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    If you're a diehard sports fan of any variety, you're already very well experienced with cognitive dissonance.
    Intellectually, you recognize -- or at least, you should -- that sports are ultimately just pieces of diversionary entertainment, with no intrinsic value beyond what consumers decide to assign them. Emotionally, though, you care. You have a profound, visceral vested interest in the teams, players and issues with which you identify.
    With this dichotomy in mind, it's time to ask: Should Toronto FC fans simply accept the seemingly inevitable reality that, in the not too distant future, BMO Field will also be home to the CFL's Toronto Argonauts?
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The writing has been on the wall for a while now, but recent reports from TSN's Dave Naylor and the Star's Zoe McKnight make it clear that MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke has his eyes on a stadium-sharing arrangement for "the house on Lakeshore". And as Leiweke has shown during his time in L.A. and his tenure in Toronto thus far, when he sets his mind to something, it tends to come to fruition.
    Now, to his credit, Leiweke has said all along -- including to Sportsnet's John Molinaro earlier this month -- that any massive changes to BMO Field would be done with Toronto FC in mind, and preceded by consultations with the club's supporters, many of whom hold passionate opinions on the matter.
    The potential destruction of the intimate, soccer-specific stadium experience is one big concern. The potential damage done to the playing surface (and the deleterious impact on the sport of soccer) is another.
    But underpinning much of the opposition is another issue: the idea that after decades of neglect and disrepsect in this country, soccer fans deserve -- and must protect -- the one little piece of real estate they can call their own. The cries of "this is our house!" that rang out in the halcyon days of the late 2000s weren't mere contrived marketing fodder; they represented a genuine sense of ownership of the facility.
    Intellectually, TFC fans realize the stadium is publicly-owned and that the team is owned by two gigantic telecom conglomerates and one exceptionally wealthy construction magnate.
    But emotionally, it's difficult to fully accept our little team, our little stadium, becoming fully interchangeable widgets within the grander MLSE empire (even if, of course, this is what they've been all along).
    Now, the flip side of being part of that grander empire (and having a man like Leiweke at the helm) is the possibility of an unprecedented off-season transformation, like the one TFC has just undergone. That all came together thanks to Leiweke's vision and connections (brilliantly laid out by the Star's Cathal Kelly), and his belief that splashing the cash on Defoe, Bradley et al. now would ultimately pay off for the club and the organization.
    Clearly, Leiweke's next bold move includes expanding BMO Field and bringing aboard the Double Blue as a tenant (and perhaps, as Naylor's report suggests, even as a sister club under the MLSE umbrella).
    Which brings us back to the original question: For TFC fans, is this something worth fighting about, given that it's seemingly a fait accompli at this point?
    Intellectually, surely most TFC fans realize that however sincere Leiweke may be about wanting to garner input from TFC fans prior to any stadium deal, ultimately the man -- as is his mandate -- will act in the best interests of the entire MLSE empire, of which TFC is just one piece (albeit a piece for which Leiweke appears to have an authentic affinity). And if Leiweke believes bringing the Argos to BMO fits that description, well, then that's what's going to happen.
    But emotionally?
    Hey, supporting an unpopular cause -- even when there is seemingly no hope left to be found -- is nothing new for anyone who's supported Toronto FC for years. Now that TFC finally looks poised to have some on-field success, perhaps waging a likely-futile war against the CFL interlopers is the best way for fans to stay connected to that feelings of comforting hopelessness that's characterized the team for so long.
    Whether or not any of the arguments against bringing the Argos to BMO Field are "rational" (in some big-picture, general sense) is irrelevant; as we've established, everyone involved understands that sports fandom is, at its core, irrational. Supporting TFC for the past seven years is especially irrational. So what's wrong with a little bit more irrationality sprinkled on top?
    It's the devoted passion of those who care about the club that built and sustained it through these dark years, and Leiweke knows this. If anything, he'd likely welcome disagreement and reasoned arguments about why BMO Field is -- and should forever remain -- the exclusive domain of TFC.
    What are the chances that his mind will be changed on the matter? Not especially great.
    But as anyone who's watched Toronto FC carry a lead into the final 10 minutes of an MLS match knows, it's not over until it's over. That's why you keep watching, keep fighting... keep caring.
    .
    Guest
    Unless you've been in early winter hibernation these last few months, you'll know that Vancouver Whitecaps' focus for this coming season is on developing their plethora of up and coming young talent.
    Midfielder Marco Bustos is one of the players pushing for a homegrown MLS contract. Named the Whitecaps' Most Promising Player at the end of last season, the 17 year old Residency player isn't resting on his reputation, knowing he needs to put in the hard work to make his dreams a reality.
    Two days into the Caps' preseason camp, Bustos has looked one of the hungriest and stand out players on the training pitch, eager to impress and show he has what it takes to land a MLS contract.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The Winnipeg native began playing organised soccer at the U4/U5 level, making the move west to join the Whitecaps' Residency program in September 2011. His footballing career has been on an upward trajectory since.
    An impressive debut season, that saw Bustos head to the USSDA playoffs with the Caps U16s, was followed up by a breakout 2012/13 campaign where his dominant performances at his age level saw him moved up a year early to the U18 squad when Gordon Forrest took charge of the team.
    Bustos continued his development, scoring 14 goals from his 33 appearances last season in the attacking midfielder role. Five of those goals came in the postseason, with Bustos showing that he had a flair for the big occasion.
    His performances also earned him a look in the Caps' Reserve team. The club needed to see how he would perform at the next level and playing against men, not boys. His one goal and two assists (all coming in two games against Seattle incidentally) in just four appearances gave them some idea.
    The highlight of 2013 for Bustos though was travelling to the UAE to play for Canada in the U17 World Cup. He played in all three games, starting two and contributing an assist, and it was an experience he won't forget.
    <i>"Oh it was good. Being in Dubai, which is just such an amazing city, and being part of the Under 17 World Cup is not something that many people can say. It was a good experience overall and we didn't get the results we wanted but saying I've played in a World Cup is perfectly fine with me."</i>
    But all that is now in the past, and whilst it still counts for something when looking to his future, at the same time, in the training camp environment, it counts for nothing.
    Competition for a MLS contract is fierce. If you've learned anything from financial ads over the years it's that past performance is no guarantee of future results.
    To get to that holy grail, Bustos needs to work harder than he ever has before in the preseason camp. Nothing will be handed to him on reputation alone. He has to earn that spot and that's the approach he has taken with him into this week.
    Does that lure of a spot on the MLS squad hang over him?
    <i>"Not really. I just really want to show my best. I mean a MLS contract is there but I just want come out and have fun and hopefully they can see what I can do and see that I'm having fun. I'm always smiling."</i>
    And he has a lot to smile about.
    It goes without saying that Bustos still has a lot of development ahead of him if he wants to carve out a career in the professional ranks. Like all players, his game still needs work. No-one is saying he's going to come into the MLS squad and be an immediate starter or a member of the gameday 18. For now this is all about the first step on his journey.
    There's always a danger in building up a young player too much, and we know we're guilty of it at times here on AFTN, but Bustos has not only impressed those of us watching the opening days of training camp from the sidelines, but also the Caps' management.
    So what does head coach Carl Robinson want to see from Bustos for the rest of this week and carrying on into Arizona and the rest of preseason?
    <i>"Just exactly what he's shown in the first two days.
