Full-Time: The Soccer Show

Umbro Speciali 92 Contest

2011-12-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

On Sunday night, Paul Dolan, Whitecaps FC Radio Analyst; Canadian Mens National GK coach and Umbro rep joined Full-Time to talk about the new Umbro Speciali that is currently available. The new line is limited edition lifestyle capsule collection from Umbro to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their iconic Speciali boot. The items in the collection range from:

The Speciali 92 Pro Football Boot; Leather Ball; Leather Bag; Leather Milton Shoe; and Leather Anthem Jacket.

See the full line by clicking here.

Time now to explain the CONTEST: With all the buzz surrounding Speciali '92, we've decided to giveaway a few pieces! Starting Monday December 5th, to December 16th we will be posting one trivia question per day. Each question will have a point value, in order to earn points you must correctly answer each question. For Facebook participants: you simply comment on the corresponding status update with your answer. For Twitter submissions, just reply to our tweet. The first person to get 92 points will win the contest.

In order to participate you must "Like" the UmbroCanada Facebook page and/or follow UmbroCanada on Twitter.

First place: Umbro Speciali '92 Anthem Jacket - Retail price: $750CDN
Second place: Umbro Speciali '92 Weekend Bag - Retail price: $500CDN
Third place: Umbro Speciali '92 Milton Lifestyle Shoe - Retail price: $150 CDN

The question today is:

Name the player that said: “I’ve worn Umbro Specialis throughout my career and I’ve scored many memorable goals – both at club and international level. As a youngster, I would take great care in looking after my boots and my dad would encourage me to clean them after every game. Umbro’s Speciali boot is so close to my heart that I even named one of my horses after it!”

Hit up the Umbro Facebook Page or Twitter page to enter.

A closer look at a few of the items in the Umbro Speciali 92 line.

Barber Leaves - Front Office Woes

2011-12-09T14:15:00.001-08:00

Whitecaps FC CEO Paul Barber resigned today with current COO Rachel Lewis and President Bob Lenarduzzi taking extra duties.

Barber is leaving for another opportunity, but left it vague as to where he may end up. Most speculate it's back in the English Premier League. Some have even said the London Olympics, but hiring someone of his stature this late in the game seems confusing. So we'll stick with soccer at the highest level in England.

In giving Lenarduzzi and Lewis more responsibility, the Whitecaps are seemingly taking a step backwards, back to the USL and NASL days with the same top level execs that had a division 2 team running.

For many, Bob Lenarduzzi is seen as a great spokesman for the club and does that role extremely well, but many of the fans and business people don't see him as a businessman, instead he trades on his name ad legacy. A person that attended one of his speeches at a BMO event, gave me this review, "what was the point? He told stories that had no interest to the business people there."

In Rachel Lewis, the clubs chief operating officer, they have someone who is regarded as Business in Vancouver's 40 under 40 list in 2009. Some would even suggest she has quietly been a key figure for the Caps behind the scenes. But she's quiet, and perhaps that's the problem.

The other problem lies in talking to people associated with the club during the division 2 years at Swangard Stadium and the city of Burnaby. The reviews of Rachel Lewis with those people are less that desirable.

The Whitecaps have gone from a man at the top of his professional with major experience in the soccer world and could captivate a group with his stories and his business sense. Now you have a quiet COO with some less that desirable reviews and a President with an apparent lack of business aptitude. One interested observer suggested it's 'quite the downgrade'.

It's now three coaches in one year and a CEO gone. It's going to be an interesting time in the Whitecaps front office on the business side of things. Barber has two months to make sure there's a plan in place and Lewis and Lenarduzzi can step their games up to a major league level.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

MLS First Kick Dates

2011-11-29T09:30:00.001-08:00

SAVE THE DATES: MLS Schedules All 19 Home Openers for 2012 Regular Season
First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods begins Saturday, March 10, 2012

NEW YORK (Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011) – Major League Soccer’s 17th season will kick off on Saturday, March 10, 2012 with six matches. First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will continue with two games on Sunday, March 11 and one on Monday, March 12.

All but one MLS club will play in front of their home fans by the end of Week 3 of the 2012 regular season. The Houston Dynamo look forward to their May 12 debut in a sparkling new downtown stadium built specifically for soccer. The Montreal Impact’s first home game in MLS will be played at Olympic Stadium on March 17. The newly-renovated Stade Saputo is scheduled to open in June.

Times, opponents, and national broadcast information for these games will be included in the entire regular season schedule, which will be announced upon its completion in the coming weeks.

Each club will play 34 games in the 2012 MLS Regular Season; CLICK HERE for details on the format.

The dates of the 2012 home openers for all 19 MLS clubs are below.

WEEK 1 – First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods
Saturday, March 10: Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, LA Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Sunday, March 11: Chivas USA, FC Dallas

Monday, March 12: Portland Timbers

WEEK 2
Saturday, March 17: Sporting Kansas City, Montreal Impact, Real Salt Lake

Sunday, March 18: Philadelphia Union

WEEK 3
Saturday, March 24: Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, Toronto FC

Sunday, March 25: New York Red Bulls

WEEK 10
Saturday, May 12: Houston Dynamo (new stadium opener)

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2012 MLS Expansion Lists

2011-11-21T16:03:00.001-08:00

NEW YORK (Monday, Nov. 21, 2011) – Major League Soccer today announced the available player list for the 2011 Expansion Draft. On Wednesday, November 23, at 3 p.m. ET the Montreal Impact will announce their 10 player selections during a press conference from their Montreal offices. The event will be streamed live on MLSsoccer.com and ImpactMontreal.com.

Each current MLS club has had the opportunity to protect 11 players from their 2011 roster. Generation adidas players (who did not graduate at the end of the 2011 season) and Homegrown players are automatically protected and do not count against a team’s 11 protected roster spots. Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player has a no trade clause in his contract. MLS Clubs may lose no more than one player from their 2011 roster during the Expansion Draft.

