BC Soccer News, Weekend, December 30 – January 1, 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks for your support in 2016. Wishing all the best to you and yours in 2017 from BC Soccer Web.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC & MLS NEWS

VIDEO: Top five moments of 2016Vancouver Whitecaps
Top 5 Whitecaps moments from 2016.

Carl Robinson’s Argentine shopping list The Province
The Whitecaps manager may or may not have a pair of Argentines in mind. It’s silly season, so you can take everything with a grain of salt.

A Vancouver Whitecaps Wish ListSoccer Shorts
Here then, for the record, were my five  Vancouver Whitecaps wishes for 2017.

Want to forget your Christmas excess? Here’s how to eat like a WhitecapAFTN
Nutrition and healthier eating is going to be on the mind of a lot of the next few weeks. For Vancouver Whitecaps players, they have to balance the luxury of having the Christmas period off and tucking in to the goodies (not like those poor chaps in the UK!), with staying in shape and not coming back to preseason training overweight and unfit (you know who we’re talking about!!)

Boca Juniors interested in PiattiMount Royal Soccer
After San Lorenzo, it’s time for another Argentinean club to get into the Ignacio Piatti sweepstakes. One of the 2 Argentinean giants, Boca Juniors is reportedly showing massive interest in the Montreal Impact’s 2016 MVP.

Philadelphia Union Re-Sign Forward Charlie DaviesPhiladelphia Union
Philadelphia Union have announced the re-signing of forward Charlie Davies to a one-year contract. Davies, 30, was acquired by Philadelphia from New England Revolution via trade in 2016 in exchange for General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money and the Union’s natural First Round selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. The Union also received New England’s natural Third Round selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

Influx of Costa Ricans into MLS continues heading into 2017 seasonMLS
There’s nearly a full Costa Rica national team squad playing in MLS, and the flow of Ticos into the league could well continue.

Wanchope: Influx of Ticos good for MLS and Costa Rica, but maybe not SaprissaFour Four Two
Costa Rica’s improved pipeline and MLS teams’ increased budgets have brought a flood of Ticos this offseason.

Reports: Landon Donovan considering multiple free agent MLS offersSBI
Landon Donovan shocked the American soccer landscape with his return from retirement in the middle of the 2016 season, and it appears there’s a chance that he isn’t quite done yet.

Reports: Miguel Camargo to sign with NYCFCEmpire of Soccer
According to multiple reports from Panama, midfielder Miguel Camargo will sign with New York City FC from Mineros de Guayana of Venezuela.

The state of Toronto FC’s midfield without Will JohnsonWaking the Red
Toronto FC has learned a lesson early this offseason: there is a price to be paid for being a quality franchise in a parity driven league. You can’t keep everyone, and three players have already left the team just weeks removed from their MLS Cup final loss.

Los Angeles FC release new renderings for Banc of California StadiumMLS
From potential DP signings to a budding academy, MLS expansion side Los Angeles FC have been making waves as they prepare for their inaugural 2018 season. And if all that weren’t enough, the team gave their fans a Christmas present earlier this week when they released new renderings of their under construction Banc of California Stadium.

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BC SOCCER NEWS

BC Soccer Assoc. is Now Accepting 2016-2017 Awards NominationsBCSA
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 saleHighlanders 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, 2016BC Soccer Web
Exclusive photos for BC Soccer Web by Bill Currie.

VMSL PHOTOS: Richmond FC Hibs 1, ICSF Columbus FC 0, November 5, 2016BC 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 VancouverCSA
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, 2016BC 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 MandateBCSA
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 SyndicationBC 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

Will we ever stop overlooking Christine Sinclair?Four Four Two
Second all-time in goals, two-time Olympic medalist, and one of the most respected players in the world, among her peers. Why can’t Christine Sinclair get the recognition she deserves?

Canada considers bidding options for 2026 World CupStandard-Freeholder
Canadian Soccer Association president (and CONCACAF president-elect) Victor Montagliani says a decision on hosting World Cup 2026 could arrive by spring — and Canada could factor in to a single or joint bid with the United States and Mexico.

In Review: Canadian Teams in 2016Northern Starting XI
2016 featured 37 Canadian teams spread throughout the MLS, NASL, USL, PDL, L1O & PLSQ. Some teams were pretty stellar, with at least one team in each league qualifying for playoffs. With the year wrapping up, now’s a great time to review the teams, results, and some notable news or rumours.

Carbajal forging his career abroad, with hopes of bringing experience back to CanadaRed Nation Online
With a new year set to begin, Rafael Carbajal is ready for his next challenge. The 56-year-old is one of the most experienced soccer minds in the country, having first gotten involved with the Canadian game in the late 1970s after moving here from his native Uruguay.

