
    I know it won't take long for this concept to be trolled on Twitter by certain TFC media, but if our young Canadians can't make the MLS starting 11 or game day 18 because of skill level it means that they just don't have the skill or aren't making the effort needed, suffering the fate that will come with that.
    The Bad:
    Peaks and Valleys
    Last year was a season with many peaks and many valleys. The supporters, for the most part, were pro-Robinson throughout the whole season. The main part of the season where Robinson's decisions were questioned was people saying he fielded a too young line-up against TFC in the Canadian Championship.
    With the new long term contract, what kind of effect will it have if this season is not as good as last season? What happens if the whole season is a valley? Will supporters stand by Carl if that happens? Fans can be quick to turn everywhere and past achievements are often soon forgotten.
    A new contract means long term stability for the team but it also means that if there is a hiccup this season the coaching staff will be held accountable, but moving forward there may be a peak right around the corner. Having a new coach around for the long term is new for Vancouver, it's even a new concept for all the Canadian MLS teams.
    So let's all be excited about the announcement today but let's remember what this means for the future - that no matter how high the peaks and how low the valley, Robinson and this coaching staff are in this for the long haul. But also remember, contracts often mean little if the results aren't there to back things up.
    Michael Mccoll
    LA have splashed out on Steven Gerrard, New York City on Frank Lampard (they think), Orlando on Kaka and Toronto like to be linked to every player under the sun as the perennial losers try and find someone that can lift them out of their eight year slump. All big names, all coming to MLS on big money. They're probably not big risks in bringing success, but you never know and as Robinson addressed last week.
    "Money doesn't guarantee you success, as you've seen with a number of clubs," Robinson told reporters, whose minds obviously started to think of TFC. It's a Pavlov's dog scenario I think. "I want to try and guarantee success but in the right way and I feel the right way is developing our own Canadian players through our Residency program."
    Robinson has said that he still expects to add three or four players to the Whitecaps for the season to come, just don't expect them to be of the big flashy kind that others are courting. Banks will not be broken in Whitecapsland, but instead, the club will continue to look at picking up quality talent, at more affordable values, that can still get the job done, and as such, Robinson puts more faith in his scouting network than playing fantasy football to build his squad.
    "If you don't get the recruitment right, it doesn't matter how good a manager you are, the guy with the best players will always win," Robinson said on a conference call on Sunday afternoon, following the announcement of his new multi-year contract extension. "We're recruiting from a certain pool of players. We've made our model as a club. We've decided what way we want to go.
    "It's safe to say we're not going to be spending six, seven million dollars on a player. That's what I don't want and that's what other clubs are doing. It's important we get it right. That's what we did last year and it's important that we continue to build that recruitment this year and in years to come to make us successful."
    Talking of bringing in multi-million dollar players, Toronto's latest reckless spending spree is looking likely to free up their Brazilian striker Gilberto.
    The additions of Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco have provided a familiar scenario in Toronto. They now have four DPs and three slots. Last year it was Matias Laba who was deemed surplus to requirements, this year another South American looks to be that guy. And you know who loves South Americans!
    "Each club has their ideas and philosophies about the way that they want to try and be successful and Toronto has their model in place of bringing in big name players on high numbers," Robinson told us. "Whether that's works or not will remain to be seen, but I'll be very surprised if Gilberto does not move."
    The Brazilian had a slow start in MLS and seemed to struggled to find his feet as he adjusted to his new surroundings. Not ideal for a player commanding a DP slot and a $1.2 million salary.
    He showed enough flashes to show that he has talent and what it takes to be a good striker in the league. It was fun joking about his missed opportunities in front of goal, but you always got the feeling that when that duck was broken the goals would come. And they did.
    It took Gilberto ten games to grab his first MLS goal. He finished the season with seven goals and five assists. To put that into some context, those numbers would have seen him placed second in both categories on the Whitecaps.
    Bearing those numbers in mind, the plethora of South American talent already in Vancouver and the Laba deal from last year, does a player like Gilberto interest Robinson and would there be scope to get a deal done even if he did?
    "He's certainly an interesting player and one we've talked about as a staff," Robinson admitted. "He's got fantastic ability. I don't think he's settled as much as he probably should have. We've got three Designated Players just now, so depending on whether that changes or not, we might not be able to do anything there. I've managed to bring in Octavio, which is a great bit of business from us.
    "There'll be some that will take advantage of that situation if things don't change, because there will be teams looking at it that they could be the ones that changes Gilberto's goal spree from okay last year to hopefully good this year for someone. Again, it might be a scenario like Matias Laba, which we were able to take advantage of last year."
    Laba's contract is the one that stands out. He is still going to be classed as a young DP, but there is scope for the Whitecaps to use allocation money to buy the Argentine's contract down and allow them to have the talented defensive midfielder on a high, no Designated Player contract, ala Nigel Reo-Coker last year.
    There are also the terms of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement to be thrashed out, with many rumours suggesting an additional DP slot of some kind will be added. That could of course allow TFC to keep a player like Gilberto if they chose to do so, but it would also allow Robinson to bring in another DP himself, whether that be the Brazilian striker or someone else, and it's certainly an option that is in his plans, whether through the new CBA or jiggling around current contracts.
    "Yeah, there are options," he admitted. "We talk about that all the time. Learning the way the system works is very important. Because of the CBA coming up now, I think there will be changes within the CBA which might affect that or probably will affect that, so there are options to do that and something that we maybe will look in to.
    "You look around the league at the moment and at Orlando, players like Brek Shea have been added as non Designated Players but their salaries are higher than probably the DP slots allow. So it is an option we'll look into, depending on if we have enough money to do that within the cap constraints. It does give us a little bit of flexibility if we have enough money. If we do, then it's certainly something that we might well explore."
    Squizz
    Now, yes, I've said repeatedly in this space -- and will continue to do so -- that one of the most important roles for head coach John Herdman is to figure out the plan for the post-Sinclair era. Canada's success over the past decade has been due, in large part, to Sinclair's at-times-otherworldly talent. That's not to detract from the skills or accomplishments of other members of her national-team generation; but it's indisputable that Canada is a profoundly more dangerous team with an in-form Sinclair than they are without her.
