DAVID EDGAR SET TO STAY IN THE PREMIERSHIP

Owen Coyle is continuing to strengthen his newly-promoted Burnley squad and has now almost completed the signing of David Edgar from Newcastle United.

Edgar is the first player to leave Newcastle United to spark off what could be a mass exodus at St James’s Park.

The Canadian defender was offered a new contract to stay on in Newcastle but has signed a four-year deal with newly promoted Premier League outfit Burnley.

The 22-year-old ended his Toon career in devastating fashion after being red-carded at Aston Villa on the day that United lost their top flight status last month.

However, Edgar never let United down when selected and was rarely used in his natural position of centre-back, where he often shone as captain of the reserves.

Indeed when he did play in the heart of defence at Stoke City in April he put in a man of the match display.

The son of former Toon keeper Eddie Edgar will always be remembered for his howitzer against Manchester United in the 2-2 draw in 2007, and he also netted against Liverpool in the 5-1 loss on Tyneside last season.

Edgar wanted to join the Turf Moor club on loan last season in November but the move was blocked by United amidst an injury crisis under Joe Kinnear.

And there was no chance for him to move on loan during January for exactly the same reason.

Edgar made just 23 appearances for Newcastle but was restricted to limited first team opportunities under a host of different managers including the man who handed him his debut in Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear and Alan Shearer.

United will be entitled to compensation for Edgar because of his age and because he came through the club's Academy since the age of 14.

Fellow newly promoted side Birmingham were also interested in signing the North American.

Fans of the Canadian can make the trek down the I-5 to see Burnley play in Portland when they face the Timbers in a friendly in July.

KAKA PASSES REAL MEDICAL

Kaka has passed his medical at Real Madrid, the Spanish club has reported.

The 27-year-old had already completed a first set of medical tests with Madrid whilst on international duty in Brazil prior to the official announcement of his transfer from AC Milan on June 8.

Madrid paid Milan a fee reportedly in the region of £56m for Kaka, and he will be presented by his new club at the Bernabeu later today at a ceremony starting at 2030 local time.

I enjoy the picture the most. Just hilarious that they follow the "test subject" around snapping photographs.

TOP 5 REASONS TO CHEER FOR TFC IN THE CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

So many fans in Vancouver, upset about the way the Nutrilite Canadian Championships finished up. At the same time, many in Vancouver, Montreal and the rest of the country will have a very difficult time cheering for TFC in the CONCACAF Champions League. I'm not saying you have to, but here are 5 reasons why it might be a good idea to actually support Toronto FC in Champions League play.

1) like all the Canadian teams, having Canadian players playing in hostile and strange environments is only going to a good thing for the Canadian National team. It would have been good if it was Vancouver, Montreal or Toronto. It will give Dwayne De Rosario a chance to lead the team for all of Canada. It will give a young Canadian, Nana Attakora the chance to shine on a bigger stage and put pressure on Adrian Serioux, giving him a chance to shine also. Providing all of them a chance to see the games played at different levels and different styles. Valuable down the road in a Canada match.

2) Toronto is the centre of media in Canada, and more coverage of soccer in this country is a good thing. If that can only be achieved by the team from Toronto going, then so be it. More coverage means that more people may get interested in the game and follow it on a national level. Springing up more teams around the country will better Canada's hold on the game.

3) The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in the early 90's. The benefits of those teams winning are showing up now. Jason Bay, Justin Morneau and Jeff Francis, to name just a few, all young and great baseball players that watched the Blues Jays win the World Series and then got them even more interested in playing baseball at a high level. Those benefits will be felt by all Canadians. Sure it was Toronto that won, but those three players are all from BC. The game can build beyond just Ontario.

4) Rivalry. With the way Toronto won this tournament, it's going to make Montreal want to beat Toronto next year, to show they aren't pushovers. Vancouver is going to want to prove again that they can beat Toronto as they will be heading into the MLS the following season. It will also provide the Whitecaps with desire to go out and destroy Montreal next time around. If Toronto does well, and Canada cheers them on, teams in Montreal and Vancouver will want to achieve similiar success.

5) Right now, Canada doesn't have a full spot into the CONCACAF Champions League, they compete with one another for the right to represent Canada, then have to play another club team for the right to play in the group stage. Montreal did a fabulous job going deep into the tournament. If TFC can do the same (I feel they have a better chance of winning than Vancouver would have had), it is only going to benefit Canada in receiving an automatic spot into the group stages. Down the road Canadians can think about a 2nd spot, right now, they need to focus on performing well enough to get an automatic spot.

CBC COVERAGE OF WORLD CUP 2010

A lot of discussion with our radio show recently about the coverage of Confederations Cup on CBC. A lot of anger with the fact that many of the games were not seen on the main network. Instead, these matches were broadcast on CBC BOLD. A channel way high up on the cable, a premium paid channel and one that many viewers don't actually have. The worry was that CBC would broadcast the World Cup games BOLD. Well listeners, viewers, readers... do not worry.

After speaking with CBC Executive Director of CBC Sports, Scott Moore, and then chatting with Trevor Pilling, the Executive Producer of Soccer on CBC, have told me the following, "All games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be live in HD on CBC Television (Main Net). In addition to all of the live games, each day we will repeat one game in Prime time (7pm in all regions) as well as another game will repeat late night (11pm in all regions). All games will have another repeat on bold and ALL GAMES will be streamed live on CBCSports.ca as well as being available on demand. This will be the first time all games of the FIFA World Cup will be available on conventional broadcast television as well as the first time any of the games will be available online."

Now, during the final matches of the group stage, games are played at the same time. When this occurs, "the overlap games will appear simultaneously on CBC and
bold, the one seen live on bold will be replayed immediately on CBC once
the first game is done."

So there you have, your coverage is set for the World Cup on CBC next year. I was also told that CBC may be providing unprecedented mobile coverage and that that their broadcast team will include the usual suspects of Scott Russell, Nigel Reed and Jason deVos along with new names. Those names are still in negotiations.

To listen to the Full-Time interview with CBC's Trevor Pilling, download the podcast here.

