Chasing hope 25 Sep 2014 Before the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, Tesho Akindele wasn’t exactly a household name with Canadian soccer followers. But, after emerging out of a Division II NCAA school, he is now one of the hottest rookies in MLS. The Calgary-born striker is raising eyebrows across North America — and he hopes for a Canadian national-team call
Junior achievement 25 Sep 2014 They aren’t getting a lot of MLS playing time just yet, but a group of locally trained players have steadily moved up the ranks all the way to the Montreal Impact’s senior roster. Will they eventually get their chances to play?
PLASTIC PITCH 3 is available now! “The Walking Reds” on the cover! 25 Sep 2014 The third issue of PLASTIC PITCH, our national soccer magazine, is out as of right now.
How to make MLS Cup a really big deal 25 Sep 2014 In North America, interest in soccer is at an all-time high. But the championship game for Major League Soccer doesn’t attract major media attention or viewership numbers. Here are some suggestions on how the league can turn around the fortunes of its marquee event...
Down the depth chart 25 Sep 2014 Last year, Canadian striker Kyle Porter made some positive impressions in his first MLS season — albeit with last-place D.C. United. Now that United has signed new players and shot up the table, Porter has found himself back on the developmental ladder; instead of MLS play, he’s spent a significant part of the season with the Richmond Kickers...
The more things change… 25 Sep 2014 Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko, right, has put his stamp on the club, firing his inherited coach, Ryan Nelsen, and replacing him with the waiting-in-the-wings candidate, Greg Vanney. But, for a cynical fan base that’s seen coaching changes come and go, will this one really mark a new path for Major League Soccer’s soap-opera franchise?
MLS announces a major rebrand: Should the league have considered changing its name? 18 Sep 2014 But there’s something I hope came up at the marketing meetings. If MLS has decided to go ahead with a major rebranding of itself, it should tackle what is maybe its own worst enemy. And that's its name.
Breaking down Michael Bradley’s comments, by the numbers: Do Canadian refs really favour American teams? 15 Sep 2014 Well, the only thing to do is crunch the numbers; to sift through all of the matches in 2014 — both MLS and NASL — and isolate all the games where a Canadian referee has watched over a meeting between a Canadian-based side and an American-based side.
Canadian quotas are price USL must pay for not having Canada at the table when MLS deal was hatched 6 Sep 2014 But let’s be clear. If you want to bitch and moan about the Canadian Soccer Association legislating new rules, understand that’s the price that comes with not inviting Canada to the table when this deal was first hatched.
The circus comes back to town: TFC gets weird again and undoes a few months of goodwill 1 Sep 2014 Oh, hell with pussyfooting around it. It was more like trying to watch a long-term alcoholic try to stay sober, despite being surrounded by temptation.