Sunday, June 28, 2026
Posted by
Nigel Reed
Recently by Nigel Reed
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Euro Cup
Spain tested by rejuvenated Italy
Now we know. Spain's sharp edge is absent and being missed. Four years ago Fernando Torres' goal won it all. Two years ago David Villa led Spain to the top of the world. We have known for some time Villa would not be involved because of a broken leg. We've also known Torres is simply not the clinical goal poacher he once was.
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Soccer
New TFC coach Paul Mariner ready to set new course
New Toronto FC coach Paul Mariner clearly wants this team to play to its strengths - whatever they are.
Mariner is not interested in discussing systems or formations, at least
not publicly.But, unlike the departed Aron Winter, he believes the players must dictate the tactics,
not vice versa, to give themselves the best chance of being successful.
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Euro Cup
Euro 2012: Contenders and pretenders
If you are of Spanish, Dutch or German descent - congratulations! These three, from a field of 16, are surely the only nations which can entertain realistic hopes of Euro glory.
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Soccer
Canadian pride sees Reds rise again
Toronto FC is Canadian champion for the fourth straight year but the best team in Canada? Hardly. Yet the Voyageurs Cup will get a regular polish at BMO Field until at least 2013.
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Soccer
Manchester City begins quest to build dynasty
Winning the title is one thing. Building a dynasty is quite another.
Manchester City will begin next season in the unfamiliar position of championship
favourites. The pressure will be on from the get-go and they will be the
team everyone else wants to beat.
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MLS
TFC's troubles coming to a head
In a results-oriented business the team owners would have no choice but to bite the bullet and relieve the TFC coach Aron Winters of his duties should the team's free fall continue.
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Canada
Canadian quartet locks horns
The Canadian Championship may just be the smallest cup competition in the world. The soccer snobs can go ahead and ridicule a national championship with so few contestants. But, like the Canadian weather, you have to live here to get it.
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Soccer
Soccer's hidden medical dangers
The subject of professional soccer players with undetected medical ailments losing their life on the pitch is back on the front burner in 2012, with the soccer industry having done little to prevent such tragedy.
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Euro Cup
Ghost goals have got to go
It is coming and it will change the game. Until its arrival, goal-line technology, like hindsight and the IT guy at work, is never around when you need it.
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MLS
Winless Toronto FC severely limited in options
Get out of the way before it hits you. The revolving door is about to start spinning again in an attempt to prevent Season 6 becoming Season Sucks.
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Soccer
Soccer in Canada on right path
When the Montreal Impact take on Toronto FC on Saturday at Olympic Stadium, it will signify a major step in the right direction for Canadian soccer, writes CBC Sports soccer contributor Nigel Reed.
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Soccer
Canada's soccer team can dare to dream
It was a weekend for winners. Tiger Woods dominated the field at Arnie's place to register his first proper PGA victory since his world went up in smoke. Thomas Mulcair outlasted his rivals to become Jack Layton's successor as leader of the NDP and Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.
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Soccer
Canadian MLS teams are a big draw
They will say it was a fluke and could never happen again. On a single day, Canada's three Major League Soccer franchises were watched by more than 100,000 fans.
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MLS
Raising the bar for MLS referees
Admission of the problem is the first step to a cure. In the glass half
full world of Major League Soccer, there are never really problems -
only initiatives.
MLS, however, has a problem which needs fixing. Like anything
worthwhile, it cannot be done overnight but the League wants it known a
serious initiative is being launched to tackle the situation.
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Soccer
Soccer's big night out with the stars
The sign reads: "It should be won or lost right here." The challenge is clear. Victory must be earned. Toronto FC and Los Angeles Galaxy will be fighting for just that - victory - when they face off against each other at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on Wednesday night.
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Soccer
Credibility: the key for Canada
It is no big deal. It is not the kind of story to make global headlines.
But for anyone who follows Canadian soccer, it is deeply troubling and
indicative of the problems facing the sport and its chances of
international success.
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Euro Cup
Racism: Soccer's new fashion?
It is abhorrent. It is degrading and demoralizing. Racial abuse has no place in modern society or any other society for that matter. It is not cool, clever or humorous. It is simply unacceptable. But is racism becoming soccer's latest fashion?
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Soccer
Harry in no hurry for England
In the uncertain, unpredictable world of professional soccer, one thing is certain. One does not turn down, arguably, the job of English manager. Saying no to the Football Association guarantees the invitation will not come a second time. So what is Harry Redknapp to do?
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Soccer
Gerrard must lead England at Euro 2012
They couldn't wait to swing the axe. The canvassing of board members was
swift and decisive. As a result England will need a new captain to lead
it into battle at Euro 2012. Capello will surely turn again to Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool veteran has been leading by example for years.
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Soccer
Canada must face Olympic reality
The United States and Canada are going to the London Olympics. Canada
did exactly what was expected of it in Vancouver. No more, no less.The Canadians should be happy with their performance, but their work is just beginning, writes Nigel Reed.
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Soccer
Americans earned right to rejoice
I think now I have heard it all. A coach criticized for celebrating her
team's success? Not only is it absolute nonsense, it misses the point
entirely.
Last time I checked, soccer was a competitive sport. The object of the
exercise is to beat your opponent by scoring as many goals as possible
in the time permitted. The margin of victory is only relevant in a
competition where goal difference or head-to-head comparison is used as a
tiebreaker.
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Canada
Canada's women's soccer team has plenty to prove
It has taken a while but finally he gets to play at home. After nearly six months in charge, John Herdman is ready to showcase his winners. They had better keep winning.
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Soccer
Rongen's the right choice for TFC
He might just be the single most important signing ever by Toronto FC.
If he could turn the world's worst team into winners, imagine what
Thomas Rongen could do with some of Canada's top young prospects. The
55-year-old Dutchman is the man handpicked by TFC head coach Aron Winter
to run the club's new Academy.
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Soccer
Canada's MLS squads should temper expectations
Unless an MLS franchise makes the right choice for its head coach, the team
is consigned to meander through the regular season without ever making a
serious run at the playoffs. And that is where Canada's three MLS squads should be concerned.
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Soccer
2011: A Canadian soccer snapshot
It has been a memorable year for Canadian soccer. A new Canadian franchise in Major League Soccer, the Women's World Cup
and a Canadian team reaching the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF
Champions League. Here are a few of soccer analyst Nigel Reed's favourite Canadian moments on the pitch from 2011.
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Soccer
Barcelona's world crown proves costly
Tell us something new. We already knew Barcelona was the best club side
in the world. They didn't have to go traipsing off to Japan to prove it.
The locals loved it but few others shared their passion or interest for
a competition lacking in credibility or heritage.
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Canada
Who is the next great Canadian?
Who is the next great Canadian? It is a fait accompli. There was no need for a vote. One player stood head and shoulders above the rest and is well on his way to become the greatest this country has ever seen. When Dwayne De Rosario is named 2011 Canadian Player of the Year later this week, he will have scooped the annual award four times in the space of seven seasons. His performances for club(s) and country were, by and large, professional, proficient and impactful.
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Canada
Canada and the de Guzman dilemma
Canada needs Jonathan de Guzman. He, apparently, now needs Canada. He would be a valuable addition to the national team, perhaps even a game changer.
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Soccer
Drawing the line with video technology
It is on the way. It is no longer a question of if but when. That merely
leads to another question, as yet unanswered, and potentially
unanswerable: where do you draw the line with video technology?
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MLS
Beckham's legacy: Raising the bar
He came. He saw. He finally conquered.
It took five years and cost upwards of 30 million dollars. Along the way
he upset team-mates and fans, frustrated coaches and battled career
threatening injuries. But ultimately David Beckham emerged a winner and
Major League Soccer can count its blessings.
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Soccer
Canada can be cautiously optimistic
And so the curtain falls on Act 1 of Canada's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. There will now be a seven-month intermission before Act 2 commences. Whether or not Act 3 ever materializes remains to be seen.
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MLS
Beckham can put the 'Major' in MLS Cup
The stage is set. The pioneer is on the brink of achieving another
milestone. It could be his last in a colourful career which has spanned
nearly 20 years. If so it would be a fitting finale for the man and
provide a huge boost for the sport in a land where soccer has never been
king.
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Canada
Opportunity knocks for Canada
It was always a means to an end. The finish line is now in sight and
Canada must sprint across it. This is not a time to jog the last few
metres. This is a time to complete the course with a swagger and
something to spare.
It is not about ifs, but when and how. Gaining the requisite point
against St. Kitts & Nevis to advance to the third stage of World Cup
qualifying will be achieved. It is about earning respect from future
opponents, much of which was lost at the abortive Gold Cup campaign back
in the summer.
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MLS
Toronto FC - A fan's tale
He has been a season ticket holder since Day 1. He has already renewed for 2012. He has pricey seats halfway in the West stand at BMO Field. He is going to give it one more year.
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MLS
Canada can be proud of Toronto FC
He didn't need much persuading. When it was over Ashtone Morgan sat in the visitors' dressing room, draped in a Maple Leaf flag he collected from a fan while leaving the field. The night belonged to Toronto FC. The victory belongs to Canada.
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Canada's rare hat trick
It has been a while coming. Fifteen years to be precise. It was 1996 - a year in which football "came home" with England hosting, and failing to win, the European Championships, and the launch of a new venture in the United States christened Major League Soccer.
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Soccer
The differing fortunes of Canada's clubs
That's that then. We can roll down the blinds and shut up shop for another year. A year best forgotten by Canadian soccer fans. Nothing much to be proud of in a season which promised so much.
