BC Soccer News, Tuesday, January 24, 2017

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

We’re back! News and notes from day one of preseason – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC officially kicked off their 2017 preseason with a training session at UBC on Monday. The team will now travel to the United Kingdom this evening for an 11-day camp that will include friendlies against Bristol City FC, Cardiff City FC, and Oxford United FC.

Whitecaps a work in progress as training camp opens – Sportsnet
The first day of any training camp tends to have a back-to-school feel: there are new faces mixed in amongst the familiar ones; aspirations for the year are laid out in the open; and in the case of the Vancouver Whitecaps, someone invariably shows up with bleached hair. (This year, both Kendall Waston and Christian Dean take the crown).

Familiar faces Barnes and Williams looking for stability in Vancouver – Red Nation Online
The Vancouver Whitecaps trained at UBC on Monday before departing to Wales to begin a rigorous preseason campaign across the pond. Carl Robinson’s lads will play Cardiff City FC , Oxford United FC, and Bristol City FC, before returning to Vancouver on February 3.

Real Salt Lake Signs Free Agent Forward Chad Barrett – RSL
Real Salt Lake announced on Monday that the club has signed free agent FW Chad Barrett, bringing the 12-year MLS veteran to his seventh club since coming to the league in 2005.

Orlando City close to signing Jonathan Spector  – Orlando Sentinel
Orlando City’s offseason quest to sign one more experienced defender is almost complete.

Investors unveil plans to bring MLS franchise, stadium to San Diego – ESPN FC
With the NFL’s Chargers leaving for Los Angeles, a group of private investors unveiled plans Monday to bring an MLS team to San Diego and build a stadium that can be shared with San Diego State.

San Diego MLS expansion bid seeks stadium on current Qualcomm site – MLS
A group looking to bring MLS to San Diego would build a new stadium where the NFL’s Chargers used to play before they relocated to Los Angeles this offseason, according to a press conference detailing their plans on Monday.

Red Bulls Sign Homegrown Keeper Evan Lauro – Empire of Soccer
New York Red Bulls have signed player Evan Louro to a homegrown contract. The Michigan goalkeeper is the second signing today as New York pieces its roster together for the 2017 season.

How They Rank: The best MLS academies – Top Drawer Soccer
It’s been nearly 10 calendar years since the Development Academy kicked its first collective ball back in late summer 2007. At least in terms of the professional academy system, the moment represented a tangible reboot of the youth system in the U.S. at the highest level. On a darker timeline, it was a tacit admission that the previous system was too fragmented, too unreliable and too unpredictable to undergird anything approaching a globally elite system of youth production.

Beasley brings veteran presence, left back option to Arena’s second U.S. stint – SN
You wouldn’t expect a coach hired to salvage a teetering World Cup qualifying campaign to call in a 34-year-old defender almost two years removed from his last meaningful national team appearance, but Bruce Arena’s call to DaMarcus Beasley actually makes more sense than some might think.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

Residency teams come out strong in first home matches of 2017 – Whitecaps FC
Whitecaps FC Residency teams hosted their first Development Academy home matches of 2017 at SFU over the weekend, earning positive results up at Burnaby Mountain.

Victoria players in spotlight in Canadian soccer friendly – Times Colonist
Remember that kid in youth soccer who raises his hand when the goalkeeper goes down or doesn’t show? Well, that was Adam Straith at the international level.

FVSL All-Stars to face WFC2 in March – BC Soccer Web
January snow and ice in the Lower Mainland put the brakes on the annual clash between the Fraser Valley Soccer League All-Stars and the best from the VISL this year. That hasn’t stopped the FVSL from planning an ambitious All-Star series in March.

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

Spirit trade Diana Matheson to Seattle Reign FC – The Equalizer
The Washington Spirit continued their offseason shakeup on Monday, trading Diana Matheson to the Seattle Reign FC. In return the Spirit acquire the draft rights to No. 26 overall pick Arielle Ship as well as the Reign’s 3rd round pick in 2018. News of Matheson’s likely departure from Washington was first reported over the weekend by The Washington Post’s Steven Goff.

Pro soccer pitch pitched for Halifax Wanderers Grounds – Chronicle-Herald
The president and founder of Halifax-based Sports & Entertainment Atlantic is proposing a modular “pop-up” stadium for the ​Wanderers Grounds that would be in the 5,000-8,000 seat range.

Desiree Scott Soccer Camp Raises $20K for KidSport – ChrisD.ca
The third annual girls’ soccer camp led by Desiree Scott has raised $20,000 for KidSport Winnipeg.

The Impact U18 wins its first game of the year – Montreal Impact
On Saturday night, the Impact U18 won its first game of 2017 by the score of 3-0 against the McGill Redmen. It was the first game of a series of seven for head coach Yoann Damet’s team against university teams from Québec.

