WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS
Whitecaps FC acquire draft pick from Toronto FC for right back Steven Beitashour – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has acquired Toronto FC’s second highest second-round draft pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for right back Steven Beitashour.
TFC gets Beitashour in trade with Whitecaps – Sportsnet
The right side of defence was a major problem area for Toronto FC during the 2015 Major League Soccer season.
Three priorities for the Whitecaps’ offseason – Goal
As a top-three finish in the standings did not translate into a long playoff run for Vancouver, further upgrades are required to improve on a productive 2015, writes Simon Fudge.
Jordan Morris ‘obviously has to’ turn professional, urges Jurgen Klinsmann – ESPN FC
As a Seattle native, Morris can sign with his hometown Sounders, who offered their former academy standout the richest “Homegrown” contract in MLS history earlier this year.
Portland picks Taylor, Orlando adds Alston in MLS re-entry draft – Goal
Only two players were selected in the second stage of the MLS re-entry draft Thursday, with Kevin Alston headed to Orlando City and Jermaine Taylor taken by the Portland Timbers.
Report: Toronto FC To Trade for Canadian International Will Johnson – Waking the Red
Finally, Toronto FC are in the process of finalizing a trade for midfielder Will Johnson of the MLS Cup winning Portland Timbers according to multiple reports. Anthony Totera of Red Card Radio reported this afternoon that a source tells him Will Johnson will be joining Toronto FC.
2016 MLS Rosters – MLS
With all of the recents signings, trades & player movement, the state of MLS rosters can be hard to track. Here is where each team in the league stands as of Dec.17.
LA Galaxy sign defender Daniel Steres – LA Galaxy
The LA Galaxy have signed defender Daniel Steres from LA Galaxy II, the club announced today. Steres, who captained LA Galaxy II last season, has earned three-straight All-League Team selections in USL. Per MLS and club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Houston Dynamo sign goalkeeper Calle Brown – MLS
The Houston Dynamo announced on Thursday they have signed goalkeeper Calle Brown. Per club and league policy, terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
D.C. United in talks with Perry Kitchen, pursuing attacking midfielder – Washington Post
With D.C. United preparing for both the short term (training camp opens in five weeks) and long term (the new stadium at Buzzard Point), the Insider sat down with managing general partner Jason Levien this week for a wide-ranging discussion.
‘Success with no regrets’ – Bill Dittmar calls time on 20-year officiating career – PRO Referees
After almost two decades of running the line in Major League Soccer, Bill Dittmar has called time on his illustrious career. The 50-year-old has been an official in MLS since its inaugural season in 1996, taking to the field more than 250 times.
SBI MLS Draft Big Board (Version 1.0) – SBI
The 2016 MLS Draft is exactly a month away, making today a good day to drop the first SBI MLS Draft Big Board. It is still early in the process of determining just which players will be in the draft, but it’s a good time to start thinking about the talent that will be available in the upcoming draft.
Slim Pickings? Analysis of the 2007-2014 MLS Superdraft – Analytics FC
In this analysis, I’m going to look at what sides have picked well in the draft, those that haven’t, and look back at how the players in each draft pick position have done previously in terms of seasons spent in MLS –measured through seasons in the league pay-roll.
Monaco boss quiet on Chelsea’s Radamel Falcao amid MLS talk – ESPN FC
Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim has declined to address rumours that Radamel Falcao will return from Chelsea amid reports that the out-of-favour forward would eventually like to move to Major League Soccer.
Three priorities for Toronto FC’s offseason – Goal
TFC was offensively prolific in 2015, but gave up as many as it scored. That’s just one of the offseason issues the club needs to look at, writes Rudi Schuller.
Beckham stadium plan faces skeptical neighbors in Overtown – Miami Herald
David Beckham’s top negotiator on Thursday promised a 25,000-seat, partially enclosed stadium that would boost Overtown’s economy, rely on mass transit and walking fans instead of hulking parking garages, and use professional soccer to help keep youth engaged in sports rather than in trouble.
San Antonio City Council approves purchase of Toyota Field, furthers quest to land MLS team – MLS
San Antonio lined up the next step in their quest to land an MLS team on Thursday, as the city council unanimously approved the joint purchase of local soccer-specific stadium Toyota Field.
Maxime Crépeau to join Bologna FC 1909 on training stint in January – Montreal Impact
The Montreal Impact and Bologna FC 1909 announced on Thursday that goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau will join the Serie A club for a three-week training stint, from January 2 to 22, 2016.
