Whitecaps FC Co-Owner Jeff Mallett Admits Hargreaves Interest

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC have made the first public statement about their interest in former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves. Speaking with the Globe and Mail’s David Ebner, Whitecap co-owner Jeff Mallett said that Hargreaves “knows our interest”, adding that “We’ll make sure, when he makes the decision, that we’re on the option list.

Full details here.

MLS Announces All-Star Squad

Gameday Roster for AT&T MLS All-Star Game Unveiled

Beckham, Donovan and Henry Highlight Roster of 22 Players from 12 different teams

NEW YORK (Monday, July 18, 2011) – LA Galaxy stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan join New York Red Bulls standout Thierry Henry among the 22 MLS All-Stars confirmed on the gameday roster that will compete against Manchester United in the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 27 at Red Bull Arena (8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, Galavision, and TSN).

All-Star Head Coach Hans Backe of the Red Bulls selected the roster.  Because of the competitive format -- MLS vs. the World -- of the All-Star Game, MLS asked Backe to select from among all available players, and he constructed a dynamic, balanced roster loaded with the League’s top talent. Backe also has seen success against Manchester United, including two wins during the 2007-08 English Premier League season when he was assistant coach at Manchester City under then head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Backe selected all eight of the original fan-voted All-Stars – including AT&T Text Voting winner Matt Besler of Sporting Kansas City – who are available to play on July 27. Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC) and Brek Shea (FC Dallas) are unavailable due to CONCACAF Champions League matches during the week of the All-Star Game. Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy) and Rafa Marquez (New York Red Bulls) are unavailable due to injuries.

 

In addition to 11-time All-Star Donovan, ex-Manchester United midfielder Beckham and World Cup Champion Henry, the roster also features prominent All-Star veterans such as Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo) and Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake).

Other selections have loads of international experience but are MLS All-Stars for the first time: Mexican icon Omar Bravo (Sporting Kansas City), Colombian national team veteran Faryd Mondragón (Philadelphia Union), U.S. national team left back Heath Pearce (Chivas USA) and speedy Jamaican striker Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids).

The roster is below, followed by bios of each player, listed in alphabetical order by last name. Players are listed by the position they are most likely to play in the All-Star Game, which is not necessarily the position they play for their respective clubs.

2011 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster

Goalkeeper: Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Faryd Mondragón (Philadelphia Union)

Defenders: Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Bobby Convey (San Jose Earthquakes), Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy), Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls).

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Portland Timbers), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Nick LaBrocca (Chivas USA)

Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Omar Bravo (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Inactive All-Stars (Note that another six inactive All-Stars will be chosen via player voting):

Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Rafa Marquez (New York Red Bulls), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Full-Time Note from Tyler Green: No Whitecaps announced to the roster, which is not much of a surprise with the record the Whitecaps have this season, but more disturbing is the fact that no Canadians were announced to the roster either.

Owen Hargreaves - Fitness Videos

Lots of rumours about Owen Hargreaves coming back to Canada to play in Major League Soccer can be found. We even posted some stories last week. And with Toronto FC signing two more designated players, and having three, it all but rules out TFC being a potential landing spot. So perhaps Vancouver could be the final destination. A lot of people have questioned whether or not he will be able to play in MLS and whether he is even fit enough. Well, he's answered those questions with the brand new Owen Hargreaves fitness videos. If he's not trying to get in shape for another season of soccer, prhaps he has a career in the fitness video industry. Below are some fine examples of his work.

If you can't get enough of the training sessions... you can find more by clicking here. It's his own personal YouTube page.

Frings and Koevermans sign with TFC

TORONTO FC SIGN TWO DESIGNATED PLAYERS

Toronto FC sign Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have signed German international midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch international forward Danny Koevermans as Designated Players. Both players, who have each signed multi-year contracts, will begin playing for Toronto FC after July 15 when Major League Soccer’s transfer window opens. As per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

"We have added two very important players with significant experience and technical ability,” said Toronto FC Head Coach and Technical Director Aron Winter. “Torsten and Danny will make an immediate impact at our club. Signing Torsten and Danny is a very important step in building a team that our fans are proud to support.”

A native of Würselen, Germany, Frings, 34, has earned 79 caps for Germany in his career and has played in two World Cups including Germany’s run to the 2002 Finals. Frings also was part of Germany’s second place finish at Euro 2008. His club career spans 14 seasons in the German Bundesliga, starting and finishing at Werder Bremen along with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. His club career achievements include the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal (domestic cup) and the DFB-Ligapokal with Bayern Munich during the 2004-2005 season. At Werder Bremen, Frings was part of the 2007-2008 side that finished second in the Bundesliga and runners up in the 2009 UEFA Cup, and two DFB-Pokal’s and one DFB-Ligapokal.

Koevermans, 32, has spent the past 11 seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie, most recently with PSV Eindhoven. The native of Schiedam, Netherlands, began his professional career in 2000 with Sparta Rotterdam scoring 71 goals in 110 appearances for the club. Following the 2005 campaign, he moved to AZ Alkmaar where he continued his scoring ways collecting 31 goals in 52 appearances. In 2007, he moved to PSV Eindhoven and has spent the past four seasons with the club. Koevermans has earned four caps for the Dutch National Team and scored the winning goal over Luxembourg during a 2008 Euro Cup qualifying match.