    The truth is, we haven't seen Sinclair at the height of her powers since the 2012 London Olympics, where she almost managed to barge Canada into the gold-medal final. The Canadian captain scored just once in all of 2014, though thankfully midfielder Sophie Schmidt was able to help fill the void, notching a half-dozen goals in perhaps her finest year as a member of the national team.
    Sinclair, of course, still won Canadian female player of the year because, if we're being honest, hers is the only name that some voters would even recognize. Anecdotal evidence suggests that those who follow the team most closely funneled their votes towards the likes of Schmidt, Diana Matheson, Desiree Scott and Erin McLeod. And indeed, Schmidt, McLeod and Matheson (if, fingers crossed, she's fit to play) will have massive, fundamental roles to play for Canada at the World Cup.
    But Sinclair still is -- and will remain, until several years after she's officially retired -- the face of the women's national team.
    So if this tournament is a sign that she has rediscovered her magic, it's an excellent development not just for the marketing of the team and the tournament, but for Canada's chances of advancing deep in the competition. If Matheson isn't recovered from her knee injury in time (again, fingers crossed), it means increased responsibilities for the likes of Schmidt (i.e. don't count on her to lead Canada in goals against this year).
    And when it comes to Canada's strike force -- well, Herdman has done the best he can in finding solutions for that post-Sinclair era. It's already included coaxing Kara Lang and Josee Belanger out of national-team retirement, though Lang has suffered another catastrophic injury, and Belanger hasn't recaptured her previous national-team form.
    It's also included the selective introduction of youngsters such as Janine Beckie who, in the game against South Korea, notched her first national-team goal in just her second senior appearance. Teenage centre-back Kadeisha Buchanan also popped her second national-team goal in the tourney, as she continues developing into the new, female version of Kevin McKenna.
    Adriana Leon also found the back of the net in China; another encouraging sign given that players such as Leon and Jonelle Filigno will likely be the ones relied upon up top for Canada in the years to come. For Canada to have success in the aforementioned post-Sinclair era, those sorts of players will need to step up and provide goal-scoring punch on a consistent basis.
    But whatever may happen years from now, one thing is clear -- if Canada is going to have success at home in the World Cup, they will need to score goals. That means they will need their best player to be their best player.
    And if the BaoAn Cup is any indication, Christine Sinclair might once again be preparing to peak at precisely the right moment for her country.
    Duane Rollins
    “This is still a nice setting,” he said. “For us it's big for our club, it's big for our team, it's big for our coaches. But, in the end it's about winning.”
    There are legitimate questions about whether Altidore is the player that can bring that winning, but it's clear that TFC feels he's better suited to do so than the player that left. Choosing words carefully, all involved with the swap were clear that the Jermain Defoe problem needed to be addressed.
    “(Defoe) had always played in England and I think the entire project (of playing in MLS) is something that a player has to take on,” Bez said when asked why the Defoe signing failed. “I think he was initially, but he wasn't so much through the middle of the year and the end of the year.”
    Bezbatchenko stressed it's not unique for non-North American DPs to struggle with things like media access and travel in MLS.
    “So you have a player like David Beckham who eventually was able to take (it) on – carry the team and the league. But, it also took him some time.
    “Jermain maybe thought that he didn't have that time to do that.”
    He stressed that Altidore understanding those challenges was key to the signing.
    But, the question many TFC fans are having now is whether this is it. Will TFC add another significant piece in the transfer window and, if so, what does that mean for the Gilberto, the third wheel of their current crop of DPs.
    That's especially the case with rumours of Juve's Giovinco on the way. For now, the club stressed that they were committed to Gilberto.
    “We think we have now a combination of forwards and midfielders that can unlock defenses,” Bezbatchenko said. “But, we're always looking for new players to improve our roster. Always. We need competition in all spots but were not afraid to say that we are looking for an attacking midfielder. It doesn't always have to be a No 10 – there are creative players that can play out wide, up front. So, we're looking.”
    Greg Vanney echoed his GM's thoughts.
    “He's a part of our club. Like always we're always listening...but Gilberto he's with us and I think this year is a year he can really break out and score goals in this league.”
    Vanney went on to suggest that the chemistry between Gilberto and Defoe last year might have held the Brazilian back.
    “I think it's always a problem. If you're going to have your three DPs it's critical that they compliment each other, they can work together and you don't have different ideas on the field. That was always a challenge. There was no secret in that. I also thought there was some personality conflict between the two of them. This is an opportunity to start fresh with guys that are young and fresh and invested in this.”
    He doesn't see the same issues with Altidore.
    “I do believe (Gilberto and Altidore) can work together. I also believe they'll be an incredible handful for any centreback pairing. Both of them are strong. Both of them can get behind. I think they tend to drift off in different spaces at times. Jozy likes to drift to the left side and then attack the goal from there and Gilberto likes to run channels a little bit more. They can play off of each other.”
    Vanney also suggested that it might be time to stop holding big splash press conferences every off-season, double-decker buses or not.
    “I think it's important that we can start working with a 5-year plan and not be reactive because we brought in an older DP.
    “We can really plan for our future and give our young guys a chance to develop and prepare themselves to be difference makers in this league.”
    Now that would be a Bloody Big Deal.
    Michael Mccoll
    One month later and Banjo is in the pro ranks with the Whitecaps. It's quite the story and turnaround for the 22-year-old and one he didn't think he'd ever see coming.
    "It's a dream come true," Banjo told AFTN. "I've been working at this for years and it's a great feeling for it to finally come true.
    Banjo still remembers the shock and heartbreak of the meeting that broke the news that Towson were axing their soccer program. Staying on and finishing his degree was the only option he seriously considered, even if it meant no soccer. A meeting with UMBC head coach Pete Carinji Jr convinced him that taking a year out and then trying to go pro was not the right option or timing for the young striker and he made the move to the Retrievers for one final college year.
    It proved to be the right decision, with UMBC, led by Banjo, going further than any side from the school had previously managed, and coming to within one game of playing for the NCAA National Championship. After everything that had happened, it was an amazing experience for Banjo and one he'll never forget.
    "Because of where I came from, being in the tournament the next year, it wasn't anything that I thought was going to happen. God always has his plans and it worked out for the best. It was a great feeling and I'd never change that for anything."
    Banjo certainly seems to be an exciting prospect and a striker that has been able to find the back of the net on a regular basis in the college ranks.
