Valour FC - 2024 Season Thread

[Unnamed Trialist]

18 hours ago, K Edgar said:

Melgaco, Portugal and the Centro De Estágios De Melgaco.  No info provided about opponents or additional team members/trialists.

https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/we-feel-like-the-guys-have-a-very-good-foundation-that-has-been-established-in-the-last-few-weeks-and-were-ready-for-that-next-phase-now

Looks like a nice, small facility. That's up in the extreme north, right on the Spanish border. Will be cooler temperatures up there this time of year (though they are into the higher teens this week), and humid likely. Very green up there. Not only that, but there are no teams of any substance anywhere nearby, they'll have to get on a bus for a couple hours. 

The nearest stadium if they want to catch some first tier football as a perk would be Celta Vigo.

Edited March 20 by Unnamed Trialist

[jonovision]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Looks like a nice, small facility. That's up in the extreme north, right on the Spanish border. Will be cooler temperatures up there this time of year (though they are into the higher teens this week), and humid likely. Very green up there. Not only that, but there are no teams of any substance anywhere nearby, they'll have to get on a bus for a couple hours. 

The nearest stadium if they want to catch some first tier football as a perk would be Celta Vigo.

Nearest, yes, but Braga and Guimaraes (Vitoria SC) are also not too far away.

[jonovision]

I haven't really been keep track, but does anyone know which CPL teams have announced new jerseys for the upcoming season? If Valour come out with Princess Auto as their jersey sponsor I'll be throwing my money at them.

Edited March 20 by jonovision

[K Edgar]

4 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Looks like a nice, small facility. That's up in the extreme north, right on the Spanish border. Will be cooler temperatures up there this time of year (though they are into the higher teens this week), and humid likely. Very green up there. Not only that, but there are no teams of any substance anywhere nearby, they'll have to get on a bus for a couple hours. 

The nearest stadium if they want to catch some first tier football as a perk would be Celta Vigo.

https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-preseason-2024-preview/

"the club will face a number of local sides from Portugal’s second and third tiers, including the Canadian-owned SC Vianense." -- SC Vianense, 3rd tier, was purchased in 2022 by Gary Raulino, owner of Scrosoppi FC of L1O.

 

[K Edgar]

Moses Dyer to Vancouver.  Crap!  Starting to look like another also-ran season for Valour.

Edited March 20 by K Edgar

[Cheeta]

18 minutes ago, K Edgar said:

Moses Dyer to Vancouver.  Crap!  Starting to look like another also-ran season for Valour.

Ah FFS!

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, K Edgar said:

Moses Dyer to Vancouver.  Crap!  Starting to look like another also-ran season for Valour.

At this point, that's just called a season. 

[nolando]

2 hours ago, K Edgar said:

Moses Dyer to Vancouver.  Crap!  Starting to look like another also-ran season for Valour.

What did you think of him out in Manitoba's Wild Kingdom? I don't remember much about him and am genuinely curious.

[jonovision]

3 hours ago, nolando said:

What did you think of him out in Manitoba's Wild Kingdom? I don't remember much about him and am genuinely curious.

I'm not sure where I'd find this info in one place, but don't be fooled by his goal totals with Valour as he was a bit of a penalty merchant. IIRC, about half of his 19 goals for Valour came from the penalty spot. 

He's an interesting player as he never really settled into a single position, spending time in midfield and at striker. He could do well for Vancouver but I also wouldn't be surprised if he fizzles out.

Edited March 20 by jonovision

[toontownman]

Valour fans with every new transfer rumour..

[Cheeta]

4 hours ago, jonovision said:

I'm not sure where I'd find this info in one place, but don't be fooled by his goal totals with Valour as he was a bit of a penalty merchant. IIRC, about half of his 19 goals for Valour came from the penalty spot. 

He's an interesting player as he never really settled into a single position, spending time in midfield and at striker. He could do well for Vancouver but I also wouldn't be surprised if he fizzles out.

Yeah, seem to recall his goal scoring dried up the last half of his final season.  Loads of opportunities, and a bit of harsh luck but also a bit of opposition focus.  Valour's offense had been well found out by then.

Seems like Valour's best players always end up in being asked to fill wider roles than they should be.  Out of necessity of course.  Good for the team, not so good for the player.

If you polled the usual suspects in Valourland I expect you'd get close to a 100% "sign him!" response.

No one asked us.  Clearly.

[Unnamed Trialist]

20 hours ago, K Edgar said:

https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-preseason-2024-preview/

"the club will face a number of local sides from Portugal’s second and third tiers, including the Canadian-owned SC Vianense." -- SC Vianense, 3rd tier, was purchased in 2022 by Gary Raulino, owner of Scrosoppi FC of L1O.

 

The Valour board is always the best of the CPLs, year after year. Thanks guys.

Anyways, I was in Viana do Castelo last September (though did not visit the facility), and drove part way up north, I guess it is not too far. It's very cool that they will go down there, the whole area is very pretty. For quality of life, weather, cost of living, food, history and heritage, the people, I'd be hard pressed to name a better place in Europe to retire.

