Bits n Bites for March 24

Your weekly notes column

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Thank you for supporting The 24th Minute through Patreon or Substack, and thank you for your patience while I dealt with a family emergency. Each Friday you will receive Bits n’ Bites, the top news from each pro team in Canada, as well as the men’s and women’s national programs, MLS, CanPL, League1 and anything else that is of interest.

Here we go for March 24, 2023

CanMNT –

Here we go.

We are on the eve of the first games played since the World Cup ended back in early December. Curaçao kicks it off tomorrow at 9pm before, sigh, Honduras comes to town on Tuesday.

Before you get judgemental about the sigh, it’s not a concerned sigh of the past. Canada absolutely should beat Honduras at home right now. No, it’s a I’m-bored-of-these-guys sigh. We seemingly play them always in every competition.

Canada’s mission here is simple. They need to win both games. Actually, a win and a draw would also likely be enough to see Canada win the group, but let’s forget that. Two wins should be the minimum expected here.

That will advance Canada to the championship round of the tournament, where they would likely play the US, Mexico or Panama, with the hope of getting to the championship game.

Does winning the Nations League matter? When you haven’t won anything in 23 years (there were no trophies for “winning” qualifying) then, yeah, it matters.

If you want to be a true Canadian pessimist here, there is a scenario that would see Canada finish last in the group and have to play a playoff to qualify to the Gold Cup as well. Win tomorrow and they have secured their birth to the summer fun.

Finally, they currently site No 52 in the world. Two wins will put them back into the top 50, which benefits players looking to move to certain countries. So, you might as well win.  

CanWNT  —.

The women looked…distracted during the SheBelieves Cup, but still managed to beat Brazil for the second time in three games since the fall.

But, no one is talking about that, or anything to do with what is happening on the pitch. I will dive into the Parliamentary hearings and the ongoing fight there in a post of its own soon, but suffice to say that it’s concerning how distracting it is.

I was high on the team at the start of the year. Their play in the States spooked me. Janine Beckie blowing out her knee hasn’t eased my pain either.

I’d like to say that I’m looking forward to the France game in a couple weeks, but is there going to be a France game?

As I said, I’ll dive into this deeper next week.    

CanPL — 

I’m not going to talk C-Level hires in this space very often, but the league made an interesting hire this week by adding lawyer Marni Dicker to the front office.

She is in a role that is focused on getting infrastructure built. In the league’s five years of operating so far the lack of appropriate stadiums available have been a stumbling block to faster expansion.

Of note, Dicker had a similar role for the 2015 PanAm games in Toronto. For those not aware, one of the cornerstones of TO2015’s building philosophy was to find options that were scaled to be useful for the community they were built in after the games were over.

It wasn’t a Games that created white elephants. Most facilities were either built with an eye to downsize after, were re-purposing existing infrastructure, or were temporary structures.

All of these models would work in CanPL and having someone with Dicker’s experience in the front office seems like a smart idea.   

MLS —

I hate to constantly bash the league for their decision to shut down for a month to play in the Leagues Cup, but…that’s a lie. The Leagues Cup is possibly the dumbest thing MLS has ever done and I will yell this from the rooftop every chance I get.

Why now?

Because they are playing through an international break. There are teams that are going to have to play with as many as 9-10 players missing. It’s absurd. It’s M-I-C-K-E-Y, it’s not defendable.

They had made such progress in this area over the last few years. Why they would disrespect their own product so much just to play a LigaMX pre-season tournament is disheartening.  

Canadians abroad –

How about Kyle Hiebert!

The St. Louis City defender has been turning heads as a major contributor in the expansion teams 4-0-0 start. So much that he’s getting a look from John Herdman.

That’s a wild ride for a guy that was in NextPro last year and in the NCAA the year before that.

On this week’s NextPod soccer podcast, James and I talked about why players like Hiebert are choosing to go to NextPro over the CanPL. Have a listen, but the tl;dr is that they are seemingly getting quicker looks at MLS by doing so.

Something for the CanPL to maybe look at, but great for the player. Hopefully, Hiebert can keep the level up and push for playing time with the MNT.

Toronto FC –

For all the drama around Insigne this week, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Reds last in week four. They didn’t. Instead, they put their best performance of the year down in winning 2-0 versus Miami.

Here’s the thing about Toronto FC this year – every year, really – I’m not sure how much rational evaluation of their play is happening. When, I listen to the national shows talking about Toronto it’s like they are speaking about another team.

A team that isn’t trying to work in an entirely new back-line and that isn’t in week four.

WEEK FOUR. Pump the damn breaks on the panic. There are good signs there and lots of time to address the concerning ones (not generating enough shots is the biggest one right now).

Montreal –

What is it with the Big O and the Team That Used To Be Known As The Impact?

Some late game heroics took what looked to be a troubling oh-for start through four weeks and turned it into the talk of the league performance of last week.