What did you think of CBC's coverage and what do you think of the upcoming World Cup?

ASMIR BEGOVIC SAYS NO TO CANADA

According to the website sportsport.ba, Asmir Begovic has decided to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina and not Canada. Bosnia and Herzegovina manager Mirolsav "Ciro" Blazevic Begovic had committed to play for Bosnia.

The article states: "I spoke with Asmir and told him that I want to see him in the national team [of Bosnia and Herzegovina]. He told me that he needed some time to think, and I called after a day or two and he said he will be proud to wear the national jersey team so I expect him to appear in the forthcoming get together of the squad," he said.

"I haven't yet have not watched Asmir play, but I checked with [Niko] Kranjčar, who told me that it is an excellent goalkeeper."

This is terrible news for Canadian fans as another young and promising young talent has decided to play for another country.

Jason de Vos joins Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show

CBC Sports soccer guru Jason de Vos will join Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show on Sunday evening. Tyler Green and Mike Martignago will chat about the Confederations Cup with Jason, and touch on the Montreal v Toronto FC match, TFC's roster changes and Whitecaps current struggles.

Plus, Whitecaps talk with head coach Teitur Thordarson and Peter Nowak, Philadelphia Union manager. Peter will be by to to discuss building a team in Philadelphia for the 2010 season.

Also, What's going on Setanta Sports Canada? Setanta Sports Canada Marketing Manager, Andy Shapiera will join us and give us the latest information.

Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show normally broadcasts from 9-11pm on the TEAM 1040 Sports Radio, but will start this Sunday, June 28th, at 10pm due to the Vancouver Canadians baseball game.

Listen live here.

Do you have a question for Jason? Send it to: fulltime@team1040.ca

CANADIAN GOALKEEPER KARINA LEBLANC LIVES NEAR MICHAEL JACKSON'S HOME

Just reading the LA Times blog on the death of Michael Jackson, and was surprised to find the comments of LA Sol and Canadian International goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc.

She apparently lives a block away from Jackson's place.

From the LA Times...

Karina LeBlanc, 29, a member of the Los Angeles soccer team Sol, who lives a block from Jackson’s Bel-Air house, said she drives by every day on her way to practice.

She said she saw Jackson once as he and his entourage were arriving at the house. LeBlanc said she heard helicopters hovering above the neighborhood this afternoon and turned on her TV to find out what was going on.

She said she was deeply saddened by the news. She said her soccer team always listened to his music before a game, particularly the song “Man in the Mirror.”

“He’s got the beat,” she said. “His music is so riveting and inspiring.”

She said the news was especially distressing because Jackson had gone through such a tough time in recent years. Still, it was hard to believe that he was dead, she said.

The death of the "king of pop" is certainly very sad news.

But my question is, what are the Los Angeles Sol / WPS paying LeBlanc?

KEVIN HARMSE OFF TO CHIVAS

Kevin Harmse was shipped off to Chivas USA today for allocation money coming back to Toronto. Here is the official release:

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have acquired allocation money from Chivas USA. In exchange, Chivas receives midfielder Kevin Harmse.

“The entire staff wants to wish Kevin all the best,” said manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston. “Kevin requested a move back to the U.S. We tried very hard to hang on to him, but this move is what’s best for Kevin right now.”

Harmse, 24, was acquired February 29, 2008 from the Los Angeles Galaxy. The midfielder leaves Toronto having played a total of 30 games played, 21 of those as a starter. He compiled 1,882 minutes over two seasons and scored once this season in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship match at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps on May 6.

Two ways of looking at this. Kevin was considered surplus and TFC have plans to bring in a more capable defender in his place or already have with Nick Garcia. Or, Harmse was the only Canadian to accept the invitation to go play for the Canadian National Team at the Gold Cup. Could this be Mo Johnston's way of saying that this is not acceptable and that he should have put club before country.

I haven't spoken to Kevin, but I'm curious why he would want a move back to the U.S. when the best part of his career has been with TFC. We'll try and get to the bottom of it.

What do you think of this move? Do you think it's because of the first or the second possible reason?

ANSU TOURE UNDERGOES SURGERY

Ansu Toure is out and this is not good news for the struggling Whitecaps.

VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that midfielder Ansu Toure has suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will have surgery on Thursday, June 25.

The Liberian-born winger, who has been suffering with the injury since the men's team's preseason trip to Tanzania last March, is expected to miss the next four weeks following his operation.

In his first season with the 'Caps, Toure has made 15 appearances in all competitions for 1,018 minutes of action. The midfielder scored his first two goals for the club on June 2, as the Whitecaps claimed a memorable 2-0 home victory over Major League Soccer club Toronto FC in the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.

Currently in his fourth season in the United Soccer Leagues First Division, Toure was acquired by the Whitecaps from USL-1 rivals Miami FC Blues on January 21, 2009. Prior to his stint with the Blues, Toure was a member of Atlanta Silverbacks and Minnesota Thunder.

Meanwhile, midfielder Vicente Arze and defender Luca Bellisomo have been re-assigned to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency team of the USL Premier Development League (PDL) for a brief conditioning stint.

MORE ON SETANTA (UK & IRELAND)

"The Irish broadcaster Setanta Sports has gone into administration after failing to make a number of payments to sporting organisations.

Setanta has now stopped broadcasting to customers in Great Britain, but the administrator Deloitte said it would continue to operate elsewhere."

More info here.

MESSAGE FROM SETANTA SHOULD EASE CONCERNS

Plenty of soccer and rugby fans have been a little anxious due to the financial problems at Setanta Sports.

What will it mean for Setanta Canada? Will they continue to air Barclay's Premier League matches? If not, what do I do?

Well Setanta has posted a statement on their website that should make Canadian subscribers feel better.

As we've mentioned on Full-Time, Setanta Canada is together with Rogers Media. The Score owns the rights to Barclays Premier League action in Canada. Meaning, Setanta Canada/Rogers acquires the games from the Score.

While the Setanta collapse in Europe is sad news, it does appear that Setanta Canada will continue to operate "business as usual."