“Torsten and Danny are excellent leaders both on-and-off-the-pitch,” said Paul Mariner, Director of Player Development for Toronto FC. “We know our current roster and young Academy players will learn and benefit from their arrival in Toronto.”

Both players will be eligible to play their first match on Wednesday July 20 against FC Dallas.

Torsten Frings #22

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5’11

Weight: 176 pds.

Birthdate: November 22, 1976

Birth Place/Hometown: Würselen, Germany

Nationality: German

Last Club: Werder Bremen

How Acquired: Signed on June 29, 2011

Pronunciation: “Tor-stin Frings”

Danny Koevermans #14

Position: Forward

Height: 6’3

Weight: 170 pds.

Birthdate: November 1, 1978

Birth Place/Hometown: Schiedam, Netherlands

Nationality: Dutch

Last Club: PSV Eindhoven

How Acquired: Signed on June 29, 2011

Pronunciation: “Koo-ver-mens”

Tyler Green says: I like the two DP signings from TFC. In Frings they get a hard working, ball winner and someone who will take up a leadership role. One has to wonder where it leaves Julian de Guzman though as he and Frings play in a similar role. Will he get traded or given a free role on the field or released? It'll be interesting to play out. As for Koevermans, I need to reserve judgement until I see him play. He has scored previously in Holland, but as we have seen with many DP's before him, scoring elsewhere doesn't necessarily mean he'll be able to score in Major League Soccer.

Owen Hargreaves Potential Move to MLS

According to a report in the Daily Mail in the UK, Owen Hargreaves is reportedly being offered a chance to resurrect his career in North America with Toronto FC.

The report indicates that TFC is willing to offer the former Manchester United midfielder a contract and 30 year old is said to be weighing his options.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have also reportedly shown interest but neither the ‘caps or the Toronto FC have commented publicly.

Newly promoted English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers are also said to be interested in the services of the Calgary born, English international, but in a “if the midfielder will entertain a pay-as-you-play deal.”

If Hargreaves does move to a Canadian MLS side, it could spark controversy with some of the most loyal supporters since Hargreaves decided not to play for Canada's national team, instead opting for England National team.

Whitecaps FC-Toronto FC Season Opener on TSN is the Most-Watched MLS Game Ever on Canadian television

Toronto, ON (March 21, 2011) – TSN scores a record audience in its inaugural game as the official broadcaster of Major League Soccer in Canada. The highly-anticipated Vancouver Whitecaps FC–Toronto FC season opening game on Saturday attracted an average audience of 289,000 viewers on TSN – making it the most watched MLS game ever on Canadian television.

The audience for the first-ever meeting between two Canadian MLS teams surpassed the previous MLS audience high set for a Toronto FC-Columbus Crew game in 2009 (261,000 viewers).

TSN’s audience for the historic game on Saturday was 53% higher than the Toronto FC’s broadcast debut on conventional television last season (April 25, 2010).

Overall, close to 1.4 million unique viewers tuned in at some point to TSN’s MLS coverage on a highly competitive day in sports broadcasting.

Playing in their first-ever MLS match, the Whitecaps FC defeated their Canadian rivals 4-2 in an entertaining game in front of a sold-out crowd at Empire Field in Vancouver.

TSN’s MLS coverage was led by play-by-play commentator Luke Wileman and colour analyst Jason deVos.

MLS ON TSN coverage continues with the Toronto FC home opener against the Portland Timbers on Saturday, March 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET live on TSN.

In total, TSN and TSN2 will broadcast 24 MLS regular season matches this year featuring Toronto FC and/or Vancouver Whitecaps FC, plus an additional 25 games showcasing non-Canadian clubs. TSN is also the official Canadian broadcaster of the MLS ALL-STAR GAME, MLS CUP playoff games and the highly-anticipated MLS CUP.

Whitecaps FC Training Notes - March 21, 2011

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC were back at training this afternoon as they prepare for the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. The 'Caps called up a few residency players to train with the group today. Those players along with some veterens will head to San Jose for the reserve game match tomorrow. Among the vets going, Joe Cannon will start in goal as he is trying to get back to fitness and will play on the same pitch that he broke his ankle at last season. Cannon speaks about the match tomorrow here. Kevin Harmse is on trial and will get a good look from the Whitecaps as the 'caps look to solidify a few positions and get guys some action. Harmse could potentially be a guy the Whitecaps look at to fill their need at centre back this weekend. Harmse is a versatile player that could fill a number of roles.

With the main squad, the Whitecaps will go against Philly on Saturday without the services of Jay DeMerit and Michael Boxall. DeMerit is with the US National Team while Boxall is headed to play for New Zealand against China. Boxall spoke about his bittersweet call-up here.The 'Caps now have one healthy centre back (Greg Janicki) in the line-up against Philly. They could move Alain Rochat to the middle and slide Blake Wagner onto that left side. Or the Whitecaps could sign Kevin Harmse and sit him at centre back with Janicki. Audio in the on-air folder of head coach Teitur Thordarson, who said they have some decisions to make. Hear Thorardson's comments by clicking here.