Full measure for the fight, but it took a red card and a distracted and tired opponent to get the job done here. This is still a work in progress.

That said: Mason Toye finally got time and Montreal finally got a positive result. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Vancouver Whitecaps – 

I’m not mad at you, Whitecaps, I’m just disappointed. I was promised something more than the tepid and flat start to the season that I’ve gotten.

They planned for a fast start. Told anyone that would listen that it was a key goal. Then…(fart noise).

The Caps have not looked great. They were damn lucky to get a point in LA. If it wasn’t for a clear referee error they wouldn’t have. This team needs someone to be able to finish for them if they are going to be anywhere near the playoffs, even with nine teams in.

Julian Gressel has been a high point this year. His crossing doesn’t matter if no one can finish though.

Forge –

The rich get richer, really. The signing of former (I’m assuming it’s former, but you never know, I suppose) Canadian International Manjrekar James is a really sly and strong addition for the Orange. He’s played at a very high level for an incoming CanPL transfer and looks to be a guy that will step in and replace Daniel Krutzen’s contributions.

That’s a big shout, but James could be that good in this league.

Ottawa – 

The signing of French prospect Aboubakary Sacko is an interesting one. He’s coming mostly from the youth side of French club La Havre. It’s a bold choice to forgo staying in Europe to take a flyer in the Canadian Premier League, which makes me think this is an Atleti system signing.

Sacko has been promised playing time and a legit shot at joining the pathway to Madrid.

Is that good for Canadian development? Not sure. Is it good for Ottawa? Time will tell.  

Vancouver FC –

The USport draft has proved to be a useful tool for the CanPL so far. By giving players the opportunity to maintain their university eligibility while still playing in CanPL – on a summer job, of sorts – it’s proven to be a win-win.

So, for a player to willingly give up that perk (and for the club to offer the player the chance to do so) is unique. That’s what VFC did with No 1 overall pick Anthony White this week.

The U of T player will not be returning to Bloor and. St George this fall and instead will be hanging out in Langley, trying to make a go of a fully pro career.

Vancouver is giving lots of guys a shot rather than try and shortcut the built by bringing in a lot of older players. It might make for a long first year, but provide greater rewards down the line.   

Halifax –

I’m kind worried about this team. Outside of the coaching change, it’s been a far too quite offseason for a team that finished second bottom in 2022.

Maybe the coaching tweak will be enough.

I’m grasping at straws here. This is the one team that I’ll pay the most attention to the pre-season results.

York – 

Theo Afework isn’t a name that will jump out to many, but the 19 year old represents a Canadian player that is being repatriated after choosing to go to a European academy.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s lots to like about getting that early European experience, but players can often get overlooked there for reasons that arew as much to do with their passport as their talent.

Now, the kid will get a fair chance to prove he’s a pro. That’s what this league is all about.

Valour –

Since we last spoke, Anthony Novak, the league’s first journeyman, has moved from Calgary to Winnipeg.

May he never retire and eventually play for every CanPL team. Love me some Anthony Novak.  

He’s a great addition to any team. Veteran. Can chip in important goals. What’s not to like?

Cavalry –

Tommy’s boys are truly in stand pat mode this off-season, believing that staying the course is the best way forward. So, not many moves.

Wait, here you go: Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League has signed both 23-year-old goalkeeper, Sterling Kerr to a U SPORTS contract, and 18-year-old goalkeeper, Joseph Holliday, on a developmental contract to the 2023 roster.

That’s all I got. Three weeks till we kick this off, but with camps up and running there should be something to talk about soon.

Pacific FC –

Speaking of results, do we want some results? Of course we do!

That balmy Vancouver Island weather has allowed Pacific to play a few games – even one against another CanPL team, when they beat Valour 2-0.

They’ve also beat Whitecaps 2 3-0 and the University of Victoria 3-0.

Microwave Plate guaranteed.

League1 –

League1 Canada officials were in the Maritimes recently to talk about possible expansion of the league to that part of the country.

As, I’ve written before, this is badly needed. See, my comments above about being worried about Halifax. Having a L1C league in all parts of the country is vital to the continued improvement of the sport in this country.

Ok, that’s the notes column for this week. Let’s end with the Canadian Contextual Top 10:

1.    CanMNT – They are back in action and they have stuff to prove

2.    Forge – The signing of James puts them back on top of my CanPL pre-season ranking. With no MLS team jumping up, I’m going nearly all the way to the top

3.    Ottawa  – There are some pieces that I’ll need to see play, but no reason to suggest trey won’t be right there with Forge this year

4.    CanWNT  – Not the best month, but they still have what it takes to make this year special

5.    TFC – There were finally hints that they might be able to match the potential last week

6.    Cavalry – Keep on keepin’ on

7.    York – Your 2023 hipster, dark horse pick to win the CanPL. Mark my words.

8.    Pacific – I’m likely overreacting to pre-season results

9.    Montreal – You win like that, you get to be in the top

10. Vancouver – and I’m being generous.