Insider Insider]]> Insider]]> en-us Fri, 24 Aug 07 19:53:00 UT Fri, 24 Aug 07 19:53:00 UT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Marqui 4.9 System Administrator System Administrator Looking back at 2008http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_01010901.aspx But enough about the happenings of my world or the world in general. This is a soccer blog, and there was much to experience and learn for us lovers of 'The Beautiful Game' in the past year. I will try and do this in chronological order, as I'm sure it will make it easier to remember the following events that I list.
Things began early in 2008, as Ghana hosted the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. Though I observed the tournament from the lens of a television screen, I was captivated by the colorful pageantry of the fans and the exciting, attack-minded soccer played by the participating teams. In the end, 'The Pharaohs' of Egypt made history by claiming a record sixth African title with an all-around professional performance. It was a remarkable feat, considering the North Africans have only made two World Cup finals appearances in their history.
Springtime – for the most part - belonged to Manchester United, who followed yet another English Premier League title with a third European Cup crown after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League final on rainy Moscow night. By December, United claimed the world crown at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan. The catalyst for the success of The Red Devils was Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, who deservedly won the Ballon d'Or as European Player of the Year recently.
That was capped by an equally refreshing performance from Spain's national team at EURO 2008 in June. Their free-flowing style of soccer not only brought results, but an end to a 44-year drought of not winning a major tournament. No longer could critics use the word "underachievement" to describe La Furia Roja (The Red Fury), as Luis Aragones' side claimed their second European Championship title.
The early part of the summer also saw the Whitecaps start the season well in May – including a notable friendly win over David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy in Edmonton. It was also in May that the inaugural Nutrilite Canadian Championship began when Montreal Impact hosted Toronto FC. In what proved to be a fine example (and there were several) of how Major League Soccer and USL First Division clubs differed only slightly in levels of play, the Whitecaps garnered plenty of attention with their winning performance at Toronto FC's BMO Field on Canada Day. Only once did I lose it with joy during the season, and it came through seeing Martin Nash's decisive penalty hit the back of the TFC net on July 1. That win was then vindicated a week later at Swangard when the 'Caps drew 2-2 with TFC. Montreal eventually won the competition (well done to them!) and a tip of the hat must be made to our Quebec rivals for their efforts in making the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. I have a feeling that the second edition of the Nutrilite Championship will be even more intense...
Summer is also transfer window time, and while the speculation of where 'so-and-so' might go carried on and on and on…it was the events of the window's final day in England that were most dramatic. Having covered the transfer windows in the UK in previous years, I never saw a day like I witnessed on September 1. In a matter of hours, Manchester City transformed into the world's richest club when Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club from Thaksin Shinawatra before quickly turning around and signing Brazilian star Robinho from Real Madrid for a British record transfer fee of just under $60 million…I can still remember the Sky Sports News reporter taking a big kiss on the cheek from a large-looking City fan when he broke the news…August also gave us the Beijing Olympics, and despite a certain level of optimism for a medal, Even Pellerud's long reign with the Canadian women's national team ended predictably (for me, at least) with an early exit in China. The rationale is a simple one – if you fail to play any kind of decent possession soccer, you cannot expect to succeed at the international level. Full stop.
Joy and despair best describes the autumn. Joy of a second USL-1 title in three seasons for the 'Caps, but despair at the sad and pathetic nature of Canada's exit from World Cup qualifying. For me, the road to South Africa 2010 was lost by our two defeats to Honduras and Mexico in September. All involved with the squad are responsible for the ill-fated campaign, though it was disappointing for me not to see Dale Mitchell or his players publicly hold up their hands and say that they got it wrong. Changes are needed (that goes without saying), but not having seen any action from the CSA to date, I fear the worst is still to come through numerous international retirements from the team. It could even leave the squad decimated to being a mere youth side for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, not to mention how it would significantly lessen our chances of making 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Canada's younger women went to World Cups later in the year. I was encouraged by our U-17 women's performances in New Zealand, but left with questions for head coach Ian Bridge after he left out Lexi Marton and Monica Lam-Feist (two Whitecaps players, might I add) from his starting XI when Canada lost its opening group game to Japan at the U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile. The defeat sealed Canada's fate of an early exit, and although the Japanese played our girls off the park for the most part that day, the pair's omissions were not justified in my eyes.
The end of the year brought farewell to several Whitecaps players, with the likes of Jeff Clarke, Steve Kindel, and Alfredo Valente all moving on to pastures new (best wishes, guys, and thanks again!). It also gives us a peak of what to expect in 2009. No major tournaments are scheduled, but there will plenty on offer for the avid soccer fan to sink their teeth into. Youth and athleticism will best describe the '09 Whitecaps men, while a new face (still to be named) will be in charge of our women's side. Can the Residency squad win the PDL after coming two wins short last year? And oh, there's also that small thing of an MLS expansion bid…
With that, I want to wish all soccer lovers, and the public at large, a happy and prosperous New Year!]]>Fri, 02 Jan 09 07:45:00 UTChampionship Memories - Pt. 1http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_11280801.aspx

