Jump to content

  • Articles

    Manage articles
    Show all categories
    Guest
    So apparently the sky is falling again.
    Toronto FC has not run out and blasted opponents 10-0 in each of its preseason games and the collective PTSD of the Toronto fan has gone into full overdrive. If you look hard enough (and by hard enough I mean not very hard) you will see some fans calling for Ryan Nelsen to be fired.
    Look, the last seven years have been hard. TFC fans should be forgiven for being a tad bit reactionary. It's been so bad for so long that fans have learned to expect that everything will always go wrong.
    I understand. So, please take what I'm about to say the right way.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    CALM THE HELL DOWN.
    It's pre-season. The results of these games (and they are 1-1-1, for God's sake) do not matter. At all. No, not even a little bit.
    There is no evidence that a strong pre-season will mean a strong regular season, nor that a poor pre-season will lead to a poor season.
    In fact, in MLS, the first 6 weeks of the regular season barely matters. So long as you haven't pulled an Aron Winter, it's just fine. MLS seasons are decided in the hot grind of July and August and then again in the month long playoff sprint in November.
    Of the last six MLS Supporter's Shield and MLS Cup winners, only two have had a winning pre-season. I can confirm that no one involved with the other four teams was fired for their poor pre-season results.
    The pre-season is primarily an exercise in fitness building. MLS is a grind -- more than most leagues. Establishing the right fitness base is about 4,000 times more important than winning the Mickey Mouse Cup.
    Speaking of the Mickey Mouse Cup, you may recall TFC advancing to the final of that tournament in 2012 on the heels of their best pre-season in their history.
    That would be the year they started 0-9.
    While I can understand that it was frustrating to watch a disjointed effort by a patchwork line-up (missing arguably the most important signing of the off-season in Jermain Defoe) against the defending USL-Pro champions Orlando City (who also drew Philly at Disney), I still can't stress this enough...
    CHILL.
    Guest

    Welshman released

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The Emery Welshman era at Toronto FC is over.
    (I've made that joke before, but I've been doing this for six years so forgive me).
    Welshman never really was in the mix following a late first round selection in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. As CSN has illustrated repeatedly, it should have been expected. Picks beyond the top 10 rarely contribute.
    There is no word on what's next for Welshman, but you would hope that he would at least get a look at a Canadian NASL team. Fans should be cautious, though -- he'd likely be a borderline player at that level as well.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    Marco Carducci's 90 minutes in yesterday's win over Portmore United weren't his first in Vancouver Whitecaps' preseason, but they were certainly his highest profile ones.
    The Whitecaps Residency goalkeeper, and two time Canadian U17 Player of the Year, got the start in the Caps' first game in the Rose City Invitational and although he may not have had too much to do in a comfortable 5-1 victory, it was certainly a sign of things to come for the talented young stopper.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    David Ousted was due to be the starting keeper for the game and although he went through practice with the starters on Saturday afternoon, a quad injury ruled him out.
    Head coach Carl Robinson had no doubts about throwing Carducci in for the start, further showing his faith in the player. So when did Marco find out that he would be playing and making his first start for the MLS team?
    <i>"I was told last night (Saturday). So we knew at training maybe, maybe not but then when I was told I was starting it was obviously exciting for me and was able to get myself mentally prepared for it."</i>
    Of the three games that the Caps have down in Portland, the Portmore game was perhaps the best of them to throw in Carducci, with Paolo Tornaghi already down to get the start against San Jose on Wednesday.
    Playing in front of the experienced first choice back four and against lower quality opposition, it was a little less pressure. Carducci looked calm and collected throughout the warm ups, with goalkeeping coach Marius Røvde having a chat with him just before the game kicked off.
    What words of wisdom did the Norwegian share with him?
    <i>"Just treat the game like any other game. My first time playing in preseason was nerve wracking I guess to say the least but I've kind of gotten over that a little bit.
    "He just told me play your game, do your thing, you're here for a reason and just keep the game as simple as you can, you know what to do. He just settled me down a little bit. It definitely helps."</i>
    The official announcement that Carducci has been given a homegrown MLS contract is still to come, but that is now a formality and Robinson is fully expecting to have the young keeper challenging Tornaghi for that number two role as the season progresses.
    Carducci didn't have a whole host of things to do during the game, and may have done better with Portmore's poorly marked goal, but Robinson was pleased by what he saw of him out there.