    He shone with the Towson Tigers, scoring 15 goals and contributing 11 assists in 43 games during his three years there. As mentioned, he continued to find the back of the net when he switched to UMBC, and was unanimously named the America East Conference 'Striker of the Year' for 2014.
    Banjo went through a bit of a dry spell to end the season though, going six games without a goal or an assist. Consistency is definitely going to be a key for the talented striker moving forward and something which Carl Robinson has already identified.
    "I've seen exactly the same as you," Robinson told us in a conference call yesterday. "I've seen exceptional talent in him but I haven't seen enough consistency. Part of my job as a coach is to try and get him more consistent and with the opportunity we'll have with a lot of Major League Soccer games and USL games, there will be chance for him to do that.
    "Because if we can get him consistent, there's no doubt that he's got talent. You can't just have talent and no consistency, so it's a little project of ours and mine and it's one that I'm excited for. I do see a lot of raw potential in him."
    When you ask Banjo what aspect of his game he feels he needs to improve in most, he feels what every young player should feel when starting off in the pros - every aspect of it. And consistency is part of that.
    "It's the coach that's sees it more," Banjo told us. "Every player really has to think about everything but that's the coach's job to see it and if that's how he feels I just have to put my head down and figure it out and work on improving."
    Robinson is big on character and speaking to Banjo for ten minutes, you soon see that he is another player that fits right into the mould of player that the Whitecaps are looking to bring in to the squad. He's grounded, he's confident without being cocky, he seems a nice, humble, quiet guy, who has the skills on the pitch to back it all up and some hard life lessons to learn from after what played out at Towson.
    Described by Robinson as a "raw" talent, but one with real potential if he thrives in the professional environment now afforded to him. It's now up to him to see if he can take it and move on to that next level. As with all draft picks, you have no idea what way this will really all go, but he'll get his chances.
    Fellow draftee Tim Parker felt that there was a real connection between himself and Robinson when they had their pre-draft chat at the combine, and it's a feeling echoed by Banjo. So just how did that chat go?
    "He pretty much pointed out all my strengths at the combine. It just seemed like everything I said was already what he was thinking and pretty much that's what drew us together. We really did click in the conversation.
    "We talked mainly about mainly about myself, not soccer as much. But the times we talked about soccer it was much the same thing we were thinking and that showed we connected."
    Robinson is always keen to know what makes a player tick off the pitch. What motivates them, what interests them away from soccer. For Banjo, it's simple.
    "Just being close to the family and being surrounded by good people. Nothing really big. I'm just a people person. I just try to surround myself with positivized people."
    And he'll find a lot of those around the Whitecaps right now, although he doesn't know and hasn't come across any existing 'Caps in his soccer career so far and is another who has never been to Canada before.
    "I don't know one player from Vancouver [personally]. I mean they're really far up there!" he joked with us. "I don't really know anybody there but I'm excited to find out and meet new people."
    Coming to a Whitecaps MLS squad, already almost bursting at the seems, Banjo knows he needs to hit the ground running and impress once the preseason training camp gets up and running next weekend. So for those who haven't seen him play before, how would he describe his game and the skills and qualities he'll bring to Vancouver?
    "I'm quick on the ball, I'm quick thinking. Great team player and I'm versatile. I can play on the wing or forward, wherever is needed. A lot of long range shots. I have vision. Strong, powerful, quick. The lot."
    He can certainly shoot and registered 180 of them in his four years and 65 games at college. That's an average of just under three a game, with almost a 3.5 average during his time with UMBC last year.
    He's primarily played forward at college level but when the Whitecaps drafted him, it was hard to see him getting too much initial opportunity to that right now. Kekuta Manneh has struggled to find those minutes and you may see Banjo get minutes in that position in USL PRO, whilst being turned into a winger in the process. He certainly has the speed and skill to make that adjustment but what does he see as his preferred position?
    "I'd rather play the forward role," Banjo told us. "If it's needed I'll play on the wing too but I feel comfortable in both spots."
    Talking of USL PRO, it's also hard not to see that being where Robinson sees the 22-year-old striker fitting in right now. If that is where he ends up for most of this year, it's an opportunity Banjo is already approaching with the right attitude.
    "Playing that it gives you development for the first team I feel like. If that's what the coach feels that that's what I have to do to prove myself, then I will."
    Wherever Banjo ends up getting minutes in 2015, the big benefit for him is that he's coming to a club that doesn't just talk about playing younger players but actually does it and that's something that himself, Parker and others are all very aware and excited by.
    "That's what got me interested in everything he was saying," Banjo said of his initial chats with Robinson. "He's more about the younger players and development. That's what he saw in me and I'm excited to join."
    Michael Mccoll
    "That was part of my plan coming in to the draft," Robinson admitted during a conference call to local media on Thursday afternoon. "To try and get the best player available, of course, but it had to have some substance and I needed to know what positions I was slightly weak in. Obviously losing two centre backs was an area, and we addressed that. The wide areas, Kay can fit into that if need be or if we're able to bring someone else in. It was a very promising draft for us."
    You never know how players are going to adapt to the professional ranks. Can they make the grade? Can they hack going from being a regular first choice starter to often a reserve player or at best a bench guy? How do you feel when you're drafted for MLS but playing USL?
    It takes a mentally strong individual to handle it all it sometimes. Christian Dean has previously admitted that he had found some of last season tough going but Robinson feels that while it was a difficult year for Dean, he will have learned from it and be better as a result of it.
    Both Parker and Banjo look to have potential, to perhaps varying degrees. Parker is by far the more MLS ready, whilst Banjo has some exciting attributes that need honed in what is now the ideal environment for him.
    Robinson had highlighted Parker as a target before flying down for the MLS draft and combine. The Whitecaps were the first team that the St John's senior spoke with and Robinson not only got his man, but a player he feels has the attributes he wants in a Whitecaps player and the skillset to make a difference to the team and his backline.
    "We knew about Tim going into the combine," Robinson said of the overall 13th pick in the draft. "I think his performances in the combine, he was arguably the best centreback there. If you speak to him, he's educated, he's cultured. I think the fair thing to say about him is he's a typical Whitecaps player. He's got personality, he's respectful and he's tough. If you're going to win things then those are the characters you need and we're delighted we've got him.
    "They say that 13 is an unlucky number, but today it was our lucky number because we actually picked up the guy that I wanted out of the draft in Tim."