    "I think he brings an energy. He's got a bit of character about him. He's got a swagger in his step, but he keeps his feet on the ground and if you see him and Nigel reacting in training together and getting combination play, that's what I want.
    "That's why I'm bringing these players in in preseason. To get them mixed with the older players because once they're able to do that and cope with that then the ability comes out and I think we've seen that in two days from Marcus cos I think he's been fantastic in the first two days."</i>
    Bustos has trained with the first team before but a preseason camp is always that little bit different. How has he found it so far, especially coming back in after the winter break?
    <i>"It's been good, really sharp. It was good to get moving again and we're slowly getting in to it, fitnesswise, everybody. The medical staff are looking after us.
    "It's just great to get back with everybody. Being in the first team environment is really good and getting experience from guys like Nigel Reo-Coker and Andy O'Brien."</i>
    With six of his Residency teammates in the camp to share the experience, both on and off the field, familiar faces are not only good at easing the pressure on the training pitch, knowing each others games inside and out helps them shine too.
    <i>"Yeah for sure. Playing with them everyday in the Residency and coming in, some of us are in teams together so we pass the ball maybe with a bit more chemistry.
    "It's good seeing how the Residency is progressing and having a bunch of us here with the first team and preseason is really good for the Residency, good promotion."</i>
    The Whitecaps are training at UBC until Monday morning before heading down to Casa Grande in Arizona for ten days and three practice matches.
    Vancouver are regular visitors to Arizona but this will be Bustos' first time on a preseason trip that is felt to be a key part of the squad's bonding as both a cohesive team on the pitch and a close knit group off it.
    It's also a time when the rookies have to pay their dues to the older guys and in recent seasons that has involved putting on a talent show.
    Has Marco been told what to expect down there?
    <i>"I've talked to a couple of guys and they just told me to expect to work my hardest and to show my hunger and that I want to be here and expect to maybe get pushed around a little bit! But to be there is a great experience and hopefully I get the best out of it."</i>
    Whilst there are never any guarantees in football, especially for young players trying to make the grade, Marco Bustos is doing all his talking on the training pitch.
    We'll soon find out if his hunger in the scrimmage games and in training has earned him a spot on the MLS roster in time for First Kick or if he just needs to bide his time for that little bit longer. But if he keeps up his early showing and attitude in camp, then you have to think that the odds will be ever in his favour.
    <p>
    Guest
    Going into preseason training camp, Vancouver Whitecaps still have some clear needs to be addressed. Up until the weekend, one of the biggest was the right back slot.
    With no right backs signed and camp due to get underway yesterday, it was looking a little worrying.
    The Caps' knew how vital it was to find someone with experience to replace the now retired YP Lee and they secured the services of the highly rated Steven Beitashour from San Jose Earthquakes for nothing more than allocation money, with head coach Carl Robinson describing him as <i>"arguably the best right back in the League"</i>.
    That piece of the puzzle in place, the search is still on for a back up for the right back position and one player who hopes to impress in the next five weeks and stake a claim to a MLS roster spot is trialist Jordan Cyrus.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    The University of Maryland alumni may not be a familiar name to most, but the Whitecaps know a lot about the player after he had a week's trial with the club in October. They liked what they saw and invited him back for a longer look.
    What every team would love to have from a right back is a player who can defend strongly but also have an attacking edge, with both speed on the wing and an ability to create and/or find the back of the net.
    Starting off his career as a much lauded striker, Cyrus offers the Whitecaps a potent attacking option up that right wing.
    Born in Monterrey, California but growing up in Norfolk, Virginia, Cyrus played his high school football for the Norfolk Academy Bulldogs and finished his time there as their all-time leading goalscorer with 122 goals. During his five years at the school the Bulldogs had an amazing record of 100 wins and only 5 losses.
    He was named in the ESPN Rise Magazine All-American First Team and won a slew of honours, including becoming a two-time NSCAA All-American.
    He played in the USSDA with Virginia Rush U18s before making the move to the Maryland Terrapins in 2009, under Canadian head coach Sasho Cirovski, where he made eight appearances in his Freshman year, starting one game.
    An injury in his sophomore year saw him red shirted and sitting out most of the season, playing only 71 minutes in two games late in the year.
    He repeated his sophomore season in 2011, and playing mainly as a sub he grabbed three assists and his first NCAA goal against West Virginia in the second round of the postseason tournament.
    Maryland made an interesting switch in his Junior year and moved Cyrus to the right back role for 2012.
    Cyrus explained how that move came about.
    <i>"When I was playing as a striker I didn't get the looks I was wanting to. A couple of guys passed me over. Patrick Mullins, who's playing for the Revolution right now, is a great player and he kind of jumped me.
    "Then one of my friends, Taylor Kemp, got hurt so they needed a back to fill in so I stepped up, I started playing well and then I took it from there and kept playing."</i>
    And playing well. Cyrus made 23 appearances (15 starts) and scored two goals and provided three assists, as he became a key figure in a tight Terrapins defence.
    Hoping to build on that in his Senior year last season, Cyrus never got the chance. Despite being previously redshirted, the NCAA refused him permission to play a fifth year for Maryland due to the two appearances he made in that ill-fated first sophomore season.
    It was a decision that only came to light in the summer, frustrating both the school and the player.
    <i>"Something happened in the office, I'm not really sure what happened, but the process got kind of messed up so I wasn't able to play my fifth year, but I was healthy.
    "So this year I've kind of been out of it, working out by myself. I came up here for a week, trained a little bit but now I'm healthy and ready to play and start my professional career."</i>
    With the absence of his senior year at Maryland there was confusion as to what that would mean for Cyrus in terms of the MLS SuperDraft.
    <i>"I really didn't get to that point. I wasn't really sure how that was going to work. I was planning on trying to go into the draft but I talked to Vancouver around September/October and they liked me the way I played last year so they invited me out for a week to train with them.
    "I did well here, so now I'm invited back, so that's how that worked out.
    "I'm happy I didn't have to go through all the whole draft process and had a team before everything."</i>
    Before heading to Vancouver in the fall, Cyrus admits that he <i>"didn't know anything"</i> about the city, but he soon made sure he found out.
    <i>"When I came up here I did a little bit of exploring. I explored a little bit downtown, I really don't know the history of the city still, but I really enjoyed the sights. My girlfriend and I took a little trip down a little while ago, do a little shopping and stuff.
    "It's a lovely place, pretty cool and I'm really excited to be here."</i>
    He may have excelled in both attack and defence in his young footballing career to date, but Cyrus is clear as to what position he is looking at for a future with the Whitecaps.
    <i>"I'm hoping to play right back here."</i>
    Coming to a club like Vancouver, knowing that the back up spot is available, what does Cyrus feel he has to do in the training camp to prove that he's the right man to fill it?
    <i>"I feel that I have to get fit enough to where I can play 90 minutes. I have to make sure I'm technically clean, but I have to make sure that I'm confident on the ball. I think the more that I play, the more I get used to this level of play I think I'll be more confident and ready to step up to that back up spot."</i>
    So how did he find his first day in a MLS preseason camp?
    <i>"I felt it was a little new, a little bit different to what I'm used to, but it was a good experience and a good little segway into the preseason."</i>
    A MLS contract aside, Cyrus also has established goals from the camp.
    <i>"I'm hoping to get used to the speed of play and kind of assert myself as a good player and get better as a player in the preseason and get myself right for the season coming up."</i>
    It's going to be a tough camp for all the rookies and all the hopefuls. Spots are at a premium as always, but all the players know that if they can stand out and constantly perform at a high level, they will be given a shot.
