Whitecaps Training Camp 2011 Day 3: News and Notes

Today the intensity picked up a  bit with the focus seeming to be a little more towards getting into game speed. Everybody seemed to have calmed down from their first couple days where you could clearly see the players were nervous or even anxious to prove their worth to the club.

The 'Caps Announce Budwiser as Official Beer Sponsor for 2011

Photo Credit Ian Azariah

Whitecaps have finally announced their official beer sponsor for their first season in MLS.  It doesn't come as a great surprise that they were in need of a new, bigger named partner. Last year The 'Caps were sponsored by Pacific Pilsner (Western Pacific Brewing Co.).  They were a great sponsor, but there wasn't a chance in hell they were going to be able to put forth the advertising dollars, and generate the revenues that Budweiser will. The union with Budweiser begins immediately, and will last 5 years. While the deal is with "The Club"  it will not crossover to the youth and USL Player Development League teams for obvious reasons. However there will be the opportunity for the deal to include the women's team. For more juicy details from Paul Barber; CEO of the Whitecaps, and Howard Crossley; Gm of BC Place read more at The Vancouver Inisder Page on Canadian Soccer News.

(Oh and we've got pictures of the Bud Girls to attract that lowest common denominator.)

Photo Credit:Ian Azariah

Whitecaps Training Camp 2011 Day 3: News and Notes

For the first time all week (while I have been there at least) the boys in blue and white finally got down to some technical training. Otherwise it was just a pretty standard early season training session. Morfaw, Nanchoff, DeMerit, and Thorrington did not participate in the full speed training drills. Joe Cannon got a little more involved in the goaltending activities being conducted at the North end of the pitch. The weather finally co-operated with the club and it was actually a good day to train on. I am sure the recent signings finally got a chance to appreciate the venue that they were at.  For the real big news of the day check out my post for The Vancouver Insider on Canadian Soccer News

Whitecaps Training Camp 2011 Day 2: News and Notes

Not much change from yesterday. Far less media attention though. The Whitecaps did however announce that they will be adding 2 games against the L.A. Galaxy (February 20th and 22nd) to their preseason schedule as they prepare for the home opener against TFC on Saturday March 19. This will give The 'Caps a total of 7 preseason matches south of the boarder (specifically in Arizona and then the Cascadia Summit in Washington).

The Blue and White had a later start yesterday as the team was completing "The Cooper Test" which involves running around a 400m track as many times as possible in 12 minutes. Shea Salinas and Bilal Duckett had the top two scores. Salinas (9 laps completed) finished a mere 10 metres ahead of the rookie Duckett. 



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Whitecaps Training Camp 2011 Day 1: News and Notes

It was a very soggy day here today in Vancouver as the Blue and White took the pitch for the first time as a group in 2011. Before the players took the field Bob Lenarduzzi, Tom Soehn, and Teitur Thordason, each addressed the media. There isn't a lot of sense in going over everything that was said today because there were not a lot of surprises. The big hitters came in and asked a lot of questions most of us already knew the answers for. 

However Bob Lenarduzzi did happen to mention that The 'Caps expect to be into BC Place in late September, and Teitur casually threw it out there that the team is still looking to add one more preseason game to the schedule in the last week before the season starts. 


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Vancouver Whitecaps Present New Left Back Alain Rochat

VANCOUVER, BC - With preseason training set to begin next week, Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the signing of Canadian-born defender Alain Rochat to the club's Major League Soccer roster - pending his international transfer certificate. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"We're delighted to add Alain to our MLS squad," said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson. "He brings a wealth of experience and has won titles in a top-flight European league and has played in prestigious European club competitions like the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup."

Initially acquired from FC Zürich by Whitecaps FC during the 2010 USSF D-2 Pro League season on August 17, the 27-year-old spent the remainder of last year on loan at the Swiss Super League outfit. The 6-foot, 170-pound defender - who can play left fullback as well as centre back - started all 14 appearances during his loan spell with FC Zürich.

"I'm excited by this new challenge to play in North America and in Major League Soccer,” said Rochat. “Vancouver is a beautiful city, and Whitecaps FC have been very welcoming to me and my family, since I made the decision to first sign with the club last summer."

The native of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, first joined FC Zürich on loan during the 2006-07 season from Stade Rennais FC of France’s Ligue 1 before making his move permanent the following season. In four-and-a-half seasons with FC Zürich, Rochat made 154 appearances, scoring nine goals, and recording 10 assists. During this time, Rochat helped FC Zürich to Swiss Super League championship titles during the 2006-07 and 2008-09 campaigns. In the 2009-10 season, Rochat helped FC Zürich reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, where they faced Spanish giants Real Madrid, Italian powerhouse AC Milan, and France's Olympique de Marseille in Group C.

Prior to his recent spell with FC Zürich, Rochat joined Stade Rennais FC at the start of the 2005-06 French Ligue 1 season and appeared in 11 matches for the Brittany-based club. From 2001 to 2005, the defender played four seasons with Switzerland's Berner Sport Club (BSC) Young Boys. Rochat started his professional career in 1999 with Yverdon Sport FC, who were then members of the Swiss Super League.

Rochat, who moved from Canada to Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, when he was two, appeared for Switzerland at the youth international level before making his senior international debut on June 4, 2005, as Switzerland claimed a 3-1 away victory over the Faroe Islands in Group Four of European qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

R.E.B. and CMNT U-23's Are off to Phoenix

Canada's men's U-23 / Olympic team will hold a 10-day training camp this 13-22 January in Phoenix, AZ. Coach Tony Fonseca has selected 20 players for the camp featuring players born 1989 or later.

"We are looking forward to seeing our players for the first time this year," said coach Tony Fonseca.

Coach Fonseca's roster features five new players taking part in their first U-23 camp. Those five new faces are Kyle Bekker of Boston College, Carl Haworth of FC London, Evan James of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Adam Janssen of Long Island University, and Babayele Sodade of University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Because of the time of year, only two players called to this camp comes from a European club (Michal Misiewicz and Fabrice Lassonde). Six of the 20 players are tied to clubs in Canada (plus two that are unattached) while eight players are tied to clubs in USA.

Of the 20 players, three of them also have experience with the national "A" team. Those three are Nana Attakora, Randy Edwini-Bonsu and Eddy Sidra.

Canada's men's U-23 / Olympic camp features players born 1989 or later. The team is making early preparations for next year's 2012 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualification Tournament. Already since the start of 2010, coach Fonseca’s program has featured 36 players in three projects.

Canada v. Greece match details announced!

The CSA announced today that the Men will be playing their friendly against Greece at 4pm on February 9th 2011 in Larissa.



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Is No News Bad News?

Vancouver- Last season the Whitecaps brought in a Defender by the name of Maloud Akloul. He is an absolute house of a man. Despite his intimidating profile the incredibly personable Frenchmen won the clubs Blue and White Award for Community Service and Spirit last year while he spent the majority of the season rehabbing a surgically repaired ankle. 

MLS Crapshoot 2011!

I... I... I mean SuperDraft 2011!

Placing all your hopes for the future in drafting a college player has its pitfalls. Ask anyone who was a fan of the Vancouver Grizzlies, heck ask a TFC fan about Zach Herold. Luckily though, for every horror story that is out there, there are countless successes.

for the rest of the story about Vancouver's position in this years draft click here