The "win now" or we get mad and won't support you mentality is very strong in North American sports. I don't fit with that type of support. I don't need a home side victory to enjoy watching a match. I can be disappointed with the loss but still enjoy watching the great game of soccer played with my hometown club. But, to each their own!
Let's hope there are 16,000 of you to fill the stands as we occupy the cellar. I, myself, think that there are a few quality players on the Whitecaps team. TT needs to get the formation and starters right and that has not happened. He sits Joe Cannon, who is a proven starter, he sits starters to "rest" them, his subs are so predictable that every opposing coach has his number before they even play them. I do think he's out of his depth, but I also would love to be proven wrong. So far, he keeps the same formula game after game. I like Johnny Ranger's line-up, these guys can do it! ------------Hassli------------------ --------------Chiumiento--------------- Teibert--------Koffie/Dunfield-------Salinas Rochat-----Demerit-----Akloul------Leathers ----------------Cannon--------------------
THANK YOU, finally some ********ing positivety in this forum, some of you guys need to lay off the win all the time mentality, yes we have quality pieces but the team is just not there yet.
I want to team to win just at much as all the other guys; I just think it is an unreasonable expectation in year one of an expansion team. If the caps are in the basement in June of season number two; I would lean more to the other way. But, I do agree with a lot of guys that the other keeper should get a game and see what he can do. TT does seem overly loyal to Nolly. I also agree that they can be performing better if TT were to change his formation and not always be rigid on the 4-4-2.
I was expecting the same thing. I wasn't worried one bit how the Caps would do this year. I wasn't expecting an MLS trophy in year one either, I just love supporting your city!! I'm actually quite happy that some of last years team/coach are still around as I think they deserved a shot. If it doesn't work out so be it. Next year, when the caps move back to BC Place, is the season to get it right. Go Caps !!
i'm not expecting a MLS trophy- but a mid-table standing with 2-3 better players is definitely possible-- the bottom of the league- and that is where they will be shortly-- is IMO not acceptable even if it is year 1 some players, even with another 1-2 years of experience, will never take the next step up to improve the team-- they are honest, hard-working players (like knight, harmes, leathers, vagenas to name 4) who give 100% each game, but will never significantly develop beyond where they are why not get 2-3 players who truly have the capability to take the Caps to the next level-- the Caps have the $$$$$$$ from STHs and corporate sponsorship dont give the appearance of going cheap and ask the supporters to be patient- the managment and coaching staff need to be more ambitious
"Win all the time" mentality? Nobody is asking to win all the time, just perhaps more than once a season. Oh and as I type this I just finished watching Portland win their 5th out of 5 home games. Someone should tell them they are doing it all wrong.
Why do you keep using Leathers as your whipping post? This guy is a good and solid defender. I have been to all home game and he has not messed up at all.
Beyond their "best" starting eleven (and even a couple of those are questionable) there is not much quality to choose from in the form of replacements or substitutions. When the top guys go down, either thru injury or suspension, we have a hard time fielding a competitive team. Management really needs to address this issue, hopefully in June, with 2-3 quality signings to bolster the lineup. The Whitecaps FO is reported to have alot of big investors, so let's see them spend some to take this team up a notch.
Perhaps a lot of this anger and frustration from supporters is because of Portland's success? Would your frustration level be different if Portland only had one win?
I don't understand how people can say it's unacceptable to finish last place. We're a first year team and last place is a possibility for any team more so for us since we're new. The caps have given us some great games and have been a bit unlucky at times but give me a break i've been there at swangard for years and you stand behind your team no matter what. I can understand the frustration about not seeing Cannon wtf is TT waiting for. Salgado is what really burns me up. How can Demerit not grab him by the scruff of the neck and ask him why it's ok for him to trot around the pitch pretending to pressure defenders when Hassli is twice his age and just going ballsout hounding defenders like they pissed all over his morning crepes.
I've been standing behind my team since the 70s, not just at Swangard. I will not apologize to ANYONE for being passionate and expecting more from my team. A team that has fans that doesn't expect much from them will end up not delivering much. So all of the people coming here and trying to tell me the proper way to support a team can just bugger off, your way is not the only way. Have a nice day!
Giving them a pass in year 1 of expansion is not such a terrible thing to do. You should try it; it relieves a lot of stress.