    The Whitecaps definitely need more right back coverage. As it stands, Cyrus and South African PDL player Ethen Sampson are the only other two right backs in the camp. Cyrus being a domestic may also count in his favour.
    Carl Robinson may decide he wants more experience in there as cover for Beitashour, especially with the Iranian international hoping to be heading to Brazil with his national team in the summer and likely to miss several weeks as a result.
    There may also still be room for another depth defender, either on the MLS roster or loaned out to Charleston Battery to develop further.
    From what he's already shown in day one of this year's camp Jordan Cyrus certainly has a good chance at making the squad if he can keep up the same level of consistency for what will be a gruelling five weeks.
    That gruelling aspect may not phase him. His coach at Maryland <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2013/08/16/maryland-terrapins-lose-two-key-players/" target="_blank">describes Cyrus</a> as <i>"a tireless worker and a tremendous leader on and off the field"</i>
    Firmly focussed and with the right attitude and work ethic, he's going to be an interesting one to watch.
    <p>
    Guest
    They're back!
    Vancouver Whitecaps are back in preseason training and raring to go under a new regime.
    Episode 37 of the AFTN podcast <i>"There's Still Time"</i> comes straight from the training pitch and is the first of hopefully three podcasts that we'll bring you this week from the opening days of camp.
    We look at what went down in day one, who impressed and who looked like they still haven't shaken off the Christmas turkey, along with a look at the new additions to the squad, including new signing Steven Beitashour.
    We have an exclusive chat with Caps' coach <b>Carl Robinson</b> about his first training session as a manager and not an assistant and what's he's hoping for and expecting from his squad for the whole of the preseason.
    And there's still time to talk to some of the Vancouver media about what and who they want to see from the first week of training, and we ask them to sum up the offseason so far in one word!
    [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/5040106/url/http%253A%252F%252Faftn.podbean.com%252F2014%252F01%252F27%252Fepisode-37-the-aftn-soccer-podcast-tales-from-the-training-ground%252F?skin=3" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
    <p>
    Guest
    One down, 35 spots still to be filled.
    <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?5214-Vancouver-Whitecaps-All-Time-Greats-Phil-Parkes" target="_blank"><u>Phil Parkes</u></a> claimed the goalkeeper's spot in the NASL XI last week. This week we search for the goalkeeper for the CSL/D2 XI and there's a number of great 86ers/Whitecaps candidates to consider, but it might end up coming down to two.
    Somewhat crazily, getting all the info and stats from those years was more difficult to come by than from the NASL days many years before. We still have some gaps.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    If you're new to the series, just a quick recap. Last month we <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?5141-AFTN-launches-our-Vancouver-Whitecaps-All-Time-Greats" target="_blank"><u>announced</u></a> the launch of our interactive series to find Vancouver Whitecaps' (and 86ers') All-Time Greats, position by position, from the first forty years.
    The Caps' teams will be split into three eras, selecting the best XI from the <b>NASL days (1974 to 1984)</b>, the <b>CSL/D2 days (1987 to 2010)</b> and the <b>MLS days (2011 to present day)</b>. All teams will line up in a 4-4-2 formation and then a final All Time Greats XI selected.
    Every Sunday we'll run an article on here to vote for a certain position for a certain team. Each team's position will be allocated an article and a week to itself and we'll chat about some of the possible contenders for the crown to jog memories.
    You can cast your vote in the article comments, on Twitter, on Facebook, and on the Southsiders forum. Voting will run from the Sunday till 11.59pm on the Friday. You don't have to have seen the players play to vote. Just know your history.
    So, summary over, we continue the series as we try and narrow down a goalkeeper from the CSL and D2 days of 1987 to 2010.
    <center>**********</center>
    When the Whitecaps went out of business at the end of the 1984 season, Vancouver was without a professional football team for two years. From out of the ashes, Vancouver 86ers were born. Founded in 1986, they played their first season in 1987 and reclaimed the Vancouver Whitecaps name in 2001.
    The first six seasons were played in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), and the 86ers did an amazing Championship fourpeat from 1988 to 1991. For the next 18 seasons (1993 to 2010), the team played in the second tier of the North American soccer pyramid in Leagues that underwent many mergers, splits and name changes along the way.
    From the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) to the United Soccer Leagues (USL) to back to the name of where it all began, the new North American Soccer League (NASL), the Whitecaps and 86ers played in them all.
    Information and stats from some of those years, especially in the late 90's, are patchy, so we've not been able to be as thorough as our NASL recap and name every single goalkeeper on the 86ers/Caps' books.
    So what we've done is narrow down the main contenders to make this eras Best XI and make some other notable mentions along the way as well.
    The CSL years saw Vancouver dominate. Four Championships, a further final and a semi final loss was the tale of those six successful years.
    When it all kicked off in 1987, two men shared the goalkeeping duties. <b>Pat Onstad</b> and <b>Brian Kennedy</b>. Both UBC Thunderbirds and both now in the Tbirds Hall of Fame.
    Kennedy played one season, making 9 appearances and playing 817 minutes, on the way to three clean sheets and conceding 12 goals.
    Onstad <i>(pictured)</i> was 18 when he made his 86ers debut. He played one season, clocking 1170 minutes, keeping one clean sheet and conceding 20 goals in his 13 appearances. Onstad left the team to go to school and was a pivotal member of a Thunderbirds side that went on a 54 game unbeaten streak and claimed three CIS Championships in the early 90's.
    Onstad went on to have a distinguished goalkeeping career, winning 3 MLS Cups (2 with Houston and one with San Jose), amongst many honours, and making 57 appearances for Canada, winning the Gold Cup in 2000.
    Former Canadian national team keeper <b>Sven Habermann</b> had the starting goalie's job in 1988 and 1989, guiding the 86ers to their first two CSL Championships. He played a total of 45 games and 4020 minutes those seasons, keeping 12 clean sheets and conceding just 55 goals. Habermann went to the 1986 World Cup with Canada but didn't play and you might have seen him on Dragon's Den last year securing a deal from the dragons for a self defence security device!
    <b>Rob Merkl</b> might not be a name known to many, but he was the only Vancouver keeper to play on the team in each of their CSL Championship winning seasons and was the starting keeper for the 1988 victory. The SFU alumni joined the 86ers in 1988 and played for around nine seasons in total for the club, primarily as the back up goalie (we think - lot of stats say till 1994 but we have a match report from a game in 1996!). We don't have anything like the full stats for Merkl, but in terms of longevity and loyalty to one team, we have to tip our hat to him. Merkl also won the inaugural Francophone Games with Canada in 1989.
    If we're talking about longevity in this era though, then step forward <b>Paul Dolan</b> <i>(pictured)</i>. Dolie the Goalie made his 86ers debut in their first CSL Championship winning season in 1988, making 7 appearances. He re-signed for the club in 1990 and went on to play a further 216 games over the next nine seasons, for 223 total appearances over his ten year Vancouver career, clocking up an amazing (and approximate!) 19,913 minutes. Those games played see Dolan at 10th in the all time list of Vancouver appearances.
    Dolan won two CSL Championships in his time with Vancouver (he left the club before their 1988 final appearance), finishing his career in the city and hanging up his boots in 1998. Dolan made 51 appearances for the Canadian national team from 1984 to 1997 and is inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.
    Paul Dolan had dominated the number one jersey for so long that for the next few years a number of keepers shared the goalkeeping duties.