The Whitecaps could also be without their starting outside midfielders, Russell Teibert and Davide Chiumiento, both left Saturday's match with right hamstring injuries. Teibert is receiving treatment and will remain with the club for a few days. The 'Caps will decide what is best for him. He could play in the match on Saturday before reporting to Canada's under 20 squad. Chiumiento is also revieving treatment and depending on how he recovers could see action on Saturday aswell.

Injury boost as Shea Salinas, who today said he'll be 100% by weeks end as really wants to play against Philly, the team that put him in the expansion draft. He said he felt let down by the way the Union left him unprotected after telling him they were definitely protecting him. So he wants a little revenge. He could slot in the right side if Chiumiento can't go.

Tomorrow, the 'Caps will hold another training session at Empire Field.

Whitecaps Lose 1 - 0 to Chivas USA in Casa Grande, Arizona

The Whitecaps evened their pre-season record to 2-2 when they lost 1 - 0 to Chivas USA on a late goal from Jesus Padilla. The 'Caps looked dangerous throughout the game with two glorious chances from Russell Tiebert and Brazillian trialist Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo.

The scoreline is indicative of what many fans are worried about during the regular season, losses because of a lack of scoring. It is something that is not lost of head coach Teitur Thordarson. During his post match comments I asked him whether or not he is worried about the lack of finish. You can hear that interview here.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Whitecaps look extremely sharp. They are a loud and boisterous crew on the back led by Jay DeMerit and have veteren experience with Jonathan Leathers and Alain Rochat. Greg Janicki fills out the backline and is coming off a great finish to his 2010 USSF-D2 season. This foursome looks to be a lock as the opening day back-line.

Jay DeMerit started his first match and played his first ever 45 minutes with the 'Caps and thinks that despite the loss, it's still a team progressing to the great goal of being championship material. Hear his comments here.

Greg Janicki played a full 90 minutes despite a cold/sickness and discussed that after the match. Hear the interview with Janicki here.

Terry Dunfield was probably the best Whitecap of the field today making his presence known on both sides of the ball. He spoke about the match here.

Overall, Vancouver looks to be on of the most hard-working teams on the field this season in MLS. Jonathan Leathers and Shea Salinas look good together on the right side of the field. Dunfield is enjoying the challenge of stepping up to the next level and despite being their first match together, Janicki and DeMerit look extremely comfortable together as the centre-backs.

On the negative... of all the good things we have heard and seen from Davide Chiumiento in recent weeks was all for not today. He looked very average and out of place on the field in the loss to Chivas. Atiba Harris did not look like a man that can take the mantle as "the goalscorer" for the 'Caps and for everything that guys like Chiumiento, Harris, Tan and Sanvezzo have done or going for them, goal scoring is still something that isn't happening and that remains the key to the forward position.

Tomorrow, the Whitecaps look to rebound by playing the U.S. U-18 National Team. Omar Salgado will likely start up top. Boxall and Duckett will likely pair on the backline with Wes Knight and Blake Wagner at right and left back with Gershon Koffie, Philippe Davies, Alex Morfaw, Bedri Gashi mixing through the rest of the line-up as Brian Sylvestre will start in net. Start time for that game is 10am in Vancouver, 11am in Phoenix.

So the question remains... who will score the goals for the Vancouver Whitecaps? Who will be in the starting XI? and How come the Whitecaps Adidas blue and white track suits (Which look extremely smart) don't match the Adidas red, white and grey running shoes?

Three Major Spot Kick Questions for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC

There are a number of questions that need answering when the Whitecaps head back to Arizona for their 2^nd Pre-season training camp down in Arizona. The ‘Caps leave Wednesday (Feb 16^th). They will play 4 training matches starting on Friday over a 5 day span and could have, by early next week, some of these questions answered.

Who’s going to score the goals?

Right now, as much as fans of the Whitecaps don’t want to hear it, scoring will be on a “committee” basis. Meaning, they are looking for scoring from everyone and anyone. When you look at the first three training matches, they scored four goals from four different sources, so it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that it could work, but you would like to see one true goal-scorer and then mix in the other scoring. Atiba Harris, who hasn’t lit up the league in previous years, has a good shot at being the “go-to” guy for the Whitecaps. He is going to get plenty of opportunity to do so in terms of minutes played up front. The Whitecaps do have some trialists coming in for the Arizona camp, so a name we have yet to hear may be the “one”. Another name that was mentioned as coming to Major League Soccer was former Hull striker Caleb Folan. He is currently with Colorado on a trial, and Rapids head coach Gary Smith wants to keep him around for the long-term. “I thought the two guys worked extremely well today,” Smith told MLSsoccer.com. “I think the big difference with Caleb that people might see if he’s around a little bit longer, not only is he a very big specimen, he’s very athletic as well and he gets on the shoulders of center backs, he can get in behind players, he can threaten with his pace and power. With salary caps and other wage issues, it may be difficult for the Rapids to keep him. Which means an expansion team like Vancouver could provide a solid home. Secondary questions still remain, will the ‘Caps be able to get Omar Salgado onto their roster at the start of the season? Can Long Tan do anything with the time given? Will Chiumiento break out?

