BC Soccer News, Thursday, January 12, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

US citizenship moves Whitecaps’ Kekuta Manneh closer to USMNT eligibility – MLS
The news broke on Wednesday at the US national team’s January camp: Vancouver Whitecaps FC attacker Kekuta Manneh had received American citizenship and now is a step closer to being eligible for national team play.

Kadin Chung and Thomas Hasal called up to Canada U-20 national team camp – Whitecaps FC
Canada Soccer announced on Wednesday that Whitecaps FC 2 right back Kadin Chung and U-18 Residency goalkeeper Thomas Hasal have been called up to Canada’s men’s U-20 national team for a 10-day camp in Canada and Panama. Also called up is Whitecaps FC Residency graduate Aymar Sigue.

Why British coaches may be shying away from MLS jobs – SN
The departure of Owen Coyle from the Houston Dynamo in May and the firing of Orlando City coach Adrian Heath in July left Vancouver Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson as the last remaining British manager standing come the end of the 2016 MLS season.

MLS 2017: How Western Conference teams look on the eve of the SuperDraft – Soccer America
No more Robbie Keane or Bruce Arena in L.A., a coaching change in Houston, and a new champion in the Northwest cast the Western Conference in a very different light than in past years. Here are how the Western teams look on the eve of the SuperDraft, listed in order of 2016 finish.

Reports: Marsch in talks to manage Red Bull Salzburg as Red Bulls line up Armas as replacement – SBI
In a shocking twist to the offseason, the New York Red Bulls are reportedly set for a shakeup on the sidelines, with Jesse Marsch potentially making a move to Europe.

Canadians on track for MLS SuperDraft breakthrough – Toronto Star
Record five Canadians invited to L.A. draft combine ahead of Friday’s start of Major League Soccer selection process.

Atlanta United Acquire Yamil Asad on loan from Vélez Sarsfield – Atlanta United
Atlanta United announced today it has acquired midfielder Yamil Asad on a season-long loan as a Discovery Signing. Asad joins the club from Vélez Sarsfield of the Argentina Primera Division.

Syracuse’s Sergio Camargo signs on as Toronto FC’s 13th Homegrown Player – MLS
The Reds announced on Wednesday that they have signed midfielder Sergio Camargo as a Homegrown Player. Camargo, 22, is the 13th player to sign with the club after spending time in their academy.

Will Johnson regrets teammate comments but admits differences with Greg Vanney – Waking the Red
The departing midfielder cleared the air after coming under fire for criticism of the way his time at Toronto FC ended.

Mark Bloom: No hard feelings towards Toronto FC – Sportsnet
Mark Bloom was essentially a pawn in Toronto FC’s high-stakes chess game at last month’s Major League Soccer expansion draft.

NFL Chargers have agreement to play in 30,000-seat StubHub Center for next 2 seasons – USA Today
As part of their relocation plan for Los Angeles, the San Diego Chargers have an agreement to play at the StubHub Center in nearby Carson for the next two seasons before moving into their permanent new home in Inglewood with the Los Angeles Rams, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports late Wednesday.

Ten collegians who’ll shape MLS Class of 2017 – Soccer America
The top pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft is held by Minnesota United, which is expected to select Jeremy Ebobisse. The U.S. U-20 center forward is a year removed from college, having left Duke after his sophomore year and played last summer in the USL for the Charleston Battery.

Expansion teams hold balance of power in MLS draft – Sportsnet
Minnesota United FC and Atlanta United FC will select first and second overall, and Atlanta has another first-round pick (eighth), which means the league’s new clubs are going to be major players during Friday’s draft in Los Angeles.

Hard to find good players in the MLS SuperDraft – Toronto Sun
There will come a time when the MLS SuperDraft doesn’t exist. Even the commissioner admits it’s destined to look “very different” in a decade — if not sooner.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

Cascades men’s soccer program to hold ID camp – UFV
University of the Fraser Valley men’s soccer head coach Tom Lowndes is hosting a player identification camp on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2017.

Steep hill to climb – Delta Optimist
I have long been confounded how a country with the sporting prowess of Canada can struggle so mightily in the most popular sport among its young people.