It has been a good six weeks since we won the championship, and it already is starting to fall away, into the memory bank.  Working for a sports team, you always have only a limited amount of time to savor the moment you are presently in.  Before long, it’s back to moving onward and upward.  Planning for the ’09 season beckons and with my focus on that, it seems our playoff run is creeping further and further away.


So maybe now is a good time to reflect on that playoff run, and in particular what I remember most.  Now that some time has passed, there are only two memories that seem to stick out in my mind.  I’ll share the other one next week, but here’s the first one:


It seems every championship team needs to cling onto something to reach the level required to win a title.  This seems intuitive: teams are required to play at a high level for six months or more.  When the playoffs arrive, injuries are piling up, travel is taking its toll and a weight of expectations sit upon every players’ shoulders.  Ultimately, teams that succeed are teams that can find that extra motivation to carry them to another level.  Whether it’s the ‘nobody believes in us’ underdog mentality or the ‘let’s win this for person x’ honor pledge or the ‘we were wronged’ revenge plot, it all leads inevitably to the same ending.


In 2006, the ‘Caps rallied around Eddie Sebrango to win the championship game.  You may be thinking ‘wait, wasn’t Eddie suspended for that match?’  He was, but his influence on the team was far greater than he could have exerted on the pitch.  Eddie’s Obi-wan Kenobi moment, if you will.  His goal against Montreal was the stuff of legend.  A guy who felt wronged by the organization and fled to its rival scores the winner in extra time on that same pitch he once called home.  Overcome with emotion, he whipped his shirt off with joy, and of course had to sit out the final match in suspension.


Most people would feel ashamed and distraught over such an error in judgment.  But Eddie took it upon himself to step up in the week leading up to the match.  He turned into Eddie Sebrango: Player-Coach.  By the end of the week, the team knew they had to win this match for Eddie.  And boy did they ever – a 3-0 defeat to Rochester in their own stadium and our first USL-1 title.


This past season, Jay Nolly became a revelation.  At the start of the season, we didn’t quite know what we had in him.  As he and Djekanovic battled for the starting goalkeeper spot, it seemed inevitable a time-split was in the cards.  When Serge started the first couple games, it appeared Jay would be relegated to backup duty.  But Jay got better as the season progressed and his command of the box and vocal leadership on the pitch was very evident.  By season’s end, he was not only our number one keeper but quickly becoming one of the league’s best as well.


That’s why that fateful moment during the first leg in Montreal was so gut-wrenching.  When Jay received a straight red card (and subsequent one game suspension) for an altercation with Antonio Ribeiro, the entire Whitecaps fanbase felt their hearst plunge into their stomach.  We now had to weather the storm from a momentum-gaining Impact squad, with young Tyler Baldock as our savior between the posts.


But a funny thing happened during that game.  A defense that had struggled of late suddenly came together, and a rookie keeper stood his ground.  We escaped Montreal down 1-0 and in the strongest test of character of the season, knocked Montreal out with a 2-0 win at home.  I remember sitting next to Jay before the game.  I didn’t say a word to him – his emotions were written all over his face.  He was nervous and felt horrible.  As kids in the stands kept asking him questions, I wouldn’t have blamed him if he just hid in the tunnel.