Nolly or Cannon?

Vancouver wouldn’t be Vancouver without a goalkeeping or quarterback controversy, so why not one with the Whitecaps. Joe Cannon is coming off an ankle injury and is looking to get back into form and claim the number one spot as the Vancouver goalkeeper. Jay Nolly has been very successful at the USSF-D2 level, coming off a goalkeeper of the year award, and wants the number one job. So who should start? Other the next week, 4 matches in 5 games means that both Nolly and Cannon, along with residency product Brian Sylvestre should each get a full game and will be able to make a claim. This question may not officially be answered in Arizona though and may have to wait until Portland, Seattle and Vancouver battle during the Cascadia Cup Cascadia preseason friendlies in early March.

Janicki and DeMerit are locked… but what about the other centre backs?

With the continuing injury saga with Maloud Akloul, the door is wide open for Bilal Duckett, Ryan O’Leary and Michael Boxall to make a claim. At this point it, looks like Janicki and DeMerit will be your starters, and any one of those three (Duckett, O’Leary and Boxall) could make a claim for a final roster spot. O’Leary needs to get in shape after a long time off and we see what happened with an out of shape Chiumiento last season…nothing), Duckett needs to get comfortable in his switch from a right back to centre-back and Boxall needs to show why he has played internationally for New Zealand.

Answers?

Find out the answer to these questions and more with full updates on the Whitecaps Training Camp Report every Monday to Friday between 4-5pm on TEAM 1410. Tyler Green will be live from Phoenix, Arizona covering the ‘Caps and will have those updates along with tweets, interviews and blogs.

Time Added On:

Single game ticket will be available on Saturday, February 19^th at 10am. Details by clicking here. Marcus Haber grabbed some retro Teitur Thordarson photo here. And the broadcasting details for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC have been made a little more clear with a radio deal and a national TV deal.

As always, you can get full coverage of the Whitecaps and the story from around the world of soccer on Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show, heard Sunday nights at 9-11pm on TEAM 1040 in Vancouver. In case you can't join us for the show, subscribe to the podcast by clicking here.

Whitecaps FC 2011 MLS Schedule

VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in conjunction with Major League Soccer, announced today details for the 2011 regular season. Whitecaps FC's inaugural season in MLS will see the 37-year-old club play a 34-match regular season schedule.

Whitecaps FC kickoff their first season in MLS at Empire Field when they host Canadian rivals Toronto FC on Saturday, March 19, at 3:30 p.m. PT. Whitecaps FC's final match at Empire Field will be a Cascadia Cup tilt versus Seattle Sounders FC at 4:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, September 24. The Blue and White will then open the new BC Place Stadium against their Interstate 5 rivals in Portland Timbers on Sunday, October 2 at 1:30 p.m. PT. The 'Caps conclude their inaugural regular season campaign at BC Place versus 2010 MLS Cup champions Colorado Rapids on Saturday, October 22, at 4 p.m. PT.

"We're delighted to unveil our inaugural MLS regular season schedule to our fans today," said Whitecaps FC chief executive officer Paul Barber. "We have an exciting start against Toronto FC, while our supporters will also be looking forward to our local derby clashes versus Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers. There will also be some exciting games against the star-studded sides of Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls to look forward to. With the majority of our regular season games on a Saturday, supporters will be able to plan their weekends around watching their beloved Blue and White in the major leagues."

Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson's side will play 34 regular season matches over the course of 32 weeks and face all 17 MLS opponents home and away. The majority of matches will be played on a Saturday, including 12 at home. There will also be three home games on a Wednesday and two home games on a Sunday. Whitecaps FC will begin the season at Empire Field and move to their new home at BC Place at the start of October. A complete schedule is available online at whitecapsfc.com/2011-schedule and all matches will be available live on TEAM 1410 sports radio and teamradio.ca.

The MLS Cup playoff format and dates will be announced in the near future. MLS remains in discussions with other potential national broadcast partners in Canada and will release details soon.

The Complete 2011 MLS Schedule can be found here.

Cascadia Cup
Saturday, May 14 – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers, 8 p.m. PT
Saturday, June 11 – Seattle Sounders FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7 p.m. PT
Sunday, July 10 – Portland Timbers vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 2 p.m. PT
Saturday, Aug. 20 – Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7 p.m. PT
Saturday, Sept. 24 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 4:30 p.m. PT
Sunday, Oct. 2 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Portland Timbers, 1:30 p.m. PT