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Soccer
The Whitecaps: End of an Empire
The bright lights of downtown are beckoning. The multi-million dollar facelift is complete. Empire Field, the temporary home of the Vancouver Whitecaps, has been used for the last time. The players probably can't wait to see the back of it. They arranged a party with fireworks. Most Whitecaps fans declined the invitation. They were halfway home by the time Seattle's players danced on the turf holding aloft the Cascadia Cup in front of their jubilant travelling supporters following Saturday's 3-1 win.
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Soccer
Canadian Hoilett nearing career crossroads
It is one of the most tantalizing stories in Canadian soccer. It has become a long running saga without a conclusion. Fans and media alike have been clamouring for an answer only to be left hanging. Theories abound but no one knows for sure how it will end. It seems we are inching closer to the outcome. Talks are ongoing which may well impact the decision making process. Then, for better or worse, we will know, once and for all, whether David 'Junior' Hoilett wants to play for Canada.
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Soccer
Toronto's Trillium triumph has a hollow ring
The 2012 MLS Superdraft should be interesting. My advice - tune in early
or you'll miss all the Canadian teams picking their stars of the
future. At this rate Canada's franchises will be first, second and third
on the podium.
Montreal will get first go. As the expansion team, the Impact is invited
to select what it considers to be the best college prospect.
Thereafter, in the interests of parity, the next best players go to the
previous season's worst teams. Step forward Vancouver and Toronto.
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Soccer
Herdman's hard work starts here
He describes it as a 'dream move'. No kidding. In his shoes I would be
waking up nightly and pinching myself just to be sure it is not, in
fact, a dream.
John Herdman has just won soccer's equivalent of the lottery. His
future, in the commercially fragile world of women's football, is
secure. His new reality will bring him to Canada to head a program which
has stable funding, decent players, and a mission to accomplish.
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Soccer
Oscar celebration may not last
For some this is just the start. For others this will be as good as it gets. Life has a way of handing us opportunities. What we do with them is up to us. The decisions we take ultimately shape the people we become, for better or worse.
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Soccer
Martin Rennie: the next Great Scot?
It is one of soccer's stranger anomalies.
In a country of five million inhabitants, where the national team has never progressed beyond the first round of the World Cup, how come Scotland has produced some of the finest managers the game has ever known?
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Soccer
Soccer should follow rugby's lead
In a month's time the Rugby World Cup, played every four years, will kick off in New Zealand. Canada will be there, walking among the giants of the game. So will the United States, a.k.a. the Eagles, and as part of their preparations they squared off in Toronto at BMO Field for the first time in 12 years.
There is one marked difference between soccer and rugby, two sports historically defined as "association football" and "rugby football." The man in the middle. The neutral referee, Mark Lawrence from South Africa, is widely regarded as one of the Top 5 officials in the world.
One word amply described his relationship with the players: Respect.
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Soccer
Canada must exploit its good fortune
If the old idiom is true, there are interesting times ahead. If, indeed 'you have to be good to be lucky', we are about to find out how good Canada is. There is no question Canada has certainly struck lucky in the preliminary draw for 2014 World Cup in Brazil. If progressing to the third round of CONCACAF qualifying proves to be anymore than a formality for Stephen Hart's team, the problems are far more severe than we feared.
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Soccer
Last chance for Canadian glory
We got short-changed. We might even have got ripped off. We bought the dream but the delivery never showed up. We should have read the small print. This isn't a refrigerator or an automobile. This product doesn't come with a guarantee.
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5 things we learned from the Women's World Cup
It is now part of history. The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup is over for winners, losers and spectators alike. There was incredible drama, great goals, embarrassing mistakes and some wonderful memories.
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Germany's fabulous final four
Somehow they survived the big scare. Just when they thought they were out, Abby Wambach pulled them back in. The rest should be plain sailing for the United States.
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Bigger isn't better for the Women's World Cup
When the camera is turned off I can relax and put my feet up. I can go get a coffee and a muffin, go back to my desk and watch the drama unfold. There's actually a little bit more to my job than that, but I will attempt not to bore you with the minutiae.
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World Cup stars missing in action
The stars are beginning to emerge in Germany. It is always a team effort, of course, but every team has its leading lady. They are the game changers, who lead by example and inspire those around them.
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Japan not such a dark horse in Germany
We know all about Germany. The powerful hosts are into the quarter-finals bidding for a hat trick of Women's World Cups.
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Solid start for U.S. at World Cup
Abby Wambach doesn't need a reminder. The times they are a-changing and she knows it. The playing field of women's soccer is no longer as lopsided as it was when she won the first of her 150 plus international caps ten years ago.
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Germany's field of dreams
Some have worked and waited a lifetime for this chance. A combination of sacrifice, dedication and determination has all led to this moment. There is one mission. Become World Champions.
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Soccer
Canada a soft touch in CONCACAF
I didn't want to speak to him and I told him so. Canada head coach Stephen Hart was the last person I wanted to interview on my weekly radio show the day after Canada's final Gold Cup group game.
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Morace given a free pass by Canada
At last we can all be friends again. The deal has been done with all obstacles removed. No more negative rumour and speculation. Now we can look forward, with glowing hearts, to seeing Canada rise to meet the challenges ahead in Germany. Carolina Morace is staying. The Italian head coach has shaken hands with the Canadian Soccer Association on a new deal which keeps her in the post until the 2012 London Olympics. Perhaps she'll still be around when Canada hosts the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.
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Soccer
Morace given a free pass by Canada
At last we can all be friends again. The deal has been done with all obstacles removed. No more negative rumour and speculation. Now we can look forward, with glowing hearts, to seeing Canada rise to meet the challenges ahead in Germany.
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Soccer
Whitecaps must 'learn how to win'
Remember a couple of weeks back how Barcelona reduced Manchester United to tears? Try as they might, the English champions couldn't get the ball off their Spanish counterparts. When they did gain possession, United couldn't hold onto it.
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Soccer
Canada's Gold Cup quest: Respect
It is a wonderful time for Canadian sports fans. A Canadian team is playing for the Stanley Cup for the first time in four years. A Canadian team is going to Germany, prepared and focused on success at the Women's World Cup.
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Soccer
Canadian rivals set for classic finale
Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps are 90 minutes away from lifting the Voyageurs Cup - a trophy which has taken on Holy Grail proportions for BC's finest.
There is reason to believe Toronto will retain the trophy. Equally there is an argument to support the Whitecaps' dream of glory. Let's hope, for the sake of the game, it's a classic encounter.
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Soccer
Manchester United joy casts a shadow over Liverpool
Michael Owen allowed himself a smile. Nothing more, at least not publicly. It was tinged with relief, satisfaction and restrained celebration. While his Manchester United teammates danced and sang to their travelling fans at Blackburn's Ewood Park, Owen's body language told a different story. An unused substitute, he was at the party but didn't really know anyone.
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Soccer
MLS marquee match-ups are the way forward
It is about making an impact - the ability to effect change. A deft touch, a mazy run, a glancing header. Having the skill to execute and the confidence to pull it off.
Los Angeles and New York are both making an impact. It comes as no surprise the Galaxy and the Red Bulls lead their respective Major League Soccer conferences. Their first head to head of 2011 ended as it began with nothing resolved - a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
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Soccer
Missing fans must back Canadian Championship
The Nutrilite Canadian Championship is on the rise. In just three years
the competition has firmly established itself in the hearts and minds of
fans across the country. They have embraced it and made it relevant.I am an ardent fan of this competition. It has a uniquely Canadian
flavour and gives the winner a chance to represent the country across
the continent. But it cannot be allowed to become an endangered species
because of absent fans.
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Soccer
The battle for Canada and beyond
Because we can, let's remove some hurdles. When Real Madrid faces Real Salt Lake at FIFA's Club World Cup in December it will all have been worthwhile. Major League Soccer will finally have come of age.
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Soccer
Canadian rivals playing by the numbers
What is it about Roman numerals? Six hundred years after the fall of the Eastern Empire they are still in common use.
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Soccer
Growing pains for Whitecaps
You only get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card. The Vancouver Whitecaps played theirs against Sporting Kansas City. Expecting another miracle in Houston's humidity was too much to ask. Fatigued by a hectic schedule and weakened by injuries and suspensions, salvation was beyond the Whitecaps. It is the nature of the business and Canada's newest MLS franchise needs to deal with it.
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Soccer
Whitecaps' persistence pays off
I have heard it hundreds of times. I have taken part in such proceedings on many occasions. It is the archetypal post-game interview, which I have taken the liberty to decode.
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Soccer
The darker side of Eric Hassli
Eric Hassli knows better. Yes, there was provocation but he needs to be smarter. Getting himself sent off in a 1-0 loss in Philadelphia on Saturday not only cost the Vancouver Whitecaps at least a point on their first Major League Soccer road trip, but his lack of discipline will have wider implications.
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Soccer
MLS newcomers eye Golden Boot
Remember Chris Wondolowski? He was the MLS journeyman who came from nowhere to grab the Golden Boot last season. The San Jose striker has no chance of defending his title if early signs are anything to go by. It's been a while since any player topped 20 goals in the regular season. Landon Donovan hit 20 in 2008 but the mark has only been achieved twice in the last eight years. An additional four games per club should make the goal that much more attainable in 2011. The opening weekend of the new campaign offered some clues as to Wondo's successor. There were plenty of goals - some classy, some comical - to whet the appetite for the league's 16th season. And several newcomers have already made their mark.
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Soccer
Journey's end for Canada's World Cup cricketers
When the end came, it wasn't pretty - just pretty predictable. Canada's
fourth campaign at the Cricket World Cup was no more successful than the
previous three. It concluded with a one-sided loss to Australia and
featured just a single victory to demonstrate their collective effort.