    There was a moment of hesitation for Robinson though just before Vancouver's first round selection. Seattle were amongst the teams looking to trade up in the pecking order and Robinson had to weight up taking a deal but perhaps at the risk of losing the main player he wanted by dropping a couple of spots. A five minute timeout was taken but in the end it was a no-brainer for the 'Caps coach.
    "As always here at the draft, you get a lot of MLS teams that come to you at the last minute or whatever and they try and get in your head before you have to make a decision. There was talks of allocation money, there was talks of moving up and down the draft table but when Tim was still on the table there was no possibility that we'd contemplate doing that. We took our time, we got everything right and we took the player that we wanted."
    So just what is it about Parker that piqued Robinson's interest and made him his number one target? What does he bring to the Whitecaps table?
    "We considered a lot of players but after interviewing Tim, he fits the mould that I am and he also fits the mould that the club is," Robinson said. "He's very respectful, he's honest, he's hard working and I feel that he is MLS ready now. I think he's got great attributes for a defender. It was the perfect fit for me.
    "I think he's got great attributes for a defender. We've just lost Andy O'Brien and we're a little bit short in that area, so I wanted to strengthen. It was a perfect fit.We're changing that area at the moment, with one or two players moving on. We identified Tim in the draft and we got our man, so we're delighted with that."
    Character and attitude are clearly important, as Robinson has highlighted many times, but Parker's on-field qualities also excite him and having scouted him over his senior year, Robinson was particularly impressed by what he showed at the combine.
    "I thought he did the fundamentals very well. As a defender you're talking about reading the game, positional sense, aerial battles, playing simple when you need to. Defenders are in there to do a job. They're not in there to try and beat a centre forward with a little stepover or anything like that. The fundamentals he did very well and that's what stood out.
    "Not just to me but to other teams as well. After completing the draft just now I spoke to a few other teams and they're disappointed they weren't able to pick him up. I'm very happy with that.
    "He's tough, he's competitive. His understanding and his reading of the game is exceptional. He plays with his brain. He's very smart tactically and you need to be smart tactically. If you look at the top MLS defenders, which are mostly American in this league, then they're all very smart and Tim's definitely a smart guy."
    Parker was captain of St John's in his Senior year and Robinson has no doubts that he could be a future leader with the Whitecaps as well.
    "I do, without a doubt. One of his main qualities is that he's an organiser. Being respectful off the pitch and being competitive on the pitch. You saw that at the combine. It's an important factor and an important trait if you're going to be a solid defender in Major League Soccer and he certainly brings that to the table.
    "I hope he comes in in the next two weeks and tries to put his mark on because he'll be given a fair opportunity, as will every single one of my other players, and it's down to him to try and win a place in my team and my squad."
    While Parker may be close to being MLS ready and challenging for minutes over the course of the season, Vancouver's other SuperDraft pick today is more a long term proposition.
    Kay Banjo is another senior, who shone with UMBC as they advanced to the NCAA Final Four in December. Banjo grabbed 8 goals and 5 assists from 23 games last year, but went his last six matches without being able to add either. An exciting talent when on his game, from what we saw of him, he sometimes drifts out of games and can look a little lost.
    "I've seen exactly the same as you," Robinson told AFTN. "I've seen exceptional talent in him but I haven't seen enough consistency. Part of my job as a coach is to try and get him more consistent and with the opportunity we'll have with a lot of Major League Soccer games and USL games, there will be chance for him to do that, because if we can get him consistent, there's no doubt that he's got talent. You can't just have talent and no consistency, so it's a little project of ours and mine and it's one that I'm excited for. I do see a lot of raw potential in him."
    The addition of the 'Caps USL PRO team this coming season is a massive developmental boon, not just for the club but for the players as well. It's something Robinson is excited about and a tool he plans to utilise fully.
    "It's very important and it's something that we weren't able to have last year and I think some of my younger players, not lost their way a little bit, but didn't manage to get the competitive minutes that I wanted. It's an important piece of the puzzle to us this year. There are players who will go down and play in the USL and I think it's important for them that when they do go down they take their opportunity.
    "If they take their opportunity then that puts them in a very good position to compete for minutes in Major League Soccer with our team. It's a very important piece and it's probably the next stage of the development for younger players as well because we've graduated a lot of our Residency guys and if they can't crack into the first team right away then it will be important for them as well."
    What players will end up playing where is still up for grabs but Robinson promised that every player will be given a fair chance to impress and show that they deserve to be part of the MLS mix.
    "That'll be dictated in preseason. I'm giving my young players an opportunity and guys in the draft today are going to be given those opportunities and it's down to them. If they can crack into the first team squad, then there certainly will be a position there for them. If they can't, and I feel they need a year in the USL for their development, then that's where they'll be."
    The Whitecaps still have five draft selections left in next Tuesday third and fourth rounds. Having highlighted an initial list of players in the draft that interested him, are some of those options still available to him in the next two rounds and how does he see the club approaching it?
    "There are, but we've got to be smart with our decisions when we decide to make our picks," he told us. "I can't totally fill up the roster with all young players. The majority are young players but we'll have our eye on our USL roster with the next round of picks that we have, so we have to be sensible and smart with our decisions but there are certainly guys that are still very interesting to me."
    Robinson also promised a further three or four new faces still to come, which he hopes will be in place for either the start of training camp or soon after, and despite the addition of Parker in the draft and Rodriguez on Wednesday, expect a fifth centre back to join the ranks, and perhaps a familiar one at that.
    "It'll probably be [someone] within the league," Robinson said. "I could go and find another young, talented centre back like I've already added in recent weeks, but I know if we are going to be competing and winning, then I do need some leadership in certain areas. It's probably going to be a guy that's got experience within the league and is a little bit older in years. It's probably going to be an older guy."
    One thing is for sure, it's going to be a crowded training camp and if players want to be considered part of the MLS mix going forward, they're going to need to stand out early and consistently.
    Michael Mccoll
    Parker was keen to impress at the combine and he did just that.
    "I went down there with kind of a chip on my shoulder and a statement to make to coaches of the league and the league itself that I wanted to be a first round pick," Parker admitted in a conference call on Thursday afternoon. "I really wanted to make coaches happy with the way I played and overall I think I am happy with the way I played. I think I performed well and I showed up fit and tried to be as sharp as I could every day."