Regular Season
Date	Home	Away	Venue
Saturday, March 19 3:30 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Toronto FC	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, March 26 1 p.m. PDT	Philadelphia Union	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	PPL Park
Saturday, April 2 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Sporting Kansas City	Empire Field	TICKETS
Wednesday, April 6 7 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	New England Revolution	Empire Field	TICKETS
Sunday, April 10 4 p.m. PDT	Houston Dynamo	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Robertson Stadium
Saturday, April 16 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Chivas USA	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, April 23 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	FC Dallas	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, April 30 4 p.m. PDT	Columbus Crew	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Columbus Crew Stadium
Saturday, May 7 5:30 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	San Jose Earthquakes	Empire Field	TICKETS
Wednesday, May 11 7 p.m. PDT	Chicago Fire	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Toyota Park
Saturday, May 14 4:30 p.m. PDT	New England Revolution	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Gillette Stadium
Saturday, May 28 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	New York Red Bulls	Empire Field	TICKETS
Wednesday, June 1 7:30 p.m. PDT	Chivas USA	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	The Home Depot Center
Saturday, June 4 6 p.m. PDT	Real Salt Lake	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Rio Tinto Stadium
Saturday, June 11 7 p.m. PDT	Seattle Sounders	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Qwest Field
Saturday, June 18 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecpas FC	Philadelphia Union	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, June 25 5:30 p.m. PDT	Sporting Kansas City	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	KC Soccer Stadium
Wednesday, June 29 4:30 p.m. PDT	Toronto FC	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	BMO Field
Wednesday, July 6 7 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Columbus Crew	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, July 9 6 p.m. PDT	Colorado Rapids	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	DSG Park
Saturday, July 16 1 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Real Salt Lake	Empire Field	TICKETS
Wednesday, July 20 7 p.m. PDT	San Jose Earthquakes	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Buck Shaw Stadium
Saturday, July 30 4:30 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	LA Galaxy	Empire Field	TICKETS
Sunday, August 7 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Chicago Fire	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, August 13 4:30 p.m. PDT	D.C. United	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	RFK Stadium
Saturday, August 20 7 p.m. PDT	Portland Timbers	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	PGE Park
Saturday, August 27 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Houston Dynamo	Empire Field	TICKETS
Saturday, September 10 4:30 p.m. PDT	New York Red Bulls	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Red Bull Arena
Saturday, September 17 7:30 p.m. PDT	LA Galaxy	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	The Home Depot Center
Saturday, September 24 4:30 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Seattle Sounders FC	Empire Field	TICKETS
Sunday, October 2 1:30 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Portland Timbers	BC Place	TICKETS
Wednesday, October 12 7 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	D.C. United	BC Place	TICKETS
Saturday, October 15 5:30 p.m. PDT	FC Dallas	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Pizza Hut Park
Saturday, October 22 4 p.m. PDT	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Colorado Rapids	BC Place	TICKETS

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 2 - COLUMBUS CREW 1

MATCH REPORT courtesy of Whitecaps FC

PHOENIX, AZ - Playing their third training match in a week, Vancouver Whitecaps FC recorded their second victory of preseason after an impressive 2-1 result versus Major League Soccer rivals Columbus Crew in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday afternoon.

Second-half goals by substitutes Atiba Harris and Omar Salgado capped a fine preseason performance by the Blue and White at Phoenix's Reach 11 Sports Complex. Columbus' lone goal came through Eddie Gaven from the penalty spot in the second half.

"Today was a great performance by our side, and was a very good game involving two good teams," Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson told whitecapsfc.com. "I'm very happy and impressed with the shape we had in the game today, both defensively and offensively. We battled hard and looked difficult to beat, while we had great rhythm in attack. I'm actually a bit surprised that we are already producing performances like today, so I'm very happy about that."

The result completed Vancouver's set of training matches during this first training camp in Arizona. The 'Caps not only defeated the Crew, but fellow CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinalists Real Salt Lake in an extended contest this time last week. The other training match ended in a narrow defeat to Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC on Friday.

Playing a standard 90-minute match in two 45-minute halves, Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson saw his squad dominate proceedings in the first half, but unable to claim a halftime lead.

Columbus' first-half goalkeeper - former FC Dallas and Portland Timbers shot-stopper Ray Burse - was tested early. On the quarter-hour mark, Davide Chiumiento's back-heeled pass allowed midfielder Terry Dunfield to put a strike on target from the edge of the Crew box, with Burse forced to make a good save. A minute later, the Columbus keeper needed to stop winger Shea Salinas one-on-one after the former Philadelphia Union man was put through on goal by left fullback Alain Rochat.

Chinese striker Long Tan and Tanzanian winger Nizar Khalfan had further chances to score for Vancouver just after the half-hour mark, while centre back Greg Janicki was off-target with a header from a Salinas corner before just the break. The Crew's only notable first-half chance was a Chad Marshall header that flew over the 'Caps crossbar from an Emmanuel Ekpo free kick.

On 41 minutes, Whitecaps FC had a major opportunity to take the lead when the dangerous Salinas was brought down in the Columbus box for a penalty. Chiumiento stepped up to take the spot kick, but Burse was on hand to deny the Swiss international from giving Vancouver the advantage at halftime.

The start of the second half saw Harris and Canadian youngster Kyle Porter enter the action for Whitecaps FC, while the Crew changed their entire line-up before the restart. Chances were traded at both ends, with 'Caps goalkeeper Jay Nolly making his first save of the match from Crew striker Justin Meram just after the hour mark.

Then on 62 minutes, a fine pass from Dunfield allowed the unmarked Harris to move in on goal and round Columbus' second-half keeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell before finding the back of the net for his first Vancouver goal. Columbus restored parity from the penalty spot on 76 minutes after Nolly had brought down Gaven, with the Crew midfielder converting the spot kick to make it 1-1.