    <i>"Marco's great. Marco's got a huge future ahead of him and I said from the start of preseason that he'd be involved. Obviously David picked up a slight injury and I had no hesitation of throwing Marco in.
    "I thought he was confident. I thought his kicking wasn't as good as it should have been, but he's still learning and he'll make wrong decisions at times but he had a very good performance today."</i>
    Carducci played the second half at the Timbers' Army end, which filled up as the game played out ahead of Portland's game against San Jose. It may not have been a full house, but it certainly gave Marco a little taste of the Cascadian atmosphere and banter, and they gave it out a bit to the new guy.
    <i>"I expected it of course. They've got a great atmosphere here, even in a game like this where there weren't too many fans there. I definitely heard a few things but it is interesting. I've played in a few games where I've seen that kind of stuff. It's just part of the environment. It's good to get used to it I guess!"</i>
    Whilst we try not to put too much pressure on the young Residency talent coming through (and probably fail at that!), it is hard not to think that this may have been the first but won't be the last time that we see Carducci starting down in Portland in the next few years.
    Ousted is slated to recover from his injury and start in Vancouver's final match of the tournament against Portland on Saturday. Any setbacks or further rest needed and who knows, we may see Marco start against the Timbers on their home turf or at least get some minutes.
    That really would be a baptism of fire for the young keeper, but a great learning experience at the same time. You can't help but think that like everything else this preseason, he'd simply take it in his stride.
    <p>
    Guest
    While excitement is already bubbling over the quartet of home games the women's national team is scheduled to play in 2014, there's still the small matter of playing in next month's Cyprus Cup.
    What does it all mean? Well, you'll get my possibly-unpopular opinion on that shortly, after we roll through what brought everyone here: The roster!
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    GK- Stephanie Labbé | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
    GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    GK- Erin McLeod | USA / Houston Dash
    D- Robyn Gayle | USA / Washington Spirit
    D- Kadeisha Buchanan | USA / West Virginia University
    D- Carmelina Moscato | USA / Seattle Reign FC
    D- Marie-Eve Nault | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
    D- Lauren Sesselmann | USA / Houston Dash
    D- Rhian Wilkinson | Unattached / sans club
    D- Emily Zurrer | SWE / Jitex BK
    D- Rachel Quon | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    M- Kaylyn Kyle | USA / Boston Breakers
    M- Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit
    M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / Sky Blue FC
    M- Desiree Scott | ENG / Notts County Ladies
    M- Brittany Baxter | unattached
    F- Adriana Leon | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC
    F- Josée Belanger | Unattached / sans club
    F- Nkem Ezurike | USA / Boston Breakers
    So, yep, as the title suggests, plenty of familiar faces. If you need to know anything about the bulk of this roster, peruse my posts for the last three years, or just plunk "Canada women's soccer team" into Google and you'll probably get plenty. But as for those whose exploits haven't already been documented ad nauseam, some brief remarks:
    The fact that Buchanan's inclusion isn't remarkable at this point is, in any of itself, wholly remarkable.
    We're likely to see the next chapter in the strange saga of Rachel Quon written in Cyprus. Quon, of course, is the American-born, -bred and -raised player who represented the good old U.S. of A. at various youth levels before <strike>deciding her chances of cracking the American roster were limited compared to her chances of cracking the Canadian roster</strike> she had a sudden swelling of pride for the land where her father was born and applied to FIFA to make the switch. If she plays in Cyprus, it will be her first cap for Canada.
    Also looking to earn a first cap is Nkem Ezurike, a 21-year-old striker from Nova Scotia who has represented Canada at the U-15, U-17 and U-20 levels and has been getting her first looks with the senior national team in the last few months. She was picked eighth overall by the Boston Breakers in this year's NWSL draft, coming out of the University of Michigan as the program's all-time leader in goals. Last year, she captained the Wolverines and led the team with 14 goals in 23 appearances.
    So, yeah, if you're keeping a "ones to watch" list for the CanWNT, you may wanna add her name, if it isn't already there.
    Adriana Leon will one day score a hat trick for the senior national team. I'm going to keep saying this until it happens.
    And Josée Belanger... we got a little glimpse of what she can offer in last month's friendly against the Americans. If she can get close to the form she showed during her last go-round with the CanWNT three years ago, she can definitely be an impact player as well (which is why John Herdman pestered her to re-join the program in the first place).
    Now, as for the Cyprus Cup itself. Let's be perfectly clear about what it is, and what it isn't.