Unloved and largely unnoticed by the majority of the Canadian public and
its media, Canada's players will return home to embrace a fleeting
summer in which to work on their game. Anonymity is assured on a
continent which has chosen to disregard the sport.
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Soccer
2011 MLS Eastern Conference preview
Here are my thoughts on how the Eastern Conference will shape up this year:
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Soccer
Sir Alex must give the media its due
He is the Godfather of modern day soccer. His achievements are unparalleled. His longevity is extraordinary in an industry where insecurity is the norm.
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Soccer
Canadian kids have a bright future
It has been a long time coming, but will it be worth the wait? Canada is on its way back to the Under 17 World Cup for the first time in 16 years. It is welcome news and may be the first sign that Canadian player development is paying a tangible dividend.
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Soccer
2015: The case for Canada
The bid is in. The wait will not be long. Early next month FIFA's top brass will make a decision, which will directly affect the growth of Canadian soccer. For the good of the game it is imperative the Women's World Cup comes to Canada in 2015. It is a no brainer. It is a two horse race in theory alone. Canada takes women's soccer seriously and has a successful history of hosting FIFA events. It has government support to the tune of $15 million and an infrastructure in place to support the bid.
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Soccer
Rooney: A goal to rival the greatest
Don't worry if you missed it. You'll be seeing it again, and again, and again for decades to come. Sceptics sometimes wonder why fans refer to the sport as The Beautiful Game. Wayne Rooney's wonder goal in the Manchester derby is all the explanation they will ever need.
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Soccer
Morace's departure was inevitable
Rarely is there smoke without fire. The rumours had been doing the rounds for months. Despite on field success, disharmony was festering away from the pitch. Patience, on both sides, had worn paper thin until, finally, it was torn apart. Carolina Morace is renowned for her coaching ability. Her knowledge of the game, her connections, and her international reputation is impeccable. To her players she is simply an inspiration. Morace doesn't hope for the best - she demands success.
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Soccer
MLS and the great Canadian compromise
It's about time.
The Canadian Soccer Association and Major League Soccer have talked. They will continue to talk. A long-term dialogue between the governing body and the top professional league in North America can only be good for the game.
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Soccer
Canadian women must not dwell on defeat
It had to happen sooner or later. There is no surprise it occurred when it did. Canada's impressive unbeaten run came to a predictable end against the old enemy in China. Let's face facts here. Canada hasn't beaten the United States for over ten years. The Americans have virtually dominated top spot in FIFA's Women's World rankings since their inception in 2003. In the women's game their genuine challengers are few and far between.
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Soccer
Canada must put its house in order
My wife was right. She usually is. I should have done it in
the fall. Had I taken her advice I wouldn't be in the mess I am now. I am
fighting a daily battle - a battle I cannot win. Only Mother Nature can save
me. But she won't - at least not for a couple of months.
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Soccer
Rooney could be heading for Canada
When it comes to mildly misleading headlines, I take responsibility for this one. I'm not lying you understand. There is a possibility the caption may become reality following Thursday's MLS SuperDraft. It all depends on whom the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC select. John Rooney has a famous surname. It is one he shares with Manchester United and England superstar Wayne. Sadly he doesn't share the talent of his world famous older brother. Rooney junior is hoping his skill, not his name, will help him launch a new career in North America.
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Soccer
4 reasons to love Canadian soccer in 2011
I have finally learned my lesson. Predictions can go horribly wrong.
In the late summer of 2010 I was told, in complete confidence and with absolute certainty, the United States would host the 2022 World Cup. The 'authoritative' source shall remain nameless to save him from any embarrassment. Here's what we actually know. Barring a cataclysmic meteor strike, the sun will rise and set for the remainder of the year. I'm a journalist not a clairvoyant. 2011, however, has the potential to be a landmark year for soccer in Canada.
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Soccer
2010's winners and losers
Doubtless, anticipating a backlash, Sepp Blatter got his excuses in first. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice the lecture he delivered about being good winners and losers before announcing the successful bids for the World Cups of 2018 and 2022. As a matter of fact he's right. In football, as in life, for every winner there is a loser. For every tale of victory there must also be a story of the vanquished. For every smiling Muscovite, there is an angry Englishman; for every fist pumping Qatari, a frustrated American. Taking my cue from the self styled Godfather of world soccer, without fear or favour, I offer my own personal list of 2010's winners and losers. Please feel free to add yours to the debate below.
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Soccer
Canadian rivals set for grand opening
In less than 90 days the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC had better be ready. Canadian soccer history will be made when the two go head to head on the opening weekend of Major League Soccer's 2011 season.
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Soccer
Keep the jokes to yourself, Mr. Blatter
Billy Connolly, Jackie Mason and Rick Mercer are among a group of comedians I would pay to see perform. Sepp Blatter is not on my list of the world's great comics. So why does the most powerful man in world football think he's funny?
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Soccer
Keane should be keen on Whitecaps
He's opinionated, arrogant and, at times, petulant. He wears his heart on his sleeve and has passion to spare. He could be just what the Vancouver Whitecaps need to make a splash in Major League Soccer.
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Soccer
Canada can make progress in Germany
Canada will face the ultimate test in the host Germans at next year's FIFA Women's World Cup and will have to hit the ground running.
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Soccer
What price another North American World Cup?
If MLS commissioner Don Garber is attempting to curry favour with FIFA's top brass, he can be sure they got the message.
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Soccer
Rapids may have to jump through Hoops in Toronto
It doesn't exactly set the pulses racing. It can hardly be described as a must-see event. Yet MLS Cup 2010 might just be a cracking game of football.
In the red corner, FC Dallas, the sole remaining MLS original franchise never to have appeared in the end of season showpiece. In the burgundy corner, the Colorado Rapids, who made it to the big dance in 1997 only to play second fiddle to the then-indomitable DC United.
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Soccer
Canada, the True Strong North
Go ahead - celebrate! The mission has been accomplished with panache.
Canada is going to the 2011 Women's World Cup and, on recent evidence,
not just to make up the numbers.
Canada's qualification is not a surprise. Indeed, it would have been
more of a shock had this team failed to secure one of the two automatic
berths on offer from the CONCACAF tournament in Mexico. After all,
Canada has been to each of the last four World Cups.
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Soccer
Galaxy, Bulls charging towards Toronto
Edson Buddle insists he meant it. He would, wouldn't he? It doesn't matter a jot whether he did or didn't. What does matter is Los Angeles have done the hard part as a result of Buddle's speculative/intentional long-range winner in Seattle.
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Soccer
MLS playoffs are a farce
I must be going soft in the head.Maybe it's an age thing, or perhaps I have been in North America too long. Whatever the reason, and against my better judgment, I am prepared to admit I have become a fan of Major League Soccer's end-of-season playoffs. Just not the way they are currently constructed. It is plain wrong and needs fixing.
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Soccer
Hesmer's heroics will live long in the memory
It's soccer's equivalent of a blue moon. It's totally unexpected, it's instant headline news, and it's a moment you'll remember as long as you live.
- Soccer Toronto FC must clear the decks They knew it was over before a ball was kicked. So what exactly was Toronto FC playing for at the Home Depot Center last weekend?Pride in the jersey and contracts for next year? I must have missed it. A series of scoring opportunities were wasted before one of the worst teams in Major League Soccer, which had lost its previous three games, took control and gave the visitors a lesson in finishing.
- Soccer Making Canada matter I walk a fine line. I am both a journalist and a fan but I am neither a cynic nor a cheerleader. I am a close observer but I am not interested in getting too close. To do so would risk forfeiting my objectivity. Thus, I choose to keep it, respectfully, at arm's length. Maintaining balance and neutrality is sometimes easier said than done. The last few days have reminded me once again of the incredible, almost irresistible, captivating power of sport. There is no age, race, class or creed barrier dividing us - just a mass of humanity pulling in a single direction.
- Soccer Toronto FC needs urgent upgrade It was a landmark day in Canadian soccer. For the first time in MLS history, Canadian coaches were in charge of both teams. Pity a few for more Canadian fans didn't bother to show up. Nick Dasovic and Frank Yallop were once teammates on the Canadian national team. Yallop earned 52 caps while the last of Dasovic's 63 appearances, at the age of 35, coincided with Yallop's first game in charge of the national team early in 2004.
- Soccer Toronto FC must do the right thing It occurred to me over the weekend: Toronto FC is, for the first time, being run by Canadians. The British-American-Serbian power base has been cast aside. All the men entrusted with the immediate future of the franchise are from around here. I hope it makes a difference. I hope, like Terry Fox, they are proud Canadians determined to do the right thing. Earl Cochrane, Jim Brennan and Nick Dasovic among others have been given the mandate and authority to change the fortunes of the franchise.
- Soccer Problems persist for Toronto FC When it came, the end was as swift as it was surprising.The dark, toxic cloud finally lifted and the sun beamed down. At last, the air had been cleared and the fear factor removed. It was a year late but, as they say, better late than never.
- Soccer The Canadian national team - an overlooked attraction It is the final weekend of the Canadian National Exhibition. It is Labour Day weekend - the last few hours of freedom before children return to school. One last chance to enjoy the retreating summer before the classroom demands their attention and stress levels skyrocket among adolescent students.
- Soccer Give Canada time to play The club versus country monster is on the prowl again. For once, this is not a problem of Canada's making. But it is a major problem in North America that needs addressing and fixing. No sooner is the European season underway than it is closing its door for a fortnight. No English Premier League, no La Liga, no Serie A, no Bundesliga until nearly mid-September. You can put away your Manchester United, Juventus, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich scarf. You won't need them in the near future. Instead it's time to break out your flag of choice for the first time since the World Cup.
