Good Monday morning Caps fans. Hope you all are having a good start to your week and that you’re well rested after your weekend.
World Cup fever has already left me forgetting that we have an entire MLS season left to play once the festivities have concluded.
Reflecting on the first half of the season, star midfielder Sebastian Berhalter learned Friday that he will be headed to the MLS All Star Game in Charlotte. This is the best-case scenario for the Caps: one of their players gets recognized for a great season, and their entire roster is spared from participating in a meaningless game several days before a league match.
Like many longtime fans, I’m cynical about the All Star Game. But after many years where the Caps either didn’t have anyone worthy of inclusion or those players were overlooked, it’s a sign of how far things have come that we’ve reached the point where we’re too cool for the all star game.
It’s fitting that Berhalter was the one to make the cut. His meteoric rise from a make weight for 50k in GAM to a national team starter is MLS at its best and Seb deserves all of his flowers. I was unlikely to tune in July 29 but maybe now I’ll reconsider.
Berhalter’s future in Vancouver is far from certain (we saw false internet rumors this week that Seb was headed to Derby County). But for now, kick back and enjoy the ride. Maybe (hopefully) there will be a contract extension (or at least a transfer fee) and the end of the rainbow.
Shameless Self Promotion
We have coverage of Canada’s first two friendlies, as everyone tries to answer some key questions ahead of Friday.
Best of the Rest
Be aware if you’re traveling to Seattle for the August 16 match against the Sounders that the kickoff time has changed.
Moise Bombito won’t be fit for the World Cup and is set to be replaced on the roster, opening up another possible door for Ralph Priso.
What a party game tells us about the Canadian National Team.
Will unsold seats at BC Place and BMO Field fill up before tournament time later this week?
imo, Ralph Priso is the CB that should replace Bombito- and Luc D should be his partner– Derek Cornelius- like he did with his days as a Whitecap- plays well, but makes costly mistakes every game, as he did vs Ireland
read that Marsch will even look at Kamal Miller coming onto the roster- Priso is also better than him
still very concerned at how the Mens Team will play in their 3 WC games in the opening round- i think its a mistake to keep their best goal scorer- Jonathan David- in a link #10 position so he has less time inside the box as a #9