    It worked for Carl Robinson and the 6 foot 2 defender, who has never even been to Canada before, comes to Vancouver after four years and 79 appearances with the Red Storm, captaining St John's in his Senior year.
    So for those of us that have never seen him play, how would he describe himself as a player?
    "I think I'm a hard working guy who knows what his job is and is willing to do anything he can to complete it," Parker told reporters following his draft selection.
    He followed that up in a conference call with local media later by adding:
    "My kind of playing style I'd describe as physical. I think I have some physical attributes that I can contribute and also I'm one of those defenders that likes to be on the ball, so whether that's playing out of the back or being an option to other players I think I can add that dimension to the Whitecaps this year and I hope that I'm given the opportunity to."
    Having started all but one of his appearances with St John's, Parker will now find himself in the position that Christian Dean did last season - of not being a regular starter and having to show patience as he waits for his chance.
    What will benefit Parker though is the chance to play valuable USL minutes and show his worth there as he challenges for MLS minutes.
    "One of the most important things for a younger player is to be able to get minutes," Parker said. "Without getting minutes, it's very hard to develop as a young player, so I think that because Vancouver does have a USL PRO team, it'll give me the opportunity to get minutes, to get experience and hopefully that kind of experience and minutes can help me translate to the first team."
    Parker is coming to a Vancouver side however that is not afraid to give young players minutes, a fact he is very aware of. With the 'Caps facing a busy 2015 in MLS, Champions League and Canadian Championship action, Parker will definitely see minutes with the first team, and coming to a club that's manager consistently gives its younger players a chance excites the 21-year-old.
    "I know they're a young team and they brought me in here as a young guy," Parker said. "It gives me a lot of confidence. It shows he trusts his younger players. It shows he instils faith and that's important for a younger guy going into an organisation."
    "It doesn't matter about age, it matters about the way you perform. I think, for me, that's something I have to have in my mind going in to this."
    The Whitecaps courted Parker early and were the first team to talk with him down at the combine. Bobby Lenarduzzi described his interview as hitting a "home run" and it was a connection also felt by the player.
    "When I met with the coaching staff, I think we got along very well," Parker said. "We connected. For me, it was something I thought could be a possibility. I thought the meeting went very well. They were the first team I met with and I could feel some interest and connection right away. For me, it was a very important and very positive first meeting for sure."
    The character and mentality that he showed in that chat that cemented Robinson's interest in him, with a lot of the chat focussing on what motivated Parker and what the player was like off the pitch.
    "We got to know each other pretty well personally," Parker told us. "I was able to get to know them and they were able to get to know me on a more personal level. Kind of know the kind of person I am, not only on the field but also off the field. Our ideas of soccer and the game and what I believe I'm capable of over the next couple of years kind of clicked."
    "Through this process, coaching is going to be very important to me growing as a player. I'm very excited to be working with the staff."
    So just what does make Parker tick off the field?
    "For me, when I'm not playing soccer I'm a big family guy," he says. "I'm a big friendly guy. I love hanging out with my family and my friends. being from New York I love to spend time at the beaches but also I love seeing movies and I love doing anything kind of outdoorsy."
    He's certainly coming to the right place for the latter.
    There is no doubt that Parker is an intelligent player with his head firmly screwed on. A lot of that comes from his upbringing. His mum is a registered nurse in New York and his dad is a police officer in Long Island. Neither played soccer themselves, but both have helped him in his chosen career path.
    "My mum and dad have always kept me honest. I've been humble but I've also been able to be proud when I can be. The inbetween areas, are always pushing me. They always make sure I have the right head on my shoulders."
    So what would Parker class as a successful first season in MLS and with the Whitecaps?
    "I know that over the course of the year the Whitecaps don't only play in MLS but they also play other games outside of the league, like the cups and whatnot," Parker said. "For me, just getting a couple of starts. 10 to 15 starts in MLS would be massive in helping me grow as a player."
    Duane Rollins
    If this is 2007, TFC has already won the draft.
    With today’s homegrown signing of Big Ten midfielder of the year Jay Chapman TFC has two of the likely top 10 prospects in the North American system right now, along with Jordan Hamilton.
    If you don’t think Hamilton is a top prospect ask yourself why he’s starting ahead of the consensus No 1 SuperDraft pick Clye Larin for the Canadian u20 team.
    So, they are playing with house money today when they select three of the first 11 players.
    Will they trade the picks? Will they go off the board with a risky pick?
    Listen to Two Solitudes Podcast’s live draft show today starting at noon Eastern to find out.
    https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/stream/g7q4w2wr6e5mbmjqtbtqwfvbuaa

    Michael Mccoll
    Rodriguez comes to Vancouver as an unknown quantity. He spent three years with La Liga side Malaga, making 42 appearances for their reserve side and scoring five goals, before returning to play with Uruguayan Primera Division side Juventud last season.
    He's not exactly a household name in Uruguay, never mind Canada, but his highlight video (which we'll put at the end of this article), experience and his obvious skillset certainly seems to indicate that he has what it takes to be a success in MLS. The proof will come on the pitch of course.
    Robinson identified Rodriguez on his scouting trip to South America in December and watched the defender play and train on three separate occasions and feel he will fit right in with the 'Caps style of play.
    "Excellent signing for us," Robinson told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday afternoon. "Got experience of going to Europe. He was over there for two years with Malaga. Manuel Pellegrini had recruited him. He had the background, he had the potential, without playing any games for their senior team.
    "One of the hardest positions to find is a central defender who nowadays enjoys defending and he's got a huge upside in him being so young."
    Although he feels Rodriguez still has work to do in his game, Robinson liked what he saw and what he can bring to the Whitecaps.
    "He's a good talker and has got a presence with him as well," Robinson added. "The fundamentals you want any player to have and to do, he does very well. His footwork is excellent, his strength and his dropping. He's a defender, He loves clearing balls and he loves putting himself in situations to block the ball from going into the goal."
    But what of those weaknesses?
    "He should have more attacking attributes than he's got," Robinson noted. "One of my observations was that he probably should score more goals. In one of the games that I watched, he probably should have scored four goals from set pieces. He will bring an element of aggression in the opposition box as well as Kendall and Octavio. It's something we need to improve on as we haven't been good at set pieces for a long time now and we'll try and address that."