- Soccer Toronto FC has a mountain to climb Perhaps I should go away more often. Hang on! Before you ignore the rest of this blog and rush to the comment section to add "And don't bother coming back!" let me first confirm it's a rhetorical suggestion. My sporadic absences, though, seem to have had a positive effect on Toronto FC. In the summer of 2007, the Reds hammered FC Dallas 4-0, a result which still stands as the team's biggest margin of victory in Major League Soccer. I missed the match due to a family vacation.
- Soccer Toronto FC savour the moment What just happened? We may just have witnessed the finest week in the history of Toronto FC. Either that or they survived against a pre-season Honduran team and wobbled before beating one of the weakest clubs in Major League Soccer.
- Soccer Stars start to descend on Major League Soccer The once level playing fields of North America may be gone for good. All of a sudden parity appears to be a dirty word. The post-World Cup transfer market is in full swing and veterans of South Africa are arriving by the boatload to sign on for Major League Soccer.
- Soccer Toronto FC carries Canada's hopes They display the maple leaf on their arms for a reason. Never will the symbol mean so much as when Toronto FC represents our nation in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday.
- Soccer Old habits die hard for Toronto FC It was like catching a rerun of an old TV show we never liked in the first place. All the original characters were there, trotting out their predictable lines. It wasn't funny enough to be comedy, nor compelling enough to be drama. The passing of time made it no more watchable.
- World Cup heroes and villains A new World Champion on a new World Cup continent. An eighth name has been added to those already engraved on the base of the FIFA World Cup trophy. No more monkeys on generations of Spanish backs.
- Germany's pointless place on the 'podium' Congratulations to Germany for finishing third at the FIFA World Cup. In the so-called "bronze medal" game they held sway over Uruguay. Except there are no medals, and there is no point.
- Perfect Holland may be unbeatable I am prepared to give the Netherlands, in general, and Robin van Persie in particular, the benefit of the doubt. Holland's unblemished march to the World Cup Final has to be admired. I just wish the margin of victory had not left a quizzical taste in the mouth.
- Brazil, Ghana fail to close the deal In the end Brazil and Ghana lost more than a football match. The Black Stars, carrying the hopes of an entire continent, lost their nerve. Brazil, the most powerful force in the world game, lost the plot.
- World Cup final four looks crystal clear Would the following nations please step forward: Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina and Spain. The rest of you can stand down and pack your bags.Don't get me wrong. I don't want to dismiss the World Cup quarter-finals as non events. But I'm hard pressed to believe the final four won't involve the aforementioned teams.
- World Cup credibility on the line Another day, another controversy. Or, in this case, two for the price of one which the 2010 World Cup and the watching world could have done without. Like the goals England sloppily conceded to Germany, these mistakes were entirely preventable. Yet FIFA continues to score own goals by ignoring the issues. When will football's rulers wake up and accept their resistance to change is seriously damaging their product?
- World Cup 'winners' and 'losers' Onto the Round of 16 and not a moment too soon! Thank heavens the 2010 World Cup will see no more posturing for position by nations more concerned with not losing than taking the game by the scruff of the neck and winning. The knockout stages are upon us. There are no second or third chances for the losers -- only a flight home. For some it will be a fond farewell following a job well done. For others it will be a long, bumpy ride where players will gaze into space and ponder international retirement. But before we get to the meat of the tournament, let's take a moment to reflect. I offer a purely personal view of my top three World Cup 'winners' and 'losers' so far.
- A Canadian Apology - eh! I'm not showing up for work on Friday. No breakfast script meeting for me. No need for our lovely makeup lady Amy to try and make me look respectable on set under the studio lights. I have a prior engagement. While the boys are setting up Brazil against Portugal in a Group G decider, I'll be out of town. After five years and six winters, I'm finally in! Tomorrow morning at 08:30 AM ET, I become a Canadian citizen.
- A shame for Tshabalala It was a day South Africa hoped it would not see. The vibrant, diverse host nation became the first in the 80 year history of the FIFA World Cup to fall at the first hurdle. Never before has the home country failed to negotiate the group stages. Bafana Bafana can feel a little hard done by. Despite a lowly world ranking, which wouldn't have got them close to the World Cup had they not been staging it, the South Africans can walk away with their collective heads held high.
- Kaka shouldn't be banned On Father's Day, appropriately enough, I am reminded at the end of Day 10 at the FIFA World Cup there are two things I cannot abide: Cheating and disrespect, which are appalling characteristics one tries not to pass onto one's offspring. If I can manage to get the message across to my children, why can't some of the head coaches do likewise with a bunch of grown men in South Africa?
- England lacks the courage of St. George Against the Americans, England were below their best. Against Algeria, they were shambolic.
- No Plan B for Spain From a possession perspective, they played sumptuous soccer. We knew that coming in. What we didn't know is that Spain doesn't have a backup plan. Or at least if they do, we didn't see it in evidence during their shock defeat to Switzerland.
- Italy ill at ease If the World Cup has taught us anything about Italy as a soccer nation, it is this: the Azzurri begin slowly and grow as the tournament progresses. The Italians do just what is required and no more to keep themselves heading in the right direction.
- A blue day for Green Let's not mince words here. It was a schoolboy howler - I know it, England knows it and Robert Green knows it.
- Heskey the unsung hero He has spent an entire career being abused and criticized. We can all think of a reason or two why Emile Heskey should be on the beach and not in South Africa. The fact he is preparing for his second FIFA World Cup, eight years after his first, is a testament to his durability. It also proves Heskey has something coaches like. He's never been a prolific goal scorer so it can't be that. He's not the most mobile or speediest striker the world has ever produced. Despite his shortcomings, however, Heskey continues to win the approval of England managers.
- Soccer Toronto FC must learn from history A third of the way through the 2009 MLS season, I penned a blog entitled: "Is TFC on track for the playoffs?" A year ago, I mused that after 10 games, with 13 points on the board, Toronto might finally accumulate 39 points. The prediction proved accurate - one point short of the post-season.
- MLS a springboard to the World Cup Statistics are designed to be massaged. Numbers can be made to look just about as good or compelling as the subject demands. It all depends on how good a salesman you are. The final American roster for the FIFA World Cup is a perfect example. Is it proof positive Major League Soccer has come of age? Or merely confirmation MLS is a convenient stepping-stone to fatter foreign contracts? Bob Bradley's 23-man squad features only four men currently plying their trade in MLS. America's most influential player, Landon Donovan, is one of them. The LA star will be joined in South Africa by his Galaxy teammate Edson Buddle, Jonathan Bornstein of Chivas USA, and Salt Lake speedster Robbie Findley.
- Soccer Defence is the key for TFC If it's good enough for Inter Milan, it's perfectly acceptable for Toronto FC.The standard of play might be oceans apart, but the philosophy is identical. Keep your opponent at arm's length for as long as possible, and ensure adequate cover is available when necessary.It is not by chance that, after Saturday's 1-0 win over New England, Toronto FC has now played four and a half games without conceding a single goal.
- Georgie's welcome comes at a cost for Honduras David Beckham and Michael Ballack have been there, done that. Charlie Davies is young enough to be a lynchpin in four years time. Carlos Costly may have missed his only chance of playing at the World Cup. A month ago, the 27-year-old striker was bound for South Africa as part of the first Honduran team to reach the tournament in almost 30 years. Now he is coming to terms with the reality of being nothing more than a spectator.
- Soccer Toronto FC showing signs of strength For a time it was like watching a sapling in a storm. The branches swayed and bowed under the force of the gale but, despite its intensity, did not snap. The roots, young but strong, survived intact. To the immense credit of Toronto FC, the tempest was relatively short lived. For the entire first half and a decent portion of the second half, the visitors made themselves at home in Los Angeles. When the going finally got tough, the rearguard action stood up to the test.
- Buddle on the World Cup bubble The guessing games are over. Now, let the speculation begin! FIFA now has 32 confirmed rosters from the 2010 World Cup participants but, for some, soccer's global party will be bitter sweet. We're talking about players named in the provisional squads who will be ultimately be cut from the final 23. All the talk has been about those superstars left out by their national coaches. Ronaldinho, Totti and Vieira all know what it's like to win the World Cup. All are still active but none will be involved in the drama about to unfold in South Africa.
- Soccer Chelsea's celebrations have a hollow ring I am not a prophet - nor would I ever claim to be one. I am, however, a passionate and concerned supporter of the game who can't help feeling the wrong team is celebrating. Three men are chiefly responsible for Chelsea becoming champions of England. They are Carlo Ancelotti, Didier Drogba and Simon Beck. If the final name on the list is unfamiliar, it should be. Yet Mr. Beck's role is as important as any of Drogba's Golden Boot winning 29-goal haul. Allow me to refresh your memory. In my blog of April 5, I bemoaned the fact Drogba's blatantly offside winning goal against Manchester United was allowed to stand. Simon Beck was the assistant referee who, unbelievably, failed to raise his flag.
- A Spur for England at the World Cup Let me first be honest with you. I have been a passionate supporter of Tottenham Hotspur since the early 70s. Despite decades of isolated highs and rather too many lows, nothing will ever change my long-standing love affair with Spurs. If you follow the English Premier League, you will understand why I have been walking around with a grin like the Cheshire Cat in recent days. For the first time in modern history, Spurs have qualified for the UEFA Champions League. It is a remarkable achievement in a short space of time. In less than 18 months, Tottenham has hauled itself off the very bottom of the EPL to break the dominance of England's so-called "Big Four" of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
- Soccer Canada's pride of ownership The applause was already building as I attempted to continue the story. People began standing and cheering as I described Canada's dramatic victory at the 2010 CONCACAF U17 women's championship.