COMPLETE LIST OF AVAILABLE PLAYERS FOR THE 2011 EXPANSION DRAFT

Chicago Fire
Banner, Michael
Chaves, Diego
Conway, Jon
Cuesta, Yamith
Dufty, Alec
Ferrari, Gabriel
Gargan, Dan
Husidic, Baggio
Kinney, Steven
Mikulic, Josip
Nazarit, Cristian
Paladini, Daniel
Pantazapoulos, Pari
Videira, Mike
Watson-Siriboe, Kwame

Chivas USA
Arias, Sergio
Boyens, Andrew
Chijindu, Chukwudi
Cortez, Chris
Courtois, Laurent
Elliot, Simon
Estupinan, Victor
Gavin, Blair
Jazic, Ante
Junior Lopes, David
Lahoud, Michael
Mayen, Gerson
Mondaini, Marcos
Thornton, Zach
Trujillo, Mariano
Valentin, Zarek

Colorado Rapids
Akpan, Andre
Comminges, Miguel
Folan, Caleb
Joyce, Ian
Kandji, Macoumba
Kimura, Kosuke
Marshall, Tyrone
Nyassi, Sanna
Palguta, Scott
Thompson, Wells
Wallace, Anthony
Ababio, Eddie
Amarikwa, Quincy
Ceus, Steward
Emory, Stephen
Holody, Mike
LaBeaux, Ross

Columbus Crew
Burns, Kevin
Cunningham, Jeff
Ekpo, Emmanuel
Francis, Shaun
Gardner, Josh
Gehrig,Eric
Grossman, Cole
Gruenebaum, Andy
Heinemann, Tommy
Mendoza, Andres
Meram, Justin
O'Rourke, Danny
Owoeri, John
Prim, Santiago
Riggs, Alex
Rusmir, Dejan
Sippola, Ben
Veeder, Corey
Williams, Joshua

FC Dallas
Cruz, Daniel
dos Santos, Maicon
Edward, Edson
Galindo, Maykel
Guarda, Bruno
Hall, Jeremy
Hernandez, Daniel
Lambo, Josh
Seitz, Chris
Stewart, Jack
Villar, Ricardo
Warshaw, Bobby

D.C. United
Barklage, Brandon
Boskovic, Branko
Brettschneider, Blake
Burch, Marc
Cronin, Steve
Da Luz, Austin
King, Stephen
McTavish, Devon
Morsink, Kurt
Ngwenya, Joseph
Quaranta, Santino
Zayner, Jed

Houston Dynamo
Ching, Brian
Costly, Carlo
Cruz, Daniel
Freeman, Hunter
Garey, Jason
Newton, Evan
Robinson, Eddie
Watson, JeVaughn
Weaver, Cam

LA Galaxy
Alvarado, Sean
Barrett, Chad
Birchall, Chris
Cardozo, Paolo
Cristman, Adam
Da Silva, Leonardo
Hejduk, Frankie
Jimenez, Hector
Jordan, Bryan
Keat, Daniel
Lopez, Miguel
McCarty, Dustin
Perk, Brian
Robinson, Dasan
Stephens, Michael
Thomas, Ryan

New England Revolution
Barnes, Darrius
Boggs, Zak
Caraglio, Milton Joel
Cochrane, Ryan
Coria, Franco
Dube, Mkhokheli
Guy, Ryan
Kinne, Ryan
Koger, Alan
Loewy, Otto
Mansally, Abdoulie
Murray, Tim
Phelan, Pat
Schilawski, Zack
Sousa, Andrew

New York Red Bulls
Albright, Chris
Auvray, Stephane
Ballouchy, Mehdi
Coundoul, Bouna
Horwath, Alex
Jones, Mychel
Lassiter, Tyler
Mendes, Carlos
Nielsen, Brian
Paullo, Marcos
Robinson, Carl
Rooney, John
Rost, Frank
Schneider, Teddy
Sutton, Greg

Philadelphia Union
Adu, Freddy
Gonzalez, Juan Diego
Harrison, Chase
Holder, Hasley Thorne
Houapeu, Levi
Langley, Morgan
Mapp, Justin
Miglioranzi, Stefani
Nakazawa, Kyle
Paunovic, Veljko
Richter, Ryan
Tait, Joe

Portland Timbers
Alexander, Eric
Braun, Freddie
Brown, Adin
Chabala, Michael
Dike, Bright
Gleeson, Jake
Goldthwaite, Kevin
Johnson, Eddie William
Lopez, Rodrigo
Lowry, Peter
Marcelin, James
Pore, Ryan
Purdy, Steve
Taylor, Chris
Thompson, Spencer
Umony, Brian
Zizzo, Sal

Real Salt Lake
Agorsor, Chris
Alexandre, Jean
Alvarez, Arturo
Alvarez, Yordany
Araujo, Paulo Jr.
Arnoux, Cody
Gonzalez, Nelson
Grabavoy, Ned
McKenzie, Rauwshan
Melia, Timothy
Reynish, Kyle
Russell, Robbie
Wagner, Blake
Warner, Collen
Williams, Andy

San Jose Earthquakes
Ampaipitakwong, Anthony
Attakora-Gyan, Nana
Burling, Bobby
Convey, Bobby
Corrales, Ramiro
Gjertsen, Joseph
Griffin, Maxwell
Leitch, Chris
Luzunaris, Matt
McLoughlin, Ellis
Peterson, Jacob
Ring, Brad
Sealy, Scott
Ward, Tim
Weber, Andrew

Seattle Sounders FC
Boss, Terry
Carrasco, Servando
Estrada, David
Ford, Josh
Fucito, Michael
Gonzalez, Leonardo
Graham, Taylor
Ianni, Patrick
Jaqua, Nate
Levesque, Roger
Meredith, Bryan
Montano, Miguel
Noonan, Pat
Riley, James
Sanyang, Amadou
Scott, Zacharias
Seamon, Michael
Wahl, Tyson
White, O'Brian