    Robinson has often talked about bringing in players with the correct character and the right mentality and he feels he's found another such player in Rodriguez, highlighted by their first chat together.
    "He wants to learn," Robinson said of Rodriguez's desire to improve. "One of the first questions when I sat down with him that he aimed at me was "how can you make me better?". From a manager's point of view, that's actually refreshing to hear. A player is asking you the question as to how you can make him better and what can you do to let him progress to the next level. He's got the right mentality and mentality in this game is a major thing."
    So all in all, it looks like a good addition for the Whitecaps. But there are some concerns, aside from establishing an immediate chemistry with Waston.
    As we mentioned, the Whitecaps defence last season was strong, solid and stingy. It was also quite unsettled in the centre, as it has been for the past few years. Robinson will be hoping that will come to something of an end now, with Waston and Rodriguez marshalling the middle of the box moving forward.
    We know that Waston is going to pick up at least a couple of suspensions over the season and could also be missing on international duty. Let's not even look at any possible injury jinx hitting that spot yet again.
    There will be changes in the backline as the season progresses due to the sheer volume of games as well in MLS, Champions League and Canadian Championship action.
    As things currently stand, the Whitecaps are heading into training camp next weekend with just three signed centrebacks, with Christian Dean making up the trio. O'Brien and Leveron were both taking up international spots and last season took home $371,187 between them.
    Veteran O'Brien took home the bulk of that on $280,000 and we're led to believe that the Caps offered him the chance to return to Vancouver this season on around half of that.
    Whilst O'Brien loved being with the 'Caps and was prepared to take some kind of cut, the feeling was that this was just too much of a reduction for him to consider and it looks pretty certain that the former Irish international won't be back.
    "Over the last few weeks, we've had very, very good discussions with Andy but we've been unable to come to an agreement," Robinson sadly admitted. "We're probably going to be moving in a different direction now and Andy's exploring things over in Europe at the moment.
    "After having discussions with Andy and his agent on a number of occasions, there was some very good talk. We have to be a club that moves forward at some time and the time is probably now for us. Unfortunately we haven't come to an agreement, so we move on."
    A player, media and fan favourite, O'Brien's departure will leave a void in the locker room as well as the middle of the defence. Sure there were times last season where he was starting to look his age, but his experience helped the younger players both on and off the pitch and we would have loved to have seen him come back and take on some kind of player/coach role.
    O'Brien made it clear though last season that he wanted to play and he still felt he had another good season of playing in him. The chances were he was going to have more of a bench role and the Whitecaps couldn't afford to pay big bucks to someone for that. They also couldn't risk signing a big money deal and then O'Brien going down injured with a season ending injury like DeMerit. Always a risk with a 35-year-old.
    But O'Brien looks set to not be the only defender moving on and Robinson admitted that talks with Johnny Leveron have not progressed well, with the indication being that the Honduran international is another one not likely to be back in Vancouver for the new season.
    "We're still speaking to Johnny at the moment," Robinson added. "We're going to have 40 plus games next year, so I want to build a strong squad. If that means that's with Johnny, then great. If that means it's not with Johnny, then we'll move on. At the moment we're in talks with him and his agent but we're not very close to agreeing anything. We're just keeping our options open on that one.
    "I don't know if we'll come to an agreement or not, which is why I've made the move [for Rodriguez] now."
    So, the Caps are down to three central defenders, but this isn't likely to be the situation for too long.
    "Ideally I would like to have five centrebacks on my roster because I know it will be a very long season and there will be injuries and suspensions," Robinson continued. "I've got three [signed]. The minimum I will require is four, so I hope over the next few days we can add a fourth. There could be a fifth."
    Whilst the Whitecaps have some age and experience in the fullback positions through Steven Beitashour and Jordan Harvey, it's a fairly young central defensive mix right now. Waston is 27, with Rodriguez 24 and Dean 21. They need to have an experienced head in there and Robinson hinted that that might be coming and it won't be from overseas.
    "It's a tricky dilemma bringing in international players, as we all know, because we only have a certain amount of players. Ideally I like to try and bring in international forward thinking players. My belief, and my coaches belief, with Diego was too good to pass on because he brings a quality that I think we've been missing and I know that he will step up to the plate.
    "Having said that, I've got Kendall, who is an international centreback, and also Diego now. It is important that we do keep some core guys, some American guys, some Canadian guys, which obviously we've got a lot of younger ones of them, but domestic players.
    "I will be looking at trying to bring a domestic centrehalf in because I think it is important. A lot of successful teams in Major League Soccer do have a lot of domestic players. I'm not shying away from that element. It's important to have that as well but I will be looking for a domestic centreback."
    But before the pro-Canadian player crowd get too excited, it doesn't look like Whitecaps Residency alumni, and current Canadian U20 international, Jackson Farmer is going to be that guy just yet.
    "Jackson is an option for us," Robinson admitted before adding, "I see Jackson more as a USL player for us next year. He needs a little bit more experience and a little bit more games in a competitive environment. Our USL team will help us to do that. He will be coming in preseason to get a little bit more experience with us but if I can add someone that's got perhaps a little bit more experience than Jackson and allow Jackson to get competitive games under his belt in the USL, that's probably the way I'm thinking at the moment."
    The Caps may also look at adding a centreback from Thursday's MLS SuperDraft, with Robinson admitting that they've identified five or six possible options from their scouting.
    In amongst all of this centreback upheaval, it should also be remembered that the Whitecaps' offseason additions are still in their early stages. Rodriguez is only the second new player to be added so far, but he's far from the last.
    "I'm still looking at two or three new additions," Robinson said. "There will be more faces coming in. Can I give you a definitive timeline on that? No. But we are in the works with a few targets."
    So with less than two months till the new season kicks off (CBA pending of course!), what does Robinson see as still the main areas of concern in the Whitecaps squad that he needs to address?
    "I want to try and build this squad as strong as I can," he said. "I want to have a pool of players I'm comfortable with, whether they're young or old. There are still three areas that I'm looking at.
    "I'm looking in a wide area, I'm looking at the centreback area and I'm looking at the forward area as well. I've got good options in the midfield areas, I've got good options in the number 10 areas, so it's just those three areas I'm looking to strengthen.
    "Hopefully I'll be able to do that by the time training camp starts. If it means me starting tomorrow by getting the player I want or have identified, then I'll do that. There will be four or five news paces, including the picks we have tomorrow, coming in in preseason."