    <b>Paul Shepherd</b> had six seasons with the club in two spells from 1994 to 1997 as Dolan's back up and then returning from 1999 to 2000. In his latter spell with the 86ers he split time with <b>Didar Sandhu</b>, who spent five seasons with the 86ers from 1997 to 2001, before deciding to step away from the professional game to concentrate on work. Sandhu was a former Canadian U20 international with a reputation as a great penalty stopper. He signed for the club in 1997 and made his debut in the 1998 season, coming on for one appearance as a second half substitute. By the time his 86ers career was over he had made 52 appearances, clocking up 15 clean sheets and a 1.39 goals against average in his 72 goals conceded.
    Several keepers came and went after this pair without making much impact but the now renamed Whitecaps brought silverware back to Vancouver in 2006 with the USL-1 Championship and the man between the sticks for most of that season was <b>Tony Caig</b>.
    The Englishman started off his career at Carlisle and after eight seasons there he had become a bit of a journeyman before heading to Vancouver in April of 2006. He made his debut the next month and established himself as the starting keeper, going on to make 28 appearances that season. He played a further 11 games in 2007 before heading back home for personal reasons, only to surprisingly re-emerge briefly at Houston Dynamo in MLS in 2008.
    Caig played a total of 3540 minutes for the Whitecaps, keeping 14 clean sheets in his 39 games and ending with an impressive 0.9 goals against record (35 goals) in his short spell. In the Caps' playoff run to the 2006 Championship, Caig kept four clean sheets in Vancouver's five games.
    The last star keeper of the pre MLS era was a player who moved with the Caps into Major League Soccer, <b>Jay Nolly</b> <i>(pictured)</i>. Nolly had previous MLS experience with Real Salt Lake and DC United. He came to Vancouver in 2008 and initially shared the goalkeeping duties with Srdjan Djekanovic, who was in his third year with the Caps. Nolly's quality soon shone through and he made the starting position his own, going on to make 31 appearances that season in all competitions and lifting another USL Championship for the Whitecaps at Swangard Stadium.
    In his three season D2 career with the Whitecaps, Nolly made 109 appearance in all competitions, becoming only the second keeper in Caps' history to play over 100 games. His record is outstanding. 3442 minutes played, with 18 clean sheets and a goals against record of exactly 1.0 (109 goals). He added to his appearance tally in MLS the following season, but more on that next time. Nolly was named USSF-D2 Goalkeeper of the Year in 2010 and was also named on the USSF Best XI.
    One final word about <b>Simon Thomas</b>. The Whitecaps Residency alumni only made one first team appearance for the Caps in the D2 days and even that was brief, playing just 8 minutes after Jay Nolly was sent off. He didn't make the move into MLS with the club but returned to grab a place on the 2013 squad, before being released at the end of last season. But he's back in training camp and hoping to land a place on the squad for the upcoming season. There's a little bit of destiny about all that.
    Other goalkeepers on 86ers and Whitecaps squads in this era were:
    Carlo Marini (2 seasons - 1989 to 1990)
    Mike Franks (4 seasons - 1998 and 2003 - 2005)
    Lars Hirschfeld (1 season - 2001)
    Steve London (2 seasons - 2001 to 2002)
    Jim Larkin (1 season - 2002)
    Alex Marques-Delgado (3 seasons - 2002 to 2004)
    Josh Wicks (2 seasons - 2005 to 2006)
    Srdjan Djekanovic (3 seasons - 2005 to 2006 and 2008)
    Richard Goddard (1 season - 2007)
    Matthew Nelson (1 season - 2007)
    Lutz Pfannenstiel (1 season - 2007)
    Tyler Baldock (1 season - 2008)
    Diego (1 season - 2009)
    Dan Pelc (1 season - 2010)
    Sorry for the incomplete stats on some of these guys, but if anyone reading this can share those with us, then please get in touch. Likewise if we've any info wrong or missed anyone out.
    So that's the shortlist, now it's up to you guys for the voting.
    Who is your pick to make the <b>Vancouver Whitecaps CSL/D2 XI</b> as starting keeper?
    Let us know below, on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/aftncanada" target="_blank"><u>Twitter</u></a>, on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/aftn.canada/" target="_blank"><u>Facebook</u></a> or on the <a href="http://vancouversouthsiders.ca/forum/discussion/4165/vancouver-whitecaps-all-time-greats#Item_1" target="_blank"><u>Southsiders</u></a> forum. You can leave your comment under your name or as anonymous, whatever is easier for you.
    But also for those of you of a certain age, share your memories and stories of any of these guys for us all to enjoy.
    <p>
    Guest
    The votes were cast and in the end it was a landslide.
    <b>Phil Parkes</b> became the first member of AFTN's <i>Vancouver Whitecaps All Time Greats</i>, as goalkeeper for the NASL XI.
    Parkes played three seasons for the Whitecaps. The pinnacle of his Vancouver career came in the 1979 Soccer Bowl, but his overall record of 78 appearances, 2705 minutes and 23 clean sheets left a lasting impression on Caps supporters.
    Parkes started his football career straight from school joining Wolverhampton Wanderers as an apprentice in 1962, before signing professional forms two years later.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    He didn't make his first team debut until 19th November 1966, but what a first start it was, with Wolves beating Preston North End 3-2 and Parkes saving a decisive penalty.
    Parkes soon established himself as the starting keeper for Wolves and went on to make 382 total appearances for the club before he moved on in 1978. He was ever present for the 1971/72 and 1972/73 seasons, setting a club record of 127 consecutive league appearances. Parkes has legendary status at the club and is still fondly remembered today by the older Wolves fans.
    He earned his nickname "Lofty" whilst at Molineux. Two versions as to why, one his 6'3" height and one as a result of his long, booming kicks. Parkes earned himself a bit of a reputation as a penalty stopper, saving two spot kicks in the 1972 UEFA Cup semi final against Hungarian side Ferencváros. They lost the final 3-2 to Spurs and Parkes picked up a runners up medal.
    It was during his early days at Wolves that Parkes first played over in North America, making seven appearances for Los Angeles Wolves in 1967 in the United Soccer Association League and eight for Kansas City Spurs two years later in NASL action.
    Wolves had represented the city of Los Angeles in the inaugural USA season (Vancouver were represented by Sunderland as the Royal Canadians), and Parkes helped guide them to the league Championship that season, winning the Championship game 6-5 against Washington Whips after extra time.
    Parkes first came to Vancouver on loan in 1976 after 12 seasons so far with Wolves. He made 20 appearances in his debut season, clocking up 1836 minutes, keeping six clean sheets and conceding 25 goals. The Whitecaps finished third in the Pacific Conference, making the playoffs for the very first time in their history, losing to Seattle in the first round.
    The keeper returned back to Wolves and sat out the 1977 NASL season before returning to Vancouver to play in 1978 and 1979.
    Parkes was an ever present in 1978, making 29 appearances and 2650 minutes. His ten clean sheets, conceding just 28 goals along the way, helped guide the Whitecaps to their first Western Division championship before bowing out to Portland in the Conference semi finals. His performances also won Parkes the NASL Goalkeeper of the Year award and he made the 1979 NASL All Star team alongside the likes of Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto. Lofty company indeed.
    It was an award he was to win again in 1979, but he also won something much bigger - a Soccer Bowl winners medal. Parkes played in 29 of Vancouver's 30 games, playing 2705 minutes, keeping seven clean sheets and conceding 29 goals along the way. He only missed one game that Championship year and that was only because he was stricken with gastroenteritis a couple of hours before an away game in LA.