    Its Wikipedia page claims that "it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football". This is true insofar as there are only a finite number of women's football events that take place, while the definition of "prestigious" is infinitely subjective.
    But the Cyprus Cup isn't even the most prestigious invitiational women's tournament held annually in March. That title goes to the Algarve Cup, which runs at almost exactly the same time as the Cyprus tournament. Canada hasn't been invited to the Algarve Cup since 2003 -- but we've been to every Cyprus Cup since its creation in 2008, making the final every single time and winning it on three occasions (though not since 2011)!
    Cyprus is closing the gap, though. Here's a look at what the top 15 ranked teams in the world will be doing in March:
    [TABLE=class: grid, width: 500, align: center]
    [TR]
    [TD]Rank[/TD]
    [TD]Country[/TD]
    [TD]Algarve[/TD]
    [TD]Cyprus[/TD]
    [TD]Neither[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]1[/TD]
    [TD]USA[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]2[/TD]
    [TD]Germany[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]3[/TD]
    [TD]Japan[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]4[/TD]
    [TD]Brazil[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]5[/TD]
    [TD]France[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]6[/TD]
    [TD]Sweden[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]7[/TD]
    [TD]Canada[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]8[/TD]
    [TD]Norway[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]9[/TD]
    [TD]Australia[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]10[/TD]
    [TD]North Korea[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]11[/TD]
    [TD]England[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]12[/TD]
    [TD]Italy[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]13[/TD]
    [TD]Denmark[/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]14[/TD]
    [TD]Netherlands[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [/TR]
    [TR]
    [TD]15[/TD]
    [TD]Spain[/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD][/TD]
    [TD]x[/TD]
    [/TR]
    [/TABLE]
    So, no, the Cyprus isn't a Mickey Mouse tournament, it's got some legitimate competition in it. But it does lend itself to the ready-made analogy of being the Europa League compared to the Champions League of Algarve.
    Herdman has repeatedly said Canada's goal is to be in the final of next year's Women's World Cup. The argument can easily be made that any team with legitimate ambitions of being world champions should be playing against the world's elite at every opportunity. And the elite of the elite will be in Portugal, not Cyprus.
    Now, it's quite possible that Algarve Cup organizers have simply refused to invite Canada over the past decade. If that's the case, then so be it. The Cyprus Cup is definitely a suitable option as well, and is hardly full of pushovers.
    And yes, the Canadian Soccer Association deserves mighty credit for ensuring Canada will get tested against the world's top three teams later this year, in the run-up to the World Cup. So in the specific case of 2014, maybe not being in the Algarve Cup isn't as big a deal as it may normally be.
    But the point is, let's not over-emphasize whatever results the team is able to achieve in Cyprus next month. They could win the tournament. Heck, they could win every single game (they've done it before)!
    They also won a whole lot of games going into the 2011 Women's World Cup... and how did that turn out? (It's a rhetorical question, but if you don't already know the answer, I suggest remaining in blissful ignorance, lest you spontaneously burst into tears.)
    Herdman is expected to offer media availability later this week. I intend to ask him whether the Algarve Cup was an option. (He, presumably, will wonder why I keep asking him the same question year after year, before offering an eloquent and upbeat response).
    All that being said, there's never any harm in getting a little excited about the national team playing in a tournament. Surely the players will revel in the opportunity to soak up a bit of sunshine.
    But we all know the real main events happen right here in Canada... later this year and then, of course, in 2015.
    Canada's Cyprus Cup schedule: Wed. March 5 v. Finland 4:30 a.m. PT/7:30 a.m. ET, Fri. March 7 v. Italy 7:30 a.m. PT/10:30 a.m. ET,, Mon. March 10 v. England 4:30 a.m. PT/7:30 a.m. ET,, Wed. March 12 final game (time, opponent and game depend on group-stage ranking) ... and no, don't expect it to be on television
    .
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps head down to Portland for the next stage of their preseason preparation.
    We chat with assistant coach <b>Gordon Forrest</b> ahead of the three game Rose City Invitational tournament which kicks of this weekend. How has he seen the Caps' preseason go so far and what are the hopes and plans over the coming week?
    A number of young players have impressed in the Whitecaps' preseason camp with two of the standouts being centreback <b>Christian Dean</b> and midfielder <b>Bryce Alderson</b>. We chat with both of them to see how they feel the first month of preseason has gone for them and what lies ahead.