- Cannon fodder should be fired from World Cup Call it a perk of the job, but over the years I have been fortunate to get up close and personal with some of soccer's most iconic trophies. In 2001, for example, I literally got my hands on the oldest of the lot. Lifting the FA Cup (which had just been won by Liverpool) was a personal thrill I will always cherish. At heart I am just another fan who happens to get paid for following a sport I have always loved. You can imagine how excited I felt being inches away from, and having my photograph taken with, the FIFA World Cup Trophy during its recent, brief stopover in Canada.
- Soccer Pluses and minuses for Toronto FC First and foremost, a win's a win. When we remember the spring in the fall, the record book will tell us Toronto FC won its first two home games and earned its first clean sheet against Seattle. Three points on the board and goal difference improved. Case closed.
- A New World Order at World Cup? So Spain is going to win the World Cup right? Well, surely they will make the final in South Africa? Worst case scenario - Spain gets knocked out in the semis. We're talking about the number one ranked team in the world here. We're also talking about a team which, in the modern era, has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals. Over the course of 76 years, Spain has precious little to show for its 12 World Cup appearances.
- Soccer Toronto FC needs rapid improvement. Here is the good news: Adrian Cann is a keeper and Toronto FC sits just three points off a playoff place. End of good news - except to say Preki and his players have 26 games to get their act together. The new coach wants to make his team tough to play against and hard to beat. As of right now it isn't close to being either, as was clearly demonstrated in the morale sapping 3-1 defeat to the Colorado Rapids on Sunday. It's hard to legislate for individual errors but Toronto FC is fast turning them into an art form.
- French farce on the cards in South Africa So who do you reckon will be the first big name to fall at the World Cup? Which of the traditional heavyweights will be checking out after the group stages and heading home to a media mauling? Could it be Portugal? Worryingly and reluctantly, they have been dragged into the Group of Death and are seemingly more successful when Cristiano Ronaldo is not involved. What about Argentina? The South Americans have the world's best player but the world's best former player, Diego Maradona, cannot seem to get the best out of Lionel Messi. The correct answer is, of course, France. Don't take my word for it. Les Bleus are in real danger of an embarrassing first round exit according to one of their own.
- Soccer Highs and lows for Canadian rivals It has been suggested, primarily by my wife, that I show symptoms of manic depression. For example, I get stupidly excited when one of my daughters visits from the old country. By the same token, I am inconsolable after slicing my approach into the lake having hit the perfect drive.
- Herculez makes a strong case for Team USA It is Manna from Heaven. It is also a dilemma at a time when clear thinking and certainty of principle are paramount. Barely two months before the United States kicks off its World Cup campaign against England, Bob Bradley has a problem. A good problem - but a problem nonetheless. Just as American fans are wondering who's going to score the goals in South Africa, a saviour is emerging right on cue. Peaking to perfection is one Herculez Gomez, who is forcing the U.S. coach to cast his eye south of the border.
- Soccer Do assistant refs need assistance? For the record I am not a fan of either Manchester United or Chelsea. Nor do I experience wild mood swings depending on the results of either Bayern Munich or Fiorentina. I am simply a fan of fair play. And some of what I've been watching recently just ain't fair. Something has to be done - perhaps something radical. But we have a problem, which needs fixing once and for all.
- Mexico's Aguirre gearing up for another World Cup It is said one should never go back, loosely based on the principle it is never as good the second time around. Javier Aguirre has not only gone back but he firmly believes the relationship will be stronger than before and wants his people to dream big. The head coach of the Mexican national team is in the latter stages of planning his country's assault on the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Aguirre has been this way before. He took Mexico to South Korea/Japan in 2002 where, after a strong start, his team stumbled, disappointingly, against the U.S. in the round of 16.
- Soccer Vancouver Whitecaps' Paul Barber is a cut above MLS He must be stark raving mad and I told him so. How could he leave the team he's supported all his life, enjoying its best season in a generation, to join a club that isn't even yet part of the big league? He is Paul Barber, the recently hired CEO of the Vancouver Whitecaps. We have never met face to face but recently had an illuminating conversation on my weekly radio show. He left his post at Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month to lead the Whitecaps' transition into Major League Soccer next year.
- Suazo aiming to peak again for Honduras In football, as in life, timing is everything. Whether it's a change of career or the swing of a golf club, the better the timing, the better the outcome. Had Honduras qualified for the 2006 World Cup, David Suazo would have been one of the most feared strikers in Germany. Four years on it seems his dream will be fulfilled in South Africa but Suazo is no longer The Panther beloved of Cagliari and the pride of a nation.
- Soccer 2010 MLS Eastern Conference predictions CBC Sports commentator Nigel Reed breaks down Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference for the 2010 regular season.
- Beckham can still inspire England at the World Cup If the manager wants him and the players want him, that's good enough for me. David Beckham's dream of playing in a fourth World Cup is over. A ruptured Achilles tendon takes months of treatment and rehab, ending the long running debate over his respective value to Fabio Capello's England roster.
- Soccer Video technology must wait another year Quietly, without ceremony, it has slipped into history. The chance to change the rules of football has gone for another year. The annual meeting of the International Football Association Board, custodian of the Laws of the Game, came and went recently in Zurich. It will, perhaps, be remembered for what it did not do rather than what it did.
- Charlie Davies' recovery a huge boost for U.S. For most of us the winter has been relatively kind. Environment Canada has proclaimed it the warmest, driest winter on record. It has been the longest, cruellest winter of Charlie Davies' life but there is a new spring in his step, both literally and metaphorically. In a scene straight out of 'The Six Million Dollar Man', Davies, who was nearly killed last October, believes he will play at the World Cup in three months time.
- Soccer Return stop for Beckham, stop start for MLS Had the tie still been alive, the reception might have different - though somehow I doubt it. The biggest cheer of the night was not reserved for one of Manchester United's four goals. It was saved for a member of the opposition. For the first time in seven years, David Beckham was back at Old Trafford.
- Donovan makes his point and leaves his mark We heard it at the recent winter Olympics. We'll hear it again at the Ryder Cup in October. Now we've even heard it at Goodison Park. A soccer stadium, largely populated by 35,000 Englishmen, embraced the simplistic yet infectious chant: "USA...USA...USA" in recognition of an American who has left his mark.
- Soccer A big year ahead for Canadian soccer It’s OK to jump on football’s bandwagon in a World Cup year. If you want to drive around with a flag of choice adorning your vehicle, honking your horn in pride and celebration, I have no problem with that (on the understanding you don’t honk outside my house at two in the morning or behind me at a red light). It will be a memorable year, not only in South Africa, but also in our own backyard.
- USA must send out an important message It's a game where the result does not matter; except, of course, it does. It matters a lot.
- Soccer Communicate – don't bellyache It was two in the morning. Any hope of a solid night’s sleep was over. I fumbled for my dressing gown in the darkness and gingerly made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I filled the kettle and reached for the remote. Half an hour’s channel surfing would surely dull my senses enough to allow a return to the bedroom.
- Wayne Rooney: the best striker in the world It is corny but it is true. To borrow a line from Tina Turner's bestseller, he's "Simply the best - better than all the rest". Why? He's simply grown up. Wayne Rooney is, without question, the player opponents will fear above all others at the World Cup. The boy-man who burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old, leaving David Seaman groping at air, nearly eight years ago is now the complete footballer. Every facet of his game has been developed and improved. The raw, aggressive teenager has blossomed into the epitome of a 21st century soccer icon.
- Soccer Will Toronto FC kick off with Dickov? I am certain I am not the only one who remembers Mo Johnston’s first year pledge to the Toronto media. He promised not to sign aging vets in their mid-30’s for this franchise. I am assuming the goal-posts have not shifted even though 37 year old Paul Dickov is on trial for a second time. Dickov, currently in Florida with the rest of Preki’s playing staff, almost signed in 2008 but ultimately chose to return to the UK and rejoin Leicester City on a two year contract. That contract was recently cancelled after he returned from a loan spell at Championship rivals Derby County, allowing the Scotsman freedom of movement.
- Does England need a new left back for South Africa? A fortnight ago it was a non-issue. Of all the selection puzzles facing England manager Fabio Capello in the build up to the World Cup - the left back position was not one of them. Nothing could be more straightforward. Ashley Cole would be England's starter on the left side of the back four and Wayne Bridge would be his deputy. Now, with England's opening match against the US less than four months away, there is a question mark against either of them being on the plane to South Africa.
- Soccer 5 reasons why Toronto FC will make the playoffs in 2010 All things come to those who wait, or so it is written. For all we know it was actually written by a crusty old hermit who won the lottery, married a surgically enhanced bimbo 60 years his junior and died of gluttony within a year of his good fortune.
- Bradley's buildup: futile friendly or meaningful meeting? The Americans won't win the FIFA World Cup but no one can accuse the U.S. national team of not being properly prepared for the big event. Head coach Bob Bradley has summoned 23 players to a second training camp of the year in California, from which he'll select the team for a friendly international against El Salvador in Tampa Bay later this month.
- Soccer A painful journey for Canadian soccer Sometimes this column writes itself; sometimes it does not. At times the subject matter is so obvious I cannot type quickly enough to keep pace with my thoughts. On other occasions I pace around the home office searching for inspiration, distracted and unable to focus on a particular theme. Among the topics I considered this week were John Terry’s sordid secrets and why he should resign as England captain; Wayne Rooney’s 100th EPL goal and why he’s currently the world’s best striker and the return to pre-season training of Toronto FC and why Year Four will finally yield playoff soccer.
