OT: 2024 Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps Thread

[Bubbles]

It's a deadly combination of arrogance and stupidity to try to sneak a drone during the Olympics...it's not like security is heightened or anything.

Pretty sure a total purge of Canada Soccer is in order. Feel bad for the players though.

 

[Hit the post]

a deadly combination of arrogance and stupidity

<---------------------

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

The IOC moves at a very slow pace but I imagine there is a very real risk Sinclair and the 2021 CanWNT are stripped of their Gold Medals which is a real damn shame.

Corruption and stupidity with the CSA is a microcosm of the issues we are faced in Canada nowadays. Everything is just getting hollowed by opportunists and people that are placed into key roles are incompetent.

 

[trellaine201]

I have never said this but every time I see the Whitecaps coach I think of Mr Bean

 

[LandfiII]

I have never said this but every time I see the Whitecaps coach I think of Mr Bean

Mr. Bean is who I wanted The Night Manager lead to look like and they give me f***ing Loki.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Abysmal game by Vancouver FC who now have 1 win in their last 9 games.

Oh well. Beats spending hundreds of dollars to watch a third tier English team destroy Whitecaps FC 2.

 

[Jyrki21]

Abysmal game by Vancouver FC who now have 1 win in their last 9 games.

Oh well. Beats spending hundreds of dollars to watch a third tier English team destroy Whitecaps FC 2.

The Whitecaps were also the Washington Generals in this game -- I don't think they were exactly going to go all-out. That said, I'm surprised Brian White played any minutes.

 

[Bubbles]

Abysmal game by Vancouver FC who now have 1 win in their last 9 games.

Oh well. Beats spending hundreds of dollars to watch a third tier English team destroy Whitecaps FC 2.

That game was so targeted for casuals. "Come see Ryan Reynolds, and other celebrities, on that show! OMG it's RYAN REYNOLDS! Oh and stay for some kind of sports game."

 

[Frostage]

I find the drone stuff strange. Seeing how a team practices provides only the slightest of advantages. High risk and so little reward. Like everyone knew Robben was going to cut in with his left foot, the problem was stopping it.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

That game was so targeted for casuals. "Come see Ryan Reynolds, and other celebrities, on that show! OMG it's RYAN REYNOLDS! Oh and stay for some kind of sports game."

It was embarrassing being at the game.

Well over half the crowd was only there for Wrexham and to post on their Instagram account.

Tons of “fans” with their newly purchased Wrexham gear.

Not only that, but the in game host shouted out for Wrexham “fans” to make noise. Like Jesus Christ. It’s a Whitecaps game in Vancouver.

And the merchandise they were selling was a complete money grab. Cheap $5 tshirt going for $55.

I get the marketing train is full force and credit to Reynolds but come on.

Left at half time.

 

[Jyrki21]

Not only that, but the in game host shouted out for Wrexham “fans” to make noise. Like Jesus Christ. It’s a Whitecaps game in Vancouver.

Again, this was not a "Whitecaps game". They were the designated opposition (i.e. paid to show up) as part of a Wrexham North American tour. They were never meant to be treated as the home side, and it's because they were not really involved that we got a one-off grass pitch at BC Place. The whole event was run by a promotional organization working with Wrexham.

 

[Bubbles]

It was embarrassing being at the game.

Well over half the crowd was only there for Wrexham and to post on their Instagram account.

Tons of “fans” with their newly purchased Wrexham gear.

Not only that, but the in game host shouted out for Wrexham “fans” to make noise. Like Jesus Christ. It’s a Whitecaps game in Vancouver.

And the merchandise they were selling was a complete money grab. Cheap $5 tshirt going for $55.

I get the marketing train is full force and credit to Reynolds but come on.

Left at half time.

I have to say, their marketing worked, because even my non-soccer watching sister mentioned the game to me, and of course, mentioning that Ryan Reynolds owns the team.

I don't give two shits who owns any team, let alone some lower level English team. This celebrity culture baffles me. If Taylor Swift bought Barcelona, you can imagine the swifties would buy up anything Barca related.

The Caps will never get my money again. They promised me a free game of choice after the Messi debacle and they never returned my email.

 

[VanJack]

Kind of disappointed the Caps played the role of 'Washington Generals' with Wrexham the Harlem Globetrotters.

You'd have thought they'd have taken on this game as more of a challenge and dressed a decent team. After all, the argument has always been that MLS is far stronger than Tier Two Divisional soccer in the UK.

But Wrexham is living proof that in this social media age, the medium is the message.

 

[Jyrki21]

Kind of disappointed the Caps played the role of 'Washington Generals' with Wrexham the Harlem Globetrotters.

You'd have thought they'd have taken on this game as more of a challenge and dressed a decent team. After all, the argument has always been that MLS is far stronger than Tier Two Divisional soccer in the UK.

The Caps have played a *ton* lately. They've been doing two games a week for several weeks in a row, with a fair bit of travel. This game actually came at a pretty inconvenient time for them, right when the Leagues Cup gets underway for them on Tuesday too. (Where they get to play the Washington Generals again, this time to LAFC!)

I wouldn't have expected them to take it very seriously, and like I say I'm kind of surprised Brian White saw the pitch at all.

All that said, MLS is often thought to be somewhere between Championship and League One levels when measured against the UK (basically the big-money teams in the former, and the others in the latter), so I wouldn't be surprised if League One teams could beat a full-strength Whitecaps team with some regularity. It remains to be seen if Wrexham is on par with League One or not, though, since they only just got there.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Again, this was not a "Whitecaps game". They were the designated opposition (i.e. paid to show up) as part of a Wrexham North American tour. They were never meant to be treated as the home side, and it's because they were not really involved that we got a one-off grass pitch at BC Place. The whole event was run by a promotional organization working with Wrexham.