BC Soccer Assoc. is Now Accepting 2016-2017 Awards Nominations – BCSA
We are pleased to inform everyone that BC soccer Assoc. is currently accepting Awards nominations until the submission deadline date of March 31, 2017. Selection of the award recipients is based on many factors including the individual’s commitment, community involvement and willingness to give back to the game. This year any BC Soccer Assoc. member and their affiliate clubs may submit a nomination.

2017 BC Soccer Assoc. is accepting candidates for its Board of Directors – BCSA
BC Soccer Assoc. is accepting candidates for its Board of Directors for terms commencing June, 2017 (following the BC Soccer Annual General Meeting).

Victoria Highlanders 2017 Season Passes now on sale – Highlanders FC
Support local soccer on Vancouver Island. Join the excitement of Highlanders FC PDL Soccer!

PHOTOS: CANADA WEST WOMENS FINAL, UBC 3, TWU 0, NOVEMBER 6, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

VMSL PHOTOS: Richmond FC Hibs 1, ICSF Columbus FC 0, November 5, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Tickets now on sale for Canada Soccer Women’s National Team celebration match 4 February in Vancouver – CSA
Individual tickets to the Canada v Mexico Women’s National Team Bronze Medal celebration match on 4 February 2017 in Vancouver are now on sale to the public. Complete ticket information can be found at CanadaSoccer.com/Tickets.

MWSL PHOTOS: Van United Primas 0, Fraser Valley Action 2, October 30, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

PHOTOS: GNAC Women’s Soccer: SFU 1 Concordia U. (Ore.) 0, October 20, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

BC Soccer Assoc. Delivery of Coach Mandate – BCSA
IMPORTANT:  If you are coaching in the ages U6-U12 you are required to complete the age appropriate course(s) even if you have a higher level of certification (ie. Soccer for Life, B pretest, C License, B License or A License). In order to enable our membership to deliver on the coaching mandate, BC Soccer Assoc. will be scheduling Learning Facilitator training sessions to assist organizations to have qualified individuals to deliver in-club coach certification courses to their coaches.

2016 BC Soccer Provincial Cup Photo Galleries – BC Soccer Web
Westhills Stadium & Goudy Park in Langford hosted the 2016 BC Soccer Adult Provincial Cup Finals. It was a thrilling weekend of soccer on Vancouver Island that saw seven champions crowned. Richmond FC & Surrey Pegasus qualified for the National Championships this Fall in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Both Coquitlam Metro-Ford Masters & Classics sides qualified for the Western Canadian Masters Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In all, it was a clean sweep for teams from the VMSL & MWSL. Monique Lamoureux & Bill Currie from BC Soccer Web were on location that weekend, capturing the all the action.

Free Physiotherapy Clinical Trial for Achilles Pain at UBC – UBC Centre for Hip Health & Mobility
Do you have Achilles pain? Interested in free Physiotherapy? If yes, join our clinical trial to look at the effectiveness of intramuscular stimulation (IMS), a form of acupuncture therapy, in treating Achilles tendon pain.

The BC Soccer Web Guide to Empire Field – BC Soccer Web
Empire Fields and Plateau Sports Park is the lofty and formal name given to Vancouver’s newest addition to the soccer scene. Yet, anyone who’s ever kicked or carried both kinds of footballs around these parts knows the place by heart.

Introducing BC Soccer Web Syndication – BC Soccer Web
You can now add BC Soccer Web news to your website simply by adding our new RSS Feed! Find out more.

Send your Soccer News to BC Soccer Web! – BC Soccer Web
BC Soccer Web is the hub for soccer in British Columbia. We want to share your soccer news with the entire province, and you can help by letting us know! We want your match reports, club news, league standings, and info on upcoming tournaments and clinics. Whether you submit links to existing news on the web, or your own original writing, we want to share it with the soccer community in B.C.

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CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Canada Soccer announces Men’s U-20 camp and series against Panama – CSA
Canada Soccer’s Men’s National U-20 Team have announced a 24-player squad for an upcoming preparation camp in Canada and Panama. The camp supports the team’s preparations for the upcoming CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship in February 2017.

Minor soccer community pays tribute to Joe Pimentel, a beloved coach and referee – Edmonton Examiner
Jose (Joe) Pimentel, a pillar in Edmonton’s minor soccer community, died of stomach cancer on Oct. 5 at the age of 44. But he was in the minds of many players and their families last week as the Edmonton Strikers honoured his memory with a referee award.

