BC Soccer News, Wednesday, July 27, 2016

2016 MLS ALL-STAR GAME

MLS ALL-STARS vs. ARSENAL FC

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016, 4:30 PM

AVAYA STADIUM, SAN JOSE, CA.

TV: TSN  LIVESTREAM: TSN GO

Whitecaps FC transfer striker Fabián Espíndola to Mexican side Club Necaxa – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Tuesday that the club has transferred striker Fabián Espíndola to Mexican side Club Necaxa of Liga MX for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Top Ten ways the Whitecaps can put the spin into Fabian Espindola and his transfer fiasco – Whitecaps FC
Well that was a fun few days. Probably not if you were in the Whitecaps front office and having to deal with the shambles that was unfolding, but for those looking in, all that was missing was an intervention by Dr Phil.

Perez looks forward to Dallas return – Whitecaps FC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC met with the media on Tuesday at Swangard Stadium after the club’s annual Open Practice.

Seattle Sounders, head coach Sigi Schmid mutually agree to part ways after eight-year run – Seattle Sounders
The Seattle Sounders announced Tuesday they have agreed to mutually part ways with head coach Sigi Schmid, ending the eight-year run of the only coach in the franchise’s MLS era.

Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer: “The results just weren’t there this year” – MLS
“We agreed that it was a reasonable time to party ways,” Hanauer said. “That takes absolutely nothing away from what [Schmid] done for this club. He’s a good friend and I respect him immensely. He’s helped us transform the sport in this country, long before I was involved.

Brian Schmetzer gets first extended shot on big stage – Sounder at Heart
There probably isn’t a person on earth more closely tied to the Seattle Sounders than Brian Schmetzer. Since first signing with the NASL team straight out of high school in 1980, the Seattle native has served as a player or coach for literally every iteration of the team — not to mention just about every other professional soccer team to call the area home.

How much was Sigi Schmid to blame for his own downfall with the Sounders? – The Guardian
The long-serving coach is done in Seattle after nearly eight years in charge, but his problems were not all of his own making.

Jason Kreis: We were only allowed to do half the job at NYCFC – MLS
Newly hired Orlando City coach Jason Kreis, who was let go by NYCFC in the offseason after a single season in charge, has opened up about his stint with NYCFC in a wide-ranging interview this week with ESPN’s “Over the Ball” podcast, and he didn’t mince his words.

Toronto FC Captain Michael Bradley Could be Back Next Week, Johnson and Irwin Progressing – Waking the Red
There are some big profile returns on the horizon for Toronto FC, which begs the question of who plays where going forward.

TFC keep fingers crossed for Seba at All-Star Game – Sportsnet
Toronto FC was back in training on Tuesday ahead of its home game against the Columbus Crew this weekend.

Ibrahimovic received MLS Miami offer before signing with Manchester United – SBI
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to Manchester United was one of the highlights of the transfer window, but the Swedish star keeps one eye focused on MLS after nearly signing with a club this summer.

Kaká could not skip MLS All-Star Game without facing penalty – Orlando Sentinel
Orlando City fans were a bit dismayed with Kaká’s participation in the MLS All-Star game this week after missing so many matches with the Lions due to injury.

Donovan prepares next generation for unique opportunity in MLS Homegrown Game – SBI
Like any All-Star event, the MLS Homegrown Game is meant to be a fun exercise. Featuring 20 of the league’s best young prospects, the match presents a chance for the league’s up-and-comers to shine, while offering a stress-free environment to reap the rewards of their hard work.

MLS Moves to Open Its Ticket Markets, Unlike the Rest of Sports – Bloomberg
Together with SeatGeek, MLS is creating an open ticketing network that will let third-party websites sell tickets to soccer games. For example, AirBnb could sell Seattle Sounders tickets alongside apartment listings in the Pacific Northwest, or New York City Football Club’s fan group could make tickets available on its site.

 Capture the  game in HD using aerial video, book now at www.gamevision.ca!