STEVE NASH CHINATOWN SHOWDOWN PART 2

Steve is set for the Chinatown Showdown part 2 in NYC. Details here.

It was rumoured that he was going to have one in Vancouver. Still rumours at this point.

MYANMAR and SOCCER

Came across this very interesting article from the Wall Street Journal. It's worth a read.

SURPRISE AND SHOCK... REAL MADRID V TFC MATCH SOLD OUT

Toronto FC made an announcement today saying that the match between TFC and Real Madrid on August 7th at BMO Field is sold out. Not surprising really, but nice to see.

"We're excited to host one of the most popular and successful football teams in the world,” said Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. "Our players are looking forward to the challenge of playing against a club of Real Madrid's caliber.”

“The Real Madrid friendly will be an unforgettable experience for Toronto FC and soccer supporters. It’s a great once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch this summer’s hottest event in one of the best and most intimate stadiums in North America.”

The other item of note is that Real Madrid must play their "stars" for at least 45 minutes. Meaning fans will get a chance to see Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo. Here's the rest of the Toronto FC press release:

Toronto FC’s friendly match agreement will have Real Madrid summer transfers play a minimum of 45 minutes unless injured. With the recent addition of 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year, the Toronto FC versus Real Madrid game gives soccer supporters a chance to see the best in the world in Toronto.

Anselmi added that given the magnitude of this event, it will contribute significant economic impact and tourism dollars to the City of Toronto.

Last summer’s 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game hosted by Toronto FC at BMO Field generated more than $23 million in economic contribution and tourism for the city. It’s expected that the Real Madrid game will eclipse that mark.

For this special event, Toronto FC will install a temporary natural grass playing surface on top of BMO Field's existing FieldTurf. The investment will cost the club approximately $250,000 for the single-use installation.

GOLTV Canada also announced that it will produce and broadcast the Toronto FC versus Real Madrid friendly in High-Definition.

As Canada’s all-soccer network dedicated to the Canadian perspective on the global game, GOLTV will be available in freeview on all major cable carriers for the month of August. Presently, more than five million households across the country who subscribe to digital television will have access to the channel. ESPN will also broadcast the friendly match in the United States. ESPN is carried in 96 million households.

The “Spanish Giants” become the sixth international visitor to BMO Field. Real Madrid, the most successful team in Spanish football has won a record 31 La Liga (Spanish first division) titles, 17 Spanish Cups, and a record nine European Cups (now referred to as UEFA Champions League) and two UEFA Cups (now referred to as UEFA Europa League).

The other note of interest to soccer fans is that GOLTV will be broadcasting the game. No surprise really since MLSE owns most of the TV station, but it will be on free preview. Great to see that they will bring some nice programming in that free time.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE...

NEW YORK (Tuesday, June 23, 2009) – With the qualification of the last of the 24 teams in the CONCACAF Champions League, the definitive schedule for the Preliminary Round has been determined.

The first of 78 games in the 2009-2010 Champions League will start with D.C. United at home against Chalatenango of El Salvador on Tuesday, July 28. The Preliminary Round will finish with the second leg between Real Espana of Honduras at home against Liberia of Costa Rica on Thursday, August 6.

With Toronto FC’s 6-1 victory over the Montreal Impact on Thursday in the final game of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the Major League Soccer side claimed its first berth in the Champions League and will open at home against the Puerto Rico Islanders on Wednesday, July 29. Puerto Rico will host the second leg on Tuesday, August. 4.

The eight winners of the Preliminary Round will advance to the Group Stage, which will begin the week of August 18-20.

PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
Times local (USA Eastern in parentheses); home teams listed first

FIRST LEG
Tuesday, July 28
D.C. United (USA) vs. Chalatenango (SLV), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Pachuca (MEX) vs. Jalapa (GUA), 9 p.m. (10 p.m.)

Wednesday, July 29
Toronto FC (CAN) vs. Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)
San Francisco (PAN) vs. San Juan Jabloteh (TRI), 7 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Liberia (CRC) vs. Real Espana (HON), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)

Thursday, July 30
W Connection (TRI) vs. New York Red Bulls (USA), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Herediano (CRC) vs. Cruz Azul (MEX), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)
Olimpia (HON) vs. Arabe Unido (PAN), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)


SECOND LEG
Tuesday, August 4
Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR) vs. Toronto 8 p.m. (CAN), (8 p.m.)
Jalapa (GUA) vs. Pachuca (MEX), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)
Chalatenango (SLV) vs. D.C. United (USA), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)
Wednesday, August 5
New York Red Bulls (USA) vs. W Connection (TRI), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Cruz Azul (MEX) vs. Herdiano (CRC), 7 p.m. (8 p.m.)

Thursday, August 6
Arabe Unido (PAN) vs. Olimpia (HON), 7 p.m. (8 p.m.)
San Juan Jabloteh (TRI) vs. San Francisco (PAN), 8 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Real Espana (HON) vs. Liberia (CRC), 8 p.m. (10 p.m.)

TORONTO FC SIGNS CANADIAN FORWARD ALI GERBA

It's finally official:

Toronto FC announced Tuesday that the club has signed Canadian international forward Ali Gerba. Due to international transfer rules, Gerba will not be available to Toronto FC until the MLS transfer window opens on July 15, 2009. As per team policy, financial details were not released.

“We are very happy to get Ali in here and under contract,” said manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston. “Ali is a very strong player, he’s quick, he’s got an eye for goal and he’s someone that will help us down the stretch. We’ve tried to get him in here before – and he’s shown a real desire to play here, so we’re looking forward to getting him on the pitch with the rest of the squad.”

Gerba, 26, arrives in Toronto after he was released from his contract with English League One side Milton Keynes Dons with whom he signed with in August of 2008. In 24 appearances with the side, he finished with 10 goals. He made his first appearance with the League One team on August 20, and scored his first goal for the club a game later in a 2-1 loss to Peterborough United.

