“It’s really exciting for me,” said Jalali, who also trained with the youth wing of German side, Kaiserslautern, last year. “There are not a lot of 17-year-olds who can say they have moved onto a first team right away.”

Make no bones about it. This will be the year that will determine the future of FC Edmonton. This summer, the Edmonton soccer community needs to show city council that it supports the club.

“I have no concern with who will play in goal tomorrow night,” said Miller.

Kobayashi will now call Vancouver home, as the Whitecaps announced Monday that the 29-year-old had signed, adding yet another attacking player to group of hopefuls that include three young project players the team signed last week.

The dump of an American — the kind of hard-working-but-hard-to-remember player that so many MLS teams have in abundance — is a sign of how the Impact will challenge the league status quo.

FCE Assistant coach Jeff Paulus found out that Torindo had impressed the Portland Timbers while on trial there, but the team didn’t have room to take on an import who’s a project player.

“We now have had the drawings (of the stands) revised and stamped by an Alberta engineer,” said Fath, who has been working with American firm, Seating Solutions, to get the stands to meet Alberta code.

Injuries to fullback Andres Fresenga and forward Frank Jonke have made a thin Canadian squad even thinner ahead of Saturday’s friendly with Denmark.

Unfortunately for Argentine defender Martin Bonjour, the final memory most Whitecaps fans will have of him is this: Looking back towards referee Silviu Petrescu, arms raised in innocence, as the official points to the spot.

“From the MLS side of things, I can see why this good for them. Each team can have more players under contract. They can hold on to more players. But, for the players, this limits their free-market options, when they find that they have been relegated to playing for a minor-league team.”