Sporting Kansas City
Aiyegbusi, Olukorede
Bravo, Omar
Cyrus, Daneil
Diop, Ibrahim
Goncalves, Jeferson
Harrington, Michael
Kronberg, Eric
Lorenz, Scott
Olum, Lawrence
Peterson, Joseph
Rocastle, Craig
Saad, Soony
Sassano, Luke
Sinovic, Seth
Stojcev, Milos
Thomas, Shavar
Warzycha, Konrad

Toronto FC
Borman, Danleigh
Bouchiba, Elbekay
Cann, Adrian
Davies, Kyle
de Guzman, Julian
Gold, Matt
Griffit, Leandre
Marosevic, Peri
Martina, Javier
Omphroy, Demitrius
Soolsma, Nick
Sturgis, Nathan
Viator, Eddy
Williams, Dicoy
Yourasskowsky, Mikael
Zavarise, Gianluca

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Boxall, Michael
Brovsky, Jeb
Cannon, Joe
Duckett, Bilal
Janicki, Greg
Jarju, Mustapha
Leathers, Jonathan
Morfaw, Alexandre
Nolly, Jay
Thorrington, John
Vagenas, Pete

COMPLETE LIST OF PROTECTED PLAYERS TEAM-BY-TEAM

Chivas USA
Angel, Juan Pablo
Braun, Justin
Flores, Jorge
Kennedy, Dan
LaBrocca, Nick
Moreno, Alejandro
Nagamura, Paulo
Pearce, Heath
Smith, Ryan
Umana, Michael
Zemanski, Ben

Chivas USA Homegrown Players
Bowen, Tristan
de la Fuente, Bryan

Chicago Fire
Anibaba, Jalil
Barouch, Orr
Gibbs, Cory
Grazzini, Sebastian
Johnson, Sean
Nyarko, Patrick
Oduro, Dominic
Pappa, Marco Pablo
Pardo, Pavel
Pause, Logan
Segares, Gonzalo

Chicago Fire Homegrown Players
Gulley, Kellen
Pineda, Victor

Columbus Crew
Anor, Bernardo
Belchan, Rich
Duka, Dilly
Gaven, Eddie
Hesmer, Will
James, Julius
Marshall, Chad
Miranda, Sebastian
Renteria, Emilio
Rogers, Robbie
Tchani, Tony

Columbus Crew Homegrown Players
Horton, Aaron

Colorado Rapids
Casey, Conor
Cummings, Omar
Earls, Danny
Larentowicz, Jeff
Mastroeni, Pablo
Moor, Drew
Mullan, Brian
Nane, Joseph
Pickens, Matt
Smith, Jamie
Wynne, Marvell

Colorado Rapids Homegrown Players
Armstrong, David
Janniere, Josh

FC Dallas
Benitez, Jair
Castillo, Fabian
Chavez, Marvin
Ferreira, David
Goncalves, Jackson
Hartman, Kevin
Ihemelu, Ugo
Jacobson, Andrew
John, George
Loyd, Zach
Shea, Brek

FC Dallas Homegrown Players
Hernandez, Moises
Leyva, Bryan
Luna, Ruben
Sanchez, Richard
Top, Jonathan
Ulloa, Victor

D.C. United
Davies, Charlie
DeRosario, Dwayne
Jakovic, Dejan
Kitchen, Perry
Korb, Christopher
McDonald, Brandon
Pontius, Chris
Simms, Clyde
Willis, Joe
Wolff, Josh
Woolard, Daniel

D.C. United Homegrown Players
Hamid, Bill
Najar, Andy
Shanosky, Conner
White, Ethan

Houston Dynamo
Ashe, Corey
Boswell, Bobby
Camargo, Luis
Cameron, Geoffrey
Carr, Calen
Clark, Colin
Davis, Brad
Hainault, Andrew
Hall, Tally
Moffat, Adam
Taylor, Jermaine

Houston Dynamo Homegrown Players
Deric, Tyler
Dixon, Alex
Navas, Francisco Cobo
Soto, Josue

LA Galaxy
Beckham, David
DeLaGarza, AJ
Donovan, Landon
Dunivant, Todd
Franklin, Sean
Gonzalez, Omar
Keane, Robbie
Magee, Mike
Pereira, Vitor
Ricketts, Donovan
Saunders, Josh

Homegrown Player
McBean, Jack

New England Revolution
Alston, Kevin
Feilhaber, Benny
Joseph, Shalrie
Lekic, Rajko
McCarthy, Stephen
Nyassi, Sainey
Reis, Matt
Shuttleworth, Robert
Soares, A.J.
Tierney, Chris
Zerka, Moncef

New England Revolution Homegrown Player
Fagundez, Diego

New York Red Bulls
Henry, Thierry
Keel, Stephen
Lindpere, Joel
Marquez, Rafael
McCarty, Dax
Miller, Roy
Ream, Tim
Richards, Dane
Rodgers, Luke
Solli, Jan Gunnar
Tainio, Teemu

Homegrown Players
Agudelo, Juan
Hot, Sacir
Kassel, Matt

Philadelphia Union
Califf, Daniel
Carroll, Brian
Daniel, Keon
Farfan, Gabriel
Farfan, Michael
LeToux, Sebastien
Mwanga, Danny
Mondragon, Faryd
Torres, Roger
Valdes, Carlos
Williams, Sheanon

Homegrown Players
Pfeffer, Zachary

Portland Timbers
Alhassan, Kalif
Brunner, Eric
Chara, Diego
Cooper, Kenny
Danso, Mamadou "Futty"
Horst, David
Jewsbury, Jack
Palmer, Lovel
Perkins, Troy
Perlaza, Jorge
Wallace, Rodney

Real Salt Lake
Beckerman, Kyle
Beltran, Tony
Borchers, Nat
Espindola, Fabian
Johnson, Will
Morales, Javier
Olave, Jamison
Rimando, Nick
Saborio, Alvaro
Schuler, Chris
Wingert, Chris

