"Vancouver, BC – Whitecaps FC Director of Soccer Operations Bob Lenarduzzi announced today that the club has signed defender Mark Watson. A five-time All Star and a former A-League Defender of the Year, Watson has played over 200 games in North American professional soccer, as well as numerous seasons in Europe. He is also the second most capped player in Canadian national team history." http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=1989 His time is hopefully done with the national team, but he will still be a useful player at the A-League. Not a bad signing for the Whitecaps....
Vancouver seems to be spending the money this year. Looks like he's going from one club where the fans appreciated him to another club where the fans will appreciate him. With all the crap the national team "supporters" give him he deserves it.
Well, more than any other player, I'm damn sad to see him go. Not sure what our front office is thinking but oh well, it's not my money and they didn't ask me. There are many skills that make up a good defender, while Mark is not the speediest player, he more than makes up for it with his smarts, his ruggedness and his will to win. If you want a central defender to organize & anchor your defense, clog up the middle or drop the hammer on opposing strikers, he's your man. He'll quickly become a fan favorite (again) in Vancouver.
He had a good run with the national team, and played well during the 2006 WCQ campaign. I just want to see younger players with the national team next year. Watson is too old for WCQ 2010.
Sorry, I didn't mean to give the impression that you are one of the people that give him crap. I was talking about the many people over on Voyageurs who go out of their way to try to find bad things to say about him. It's easy to fault a persons play if you are going to isolate him and look for mistakes, and that seems to be a voyageurs trait when it comes to him (and many others who aren't coming from the "glorious" foreign teams to play for Canada). I too want to see younger players and I think Watson would agree with you. He already retired from the national team once, and he did so for a reason. But Canada called him and he answered the call, which is a hell of a lot more than those slaggers over on "Voyageurs" have ever done.
No problem Krammerhead. I wonder if we will see Watson at the Gold Cup? He will be a useful player with Vancouver and he can only help to make the team better. His leadership also has to count for something.
It's fine for you to slag players like Hirschfeld, but heaven forbid anyone touch one of your sacred cows. Watson is past his due date for international duty, but he will be fine for the Whitecaps.
Watson isn't one of my sacred cows, hell I was defending him when he was with Charleston. Any comments aimed at Hirschfeld are more aimed at those fans who continually slag any players that Canada calls up from the USL, but will never have anything bad to say if the player is called to the team from Europe, even if he's just a benchwarmer or reserve player over there. They can do no wrong, USL players can do no right.
The Canadian team can't play well with it's European players,adding USL players will make things worse,just like adding a manager from MLS to take over from a European as national team boss, it was doomed to fail right from the start.