The forward’s career has taken him to numerous clubs in Canada and in Europe including two seasons with the Toronto Lynx of the USL in 2002-03 and then again in 2004-05. He left the team as Toronto’s second highest all-time scorer with 24 total goals. In his final two seasons with the Lynx, Gerba made 32 appearances scoring 17 times. A native of Montreal, he also played for the USL’s Montreal Impact during his rookie season in 2000 and then again briefly during the 2005 season.

Since making his debut for Canada in Burnaby, BC on July 2, 2005 in a friendly vs. Honduras, Gerba has been a regular member of the Canadian National Team with 23 appearances, and 11 goals. He was on the roster during Canada’s FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifying campaign and part of two Gold Cup squads in 2005 and 2007. In 2005 Canada did not advance out of the group stage at the Gold Cup while in 2007, where Canada reached the semi-finals only to be eliminated by the U.S.

YOUR 2009 CANADIAN GOLD CUP SQUAD WILL BE...

1- G- Greg Sutton | unattached
2- D- Adrian Cann | DEN / Esbjerg fB
3- D/M- Mike Klukowski | BEL / Club Brugge KV
4- D- André Hainault | USA / Houston Dynamo
5- D/F- Kevin McKenna | GER / 1. FC Köln
6- M- Julian de Guzman | ESP / Deportivo La Coruna
7- D/M- Paul Stalteri | GER / Borussia Mönchengladbach
8- M- Marcel de Jong | NED / Roda JC
9- F- Ali Gerba | unattached
10- M/F- Will Johnson | USA / Real Salt Lake
11- D- Richard Hastings | SCO / Inverness CT
12- M- Issey Nakajima-Farran | DEN / FC Nordsjælland
13- M- Atiba Hutchinson | DEN / F.C. København
14- D- Dejan Jakovic | USA / DC United
15- M/F- Josh Simpson | GER / FC Kaiserslautern
16- F- Simeon Jackson | ENG / Gillingham FC
17- D/M- Jaime Peters | ENG / Ipswich Town FC
18- G- Joshua Wagenaar | ENG / Yeovil Town
19- D/M- Kevin Harmse | CAN / Toronto FC
20- M- Patrice Bernier | DEN / FC Nordsjælland
21- M- Chris Pozniak | SCO / Dundee FC
22- G- Kenny Stamatopoulos | NOR / FC Lyn Oslo (on loan from Tromsø I.L.)
23- F- Charles Gbeke | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Your thoughts? Disappointed in players missing?

PREMIER LEAGUE TERMINATES CONTRACT WITH SETANTA

We've been told numerous times that the situation in Europe won't have an influence on things in Canada, but...

Uh oh.

TFC WINS NUTRILITE CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Toronto FC won the Nutrilite Canadian Championship after beating Montreal Impact 6 - 1 on Thursday evening. TFC needed to win the game by 4 goals in order to win the competition. Vancouver fans were not the only ones disappointed with the effort from Montreal, “Tonight’s result is extremely disappointing,” said Impact President Joey Saputo. “The players wearing the Impact jersey have to show pride and they did not tonight. Even though the match had no significance, we can’t hide our heads in the sand. This is not the way this club should perform in front of our fans, in our stadium. Being first and foremost a fan, I know that this is not acceptable.”

Whitecaps fans were disappointed with Montreal's performance, and how could you not. Montreal had nothing to play for ini terms of positioning, but pride is something that they apparently could care less about. Last year, Vancouver helped Montreal into the competition by picking a result against Toronto that gave the Impact the title and were hoping Montreal would do the same for them this year. It truly is is a disgrace with that effort. Joey Saputo is right, it's not acceptable.

For Toronto, it proves that they are currently Canada's best team. Let's hope that they show the same fire and goalscoring (yes, it's shocking, Chad Barrett actually scored) when they meet Puerto Rico in the preliminary round to qualify for the group stage. It would be nice to see TFC show some muscle and do well in this competition. It will also be good for players such as Dwayne De Rosario and Adrian Serioux, Gaining experience in tough stadiums abroad. More importantly, it will give young Canadians like Nana Attakora valuable experience down the road. Playing for TFC in those countries will surely benefit the Canadian National program down the road when he will get a chance to lead his fellow Canucks to hostile enviroments he's played in and hopefully conquered.

Finally, as much as it pains me to say this. GO TFC GO!! Canada is supporting you now. Do us proud.

Why do I feel like I need to wash my mouth out with soap now...

TORONTO FC RELEASES RICKETTS

The official word has come out from Toronto FC. Below is the announcement:

Toronto FC announced Wednesday that they have come to an agreement to terminate the contract of midfielder Rohan Ricketts.

Ricketts, 26, was signed with the club April 11, 2008. He leaves Toronto with 39 appearances, 29 of those as a starter. The midfielder compiled 2,455 minutes and finishes with four goals, four assists, and one caution.

NEW PREMIER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

The new Premier League schedule has been released. You can view the complete schedule here.

Some of the highlighted games can be found here.

What are your thoughts?

GERBA SET FOR TFC / RICKETTS SET TO LEAVE

ALI GERBA

Ali Gerba is set to sign with Toronto FC, or already has. Various sources and various media are indicating that the contract is signed, sealed and waiting for league approval before it can be officially delivered.

He apparently is also with the squad in Montreal and could play a part in tomorrow's Nutrilite Canadian Championship final game against Montreal. TFC needs to win the game by a 4-goal margin if they hope to qualify to the next round to play Puerto Rico, otherwise the Vancouver Whitecaps FC will claim the spot.

ROHAN RICKETTS

Meanwhile, The 24th Minute is reporting that, Full-Time favourite, Rohan Ricketts is set to be released. Full-Time has received confirmation that Ricketts will be leaving TFC and it will officially be announced in the next few days.

BARCA TO SAN JOSE

While wishing for an international friendly to be played here in Vancouver hasn't worked yet, simply doing some deductions has. Barcelona will play in San Jose for an exhibition game against an "unnamed Mexican squad" on August 8th at Candlestick Park. The game will be after the Columbus v San Jose match. The announcement is expected to be made shortly.

When the announcement is officially made, Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show will get Frank Yallop's comments on the friendly being played in San Jose.