[EnigMattic1]

12 hours ago, Cheeta said:

Yeah, seem to recall his goal scoring dried up the last half of his final season.  Loads of opportunities, and a bit of harsh luck but also a bit of opposition focus.  Valour's offense had been well found out by then.

Seems like Valour's best players always end up in being asked to fill wider roles than they should be.  Out of necessity of course.  Good for the team, not so good for the player.

If you polled the usual suspects in Valourland I expect you'd get close to a 100% "sign him!" response.

No one asked us.  Clearly.

Around the time that Akio was sold. I think they complimented each other well. We still need to strengthen other areas but it will be weird seeing players like Dyer, Akio, de Brienne, Guti and Rayane playing against us.

[Wippersuna]

Don’t get me wrong I would have taken Dyer for sure but it always felt a bit like he scored because Valour had no one else to. Now we… just have no one.

Are we thinking there are still a couple signings coming? Last year they held Novak off until late Im thinking in part because they viewed him as a “bigger” signing. Maybe I’m just delusional but hope springs eternal. 

[K Edgar]

2 hours ago, Wippersuna said:

Are we thinking there are still a couple signings coming? Last year they held Novak off until late Im thinking in part because they viewed him as a “bigger” signing. Maybe I’m just delusional but hope springs eternal. 

More signing are coming.  18 signed at the moment, plus the likely addition of the 2 USports draft picks - Sheppard and Facchineri, that would still only make 20.  Historically Valour has started the season with 22 of 23 roster slots filled, that would indicate at least 2 more signings pending.  With the rule changes this year USports contracts do not count against the 23 player limit so could Valour start with more than 22?  Only PDS knows and as always Valour is not saying much.  Additionally only 2 of the 3 mandatory U21 slots are filled so a 3rd Cdn U21 is required.  (An earlier training camp photo contained a player that looked like Greenidge-Duncan to me, so could that be the 3rd U21?!?)  A big signing up front (to join Hundal) would certainly go a long way to giving the fans some optimism - something which is lacking from what I see on this board.  Was hoping Dyer was that someone, but my hopes were dashed.... again.  Could more news be coming now that they are in Portugal???

[Cheeta]

If you have no seen it yet....Jersey reveal, 4th April, at Trans Canada Brewing 😲 on Kenaston (which by the way may have the best pizza in Winnipeg, or so I've heard from multiple sources.)

Fu'k of a drive for your's truly but just see if I can't find a DD!  Cheeta say Rowwwrrrr. 

 

[K Edgar]

11 hours ago, Cheeta said:

If you have no seen it yet....Jersey reveal, 4th April, at Trans Canada Brewing 😲 on Kenaston (which by the way may have the best pizza in Winnipeg, or so I've heard from multiple sources.)

Fu'k of a drive for your's truly but just see if I can't find a DD!  Cheeta say Rowwwrrrr. 

 

[Soccerpro2]

2 hours ago, K Edgar said:

“Complimentary snacks available, while quantities last” is the most Winnipeg thing to put in the notice I’ve ever seen.

[K Edgar]

11 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

“Complimentary snacks available, while quantities last” is the most Winnipeg thing to put in the notice I’ve ever seen.

Just Valour respecting the CanPL Complimentary Snack Cap.

[jonovision]

3 hours ago, K Edgar said:

Have there been such events in past seasons, and where were they held?

Also on a Valour/breweries related note, the pre and post game haunt of some fans, Stone Angel Brewing, has closed.

[An Observer]

Honestly, I look at what every other side in the league is doing and i look at what Valour is doing.  It’s as if they have just given up.  There is no way they can compete with the line up they have which is going to negatively impact attendance and just create a reinforcing negative feedback loop.  Poor team equals worse attendance which equals poorer team next year.  They need to invest or die and it seems like they are choosing die.  I hope we can get an another team somewhere else soon as I don’t see these guys surviving more than a year or two at this rate.

[jonovision]

50 minutes ago, An Observer said:

Honestly, I look at what every other side in the league is doing and i look at what Valour is doing.  It’s as if they have just given up.  There is no way they can compete with the line up they have which is going to negatively impact attendance and just create a reinforcing negative feedback loop.  Poor team equals worse attendance which equals poorer team next year.  They need to invest or die and it seems like they are choosing die.  I hope we can get an another team somewhere else soon as I don’t see these guys surviving more than a year or two at this rate.

I actually see positive signs all around the team this year... except when it comes to spending on player salaries.

FWIW, Valour's attendance was slightly up last year and basically the same over three years as a successful team like Pacific.

[Unnamed Trialist]

I wonder if they'll pick up some loans from players in Portugal while there, it would seem a logical move.

[Cheeta]

8 hours ago, jonovision said:

Have there been such events in past seasons, and where were they held?

Also on a Valour/breweries related note, the pre and post game haunt of some fans, Stone Angel Brewing, has closed.

Lat year it was at the Pinnacle Club at the stadium, year before was held at the Rec Room (by Cabela's) and if memory serves the 1st was held at TYC on Empress.

Last year it was a so-so crowd, the 1st year events (launch, post pandemic launch) were very successful.  Hope springs eternal I guess.

[K Edgar]

Valour FC has been in Portugal for 4 days now and not a single post anywhere I have seen.  Other teams post they have landed, practice pics, stadium shots, etc, etc...