Good Friday morning Caps fans, I hope you all are having a good week and that you have big plans for watching the game tomorrow.
It is still difficult to wrap your head around the fact that the Vancouver Whitecaps are in MLS Cup, but that is what will happen in 24 hours or so. It goes without saying that this is a big match, but it goes beyond the obvious stakes of winning the team’s first championship.
Win or lose on Saturday, this will be a season that changes the narrative on the Whitecaps, both in Vancouver and around the league. Even amid further rumblings about the Caps’ future in Vancouver, this year has proven that MLS is sitting on a gold mine in terms of support in what has quickly become Canada’s premier soccer market. While Vancouver may never be a big market per se, this year has confounded the expectations that even many of us had for what was possible. A win on Saturday would cement that, though I think this year has been a launching pad to future success, no matter what.
Still, Saturday also might be the last time we see some key players (Andres Cubas, Ali Ahmed, Sebastian Berhalter, Yohei Takaoka) suit up for this team. Such is life as a top dog in MLS — the LA Galaxy had to shed key players 48 hours after lifting the trophy last season due to salary cap constraints. The Caps aren’t quite in that dire of a position, but there will be considerable demand for the team’s top players, which makes it unlikely they will keep everyone heading into next season. I think that’s OK — Axel Schuster’s talent ID deserves blind trust at this point — but it will be special having one last game with a group of players we have all grown to love.
Of course, the players won’t be content to treat this as a farewell party. They know how to beat Miami and will be desperate to do it again, on an even bigger stage. This match will be won in the trenches in the midfield, where Cubas will look to continue his remarkable streak against Lionel Messi, and Berhalter will seek to help the wide players take advantage of the space they will likely have in behind Miami’s fullbacks. This has been a strength for the Caps all season, and Jesper Sorensen will probably like his odds if the match comes down to whoever plays better in the midfield third.
The Caps are not content simply to be here. The loss in the CONCACAF Champions Final, while dispiriting at the time, was a key factor in preparing them for even tougher battles to come. It doesn’t hurt adding a World Cup winner to your ranks either. But if Vancouver does win tomorrow, this title will belong as much to the Ralph Prisos, the Tate Johnsons, and the Belal Halbounis — all the players who kept things on the rails through adversity. Few teams have overcome more to even reach the MLS Cup final and the only sweeter way to end this fairytale season would be with a parade.
Shameless Self Promotion
Caleb takes a look at how the Caps ultimately became an MLS Cup title contender. Meanwhile, our podcast previews Saturday’s match in depth.
Best of the Rest
Don Garber continues to put pressure on PavCo with BC Place negotiations amid rumors that other cities are circling for a possible relocation.
The watch party at BC Place, meanwhile, is shaping up to be quite the crowd — potentially more than the actual attendance in Fort Lauderdale.
A nice look at the traveling supporters headed to South Florida for the historic match.
Miami winger Tadeo Allende hasn’t trained and could miss out on the final Saturday, which would be a blow for the Herons.
the City has just announced that the Hastings Park racetrack will NOT have another season- as stated before, a Whitecap stadium in that very location is IMO a done deal-but other parts (ie Skytrain Link to the North Shore, hotel, etc) need to be revealed before an official announcement- probably open in 2029- the stadium and First Nations Casino will be anchors for a new entertainment hub which has already started with the 10K outdoor concert facility and a renovated Pacific Coliseum- so the Caps will be making a deal with PAVCO for another 3 years at BC Place- its why MLS President, Don Garber visited Vancouver and met with City and Provincial governments, PAVCO, existing Cap Owners and probably- just my guess- new potential investors (who after seeing the 54K fans at BC Place vs LAFC must have been overwhelmed by what they saw and felt)
the only group not happy about this news are the thousands of rats that come out every night at the racetrack; wait for an announcement that a new racing facility will be going to Langley (land has been set aside), probably near the new Skytrain being built and it will include the sulky racing because Cloverdale is closing the Fraser Downs facility
there is NO WAY that MLS leaves this terrific soccer market after what has happened this year- even the Ownership group has announced they are staying and seeking new investors (the only way they can justify their investment is to be able to control the Stadium revenue and dates- the Club must own the Stadium)
DONE DEAL, PART 1
Salty
it has been a year of Whitecap memories – beyond my hopes that i thought i would ever see again after the magic of the 1979 NASL Super Bowl Cup- and in some ways, this is even better, simply because they have weathered all the injuries and come up smelling roses- hidden talent has risen to the ocassions game after game
you are right- VANCOUVER IS A TERRIFIC SOCCER MARKET – and i dont believe that the Owners, City and Province wont find a way to make it all permanent- i am guessing in saying that IMO, possible investors to become part of the existing Ownership group were in attendance at the packed, noisy, passionate 54 000 game- and that had to have cemented their desire to come on-board and take this golden franchise to the next level- which i believe will be a Soccer Specific Stadium
a PARADE (a march down Robson Street into BC Place Stadium??) after a win on Saturday would be the cherry on top of the cake and the icing
Salty