Again. It’s a Whitecaps game in Vancouver.

This isn’t Wrexham playing Bournemouth or Chelsea in the US.

I have to say, their marketing worked, because even my non-soccer watching sister mentioned the game to me, and of course, mentioning that Ryan Reynolds owns the team.

I don't give two shits who owns any team, let alone some lower level English team. This celebrity culture baffles me. If Taylor Swift bought Barcelona, you can imagine the swifties would buy up anything Barca related.

The Caps will never get my money again. They promised me a free game of choice after the Messi debacle and they never returned my email.

Caps have taken the money and ran. I expect tickets to a game I couldn’t give away for free.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

The Caps have played a *ton* lately. They've been doing two games a week for several weeks in a row, with a fair bit of travel. This game actually came at a pretty inconvenient time for them, right when the Leagues Cup gets underway for them on Tuesday too. (Where they get to play the Washington Generals again, this time to LAFC!)

I wouldn't have expected them to take it very seriously, and like I say I'm kind of surprised Brian White saw the pitch at all.

All that said, MLS is often thought to be somewhere between Championship and League One levels when measured against the UK (basically the big-money teams in the former, and the others in the latter), so I wouldn't be surprised if League One teams could beat a full-strength Whitecaps team with some regularity. It remains to be seen if Wrexham is on par with League One or not, though, since they only just got there.

Caps started well but Wrexham had most of their better players on the bench to start.

Size was noticeable as well. Wrexham were huge compared to the Caps. Very stocky which does not come as a surprise given the style of play in lower leagues in England.

Could tell Caps weren’t use to the level of physicality even in a friendly.

 

[Red]

massive comeback win by the women's team over the 2nd ranked french to stay in the tournament given their 6 point deduction penalty for the coaching staff's drone usage

win the next game and they'll make the quarters

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

massive comeback win by the women's team over the 2nd ranked french to stay in the tournament given their 6 point deduction penalty for the coaching staff's drone usage

win the next game and they'll make the quarters

The women's national football team always put up a fight at the Olympics.

Would make for one hell of an amazing story.

 

[credulous]

the wrexham game was fun i thought. they had a bunch of players fighting for a roster spot in the lineup and the caps were playing mostly their second string being that they're in the middle of their season. i certainly didn't expect an actual competitive game

 

[MS]

The people getting pissy about the Wrexham thing remind me of the people who get pissy when the NHL or the Canucks do a marketing thing targeted toward kids.

If you’re a die-hard soccer fan, this wasn’t for you. From a Whitecaps perspective, it was an ‘event’ targeted at casuals to try and broaden the fanbase, get a different demographic in the stands, and make some $. And it seems like it was a success.

 

[ziploc]

The people getting pissy about the Wrexham thing remind me of the people who get pissy when the NHL or the Canucks do a marketing thing targeted toward kids.

If you’re a die-hard soccer fan, this wasn’t for you. From a Whitecaps perspective, it was an ‘event’ targeted at casuals to try and broaden the fanbase, get a different demographic in the stands, and make some $. And it seems like it was a success.

And the only reason they even played here was because Ryan is from here and wanted to do something for Vancouver. I went to high school with him. He genuinely loves Vancouver sports.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Congrats to the CDN women.

They were fantastic.

Little bit of luck with the French keeper going down as well as Renard which added the huge 13+mins at the end.

But they kept pushing.

Much like the men, thought their finishing was going to let them down but they pulled it off.

Now keep it up and beat Columbia.

 

[Wry n Ginger]

Again. It’s a Whitecaps game in Vancouver.

This isn’t Wrexham playing Bournemouth or Chelsea in the US.


Caps have taken the money and ran. I expect tickets to a game I couldn’t give away for free.

Jyrki21 is correct. The stadium was rented by Wrexham and the match was organized by Wrexham. It was essentially a neutral site game that the Whitecaps were invited to participate in. Just like Chelsea vs Wrexham last week in California. The tour was called the Wrex Coast Tour for a reason...lol.

https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/wrex-coast-tour-2024/

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Jyrki21 is correct. The stadium was rented by Wrexham and the match was organized by Wrexham. It was essentially a neutral site game that the Whitecaps were invited to participate in. Just like Chelsea vs Wrexham last week in California. The tour was called the Wrex Coast Tour for a reason...lol.

https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/wrex-coast-tour-2024/

I stand by what I’ve said.

Whitecaps are playing IN Vancouver.

I don’t care if the were playing Real Madrid.

They got treated as second class citizens in their own barn.

 

[Jyrki21]

The people getting pissy about the Wrexham thing remind me of the people who get pissy when the NHL or the Canucks do a marketing thing targeted toward kids.

If you’re a die-hard soccer fan, this wasn’t for you. From a Whitecaps perspective, it was an ‘event’ targeted at casuals to try and broaden the fanbase, get a different demographic in the stands, and make some $. And it seems like it was a success.

Even as a non-casual I actually would have liked to see this one if I had the option – I watch every Whitecaps game (sometimes skip through parts, heh) and I also watch the Wrexham series, so it would have actually been quite cool to see two worlds collide. The grass at BC Place was a cool feature as well. And as mentioned, if the game were played to a competitive level with full lineups I would have been very curious how each team would fare, because I don't think it's actually that easy to figure out.

The legitimate criticism that I saw was that the timing isn't great – it's another fixture for the Whitecaps while they're in a busy stretch. But I agree people whining about the mere fact that they'd play at all – when if anything it raises the profile of the team (they'd never get a sniff at an event like this if not for Reynolds) – are being silly. I saw complaints from supporters about their general-admission seats getting sold individually for this match... Like it's not even the same league, c'mon. Like claiming someone has your CFL season seat at a monster truck rally.