So when the final whistle blew, the first thing I did was look around for Jay.  There he was, the happiest guy in the stadium.  He ran onto the pitch congratulating his teammates, knowing that vindication was his for the taking.


In a fierce semifinal against a hated rival, the defence stood up and won the series for Jay.  And he would return the favor a week later, saving six shots to help the ‘Caps knock off the number one team in the league, 2-1.  Just yet another chapter in Whitecaps lore.


Read daily blog entries from Ryan McKee on willworkforfoos.wordpress.com.



]]>Sat, 29 Nov 08 00:15:00 UTSebrango-a-go-gohttp://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_11140802.aspx
In case you haven’t heard, ‘Caps MVP Eddie Sebrango is heading back to Montreal.  Eddie was the heart and soul of this team and played with a passion that spread throughout the organization.  You couldn’t watch him play and not be inspired by his heart.  And ultimately, it’s his heart that is taking him away from Vancouver.  While he loved the city and organization, his desire to be closer to his two kids in Kingston, Ontario, trumped all.

I’m always an optimistic, silver lining kind of guy and I’m feeling okay with this move.  We were needing to develop our younger forwards anyway, and this presents a golden opportunity for someone like Randy Edwini-Bonsu or Dever Orgill.  Plus, you can’t really be too upset when someone makes a decision that’s best for their family or personal situation.

I will miss mostly the cheerfulness and candor that he displayed to everyone inside and outside the organization.  But what I will remember most is the photos he produced.  My philosophy as it relates to our marketing efforts has always been to capture the raw emotion of soccer.  There are no helmets or pads in soccer, so a player’s emotions are right there for all to see.  That’s what makes the sports so special and that’s why it grabs people.  And Eddie was the best at displaying those emotions.  I loved his aerial acrobatics after scoring a goal.  And I loved when he would fail to score and hold his hands against his head and look up at the sky.  Sure, that was a failed opportunity, but it was also a very real and sincere moment in the sport.  It was that essence that we tried to capture in much of our advertising and website photos.  He gave us real emotion and let fans in to how he was feeling for a full 90 minutes.

So, to Eddie: we’ll miss you and we wish you the best.  No doubt you’ll receive a thunderous cheer upon your first visit back to Swangard.


Read daily blog entries from Ryan McKee on willworkforfoos.wordpress.com.


]]>Fri, 14 Nov 08 23:30:00 UTMuch to give Thanks for!http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_10170801.aspx One of the best parts of Sunday for me was the family atmosphere that I felt when the team and the front office staff convened for dinner afterwards, and later on in a downtown Vancouver nightspot. It was in the nightclub that the sense of family really hit home for me. We had players, staff, and fans all together in celebration, with pictures being taken with the cup, as well as certain alcoholic beverages consumed from the USL-1 championship trophy. It was a wonderful and unique thing to experience fans and players celebrate together…something that I hope remains the bedrock of our club going forward.
The good news and excitement carried into this week and our bid to become part of Major League Soccer. We do face stiff competition to land a franchise, but it does not take away from the momentum I truly feel we have at present. You can measure that momentum in the acceleration of our season ticket sales and renewals, which I have been reliably informed are moving at a brisk pace. If you have not had the chance to get your 2009 season tickets, then please do so as soon as possible. We have Early Bird prices and prizes to give away. All you have to do is secure your seat by December 1 to be eligible!

See you next season!!!
]]>Sat, 18 Oct 08 00:45:00 UTCanada - Mexicohttp://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_10160801.aspx
The timing was perfect for this little excursion. Having just won the title, it's nice to step away from the office for a bit, before an offseason of budgeting, researching and planning is underway. But yesterday also marked Canada's latest World Cup qualifying match, against Mexico at Commonwealth Stadium. And although they have underwhelmed in many of their matches, they did play hard in Mexico a few weeks ago and I expected a prideful Canuck side to put on a good show.