    And there's still time to look over the Whitecaps' Residency's own trip to Portland that saw two wins and six goals scored over their young Cascadian rivals.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Have a listen!
    You can listen to this week's podcast on iTunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/aftn/id628306235" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    Or download it for your later listening delight <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>
    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 <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/mobile/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> 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've joined <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/michael-mccoll/the-aftn-soccer-podcast?refid=stpr" target="_blank"><u><b>Stitcher Radio Network</b></u></a>. Download the app and listen to the AFTN podcast on your device, along with over 15,000 shows <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/michael-mccoll/the-aftn-soccer-podcast?refid=stpr" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!
    <iframe width="100%" height="100" id="audio_iframe" src="http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5069288/url/http%253A%252F%252Faftn.podbean.com%252F2014%252F02%252F22%252Fepisode-41-the-aftn-soccer-podcast-let-the-tournament-begin%252F?skin=3" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
    <p>
    Guest
    It's impossible to say whether Panamanian soccer has recovered from the mind-bending horror of plunging from World Cup qualifying in the dying seconds at home against the U.S. last October, but at least its powers-that-be have begun the arduous process of re-arming for the next assault on the tournament.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Last weekend, Panama named Hernan Dario Gomez, or “El Bolillo,” its new head coach. The managerial maneuverings of the Concacaf middle powers always intrigue me -- not only vis-à-vis what happens in Canada, but also because it seems to be the same group of names popping up. Right off the hop we see Gomez has achieved something no previous Canadian managerial appointee has: qualifying a team for the World Cup. (In this case twice, with Colombia in 1998 and Ecuador in 2002.) He also carries some sinister baggage that makes his appointment to coach a national side anywhere somewhat disturbing. In the summer of 2011, while manager of the Colombian national team, he attacked a woman outside a Bogata nightclub – and there's not a lot to dispute, as he tearfully admitted to doing it on national television with the requisite explanation of having consumed too much wine and medication – an incident which cost him his job and at least temporarily, his marriage. Yet here he is, coach of Panama!
    He joins countrymen Luis Suarez (Honduras) and Jorge Luis Pinto (Costa Rica), on the Concacaf battlefields, offering a mixed resume in terms of results. Besides the aforementioned World Cup success with Ecuador, he’s had middling performance with club sides like Santa Fe and Medellin in Colombia. The low point may have been his association with Guatemala through 2006 to 2008. That tenure ended shortly after he led the aspiring nation to a 5-0 loss at the hands of the Argentinean sub-23 side in Los Angeles. At least then-Canada-manager Stephen Hart got shithammered five-to-zero by the Argentina senior team.
    For further context as to the type of managers a country the stature of Panama can or cannot talk to, you can muddle through this recently rumoured list of appointees. (A list that comes from the Honduran soccer portal Diez.hn, which has in the past suffered from, shall we say, questionable editorial integrity, even though they did get this one right.) The highlight for me is another Colombian, Juan Carlos Osorio, a man who I’ve written about before in relation to his farcical almost-appointment to manage Honduras.
    Gomez’s biggest challenge with Panama lies in rejuvenating a squad whose best-ever chance for a World Cup slipped awfully through its grasp. Just look at the leaders of that lineup for the fateful game against the Americans: FC Dallas' Blaz Perez (32 years old), striker Luis Tejada (31 years old), Morelia's defender Felipe Baloy who also serves as team captain (32 years old) and goalkeeper Jaime Penedo of the LA Galaxy (again, 32 years old). These guys won't be around for the run at Russia. Or, if they are around, they won't be anything near as useful. As of yet there does not seem to be the same level of talent bubbling up through Panama's youth ranks. Yes, we're four years out, but clearly Gomez will have to get more from less than his predecessor to prevent his tenure at Panama becoming another short ride on the Concacaf coaching carousel.
    This article was modified on Feb. 25 to show that Hernan Gomez also led Colombia to the 1998 World Cup.
    Guest
    Details of the Ottawa Fury FC camp, the team’s exhibition schedule and their latest player signings were announced at a press conference this morning at Complexe Branchaud-Brière in Gatineau.
    Reigning PDL goalkeeper of the year Chad Bush and former Montreal Impact player striker Pierre-Rudolph Mayard were unveiled as the newest Canadian players for the Fury’s debut NASL season.


    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Players have been arriving over the past few days and will all report for a week of medicals on Feb. 24. Training camp will begin March 3, with exhibition games coming on Mar 15 at Branchaud-Brière against York University, in Rochester against the PDL Rhinos on March 21 and again at home against Syracuse University on March 31.