Homegrown Players
Toia, Donny

San Jose Earthquakes
Baca, Rafael
Beitashour, Steve
Busch, Jon
Cronin, Sam
Dawkins, Simon
Gordon, Alan
Hernandez, Jason
Lenhart, Steven
Morrow, Justin
Stephenson, Khari
Wondolowski, Chris

Seattle Sounders FC
Alonso, Osvaldo
Evans, Brad
Fernandez, Alvaro
Friberg, Erik
Hurtado, Jhon Kennedy
Montero, Fredy
Neagle, Lamar
Ochoa, Sammy
Parke, Jeff
Rosales, Mauro
Zakuani, Steve

Sporting Kansas City
Arnaud, Davy
Besler, Matthew
Bunbury, Teal
Collin, Aurelien
Espinoza, Roger
Kamara, Kei
Myers, Chance
Nielsen, Jimmy
Santos, Julio Cesar
Sapong, CJ
Zusi, Graham

Homegrown Players
Ellis, Kevin
Kempin, Jon

Toronto FC
Avila, Eric
Dunfield, Terry
Eckersley, Richard
Frei, Stefan
Frings, Torsten
Harden, Ty
Iro, Andy
Johnson, Ryan
Kocic, Milos
Koevermans, Danny
Plata, Joao

Toronto FC Homegrown Players
Cordon, Oscar
Henry, Doneil
Lindsay, Nicholas
Makubuya, Keith
Morgan, Ashtone
Stinson, Matthew

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Chiumiento, Davide
Demerit, Jay
Harris, Atiba
Harvey, Jordan
Hassli, Eric
Gerson, Koffie
Tan, Long
Mitchell, Carlyle
Rochat, Alain
Salinas, Shea
Sanvezzo, Camilo

Vancouver Whitecaps FC Homegrown Players
Davies, Philippe
Khalfan, Nizar
Sylvestre, Brian
Teibert, Russell

Generation adidas Players

Player
Team
Graduated
Bingham, David
SJ
No
Bone, Corben
CHI
No
Bruin, Will
HOU
No
Gil, Luis
RSL
No
Hertzog, Corey
NY
No
MacMath, Zac
PHI
No
McInerney, Jack
PHI
No
Nagbe, Darlington
POR
No
Nanchoff, Michael
VAN
No
Okugo, Amobi
PHI
No
Opara, Ike
SJ
No
Salgado, Omar
VAN
No
Sarkodie, Kofi
HOU
No
Tetteh, Michael
SEA
No
Wiedeman, Andrew
DAL
No
Bunbury, Teal
KC
Yes
Cruz, Daniel
HOU
Yes
Duka, Dilly
CLB
Yes
Gavin, Blair
CHV
Yes
Johnson, Sean
CHI
Yes
Kitchen, Perry
DC
Yes
Lambo, Josh
DAL
Yes
Marosevic, Peri
TOR
Yes
Mwanga, Danny
PHI
Yes
Tchani, Tony
CLB
Yes
Valentin, Zarek
CHV
Yes

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Montreal Impact Unveil 2012 MLS Logo

2011-08-07T23:09:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Whitecaps FC Co-Owner Jeff Mallett Admits Hargreaves Interest

2011-07-20T15:24:00.001-07:00

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC have made the first public statement about their interest in former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves. Speaking with the Globe and Mail’s David Ebner, Whitecap co-owner Jeff Mallett said that Hargreaves “knows our interest”, adding that “We’ll make sure, when he makes the decision, that we’re on the option list.

Full details here.

MLS Announces All-Star Squad

2011-07-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Gameday Roster for AT&T MLS All-Star Game Unveiled

Beckham, Donovan and Henry Highlight Roster of 22 Players from 12 different teams

NEW YORK (Monday, July 18, 2011) – LA Galaxy stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan join New York Red Bulls standout Thierry Henry among the 22 MLS All-Stars confirmed on the gameday roster that will compete against Manchester United in the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 27 at Red Bull Arena (8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2, Galavision, and TSN).

All-Star Head Coach Hans Backe of the Red Bulls selected the roster. Because of the competitive format -- MLS vs. the World -- of the All-Star Game, MLS asked Backe to select from among all available players, and he constructed a dynamic, balanced roster loaded with the League’s top talent. Backe also has seen success against Manchester United, including two wins during the 2007-08 English Premier League season when he was assistant coach at Manchester City under then head coach Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Backe selected all eight of the original fan-voted All-Stars – including AT&T Text Voting winner Matt Besler of Sporting Kansas City – who are available to play on July 27. Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC) and Brek Shea (FC Dallas) are unavailable due to CONCACAF Champions League matches during the week of the All-Star Game. Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy) and Rafa Marquez (New York Red Bulls) are unavailable due to injuries.

In addition to 11-time All-Star Donovan, ex-Manchester United midfielder Beckham and World Cup Champion Henry, the roster also features prominent All-Star veterans such as Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo) and Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake).

Other selections have loads of international experience but are MLS All-Stars for the first time: Mexican icon Omar Bravo (Sporting Kansas City), Colombian national team veteran Faryd Mondragón (Philadelphia Union), U.S. national team left back Heath Pearce (Chivas USA) and speedy Jamaican striker Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids).

The roster is below, followed by bios of each player, listed in alphabetical order by last name. Players are listed by the position they are most likely to play in the All-Star Game, which is not necessarily the position they play for their respective clubs.

2011 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster

Goalkeeper: Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Faryd Mondragón (Philadelphia Union)

Defenders: Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Bobby Convey (San Jose Earthquakes), Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy), Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls).

Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Portland Timbers), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Nick LaBrocca (Chivas USA)

Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Omar Bravo (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Inactive All-Stars (Note that another six inactive All-Stars will be chosen via player voting):

Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Rafa Marquez (New York Red Bulls), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Full-Time Note from Tyler Green: No Whitecaps announced to the roster, which is not much of a surprise with the record the Whitecaps have this season, but more disturbing is the fact that no Canadians were announced to the roster either.