Walking into the stadium, I was shocked to see how many Mexican supporters were there. It probably wasn't an 80/20 Mexico/Canada fan split, but with all red, green & white flags, costumes, and face paint, it sure felt that way. I later learned that there are indeed a lot of Mexicans in Alberta as some type of labour outreach program, so good on them for supporting their homeland so vividly.

At the beginning of the game the Mexican fans drowned out the Canadian, but as the first half drew on, the Canadian side seemed to draw inspiration from it. A game that was all Mexico in terms of possession saw Canada strike first. Our guys were still hanging on throughout the first half and entered the break tied at one. The second half was much more balanced and wildly entertaining as both sides had their chances. Again Canada scored early and Mexico fought back to tie. I was in line ordering a beer when Canada's second goal was scored (hey, I'm on vacation!) so I only caught the replay. But the Mexico fan behind, dressed as a self-described 'red grasshopper super hero' was convinced it was because he wasn't back in the stands.

The final result did little in changing the fortunes of either side - let's face it, Canada is not heading to South Africa while Mexico can start looking into hotel reservations - but both sides played hard and ultimately left their fans entertained and proud. Given Canada's recent (or is it longstanding?) turmoil on the national team front, I suppose that is all we can ask of them at this point.

Two other highlights for me: the chant that Mexico fans made everytime keeper Lars Hirschfeld attempted a goal kick (I don't know what they say but I'm pretty sure it wasn't my first guess, 'Menudo!'); and seeing Charles Gbeke get in the game. What a week it's been for Charles and it was nice to hear fans acknowledge his contribution to the Whitecaps title, as they gave him a particularly loud applause.

Audio and photos are at my blog - willworkforfoos.wordpress.com. I'm off to heat up some leftover Thai.

]]>Fri, 17 Oct 08 02:15:00 UTNew blog - a real blog!http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_10100801.aspx I've created a new blog - willworkforfoos.wordpress.com.  I will still use this space for longer articles or reamblings.  But the blog will be my opportunity for quick musings, links, photos and videos - what a true blog should be.  It will cover various topics in the world of soccer, but inevitably have a Whitecaps tint to it.