BC SOCCER NEWS

PCSL CHALLENGE CUP FINAL PHOTOS: Vancouver Thunderbirds 4, Mid Isle Mariners 1, July 24, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Nine new players join CIS champions of women’s soccer – UBC
UBC women’s soccer Head Coach Jesse Symons is wasting no time putting his stamp on the team. Symons will be adding nine names to the program that captured the CIS Championship at Thunderbird Stadium last season. This is Symons first year patrolling the sidelines for UBC after a successful run with both the Vancouver Whitecaps W-League organization and the North Shore Girl’s Soccer Club. Along with some promising first years recruits, the nine new players also include three NCAA Division 1 transfers.

Coastal Selects pull off stellar two-year run – Delta Optimist
A two-year run on the soccer pitch doesn’t get much better than what the Delta Coastal Selects have pulled off.

Kamloops Invitational Soccer Tournament returning for Year 26 – Kamloops This Week
The 26th annual Kamloops Invitational Soccer Tournament (KIST) will take over McArthur Island on the weekend.

Jay DeMerit launches Rise & Shine Captain’s Camp in Pemberton – Rise & Shine Foundation
A captain is an individual who unifies teammates into one team.  A captain has to be well rounded to lead by example. At the Rise & Shine: Captains Camps, the curriculum is specifically built around creating a balance of elite soccer training on the field, and all encompassing life skills training off the field.

BC Soccer Assoc. Releases their 2015-2016 Year in Review – BCSA
After another successful year of soccer in British Columbia, BC Soccer Assoc. is pleased to release their 2015-2016 Year in Review.  The creation of the BC Soccer Club Charter Program, delivery of a FIFA Live Your Goals Festival, along with the numerous Grassroots Festivals across the province and Coach Education highlight some of the major successes this past year.

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.

Connect with Soccer in British Columbia! Advertise on BC Soccer Web today!

CANADA SOCCER NEWS

Canada Soccer’s appointed Olympic officials depart for Rio – CSA
Canadian FIFA Olympic women’s football tournament appointees referee Carol Anne Chenard and assistant referees Marie-Josée Charbonneau and Suzanne Morisset departed Canada today for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Whitecaps hosting camp – Moose Jaw Herald
The Vancouver Whitecaps are trying to corner the market on Western Canada.

Video: CanWNT does Carpool Karaoke – Youtube
Karina LeBlanc provides a lift to Melissa Tancredi, Christine Sinclair, Rhian Wilkinson, Diana Matheson, and Kadeisha Buchanan (along with some guests) who all sing along with some recognizable hits on their drive to training.

Erin McLeod: It’s time to Motivate a Nation! – themotivenation.ca
After building a successful e-commerce (www.peaudeloup.com) and a physical retail store in West Vancouver (CAPOSHIE) Women’s National Team Goalkeeper Erin McLeod has decided after a series of misfortunate events it’s time to branch out on her own with her new inspiration project, Motive Nation, launching to the public on July 1st, online at www.themotivenation.ca.

USL PHOTOS: WFC2 2, Sacramento Republic FC 1, July 24, 2016 – BC Soccer Web
Exclusive Photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

Late-match heroics earns Thomas Sanner nod on USL Team of the Week – Whitecaps FC
Fresh off scoring his first professional goal, Thomas Sanner was named to the USL Team of the Week, the league announced today.

Switchbacks look to dial up intensity for home game against Western Conference co-leader Vancouver – The Gazette
Intensity is a word that will be heard over and over again in practice this week for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

Cosmos get another chance to shake road woes in Edmonton – This is Cosmos Country
After letting a two-goal lead slip away for a draw in Tampa Bay, the Cosmos get one more chance to find an elusive three points in Edmonton. Another location that has never been an easy result for them, a win will be crucial to keep from slipping down the table as they already sit in second place in both the fall and combined tables.

Fisk and Galvao need patience: FC Edmonton waiting on Spanish, Portuguese federations to sign off on deals – the11.ca
Canadian Ben Fisk has been training with FC Edmonton since last week. Portuguese/American midfielder/fullback Pedro Galvao trained with the Eddies on Tuesday.