    A remarkably consistent goals against record for those two seasons - 0.97 in 1978 and 1.0 in 79 (0.97 again during the regular season). It was the first time that a keeper had recorded the lowest goals against record for two consecutive seasons.
    The Whitecaps' coach at the time Tony Waiters couldn't praise Parkes highly enough for his contribution to the team, and as a former goalkeeper himself, he knew a thing or two about the position.
    <i>"The record says that he's the best goalkeeper in the League and I say he's the best goalkeeper in the League."</i>
    Waiters put Parkes' success down to the hard work he put in at training.
    <i>"Parkes feels that what you do on the practice field is reflected in what you do in the stadium."</i> and that's a lesson for all young goalkeepers.
    Parkes would take part in all the regular drills before spending an extra half hour doing additional "specialised goalkeeper training" with Waiters.
    Parkes and Vancouver's, greatest NASL achievement came when the Caps beat Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 to lift the Soccer Bowl. The big keeper played a big part in the victory, making two huge stops from Rodney Marsh. The final was played in New York and with the Caps beating the Cosmos in the semis, their fans who had bought tickets in advance tried to give Vancouver a hard time throughout the game, especially Parkes. He responded by blowing kisses to the crowd.
    He was certainly a character and another tale of his time in Vancouver comes from a Caps' overtime win over Seattle in the Kingdome when Parkes came out of the tunnel after the match with his shirt off, a hair pick in his hair and a beer bottle in his hand to celebrate with the fans.
    Parkes decided to leave Vancouver on a high and had spells with Chicago Sting and San Jose Earthquakes before moving to the up and coming American Soccer League to play for Oklahoma City Slickers for a season and a half. He made it to the 1982 Championship game with the slickers, losing out to Detroit Express.
    He returned to the NASL in the middle of the 1983 season and played one game for Toronto Blizzard before hanging up his boots at the end of that year.
    After his football career finished Parkes moved back to England and worked as a roofer in the Midlands.
    Parkes is still a Wolves fan and one of their all time greats.
    He also now takes his deserved place as part of our Vancouver Whitecaps' All Time Greats NASL Best XI. A true Whitecaps legend.
    Phil Parkes will now battle it out later in the year with the goalkeepers from the CSL/D2 days and the MLS era for a spot in the final All Time Greats team.
    <p>
    Guest
    The Canadian women's national team will be looking for its first win against its American counterparts since 2001 on Friday, when they head to FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas for their first match of the calendar year.
    While the USA will be missing Alex Morgan due to injury, they'll still be rolling out a world-class lineup (it's no accident that they're consistently ranked #1 in the world, after all), so Big Red will be -- sports cliche alert -- in for a stern test.
    Unlike the last few camps, there are no complete newcomers with the Canadian squad this time, though a few familiar faces will be aiming to make their return to action for Canada:
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    GK- Stephanie Labbé | SWE / KIF Örebro DFF
    GK- Karina LeBlanc | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    GK- Erin McLeod | USA / Houston Dash
    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- Sura Yekka | CAN / Brams United
    D- Emily Zurrer | SWE / Jitex BK
    M- Kaylyn Kyle | USA / Boston Breakers
    M- Diana Matheson | USA / Washington Spirit
    M- Sophie Schmidt | USA / Sky Blue FC
    M- Desiree Scott | USA / FC Kansas City
    M- Brittany Baxter | unattached
    F- Adriana Leon | USA / Chicago Red Stars
    F- Christine Sinclair | USA / Portland Thorns FC
    F- Josee Belanger | Unattached / sans club
    F- Jonelle Filigno | USA / Sky Blue FC
    Belanger is back with the team after years of bugging from head coach John Herdman, and is aiming to make her first appearance with the women's national team since early 2011. Filigno, meanwhile, has spent much of the recent past dealing with injuries and finishing her education, though her allocation in NWSL is a clear sign that her focus will be on the field in 2014.
    Both will bring some experience to the Canadian attack, while at the back end, Herdman continues to place in faith in teenagers Buchanan and Yekka (though shouldn't Yekka be in school?).
    The 2012 Olympics have convinced many fans in Canada that this rivalry is much more evenly matched than it actually is; hence, you'll surely see predictions of a Canadian win from plenty across social media in the coming days.
    But the reality is, the Americans are the top-ranked team in the world for a reason; while Canada has suffered a number of setbacks since that glorious run in London.
    Of course, it's distinctly possible Canada could pull an upset on Friday and earn their first win over the Americans in the past 13 years. But the more likely scenario is that this game will serve as valuable experience for some of the team's younger players, and as more evidence for Herdman to use in his analysis of which veterans should remain with the team in the run-up to the 2015 Women's World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
    And hey, in the grand scheme of things, that's actually pretty useful.
    Although, it sure would be nice to beat those Yanks...
    .
    Guest
    Vancouver Whitecaps are expected to name the latest addition to their coaching staff next week.
    Englishman Martyn Pert will not be a name known to many over here, but he comes to MLS with a varied and interesting career in football so far and a reputation as a tough taskmaster when it comes to training.
    As a player he was in the youth ranks at Norwich City but didn't make the grade and went to university where he obtained a MSc in Sports Science. Part of his degree saw him visit Italy and Holland to observe coaching techniques at Milan and Ajax.
    He went back to playing, mostly non league, and had spells at Cambridge United and Great Yarmouth Town.
    Cutting his coaching teeth with Norwich City and Cambridge City academy sides, Pert then went on a somewhat surreal trip to the US where he was fitness and conditioning coach with both the New York Yankees and LA Lakers, so he can count three different sports on his resume.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Upon his return to England he had spells at West Brom, Fulham and Watford as fitness coach, working with current Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit whilst at Vicarage Road.
    He left Watford to join Aidy Boothroyd at Coventry City as assistant manager for most of the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons before heading to the UAE as an assistant coach at Baniyas.
    When appointed at Coventry, Boothroyd described Pert as <i>"a qualified coach and very highly thought of in the world of sports science"</i>, with the pair having worked together previously at Watford.
    Pert's travels around the world continued and he ended up in Bahrain as assistant manager to the national team for 13 months under Peter Taylor (not the one of Cloughie fame), where they won the 2011 Arab Games.
    He then landed in Ecuador, ever so briefly, as manager of El Nacional. That job lasted less than a month before new owners came in and wanted to go in a different direction.
    Trouble with owners wasn't far away from the management team in his next job either!
    Most recently, Pert was Head of Sports Science at Cardiff City before leaving a few weeks ago in the fallout from the whole Vincent Tan/Malky Mackay debacle.
    Quite the adventure and it will interesting to hear some of the tales he has to tell.
    He is on record as saying that his two loves in life are football and travelling, and now a new adventure awaits Pert in Major League Soccer.
    Pert holds a UEFA Pro Licence, speaks fluent Spanish and has a reputation for working his players hard. He runs tough sessions, which the players may not look forward to but it will be great if they can get results, especially with the wide variety of conditions the Caps have to play in throughout the MLS season.