Have a look - willworkforfoos.wordpress.com


Ryan
]]>Sat, 11 Oct 08 00:00:00 UTMore Potluck!http://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_09170801.aspx Let's start with the United Soccer Leagues First Division. It's a nice feeling to know that the Whitecaps will be in the postseason. This time last year, many of us weren't sure if a playoff spot would materialize. While faint hopes remain of a first-place finish, we are likely heading into the first round of the playoffs as the number two seed. Though Atlanta Silverbacks and Carolina RailHawks might make it, I feel we will play Minnesota Thunder over two legs in a week-and-a-half. Fair play to Donny Gramenz's side, they have hit form at the right time to be where they are at present and considering they held the Whitecaps to a draw earlier this month, we are likely in for a tricky series. As for leaders Puerto Rico Islanders, it has been an impressive season put together by their head coach Colin Clarke, who I think must rival our chief Teitur Thordarson for USL-1 Coach of the Year. I would anticipate Darren Tilley also being considered for the award, as he was given little chance (me included in this) of being able to take Rochester Rhinos to the playoffs after the troubles that the club had back in the spring. Last year's winner in Portland Timbers head coach Gavin Wilkinson is unlikely to win again, having seen his side slide away from playoff contention in recent weeks. Poor away form, less than stellar performances at home, and ill-discipline on the pitch contributed to their woes, though I feel few fans in Seattle and Vancouver are going to shed a tear for their Oregon rivals. As for The Blue & White, it would be nice to cap a fine regular season campaign with the Cascadia Cup back in our hands on Saturday night…
Like many of you, World Cup qualifying has yet again left me sick in the stomach by Canada's woes to reach the finals for the first time since 1986. Yet, you could trace my ill feeling back to the day the qualifying draw was made last November. I'll make this short and simple: Canadian soccer fans could not have expected their national team to get out of a semifinal group that has two of the three countries THAT WILL qualify for South Africa 2010 from CONCACAF. As painful as it was to watch, Canada is not good enough right now to play the top international sides in our region. That's not to say that it cannot change, but Honduras and Mexico have given me plenty of reason to believe they will join the USA in qualifying in a year's time. The Americans and Costa Ricans are having a picnic in the other semifinal groups, and had Canada been drawn in either of those two brackets, then things might have been different. For me, the biggest shame will be that Canada may not have the chance to compete in (but more importantly, experience) the final round qualifying stage in the New Year. Those 10 games over the course of 2009 would have been invaluable to the squad and the program – even if we had little or no chance of qualifying for the finals at that stage. Add that with next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, and Canada would have had a productive 12 months. It may be a lot of forward thinking, but experience counts for so much. For me, our side did not deal well enough with the pressure and expectation that was put on them in recent weeks, and that in the end, saw two disappointing performances at home. Of course, a lot of this may have been avoided had Canada played more friendly games and helped boost its world ranking. That way, we could have missed out on the 'Mission Impossible' path we were drawn into this time around…still, going out at the semifinal round for the third straight time must be considered a disgrace…I can't think of a better reason for a shake-up of things come our inevitable doom...the question is will such things take place…
Though it is looking gloomy on the international stage, Montreal Impact have the chance to highlight themselves and bring some redemption to Canadian soccer when they start their Group C campaign in the CONCACAF Champions League this week. A home win over Caribbean upstarts Joe Public on Wednesday will be needed, as many are likely tipping Mexico's Atlante and Honduran giants Club Deportivo Olimpia to be group favourites. Yet, it's important to keep in mind that this is a brand-new competition, and that anyone can beat anyone at any stage. A look at the results in the preliminary round should be proof enough. Though they arguably had a tougher path to the group stage, I think Puerto Rico Islanders can do well in Group D, but home form will also be a key factor for them. Houston Dynamo and Pumas UNAM will be favoured in Group B, while Group A must have the 'Group of Death' tag on it. DC United, Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa, Mexico's Cruz Azul, and CD Marathon from Honduras will fight it out to see who finishes in the top two come Halloween time…
Thought I would also give my 'two cents' on Toronto FC. To say their second season in Major League Soccer has been a shambles is an understatement. I can't see them making the playoffs at this point, even if they have six games left. It's hard to fault John Carver for what has happened, but I start to wonder about Mo Johnston as director of soccer. Some of his acquisitions have obviously not been the best (…Laurent Robert, please stand up…), whether it has been the late timing of the arrivals to BMO Field or what they have offered in terms of their contribution on the pitch. The assumption that TFC could waltz to the Nutrilite Canadian Championship title this summer was amusing to me, and the fact that they fell short in that competition should have raised enough alarm bells for Reds fans. If the pressure was not on Johnston and Carver to get it right in 2008, they will certainly have that pressure in 2009. Getting a Designated Player might boost things, but I would think having the bulk of the squad signed up before preseason starts must be one of TFC's main aims for next season. They can't afford to leave their fans with the uncertainty they had last spring regarding new signings…
Finally, a quick look at the UEFA Champions League, and what are we to make of Romania's CFR Cluj. I know that Canada goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld plays for them, but go into Rome's Stadio Olimpico and see off AS Roma 2-1 on Tuesday leads to think that we should know more about the Eastern European newcomers. And what about Anorthosis Famagusta from Cyprus. To claim a goalless draw with Werder Bremen in Germany has to go down as one of their best-ever results in club history, surely…]]>Wed, 17 Sep 08 17:15:00 UTPanning the Premhttp://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_08260801.aspx
Currently, I'm wrapping up a baseball pool in which I just can't seem to catch the guys in first and second place.  My NFL fantasy draft starts tonight and I've probably devoted more time to it in the last two weeks than I have to eating and bathing.  My NBA pool is just around the corner and draft day for it is always the greatest day of the year for me (oh right, I got married this year - I better call it the second greatest day).  An office NHL pool is currently being discussed, and last but not least, I'm in two English Premier League pools.  The first one is the Team 1040's player pool that is run through premierleague.com.  I encourage you to join up - it's free and you get to build your ultimate team with a $100 million kitty.  Visit fantasy.premierleague.com to join and use the code 345327-124472.  And when you do join up, be sure to glance up at the top of the standings, where you'll see me in first.  (FYI - my team name 'Ya Beauty' is an ode to Steven Gerrard's miracle goal against Olympiakos in 2005).

