Martin Rennie Archive

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Whitecaps’ Mattocks won’t take inexperienced FCE centre backs for granted

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/24/2013

Darren Mattocks

Darren Mattocks

You’d think the chance to play against two relatively unproven centre backs would have Whitecaps’ striker Darren Mattocks licking his chops.

Not quite.

Mattocks, who made the trip to Edmonton ahead of Wednesday’s Amway Canadian Championship semfinal first leg between Vancouver and the Eddies, will likely line up against a centre-back pairing of Mallan Roberts and Adrian LeRoy. Because of a preseason injury to Eddies’ captain Albert Watson, and on-loan Carlyle Mitchell ineligible to play against his parent club as part of the deal between the Whitecaps and FC Edmonton, Mattocks will likely see a duo with four games of total NASL experience, combined.

LeRoy played one game for the Eddies in 2011 and, after returning to the team in 2013, has made three starts. Roberts, 20, is a highly-thought-of prospect, but will be making his FCE senior debut against the MLS Whitecaps.
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Whitecaps send Fisk, Adjetey to the Charleston Battery for 2013 season

By
Steven Sandor
– 04/16/2013

Ben Fisk

Ben Fisk

The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned prospects Ben Fisk and Emmanuel Adjetey to the Charleston Battery of the USL.

While the Whitecaps have not announced an affiliation with a USL club as part of MLS’s new agreement with America’s third-division, the move will no doubt be seen as a furthering of the partnership between the two leagues.

Fisk and Adjetey had been with the Whitecaps’ PDL side. Adjetey had just signed with the Whitecaps PDL side in early April, after the Ghanaian midfielder had auditioned for FC Edmonton of the NASL.

Fisk is one of the Whitecaps most-talked about prospects and scored 14 times in 32 matches for the United States Soccer Development Academy side last season.
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Late Camilo PK salvages a point for the Whitecaps

By
Martin MacMahon
– 04/14/2013

Camilo

Camilo

Camilo made the most of a late penalty opportunity Saturday afternoon at BC Place, scoring the equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake in front of 19,612 fans.

The Brazilian’s conversion from the spot was a relief given he’d missed a pile of opportunities, especially in the first half. On the play, Camilo slotted the ball into the bottom left corner as Nick Rimando dove to the right side.

“I think he played well today,” head coach Martin Rennie told reporters after the match. “He was a little bit unfortunate. It was one of those situations where if he does take a couple of those chances then we win the game but he’s got a goal on the penalty kick.

“He showed great composure because it was such a long time to delay before he actually took it. But he’s had a good performance today. He’s been dangerous today and I think in general our front players have done quite well.”
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Hertzog’s first Whitecap goal earns his team a draw in San Jose

By
Martin MacMahon
– 04/07/2013

Corey Hertzog

Corey Hertzog

Corey Hertzog took advantage of his first Vancouver Whitecaps start on Saturday, bagging the equalizer as his side drew 1-1 with the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium.

The 22-year-old’s 62nd-minute effort came in strange circumstances, as two Earthquakes left the field to change their boots.

Defender Victor Bernardez and forward Alan Gordon were the two missing men, and the San Jose bench was clearly incensed by referee Fotis Bazakos’s decision not to wave the players back onto the field of play.

Not that Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie was complaining.

“I don’t first of all (know) if they had permission to leave the field,” Rennie said on the radio broadcast following the match. “You shouldn’t leave the field unless you have permission. Maybe they did. Then it’s up to the referee to bring them back on when he sees fit to do that.
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Rennie “very disappointed” with midfield as Whitecaps lose to Chivas

By
Martin MacMahon
– 03/31/2013

Kenny Miller

Kenny Miller

An impressive Eric Avila volley and a Jun Marques Davidson own goal proved enough for Chivas USA as it sent the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps home with a 2-1 loss on Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

Scottish designated player Kenny Miller came off the bench to score a well-taken header on 64 minutes to get his side within a goal, but a pile of squandered opportunities meant the Whitecaps couldn’t come back from two goals down.

Avila’s winner came 55 minutes in, as he smashed home a cross from Carlos Alvarez into the bottom left corner, just beyond the fingertips of Joe Cannon.

That doubled Chivas’ lead after scoring 12 minutes in with Alvarez also involved — this time as he attempted a cross which ended up deflecting off Davidson and into the Vancouver goal for the opener, as Cannon was initially going toward the left corner of his goal before the redirect.
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Whitecaps, FC Edmonton discussing more loan deals

By
Steven Sandor and Martin MacMahon
– 03/26/2013

Caleb Clarke needs to get minutes.

