So we kinda let a few stories slip through our fingers here at the Vancouver Insider over the last 7 days and I figured maybe I could try to get you back up to speed on Vancouver v. Seattle, The Introduction of the HPL, and Alexander Marrello [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
The biggest bit of news was that the Whitecaps lost to Cascadia Cup rivals Seattle Sounders FC on Friday in a preseason scrimmage. By all accounts Seattle had very few chances in the game until they capitalized on a defensive turnover in The 'Caps end. Coach Teitur Thordason put the miscue down to a lack of familiarity between his back line, and gave credit to his group for not allowing Seattle to have any real chances before or after that.
Davide Chiumiento is flourishing in his new striker role (and trying to make me eat my previous statements). The move might prove crucial as the coaching staff will look to creative players like Chiumiento to create havoc in the opposition's end all year long. It's been said here before that he is likely too small and lacks the pace for a midfield position in Teitur's squad. A move up front would give him a chance to showcase his touch on the ball and his offensive mindset. Dede (Chiumiento) managed 2 shots by the 24 minute mark of the first period. Vancouver and Seattle played Three, 35 minute periods.
According to my sources Long Tan missed a couple pretty good chances including sending a header off the Seattle crossbar. Salgado also had a few chances in the late stages where he sent screaming shots just wide of the target.
The Vancouver Whitecaps lineup appears to have been set up as follows...
1st Period
Nolly
Leathers Janicki Duckett Wagner
Selinas Dunfield Koffie Tiebert
Harris Chiumiento
2nd Period
Nolly
Leathers Janicki Duckett Wagner
Davies Dunfield Koffie Tiebert
Tan Chiumiento
'54 Hartmann subbed Dunfield
'59 Boxall subbed Janicki
'59 Khalfan subbed Tiebert
3rd Period
Sylvestre
Knight Boxall Duckett Bedoya
Davies Hartmann Porter Khalfan
Tan Salgado
'82 Anderson subbed Tan
'99 Dunfield subbed Hartmann
Notice the German Trialist Lennart Hartmann. I don't know a whole lot about the guy so I'll direct you to his Wiki Page which says his trial is over...
Alain Rochat, Cornelius Stewart, and Jeb Brovsky did not make appearances in the game.
Joe Cannon, John Thorrington, Ryan O'Leary, and Jay DeMerit remain on the IR
Michael Nanchoff, Mouloud Akloul, Bedri Gashi, Ridge Mobulu, and Alex Morfaw still have not joined the club in Arizona.
The 'Caps next preseason match is on Tuesday vs. Columbus.
Moving down to the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy program....
Canada's men's U-17 team has announced its roster for the upcoming camp in Sunrise, FL, USA. Coach Sean Fleming has selected 23 players that will participate in the camp from 5-13 February. The roster includes 6 Whitecaps prospects at this point.
Canada is currently preparing for the 2011 CONCACAF Men's Under-17 Championship. Coach Fleming will only be able to select 20 players for the CONCACAF competition in Montego Bay, Jamaica, so ahead of him are three final cuts from this selection in Sunrise, FL.
CANADA
GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
GK- Xander Huggins | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
GK- Quillan Roberts | CAN / Brampton East
D- Ismaïl Benomar | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
D- Luca Gasparotto | CAN / Ajax Strikers
D- Marco Lapenna | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
D- Adam Polakiewicz | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
D- Parker Seymour | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D- Daniel Stanese | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
M- Bryce Alderson | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- Keven Aleman | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Wesley Cain | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- Shadrack Mmunga | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Christopher Nanco | CAN / Sigma FC Academy
M- Matteo Pasquotti | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- Michael Petrasso | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Samuel Piette | FRA / FC Metz
F- Dylan Carreiro | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Jay Chapman | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Yassin Essa | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Ajax SC
F- Sadi Jalali | CAN / Edmonton Juventus
F- Omari Morris | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
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staying on the player development end...
HIGH PERFORMANCE LEAGUE (Please find a way to get Castol on as a sponsor!)
On Tuesday News broke (via Marc Weber of The Province) that The BC Soccer Association has set forth a plan to align its top tier's playing season to when the rest of the top teams in the country are playing; March through November. No longer trying to make full use of the region's mild winters; and causing a misalignment with key dates in the national training programs calendar.
In the end this plan calls for the development of a new more concentrated top tier of youth soccer in the Province which will be called the High Performance League.
The "franchises" would run programs for the u-13 to u-18 age ranges .
The Following Clubs/Communities have expressed an interest in acquiring franchises and joining the league.
- Abbotsford Soccer Association
- Coquitlam Metro-Ford Soccer Club
- Lower Island Soccer Association / Upper Island Soccer Association
- North Shore / Burnaby
- Pitt Meadows Soccer Club / Golden Ears United Soccer Club
- South Fraser Soccer Club
- Sportstown FC
- SurDel Pegasus FC
- Surrey United Soccer Club
- Thompson Okanagan Football Club
- Vancouver / Richmond
A few notable names that are all a part of this new group are Paul Barber, Paul Mullen, and Jason Jordan. Barber is the current CEO of the Vancouver Whitecaps, Mullen is the U-17 National Mens Team Coach, and Jordan is a former member of the Vancouver Whitecaps and CMNT Player Pool and now the Technical Director at Vancouver FC.
Alexander Marrello
Bruce Constantineau of The Vancouver Sun wrote a great piece on Alexander Marrello, a 22 year old Midfielder from Burnaby who has made the jump to play in the Dutch 2nd Division after a successful career at the University of Buffalo. He will be playing with BV Veendam for the rest of their season.