Greetings from Canada and welcome back to my Football Manager Story. This episode will bring you up to date with preparations for Season 2 in Major League Soccer with defending champions Vancouver Whitecaps. We had an amazing season last year winning the MLS Cup but now we have to strengthen to fight off the challengers.
December 2011
After the season ended the draw was made for the NACL quarter finals that will see us take on Mexican side Pumas with the first leg being played March 1st in the Estadio Olympico.
On the home front the end of the year was very quiet for us even though the rest of the league was very active in trades giving up draft slots and allocation funds for players. The front office crew and I had re-negotiated contracts with several players but there were a few hold outs for more money and they would eventually go.
At just 18 years old Russ Tiebert made a huge impact last season on the left wing and with a reliable back up in Nanchoff, selling Chiumiento to Reggina seemed a good piece of business until I received news that the MLS would get 67% of the deal as part of his sell on clause.
January 2012
Our end of year financial report was a lot healthier than the end of season bouncing back to over $4million in the bank.
The Vancouver board offered me a contract extension which I accepted and will keep me at BC Place until the end of 2014.
The board also expect me to reach the final of the MLS Cup again this coming season.
The first week of Janaury we signed left back Seth Sinovic from Sporting Kansas City for $100,000 and picked up Canadian youngster Joe Brown on a free from semi-professional team Forest City London (Ontario).
MLS Super Draft
The draft consisted of three rounds and 150 players but as we were defending champions we were last to pick in the first round so we watched all our short listed players go to other teams. We did need a striker and so in the first round we selected Steve Kramer out of Texas. Not quite sure if he’s first team potential but I’ll give him a good run out in the friendlies.
The second and third rounds I decided to pass on as there really wasn’t much in the way of potential by the time the selection process reached our turn. We completely passed on the supplemental draft as well.
Once the draft process was over and done with I decide to spend some of those allocation funds and brought in the following players:
Goalkeeper: Edson
Central Defender: Yamith Cuesta
Defender/Midfield Left: Heath Pearce
Attacking Midfield Right: Erik Midtgarden
We began our pre-season campaign with a short trip to the US Virgin Islands with two comfortable wins over local sides Chelsea and UWS Gunners
February 2012
With four weeks to go until our NACL quarter-final with Pumas we returned to Canada winning two more warm up matches before losing experienced DC Jay DeMerit for up to a month with a twisted knee injury which may have a critical effect on that NACL game.
With no further activity in the transfer market we played two more friendlies to finish up the month winning both of them.
Whitecaps Squad
Here’s how things are set up broken roughly into two groups of defensive and offensive players.
Training
We’re making slow but sure progress to getting 4 star ratings in all the training categories
Fixtures
We’ll start off the new season with NACL action first before taking on Chivas and rivals Toronto FC
Finally one last piece of news and quite an exciting one to as I was appointed Canada’s Under 23 Coach. Unfortunately there are no players in the team as all of them seem to be either in the Senior Team or the Under 20’s so I’m not sure if I have to promote the youngsters up and demote others from the first team?
Well that’s it for this update so thanks very much for reading it and I look forward to your comments.
denson
29 февраля, 2012 at 11:19
Good update Kevin!
All your new signings look great especially pearce
Good luck for the Season!
Kevin
29 февраля, 2012 at 12:31
Hi Denson
Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you like my new players. Pearce is a good experienced player so will be useful for the the team
CsAtlantis
29 февраля, 2012 at 11:54
Nice update Kevin, used to have Sinovic last year in fm2011, he’s okay enough at LB for the MLS
You got Kramer in the draft but he does not look as good as Salgado, Tardelly or Hasslit, oh well I guess he will be good backup
I think U23 squads don’t play that much except for Olympic qualifiers and the Olympics itself…….
Good luck in the NACL quarters
Kevin
29 февраля, 2012 at 12:34
Hi CsAtlantis
Sinovic will be the second string LB behing Harvey who has a 5+ tackling ratio for last season. I was worried I might lose Tardelly or Hasslit in the off season so took Kraner as insurance. I think you are right about the U23’s but it’s a good stepping stone I feel.
Neil Birkitt
29 февраля, 2012 at 14:01
Kevin,
really looking forward to the «regular season». I feel that this could be a whitecaps whitewash and a productive year in the development of the club
Kevin
29 февраля, 2012 at 23:54
Hey Neil
Thanks for the comment and I appreciate your confidence in the team. I hope you are right :)
Laxeyman
29 февраля, 2012 at 16:54
Good signings Kevin, I like the look of Pearce and Kramer, as well as the goalkeeper, who also looks like a solid player. I reckon you’ll do even better than last season, and hopefully I’m right :) Good luck!