Caleb Clarke needs to get minutes.

The mystery player that FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller had hoped would join the team when it moved its training camp to Vancouver likely won’t materialize, after all.

Last week, Miller said that a new player would join the Eddies’ camp when the NASL team moved its operation to Vancouver for the week for a series of friendlies and training sessions on outdoor pitches. That led to speculation that the player in question would be another loan from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

After Tuesday’ 4-2 loss to the Whitecaps in a friendly, Miller confirmed that he and the Whitecaps had discussed sending more players to the Eddies, but those talks ended without producing a new loanee for FCE.

“There’s one or two that we were discussing, but for whatever reason at this moment in time it’s not going to be possible,” said Miller, “but we’ll continue to work with the Whitecaps. We have a fantastic relationship with the club.”
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Reo-Coker offers “constructive criticism” after Whitecaps drop game in Houston

By
Martin MacMahon
– 03/24/2013

nigelreocokerSmall moments change matches, and while Darren Mattocks looked set to be the hero on Saturday after a cracking first-half effort, his second-half miss will be the lasting memory from a 2-1 defeat against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium.

With his team leading 1-0 in the 53rd minute, the Jamaican youngster elected to shoot at Tally Hall from a tight angle rather than pass to a wide open Nigel Reo-Coker and a streaking Erik Hurtado.

Just two minutes later, the Dynamo equalized through a wonderful bit of interplay culminating in a Giles Barnes headed goal, and on 62 minutes Warren Creavalle scored the deciding effort by pouncing on a loose ball in the area.

Following the defeat, stand-in captain Reo-Coker highlighted Mattocks’ error, and said he had strong words for the 22 year old following the match.
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“You’re always going to be judged on goals;” Miller leads Whitecaps to win

By
Martin MacMahon
– 03/10/2013

kennymillerThe Vancouver Whitecaps might not have had their captain, but they got a skipper’s performance from his stand in, as Kenny Miller bagged the winner as the home side defeated the Columbus Crew 2-1 in front of 18,078 at BC Place.

The Scot took the ball from a tentative Glauber on 57 minutes, who hesitated in possession, before powering home a convincing effort past Andy Gruenebaum in the Crew goal.

“It’s always nice to go off the mark as a striker and you’re always going to be judged on goals,” Miller told reports following the match. “Second game in, you’ve managed to get off the mark, and it being the winning goal is double pleasing.

“But again, more importantly, it’s two wins from two. Two home games at the start of the season was an opportunity for us to put some points on the board and everyone in the dressing room is delighted with that.”

The forward’s goal came at a vital juncture in the match after a the Crew equalized just after half-time through Jairo Arrieta, who beat Joe Cannon with a low spinning shot that the ‘keeper appeared to misjudge.
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3

Whitecap Koffie believes his winner against TFC is just the first of many in 2013

By
Martin MacMahon
– 03/03/2013

Gershon Koffie

Gershon Koffie

When the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC meet in Major League Soccer play, the home team always wins.

That rule still stands following Saturday’s 1-0 result at BC Place, as the Whitecaps won courtesy a fine right-footed strike from Gershon Koffie.

It topped a nice few days for the player, who is just off signing a new contract and also obtained his permanent residency this week.

While Koffie is universally praised by his coaches and his teammates, with many senior players expressing their belief that he can go to the highest levels of the game, goals haven’t been a big part of his contribution — Saturday’s goal was just his fifth over 59 games.

He’s hoping to change that, and after his 60th minute winner, told reporters he feels he can score in the range of 10 goals by season’s end.
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TFC, Whitecaps feel last minute signings won’t make big differences Saturday

By
Martin MacMahon
– 03/02/2013
Ryan Nelsen

Ryan Nelsen

Big upheaval? Who cares?

Toronto FC may be ringing in the changes of late with a slew of offseason moves, including five signings just one day before the beginning of the 2013 Major League Soccer campaign, but neither that club nor the Vancouver Whitecaps seemed bothered by the last-minute adjustments after their final training sessions on Friday at BC Place.

Toronto’s last day signings include attackers Robert Earnshaw, Ashton Bennett and Taylor Morgan, and midfielders Jonathan Osorio and Darel Russell.

Earnshaw, 31, headlines the pack – the Welshman has starred for the likes of Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City, Derby County and Nottingham Forest in England’s top two tiers.

Russell, 32, also has experience in England – although mainly in England’s second and third tiers.
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