This is Barca's third exhibition date in the United States with the other two games in Seattle and Los Angeles. It was expected that they would make three appearances on the west coast with Vancouver and BC Place stadium being rumoured as a possible destination, but this will quash any further rumours of the likes of Lionel Messi and co. coming to Vancouver.

CHARLES AND GBEKE RECEIVE TWO-MATCH SUSPENSION

VANCOUVER, BC – The United Soccer Leagues and Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that defender Wesley Charles and striker Charles Gbeke have received a one-match league suspension and an additional one-match club suspension.

Charles and Gbeke will both miss the Whitecaps matches at Montreal Impact this coming Saturday, June 20, and at Cleveland City Stars next Tuesday, June 23.

On Monday, the club announced that both players received monetary fines for an undisclosed amount. The fines and suspensions are the result of their unsportsmanlike behaviour during the Whitecaps home match versus Miami FC Blues last Friday evening.

Both players' fines will be directed to the Whitecaps Foundation, which is dedicated to helping to create British Columbia's fittest generation of youth by 2020. For more information on the Whitecaps Foundation, please visit whitecapsfoundation.org.

Just saw this again for the first time after many many years...

Just saw this again for the first time after many many years... how embarssing.

TORONTO FC WAIVES SMITH

Toronto FC announced Tuesday that they have waived forward Johann Smith. The 22 year old joined the club on August 15, 2008 signing as a free agent. Smith appeared in a total of 14 games, three of those as a starter. He compiled 418 minutes, and one assist.

On the surface, it appears as if TFC are making room for a couple of new players. Ali Gerba is reportedly one of them. Could there be a another one in the mix?

WISHING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY

We talked about it on Sunday evenings show. In Canada, Montreal, Toronto and even Edmonton have gotten in the mix to host or play against international competition, while Seattle and Portland, just south of the border have also booked international clubs. The one city that is absent is Vancouver. It's disappointing that Vancouver has yet to announce an date against an international club. I for one would love to see the Whitecaps, or perhaps just two other teams, play against a European league team. It gives fans the opportunity to watch teams that they usually only get to see on television, never live and in person.

With Vancouver getting an MLS franchise in 2011, it's almost a certainty that Vancouver and BC Place will be hosting very big international friendlies, just look at Seattle this season, but it's disappointing that nothing is happening here in Vancouver. Even Portland is getting into the mix by playing Bayern Munich's reserve squad and newly promoted English Premier League side Burnley FC.

Bob Lenarduzzi told Full-Time earlier this season, "We currently do not have any plans for an international game", but that was earlier in the season, perhaps something is on the burner now. If Vancouver doesn't have anything on the burner, here's a brief list of some of the entertaining events happening close to Vancouver and across Canada:

Seattle:
Seattle v Chelsea - July 18th
Seattle v Barcelona - August 5th

Portland:
Portland v Bayern Munich II - July 2nd
Portland v Burnley FC - July 25th

Edmonton:
Everton v River Plate - July 25th

Toronto:
Toronto v River Plate - July 22nd
Toronto v Real Madrid - August 7th

Montreal:
Haitian National Team v Syrian National Team - June 27th
Haitian National Team v Impact – July 1st
Syrian National Team v Impact – Jul 8th
(Champions Trophy) – EA Guingamp v FC Girondins de Bordeaux - July 25th
Montreal v FC Girondins de Bordeaux - July 28th
Montreal v CA River Plate - August 4th

TONY SOPRANO HITS TWO

New Jersey-born Giuseppe Rossi scored two gorgeous goals in Italy's 3-1 comeback win over 10-man USA at the FIFA Confederations Cup on Monday.

The first, an absolute stunner that US goalkeeper Tim Howard had no chance on. His second of the match (the 3-1 goal), a volley after some fantastic play down the wing by midfielder Andrea Pirlo (The 2-1 goal by De Rossi was epic as well, perhaps Howard could've done better, but this was Rossi's night).

I'll throw this out there... could you imagine if Owen Hargreaves or Jonathan de Guzman scored twice against Canada?

Wow-wee... that would sting.

THE IMPACT WILL PLAY AGAINST RIVER PLATE AUGUST 4

MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced Monday the presentation of an international friendly game against Club Atlético River Plate, a first division club in Argentina, Tuesday, August 4, at Saputo Stadium.

“We are glad to add this international game to our calendar,” said Montreal Impact and Saputo Stadium President Joey Saputo. “River Plate is a great club in South America, among the two most prestigious in Argentina. It’s therefore an honour to have the opportunity to play against them. In the last years, we have maintained an ongoing collaboration with Argentinean soccer. This match will allow us to show our local talent and to stage once again top level soccer in Montreal.”

CA River Plate, under the helm of head coach Diego Simeone, won the Argentine Championship 33 times. River Plate is currently ranked fifth in the Clausura championship with a 7-4-6 record.

With this 6th international game added to its summer calendar in Montreal, the 5th one at Saputo Stadium, the Impact international game schedule is now completed.

“After seeing the enthusiasm for our international games last year, we made an exceptional effort to present this international programming,” added Joey Saputo. “Since the Impact is a non profit organization, it was important for us that the game tickets remain very affordable. It is now up to the population in Quebec and to local communities to respond.”

Tickets for the game against CA River Plate will go on sale Friday, at 10 am, through Admission (514-790-1245 / admission.com) or at the ticketing office of Saputo Stadium. Ticket prices will range between $15 to $40 (taxes included). Youth rates for spectators aged 16 and under, as well as special group rates, will also be offered.