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Johnson, Chung, Hundaal Named to Canada U20 Camp – USL
2016 USL 20 Under 20 selections Shaan Hundal and Malik Johnson of Toronto FC II and Kadin Chung of Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 were among a large contingent of USL players called up for Canada’s U20 National Team Camp announced on Wednesday.

Sounders 2 reveal 2017 USL roster updates – GoalWA
Seattle Sounders FC 2 today announced that it is has exercised the 2017 option of midfielder Irvin Parra and signed midfielder Lorenzo Ramos. The club has also added forward Javorn Stevens to its roster, pending the receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.

Edwards Says Federation’s Decision ‘Real Validation’ for USL, Clubs – USL
USL President Jake Edwards welcomed the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to grant the league provisional Division 2 sanctioning last Friday in an extensive interview with the United States of Soccer’s Jason Davis on SiriusXM FC on Tuesday afternoon.

Commisso: “High probability that we’re going to play in the five boroughs” – This is Cosmos Country
There’s still work to be done, but Cosmos Chairman Rocco Commisso and Head Coach and Sporting Director Giovanni Savarese yesterday began to answer the questions of where the Cosmos look to play the 2017 season and who would suit up in the green and white.

Some top Canadian talent missing but plenty of skill still on tap in NWSL draft – Yahoo Sports
Some top Canadian talent is off the board but the Boston Breakers still have plenty to choose from Thursday at the National Women’s Soccer League draft.

FC Kansas City sale complete; team will remain local – The Equalizer
The long anticipated sale of FC Kansas City became official on Wednesday. Minnesota businessman Elam Baer has purchased the club from the Likens family and Brian Budzinski who founded the team together in late 2012. The Blues are the second NWSL club to be sold this week but unlike the Western New York Flash, will remain in Kansas City. The club also named a new general manager, Jean-Yves Viardin. Huw Williams resigned the post last year.

Race heats up for Golden Boot – W-League
Big names such as Tameka Butt and Ash Sykes were in prolific form in front of goal during Round 11, but it is Sam Kerr who still heads the charge.

Entrepreneurship & Soccer Go Hand in Hand in NWSL – American Soccer Now
Low wages tend to be a hardship for many athletes in the NWSL, but this quartet brought an entrepreneurial spirit to their passion for soccer, and the results are very encouraging.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Graham Taylor, former England, Watford and Villa boss, dies aged 72 – ESPN FC
Former England manager Graham Taylor has died aged 72, a statement from his family has said.

PSG looking for a striker to take pressure off Cavani – Sportsnet
Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery is looking to recruit a striker in the January transfer window to take some pressure off top scorer Edinson Cavani.

Advantage Southampton as Liverpool struggle without key players – ESPN FC
Three points from Southampton’s 1-0 win vs. Liverpool in the EFL Cup semifinal first leg.

Ivory Coast looks to defend African Cup of Nations title – Toronto Star
With an air of unease hanging over the tournament, the African Cup of Nations returns to Gabon for the second time in five years.

Afcon 2017: a group-by-group guide to the Africa Cup of Nations – The Guardian
The players, teams and managers to look out for as Ivory Coast defend their title in Gabon in the tournament that kicks off on Saturday

Chelsea moves closer to redeveloping Stamford Bridge – Sportsnet
Chelsea has overcome the latest hurdle to redeveloping its Stamford Bridge stadium and allowing the Premier League leaders to catch up with London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham.

UEFA report reveals ‘super clubs’ divide as nine pull away financially – ESPN FC
A UEFA report has shown that nine European clubs have moved so far ahead of the rest financially that they are unlikely to be caught up with.

Sell-out Sydney derby a measure of football’s progress, says Alex Brosque – The Guardian
To Sydney FC captain Alex Brosque Saturday’s sellout Sydney A-League derby is a potent reminder of how far the game has come in Australia during his career.

Ronaldinho: Letter to My Younger Self – Players’ Tribune
Dear eight-year-old Ronaldinho, Tomorrow, when you come home from playing football, there will be a lot of people in your house. Your uncles, friends of your family and some other people you won’t recognize will be in the kitchen. At first, you’ll think you’re just late for the party. Everybody’s there to celebrate the 18th birthday of your brother, Roberto. Usually when you come home from football, mom is always laughing or joking around. But this time, she’ll be crying.