    Two more exhibition games will be played in Florida ahead of the season opener.
    “It’s been a challenge to book exhibition games in the region where we are but we’re very happy with the ones we’ve booked,” said head coach Marc Dos Santos.
    The team will spend 11 days training in Florida ahead of their NASL opener against Fort Lauderdale.
    “We think it’s important to be on natural grass and to be in an environment where we’re going to play our first game,” said head coach Marc Dos Santos.
    Bush, who has roots in Hull, is the second GK in the squad and will battle Marcel DeBellis for the starting job.
    “I think for me signing my first contract is something I’ve thought about for a while,” said Bush, “and to be able to do it for my home town club is something I would have done happily a few years ago, but, now that it’s reality it’s really something special for me.”
    Guest

    Dike out for year

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Tough news for a player that has had some awful luck -- Bright Dike ruptured his Achilles Heel yesterday. He is expected to miss the year.
    Dike has already lost nearly a full season due to an Achilles injury.
    If TFC places Dike on the long-term injury list they should receive enough cap relief to replace him. However, it's unlikely that they will find a player with as much promise as Dike.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Guest
    In a move at least partially with the outlaw Canadian Soccer League in mind, the OSA clarified the penalties referees that officiate in non-sanctioned leagues will face.
    The CSL is operating as an outlaw league in 2014 after failing to meet the financial requirements set-up for it by the CSA. It is working with an unrecognized group to provide basic personal injury liability insurance, but will face no accountability from a sanctioning body.
    At least one game has been proven to have been fixed in the CSL in the past. There are allegations that the problem is widespread.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Sources close to the situation have told CSN that the CSL has been telling referees that there would be no consequences for officiating games in that league this summer. The OSA has now made it clear that is not the case.
    In a directly worded release, the OSA stressed that calling unsanctioned games will have severe penalties attached.
    In addition to not receiving any protection from the OSA in disputes or assault situations, referees will be suspended.
    A first offence will result in a 30-day suspension, a second will be between 3-6 months and a third suspension will be for between 1-2 years.
    Effectively, the suspensions will keep any serious official away from the league. By being forced to use inexperienced officials, the CSL is now even more ripe for potential fixing.
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps preseason is in full swing. We recap the games so far, including the latest one, a narrow 1-0 win over Victoria.
    We chat with head coach <b>Carl Robinson</b> about that game and also catch up with <b>Erik Hurtado</b> and <b>David Ousted</b> about their preseason camp so far.
    And there's still time for some rumours and speculation about what players may be coming in and what ones may be heading off to Charleston or elsewhere.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Have a listen and we apologise in advance for the quality of Robbo's interview and Steve's mic!.
    You can listen to this week's podcast on iTunes <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/aftn/id628306235" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    Or download it for your later listening delight <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>
    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 <a href="http://aftn.podbean.com/mobile/" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> 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've joined <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/michael-mccoll/the-aftn-soccer-podcast?refid=stpr" target="_blank"><u><b>Stitcher Radio Network</b></u></a>. Download the app and listen to the AFTN podcast on your device, along with over 15,000 shows <a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/michael-mccoll/the-aftn-soccer-podcast?refid=stpr" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a>.
    Or after all that, you could just listen on the player below!
    <iframe width="100%" height="100" id="audio_iframe" src="http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5064102/url/http%253A%252F%252Faftn.podbean.com%252F2014%252F02%252F17%252Fepisode-40-the-aftn-soccer-podcast-paying-the-ferryman%252F?skin=3" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
    <p>
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps must be missing the Arizona heat already.
    Their second day back training in Vancouver and it was a damp, dreary and chilly setting at Musqueam Park for a light session before the team headed over to Victoria on an afternoon ferry for Sunday's annual friendly against the University of Victoria Vikes.
    The training session lasted around 45 minutes, with some quick scrimmages, drills and stretches to keep the players loose after a hard double shift of training on Friday, including another yo-yo test. Nothing too intense.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The team were cheered on by a group of around 40 fans from the Curva Collective and Southsiders supporters' groups. Chants, flag waving and even some smoke was the order of the day. The players seemed to enjoy it.
    Some points of note from in and around training today....
    Some points of note from in and around training today....