Manchester City confirm agreement with Corinthians for Carlos Tevez

2011-07-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has confirmed that an agreement has been reached with Corinthians for the sale of Carlos Tevez.

City turned down a £40 million bid from the Brazilian club last week, and were believed to be holding out for £50 million for a player who finished as joint top scorer in the Premier League last season with 20 goals.

However, speaking on the club's pre-season tour of the USA/Canada, Mancini told the media at the press conference in Vancouver: "We have an agreement with Corinthians but Carlos now is still a City player."

Asked whether Tevez would now be discussing personal terms, Mancini replied: "I don't know this. I repeat, at the moment, Carlos is still a City player.

"I want to wait. At the moment we are here, we are working with the other guys. We should think about this.''

Listen to Full-Time to hear reaction from some of the Manchester City players. You can download to the podcast here.

West Brom set for Hargreaves Meeting

2011-07-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

West Brom plan to hold talks with Owen Hargreaves next week about a possible move to the Hawthorns.

Albion have already been in contact with Owen Hargreaves, who has been released by Manchester United after playing only 27 games in the past four years due to chronic knee problems.

West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has admitted he is wary of signing of Hargreaves because of his fitness problem, but the Baggies' sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth has revealed he is hoping to set up a meeting with the 30-year-old.

"We have been in talks with Owen," Ashworth told the club's official website.

"He's based over in the United States at the moment so we might try to get to meet him in the next week or so and see if he would consider coming to us. If Owen is fit to play Premier League football, it is a no-brainer."

Manchester City releases travel roster for North American tour

2011-07-11T14:51:00.001-07:00

English FA Cup winners and English Premier League giants Manchester City FC have announced their provisional travel roster for their 2011 North American Tour as part of the Herbalife World Football Challenge 2011. This includes the international match against Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Bell Pitch at Empire Field on Monday, July 18, at 7 p.m. PT.

"Manchester City is currently preparing for a very important upcoming season, which will include the UEFA Champions League, and have brought an amazing collection of top internationals," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi. "Great seats are still available for what I anticipate will be a highly entertaining match in Vancouver next Monday."

The newly-crowned FA Cup winners field an impressive squad bolstered by English internationals Gareth Barry, Joe Hart, James Milner, and Shaun Wright-Phillips, as well as Bosnian striker Edin Džeko, Italian striker Mario Balotelli, Spanish midfielder David Silva, Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong, and German defender Jérôme Boateng.

Manchester City 2011 North American Tour Roster

GOALKEEPERS: Joe Hart (ENG), Stuart Taylor (ENG), Eirik Johansen (NOR), Loris Karius (GER)

DEFENDERS: Micah Richards (ENG), Jérôme Boateng (GER), Vincent Kompany (BEL), Joleon Lescott (ENG), Dedryck Boyata (BEL), Gaël Clichy (FRA), Aleksandar Kolarov (SRB), Stefan Savić (MNE), Frederic Veseli (SUI)

MIDFIELDERS: Shaun Wright-Phillips (ENG), Vladimir Weiss (SVK), James Milner (ENG), Gareth Barry (ENG), Yaya Touré (CIV), Nigel De Jong (NED), David Silva (ESP), Adam Johnson (ENG)

FORWARDS: Mario Balotelli (ITA), Edin Džeko (BIH), Andrea Mancini (ITA), Denis Suarez (SPA), Ryan McGivern (NIR), John Guidetti (SWE)

Full Time Podcast - July 10, 2011

2011-07-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More infohere!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Tyler Green & Irfaan Gaffar of Van City Sports Blog (in place of an absent Mike Martignago) recap the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 weekend loss away to MLS Champs Colorado Rapids. Also a look at the rest of the MLS table as well!

Also, hear audio from new Whitecaps Defender & former Philadelphia Union player Jordan Harvey!

Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis. Discussion about Davide Chiumiento's injury as well as Owen Hargreaves fitness situation!

Also, a full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including news and scores from the FIFA Women's World Cup & Copa America!

The boys dip in to some Spot Kicks to touch on some up-in-the-air issues from the world of soccer!

Also, a week's farewall to Producer Corey Basso in a Windy City themed show as Corey leaves for Chicago in mid-week. Lots of Producer Corey opinions in this episode!

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @fulltimesoccer, @cdbasso,@mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only onTEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Dailyat 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps welcome Real Salt Lake to Empire Field next Saturday! Kick off goes at 1 pm! Catch the call on TEAM 1040!

Whitecaps FC acquire Defender Jordan Harvey

2011-07-07T14:19:00.001-07:00

Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the acquisition of defender Jordan Harvey from Philadelphia Union in exchange for *allocation money. As per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms of the trade were not disclosed. The 27-year-old is expected to be eligible for selection for this Saturday's match versus his former club Colorado Rapids.

"Jordan Harvey is an MLS experienced with strong tackling ability, quickness, and a capacity to push forward into the attack," said Whitecaps FC head coach Tom Soehn. "We look forward to having him join our backline."

A five-year veteran of MLS, Harvey started 16 Union matches for 1,241 minutes of action this season. Originally acquired from Colorado in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft, the native of Mission Viejo, California, started 45 of his 46 appearances for Philadelphia for a total of 3,861 minutes of action. This included one goal and two assists during his spell with the Pennsylvania-based outfit. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound left fullback was Philadelphia's leader in minutes played in 2010 with 2,613.

In his four seasons with Colorado - who drafted him in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft - Harvey helped the Rapids claim the MLS Reserve League championship title that year. After making his MLS debut in 2008, Harvey started 42 of his 45 appearances for Colorado for 3,793 minutes of action, registering four assists in the process.

A former member of the United States U-20 national team, Harvey has also played for his country at the U-14, U-16, and U-17 international levels. A college standout at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Harvey was a member of the 2002 NCAA College Cup championship squad and part of the first class in Bruins history to win four Pac-10 Conference titles.