    The Whitecaps player report back to training on January 24th. Exactly who will be there still remains to be seen.

    Duane Rollins
    As has been argued here before, it's too early to truly evaluate whether the two men are up for the task. It's difficult to even fully evaluate them on last season since there are conflicting reports about what moves Nelsen was responsible for and what moves Bez did.
    The Nelsen firing, obviously, is an exception and it's a move that has tarnished Bez in many fan's minds. We've discussed that move enough (and we agree there were troubling aspects of it. Aspects that reminded us of the TFC of pre-2014). Regardless of your position on that move, it did accomplish one thing. It removed confusion about who was running the club (maybe. More on this in a bit) and it allows us to evaluate and interpret the moves since.
    So, what if anything have we learned about Bez and Vanney's plan? And, should TFC fans have hope that they can finally turn the club around?
    The latter question depends on what you take from the former and whether you're on board with it.
    What it suggests to me is that the two men are looking at a “domestic” solution to TFC. That is to say that they are favouring MLS experienced signings over big name flyers. No team is universally going to only sign one type of player (thus the Juve rumour I refuse to say out loud just yet), but the Altidore move combined with many of the smaller roster moves they've made suggests that they believe that MLS experience is important. Even today's re-signing of Mark Bloom speaks to that idea.
    Although mocked in places for their suggestion that TFC's core is good enough to compete in MLS, it's clearly a something they believe. There has been a noticeable effort to keep the same group together and to not go after sexier sounding discovery signings to fill out the grinder spots on the roster.
    Although a DP, Altidore fits into that narrative. They will point to his past MLS experience as evidence that he represents less of a risk than a player without MLS experience would have. Altidore is familuar. That fimilarity leads them to value him.
    Of course he's also a US national team player. This matters as well for several reasons. One is negative – he's clearly overvalued in MLS because of his US caps – but put that aside for the moment. The question that needs to be asked isn't whether he's worth a (rumoured) $6-million contract, but rather if he's worth a DP spot and cap hit.
    Time will answer that question. What's more interesting now is the possible reason Bez and Vanney think he is (and, clearly they think he is. You can question their skills, but it seems unlikely they are purposely sabotaging TFC by signing contracts they think are bad).
    From what I've been told the biggest supporter of this move has been Michael Bradley (see caveats about who is running things above) . Apparently he's been a big player in the signing and the front office is committed to building around Bradley. That means getting players he's interested in and feels he can play with.
    The idea of Bradley having influence over player moves is going to cause some to be concerned. That's understanable. This is a city that remembers Vince Carter's influence over the Raptors back in the early 2000s and how badly that turned out.
    Even putting those memories aside, the question of whether a player should be involved in management decisions is legitimate. What qualifies him? How does it play with his teammates?
    With Bradley, the looming presence of who his father is adds a layer to the situation. Does he eventually force Bez and Vanney out to bring his father in (although, in fairness, there is no evidence Bob is interested in leaving Europe) and if he does that is it not an example of even more dysfunction and turnover at TFC?
    As stated, there are legitimate concerns.
    For now, however, that is a situation that deserves monitoring rather than outright panic. For now, Bez and Vanney deserved to be judged on what they do without speculating on future dysfunction, nor tying them into the mistakes of the past.
    It needs to be stressed that comparing TFC in 2015 to TFC in 2013 and earlier is illogical. Understandable – it's the same damn strips giving up late goals since 2007 – but illogical.
    *Simply put, TFC's management in 2015 has literally no connection to the management that was in place from 2007-2013. There isn't a single person still with the club that was there before. Even ownership is different. Yes, it's still called MLSE, but the people that own MLSE changed as well.
    The new management took over a team that was legitimately among the worst in MLS history (TFC was the first MLS team to fail to break 30 points in two consecutive years in 2012-13). Yes, a lot of money was spent last year, but it was still the same flawed roster they were adding to. Although it's possible to turn things around quickly in MLS (ie DCU in 2014) it shouldn't be expected.
    TFC had the second biggest points improvement in MLS last year, behind DC. So, it's inaccurate to suggest they were the "same old TFC" or that they didn't take some strides forward. A balanced evaluation of last season would look at the loss of Caldwell for a long stretch -- thus forcing TFC to play a a centre back pairing that had a combined age of 42 for several games -- and the lack of depth that exposed as huge reasons for the late season slump that meant another year without playoffs.
    And then there was Defoe. When he was healthy and motivated he scored. And, TFC was solidly in the top 3 in the East. Hindsight allows us to know that it fell apart. Recency bias helps us forget that the *idea* of Defoe (an elite MLS scorer) was working. If Defoe is healthy and scores at the pace he did all year TFC is a playoff team. Probably no more, but they are top 5 in the East.
    Could TFC have predicted Defoe would be as big an issue as he was in the second half? I'm not convinced they could have. I'm not convinced any MLS team could have.
    Did TFC dysfunction play a role in Defoe's attitude? Well, that's the narrative but the evidence is, at best, mixed. Again, you can't point to TFC pre-2014 for evidence because no one is left that was there then. TFC was effectively an expansion team last year.
    This is the context that you have to evaluate Jozy's (likely) signing in. Can he score at the same pace as Defoe? If he can then is it not unreasonable to think that TFC will perform near the same level as they did with Defoe in the line-up? As stated, that level was top half East last year.
    Although I've not convinced Jozy can score at that level, I think it's possible he could. It's not a complete fantasy, right? I am almost certain that he won't pout for half the year, and at 25 you'd think he'd be more likely to stay healthy than Defoe was.
    Obviously, TFC has to address the shortcomings at the back and in depth to truly become contenders. Clearly, they can't be the same disorganized, constantly changing direction, club they were under old management. New management deserves to be judged on their actions though rather than prejudged by what Aron Winter or Mo Johnston did wrong.
    In judging Bezbatchenko it's fair to stress that he wasn't perfect in year one of "new" TFC. His handling of Nelsen's firing deserves to be criticized and it hearkened back to the worst of TFC 1.0. But, he has weeded out some bad contracts, made tough decisions on cutting a player like DeRo (although he did also bring him back, to be fair), drafted well, hasn't made widespread changes to the roster and, apparently, managed to actually get some money back (along with Altidore) for a player the whole world knew wanted out. These are good things.