INTERNATIONAL GAMES IN MONTREAL
Saturday, June 27 – Haitian National Team VS Syrian National Team – Saputo Stadium – 3:30 pm
Wednesday, July 1 - Haitian National Team VS Impact – Saputo Stadium – 7:30 pm
Wednesday, July 8 – Syrian National Team VS Impact – Saputo Stadium – 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 25 (Champions Trophy) – EA Guingamp VS FC Girondins de Bordeaux – Olympic Stadium – 3 pm
Tuesday, July 28 – FC Girondins de Bordeaux VS Impact – Saputo Stadium – 7:30 pm
Tuesday, August 4 – CA River Plate VS Impact – Saputo Stadium – 7:30 pm

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FULL-TIME: NOW THE FULL 90 MINUTES PLUS EXTRA TIME

Vancouver, BC, Canada - Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show on the TEAM 1040 kicks-up the coverage of soccer in Vancouver, Canada, by starting earlier and extending the duration of the show. Full-Time will continue to be heard Sunday nights, but will now kick-off at 9pm and broadcast for 2 hours until 11pm on the TEAM 1040 in Vancouver. The relaunch for the new time is Sunday, June 21st, 2009.

Full-Time: Vancouver’s Soccer Show on the TEAM 1040 is a dynamic program featuring all the news, stories and interviews from the soccer world. Join Tyler Green and Mike Martignago, Sunday nights from 9pm – 11pm for an in-depth look at the beautiful game. From the local clubs to the world stage, Full-Time has you covered.

Full-Time features leading soccer analysts from Europe and North America, along with players such as AC Milan's Clarence Seedorf, Hull City FC's Andy Dawson, LA Galaxy's Landon Donovan, Toronto FC's Rohan Ricketts, and Monchengladbach's Paul Stalteri and Rob Friend. Full-Time has also connected with coaches and managers such as Hull City FC Manager Phil Brown and Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill.

Full-Time is a fast-paced sports talk format, with entertaining interviews and informative segments.

Click here for more information about the show.

For advertising opportunities, please contact Tyler Green or Mike Martignago at fulltime@team1040.ca

FINE, THANK YOU

WHITECAPS FINE PLAYERS FOR UNSPORTSMANLIKE BEHAVIOUR

VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that the club have fined defender Wesley Charles and forward Charles Gbeke for an undisclosed amount, as a result of their unsportsmanlike behaviour during the Whitecaps home match versus Miami FC Blues last Friday evening.

In addition to the monetary fines, the players will be suspended. Tomorrow the United Soccer Leagues will make a decision regarding the duration of their league suspensions, at which time the club will also announce the full extent of their suspensions.

"As a club, we do not condone any violent conduct on or off the field," said Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi. "The events that took place near the end of Friday’s match are inexcusable and there are consequences the players must now face for their actions. Wesley and Charles are veteran players and have both taken full responsibility for their actions, are remorseful, and accept their discipline."

"First and foremost, I want to apologize to the club for everything that happened, as it should never have happened and was very out of character for me," said Charles. "I also want to apologize to the fans and all of my teammates for letting them down on Friday night."

"I want to apologize to my teammates and coaches, as well as the whole Whitecaps organization," said Gbeke. "I especially want to apologize to the fans because we let them down. The fans have always been gracious and supportive of us, so I'm hoping for their forgiveness and that they give me a second chance. I hope we can grow out of this situation and become closer as a team."

"We have had a chance to speak with all involved parties and we are confident we can put the incident behind us," added head coach Teitur Thordarson. "We are moving forward as a united team."

BEGOVIC COULD BE CHELSEA BOUND

Carlo Ancelotti has also made an approach for Portsmouth's 21-year-old understudy goalkeeper Asmir Begovic. At Chelsea, he could count as one of their eight “locally trained” players, which they must have in their 25-man squad for the Champions League next season, because he has played for Portsmouth for three years before turning 21.

Chelsea are also interested in Middlesbrough keeper Ross Turnbull, 24, as they look to increase their "home-grown" quota.

"The Player" - Football for Good - STEVE NASH

Make Steve's dream a reality, make a $5 donation and earn a chance to win an all expenses paid trip for two to the 'Showdown in Chinatown', a soccer match between some of the worlds top soccer and basketball stars in the heart of New York City.

Steve Nash - 'The Player' from meathawk on Vimeo.

THE IMPACT WILL PLAY AGAINST FC GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX JULY 28 AT SAPUTO STADIUM

MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact and the French Football League announced Thursday the presentation of a friendly game between the Montreal Impact and the French Ligue 1 champion, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, July 28, at Saputo Stadium, in the scope of the Champions Trophy.

“We are glad to announce that a 5th international game will be played in Montreal this summer,” said Montreal Impact President Joey Saputo. “This game will be exceptional for Quebec soccer fans. The Impact will get the chance to measure up to a prestigious French club that stands strong with a 90-year-old history of honours.”

“Montreal is an incredible market to present world-class soccer,” added Joey Saputo. “The Champions Trophy was the ideal opportunity to present international games to Quebec’s great soccer community and to show our organization’s know-how.”

“We came with a good idea of how the Montreal Impact was and we haven’t been disappointed in any way,” mentioned the General Manager of the French Football League Jean-Pierre Hugues. “It’s a very professional organisation that owns superb facilities and equipment. Our partnership could not have started better. All this bodes well for the two upcoming July games.”

“Both French clubs are looking forward to match up together in the Champions Trophy, in a game that will be anything but friendly,” added Mr. Hugues. “This is a true competition and a trophy that is as important as all others. Bordeaux is coming to Montreal to defend its hard-earned title from last year.”

A reminder that the Champions Trophy, opposing the French Cup winner to the Ligue 1 season champion team, will be played at Olympic Stadium, in Montreal, Saturday, July 25, at 3 pm.

Ticket sales for the July 28 friendly game will start tomorrow, Friday, at 10 am, through Admission (514-790-1245 / admission.com) or at the ticketing office of Saputo Stadium. Ticket prices will range between $10 and $30 (taxes included). Youth rates for spectators aged 16 and under, as well as special group rates, will also be offered.

Tickets for FC Barcelona Match Available on Monday, June 15th, 2009

RENTON, Wash. – Tickets for the Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Barcelona match will go on sale Monday, June 15 at 10 a.m. The match will be played on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field Wednesday, August 5. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Tickets will be available at www.soundersfc.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Seating at Qwest Field will be expanded to include the upper bowl for a total seating capacity of 67,000. Ticket prices for the August 5 match start at $40.