The final EPL pool I'm in requires you to predict the EPL standings, with monthly awards throughout in addition to an annual prize at the end.  The trick with the pool is that you receive more points for correctly predicting the 9, 10, 11 spots than you do the 1 and 20 spots.  As a rookie, I won the pool last year, much to the chagrin of the many longtime poolies.  I sent in my picks this year, but thought it would also make a good premier league preview. 

So without further ado...

Manchester United - I just think they'll have enough to hang on.  I predict Berbetov comes onside in January, lifts them to the title and causes fans to finally question Rooney's utility.

Chelsea - Great start for them.  Deco is a brilliant signing and they will definitely push United all year.

Liverpool - Well, my heart says they will be right up there with the top 2, but I think they are a player or two short.  A quality winger is their greatest need.  I don't understand what the love affair is for Gareth Barry.  Great player but doesn't address an urgent need.  Still, I'm going to love watching Gerrard, Torres and Keane together.

Arsenal - This team is going to be deadly in a year or two, but not yet.  I think they will struggle to find consistency while looking downright frightening at times.

Aston Villa - Incredibly balanced team with no superiority complexes.  This team is the best of the also-rans this season.

Tottenham Hotspur - Once they deal with this Berbetov situation and their bounty of new blood get acclimated to English football, they'll be a force.  Of course, there always seems to be turmoil at this club, so one never knows.

Portsmouth - Many are picking this side to struggle after such a surprising season last year, but I think they have the steadiness in defense and a new strike force up front to keep up their ambitions.

Everton - I predict a disappointing season for the blue scousers.  Not much action in the transfer window means they will be watching other teams leapfrog them in the table.

Manchester City - Another team that has high hopes but I think will ultimately fall short of expectations.  Just a little too much change in the last few months for one team to weather.

West Ham - The pillar of mediocrity, this squad will look great at times and terrible at others.  Still learning to play together.

Middlesborough - I envision a positive season for the 'Boro.  I especially love Tuncay and if they can hang onto him and other quality players like Alves, Downing and Wheater, they will surprise a few teams this year.

Newcastle United - Talent for a UEFA Cup birth, but trouble staying healthy and a questionable back four.  Ultimately, I see this strong start falling short and they slip to the all too familiar mid-table level.

Blackburn - I had to pick one major upset and this is it.  I love their strike tandem, but the loss of goalkeeper Friedel and promising midfielder David Bentley will hurt them in the standings.

Wigan - There's a lot to like with this scappy club led by Steve Bruce.  Amr Zaki was a fantastic signing and anyone that can take minutes from the ancient Emile Heskey will be a boon to their efforts to stay up for another season.

Sunderland - I really like their signings, especially that of Anton Ferdinand.  Cisse will also provide inspiration, but he's a shadow of the player he was at Anfield.  Many are picking this team to finish mid-table, but I think they need one more season of barely above water before they can make the jump.

Fulham - A decent start to the season and a capable keeper signing in Schwarzer ensures this team remains in the top flight for one more season.

West Bromwich - The biggest mover and shaker amongst the newly promoted, I think the premier league experience they brought in will keep them afloat.

Bolton - A team that flirted with relegation last season, Bolton are falling fast and just don't have the talent to hang in for one more season.

Stoke City - A surprise victory over Aston Villa, but ultimately I just don't see them maintaining it.

Hull - A win over Fulham and a draw with Blackburn must give them high hopes.  But we see this every August, as young upstart teams upset more established clubs trying to introduce new players and coaches.