    TFC fans know better than anyone to take a wait and see approach here. Burn us once shame on us, burn us eight times and, well...
    But, is there enough evidence to have some hope that, at the very least, TFC can become a functionally average MLS club?
    It says here yes. But, it's fair if you want to take a wait and see approach.
    If you're still supporting TFC after seven years of dysfunction (and one Bloody Big Collapse) you have absolutely earned the right to question everything about this club. It's not Bez and Vanney's fault TFC is historically, nearly impossibly, bad but that's the environment they are working in.
    Fix it and they'll be heroes.
    Can they? I don't think it's impossible, but I do have major concerns about Altidore's form and Bradley's influence that, when combined with the Nelsen firing, make me worried.
    But, I don't think it's impossible.
    So, basically, I'm saying there's a chance...
    *Part of this story was published under my name eleswhere
    Duane Rollins
    The Jermain Defoe era at Toronto FC is over.
    Several sources are confirming a TSN story that is reporting that Defoe has been sold to Sunderland in exchange for Jozy Altidore and cash.
    The amount of cash is not being disclosed, but CSN has been told that TFC has received £10-million for Defoe minue the value of Altidore. It's thought that Altidore is valued at £4-million, giving TFC a net of £6-million in the deal.
    There is one potential wrinkle in things. It's being reported that Altidore needs to go through the normal allocation procedure of any returning player. Technically a team in front of TFC could put a claim on him. However, CSN was also told that no MLS team was allowed to talk to Altidore other than TFC over the past week as this deal fell into place.
    At worse, TFC may have to trade for the top allocation spot. Montreal currently holds the spot.
    More as it develops...
    Duane Rollins

    Altidore...no idea

    By Duane Rollins, in 24th Minute,

    Gilberto's seven goals actually stacks up as pretty successful. The top 17 scorers in MLS last year were all returning players.
    This is the context you must view the Jozy Altidore to Toronto rumours in. He's scored 15 goals in a MLS season before. There is literally no one else available in this window that can make that claim.
    The problem, of course, is he's scored one goal in the last 6,000 games – or so it seems. He can't convert for Sunderland and it's stunning that he can still apparently demand a $6-million salary in MLS.
    Apparently he can, with three teams, including TFC, willing to pay it. Since it's come out recently that TFC is first in line for his services – apparently the league is going with the allocation order on this one, despite doing something different the last time a USMNT player came back. MLS, eh? What are ya gonna do! -- we need to evaluate whether this is a good thing.
    What's being suggested is that TFC would pay Sunderland about three million quid and give them Defoe. This is still up in the air though. Hopefully because TFC thinks that's crazy.
    One of TFC's biggest advantages this year is the amount of allocation it has. That advantage goes away if it's paying a big transfer for Altidore. So, bottom line here is this: No transfer. Period. Paying anything for a guy with a goal in two years is nuts.
    Unless you think he's going to score 15-20 goals next year. Bluntly, you pay whatever for that. As said, finding goal scorers is hard.
    Here's where it gets complicated. MLS and, especially, TFC isn't on the same level as teams in Europe/competent teams. The market is limited. Not everyone will consider coming. Altidore, apparently, will. So, is he worth the risk?
    Make no mistake, he is a risk. There are some in the USMNT community that will argue otherwise but it's been a long time since this guy scored. Strikers are a funny lot. They can be hard to predict and they can lose it as fast as they gained it.
    But, dismissing Altidore – as many in Canada, including, if I'm honest, myself, do – is probably too easy too.
    He's scored 15 goals in a MLS season.
    Can he again?
    The honest truth is that no one knows. That's not a hot take. But it is probably fair.
    Evaluating this potential move really comes down to evaluating whether it's TFC's biggest need. Regardless of what they do there will be a risk in the signings they make. Is this the right risk? That's the question that needs to be answered.
    The perspective here is no. But, I'm not prepared to claim that in absolute terms.
    Sadly, MLS transfers are rarely absolute.
    Your thoughts?
    Squizz
    Prior to the opening whistle, the members of the Canadian team engaged in a spirited discussion about what day of the week it actually was, since they'd crossed the international date line and their internal circadian clocks hadn't yet adjusted. Melissa Tancredi thought to search for a definitive answer online, but for some strange reason found her Internet search engine wasn't working very well.
    South Korea took advantage of this internal distraction to launch multiple attempts at goal... the referee quickly put a stop to it since, unlike in pinball, the multi-ball feature is not permitted in international soccer.
    Once the referee restored order and the one-ball system was back in effect, South Korea again took advantage -- mostly because the Canadian players were fumbling with their phones, trying to figure out why Google wasn't working properly. Yeo Minji did the damage in the 34th minute.
    At halftime, John Herdman -- who had watched most of the first half perched atop the stadium like an eagle, so as to get his preferred view -- put his team's mind at ease by showing them all how to create an account on Weibo. With their net-surfing itch scratched, the players came out with a full head of steam in the second half.
    It was, predictably, the youngsters who got the biggest boost. Janine Beckie struck early in the first half, her first goal for the senior women's national team. She celebrated by posting on Weibo: "That's what happens when Canada calls up a Beckie #ThatsRightFloro"
    Shortly thereafter, defender Kadeisha Buchanan got in on the fun, converting a corner kick for her second career goal for Big Red. Play was temporarily halted when a loud noise pierced the stadium; it was later revealed that the sound was a squeal of delight from Buchanan's mom. (Most surprising is that her mom was still in Canada at the time.)
    Once that was sorted out, Buchanan and Desiree Scott broke things down with a celebratory dance, which I won't attempt to describe in fictional terms since it apparently actually happened and we should instead use our collective energy to find a video clip of it.
    That, as they say, was that. Canada's next game is against Mexico on Jan. 13... or is it the 12th?
    Michael Mccoll
    Have a listen!
    You can listen to this, and all previous, episodes of the podcast on iTunes HERE.
    Or download it for your later listening delight HERE.
    We also have an iPhone app, so you can now add our podcast to your phone as an app. Visit the podcast's mobile site HERE and then at the bottom of the screen just click the "Quick Launch" icon and the podcast will be added to your home screen and appear as an app.
    And if that's not enough, we're on Stitcher Radio Network. Download the app and listen to the AFTN podcast on your device, along with over 20,000 other shows HERE.
    Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!

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