Proposed 2017 USL Competition Structure – Scratching the Pitch
USL will hold its annual summer meetings on Thursday, July 28 in conjunction with the MLS All-Star game in San Jose. The convocation of team officials and USL executives provides a forum for assorted league topics to be presented and discussed in a formal setting. A USL news release lists league expansion, 2017 competition structure, and future media strategy among the subjects to be considered.

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WOMEN’S SOCCER NEWS

Seattle In Drought, Looking For Reign – Midfield Press
The Seattle Reign are currently sitting in sixth place in the NWSL standings, a completely different feeling and outlook than last year when at this time they were on cruise control in first place. It has the same core of Hope Solo, Jess Fishlock, Megan Rapinoe, and Kim Little and Keelin Winters. So with that kind of talent and led by respected manager in Laura Harvey, what is Seattle’s problem? I’ll start you off with three but you might have a few of your own.

How is Sky Blue doing it? Holly has them believing – Empire of Soccer
When Sky Blue FC fans — and their players — woke up Sunday morning and jumped online and clicked on the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) website, they saw their team was in fourth place and a spot in the playoffs.

The Lowdown: Sky Blue’s subtle but effective culture change – Equalizer
When predictions began popping up for the 2016 NWSL season, the one published by Allison McCann at FiveThirtyEight stood out for its optimistic outlook on Sky Blue FC. McCann picked Sky Blue to finish sixth. Most others—mine included—had them no higher than ninth.

UEFA U-19: France v Switzerland: semi-final preview – UEFA
France coach Gilles Eyquem says his side “keep improving” as they aim to reach a record eighth final when they play a well-prepared Switzerland team on Thursday in Senec.

UEFA U-19: Spain v Netherlands semi-final previewSpain v Netherlands semi-final preview – UEFA
Spain coach Pedro López believes his players’ experience of previous semi-finals as they take on a Netherlands team in a positive mood despite losing their last group game.

You Like The NWSL? Try The FA WSL Too. – Midfield Press
The NWSL is well into its historic fourth season, the summer Olympics in Rio are rapidly approaching, and the women’s Euros kick off next summer. But maybe you still can’t get enough woso in your life and are looking for more?

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Crazy transfer fee of Gonzalo Higuaín leads us into theatre of the absurd – The Guardian
While the real world is looking down the back of the sofa, football burns money for a laugh. The transfer market has become such big business there are times when the actual football feels almost secondary.

Gonzalo Higuain overjoyed with Juventus transfer from Napoli – ESPN FC
Gonzalo Higuain says he is experiencing some “beautiful feelings” after completing his move from Napoli to Juventus.

FA announces plans to introduce fourth substitute during extra time of FA Cup – The Guardian
Teams competing in the FA Cup will be able to field a fourth substitute from the sixth round onwards in the competition this season, the Football Association have announced.

Barcelona sign Andre Gomes from Valencia and give Javier Mascherano new deal – BBC Sport
Barcelona have signed Andre Gomes from Valencia for an initial 35m euros (£29.3m), and given Javier Mascherano a new three-year contract.

Bruce Djite joins Adelaide’s A-League exodus, signs with Suwon – The Guardian
Adelaide United are on the lookout for a new line-leading striker after confirmation of Bruce Djite’s transfer to South Korea. Djite has joined fellow Australian Adrian Leijer at K-League side Suwon FC after successfully completing a medical.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool & Manchester City among EFL Trophy rejections – BBC Sport
Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle have rejected the chance to play Under-21 teams in the EFL Trophy.

Israeli police swoop on Beitar Jersualem’s ‘La Familia’ gang – Inside World Football
More than 50 fans of Beitar Jerusalem, the club that contains the most notorious group of hooligans in Israeli football, have been rounded up following a series of police raids.

Pep Guardiola’s pizza ban could be the topping on a title for Manchester City – The Guardian
Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez have a taste for it and Cristiano Ronaldo often digs into a slice after games. Claudio Ranieri used it as a motivation tool during Leicester City’s title win, bringing his squad to a local Italian restaurant following their first clean sheet of the season. But their success is not sufficient evidence for Pep Guardiola, because pizza will not pass the mouths of any Manchester City players this season.