The Lead
There seems to be a ‘too soon’ ettiquette on taking a dump on a bad team’s outlying success, either in a single match or in a cup “competition” involving four teams. So it was through gritted teeth that I read on Reddit how this was the first “trophy of the season to be lifted in USA/Canada” and how Toronto FC are now “Canadian champions.”
GRITTED TEETH.
Anyway, congratulations Toronto FC, who won the Voyageur’s Cup after beating Vancouver in a sloppy, one third 10 v 10 game in which Reggie Lambe scored the winner, 1-0.
I will wait at least several hours before poring over the MLS Opta chalkboard, but on the whole it was a determined performance. And moreover, the team (and perhaps more importantly, MLSE) have a reason to ask fans to follow the team, either on television or in person at BMO Field. So, yay. Bring on the fixture congestion chance at international glory.
Canada
It’s Toronto FC’s fourth consecutive cup win.
DAMMIT, Josh Simpson has broken his leg, which miss crucial round of WCQs for Canada.
Olympique Mayonnaise will face the Montreal Impact.
It’s pre-cup, but kudos on this poster.
England
Glen Johnson pulls out of an pre-Euro England training session with an infected toe.
Chelsea release Salomon Kalou and Jose Bosingwa.
Andre Villas-Boas out of the running for Liverpool job.
Dave Whelan has warned current Wigan manager Roberto Martinez that Liverpool won’t give him free reins in transfer picks. They’ve also given him a deadline to decide his future.
Torres secures “guarantee” he will be a regular starter.
Malcolm Glazer “Twitter dies.”
Javi Martinez may be going to Man City.
Italy
Italy tinker with forward combinations.
Mario Balotelli will “repay” Cesare Prandelli for his faith.
Dzeko’s agent denies there have been talks with Juventus.
Germany
Bayern Munich likely faces changes in the summer, writes Rafa Honigstein.
Great piece on Germany in Euro ’72.
Bits and bobs
Jonathan Wilson on Boca Juniors.
Grant Wahl interviews Landon Donovan.
Chris Martin ruins preparations for the Copa del Rey.
And that, give or take, is the story so far.
Maybe Mexico can step in at the last minute, like 1986?
Olympique Mayonnaise probably has the fattest fan base of any team.
Eh, the problems seem more like they’re in the realm of infrastructure than the actual stadia themselves.
And if people survived South Africa’s nightmares of transportation, I think they’ll get around Brazil as well.
Mexico stepped in because of a massive earthquake that crushed Colombia. Then South America got short changed with the confederation rotation system that kicked in after Europe and North America shared the spoils back and forth for 20 years.
It’ll take something similarly catastrophic as Colombia’s earthquake to deny South America this World Cup.
SB
“Bring on the fixture congestion chance at international glory.”
Richard – CONCACAF changed the CCL format this year. There are no qualifying rounds, everyone just goes into groups of 3 teams. So instead of the 2 qualifiers and 6 group stage matches TFC played last year, there are just 4 group stage matches. Only the winner of the group moves on.