2013 MLS Thread

[Montana Moe]

The 2013 schedule will be released tomorrow, with competitive matches beginning on Saturday, March 2. The opening weekend matchups have been released, and can be found here.

Offseason transactions can be found here. No more Becks, OMG!

Kit changes will be updated as they roll in. Mao Football is a great resource for that kind of stuff. Todo Sobre Camisetas is great for worldwide kit leaks, as well.

Lots of MLS participation at last night's "Soccer Night in Newtown" benefiting the victims of the tragedy in Newtown, CT.

Looking forward to an exciting season, Go Timbers!

[Jimmy Stang]

I can't wait for the schedule to be released tomorrow. I'd like to catch a couple of Whitecaps games, and I haven't ruled out even catching an away game if the timing works. I'd prefer something close and/or domestic, so that opens up Seattle, Portland, Toronto, and Montreal as possible destinations. Obviously Portland and Seattle would provide the best atmosphere and rivalry with Vancouver.

Although the league grew nicely during the Beckham era, I don't fear for it without him. I think that the MLS has done a great job at cultivating the grassroots support, and I think that the league is mature enough to carry on without missing a beat. One man does not make a league, obviously, but North America has historically had a "flash in the pan" relationship with soccer. I think that we're past that now.

[Montana Moe]

The 2013 schedule is out!

I'm looking forward to Oct 13 Sounders at Timbers for my annual PTFC home match, and I have tentative plans to be in Chicago for the June 8 Timbers at Fire match up.

Here's the National TV broadcast list (U.S.). Someone smarter than me will have to figure out which matches will be broadcast in Canada.

[Jimmy Stang]

I'm taking a guess here, but I'd imagine a similar TV arrangement for Canada this season. I am hoping to see more Whitecaps games on main Sportsnet or Sportsnet One (as opposed to Sportsnet Pacific), but I know that I'll pay the extra few bucks a month to get Pacific if needs be. I also subscribe to Sportsnet World Online for my BPL games, and apparently they broadcast all of the Sportsnet-owned Whitecaps games on there also.

Gol TV will be the logical home for most Toronto FC matches (MLSE owns the club and the channel).

TSN/RDS will likely pick up the ESPN/ABC matches, particularly those involving Canadian teams, because of their relationship.

And I have no idea about Montreal. But I think that following Vancouver and Toronto should be pretty easy as long as one is willing to pick up Sportsnet Pacific and/or Gol TV.

[Jimmy Stang]

It's too bad that the Amway Canadian Championship matches are mid-week. Vancouver plays in Edmonton in April, but it will be on a Wednesday night, which makes it tricky.

On the other hand, spending a Wednesday night in Edmonton in April watching a potentially lopsided, crap soccer match probably shouldn't be too high on my list of priorities this year.

[shermanator]

TFC has fired Paul Mariner, and hired their 8th coach in 7 year, Ryan Nelsen. Nelsen is still on the roster of QPR and cant join the team until May. He has no coaching experience either. Their president has had success bringing in inexperienced coached in the past, in Piotr Nowak and Jason Kreis, its a big risk for TFC to bring in an unproven coach. The fans cant take much more failure.

http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/01...med-head-coach

Here are a few articles on the hiring:

From Craig Forrest at Sportsnet: http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2013/01/10/mls_toronto-fc_ryan_nelsen/
From John Molinaro at Sportsnet: http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2013/...c_ryan_nelsen/
From Steven Sandor at the11.ca (great source for Canadian soccer news btw): http://the11.ca/2013/01/08/payne-tfc...it-for-nelsen/
From Ben Knight at Canadian Soccer News: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/co...p?4074-All-in!

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

It's too bad that the Amway Canadian Championship matches are mid-week. Vancouver plays in Edmonton in April, but it will be on a Wednesday night, which makes it tricky.

On the other hand, spending a Wednesday night in Edmonton in April watching a potentially lopsided, crap soccer match probably shouldn't be too high on my list of priorities this year.