Fans will have the opportunity see the Sounders FC take on one of the world’s most prolific and popular clubs, led by Lionel Messi, Rafa Marquez and Thierry Henry. This season Barcelona won the historic treble, the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and their second Champions League title in four years with a win over Manchester United.

Sounders FC season-ticket holders have received tickets to the game as part of their 18-match package, which also includes the Chelsea match and the MLS Cup.

For more information visit www.soundersfc.com.

HEY LADIES... IT'S BECKS!!!

David Beckham unveiled his new Armani ad on Oxford St. in London Thursday morning. Mike Martignago will model his promo pair at the TEAM 1040 studios during Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show this Sunday at 10pm.

Ronaldo did what...?

Cristiano Ronaldo is gone from Manchester United and headed to Real Madrid, but the big question was what did he do to celebrate? According to sources, he spent some quality time with, wait for it, Paris Hilton. She broke up with her boyfriend, thus freeing herself up for Cristiano.

A source said, "They both went to MyHouse last night and left at around 3 AM for a Ron-dezvous at Nicky Hilton’s pad, according to X17. Cristiano left at around 5 AM."

For more scintillating commentary, visit here.

Fans in Toronto will be pleased. A star studded line-up set to take to the plastic pitch which will now include Ronaldo and Kaka.

Bye Ronnie!

Real Madrid have broken the world transfer record twice... in three days!

First Kaka, now Ronaldo.

Yes, that's (give or take) €160 MILLION spent!

TEAMS TO LEARN CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FATE IN THURSDAY'S DRAW

NEW YORK (Wednesday, 10 June 2009) – Teams will learn their CONCACAF Champions League fate Thursday when the draw will set the Preliminary Round pairings and allocate the sides for the Group Stage.

Eight teams will be seeded directly into the Group Stage: Toluca and Pumas UNAM from Mexico, the Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo from the United States, Costa Rica’s Saprissa, Marathon of Honduras, Isidro Metapan from El Salvador and either Comunicaciones or Municipal of Guatemala.

The other 16 teams will be entered in the Preliminary Round draw. Teams in Pot A: Cruz Azul and Pachuca from Mexico, the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United from the United States, either Vancouver or Toronto from Canada, Olimpia of Honduras, Liberia of Costa Rica and Arabe Unido or the Panamanian Apertura champion, will be drawn against the teams in Pot B: Chalatenango of El Salvador, Real Espana of Honduras, Herediano of Costa Rica, the Puerto Rico Islanders, Trinidadian sides W Connection and San Juan Jabloteh and the No. 2 teams from Panama and Guatemala.

No team will be pitted against another team from the same country, except for potentially the third-placed teams from Honduras and Costa Rica, for the two legs scheduled to be played July 28-30 and August 4-6. Honduras and Costa Rica received a third berth due to the forfeiture of places by Belize and Nicaragua because of inadequate stadia and their third teams will be considered wildcards for the purpose of the draw.

CONCACAF Deputy General Secretary Italo Zanzi will conduct the draw with the assistance of Mary Lynn Blanks at the confederation’s headquarters in New York City. The draw will be recorded at the CONCACAF’s Trump Tower television studio and be available for viewing later Thursday at CONCACAF.com.

After the Preliminary Round is set, a second draw will be conducted to establish the groups, once more using the principle that no two teams from the same country will be placed in the same group with the exception of Costa Rica and Honduras.

The Group Stage will begin the week of September 18 and continue for six rounds, finishing on October 22. Two teams from each group will qualify for the Championship Round, and will learn their path through the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals in a subsequent draw to be held later this year.

Three berths remain undecided in the 24-team field: Canada’s lone berth as well as the second berths from Guatemala and Panama. Although Comunicaciones has claimed one of Guatemala’s berths, it still is awaiting to learn if it will be seeded directly into the Group Stage or be forced into the Preliminary Round.

Preliminary Round Seedings
Pot A
Cruz Azul (MEX), Pachuca (MEX), New York Red Bulls (USA), D.C. United (USA), Vancouver Whitecaps or Toronto (CAN), Olimpia (HON), Liberia (CRC), Arabe Unido or Apertura champion (PAN)
Pot B
Arabe Unido or Apertura champion (PAN), Comunicaciones or Jalapa (GUA), Chalatenango (SLV), Real Espana (HON), Herediano (CRC), W Connection (TRI), Puerto Rico Islanders (PUR), San Juan Jabloteh (TRI)

Group Stage Seedings
Toluca (MEX), Pumas UNAM (MEX) Columbus Crew (USA), Houston Dynamo (USA), Saprissa (CRC), Marathon (HON), Comunicaciones or Municipal (GUA), Metapan (SLV)

GREG SUTTON HAS BEEN RELEASED / GERBA RIGHTS TO TORONTO

Toronto FC have announced today that they have released goalkeeper Greg Sutton after making trading a 3rd round draft pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft with San Jose for defender Nick Garcia. The release of Sutton was done to make room on the roster for Garcia.

“First and foremost we want to thank Greg for everything he has done for this club,” said manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston. “Greg has always been the consummate professional, he was the first goalkeeper signed by this club, and this was a difficult decision to make. We wish him all the best.”

Along with the move to trade for Garcia, TFC also picks up the Discovery Rights to Canadian forward Ali Gerba. Gerba played for MK Dons this past season, but was released in May.

The rest of the Release from TFC:

Toronto FC announced Tuesday that they have acquired defender Nick Garcia from the San Jose Earthquakes, along with the Discovery Rights to Canadian forward Ali Gerba. In exchange, San Jose receives Toronto’s 3rd round selection in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. As per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. To make room on the roster for Garcia, Toronto FC goalkeeper Greg Sutton has been released.

Garcia, 30, is currently playing in his 10th season in Major League Soccer. As one of the league’s most experienced defenders, he joined San Jose in their expansion season making his debut with the team on April 3, 2008 and helped the team post the fourth-best goals against average in the league. Starting in all 24 games he appeared in last season, he logged 2,151 minutes and added two assists.

