Even though his agent declared that the Canadian forward, who represented his country in January friendlies against Denmark and the United States, had come to terms with D.C. United last weekend, the move was only completed Thursday.

“We’ll be playing one of the best teams in MLS (Seattle) and there’ll be 50,000 people cheering against us but we’ve done everything we can. We showed during the matches in Florida that we were a good team but Saturday is another story.”

“We’ll see what it evolves into,” Abrams continued. “It’s also a process of learning about teams and the great players of the past. This phase of it is sort of a tribute to these players. They are important cultural figures for our time. There’s a beauty in their movements and in the colours that they wear and what it represents to us as we’re watching.”

Welsh national teamer Robert Earnshaw has confirmed that he has signed with Toronto FC and will likely be available for the Reds' season opener Saturday in Vancouver.

Judging from the readership numbers — which spike every time we put up a story about new kits, redesigned kits, anything to do with kits — we've surmised that, to be a Canadian soccer fan, you have to be a bit of a fashionista.

With the MLS season moved up to its earliest start ever, forgive us if we don’t feel 100 per cent totally prepared for First Kick. Judging by the way many MLS teams finished preseason, with tentative matches and still looking at trialists with a week to go before the games count in the standings, a lot of coaches aren’t quite ready for the early start, either.

Major League Soccer has pledged to a lot more to aid the professional development of its referees — but it will not tolerate extended protests from players and coaches.

The Montreal Impact has added two more homegrown products to its roster.

Toronto FC president Kevin Payne spoke glowingly about Torsten Frings' leadership qualities during the German midfielder's retirement announcement on Tuesday, and there is no doubt that Payne will miss Frings as a person and as the Reds' captain.

Canada’s ability to naturalize soccer prospects thanks to our professional teams may do our national soccer program a lot of good down the road.