Hello!

It's been a spell, eh? Guess those dreams I had about a weekly newsletter during the World Cup didn’t come to fruition. 😆

When I last showed up in your inbox, the Whitecaps FC were about to head down to San Diego with some self-inflicted uncertainty in net after Yohei Takaoka’s red card. Well they won that match in case you missed it.

And in case you missed it, we saw the Canadian Men’s National team put on a show through to the Round of 16 in the World Cup. They obtained their first result against Bosnia and Herzegovina, their first win against Qatar, and their first knock-out stage win over South Africa before falling to Morocco.

Had you told me Les Rouges would lose to a top-10 ranked side in the Round of 16 prior to the tournament, I would’ve said “Yes, please” with a smile. So while I remain committed to the maple-scented dreams the Canadian Men’s National team helped me achieve over the past few weeks, it reaffirms something I’ve always thought.

Canada is and will always be a soccer nation!

The View

So what’s gone on with the Whitecaps FC since we last spoke?

Well for one, they got themselves a 4-2 win over San Diego off a Brian White brace, a goal from my favourite player in Bruno Caicdeo, and another from the best-centre-back-we-now-know-we-have-and-should’ve-been-on-the-world-cup-squad Ralph Priso.

We’ve also seen them lose a few players:

• AZ’s loan expired and he returned to Jagiellonia Białystok (yes I copy pasted that).

• Kenji Cabrera had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot and is out for the season.

• Joedrick Pupe was transferred to Sint-Truidense VV.

• Sebastian Schonlau and Whitecaps FC mutually agreed to terminate his contract (through an MLS buyout).

The experiments and/or bench depth of Pupe and Schonlau not working out don’t worry me too much, but the loss of both AZ and Cabrera do concern me a touch considering we’re not entirely sure if and when Ryan Gauld will be fully match healthy. Plus with all the scuttlebutt that there’s a chance Sebastian Berhalter could be sold prior to his contract coming to an end this season adds a further dynamic.

But those are concerns for another day. This week the Whitecaps FC are concerned with kicking off their defense of the Canadian Championship against Cavalry FC on Wednesday (at Swangard Stadium if you didn’t already know).

Going into the match, I have to think the Whitecaps FC will use this experience as a means to get first-team players back into match shape, and imagine anyone who’s healthy and able will see time on the pitch.

Alternatively, it’s just as possible to use the return leg in Calgary as the “get ready for MLS action” match, though having the full-ish first-team travel to Spruce Meadows seems less likely than having them play here in Vancouver.

What we know is that Cavalry are having a solid season, only losing once so far (to league-leading Halifax Forge) and possess a +9 goal differential in the CPL action. Presuming the Whitecaps are serious in their approach to the Canadian trophy, this side could be the toughest competition they’d face prior to the Final and should be accorded respect.

Regardless, it’s nice that we’ll get to see the ‘Caps back in action…

Around the Pitch

Step one, #SaveTheCaps.

Step two, dare to dream:

I often thank you all for your continued support, and this issue is no different.

Thank you!

I know this season has been an inconsistent one, and while my world outside of the newsletter remains a wild one (on a personal note, still working… for now), I pledge to do better through to the end of this MLS season.

And I remain committed to a positive future of soccer in Vancouver that includes the Whitecaps FC. I remain as much in the dark as most of you likely do, yet my choice is to focus on the efforts of those looking to keep the club we support in the City many of us live in.

I leave you with this:

Boundary Road, take me home.
To the place where I belong!
Vancouver, pretty mama.
Take me home, Boundary Road.