]]>Tue, 26 Aug 08 18:30:00 UTUSL-1 and the Olympicshttp://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_08170801.aspx Three to four clubs look on course to contest the top spot in the league in the coming weeks. The good news for Whitecaps fans is that the Blue & White are in leading pack, having negotiated many of their away games with relative success. Head coach Teitur Thordarson would like the home form to be better than it is, but he will be pleased to know that his team have claimed results, but still has plenty of room for improvement. All in all, it's a good position to be in what was considered a rebuilding season for the 'Caps. Puerto Rico look to be one of Vancouver's main threats for top spot, and with three games still to be played between the two clubs, the points on offer look increasingly valuable. Islanders head coach Colin Clarke impressed me last year with his ability to turn a struggling side into a league contender, and this year's results seem to underline the organization and balance he has brought to the Caribbean club. The interesting thing with the Islanders will be how CONCACAF Champions League action may distract Puerto Rico's USL-1 aspirations. Should they reach the Champions League group stage, Clarke will have a major challenge in making his 26-man squad perform consistently in September and October.
Charleston Battery are the third club that have shown that their fine early start to the season was no flash in the pan. I had said to many people that Mike Anhaeuser's side would be one of the most improved clubs in the league, but even they have exceeded my expectations. For me, the Battery recruited well ahead of the new season, with the signing of striker Randi Patterson slowly becoming my pick for best off-season acquisition of the 2008 campaign. His goals and Charleston's impressive home form gives the South Carolina club the chance to plan for the playoffs, when this time last year, they merely flirted with the postseason. Defending USL-1 champions Seattle Sounders are also in the hunt, despite being a bit 'hit and miss' with their results. Brian Schmetzer can feel confident of strong run-in, with all their remaining regular season games at home.
The tail-end of the playoff picture had Atlanta Silverbacks and Rochester Rhinos in decent positions to make the playoffs, though events at both clubs this week have left me with some doubt over their chances. I'm still trying to figure out why Silverbacks head coach Jason Smith felt it was necessary to acquire Sean Cameron from Miami FC Blues for one of his best players in Ansu Toure. The trade was particularly baffling, considering the problems Toure gave the Whitecaps in recent games. Atlanta still have a fine goalscorer in Macoumba Kandji, but the sharpness of their attack may been blunted by this deal. Silverbacks fans will certainly ask that question, if their team's campaign fizzles in the coming weeks. As for Rochester, all credit to former Whitecaps striker Darren Tilley for steadying the ship after a turbulent off-season. They are a side that can pose any opponent a problem, but consistency remains the Rhinos' challenge. Their ability to perform will be tested even more after the league penalized them one point in the standings for playing Andrew Gregor in a midweek game at Montreal Impact. The former Portland Timbers man had not served a one-game suspension for collecting five yellow cards, so the Upstate New York club were punished accordingly.
Minnesota Thunder have made changes during the season, but their struggles continue. Amos Magee moved on as head coach after a poor run, and if they are unable to improve their results away from home, they will likely miss out on the playoffs. Joining them on the outside looking in could very well be Portland. Gavin Wilikinson's side have not impressed me this season. The installation of a more playable turf surface at PGE Park has taken away a major intimidation element for visiting clubs, as the Timbers have dropped points in nine of the 12 home games they have played so far. They have also had struggles playing games with 11 men on the pitch. The number of red cards must be a cause of concern for the Timbers Army, who would have had high hopes for the season after successful 2007. They will need to look over their shoulders at Montreal, who look ready to make a late push into the top seven. It's been a strange year for the Impact. The woes in the league and a coaching change from Nick De Santis to John Limniatis has been balanced by moving into a new home in Saputo Stadium and claiming the Nutrilite Canadian Championship in July. Like Puerto Rico, the Impact face an interesting autumn, as USL-1 playoffs may need to be mixed with CONCACAF Champions League group stage action. As for Miami and Carolina RailHawks, my forecast is not good, though Zinho will hope the arrival of Toure can add to a Blues attack that includes top goalscorer Alex Afonso. I could see Carolina making changes at the end of the season, should they miss the playoffs. The RailHawks have been in horrible form of late and head coach Scott Schweitzer must be feeling the pressure, as there would have an expectation of improvement in the club's second USL-1 season.