- Can Holden hold on to a World Cup spot? For Stuart Holden it is clearly about seizing the moment. The U.S. International is playing a game of "risk vs. reward" knowing his decision could cost him not only his reputation but also a place at the World Cup. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder has successfully jumped the first hurdle. A trial, which began at Burnley and continued at Premiership neighbours Bolton following manager Owen Coyle's defection from the Clarets to the Trotters, has netted Holden a short-term contract.
- Soccer Is fair play a thing of the past? When David Beckham gets booked in the first five minutes, you just know there’s going to be trouble. Referee Rocchi singled out the England midfielder in the opening exchanges of a highly charged Milan derby. By the time he blew his final whistle, the official had issued six yellow and two red cards prompting Inter manager Jose Mourinho to suggest a conspiracy was afoot to prevent his team winning the game.
- Wilson Palacios plays through the pain It is the dream scenario for any professional, playing at the highest level for your club accompanied by the rare bonus of performing at the World Cup. Wilson Palacios has it all before him - but he nearly missed the lot. The 25-year-old Honduran midfielder has endured the full gamut of emotions over the last year. Most of it had nothing to do with soccer but dealing with the aftermath of a family tragedy forced him to seriously consider quitting the game for good.
- Soccer Who's to blame for the Reds' ruin? There wasn’t long to sing and celebrate. Just long enough to tease and taunt the visiting fans with a couple of rousing choruses of “You’re not singing anymore,” and send Rafa’s Reds back up the motorway with a bloody nose. The point with which Liverpool escaped the Potteries proved scant consolation as the other three members of The Big Four found the requisite gears to accelerate further away from last season’s runner-up.
- Franco is on time for El Tri At best professional soccer is a short career. It therefore naturally follows the shelf life of an international player is shorter still. It is what you do with the time you have that counts. The breakout year for Guillermo Franco was a long time coming and with the World Cup now less than six months away the Mexican striker is finally primed to make a lasting impression.
- Soccer MLS Draft Day: Turning prodigies into pros It’s the ultimate game of “Pick Me!” The old schoolyard has been replaced by the plush Convention Center in Philly but, for the participants, the inner emotions are much the same.
- What can Adu do about the World Cup? Four years ago he was too young to be considered. Four years on he's just the right age to make an impression. Yet at 20, Freddy Adu appears farther away from his World Cup dream than he was at 16. As U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley overseas a training camp in California, Adu is settling into new surroundings in Greece - the latest, and possibly last, stop on a European tour which has yet to pay dividends.
- Soccer That old Cup magic strikes again Unless you are a member of the clergy, there is rarely a compelling reason to set your alarm on a Sunday morning. We are taught it is a day of rest, but soccer fans know better. An early rise on the first Sunday of the new year was well worth the effort. While other leagues lie dormant, English football goes back to basics. Some argue the FA Cup has lost its sparkle, that the tradition and heritage of the tournament has little relevance in the modern game. Yet for one weekend a year the world’s oldest competition continues to produce unparalleled drama.
- Hell-Bent on getting to the World Cup Fabio Capello has spelled out his criteria in no uncertain terms. To make his England squad for the 2010 World Cup there are two clear prerequisites: play often and play well. An absence of either means an invitation to South Africa will not be forthcoming. Should your surname be Terry, Rooney, Gerrard or Lampard - you're already on the guest list. But what if your name is Darren Bent? How well and how often must you perform over the next five months to get yourself an invite?
- Soccer Christmas comes early for EPL ref ‘Tis the season – even for the man in the middle. Christmas, it appears, came early this year for Mark Halsey. In truth it couldn’t come early enough for one of the most experienced referees in the English Premier League. Not that Mark’s been doing much refereeing of late. Indeed, he took charge of only one game this season before the bottom dropped out of his world. At the age of 48, and embarking on his final season before retirement, Halsey was suddenly an indiscriminate victim of cancer.
- MLS trying to hold onto Stuart Holden Landon Donovan may not be the only U.S. international heading for Europe to hone his skills in the run up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. As Donovan gets set to join Everton on a short-term loan, Stuart Holden is also being tempted to follow his lead. Holden, a 24-year-old Scottish-born midfielder with the Houston Dynamo, is being pursued by a number of clubs but if he goes he won't be back anytime soon. Holden is caught in a tug of war between remaining loyal to Major League Soccer and the temptation of returning to his roots.
- Soccer Hughes a victim of the power play It’s an old soccer joke. Unfortunately the joke isn’t funny: “Knock, knock” “Who’s there?” “Mark” “Mark who?” “That’s football!” Mark Hughes’ abrupt departure from Manchester City was as inevitable as it was indecent. The Welshman has been a marked man since the day the Middle Eastern millions came pouring through the doors at Eastlands 15 months ago.
- Donovan tuning up nicely for the World Cup and beyond I trust Landon Donovan has a sense of humour. For his sake he'll need one when he joins Everton on loan in the New Year. Merseysiders have a razor-sharp wit - it's almost part of their DNA. I lived, worked and played amongst 'Scousers' for five years and it took time to adapt and adjust to their unique sense of humour. It is part of the culture and has to be accepted for what it is.
- Soccer A little bit of history repeating for the Reds? I have searched high and low, in every nook and cranny I can imagine to the extent I can now assume only the worst. It must have got lost in transit. I have never been a hoarder of things in general. With the exception of some much loved but scratched 1970s vinyl featuring such luminaries as Elton John and Stevie Wonder in their heyday, and a handful of books including The Pythons autobiography, my home office is not a place cluttered with memorabilia. The sea-foam walls are decorated with a mixture of framed photos, depicting family and work colleagues with one area devoted to a potpourri of cherished written documents including a touching send-off from the BBC and my official Canadian Landing paper dated December 2005. There is a unique memory I would like to add to the collection. Alas it is nowhere to be found.
- Taking Honduras lightly might be a costly mistake They are the only World Cup finalists who display a letter as well as numbers on their jerseys. The letter, of course, is "H", presumably a reference to the country the players represent rather than a description of the esteem in which they are held. Honduras is back at FIFA's global party after an absence of nearly 30 years. A soccer-loving public, living in a land mired in political uncertainty, sees its players as heroes and perhaps a much-needed escape from reality.
- Soccer Major League Soccer's winter of discontent It all ended in a glorious upset. It could yet all end in tears. 2009 was very nearly the year in which Major League Soccer's shining star walked away with the glittering prize. It was also the year in which Team USA confounded its critics with a defiant performance at the Confederations Cup. David Beckham will, if he has his way, return to MLS in July 2010 after a winter in Milan and a month in South Africa. But what kind of League will he rejoin with the clock ticking down to the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement?
- Can Mexico take the pressure without the heat? It has been a long process but I think I have finally forgiven Peter Bonetti. The mental scars of a 10 year old whose world has just ended take years to heal. Mexico 1970 is where I come in as a fan of the international game. I would love to say I remember 1966 and all that, but my sole recollection of England's finest hour is World Cup Willie, the first tournament mascot, not Bobby Moore receiving the Jules Rimet Trophy from The Queen at Wembley Stadium.
- Soccer 'Boring' lifestyle leads to soccer longevity There’s an online petition containing nearly 20,000 signatures. It’s addressed to the Queen with a simple request: Knight Ryan Giggs.
- Soccer MLS wins despite Beckham's loss Oscar Wilde once observed: “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” Finally, people have stopped not talking about Major League Soccer. The Beckham bandwagon breezed through Seattle and from the summit of the Space Needle – specially repainted to resemble a soccer ball – MLS peered down, took a deep breath and enjoyed the view. The big experiment, which took almost three years to ferment, had finally been brewed to perfection. Like it or loathe it, David Beckham is news. The brand sells everything from newspapers to sunglasses and Major League Soccer needed Beckham to compete for its trophy like a dog needs a lamppost. It wasn’t a luxury – it was a necessity.
- Team U.S.A.: World Cup contenders or pretenders? It is a good time to be a fan of American international soccer. According to U.S. head coach Bob Bradley, 2009 has been an "excellent year." With the 2010 FIFA World Cup drawing closer by the day it is difficult to argue with his opinion.
- Soccer Beckham bounces back again It has taken three years but Major League Soccer has finally got David Beckham where it wants him. Two coaching changes, numerous hair styles, a detour via Milan and a controversial book later, the league’s biggest star gets to play in the year’s biggest game.
- Soccer Trio of Canadians feature in MLS Final Four Will Johnson could cycle to work this weekend. Chances are he’ll accompany his teammates on a coach to Toyota Park past his family home in Woodridge, Ill. It's less than 20 miles down Route 66 from the Chicago stadium where the Eastern Conference champions will be crowned on Nov. 14.
- Soccer Toronto FC must catch a good coach So now we know. Mo Johnston is staying. Deal with it. Toronto FC’s director of soccer has accepted his portion of the blame for the team’s failure to make the 2009 MLS playoffs. He’s also accepted an extended (and presumably improved) contract to remain in charge at BMO Field for another couple of years.
- Soccer No awards for Toronto FC I checked the forecast. It’s going to be a long, cold, harsh, bitter winter in Toronto. There will be no halcyon days on which to reflect while shovelling the driveway, no glorious recollections to force a smile as the wind chill bites at your face and brings water to your eyes. In those short days and long nights, will you risk the ridicule of co-workers and friends by wearing your TFC scarf and toque in broad daylight to protect yourself from the ravages of Mother Nature? The recriminations are in full flow as the wailing and gnashing of teeth rises to a crescendo among those who admit to being fans of Toronto FC.