On Saturday evening, Whitecaps FC return to action when they visit Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PT and is live on Rogers Sportsnet One and Bell mobile devices. 'Caps fans can also listen to Saturday's contest live on TEAM 1410 radio and teamradio.ca, starting with the pre-game show at 4 p.m. PT. TEAM 1410 will also have a two-hour post-game show, which will begin following the match at around 8 p.m. PT.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Owen Hargreaves - Fitness Videos

2011-07-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lots of rumours about Owen Hargreaves coming back to Canada to play in Major League Soccer can be found. We even posted some stories last week. And with Toronto FC signing two more designated players, and having three, it all but rules out TFC being a potential landing spot. So perhaps Vancouver could be the final destination. A lot of people have questioned whether or not he will be able to play in MLS and whether he is even fit enough. Well, he's answered those questions with the brand new Owen Hargreaves fitness videos. If he's not trying to get in shape for another season of soccer, prhaps he has a career in the fitness video industry. Below are some fine examples of his work.

If you can't get enough of the training sessions... you can find more by clicking here. It's his own personal YouTube page.

Frings and Koevermans sign with TFC

2011-06-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

TORONTO FC SIGN TWO DESIGNATED PLAYERS

Toronto FC sign Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have signed German international midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch international forward Danny Koevermans as Designated Players. Both players, who have each signed multi-year contracts, will begin playing for Toronto FC after July 15 when Major League Soccer’s transfer window opens. As per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

"We have added two very important players with significant experience and technical ability,” said Toronto FC Head Coach and Technical Director Aron Winter. “Torsten and Danny will make an immediate impact at our club. Signing Torsten and Danny is a very important step in building a team that our fans are proud to support.”

A native of Würselen, Germany, Frings, 34, has earned 79 caps for Germany in his career and has played in two World Cups including Germany’s run to the 2002 Finals. Frings also was part of Germany’s second place finish at Euro 2008. His club career spans 14 seasons in the German Bundesliga, starting and finishing at Werder Bremen along with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. His club career achievements include the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal (domestic cup) and the DFB-Ligapokal with Bayern Munich during the 2004-2005 season. At Werder Bremen, Frings was part of the 2007-2008 side that finished second in the Bundesliga and runners up in the 2009 UEFA Cup, and two DFB-Pokal’s and one DFB-Ligapokal.

Koevermans, 32, has spent the past 11 seasons in the Dutch Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie, most recently with PSV Eindhoven. The native of Schiedam, Netherlands, began his professional career in 2000 with Sparta Rotterdam scoring 71 goals in 110 appearances for the club. Following the 2005 campaign, he moved to AZ Alkmaar where he continued his scoring ways collecting 31 goals in 52 appearances. In 2007, he moved to PSV Eindhoven and has spent the past four seasons with the club. Koevermans has earned four caps for the Dutch National Team and scored the winning goal over Luxembourg during a 2008 Euro Cup qualifying match.

“Torsten and Danny are excellent leaders both on-and-off-the-pitch,” said Paul Mariner, Director of Player Development for Toronto FC. “We know our current roster and young Academy players will learn and benefit from their arrival in Toronto.”

Both players will be eligible to play their first match on Wednesday July 20 against FC Dallas.

Torsten Frings #22

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5’11

Weight: 176 pds.

Birthdate: November 22, 1976

Birth Place/Hometown: Würselen, Germany

Nationality: German

Last Club: Werder Bremen

How Acquired: Signed on June 29, 2011

Pronunciation: “Tor-stin Frings”

Danny Koevermans #14

Position: Forward

Height: 6’3

Weight: 170 pds.

Birthdate: November 1, 1978

Birth Place/Hometown: Schiedam, Netherlands

Nationality: Dutch

Last Club: PSV Eindhoven

How Acquired: Signed on June 29, 2011

Pronunciation: “Koo-ver-mens”

Tyler Green says: I like the two DP signings from TFC. In Frings they get a hard working, ball winner and someone who will take up a leadership role. One has to wonder where it leaves Julian de Guzman though as he and Frings play in a similar role. Will he get traded or given a free role on the field or released? It'll be interesting to play out. As for Koevermans, I need to reserve judgement until I see him play. He has scored previously in Holland, but as we have seen with many DP's before him, scoring elsewhere doesn't necessarily mean he'll be able to score in Major League Soccer.

Full Time Podcast - June 26, 2011

2011-06-27T00:42:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More info here!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Mike Martignago & Tyler Green recap the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 weekend loss away to Sporting Kansas City. Also a look at the rest of the MLS table as well!

'Caps Goalkeeper Joe Cannon and Coach Tommy Soehn give their thoughts on the match, post-game!

TSN's Luke Wileman also drops in to give his two cents on the 'Caps!

Lots of of reaction to the FIFA U-17 World Cup results from the week including analysis of everything from the Canadian Men's National Team!

Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis.

Former Women's Whitecap & Canadian National Team member Kara Lang also pops in to look at the FIFA Women's World Cup!

Also, a full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including news and scores from the UEFA U-21s!

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @fulltimesoccer, @cdbasso, @mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only on TEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Daily at 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps travel to BMO Field next Wednesday to square off with Canadian rivals Toronto FC. Kick off goes at 430 pm! Catch the call on TEAM 1410!

Owen Hargreaves Potential Move to MLS

2011-06-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

According to a report in the Daily Mail in the UK, Owen Hargreaves is reportedly being offered a chance to resurrect his career in North America with Toronto FC.

The report indicates that TFC is willing to offer the former Manchester United midfielder a contract and 30 year old is said to be weighing his options.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC have also reportedly shown interest but neither the ‘caps or the Toronto FC have commented publicly.

Newly promoted English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers are also said to be interested in the services of the Calgary born, English international, but in a “if the midfielder will entertain a pay-as-you-play deal.”

If Hargreaves does move to a Canadian MLS side, it could spark controversy with some of the most loyal supporters since Hargreaves decided not to play for Canada's national team, instead opting for England National team.