Soccer tournament aims to keep immigrant youth on good pathCBC
A large group of Regina’s immigrant community is cheering loudly this week at the QC Soccer Facility for the first ever Integration Cup. The four-day soccer tournament has been a work in progress for the Regina Youth Immigrant Sports Development Centre.

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WFC2, USL, NASL & NPSL NEWS

NASL Owners to Press Forward — Without Bill PetersonFifty Five One
On December 6, the US Soccer Federation set out a plan to meet over the next “7-10 days” to figure out what the future of lower-division soccer would be. Over the course of these meetings, the NASL ownership regained a vision to press on. This renewed vigor was largely spearheaded by Peter Wilt, former president of Indy Eleven.

Failed ‘galacticos’ model brings New York Cosmos crashing back down to earthNewstalk
The New York Cosmos were the original American super-club. In fact, the argument could be made that they were world football’s original super-club. They certainly pioneered the kind of transfer strategy that would soon be adopted by Real Madrid and dubbed the Galácticos polic; signing some of the sport’s biggest names, attracting sell-out crowds to Giants Stadium in the 1970s.

A big part of St. Louis soccer history is in the Stars  – St.Louis Public Radio
The effort by backers of a potential Major League Soccer expansion franchise for St. Louis has some fans reflecting on the history of the sport in the region. That includes memories of a top-level professional team in late 1960s through the mid-1970s called the St. Louis Stars.

Sky Blues regain top spot – Round 9 reviewW-League
Sydney FC are back on top of the Westfield W-League at the end of Round 9 after a tough 2-1 win over local rivals Western Sydney Wanderers.

The 10 best things that happened in U.S. women’s pro soccer this yearExcelle
U.S. pro women’s soccer turned 4 years old this year, and indicative of its age, there were plenty of taking-bigger-steps and watershed moments that made for a more entertaining-than-ever season in the National Women’s Soccer League (NSWL). Here, the 10 biggest moments in the NWSL from 2016:

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WORLD SOCCER NEWS

Premier League & Championship New Year fixtures – team newsBBC Sport
There are 20 matches in the top two flights of English football over the next few days. Get all of the important team news and details in our match previews.

Ronaldo’s agent confirms lucrative offer from Chinese leagueSportsnet
Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent says the Real Madrid star has been offered “more than 100 million” euros per season to move to the Chinese Super League.

Clattenburg open following Oscar and Tevez to Chinese Super LeagueSN
Mark Clattenburg is open to joining the big-money football revolution in China as he looks to extend his refereeing career.

FIFA and the emperor’s new clothes. 2016, a terrible year for ‘integrity’Inside World Football
Gianni Infantino’s triumphant pre-Christmas claim that FIFA was now close to being an integrity-credible organisation was met with thinly veiled amusement in many quarters – not least the press worldwide who dutifully re-reported the FIFA president’s latest musings. There is of course a far more credible integrity viewpoint. “It has been an awful year of integrity in sports,” says Michael Hershman.

Old Firm game a sideshow to season as Rangers need time to develop talentThe Guardian
With Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic odds-on for the title and Mark Warburton unable to compete with their spending, the match is merely 90 minutes in manic isolation.

Scottish New Year fixturesBBC Sport
There are 11 matches in the top two flights of Scottish football over the next few days. Get all of the important team news and details in our match previews.

Premier League club-by-club guide to the January transfer windowThe Guardian
We look at each Premier League club, what they need to strengthen and who they are hoping to sign in the January transfer window.

Manchester United 2016 Review: Humiliation, growth, FA Cup gloryVavel
Bright moments provided by Rashford and Martial were overwhelming blanketed by deep embarrassment. As 2017 approaches, though, the mood is finally positive for the FA Cup Champions.

Benfica post League Cup win, Porto held againUEFA
Portugal’s UEFA Champions League contenders were in domestic League Cup action on Thursday, but while Benfica began their trophy defence with a victory, Porto could only draw.

2016 Round-up: What a year it’s been for Asian footballAFC
From Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors winning the AFC Champions League, to the launch of the AFC’s Vision and Mission and a double success for DPR Korea’s women’s teams on the global stage, it has been another phenomenal year for Asian football – twelve scintillating months that have witnessed the continuing evolution of the game throughout the continent.

Child abuse in sport and the progress made towards eradicating itThe Guardian
Child protection expert Celia Brackenridge says UK sport was beset by a culture of ignorance and denial until the 1990s but it now sets the gold standard.

Posted in BC Soccer News.