- Soccer Canadian pride rests with Toronto FC Back in the old country, and the cradle of the global game, there’s a colloquial expression for just about every soccer scenario. Now we know what we know, which is precisely nothing as regards who gets a wildcard invite to the Major League Soccer post season and who doesn’t, the phrase “Hey Lads, Hey” springs to mind for the situation now facing Toronto FC. To the best of my knowledge, and I stand to be corrected on this, the expression, from the ancient Geordie dialect of North East England, roughly equates to “It’s all or nothing now” with a touch of “it’s win or bust” thrown in for good measure.
- Soccer Down to the wire for Toronto FC All soccer fans can agree on one thing. Regardless of gender, race, class or creed, those who follow the sport appreciate it is nothing if not a game of opinion.
- Soccer Hope springs eternal for Toronto FC The soccer gods are doing their best to keep smiling down on Toronto FC. With three games remaining, their playoff hopes have marginally improved despite a weekend of inactivity. Their prayers have not exactly been answered, but nor have they been dumped in the celestial shredder. Before you abandon this week’s blog and head to the bottom of the page to chastise me for my outlandish optimism, please allow me to share my two cents of realism. TFC’s chances remain slim but I do believe a strong finish is there for the taking.
- Soccer The good, the bad, and the inevitable Who needs 30 games when one tells you everything you need to know? All the necessary information about Toronto FC was contained in a single chapter in Chicago this past Saturday. The game was a microcosm of not just this season but, perhaps, the franchise to date.
- Soccer No Hollywood ending for Toronto FC I resorted to a guessing game over the weekend. I had no choice. I was out of town, out of touch and there were more pressing needs to attend to.
- Soccer Toronto FC still alive and upgraded To contort one of the more memorable lines from The Godfather series: "Just when you thought they were out – they pull themselves back in." As we have come to expect, Toronto FC presented us with a paradox of positive and negative messages but there is only one message which is important now – a win’s a win and the door to the post-season remains ajar.
- Soccer Inconsistency: the poison that is killing Toronto FC Saturday night I went to bed angry and frustrated. Sunday morning I woke up feeling much the same. This, I admit, was due in part to the fact my golf game had just been cancelled, but mostly it was a direct result of Saturday night.
- Soccer Toronto FC needs rapid improvement One of my favourite Canadian artists once mused about life's little ironies. Had she waited a few years, Alanis Morrisette could have written an extra verse about the ongoing toils of Toronto FC.
- Soccer No more road rage for Toronto FC Successful relationships rely on a number of factors. Love, honesty and trust are three essentials, but to my mind even these key ingredients are not enough. A relationship will not work, in the long term, if it is missing the glue, which binds it all together.
- Soccer Reds' rookies are still raw Alan Hansen has never been allowed to live it down. His bold, but flawed prophecy that: “You’ll never win anything with kids” is now the stuff of football folklore.
- Soccer Toronto FC needs to find new gears It’s funny how we get used to things, how we condition ourselves to both accept and react in a certain way. When I was back in the old country last week, not only did I have to remember to drive on the left in a right-hand drive, but also to reacquaint myself with a manual gearbox. The hire car was perfectly adequate for my needs, though things have changed a little. Instead of a parking handbrake I found myself pushing, or releasing, a simple knob between the front seats and instead of five forward gears, I noticed there are now six.
- Soccer Toronto FC remains in the danger zone This is not the way I planned it. I’m coming home empty handed. There is no excess baggage to check and there is no point making a fuss about what might have been. I had my chance and I blew it. Around this time of year I make an annual pilgrimage to the old country to visit family and friends. This year’s tour has been a veritable road trip, featuring stops in London, Leicester, Yorkshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight.
- Soccer It's time to love Toronto FC One of the first things I ever learned about Toronto was that all Canadians, except Torontonians, despised the city. It’s so expensive, it has no spontaneity, it’s not very friendly, the public transit is unreliable, it’s choked by smog, the media is Toronto-centric – the list of moans and groans goes on and on. And so it is with some trepidation I come to you this week with a simple appeal: Wherever you are across this vast country - give your love and support to Toronto.
- Soccer Toronto FC youngster seizes his chance On this day two years ago, Toronto was abuzz with noise, colour and celebration as a packed BMO Field staged the final of the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Argentina's young guns, led by Sergio Aguero, Mauro Zarate and the diminutive Maxi Moralez, came from behind to beat a spirited and determined Czech Republic team with a dramatic late winner on a warm summer’s afternoon. For some the tournament was a coming out party, a passport to European riches and soccer stardom. For others it was anything but.
- Soccer Toronto FC must wait for real rewards It's good to be recognized by yours peers. It's a tangible reward for a job well done, sometimes against the odds. It means you went above and beyond and achieved success. It also means you've just bought yourself some time. In the case of Chad Barrett, the recognition has been a while coming.
- Soccer Canadians spoiled for choice Take a moment before you plunge into this week's offering. Go to your "Happy Place" and dream of your perfect moment. No hurry here. Transport yourself to that once in a lifetime, self-indulgent experience which would leave you with aching cheeks simply because you could not stop smiling. Personally, I would land somewhere between playing a leisurely 18 holes with Nicklaus at Augusta in full bloom, and singing on stage with Sinatra at a sold-out Carnegie Hall.
- Soccer Toronto FC's half term report In all honesty I was never a great student. From French to history, my parents got used to a similar tone running through my invariably disappointing report cards. Sometimes I wondered if my teachers were ganging up on me – ready to send me home to face the music I didn’t want to hear. With the odd exception, the remark most often used was: “Tries hard - could do better”.
- Soccer Farewell South Africa, see you next year Farewell South Africa – thanks for having us. See you next year. The finale was fitting. Had it been the World Cup Final it would have become an instant classic. Had I been watching it at home I wouldn’t have been able to tear myself away from the screen. It was first and foremost a great game of football which had everything – drama, controversy, and a cliff-hanging climax.
- Soccer A real No. 10 for Toronto FC? Jersey numbers are pretty much meaningless in modern day soccer. The current professional is merely a digit or two on the roster in terms of the number on his back. ‘Twas not always thus. Before the days of garish shirt sponsorship, surnames emblazoned across the shoulders, and endless design tweaks forcing the loyal fan to be a slave to fashion, shirt numbers actually meant something.
- Soccer Americans Spark Spanish Inquisition Once in a while, endeavour triumphs over quality. Every now and then, commitment prevails over skill. Occasionally, honesty gets the better of expectation. But This! The US beats Spain at soccer! This is scarcely believable!
- Soccer World champions pay the price in Pretoria Don’t tell me Italy doesn’t care because, frankly, I don’t believe you.
- Soccer A memorable night for African football This was more than an upset, more than a shock result. This was a statement about the state of African soccer on African soil.
- Soccer Does Toronto FC need a new captain? I like Jim Brennan - I like him a lot. It’s difficult not to like him. He’ll always stops for a chat after practice and, in my experience, has never declined an interview request. On the field he’s an immensely proud Canadian who is genuinely passionate about leading his hometown team - Toronto FC. Brennan, like many of his fellow countrymen before him, was forced to travel abroad to make a living in soccer and, as a youngster, never imagined he’d have the chance to do so in his own backyard.
- Soccer Heavy weather for Group B heavyweights Well, of course, Brazil and Italy won their opening games in Group B. Was there ever any doubt they would prevail over the struggling Egyptians and the upstart Americans? As it turned out, there was plenty.
- Soccer Plenty of young talent to watch at Confederations Cup One of the pleasures of watching major global tournaments is the opportunity to witness young talent emerging from every corner of the world. Here are four players from Group B whom I expect to flourish at the Confederations Cup.
- Soccer Teamwork's not working for Toronto FC OK, cards on the table. I don’t trust Toronto FC at the back; I don’t expect much up front. But let’s return to that point in a minute.
- Soccer Toronto FC still short on stability Good Newsflash: Toronto FC only has to play Houston once more this season and the next three games are at home against beatable opposition. End of Good Newsflash. The acid test came and went and it left a sour taste in the mouth for Chris Cummins and company. To use Cummins' own description, it was a bad day at the office for Toronto FC which, instead of suffering a slow, lingering torture in Houston, was blown away by three bursts of rapid fire. In truth, we should not be too surprised, nor too upset about the outcome. Houston remains unbeaten at Robertson Stadium, where the Dynamo has conceded just two goals in six matches. However, what should concern Toronto FC players and fans alike was the manner of the defeat at both ends of the field.
- Soccer A coming out party for African soccer For all intents and purposes the Confederations Cup is now a full dress rehearsal for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
- Soccer "Kefi" kicks in for Toronto FC Conversations with my mother-in-law are generally brief and to the point. There is a reason for this, but before you jump to the conclusion that she's an interfering old battle axe whom I tolerate for the sake of family unity – think again. In fact, she neither interferes nor demands anything from me, other than to be a loyal husband to her eldest daughter. Only my wife could tell you how I'm doing in that department.
- Soccer Is Toronto FC on track for the playoffs? Comparisons are, by common consent, odious. With that in mind, I tread warily into this week’s commentary. However, with a third of the Major League Soccer regular season complete, it is perhaps an opportune moment to take stock of what we’ve seen so far from Toronto FC and, more significantly, where the team might he headed.
- Soccer Right or wrong, respect the ref I stood outside the headmaster's study trembling with fear. I could feel the pain before it had been administered. Once inside, I would be caned and be expected to take the punishment like a man. I was eight years old and I shouldn't have been there. It was not my fault. Even at such a tender age, I understood the meaning of injustice.