Finally, you are making MLS comparisons instead of NHL to MLS. Let’s talk about Portland’s “success” compared to our crappiness. We will have to wait a long time if ever for WCs to be “successful” if TT does not give up his stubborn unwillingness to play and obtain quality as opposed to trying to make his last year’s favorites work. There is a place called lower division in all sports, sometimes players never make it out of that division for a reason. Sometimes coaches work there for a reason too. Here are Portland’s starters for the last game they played against Columbus Crew and won (which btw we have played them and lost): Troy Perkins - D.C. United – GK Eric Brunner - Columbus Crew - D *Mamadou Danso - Portland Timbers (USSF D-2) – D Rodney Wallace - D.C. United - D Jeremy Hall - New York Red Bulls - M Jack Jewsbury - Sporting Kansas City – M Diego Chara - Deportes Tolima (Colombia) – M (DP) *Kalif Alhassan - Portland Timbers (USSF D-2) – M Darlington Nagbe - Univ. of Akron (NCAA) – M/F Kenny Cooper - TSV 1860 Munich (Germany) - F Jorge Perlaza - Deportes Tolima (Colombia) – F Here are our starters for the last game we played against New England and lost: *Jay Nolly - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – GK *Wes Knight - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – D Jay DeMerit - Watford FC (ENG LC) – D *Greg Janicki - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – D *Mouloud Akloul - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) - D *Blake Wagner - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – D/M Shea Salinas - Philadelphia Union (MLS) – M **Jeb Brovsky - U. Notre Dame ('07 - '10) – D/M *Gershon Koffie - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – M *Russell Teibert - Whitecaps FC (USSF D-2) – M *Long Tan - FC Tampa Bay (USSF D-2) - F **Omar Salgado - US U-20 National Team – F -------------------- *D2 players from last year’s teams before expansion. **Omar and Jeb, no prior MLS experience GO WHITECAPS!!!
i totally agree with you- setting your expectations low and yet making lots of $$$$ is the theme of the ownership of the 2 TO franchises-- TFC and the leafs... and what an on-going mess! now that supporters are putting pressure on MLSE, the ownership has made some + changes for TFC and there is a light at the end of the tunnel... but they still need to add more quality IMO the team the Caps are fielding has only 3 players with proven quality and game experience in better leagues-- hassli, rochat and de merit the rest of the players are from D-2, MLS cast-offs, rookies, and lower league players from euro if seattle and portland can get it right in season 1, so can the Caps-- the strategy in seattle still makes them very competitive in year 3 and i am expecting the same in portland how is this a team to build on for the future??? i just dont see it, but if in 1-2 years the plan works out and the Caps are playing very competitive soccer in MLS (upper half of the league standings), then i will gladly say i was wrong i think some supporters are going on wishful thinking and trusting that the Caps FO and coaching staff have it right with my valuable $$$, i want a team that has the capability of winning the odd game and not at the bottom of the league... is that too much to ask???
Hi Nu2Soccer I am not sure if I have your point right; but I think you are illustrating that the Caps are starting a significant more guys that came from D2 than Portland. Is that your point? I think this game is a bit unfair as they rested several starters in preperation for the TFC match. However, you do make a good point. THe caps spent a lot of effort last year trying to sign guys that they could promote to MLS this year. And we are now seeing that the Caps have major depth issues. So, this may have been a bad choice for them. Did I catch your point? Thanks
the light has come on for the Sheik!! he now is able to admit that their 1 1/2 year planning prior to MLS was inadequate, if not naive-- they have overrated some of the players and are paying the price when you go cheap, you pay the price
I see the point but I still give them a pass on year one as an expansion team. No disappointment from me if they turn it around by year 2.
i will bow to you if, with the same players, they have a much more successful season year 2 i just dont think that will happen with what they have
They wont have the same players. I never, ever, said they would be a winning team with this particular group of players. At least half this current roster is probably not long term MLS material. Why put that word in my mouth? We are here to chat, not be confrontational. I am saying, as an expansion team, it is very common to take a couple of seasons to put together the right mix if players, trial and errors, etc until you get that long term winning formula. A formula that can keep you on top for several years and not one short term spike. The players have to change, be hired, fired, signed, traded, etc.... that is how you build a team. It is very rare for expansion teams to get it all right in their first year. Like I said, I am a calm supporter who believes they deserve a first season of experimentation and building. My expectations will rise dramatically in year 2. And, like I have also said, if they are in this place in late May of next year, I will be just as pissed off as you are today.
got it! didn't mean to be confrontational or dismiss your opinion-- we are closer in our thinking than what i imagined lets hope it does 'pan out'-- we both love soccer and the Caps-- it doesn't matter who is right, its that the Caps are succeeding
You guys are all getting an erection for Portland's performance this year. Let's see where everyone is in year 2 and 3. I am willing to lay money the Caps will come out farther ahead as they learn and retool their roster in the off-season and into season #2. The Caps will win the MLS cup before Portland or Montreal. And I am willing to bet money on that one.
Your feeling that Portland winning early in year 1 means they will be a long term contender reminds me of the Vancouver fans of the Grizzlies. They went 2-0 to start their 1st year and people all over thought Stu was building the team the right way and all that. Well, we know where that ended up. Patience is the key with an expansion team. Hold your joy for Portland's development model and see what happens.