However, that scoreline lasted only a minute. After Thordarson had introduced centre back Jay DeMerit and midfielder John Thorrington to the match, Harris found strike partner Salgado with a cross from the left. The United States U-20 international headed home his first Whitecaps FC goal to make it 2-1.

There was no reply to Salgado's strike from the Ohio-based outfit, as the final whistle capped a fine Whitecaps FC display versus an established MLS club. Tuesday's win also concluded the club's first camp in Arizona, with the squad set to return to Vancouver on Wednesday before returning back to Arizona later this month for more training and preseason matches.

"It's been important for us to have this time together as a team," Thordarson said of this first Arizona camp. "We have been able to get to know each other and to train on the things that we want to train on. It's easier in a warm climate to train on tactical things, so this camp here in Arizona has been very important for us."

With CONCACAF Champions League action just around the corner, Columbus return to preseason action on Thursday when they take on Seattle in Avondale, Arizona.

Scoring Summary:62' - VAN - Atiba Harris (Terry Dunfield)
76' - CLB - Eddie Gaven (penalty)
77' - VAN - Omar Salgado (Atiba Harris)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC18.Jay Nolly; 4.Alain Rochat, 33.Michael Boxall (34.Bilal Duckett 63'), 14.Greg Janicki (6.Jay DeMerit 76'), 25.Jonathan Leathers (8.Wes Knight 59'); 29.Nizar Khalfan (3.Kyle Porter 45'), 26.Gershon Koffie (11.John Thorrington 76'), 7.Terry Dunfield, 22.Shea Salinas (15.Philippe Davies 70'); 28.Davide Chiumiento (9.Atiba Harris 45'), 23.Long Tan (17.Omar Salgado 59')

Columbus Crew
First Half XI34.Ray Burse; 21.Sebastian Miranda, 14.Chad Marshall, 6.Andy Iro, 29.Shaun Francis; 2.Rich Balchan, 17.Emmanuel Ekpo, 11.Dilly Duka, 18.Robbie Rogers; 33.Jeff Cunningham, 20.Emilio Renteria

Second Half XI25.Caleb Patterson-Sewell; 28.Ben Sippola (26.Cory Elenio 72'), 27.Kwaku Nyamekye, 23.Alex Fraga, 3.Josh Williams; 12.Eddie Gaven (4.Santiago Prim 89'), 15.Kevin Burns (19.Cole Grossman 68'), 22.Dejan Rusmir, 8.Bernardo Anor; 31.Andy Adlard (13.Leandre Griffit 70'), 9.Justin Meram

MLS unveil regular season schedule on February 10

NEW YORK – Major League Soccer announced on Friday plans to unveil the 2011 MLS regular season schedule next Thursday, February 10.

“Assembling the schedule begins after MLS Cup and involves several interdependent factors, including competitive fairness, international competitions, stadium availability, broadcast windows, and club preferences,” the league said in a statement released Friday. “The 18 home openers were announced December 20, and we have waited until the entire schedule is complete before making it public.”
The 2011 league season will feature a balanced schedule, with each team playing the others once at home and once away.

With the addition of two new expansion clubs, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, each club will now play a total of 34 regular season matches. In 2010, teams' season schedules consisted of 30 matches.

“We recognize that the timing of [the schedule’s] release has caused some inconvenience and we appreciate our fans’ continued patience,” MLS said in the statement.

First Kick 2011 starts on Tuesday, March 15, with the nationally televised match between Seattle Sounders FC and LA Galaxy (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN and possible TSN in Canada?).

Whitecaps win 2 - 1 over Real Salt Lake

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC beat Real Salt Late 2-1 today in their first training match.

Full-Time caught up head coach Teitur Thordarson and midfielder Terry Dunfield. You can listen to those interviews by clicking on the links below.

To hear the Teitur Thordarson interview click here.
To hear the Terry Dunfield interview click here.

Whitecaps Match Report courtesy of Simon Fudge @ Whitecapsfc.com

Playing their first-ever preseason training match as a Major League Soccer club on Tuesday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated 2009 MLS Cup champions Real Salt Lake 2-1 at Grande Sports World in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Goals by the Canadian duo of Russell Teibert and Terry Dunfield have Teitur Thordarson's side a positive start to their schedule of preseason training games, with Vancouver just over a week into their preparations for their inaugural MLS season. El Salvador international Arturo Alvarez scored a consolation goal for the Utah-based outfit. Victory was also the second preseason result versus RSL at Grande Sports World. On February 20, 2010, Vancouver claimed a similar 2-1 result over Salt Lake as a USSF D-2 Pro League side.
"The win gives us a good starting point," Dunfield told whitecapsfc.com after Tuesday's game. "For the most part, I thought we competed very well, and there were a lot of positives to take from today's game. Real Salt Lake have some quick and clever players, so if you switch off at any point, they have the ability to hurt you, which is what they did for their goal. This season will be a big step up for most of us, but based on today's performance, it looks like we have a squad that can compete well in MLS."