    *** There were some fun nutmegs in the first drills, including Carl Robinson on Russell Teibert. He enjoyed that one.
    *** Kekuta Manneh returned to full training yesterday after his recent back injury and wasn't afraid to put himself about. After one hard challenge on him from Aminu Abdallah, he just got up, dusted himself down then went in hard himself on Abdallah. Nothing malicious, just competitive and good to see he's not afraid to challenge hard, fight back and be strong.
    *** Kenny Miller and Mehdi Ballouchy were just doing light training and laps around the field. Both moving well at least. Miller seemed in good spirits and says he hopes to be able to play in one of the games in Portland, but we'll see.
    *** Gershon Koffie's hamstring strain continues to limit him to just jogging. He's not had a good camp so far and now with this injury, you have to doubt he'll be a starter on March 8th.
    *** There was an old face back in the camp. The recently retired YP Lee was out training, but before people get carried away about him coming back in to the fold, it's been long agreed he'll join in the odd training session to keep himself fit.
    *** Lee looked like a retired player! Bryce Alderson was quite dominant against him and looking sharp, with some nice set ups and finishes.
    *** Another new face is 17 year old trialist Caniggia Elva. St Lucian born but based in Calgary, Elva had trials in Germany last year but looked a little out of place in today's training. Early days, but a season in the Residency may help the kid settle in a bit more to the Caps set up. Surely has to be named after the Argentinean legend?!
    *** Erik Hurtado continues to impress in camp this year. Was showing a great first touch when receiving the ball in tight areas. A marked improvement on last season. Had some great goals today. Laser shots, giving David Ousted no chance.
    *** We caught up with both Erik Hurtado and David Ousted after training, so watch out for those interviews in Episode 40 of our podcast, which will be available on Sunday night or Monday morning.
    *** Ben Fisk also fired in a couple of impressive goals and continues to look more than ready for his overdue MLS contract.
    *** Marco Carducci made some big-time saves and covered the whole net well. Was showing a better range than Simon Thomas in goal.
    *** Sam Adekugbe was getting advice from Marius Røvde on a few occasions after some bad passes in the scrimmages and some struggles with crosses.
    *** The Whitecaps will take a squad of 22 players over to the island for the Vikes friendly. Very strong group with several expected starters. Both Uruguayans and some of the younger guys looking to get a contract amongst those heading over.
    *** Only three strikers making trip - Erik Hurtado, Omar Salgado, Darren Mattocks. Outside chance Kekuta Manneh heads over too. Important match for Mattocks. Needs to show right attitude or patience could be wearing thin with the Jamaican. Big chance for Hurtado and Salgado to cement roles in team. Midfielders Ben Fisk, Bryce Alderson and Michael Kafari need to use stage to shine.
    *** Carl Robinson told us it's a key game and a number of players will get 60-70 minutes so he can get more looks at them in game action.
    *** All five centrebacks make the trip to Victoria as Robinson weighs up his starting pairing options. Christian Dean continuing to look good at training but could find himself loaned out to Charleston, at least initially. Andy O'Brien and Carlyle Mitchell remain my two choices for the starting pairing.
    *** Talking of the Charleston Battery tie up, reports coming out down there on <a href="http://www.chssoccer.net/day-2-keepers-whitecaps-friendlies-numbers/" target="_blank"><u>CHS Soccer</u></a> that first Caps loanees could arrive for the start of their camp on Tuesday. Will be minimum of four and could even be up to eight. Six seems to be the more likely number. Nothing confirmed as to who but players not making the trip to Victoria like Simon Thomas and Mamadou Diouf could be in the frame amongst others.
    *** Carl Robinson and Gordon Forrest have different tales to tell about a Valentine's Day stitch up. Who would you believe?!
    <i>[We started this last season and did bring you a few, but the plan this year is to bring you a lot more regular "Tales From The Training Ground" updates over the course of the season, along with photos from a lot of the sessions. Some of the photos from the first week of camp can be seen on our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/aftncanada/sets/" target="_blank"><u>Flickr</u></a>]<i>

    <p>
    Guest
    When Vancouver Whitecaps' Residency prospect Sam Adekugbe secured a homegrown MLS contract last August, the young defender knew he couldn't rest on his laurels.
    Adekugbe had already performed well in Reserve matches against MLS quality opposition, never looking out of place, and he went on to win a lot of plaudits when he made his senior debut in the final game of the season against Colorado.
    All that counts for little when it's a new season, a new coach and you're trying to prove your value to the senior team and that you can truly cut it at the next level.