Full Time Podcast - June 12, 2011

2011-06-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More info here!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Mike Martignago & Tyler Green recap the Vancouver Whitecaps thrilling 2-2 weekend draw away to Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders. Also a look at the rest of the MLS table as well!

'Caps Goalkeeper Joe Cannon and Alain Rochat give their thoughts on the match, post-game!

Lots of of reaction to the CONCACAF Gold Cup results from the week including analysis of everything from the Canadian Men's National Team!

TSN's Vic Rauter joins for a legendary interview talking UEFA U-21s & some old favourite memories!

Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis.

Also, a full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including news and scores from the UEFA U-21s!

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @fulltimesoccer, @cdbasso, @mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only on TEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Daily at 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps welcome the Philadelphia Union to Empire Field next Saturday. Kick off goes at 7 pm! Catch the call on TEAM 1410!

Eric Hassli 2011 v Marco van Basten 1988

2011-06-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

Compare if you dare...

Whitecaps FC Waive Midfielder Kevin Harmse

2011-06-10T09:44:00.001-07:00

Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that midfielder Kevin Harmse has been waived by the club.

Harmse, 26, re-joined Whitecaps FC on March 25, 2011, having previous played for Vancouver in 2004 and 2005. This season, the centre midfielder played in three matches, including one start, for 126 minutes of action.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Full Time Podcast - June 5, 2011

2011-06-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More info here!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Mike Martignago goes solo to recap the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 weekend loss away to the Real Salt Lake! He runs the rest of the MLS table as well!

'Caps Midfielder Michael Nanchoff and Captain Jay Demerit give their thoughts on the match, post-game!

Marc Weber of The Province also gives his take on the match!
Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis.

Mike also catches up with Whitecaps Radio Colour man & Canadian Men's Goalkeeper Coach Paul Dolan to talk Canadian National Team!

Also, a full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including news and scores from Euro 2012 qualifying!

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @fulltimesoccer, @cdbasso, @mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only on TEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Daily at 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps travel to Seattle to take on the Seattle Sounders next Saturday. Kick off goes at 730 pm! Catch the call on TEAM 1410!

Whitecaps Make Changes to Coaching Staff

2011-05-30T13:36:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that head coach Teitur Thordarson and goalkeeper coach Mike Salmon have left the club with immediate effect.

“Teitur and Mike have served the club extremely well in recent seasons but we feel that today’s changes are necessary in order to accelerate the process of turning around our difficult start to the season,” said Paul Barber, Whitecaps FC chief executive officer. “We wish Teitur and Mike well for the future.”

Whitecaps FC also announced today that current director of soccer operations, Tom Soehn, has assumed responsibility as head coach for the remainder of the 2011 season. Soehn will be supported by assistant coaches Denis Hamlett, who joined Whitecaps FC at the start of the season, and Colin Miller, now in his second season with the club.

“Tommy brings extensive experience in Major League Soccer and in the past year, has immersed himself in the culture of our club. Supported by Denis Hamlet and Colin Miller, we have an excellent balance of Whitecaps and MLS knowledge and expertise,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, Whitecaps FC president.

For biographies of Whitecaps FC technical staff, visit whitecapsfc.com/technical-staff.

Open Letter To Supporters

Dear Whitecaps Supporter,

Today we announced that head coach Teitur Thordarson and goalkeeper coach Mike Salmon have left our club with immediate effect. Both Teitur and Mike were popular figures and served Vancouver Whitecaps FC extremely well over several seasons. Today's decision was therefore a very difficult one.

However, soccer at the highest level – like all professional sports – is a demanding, results-driven business and unfortunately we have not met our high expectations so far this season. We’ve also struggled at times to provide you, our supporters, with the style of soccer we strive for.

With all these factors in mind, we felt a change to our coaching staff was necessary before the challenge of meeting this season's objectives became too difficult.

We are delighted that Tommy Soehn, our current Director of Soccer Operations, supported by assistant coaches Denis Hamlet and Colin Miller, is able to take charge of coaching the men’s first team for the remainder of the season.

This group of coaches provides us with both extensive MLS experience and a degree of continuity for an excellent group of Whitecaps players who have battled hard and shown great commitment during a difficult period.

Tommy is one of the architects of the player roster we have built. He is well aware of our ambitions and of the passion our club has for providing supporters with entertaining soccer.

We have a lot of ground to make up but we can assure you we will be giving it our best possible shot. Your continued support will be invaluable and we really appreciate the difference you have made in so many of our matches to date.

Let's hope we can kick-start our season on our upcoming three-game road trip against Chivas USA, Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders. We look forward to seeing you back at Empire Field on Saturday, June 18 when we take on Philadelphia Union.

Kind regards,

Paul Barber
Chief Executive Officer

Full Time Podcast - May 29

2011-05-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More info here!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Tyler Green & Mike Martignago recap the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1 weekend draw at home with the New York Red Bulls! They run the rest of the MLS table as well!

'Caps Midfielders Terry Dunfield and Davide Chiumento give their thoughts on the match! Also, hear from New York Goalkeeper Greg Sutton on the match.

Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis.

Mike & Producer Corey Basso breakdown the UEFA Champion's League Final between Barcelona & Manchester United.

Also, a full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including news and scores from La Liga, Serie A, German Bundesliga & more!

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @fulltimesoccer, @cdbasso, @mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only on TEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Daily at 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps travel to Carson, California to take on Chivas USA this Wednesday. Kick off goes at 730 pm! Catch the call on TEAM 1410!

Full Time Podcast - May 22, 2011

2011-05-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show has a new podcast up. More info here!

You can subscribe to the show on iTunes. Click here!

Tyler Green flies solo & Producer Corey Basso returns for this edition of Full Time following the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1 midweek draw at home with Canadian rivals Toronto FC in Nutrilite Action!

Whitecaps Play-by-play man Peter Schaad pops in to talk some Caps.

'Caps Midfielder Terry Dunfield joins the show to talk Caps and Canadian National Team.