Kevin
29 февраля, 2012 at 23:56
Hi Laxeyman
I was pretty happy with all those players and I’m hoping to improve on the number of wins we had last season. Too many draws for my liking.
Woody
29 февраля, 2012 at 17:44
looking good kevin
all your signings seem good
and with your new contract you should have your job reassured
and also manager of the canada under 23’s you should be able to find out and sign the best new talent for the national team and your club team
Kevin
29 февраля, 2012 at 23:58
Cheers Woody
Just delighted ot get that U23’s appointment as that’s a start to my ultimate goal of national coach. Glad you like my new intake of players as well :)
David Faithfull
29 февраля, 2012 at 18:40
Really looking forward to this season kevin cant wait for the season to get underway. Also in the NCAL you have:
Mexican Team VS Unites States Team
Mexican Team VS Unites States Team
Mexican Team VS Unites States Team
Mexican Team VS CANADIAN TEAM!!!!!!
One team from a nation left and most probably the outsiders to win the NCAL but im sure you are ready to take on the challenge with the mighty Vancouver Whitecaps!!
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 00:00
Hey David!
I hope to bring the next report within a few days and good spot that Vancouver is the «standalone» team :) GO CANADA!!!
Realisticly I think we are in for a tough time in Mexico :(
David Faithfull
1 марта, 2012 at 19:43
Yes go Canada indeed!!! Even if you do have a tough time with the mexican teams i am sure the Whitecaps will go down with dignity!!!!
TheZiggy
29 февраля, 2012 at 18:42
Given the restrictions I think you’ve done very well. It should hopefully be another very good season.
Only ever done international management once, with Ghana, which was a bit of a disaster in the World Cup, so I can’t help at all. One of these days I’ll give it a try again.
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 00:06
Hi Ziggy
Really looking forward to international management as I’ve never done it before. Trying to improve Vancouver was a difficult task as champions due to all the rules but I think I’ve done okay.
Darren Smith
29 февраля, 2012 at 18:56
Good pre-season Kevin, some of those signings look great and you have stabilized well. Congrats on the U23 job, I think that is certainly a stepping stone and as soon as the senior manager is sacked I reckon you’ll be in prime position to step in. Can’t wait to see what happens in the NACL.
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 00:09
Hi Darren
Looking forward to both the trip to Mexico and the U23 challenge. Very happy with my new players as well — particulary the goalkeeper from Brazil.
Ana Garcia
29 февраля, 2012 at 19:38
Some good signings Kevin, but a tricky game against Pumas as I would say they are the best team left in the NACL alongside Monterrey.
When in the USA I never manged to work out how to sign more than three foreign players but your squad looks very good now especially your forwards with two four and a half star players.
So the best of luck!! :)
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 00:11
Hi Ana
Thanks for the heads up about the Pumas — I was thinking along those lines but wasn’t sure. I’m hoping those strikers really heat things up in front of goal this season. Appreciate the well wishes :)
saltwater
29 февраля, 2012 at 21:39
A very calm pre-season and I have finally got the gist of the whole draft thing in the USA and under the circumstances you did pretty well under the rader in the market.
I think it’s hilarious that the canada under 23’s have go no players (I can only imagine the look on your face) so that too could be a very interesting challenge. Watch out for Pumas, they look like a potential banana skin.
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 00:15
Hi saltwater
Yeah, I didn’t do too much in the offseason as for the most part I was very happy with the squad. I was quite shocked to see there was no players in the U23 team so I’ll have to wait and see what happens when game day arrives!
Johnny Karp
1 марта, 2012 at 07:14
You might have a tough tie against Pumas but your squad looks strong so I guess you can pull it off there. About the Under 23 squad, that team plays only in the Olympic Games so you might have to wait for that event. Good luck!
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 14:23
Hi Johnny
I have to agree we are up against in Mexico so I wouldn’t be surprised if we got knocked out. looking forward to the U23’s challenge when it comes around
vaibhavc
1 марта, 2012 at 13:00
Good luck in the NACL Kevin, I hope you can defeat everyone. Its funny to see how everyone else is either from America or Mexico.
Kevin
1 марта, 2012 at 14:54
Thanks vaibhacv
I’m defintely the lone ranger in the NACL.
Martin - F.M.J.S
3 марта, 2012 at 10:58
Good Pre season Kevin and also congrats on the U23 Canada job its a step in the right direction for achieving your next goal.
Kevin
4 марта, 2012 at 20:04
Thanks Martin
I’m hoping my first stint at the U23’s will be succesful.
Sears
4 марта, 2012 at 16:15
Nice pre season Kevin, you managed to add some quality players to an already great side. Good luck this season!
Kevin
4 марта, 2012 at 20:05
Thanks Sears — very happy with my new guys and I hope they blend in quickly