With both sides keen to look at the many players they have in camp at present, the 'Caps and RSL agreed to a 135-minute match that was played in three periods of 45 minutes each. This allowed 25 members of the Blue and White squad some valuable game action versus an established MLS opponent. Goalkeeper Joe Cannon, centre back Jay DeMerit, midfielder John Thorrington, and trialist Ryan O'Leary all missed Tuesday's friendly contest through injury.

Vancouver strikers Atiba Harris and Davide Chiumiento had the honour of taking Whitecaps FC's first-ever kickoff as an MLS club, with Chiumiento soon having a role in the game's first goal. On 17 minutes, a nice pass from the Swiss international gave youngster Teibert the chance to find the back of the net, as he slipped his shot passed RSL goalkeeper Tim Melia for a 1-0 Vancouver lead.

The goal brought a spell of Whitecaps FC pressure, with former Rochester Rhinos keeper Melia needing to make saves from Teibert and Shea Salinas, while Atiba Harris was off-target with an effort before the end of the first 45-minute period.

Salt Lake then equalized four minutes after the first break. Alvarez combined with midfielder Ned Grabavoy before eluding the attentions of a 'Caps defender and beating goalkeeper Jay Nolly to make it 1-1.
However, that scoreline lasted until the 57th minute, as Dunfield scored the match winner when he converted Teibert's corner from inside RSL's six-yard box to make it 2-1.

Dunfield and RSL's Argentine striker Fabian Espindola traded further chances before the midway point of this extended match, with Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis changing is entire 'Red Team' line-up to his 'Blue Team' selection. Just before the second break, Brazilian striker Pablo Campos forced a clearance off the 'Caps goalline after rising to connect with a close-range header.

Having made several changes through the first 90 minutes of the game, the third 45-minute period saw Thordarson play the remainder of his substitutions, including United States U-20 international keeper Brian Sylvestre and 2011 MLS SuperDraft top pick Omar Salgado.

Despite their best efforts to level matters before the end, RSL's Collen Warner could only see his long-range shot sail high and over the Vancouver goal, while Campos forced a good save from Sylvestre with his turn and shot in the Whitecaps FC box on 112 minutes.

The final whistle confirmed a first win in preseason for the MLS new boys, with Thordarson's squad to continue with their current Arizona training camp until the middle of next week. This will include a training match versus MLS rivals Columbus Crew in Phoenix next Tuesday.
RSL, meanwhile, make their way home to Utah this evening and continue their preparations for their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal clash versus the Crew later this month.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18.Jay Nolly (24.Brian Sylvestre 90'); 4.Alain Rochat (19.Blake Wagner 45'), 34.Bilal Duckett (23.Long Tan 90'), 14.Greg Janicki (33.Michael Boxall 86'), 8.Wes Knight (25.Jonathan Leathers 68'); 12.Russell Teibert (36.Santiago Bedoya 68', 35.Joe Anderson 110'), 26.Gershon Koffie (32.Jeb Brovsky 68'), 7.Terry Dunfield (15.Philippe Davies 81'), 22.Shea Salinas (39.Cornelius Stewart 45', 17.Omar Salgado 104'); 28.Davide Chiumiento (29.Nizar Khalfan 68'), 9.Atiba Harris (3.Kyle Porter 52', 13.Lenny Hartmann 115')

Real Salt Lake
Red Team (1st - 68th minute): Tim Melia; Robbie Russell, Jamie Cunningham (Drew Cost 45'), Nat Borchers, John Gilkerson; Jean Alexandre, Luis Gil (Nick Love 45'), Ned Grabavoy, Javier Morales; Arturo Alvarez, Fabian Espindola
Blue Team (68th - 135th minute): Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Rauwshan McKenzie, Chris Wingert; Kyle Beckerman, Collen Warner, Will Johnson, Andy Williams; Pablo Campos, Paulo Araujo Jr.

Whitecaps FC Week 1 of Training Camp

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC wrapped up week 1 of training on Thursday and are headed to Casa Grande in Arizona on Friday as they continue training and play in a pair of exhibition matches against Major League Soccer competition. With week 1 from Vancouver wrapped, we at Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show, offer you a variety of interviews from Whitecaps players and coaches.

First up is, what Full-Time believes to be the likely team captain in, Jay DeMerit, who is returning to competiton after 8 months off after his season ended last year in England. Who says he is easing back into training.

Greg Janicki was the defender of the year in USSF-D2 or "League Deuce" in 2010. He is looking to establish himself with the Whitecaps in MLS and says he is feeling good so far in camp.

Another holdover from last season and "League Deuces" Goalkeeper of the Year of 2010, Jay Nolly, says the 1st week of training has been good.

Wes Knight is coming off shoulder surgery in the off-season and thinks that overall, training has gone well for most in camp.

The Whitecaps have also brought in new players, whether through the expansion draft, SuperDraft or Supplementary Draft. Those players are also in camp and for Shea Salinas, it's a nice opportunity to see the construction of BC Place, training at Empire Field and meeting a lot of new faces in camp.

Michael Nanchoff was the 8th overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft and 2nd pick for the Whitecaps. He's coming off a minor injury but is enjoying training and getting to know the city of Vancouver.