Three priorities for the Impact’s offseason – Goal
Montreal is coming off a thrilling end to the 2015 campaign, but there is work to be done to extend that form into next year, writes Nick Sabetti.
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BC SOCCER NEWS
VIDEO: Victoria Highlanders Soccer Club- Back in the PDL – CHEK TV
After a season in the PCSL, the Victoria Highlanders are returning back to the PDL for the 2016 season.
Rodriguez ends collegiate career in style at Milwaukee school – Richmond News
Declan Rodriguez concluded his collegiate soccer career at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in style, earning the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week Award. The Richmond Youth Soccer product tallied a pair of goals on six shots as the Panthers rolled to a convincing 4-0 win over Northern Kentucky on Senior Night.
VIDEO: EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League 2015 Cup Finals – Whitecaps FC / YouTube
Video feature on the 2015 EA SPORTS BC Soccer Premier League Cup Finals.
Jeras juggles busy schedule – Langley Times
Dayle Jeras is set to graduate in April from the University of the Fraser Valley with her degree in business and finance. And Jeras has excelled both on the pitch — she started for the UFV Cascades women’s soccer team since her sophomore season and has worn the captain’s armband the past two seasons — as well as in the classroom.
CANADA vs. MEXICO, March 25, 2016 @ BC PLACE STADIUM. Buy Tickets Today!
CANADA SOCCER NEWS
Celebrating the past and present – 24th Minute
The Queen is dead; long live the Queen! For the first time since 2003 a player other than Christine Sinclair have been named the Canadian female player of the year. Kadeisha Buchanan, the 20 year-old stand-out that’s yet to even turn pro, has ended the 11 year streak.
Canadian women No. 11 in FIFA rankings – TSN
Canada remained unchanged at No. 11 in the FIFA women’s soccer rankings released Friday. The U.S. topped the standings, ahead of Germany, France, Japan and England as the top 13 remained the same after 104 matches since the last ratings update in September.
Creativity and improvisation are assets of the determined – Totaal Voetbal Concepts
As a coach, player, writer, and fan of the game, I have reached the age where I can look at generations — both mine and younger ones — and draw some interesting conclusions. Firstly, let me say this: creativity is something I’m on record for asserting is something that is coached out of our young players far too often and far too early. Secondly, improvisation is a skill stemming from creativity.
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NASL & USL NEWS
Fury Sign Speedster Chin and Core Duo from Aztex – Ottawa Fury
Ottawa Fury FC today announced the signings of Jamaican speedster Dennis Chin, versatile American defender/midfielder Lance Rozeboom and Brazilian defender Fernando Timbo. As per club policy, terms of the agreements were not disclosed.
Steady Eddie – Veteran defender will be looked upon to provide increased leadership role in 2016 – FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton’s impressive run of form through a majority of the North American Soccer League (NASL) Fall Season was due in large part to the team’s back line performance. The team posted the third-best Goals Against Average in the Fall behind champions New York Cosmos and second-place Ottawa Fury FC. As a result, the team will see the return of a majority of defenders from the 2015 campaign, including veteran Eddie Edward.
After several attempts, RailHawks finally land Canadian Drew Beckie – the11.ca
During the course of the 2015 NASL season, Drew Beckie approached then-Ottawa Fury coach Marc Dos Santos with a trade request. He wasn’t starting, and he felt that, given the opportunity in another NASL city, he’d get the chance to play.
Ben Sweat Set To Return To Tampa Bay Rowdies In 2016 – Tampa Bay Rowdies
Defender Ben Sweat has signed a new two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rowdies to continue his professional career at Al Lang Stadium, the club announced Friday. Per club and league policy, further contract details are not disclosed.
Records: Stadium Developers Paid Themselves Hundreds Of Thousands As Bills Went Unpaid – Hartford Courant
As unpaid bills piled up at Premier Sports Management Group, leaders of the effort to bring professional soccer to Hartford transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to themselves and companies they control, leaving the firm with a fraction of the money needed to meet its obligations, records now under investigation show.
Academy 2015 Top 5 – In 2nd position, FC Montreal’s first season in the USL – Montreal Impact
In 2015, the Montreal Impact rediscovered the USL, this time with FC Montreal, the club’s second team and final stepping stone before MLS.