    The hard work is only just beginning and whilst the move up from the youth ranks to the first team can be a steep learning curve, Adekugbe has been working hard in the offseason and knows what parts of his game he needs to develop through preseason and beyond.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <i>"As a footballer I think you always want to improve your game in all aspects. I always want to work on defending. I've always been known to go forward as a full back, so I've talked to the coaching staff, they told me what to work on.
    "I know I need to get in the gym to get bigger. I need to also get quicker, faster, stronger, but also to build on adapting quicker."</i>
    This is Sam's second year in training camp, but his first as a signed MLS player. How different is he finding things this time around?
    <i>"Obviously it's different coming in to a training camp with a new coach. He has his expectations and what he wants from the team, so hopefully I can understand what he expects and learn from the guys in the first team."</i>
    With a different coaching staff in place, there seems to be a noticeable difference in tempo and training from last year to this.
    <i>"Yeah, definitely. When any new coach comes in he brings his expectations. Obviously Robbo was an assistant under Martin Rennie but they also both have different expectations as to what they want as head coaches.
    "The tempo is fast, he's already inflicting his playing style. You can see players are wanting to learn it and adapt to it. The difference is in terms of environment and playing style and quickness, so hopefully it's something we can get together before the season starts."</i>
    Like all the young talent in camp, Adekugbe is keen to impress, angry at himself for making mistakes but eager to quickly bounce back and show his value to the team. This was seen in the first game down in Arizona against Indy Eleven where he both made a mistake for a goal, then came back with an assist.
    The whole preseason camp environment benefits young players who are willing to learn. Being around and getting regular advice from senior players like fellow defenders Andy O'Brien and Steven Beitashour is something which Adekugbe clearly enjoys and is benefiting from.
    <i>"Robbo's brought in some good players as you can see. Steve's just came in, he's an exciting right back in the League, so he's a player I can look to learn from. Also the other players in the team, there's a lot of players I can look to learn from, so in this camp I just have to stay focussed and work hard as much as possible."</i>
    Training and minutes with the first team aside, Adekugbe will continue to work hard and develop whilst part of the Caps' U18 set up in the USSDA for the next few months.
    One thing the coaches are looking for from players like Adekugbe is how they are when they return to the Residency fold after being away and training with the first team. They want to see a player go back and share what they've learned without giving indications that they feel they are better than that level now. The feedback we've had about all the Caps guys over the last couple of years that have done this has shown that this is something that Vancouver manage well.
    Adekugbe is no different and sees the playing time he gets in the USSDA as invaluable to his development.
    <i>"When you get a chance to play in different environments you always learn from different places, different types of scenarios. Being eligible for the U18 academy, Reserve matches, first team matches, it's a good thing, because if I'm not getting games in the first team squad then I can go down to the reserves, I can go back to the academy. It's good in the sense that I will be getting minutes."</i>
    Sam has bagged three goals for the U18s in 12 appearances so far this season and whilst there will undoubtedly be more to come, you have to also feel that he'll also be building upon his MLS minutes this year and is likely to get the nod to start in the Voyageurs Cup games.
    And it really wouldn't be a surprise if Jordan Harvey finds himself with a battle on his hands for that starting spot at left back before the season is out.
    To get there will require continued hard work but Adekugbe's already putting that in. It's going to be interesting to see if his development continues apace.
    <i>[Article by Michael McColl / Interview by Steve Pandher]</i>
    <p>
    Guest
    The Canadian Soccer League is no longer sanctioned by the CSA.
    A year ago today, the CSL received a one-year deferral on the de-sanctioning so that clubs could make decisions on how to proceed. Originally the CSA had pulled sanctioning for Feb. 13, 2013, but an arbitrator at the SDRCC decided to force the CSA to provide sanctioning for one final season.
    The CSL was implicated in a match-fixing scandal in 2012. A game between the Trois-Rivières Attak and Toronto Croatia was proven to have been fixed. A number of others were alleged to have been fixed.
    However, the official line was that sanctioning was pulled because the league failed to meet the financial requirements the CSA had set for semi pro leagues. Former CSN Editor-In-Chief Ben Rycroft reported that 12 of 14 teams failed to meet the basic requirements in the 2012 season.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    There is no indication that there was an improvement in 2013. In fact, the CSL did little to work with the CSA to resolve the differences. Instead they sought basic sanctioning from a group calling itself the Soccer Federation of Canada.