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FC Edmonton Announces Initial Roster Moves Of 2017 Season – FC Edmonton
FC Edmonton announced, Monday, five players that will return for the 2017 North American Soccer League (NASL) season. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Eddies announce signings, departures; team has already signed replacement for Eckersley – the11.ca
The Eddies confirmed several arrivals and departures, Monday. The Eddies announced the forward Tomi Ameobi, midfielders Ben Fisk and Pedro Galvao, and keeper Tyson Farago will all be back with the team in 2017. They join Canadian midfielder Nik Ledgerwood, whose return was announced late in 2016.

LA Galaxy II goalkeeper Eric Lopez and Academy defender Aristotle Zarris named to U.S. U-18 training camp – LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy II goalkeeper Eric Lopez and LA Galaxy Academy defender Aristotle Zarris were named to U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Omid Namazi’s 28-player training camp which will run Jan. 23-30 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Switchbacks Fortify Midfield with Prugh Signing – USL
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC announced on Tuesday the signing of former Bodens BK midfielder Eddy Prugh. The signing is pending league and federation approval.

Stars shine as women’s internationals return – FIFA
On the surface, the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™, in 2019, seems a long way off. However, time flies in the football world and the tournament is already looming large on the horizon, especially after the road to France was initiated by the draws for the first round of European and Asian qualifying, held on 19 and 21 January respectively.

Busy Winter for National Women’s Soccer League – Athena Sportsnet
It has been a busy January for women’s soccer in the United States. The National Women’s Soccer League continues to put pieces in place for April’s kickoff.

Beth Mead: Arsenal Ladies sign Sunderland striker ahead of WSL Spring Series – BBC Sport
Arsenal Ladies have signed England Under-23 striker Beth Mead from fellow Women’s Super League club Sunderland on an undisclosed-length full-time deal.

Sky Blue FC announces open tryouts for 2017 – Empire of Soccer
That’s good news for players interested in wearing the Sky Blue FC crest during the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) 2017 season but weren’t drafted. The New Jersey-based team will hold open tryouts on March 1 and 2 at a yet-to-be-determined venue in Monmouth County.

The wait is over! AIFF launches the first-ever Indian Women’s League – Sportscafe
After years of disregard, the AIFF has finally turned over a new leaf for women’s football by launching the first-ever Indian Women’s League (IWL) on Tuesday. Six teams from across the nation will participate in the 1st edition of this tournament, which is set to be hosted in Delhi from January 28.

FFA reveals new brand and logo for Westfield W-League – W-League
The new logos are the latest innovation for the Hyundai A-League, Westfield W-League and Foxtel Y-League following a new six-year broadcast rights deal and the official recognition of football as Australia’s largest club-based participation sport. Extensive market research shows the design appeals to a wider audience, particularly families and children, in line with FFA’s long term strategy.

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Sunderland fans unsure on Lescott in Moyes’ make-or-break transfer window – ESPN FC
Even by his own standards of trademark negativity, Sunderland manager David Moyes has been demoralisingly downbeat in his assessment of what supporters might expect from the transfer window.

Algeria the latest giant to be eliminated from African Cup – Sportsnet
Algeria was eliminated from the African Cup of Nations in Gabon in a goal rush in the final games in Group B on Monday.

CONCACAF Watch: Honduras’ Centroamericana title may be fool’s gold – SN
How long can you really enjoy a championship? Minutes after the culmination of months and months of work, it’s a question that always gets asked. “Can you do it again?”

Benfica face bids for Lindelof, Guedes, Semedo, Grimaldo and Ederson– ESPN FC
Portuguese champions Benfica are in a good place right now. On course for a fourth straight league title, which would be unprecedented in the long and proud history of the club, into the semifinals of both domestic cups and into the knockout stage of the Champions League, 2016-17 has the makings of another glorious season for the Lisbon giants.

Expanded Copa Libertadores kicks off without Mexican clubs and a long route to the final – Inside World Football
The revamped Copa Libertadores kicked off yesterday with qualifying across South America, but question marks remain over the tournament’s expanded new format.

U.S. teen Ben Lederman returns to Barcelona after FIFA banishment – Fox Sports
U.S. teenager Ben Lederman has returned to Barcelona’s academy following a FIFA ruling that banished him from the club.

Huge blow to Millwall CPO scheme as key councillor withdraws support – The Guardian
The plan to seize Millwall’s land around The Den has been left hanging by a thread on Tuesday after it emerged that Lewisham Labour councillors are in open revolt against the compulsory purchase order (CPO) scheme.

FIFA takes the 2018 World Cup draw to Russia’s Kremlin – Fox Sports
The 2018 World Cup draw will be staged on Dec. 1 at a Kremlin concert hall in Moscow.

Privatization and the Need to Reform Russian Football – Futbolgrad
The financial trouble at Tom Tomsk, and the lack of privatization of Russian football, was a major talking point at the latest World Football Index – Futbolgrad Podcast. Tom Tomsk, in particular, is an interesting example, because the regional government owns the club.

The 50 best young footballers in Italy – The Guardian
Serie A’s reputation as a slow league for older players is outdated. Italian football is developing some of the world’s most exciting players. Here are 50 of them.