thedan8

You have to remember that designated players under 24 have a much lower cap hit than regular DPs. By signing someone like Rivero as a DP, it opens up 200K for a secondary player, that purchasing an older DP wouldn't. If we can sell on a young player after a few years, the fee would raise our salary cap for a period of time. It's smart business to go after young players.

It is. The rule is that "A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)." There are basically two ways that it can be seen as deliberate. Either the player intentionally touches the ball (Waston didn't have time as he was expecting the ball to be deflected off Koffie's head) or he has his hands in an unnatural position (Waston's hands were by his side). I think it was "ball to hand" Waston's hand was by his side, he didn't move it towards the ball or have enough time to move it away.

I don't know why Yallop keeps on being brought up on this thread. We dodged a bullet by not signing Frank Yallop. Chicago has gone from missing out of the playoffs on goal difference last year to being one of the worst teams in the league. Yallop has always plays a very negative defensive style with hit and hope long balls from the back. If you want every game to end 1-0 0-0 or 0-1 then Yallop is your man. Yallop rumour seemed to be more from the media than anything on the caps end. I'd be leading the charge on Lenarduzzi out if Yallop had been signed. I'm not sold on Robbo but I'll take him over Long Ball Yallop any day.

19 Year old academy product Sam Adekugbe is a natural left back and will likely start against Toronto. He looked great against Colorado at the end of last season, and should hopefully slot in well.

New turf is coming in the offseason before the women's World Cup.

Dean is a center back who only covers Left Back. Adekugbe is a LB only and he's injured. Beita and Sampson are our only RB's and ones at the World Cup while the others injured. Unless we sign someone Reo-Coker is our only option right now. I can see us trading him for a young right back. Next year will probably be O'Brien and Leveron. Mitchell is a good defender and Dean has all the tools to be Demerit version two.

Mattocks flew back from playing a friendly in Switzerland on Friday, so I'll give him a pass for jet lag. Reo-C isn't a normal RB, and Portland seemed to attack down the left all game. I'm excited Beita made the World Cup, but I can't wait for him to get back. Hopefully we sign a CB who can cover at RB with the money after Reo-C moves on. This will probably be DeMerits last year, and I don't see Andy lasting much longer either, so some succession planning is needed.

Leveron is out with a concussion. Mitchell and O'Brien have chemistry from last year so I'd expect them to play together. After how badly Jay looked against Chivas a week off is a good thing.

Reports is coming out of Mexico that the owner of Queretaro is being investigated for fraud. Camilo and the other players haven't been paid in two months. Serves him right, good riddance.

Just when you thought the contract madness was over, the Whitecaps 7th overall draft pick Andre Lewis has signed a deal with the New York Cosmos. http://www.goal.com/en-ca/news/4175/major-league-soccer/2014/01/17/4551561/first-round-mls-draft-pick-lewis-signs-with-cosmos?ICID=HP_BN_1

I think we'll sign Miller if he falls to 7th. We would serve as a back up RB to whoever we sign as a starter, and can play a bit of right midfield as well to cover for Reo-C. Having flexible players is really important in this league. With the third pick I'm not sold on Blake. No doubt he would be a good player for the Whitecaps, but good North American goalkeepers are a dime a dozen in MLS, and it seems silly to have two international spots tied up on Blake and Ousted. I'd rather see if we can get an MLS starter in a trade or look at trading up for one of the 2 defenders that will go 1-2.

There is no way that the Caps should give Camilo one more penny. It's a cap driven league and while Camilo is great value for his deal, but you can't start a precedent where Camilo and his agent can act like whining children and be rewarded with a larger salary. While he was smoking hot in 2013, but who's to say that next year won't be bad like in 2012. No player should ever be bigger than the team. Depending on what Camilo decides to do from here on out they should either take him back to Vancouver and make him fight for every minute or try to get as much money from Queretaro as possible to sign a DP. With Mattocks, Miller, Manneh, Salgado, Hurtado, and Clarke signed as strikers, The Whitecaps should be focused at signing midfielders, right backs, a goalkeeper, and DeMerit (if the moneys right).

Yes, It's pretty unrealistic. Currently when there is a trade show or Monster Jam they lay flooring on top of the turf which compresses it and is a big part of the problem. Grass wouldn't be able to live if it has a flooring laid on top of it for days. If BC Place decided not to do the trade shows which is very unlikely, there probably wouldn't be enough sunlight to be able to grow grass.

No major DP is going to play for The Whitecaps until they are out of BC Place and have a natural grass venue. These players are nearing the end of their careers and have only one or two big pay cheques left, so they aren't going to risk blowing their knee out on the dodgy turf at BC Place. This is a major problem for the Caps. Thierry Henry is a friend of Steve Nash's and he wouldn't come because of the turf and has yet to play a game in Vancouver or Seattle due to it. The last time the Galaxy were in town Robbie Keene went on an expletive laden rant saying "In this day and age you shouldn't be playing on fields like this. It's not good for players. Especially for people to watch on TV when you're playing." This is just quotes from players you mentioned, other players around the league have spoken out about how bad it is to play at BC place. In the MLS player survey BC Place was voted the second worst field in the league behind Gillette Stadium which also has turf. I don't think it's lack of money, The Whitecaps have one of the top 5 payrolls in MLS. If the proposed waterfront stadium was built there would likely be a big DP in Vancouver, likely Henry.

ESPN Deportes is reporting that Camilo has been sold Queretaro in the Mexican League, and sign on Friday. It would be a big step up for him, but I'm absolutely gutted if this ends up being true. If I was Lenarduzi I would be offering him a DP contract as quickly as possible. http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=1991646&s=mex&type=story&src=mobile