    The SFC is not recognized by FIFA and is run by a group of people disgruntled by an Ontario Soccer Association decision to phase out the Ontario Youth Soccer League in favour of the Ontario Player Development League. The OPDL is based on the philosophies of the CSA's Long Term Player Development model, while the OYSL represents the pyramid system that has been used in Ontario for generations.
    In effect, the decision to accept sanctioning from the SFC group has made the CSL an outlaw league. SFC sanctioning is nothing more than protection against personal injury liability. There is no accountability and by the CSL's own admission in a recent press release, there will be no governance.
    If the CSL was operating like a local beer league, this might not be an issue. However, your beer league isn't being listed on international gambling markets and doesn't have a proven history of fixing.
    Of note, as of today, the CSL can now handpick what referees it will use. And the OSA has indicated that there will be fines and suspensions for their referees who officiate in any unsanctioned leagues.
    Already a league shown to be ripe for fixing with its low to no pay, or it's little to no oversight, the CSL is now more vulnerable than it has ever been.
    Guest
    Amidst all of the hoopla surrounding our Winter Olympic athletes and their successes, a bit of very unfortunate news about a top Canadian athlete filtered out on Thursday morning.
    Kara Lang's bid to return to the women's national team after retiring three years ago has been thrown into question after, in her words, her knee "literally exploded" just two days after being cleared to fully train with the team. While some initial reports are suggesting this officially ends her comeback bid... well, we should know by now to never say never as it relates to Lang.
    The situation as it stands, in her words:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>2 days after being cleared to train w/ <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CanWNT&src=hash">#CanWNT</a> my knee literally exploded yesterday. I've torn just about everything you can in a knee.</p>— Kara Lang (@Kara_Lang) <a href="
    ">February 13, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Thank U to everyone who's been there for me along this crazy trip. Staying positive b/c I have the best support system anyone could ask for.</p>— Kara Lang (@Kara_Lang) <a href="
    ">February 13, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Somehow I WILL make some sweet lemonade out of these very shitty lemons.</p>— Kara Lang (@Kara_Lang) <a href="
    ">February 13, 2014</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
    Rather than wildly speculate about whether this is it for Lang, or about how John Herdman will need to adjust his plans for the 2015 Women's World Cup, let's instead just use this space -- in the immediate aftermath of the news -- to congratulate Lang on coming this far, and wish her the best in whatever comes next for her.
    .
    Guest

    Media day mania

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Media day is a funny thing. It's a bit like a trip to the dentist for most of the players, I suspect. By the time they get to the media room they'll already spent half the day posing for official photos. The cliches to journos are mostly through gritted teeth.
    It's also not a day for beat writers to get much worthwhile. Most of the well known TFC writers either skipped the event or hung back to let TV get their shots.
    It's a b-roll, stock photo kind of day and a day that goes way too long every year.
    That said, here are 10 observations from today.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    1) Nick Hagglund clearly was the happiest man in the room. Unlike the jaded vets, Hagglund looked happier than the infamous kid in that candy store. With the news that Ryan Richter is now apparently a centreback, a trip to Wilmington looks likely, but he's enjoying his time in the show for now. He's probably going to need to add muscle if he's going to play CB at this level.
    2) Speaking of adding weight, Doneil Henry is an absolute beast. He looks like he's added 15 lbs. And, he's got a snarl on -- When someone asked him to smile for a photo he growled, "I don't smile"
    3) Julio Cesar is coming. They can't outright say it, but they all but did.
    4) Tim Bezbatchenko absolutely tossed past management under the bus. He said the last two years at TFC were "unacceptable" and that they were "trying to treat players a lot better" than has been the case in the past. Ouch.
    5) Ryan Nelsen said that no decision had been made on what players are going to Wilmington. He said that age, potential to getting playing time and the needs of the Hammerheads are the main factor in making the decision.
    6) Teenager Jordan Hamilton looks to already have the physical tools to compete. I'd be stunned if he isn't going to North Carolina to get a year's playing time.
    7) Bezbatchenko said there was still ways to add a player. He didn't seen concerned about the cap.
    8) It looks like it's about a 99 percent chance Laba will play 2014 elsewhere. He wasn't made available today.
    9) Gilberto said that the language barrier was the most difficult adjustment so far. And, his translator has very cool hair.
    10) Bezbatchenko is confident. He said that he would stack up TFC's line-up against any team in the league. The playoffs are the minimum required.
    Oh, and everyone is going to take it one game at a time while giving it 110 percent.
×
×
  • Create New...