Glen McNamara had hopes that his young son would follow him as a soccer professional. The former All-Canadian goalkeeper from York University began work with his boy, Taylor Mikael, when the kid was a three-year-old. Twenty years later, the younger McNamara has hit the professional circuit like his father – just not at the same position. “When I was young, he always wanted to get me the ball at my feet but every once in a while, he gave me some hand drills,” says McNamara, a midfielder with Dayton Dutch Lions FC of the United Soccer Leagues’ Pro division. “He realized that I wasn’t growing fast enough to be a keeper.”

And, while the priority is to stabilize the MISL’s American base, USL will entertain Canadian suitors, president Tim Holt stated in an e-mail to The 11. “While our immediate focus is on ensuring the strength and performance of our current seven member teams going into the 2011-12 season, there is a high level of interest in the MISL from prospective teams in the United States and Canada,” stated Holt.

The United Soccer Leagues’ ambitious plan to expand its fan base in the Caribbean has been dealt three major blows. The USL announced Tuesday that all three of its Puerto Rico-based franchises have been removed from the USL-PRO league, effective immediately.

Holt said the USL won’t talk expansion until the Canadian Soccer Association ends its moratorium on approving expansion teams into U.S.-based pro league outside of Major League Soccer. The CSA’s 10-month ban should end in October of 2011.

FC Edmonton unveiled its new all-white road kits and its sponsor, Sears Financial, at a media event Thursday. A new blue home kit is still to come, and there are plans to work on a special third jersey. Toronto FC used its grey kit as a third jersey in Nutrilite Canadian Championship games last season. The Montreal Impact tried a pink jersey during NCC games.

Kevin Harmse’s career has come full circle. The South Africa-born, Coquitlam B.C.-raised midfielder and defender has signed with the Whitecaps, after spending camp with the club. He was in the team’s dressing room after the 4-2 opening day win over Toronto FC. “Kevin is a physical player with MLS experience,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Teitur Thordarson in a release. …

Toronto FC squandered an early lead and fell 2-1 to the host Charleston Battery in each team's second match in the Carolina Challenge Cup Wednesday evening at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.

FC Edmonton has added four more Alberta-based players to its roster, bringing the number of signed players to 12 for the upcoming NASL season. Chris Kooy, the former member of the USL Calgary Mustangs who captained FCE in its season of friendlies in 2010, has been confirmed to return. Keeper Jaswinder Gill, a 2010 Canada West all-star with the University …

rlando City has yet to play a regular-season game in its central Florida home, but the USL side is already talking about a move to Major League Soccer. On its official Facebook page, the club has launched a new initiative by urging fans to buy tickets and to let family and friends know about the new soccer team. And the club has made it clear the end goal is to grow to the point where MLS can’t ignore the city.

It's making its rounds throughout the soccer media. But seven of the eight NASL teams are represented (by supporters groups) in this open letter to U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati, urging him to grant the league official Div. 2 status. The USSF meets next week. Two weeks ago, the USSF stripped the NASL of its provisional acceptance as the official Div. 2 of soccer in America, but the NASL has carried on with business as usual, and is confident it can win back the status. The league has stated that going down to Div. 3 is not an option.