    <i>[** Pert is the Cardiff coach we were talking about in yesterday's podcast, but unfortunately couldn't confirm the name until today. Seems like we were speculating a bit too grandly in the pod! **]</i>
    <b>Some Further Reading:</b>
    <u>Interesting article in Birmingham Mail</u>
    <u>A player's take on his training techniques</u>
    <p>
    Guest
    There were a few ‘buried ledes’ in the CSA media presentation held Thursday that outlined the organization’s strategic blueprint for the future. The big one obviously was the official announcement Canada would organize a bid for the 2026 World Cup. Futhermore, CSA president Victor Montagliani spoke to CSN writer Daniel Squizzato (in his other writing capacity) about the men’s program placing a priority on the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil; and looking to the future rather than fretting about dips in Canada’s Fifa ranking. His exact quote: “If you’re ranked 85th and you get into the Hex, [your ranking] doesn’t really matter to anybody, at the end of the day.”
    That’s an eyebrow-raising comment, because as Fifa rankings released last week show, Canada sits 11th in Concacaf, only just ahead of regional welterweights Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. And it's where Canada ranks relative to the 12th spot that will have a critical impact on the next World Cup qualifying draw.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    One one hand, many people feel the Fifa rankings are stupid, in that they seem to do a poor job evaluating the true quality of many sides. But assuming that Concacaf orders proceedings in a similar manner to the 2014 qualifying process, the rankings do very much matter. The draw for the second round of World Cup qualifying would take place in the spring of 2015, before the Gold Cup. Teams ranked one through six in the region would get a free ride through, while the remaining 24 teams (after some were axed in a first round of home-and-away qualifying) go into six pots of four nations each based on their Fifa ranking within Concacaf at the time of the draw.
    I recently exchanged a series of emails with long-time national team watcher Kevin Elder, as part of an idea to shine more light on how Fifa rankings affect Canada. The Ottawa resident offers a stark assessment of the situation. “The real danger is if Canada slips further down the rankings so we are not in the top pot. Last time they were teams 7-12, the catch is that only the group winner got out last time so if Canada slipped to 13 we may have to go through Jamaica just to make round three.”
    And there's the rub. In June of 2011 Canada managed to advance in a group that featured Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia. But man, it was painful at times. Imagine Canada getting dropped in a group alongside – for example – Jamaica, El Salvador, Cuba or, Guatemala. While that wouldn't be a total catastrophe, it would certainly be a severely pressing concern. Remember, Canada would need to win this group, not just finish in the top two. Put your hand up if you're comfortable with Canada's advancement at this pathetically early stage hanging on an away trip to San Salvador or Guatemala City.
    The Fifa ranking system seems a Byzantine mess, but it’s actually not that complicated. Points are only awarded for official Fifa friendlies and official Fifa competitions, like World Cup qualifiers or the Gold Cup. This means Canada’s only hope to earn points ahead of March 2015 are official friendlies. The matches are weighted based on importance, and the region and relative strength of the two teams. Just remember, a team receives zero points for losing.
    We’re not sure how the Concacaf qualifying process will go, but if you require incentive to sit through Canada friendlies perhaps it helps to think of them as being part of a long, drawn out league whose table is the Fifa rankings inside Concacaf. A table in which Canada desperately doesn’t want to slip lower than 12th. The current precarious position raises questions for the CSA. Do you schedule friendlies against easier opponents that, while offering fewer points and providing a meeker challenge, also make it easier to put at some distance between Canada and 13th spot?
    It’s fine to speak about the long game and the virtues of having patience for the future, but there’s another saying, one about looking after the minutes and the hours taking care of themselves that might actually be more applicable to Canada’s immediate situation. Canada needs Fifa points, and it needs them this year.
    Guest

    Canada 2026: Why it just might happen

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    The first time I heard that Canada might be bidding for the 2026 World Cup was 5 years ago.
    It was 4 years ago when I first asked the CSA, on an It's Called Football podcast, whether they were thinking of a bid. Much to my surprise, the answer they gave made it clear that they were.
    Almost 2 years ago, I was told that the bid was happening.
    A year and a half ago, former CSN editor-in-chief Ben Rycroft confirmed the bid in an article he wrote for the CBC.
    So, it wasn't really a surprise on Thursday when the CSA announced publicly that bidding for the 2026 World Cup was happening. In fact, I had to check to make sure it hadn't been officially announced as the bid was common knowledge in Canadian soccer circles.
    It wasn't common knowledge among the general public though, so the reactions were fresh.
    They were also mostly misguided. The vast majority of Canadians tend to immediately dismiss the idea this country could host a World Cup. They concluded that largely because Canadians tend to be a self-hating bunch that don't realize they are living in one of the richest places in the world.
    Those that give it slightly more thought dismiss the bid based on one of three things: 1) that the men's national team struggles, 2) that we don't have stadiums or 3) that we don't have the political clout/flexible morals that will allow us to win a bid.
    Winning a bid is by no means a sure thing, but none of the three points stands up to scrutiny.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Yes, the national team is horrible at the moment. However, only the biggest cynic in the world would suggest that there is no chance of improving that in the 12 years before 2026, or in the 4 years before the formal bidding starts. The CSA has changed, as much as many don't want to/can't see it, and results at younger levels suggest this current blip is the low point.
    As I've written many times before, the mess the senior national team is in right now is a reflection of the disaster the CSA and grassroots were in the late 90s, early 2000s. It will be the seventh anniversary of the Sack the CSA protest this September. A lot has changed since then to make the future more promising, but we're still dealing with the fallout of that era's incompetence.
    Don't be blinded by the short-term pain we're going through. So long as the progressive thinkers that are currently in leadership roles aren't derailed (and blindly screaming SACK THE CSA now doesn't help prevent that) things will get better. Maybe not as quickly as people want, but they will get better.
    But, the most important factor that makes the national team's standing not matter to the bid is the fact it's irrelevant. There is little to no evidence having a poor national team prevents a country from winning a World Cup bid.
    The stadium issue is also mostly irrelevant because the plan would be to build or renovate stadiums after winning a bid. That's typical in any country. It's likely that CFL stadiums (and possibly a NFL stadium in Toronto) would be central to the bid. Tying a bid to the revitalization of those stadiums is smart because it would speak to those (particularly in the west) that believe in the importance of the CFL to Canadian heritage.
    If a World Cup provides an opportunity to improve the CFL, the bid has a better chance of being supported by Canadians that don't care about soccer. That's vital because the biggest obstacle this bid might face could be internally. Hosting won't be cheap and there will be a very real and legitimate debate about those costs that will go well beyond the soccer community.
    All that said: bottom line is Canada is wealthy enough to easily upgrade the sports infrastructure to the required standards if the country decides it's a priority to do so.
    As stated off the top of the article, this bid isn't a new development. Everything the CSA has done over the last 5 years has, at least partially, been with an eye to this.
    Canada has worked the politics of this both in an obvious way -- hosting the Women's World Cup and Women's u20s (both of which lose money and neither of which had a legitimate bid other than Canada) -- and in subtle ways. Within CONCACAF and FIFA Canada has been actively cultivating relationships in a way that other, larger, nations that may bid have not.
    Many people assume that the U.S. would beat Canada in a bid. The U.S. didn't even get the support of the Caribbean in the 2022 vote. That was partly to do with what was in the envelopes, but it also had a lot to do with the way the U.S. is perceived in the developing world, particularly in Latin America. Hint: it's not positive.
    Canada isn't viewed the same way (in fairness, it's also a whole lot of naive for Canadians to think that we're universally loved --take the damn flag off your backpack you wanker -- but we do tend to come in with a clean slate in our official relationships with that part of of the world).