Michael Boxall was a supplementary draft player and had no idea he woul be selected by Vancouver, but excited about the chance.

Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson rounds out our audio for the week and says he likes what he's seen so far from the 1st week of training.

The Whitecaps will now spend the next ten days in Arizona before returning to Vancouver, where it is likely that the 'Caps will make some more signings of the current players in camp.

WHITECAPS FC SIGN DEFENDER ALAIN ROCHAT + Interviews

With preseason training set to begin next week, Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the signing of Canadian-born defender Alain Rochat to the club's Major League Soccer roster - pending his international transfer certificate. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Full-Time producer Corey Basso caught up with Alain Rochat to discuss the new signing. Listen here. Corey also managed to get a few words from coach Teitur Thordarsson on how Alain will fit into the Whitecaps' system. Listen here.

"We're delighted to add Alain to our MLS squad," said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson. "He brings a wealth of experience and has won titles in a top-flight European league and has played in prestigious European club competitions like the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup."

Initially acquired from FC Zürich by Whitecaps FC during the 2010 USSF D-2 Pro League season on August 17, the 27-year-old spent the remainder of last year on loan at the Swiss Super League outfit. The 6-foot, 170-pound defender - who can play left fullback as well as centre back - started all 14 appearances during his loan spell with FC Zürich.

"I'm excited by this new challenge to play in North America and in Major League Soccer,” said Rochat. “Vancouver is a beautiful city, and Whitecaps FC have been very welcoming to me and my family, since I made the decision to first sign with the club last summer."

The native of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, first joined FC Zürich on loan during the 2006-07 season from Stade Rennais FC of France’s Ligue 1 before making his move permanent the following season. In four-and-a-half seasons with FC Zürich, Rochat made 154 appearances, scoring nine goals, and recording 10 assists. During this time, Rochat helped FC Zürich to Swiss Super League championship titles during the 2006-07 and 2008-09 campaigns. In the 2009-10 season, Rochat helped FC Zürich reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, where they faced Spanish giants Real Madrid, Italian powerhouse AC Milan, and France's Olympique de Marseille in Group C.

Prior to his recent spell with FC Zürich, Rochat joined Stade Rennais FC at the start of the 2005-06 French Ligue 1 season and appeared in 11 matches for the Brittany-based club. From 2001 to 2005, the defender played four seasons with Switzerland's Berner Sport Club (BSC) Young Boys. Rochat started his professional career in 1999 with Yverdon Sport FC, who were then members of the Swiss Super League.

Rochat, who moved from Canada to Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, when he was two, appeared for Switzerland at the youth international level before making his senior international debut on June 4, 2005, as Switzerland claimed a 3-1 away victory over the Faroe Islands in Group Four of European qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Will Johnson Audio Interview on Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show - Jan 14th, 2011

As posted earlier in the week, Will Johnson re-signed with Real Salt Lake through the 2014 season.

You can hear the interview that Full-Time host Tyler Green did with Will Johnson by clicking here.

The Canadian international was on the final year of his contract and the team had made it a priority to sign the 23-year-old to an extension prior to the start of the 2011 season. Though financial details were not disclosed – as per team and league policy – Lagerwey did hint Johnson would get a raise.

“Will came to us as something that was a very low salary,” said Lagerwey. “If you are trying to re-sign your good, young players, certainly those are going to lead to increases in pay.”

Johnson joined Real Salt Lake in the middle of the 2008 season upon return from Dutch Eredivisie side De Graafshap. He immediately made his way into the starting lineup and has remained there ever since.
Known for his high work-rate, Johnson fits in well with head coach Jason Kreis’ philosophy, which requires effort on both sides of the field. Among Johnson’s accomplishments are the 2008 MLS Goal of the Year award and a 2009 All-Star selection.

As always, if you missed an interview on Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by clicking here.

Real Salt Lake re-sign Johnson through 2014

 Will Johnson will continue manning the center of the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium through the 2014 season, announced Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey on a conference call Tuesday.

The Canadian international was on the final year of his contract and the team had made it a priority to sign the 23-year-old to an extension prior to the start of the 2011 season. Though financial details were not disclosed – as per team and league policy – Lagerwey did hint Johnson would get a raise.

“Will came to us as something that was a very low salary,” said Lagerwey. “If you are trying to re-sign your good, young players, certainly those are going to lead to increases in pay.”

Johnson joined Real Salt Lake in the middle of the 2008 season upon return from Dutch Eredivisie side De Graafshap. He immediately made his way into the starting lineup and has remained there ever since.
Known for his high work-rate, Johnson fits in well with head coach Jason Kreis’ philosophy, which requires effort on both sides of the field. Among Johnson’s accomplishments are the 2008 MLS Goal of the Year award and a 2009 All-Star selection.

Lagerwey also indicated that the club has been pursuing extensions for both defender Nat Borchers and goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who have current deals that expire after the 2011 and 2012 seasons, respectively.

“We have had good conversations with the agents for both players,” Lagerwey mentioned. “I would say nothing is imminent, but I’m cautiously optimistic on both of those fronts.”