Toronto FC's Adrian Cann also joins to talk about their upcoming match with Vancouver as well as the Canadian Men's team!

To round out the Canadian National part of the program, Coach Stephen Hart also drops in!
Marc Rizzardo of Metrotown Physio gives his usual injury update and diagnosis.

Bobby McMahon from Fox Sports World Canada touches base with Tyler for a complete breakdown of the final English Premiership standings including the finish to a very tight relegation battle.

A full rundown of all the action across the pond with the Umbro European scoreboard including scores from La Liga, Serie A & German Bundesliga

You can follow Full Time on Twitter ( @cdbasso, @mikemartignago, @tylergreen1040 ) & Facebook.

Full Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show airs every Sunday night. 9p-11p Only on TEAM 1040 Sports Radio.

Catch up with everything Whitecaps during the week with Whitecaps FC Daily at 3pm down the dial on TEAM 1410!

The Vancouver Whitecaps travel to Toronto for the second leg of the Nutrilite Championship on Wednesday, May 25! The tie is all sqaure at 1-1, though TFC lead on away goals.

Whitecaps FC Launch Match Packs

2011-04-29T11:20:00.001-07:00

Starting this Saturday at 10 a.m. PT, Vancouver Whitecaps FC fans will be able to purchase match packs and receive significant savings over individual match prices. The new match packs start at just $159 - all prices include HST and are subject to a $5 processing fee per pack - and include four 2011 Whitecaps FC Major League Soccer regular season home matches spread over the course of the season, as well as the highly anticipated international match against English Premier League side Manchester City.

"Our club has received great support from fans throughout the province with more than 100,000 spectators having already experienced a Whitecaps FC match at Empire Field," said Paul Barber, Whitecaps FC CEO. "We have a number of exciting matches still to come, and felt it was the perfect time to offer a variety of packs that provide our fans with an economical option and the opportunity to see some marquee matches that best suit their busy schedules. Our team took a fun and creative approach to creating the match packs, and we look forward to seeing which pack is the most popular as they all offer something very unique."

The three match packs - GOING HOLLYWOOD, I (HEART) NY, LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR - all include the Manchester City match, valued at $60, and four coveted MLS matches. Aside from season tickets, which also include the Manchester City game, match packs are currently the only way to secure your ticket to the July 18 international match.

GOING HOLLYWOOD is highlighted by the match on Saturday, July 30, when LA Galaxy make their lone visit to Vancouver this season. Galaxy's star-studded roster includes English international David Beckham, American international Landon Donovan and Colombian international Juan Pablo Ángel. Galaxy's last match in Vancouver attracted nearly 50,000 fans back in 2007.

I (HEART) NY includes Vancouver's home tilt against New York Red Bulls on Saturday, May 28. The Red Bulls squad is comprised of a number of international stars including French international Thierry Henry, Mexican international Rafael Márquez, and recently acquired Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario. Also included in this match pack is the final regular season match of the season when Whitecaps FC host defending MLS Cup champions Colorado Rapids at BC Place on Saturday, October 22.

Finally, LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR includes both matches against I-5 rivals Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers. Vancouver hosts Seattle on Saturday, September 24, in the final match at Empire Field and the following weekend welcome Portland on Sunday, October 2 for the club’s first match at the new BC Place. Match packs are available in four price categories, depending on seating. For additional information on match packs visit whitecapsfc.com/matchpacks.

Whitecaps FC Major League Soccer 2011 season tickets are also still available at a pro-rated price, starting at $235. To secure a seat and for additional information about Whitecaps FC MLS season tickets, suites, and loge boxes, call

Whitecaps FC Add Depth and Experience with Peter Vagenas

2011-04-28T13:07:00.001-07:00

Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that midfielder Panayiotis Alexiou "Peter" Vagenas has been signed to the club's Major League Soccer (MLS) roster. Per club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

"Peter is an experienced MLS player that reads the game well and is strong technically," said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson. "He will bring additional leadership to our squad, as we head into an important stretch of our season."

Vagenas, 33, joins Whitecaps FC after spending the past two seasons with MLS rivals Seattle Sounders FC, who had selected him as the sixth pick in the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft. He started 16 of his 21 total appearances with the Emerald City outfit for 1,282 minutes of action, recording two assists in the process. Last season, the midfielder started all seven of his Sounders FC appearances for 542 minutes of action.

Prior to joining Seattle in 2009, the 5-foot-8 midfielder spent eight seasons with LA Galaxy, winning two MLS Cup titles with the Southern California outfit in 2002 and 2005. The native of Pasadena, California, had his best season in 2005, captaining the Galaxy to both the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and MLS Cup titles, while scoring five goals and recording four assists. On November 7, 2007, Vagenas travelled with the Galaxy to Vancouver to play 45 minutes in a friendly match against Whitecaps FC at BC Place Stadium. In his ten-year MLS career, Vagenas has started 180 of his 204 regular season appearances, scoring 14 goals and recording 20 assists.

Vagenas was drafted by the Galaxy in the second round of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft following a successful NCAA Division I career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). From 1996 to 1999, Vagenas scored 15 goals and recorded 30 assists during his four-year career with the Bruins. As a sophomore, the midfielder helped UCLA to the NCAA College Cup title.

"I'm very pleased to join Vancouver Whitecaps FC," said Vagenas. "I've played in this league for a number of years and I've had some great experiences playing with the Galaxy and Sounders FC. I'm excited to start this new challenge in Vancouver."

Internationally, Vagenas has represented the United States at the U-23 Olympic and senior levels. This included scoring three goals for his country, as he led the USA to a fourth-place finish at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The midfielder has also made three senior appearances for the Americans, having made his debut versus arch-rivals Mexico at the Los Angeles Coliseum on October 25, 2000.
Peter VagenasPronunciation: Va-yeah-NOSS
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-08
Weight: 157
Born: February 6, 1978, in Pasadena, California
Hometown: Pasadena, California
Citizenship: United States
Last Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)