    Americans reading this may take offence, but, without a significant change in their approach from last time, the U.S. isn't a threat for 2026. For much of the world, Canada offers all the benefits of a U.S. Cup, without any of the perceived baggage. So, the last thing the CSA wants is to attach themselves to them as part of a joint bid.
    (As an aside, I acknowledge that isn't fair to Americans. But, it's naive to ignore those factors).
    Add in the fact that CONCACAF is way overdue to host a World Cup, Canada is the only G8 country not to have hosted, and the only country in CONCACAF capable of hosting that hasn't already, and suddenly Canada's bid looks pretty damn viable. Forget arguing if it's insane to even try. The argument should be whether Canada is the front-runner to win.
    Do I think Canada can win? Yes, absolutely. Do I think they will win?
    I've been consistent in this position since I first wrote about it 5 years ago.
    Yes, I think Canada will host a World Cup in my lifetime. I suspect it will be in 2030 though, following a European World Cup in 2026.
    Guest
    The offseason fun never seems to stop in Whitecapsland. It's been another eventful week, but still no actual new player signings apart from draftees.
    Episode 36 of <i>"There's Still Time"</i> rounds up all the latest tidbits and with the preseason training camp getting underway this weekend, it's our Preparation H edition.
    Hardwork, high hopes, holes and hassles are the order of the day as we look at the newly announced official affiliation between Charleston Battery and Vancouver Whitecaps; the re-signing of captain Jay DeMerit; the three new draftees joining the two and a half old draftees; and the Andre Lewis saga.
    We look at the holes that still need to be filled on the Whitecaps roster and take a trip down memory lane with a look at what retired Caps players of old would our listeners love to have back in their prime to help out the current team.
    And there's still time to bring you a strong rumour about who the Whitecaps new assistant coach may be.
    [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/5035535/url/http%253A%252F%252Faftn.podbean.com%252F2014%252F01%252F23%252Fepisode-36-the-aftn-soccer-podcast-preparation-h-edition%252F?skin=3" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
    <p>
    Guest
    The CSA is committed to finding a homegrown solution to the lack of professional playing opportunities for Canadian men.
    At a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, CSA president Victor Montagliani confirmed that starting a coast-to-coast semi-pro division 3 league is part of the CSA's 5-year strategic plan.
    Montagliani did not place a specific timeline on starting such a league, but pointed out that it would be regional in scope and that two provinces -- Ontario and Quebec -- will be operating D3 leagues by 2014.
    He said that such leagues would provide players opportunity during "gap years" between academy/college graduation and being able to turn fully pro.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Although Canadian-based MLS academies have helped in this regard, Montagliani stressed that they weren't "a magic bullet" that will fix all problems.
    In the past, Canada has tied itself to the American system. In the past year, the CSA has made it clear that it needs to move away from that approach at lower levels.
    To that end, the Association will no longer sanction new Canadian D3 teams in American leagues. MLS academies wishing to play in USL-Pro could be excluded from this as the parent club sanctioning would cover their participation.
    Central to the CSA's frustration is the lack of control it has in dealing with American leagues. A specific concern is MLS's unwillingness to make Canadian players domestics for American-based teams.
    The CSA rejects MLS's position that U.S. labour law prohibits that for happening and has been "in dialogue" with MLS for at least a year to change the rules.
    Montagliani said that progress has been "minimal" on the subject, but that he expects a resolution soon.
    The CSA's position that it should be possible to make Canadians domestic players in MLS seems to be backed up by the rules in two other U.S. leagues.
    USL-Pro has a seven-player limit on international players, but does not count Canadians against that limit. The National Women's Soccer League excludes both Mexican and Canadian allocated players from its international quotas as well.
    MLS claims that all foreign nationals must be treated the same and thus it is impossible to exclude Canadians from their international player quotas.
    Guest
    The Vancouver Whitecaps aren't having a great off-season. Between Bob Bradley snubs, Camilo fleeing and drafting a New York Cosmo, fans on the west coast can be forgiven for thinking that Toronto FC up and switched places with the Caps without telling anyone.
    Taken individually, you can explain away any of issues. Put together, and added to the very loud whispers about dysfunction that are coming out of Vancouver, any thinking Caps fan has to be at least a little concerned about the direction of the club.
    Smoke, fire and all that.But, no one in Vancouver wants to hear a guy from Toronto tell them that, even if that guy has a lot of experience identifying dysfunction in MLS teams.
    So, we'll leave it at that for now.
    Instead, we will focus on what Vancouver's misfortune means to the league and to the sport in North America. Specifically, how Camilo challenging the league's contracts and Andre Lewis challenging the draft could be the first public shots in the looming CBA war of 2015.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Keeping things Canadian, the ammunition for those shots is coming from the $100-million(ish) being spent in Toronto on Michael Bradley and Jermain Defoe. It's hard to hide behind the league's creative accounting -- which ignores Soccer United Marketing, expansion and stadium revenue -- Don Garber was using to claim a $75-million loss at the SuperDraft when T.O. is on a spending bender that would make Man City blush.
    Some fans may struggle to see the connection between a CBA negotiation and the individual actions of a couple payers. However, the root of both Camilo and Lewis' moves is about gaining control. Both moves were also very likely done under the the advice of player agents, which underlines how they aren't just about the individual circumstances of the here and now.
    In Camilo's case he was directly challenging unilateral club options (UCO), which, in the football world, are fairly unique. They are also almost certainly illegal in 95 percent of the football world.They might be legal in MLS because they were collectively bargained. It isn't in the scope of this article to conclude whether UCOs would stand up to a legal challenge--there is very likely enough there, there to make lawyers on both sides of the issue wealthy.
    That said, to me, it's telling that MLS didn't file tampering charges against Queretaro (if he really was under contract, no question, Queretaro were clearly tampering) and instead just quietly and quickly negotiated a below market sale (in fairness, Queretaro also understood their side of the argument wasn't airtight, thus their willingness to pay anything).
    MLS did not want to risk a challenge to UCOs so close to the CBA negotiations.
    The reason? They might lose.
    At the very least the player's side of the issue would get out and it might plant a seed into the minds of other MLS players to put UCOs on the table in the CBA negotiations.
    That might have happened already. The truth is UCOs act as a drag on player salaries and act as a restrictor of player movement. They only exist because the players were convinced that they had to agree to them in 2010 in order to get a CBA agreement in place.
    Fans understandably were upset with the "lack of loyalty" Camilo showed to the Caps, but the rest of the league's players were cheering him on. Don't be surprised if more Camilos happen if MLS doesn't bend on UCOs, which was likely a big part of the thinking behind his actions.
    The Lewis situation is similar. The draft exists because it controls costs, both on entry level contracts and on development (it also exists because (North American sports fans have been exposed to them for so long that they have accepted as normal a practice that, in any other industry, would be fully absurd).
    By forcing players to go through the draft it prevents bidding wars over top prospects. In turn, that keeps entry level contracts low (including contracts for academy grads, who are part of the same artificial market).
    Parity is the price the league pays for the system that likely saves them millions. Yes, price. The league would rather big markets thrive, which is why they make rules up as they go along when it isn't league money being spent). Parity is spun to fans as being beneficial to them, when it really just creates mediocrity and ensured that more of the money they spend on tickets goes into the pockets of owners rather than back into the product they are paying for.
    In the past, entry level players haven't had much leverage in MLS. They could try their luck in Europe, but college grads are generally too old to break in.