Well, we are in the midst of the Beijing Olympics, and by Saturday, Canadians had some medal success to cheer about in rowing, swimming, and wrestling. Sadly, there will be no medal to come from women's soccer this year, as Canada went out in the quarter-finals to arch-rivals USA. What's even sadder for me to say is that this was where I thought our women would see the campaign end in China. I have made it clear to many that I was not a fan of head coach Even Pellerud's tactics and that Canada would only be able to do so much in the tournament with their 'kick and chase' style of play. It may have been good enough to get to Beijing and claim results against Argentina and China, but our women were always going to get found out. That came in their last group game against Sweden, as the Scandinavians tore Canada's backline apart with incisive play and speed for two goals, and effectively outclassed them with fine play through their midfield. Canada's response was to hammer the ball up the pitch and hope for the best. By the time the Americans put us away in the quarters, it was painfully evident that the way Canada have tried to play for nearly a decade was ineffective in the last year to 18 months. Pellerud's reply to criticism of his tactics was to judge him by his record. Well, he surely cannot be talking about going out of the group stage of last year's Women's World Cup and the Olympic quarter-finals as notes of success. The fact that Canada finished fourth in the 2003 World Cup came at a time when playing a direct style still worked in women's international soccer. That is no longer the case. Brazil taught us in the World Cup last year that possession and flair not only entertains soccer fans, but is necessary to win matches at this level…though a lot of us already know this watching men's soccer. There is a good reason why Canada never moved from a world ranking of number nine. We've had enough to qualify for major tournament, but far from enough to overcome the world's top sides in those finals. I am most sad for the players. Pellerud effectively told them to play his way, and their work rate was excellent in that regard, but it looked like each one of our women had shackles on and were simply unable to express themselves on the pitch. In the end, the method that they tried to use to win games did not work, and it's here where Pellerud must hold his hands up and say that he got it wrong.
So, what next? Well, the Canadian Soccer Association have a major opportunity to set the women's program back on track by hiring a coach that will make it clear to our top female players that it is alright to play and keep possession of the ball, with that message made clear all the way down to the grassroots level. In terms of the squad, I feel the future looks bright. Canada has a talented crop of youngsters coming through, with the U-17 and U-20 national teams qualified for their respective World Cup finals later this year. Having seen some of those players in action for the Whitecaps women this summer, we can still say that we produce a world-class female player. What is needed now is a coach who has a philosophy and awareness that possession and passing soccer is the way to win games at the international level….we all await the new era…..]]>Sun, 17 Aug 08 21:15:00 UTWomen's Wraphttp://www.whitecapsfc.com/fanzone/blogs/Insider_07210801.aspx
As part of the USLLive.com commentary team with Whitecaps Correspondent Simon Fudge, the team I watched at the early part of the season were prone to missed passes, defensive lapses and spacing issues.  Fortunately, if team cohesion was still being developed, it didn't show up on the scoresheet.  Despite a couple of defensive slip-ups in the first match, Emily Zurrer found the back of net in the 90th minute to earn a hard-fought draw.  It's hard to call a first game of the season a turning point, but there was an inkling of resiliency on that field that gave a glimpse of what may lie ahead.

By the time we saw them in their final two games, the team had made major strides, and now demonstrate much more poise and confidence.  Whether it's a Katrin Schmidt unafraid to deke around a player or two and join the attack, or a Chelsea Stewart unleashing a shot from 30 yards out; there is clearly a swagger in their step.  And I believe that swagger will give them the edge on Saturday when they host Seattle for the Western Conference Championship Final.

I expect Saturday's contest between Seattle and Vancouver to be a spirited affair.  Many of the players know each other, and there is much on the line, as the winner moves on to the W-League Final Four to join conference-mates Pali Blues.  Seattle started the season a little slow, but have been fantastic of late.  Highlights include a 6-1 victory over Fort Collins and holding Pali Blues to a pair of narrow 1-0 victories, priving to be Pali's most difficult opponent of the season.

But Seattle are still the underdog and are in tough against a Vancouver team playing with a lot of confidence and in front of a home crowd that is accustomed to women's excellence.  So with a tremendous regular season under their belt and a playoff run in the offing, this is a perfect time to congratulate the 2008 Whitecaps Women.  All 39 of them!



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