FC Edmonton was pretty badly outplayed last year, but its a good opportunity to see them and the Whitecaps live. With the game being played in April there is a risk the highways will be a disaster driving up though....

[mac_82]

Some of the new jerseys this year:

Toronto FC new home kit. Away and third stay the same.


Rumoured Montreal 3rd. Home and away stay the same.



Vancouver should be getting new home and away kits as well, but I haven't seen anything online yet. 3rd kit will stay the same.

[Jimmy Stang]

The Italian influence on Montreal is so obvious. I actually like that version better than their current home and away shirts, which have always looked like a generic, local, Sunday team and not a professional club.

[Montana Moe]

If anyone is interested, the National Women's Soccer League allocated the players from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. today: http://m.ussoccer.com/News/NWSL/2013...ght-Clubs.aspx

I'm excited to see Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan on the same squad in Portland.

[shermanator]

Toronto traded the #1 pick in tomorrow's draft for the #4 pick and allocation money. DF Andrew Farrell is believed to be going #1 overall and their backline is not the most glaring need after signing O'Dea and picking up Califf.

Based on this article, Canadian Kyle Bekker will be sought after by all 3 Canadian clubs. IMO that's good news for the national team as he'll get some quality time in the league next year.

[mac_82]

Toronto was wheeling and dealing at the draft.

Picked Canadian midfielder Kyle Bekker #3.

Then traded #4 to Vancouver for #10 and allocation money.

Then traded #10 to Seattle for #16 and allocation money.

Then picked Canadian forward Emery Welshman #16.

It will be interesting to see what they do with all the allocation money, but they should be a much better team this year.

[shermanator]

There's now 7 Canadians (Doneil Henry, Ashtone Morgan, Terry Dunfield, Matt Stinson, Quillian Roberts, Kyle Bekker and Andrew Welshmen) and 3 national team players (Doneil Henry, Kyle Bekker, Ashtone Morgan) on the roster at TFC. More than the Whitecaps and Impact combined.

Good stuff. Morgan, Henry, Dunfield and Bekker should get quality time with the team and Stinson and Welshmen could get the odd action.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Can't wait for my season tickets to come in. My first time buying a full season ticket package for anything.

GO CAPS!

[VANFLAMESFAN]

The Barry Robson experiment is over. He has been released by the Whitecaps after a half season with the Caps.

[scotty2hotty]

Very surprised to hear this. Not a lot of details on the radio either. Personal reasons? His family didn't settle into Vancouver? If so, why wait until the first day of camp to announce?

Sad to see him go ..... but hopefully he takes Miller with him.

[seattleflamer]

In Seattle Sounders news, Freddy Montero "loaned" to Millonarios of Columbia for 2013. Mixed feelings on this. He has as almost every possible club offensive club record and a fan favorite BUT he just was invisible in the post season.

With the advent Johnson and to a lesser extent, Estrada, Montero was expendable and he eventually would have ended in Europe. It was no secret that Montero and Johnson did not get along.


Now a free DP spot is open which gives a shrewd management team a opportunity to hopefully complement Johnson at striker.

LINK: http://seattletimes.com/html/sounder...ntero_has.html

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

The Barry Robson experiment is over. He has been released by the Whitecaps after a half season with the Caps.

What?!
I sure hope they sign someone good cause he was our best player. I hope he at least takes Miller with him.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

What?!
I sure hope they sign someone good cause he was our best player. I hope he at least takes Miller with him.

Yeah, I liked him a lot myself. But based on reaction at the station, people had enough of his antics, the arm waving, the bitching to ref, players etc. But the guy was passionate and hated to lose. I love guys like that.

Rumors are they're about to sign a Japanese attacking midfielder to maybe take his place.

[mac_82]

TFC traded Eric Hassli to FC Dallas for a conditional 2nd round pick.

Basically a salary dump and opening up a DP spot.