    Now, the New York Cosmos represent the most aggressive and wealthy aspect of a league (NASL) that is approaching things differently than MLS does--they don't have the same North American quirks that MLS has, which might force MLS out of their comfort zone.
    Although many fans won't give it much thought, if MLS pays a transfer fee to the Cosmos to cover up their screw up it will be a significant development. Prior to this year the league refused to treat the lower levels as equal partners in player transactions for fear it would legitimize those leagues as alternatives for North American prospects. They got away with it because the lower leagues couldn't match salaries. If that changes, and at least with the Cosmos it appears to be, then MLS is going to need to rethink the draft completely.
    They would either need to sign every player prior to the draft (which they don't want to do because not every player makes it), or risk having to consistently pay a transfer fee to NASL teams that sign the top prospects.
    NASL teams aren't restricted by the draft and would have the advantage of being able to approach the players the second their NCAA eligibility is no longer at issue.
    Of course they could avoid this by scraping the draft altogether and getting serious about building academies. Right now, less than half the teams in the league are truly investing on the development side, with most content to leave development to the NCAA. Sure it's substandard and holds the game back in North America, but it's free!
    Regardless, there will be plenty of time to debate the nuance of these issues this year as the CBA fight is only going to get nastier the closer we get to the 2015 deadline.
    Guest
    Camilo may have headed south of the border, down old Mexico way, but Vancouver Whitecaps are looking to the future and part of it may be coming from New Mexico.
    The Whitecaps were busy in the third and fourth rounds of the MLS SuperDraft this morning, landing three exciting players with a lot of promise and trading one of their third round picks for an international spot.
    The end result is a pair of New Mexico Lobos midfielders and a Canadian striker heading to the Caps preseason training camp.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
    Caps head coach Carl Robinson started his career with Wolves and he's bring a couple of New Mexican wolves to Vancouver.
    Defensive midfielder Michael Kafari was the Caps' third round selection, taken 51st overall.
    Kafari is a 22 year old Ghanaian who has spent the past four years in New Mexico, racking up 4943 minutes of playing time and playing a key role in helping the Lobos to 11 clean sheets this past season.
    He actually played his Freshman year in the forward role, netting two goals, before making the switch to midfield for the remainder of this three years. He holds a US passport, so will not take up an international spot on the Caps' roster if signed.
    He will be joined in Vancouver by his Lobos teammate Michael Calderon, as the pair battle for a MLS contract.
    Attacking midfielder Calderon was the Whitecaps final selection in today's draft.
    If you've been listening to the AFTN podcasts and my ramblings online, then you'll already know that we're very high on Calderon and have been banging on about drafting him for a few months now, even going as far as speaking to some at the Caps about him, although he was already on their radar.
    I saw him play a lot this year, both online and twice in live action (away to Santa Barbara and Seattle). He impressed me last year in games I saw and has continued to do so this past NCAA season. He is very technically gifted and when given time on the ball seems able to spray passes around the pitch.
    At 25, he comes a little older than others in the draft, but what I've seen is a player close to being MLS ready and one that would thrive in a full time professional development environment.
    Calderon has been a member of the Costa Rican U17 and U20 teams, and played his first two years of college football at Farleigh Dickinson before making the switch to New Mexico in 2012.
    It was a move that saw his game step up a gear and he grabbed four goals and eight assists in 19 appearances during his Junior year. He followed that up this season with six goals and five assists from 22 appearances (second on the team for both), as the Lobos went all the way to the NCAA Final Four before losing out in the semi finals.
    Robinson likes the creativity he has seen from Calderon.
    <i>"Although small in size he can unlock defences and I think us as a club last year that's what we missed. I've seen something in him that I would like to take a closer look."</i>
    Calderon played as an attacking midfielder with New Mexico. A traditional number ten. Although he thrived there at college level, is that still where Robinson sees him fitting in to the Whitecaps in MLS?
    <i>"Definitely. That's the role I see him in. The way I'm going to play, I'm going to play with a number ten player, so I've got to look at all the options in that. He was one of the number 10 positional players that stuck out to me in the draft. I'll give him the opportunity in his best position."</i>
    Apart from age, something that may have counted against Calderon with other teams is that he would take up an international spot, although he is due to get married later this year, so that could change.
    A lot of mock drafts had him in their Top 50, and it was expected that he would be taken in third round, maybe even the second.
    Was Robinson surprised that he dropped so deep and the Whitecaps were able to pick him up with the 64th pick overall?
    <i>"I was very surprised. Maybe his age turns a lot of people off, because he is 25, so maybe that was a turn off for some but it definitely wasn't a turn off for me because technically you could see that he has a lot of attacking qualities in him."</i>
    Whitecaps scouts watched New Mexico several times last year and had a good look at both players. They also got some added information on them from Whitecaps Residency product Ben McKendry, who is now in his second year with the Lobos.
    <p>"The inside intel we had from Ben McKendry at New Mexico has been a big part of what we saw as well about their characters off the field ,as well as on the field. Ben spoke nothing but high praise for both of these players."</i>
    And what of McKendry himself? He had another great season with the Lobos, recording five goals and an assist in his 22 matches. Could we seeing three New Mexico midfielders in Vancouver's midfield some time soon?
    <i>"Obviously we're in contact with Ben very regularly and we have constant communication with him. He's definitely on our radar. He's a midfield player that's got a lot of talent.
    "I think going to college has been fantastic for him. He's grown, not only as a person but as a player as well. If you've seen the way he plays recently, he plays with a confidence, but I like that type of player.
    "I like my young players to play with a swagger in their step, but obviously still be grounded. He's very much on our radar and very much a big part of us moving forward.
    "When we do something with that, that will need to be a question we follow up on, but he's got a big future ahead of him."</i>
    Often players drafted deep in the draft don't make the final cut, and they will both have to battle hard to earn a spot on the Caps' MLS squad, although both could be loaned out to develop elsewhere, which would allow Vancouver to monitor their progress and still hold their MLS rights.
    The other Whitecaps' selection in today's draft was Toronto born striker Mackenzie Pridham, who comes from Cal Poly and was picked first in the fourth round by the Caps (58th overall).
    After a slowish start with the Mustangs, including a redshirt year in 2010, Pridham had two break out seasons, scoring 25 goals in 39 appearances in his Junior and Senior years. Those stats also saw him pick up back to back Big West Offensive Player of the Year honours.
    Robinson describes him as <i>"one of the hardest working players I've seen."</i>
    Pridham has been capped by Canada at U17 level and has been involved in U20 camps. He spent six weeks last summer training with Toronto. They had the pick two after Vancouver took him, so you have to wonder if they were planning on selecting him themselves.
    It's going to be interesting to see how all three players, along with Christian Dean, Andrew Lewis and Mamadou Diouf fare in the preseason camp. They all look to be good picks, with the later ones more promising than those of recent seasons.
    Further news also came out today that Lewis will be loaned to MLS, and the Whitecaps, from New York Cosmos, with a transfer fee to be decided later if Vancouver want him. Not an ideal situation, so he will really need to shine in the preseason if the Caps feel it is worth taking a punt on him.
    All of the draftees, and the rest of the players, will report to Vancouver for Saturday when the preseason camp gets underway with a day of medicals.
    <p>
    Guest

    Reds select one

    By Guest, in 24th Minute,

    Toronto selected Kene Eze in today's conclusion of the SuperDraft.
    He's a big forward in a draft that was considered to be terrible for forwards.
    We wish him luck, but expect him to play in the USL and not under contract to TFC.
    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
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