- Soccer Can Cummins cut it at Toronto FC? In his native land he’d have the same job. Only the title would have been different. In North America, Chris Cummins is the interim head coach of Toronto FC. On the other side of the Atlantic, he’d be referred to as the "caretaker manager." The titles may differ but the mission remains the same: his goal is to have the interim tag removed or, if you prefer, no longer be merely the caretaker. Whether or not Cummins realizes that ambition will rests on one thing, and one thing alone: Results.
- Soccer Was honesty the best policy? It was little more than a month ago when I asked John Carver the following question: “What have you learned in the last twelve months that will help you manage this team better?” The response was typically rapid and forthright: “I’ve learned that the [MLS] is not as easy as everybody makes it out to be...” he began. Prophetic? Perhaps. Honest? As the day is long – and in the end maybe a little too honest for his own good.
- Soccer Toronto FC rue costly defeat My mood reflected the weather.
- Soccer Groundhog day for Toronto FC By the time you read this I'll be in Niagara Falls. Again. After watching Toronto FC concede a late goal. Again. Against FC Dallas. Again.
- Soccer Would the real Toronto FC please stand up? It might have been Sesame Street - it was certainly a children’s educational program. In all honesty I can’t remember - but I certainly recall the illusion. The camera would focus in on a tiny part of a picture and slowly pull out to reveal the object as a whole while the host would encourage eager young minds. “Can you tell what it is yet?” he would ask as my siblings and I shouted at the television with our best guesses.
- Soccer Good fortune favours Toronto FC There is a good reason I don’t play the lottery. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way as a young boy and have come to appreciate as a not so young man. I have a vivid recollection of the fairground stall with its dazzling lights and loud music. I was a somewhat naive 10-year-old but, among the shiny new “Chopper” bicycles hanging tantalizingly from the rear wall, I didn’t need anyone to explain the banner which read “Every Ticket Wins a Prize!” The excitement grew as I handed over my coins in exchange for my ‘winning’ ticket. My mind was racing – should I ride my new bike home in the dark, where would I store it, and would my parents allow me to ride it to school on Monday?
- Soccer No magic, just hard work beat the Wizards My partner in crime, Jason de Vos, is not a fan of tabloid journalism. When we first began working together in the broadcast booth a year ago, he didn't like my snappy Keys to the Game headlines, complaining I was 'dumbing down' his serious pointers to the match ahead. When Toronto FC began Season 3 of the team's franchise at Kansas City, the tabloid headline writer in me surfaced again, champing at the bit to find an eye catching way of attracting readers and, with the 'Wizards' in opposition, it should have been a piece of cake.
- Soccer Full of Eastern promise Some things never change. Here we sit on the eve of another MLS season enmeshed in optimism and expectation only to discover the Eastern Conference standings remain pretty much as we left them five months ago. Chicago and Columbus lead the way while Toronto FC brings up the rear. Happily, from Toronto’s perspective, these placings have nothing whatsoever to do with results or performances and everything to do with alphabetical order.
- Soccer Performance-related pay for Toronto FC In soccer, as in all professions, there is an agreed rate for the job. The compensation is based on a number of criteria, including age, experience and skill plus, to an extent, a perceived market value. Generally speaking, an impact player - one who scores or creates goals - will earn more than a defensive midfielder or a fullback. A striker, for example, is the one who will finish the chances, receive the fans' adulation, grab the media headlines, sell more replica jerseys and collect the biggest cheque because of his value to the organization. This practice might seem a little insensitive on his teammates who, after all, did all the donkey work setting up the opportunity in the first place. But soccer's like that. To put it bluntly, goal scorers don't come cheap, so long as they do what they're employed to do.
- Soccer Canadian pride versus MLS success It's not the biggest or the newest soccer stadium in Canada. Far from it. But its setting must be among the most picturesque in the country. Occupying the North West corner of Central Park, surrounded on three sides by imposing fir trees and offering striking views of the mountains of North Vancouver, the outlook from the broadcast booth at Swangard Stadium remains one of my abiding memories of the 2008 season. It was a quick turn round on a warm summer's evening in Burnaby, B.C., just long enough to cover the latest game in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship – the three-cornered contest between the Montreal Impact, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps to determine the national champions.
- Soccer The Canadian Shield blooms for Toronto FC It has taken him two and a half years but he's finally home, apparently ready to forgive and forget. The addition of Adrian Serioux to the Toronto FC roster is another significant piece in the jigsaw puzzle which GM Mo Johnston and head coach John Carver are trying to solve before the start of the season, now less than a month away. Big, strong, aggressive, experienced and Canadian, Serioux has all the credentials to be the right man for the centre-half vacancy at BMO Field. The fact that he has a Rory Delap-esque ability to turn a throw-in into something resembling a scud missile will also be a more than useful weapon in the coming campaign.
- Soccer Carver's the key for Toronto FC I’ve never been a betting man – and I certainly don’t intend to start in these uncertain economic times – but I’d be willing to lay a small wager that one of Toronto FC’s better signings will not kick a ball in 2009. All the talk recently seems to have focused on the comings and goings which will eventually become the 20-man senior playing roster – a squad capable of fulfilling expectations and reaching the MLS playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Yet during the long winter months, which has seen the arrivals of Canadian star Dwayne De Rosario, Argentine striker Pablo Vitti and a handful of promising rookies plus the departures of defenders Todd Dunivant and Tyrone Marshall, few seem to have acknowledged the return of the man in charge.
- Soccer Pablo Vitti looking to make up for lost time with Toronto FC The groundhog has come and gone but since it is the season to prognosticate and procrastinate, I cannot decide if I should be somewhat excited or mildly concerned about Toronto FC's latest acquisition.
- Soccer Toronto FC 'very close' to signing striker Toronto FC’s meagre strike force promises to look a lot more commanding by the time the team kicks off its third season in Major League Soccer. The addition of college standout O’Brian White from the MLS Superdraft is only part of the equation taking shape in the corridors of power at BMO Field. Manager Mo Johnston is also hot on the trail of an unidentified South American.
- Soccer D-Day looms for Toronto FC I have to confess it all seems wrong to me. Brand me a Euro-snob if you will, but after four years in Canada I’m still having difficulty getting my head around the Major League Soccer draft system. Or at least the part of it which dictates last year’s worst team gets first pick of this year’s emerging talent.
- Soccer Move over Jack, there's another winner in town It doesn’t have the glitz of New York, the glamour of Los Angeles or the razzmatazz of Chicago, but it does have something its more famous sister cities will covet for at least a year.
- Soccer Red Bulls' saviour could be an Angel Sunday’s MLS Cup final between the New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew in Los Angeles (CBC, 3 p.m. ET) should be a no-contest contest.
- Soccer Toronto FC wasted too many chances It’s a sight Toronto FC fans were hoping not to see - at least not yet. As the Major League Soccer playoffs move into a higher gear, the winter bubble at BMO Field is already in place. For the next five months it will be a hive of activity - but not for the team which calls it home.
- Soccer Point-less finale leaves bitter taste Motivation is a funny thing. Some days we wake up fully charged, eager to embrace the challenges of the day ahead with a positive ‘can-do’ attitude in the knowledge nothing will defeat us. Other days it’s all we can do to haul our sleepy carcass out from under the duvet, our entire body protesting for another 10 minutes in bed, while fumbling for the snooze button on the alarm.
- Soccer Happy ending belies underlying problems for Toronto FC For the first time in a long time I nearly lost my voice. Believe me, this is not good news for fans of Toronto FC. When I removed my headset after the final home game of the year at BMO Field I felt a little hoarse. The reason was clear – I’d had plenty to shout about. It was a thoroughly entertaining finale to year two of Major League Soccer in Toronto. Sadly, I have not had many opportunities to raise my voice in recent months.
- Soccer Reasons to be cheerful for Toronto FC? One of the more memorable moments in the short but colourful history of BMO Field occurred at about this time last year.
- Soccer Believe and you shall receive Some weeks ago while idly channel-surfing, I stumbled upon The Golf Channel’s “Playing Lessons from the Pros”. It was hosted by Colin Montgomerie - not the world’s most popular golfer - but certainly one of the best during his heyday in the 1990s. During the half-hour episode, Monty disclosed many tips and drills designed to help and improve the game of the average weekend golfer - like me. I was eagerly following the advice, convinced it would transform my own catalogue of inconsistency, until smiling Monty began to cover the thorny issue of set-up and address. Essentially his instruction was thus: You absolutely must believe in the shot you are about to attempt. If you so much as permit a single negative thought to interrupt your preparation, back away from the ball, take a deep breath, then slowly and methodically recommence your set-up.
- Soccer Marvell's Wynne-ing spirit It was nearly three years in the making – but, my word, it was worth the wait. As the 2008 MLS season draws to a predictable and disappointing close for Toronto FC, it’s heartening to know some players have retained a winning attitude even when the team can’t do it as a unit. The fans don’t need reminding, with just one home game to go, any lingering hopes of post-season excitement were effectively expunged following Toronto FC’s failure to beat champions Houston.
About the Author
Nigel Reed
Nigel brings his extensive experience, passion and knowledge of the game of soccer to his role as play-by-play announcer and soccer analyst on CBC. Reed has spent more than 20 years covering the game, most notably a five-year stint from 1999 to 2004 where he was a host and producer for the English Premier League for BBC.
Since moving to Canada, Reed has become the voice of Major League Soccer on CBC. He was part of the CBC broadcast team for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, covering weightlifting, taekwondo, and equestrian in addition to soccer. He was a member of the CBC 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa panel. During the tournament he proudly became a Canadian citizen.
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