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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS
Top ten stand firm as Netherlands come knocking – FIFA
The teams that made up the top ten in September maintained their positions for the December FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking to ensure that they ring in the new year at the top of the table.
SI Inspiration of the Year: U.S. Women’s National Team – SI.com
Ayla Ludlow, a 13-year-old soccer player from Pembroke, Mass., was watching a U.S. game during this year’s Women’s World Cup when she was brazenly interrupted. Her younger brother Nicholas entered the room and informed Ayla that boys are “so much better” at soccer than girls. With the same initiative that her favorite player, forward Alex Morgan, took to earn a game-changing penalty against Germany in the semifinal, Ayla later put pencil to paper and wrote a letter to President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.
Westfield W-League Round 10 Preview – Westfield W-League
All the match and squad information for round 10 in the Westfield W-League previewed, highlighted by the Fox Sports/ABC TV match featuring Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar.
Melbourne City forward Larissa Crummer not focused on W-League scoring record – Sydney Morning Herald
She may have more than twice as many goals as the next most prolific players in the W-League this season, but Larissa Crummer says she is not thinking about the possibility of breaking the competition’s single-season scoring record.
Siobhan Chamberlain: Liverpool Ladies sign England goalkeeper – BBC Sport
Liverpool Ladies have signed England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain for the 2016 season. The 32-year-old was a member of England’s World Cup squad that finished third in Canada earlier this year.
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WORLD SOCCER NEWS
Former FIFA executive Theo Zwanziger says Qatar should be stripped of 2022 World Cup – Fox Sports
FORMER FIFA executive Theo Zwanziger has reiterated he wants Qatar stripped of the 2022 World Cup or at least a fan boycott of the tournament over human rights violations. “As a fan I would not go to Qatar. Such a visit cannot be explained from an ethical point of view,” Zwanziger told Friday’s edition of Germany’s Die Welt paper.
Chelsea relegation a genuine threat as Jose Mourinho gamble fails to pay off – ESPN FC
The Blues are looking to avoid a 10th loss in 17 top-flight matches when they host Sunderland on Saturday. With Chelsea a point above the relegation zone, and three above this weekend’s opponents, they could find themselves in the bottom three on Christmas Day.
Roman Abramovich tells Chelsea squad this is a fresh start and confirms Guus Hiddink’s arrival – The Telegraph
Roman Abramovich has promised the Chelsea players a fresh start in a speech made to the entire first-team squad at the club’s Cobham training ground on Friday.
Tottenham outcast Emmanuel Adebayor offered to Chelsea as Radamel Falcao exit looms – Evening Standard
Tottenham misfit Emmanuel Adebayor has been offered to Chelsea as an option to solve their goal-scoring problems.
Lenarduzzi: Arsenal takes on Man City in clash of Premier League heavyweights – The Province
This weekend’s Premier League action serves as just an appetizer for the really big on Monday.
Newcastle and Aston Villa counting the cost of transfer tactics – The Guardian
Rémi Garde could have been in the home dugout rather than the away one on Saturday but both clubs are struggling after trying to find new young players from Europe’s supposedly better value markets
Howe! And Why? – 8×8 Magazine
AFC Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe is the prince charming who brought the club’s fairy tale to life.
Crystal Palace bank £100m of new American money – Inside World Football
More American money is joining the Premier League ownership roster with Josh Harris and David Blitzer, owners of NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, spending $100 million to buy a controlling stake in south-east London club.Crystal Palace.
Neil Lennon: Bolton Wanderers ‘should avoid administration’ – BBC Sport
The Championship’s bottom side are speaking to a number of parties about a takeover from owner Eddie Davies.
Licht: ‘Roma and Inter Scudetto rivals’ – Football Italia
Juventus full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner believes Roma and Inter “will play to the end for the Scudetto”.
Russia: Football National League Midseason Report – Futbolgrad
As we head into the three month winter break, Russian football is at its perrenial stage of self reflection that never paints a pretty picture. Cynics might say “change the names, the story stays the same”; in one sense they’re right, as yet again, financial strife and political matters have snaked into the fabric of the game. Not all is bleak, however; amongst the chronic mismanagement and bankruptcy, shoots of life are emerging. In the underexposed realm of the Football National League, as always, this dichotomy is magnified.
South Africa: Sundown defeat Kaiser Chiefs in Cup Final – All Africa
Kaizer Chiefs missed two second half penalties in Wednesday’s 3-1 Telkom Knockout final defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns, but the record books will not tell that story.