“We are very happy to bring in a defender with Nick’s experience,” said Johnston. “We tried to bring him in before and finally we were able to get a deal done. He plays 90 minutes every game, he’s quick, and he knows this league inside and out. On Ali Gerba, he’s another one that’s been on our radar, and we look forward to sitting down with him and getting a contract signed as soon as we can.”

Prior to joining the Earthquakes, Garcia began his MLS career in 2000 with the Kansas City Wizards. It was a stand-out season for the rookie after he played every minute of the Wizards seven postseason matches to help them on to victory in the MLS Cup final over the Chicago Fire. That year the team was captained by current Toronto FC manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston.

In 2003, Garcia made his 100th career MLS start, becoming the 100th player in MLS history to reach that mark and also the youngest to start in 100 games.

Internationally, the defender has six caps with the U.S. National Team making his last appearance for the Americans on January 18, 2004 against Denmark. He was a member of both the 1997 U.S. U-17 World Championship team, and the U-20 World Cup team where he finished with 20 career caps and 46 appearances.

Garcia will arrive in Toronto this week and be available for comment after Toronto FC training on Thursday. Media should arrive no later than 11:15 a.m. Manager, director of soccer Mo Johnston will also be available for comment on these moves during training on Thursday.



Nick Garcia #6

Position: Defender

Height: 5-10

Weight: 175 lbs.

Born: April 9, 1979 in Plano, Texas

Hometown: Plano, Texas

Last Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS)

College: Indiana

Citizenship: USA

SETANTA CANADA - WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN CANADA IF IT FALLS IN U.K.?

There has been a lot of talk recently about Setanta in the UK and the likelihood that it will go under and cut off service to viewers. The obvious thought for Canadians after hearing the news is "how will this affect me?" and "will I not get to see any more Premier League games?" The good news is that everything looks okay within Canada. After speaking Setanta Canada's Marketing Manager, Andy Shapiera, I was told that it's "status quo" for Setanta Canada. What that means is that Setanta Canada operates separately from the UK, with separate broadcast contracts and rights to broadcast games, meaning, you will still get to see the Premier League games on television here on Setanta Sports, including the deal to broadcast Champions League coverage in 2009/10 and beyond. Shapiera says that "viewers will continue to see the coverage that Setanta Canada have become known for."

Further down the road, the outcome of Setanta UK may affect what happens here in Canada, but right now, people will continue to watch their favourite squads week in week out.

Andy Shapiera, Setanta Canada's Marketing Manager, joins Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show every Sunday night on the TEAM 1040. If you have questions concerning Setanta, please email us at fulltime@team1040.ca and we will try and get as many questions in to Andy as possible this Sunday, June 14th, 2009.

Toronto v Vancouver - what's better for the Canadian National squad

It will all be decided when Toronto face the Impact in Montreal on which team will represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League. The money is on Vancouver right now, who have the points and the goals. Toronto needs to score 4 goals and win. The Whitecaps did Montreal a favour last season by knocking TFC out of the competition and it can sure bet that the Impact want to return the favour.

It has led to much debate about which league is better and is the MLS all it's cracked up to be. I'm a strong believer and many of the players that have played in both have said the same thing. Many of the guys are interchangeable. You could replace two-thirds of the team with USL players and you wouldn't see any noticeable drop off in play, but that one-third of the MLS players is where the real change happens. Those players, and most people can name them, Donovan, De Rosario, Blanco, Angel, etc... there's no denying that those players are above and beyond the talent in the USL. Having said all that, one player does not make a team and relying to heavily on your one player won't work. It happened last season when Montreal won and it could happen again this season if Vancouver wins. It is also why these games are actually played and Toronto isn't automatically crowned Champions. The same can be said for those who say that Vancouver can't do as well as Toronto in the tournament. It's not played on paper folks.

As for which team should represent Canada so that the Canadian National Team can benefit from the event is another story entirely. Last season I was hopeful that Montreal would win the tournament because of a large Canadian contingent on the squad. I felt that those players would benefit from the experience of playing in hostile environments, different styles, different travel and even different weather. Montreal's Canadian players could benefit from such experience and put that towards the National squad.

This season, there are certainly two viewpoints. Looking at Toronto, you have a back four consisting of Canadians: Attakora, Serioux, Brennan and Harmes. Plus you have Greg Sutton possibly playing in the competition and Dwayne De Rosario leading the midfield. The experience they would gain would be immense. As mention above, good experience and something that they could bring to the National side.

On the flip side of the coin, the 'Caps have been using Ethan Gage and Marcus Haber in their line-up throughout the season. Two players that are the future of the Canadian National team and the future of Vancouver's MLS squad. Would the pressure be too great for them at a young age or would the experience they gain at this age in this tournament be more valuable to the National side in 2014 and the Whitecaps in 2011. The Whitecaps supplied the U-20 Canadian squad with 5 players (7 if you count the two on loan in Germany). Having those players possibly involved would be tremendous for Canadian soccer. It would also provide more competition for those players looking to make the 2011 MLS Vancouver team.

It really comes down to your own individual thought process. Do you root for the team that has the young building blocks of a Canadian future, or guys that are currently in the Canadian senior squad fold. While I appreciate the fact that the competition would be great for guys on the National side already, I think the future of Canadian soccer is more important and would love to see the experienced gained from the CONCACAF Champions League for guys like Haber, Gage and Edwini-Bonsu.

Benitez moves from Santos Laguna to Premier League

Ecuador international and now former Santos Laguna striker Christian Benitez is moving to Premier League new-boys Birmingham City.

Benitez was a key player for Santos Laguna in their Concacaf Champions League run, scoring against the Montreal Impact in the second leg in Torreon (and also missing a boatload of chances in the first leg in Montreal).

Birmingham broke a club record, paying Santos nearly £10 million.

Big Clubs to Visit Edmonton

While we've heard of the likes of Real Madrid and Bordeaux visiting Toronto and Montreal, it appears some more big-time clubs will be coming to Canada.

After failing to nail down Inter Milan for their 100th anniversary, it looks like the Alberta Soccer Association has an agreement with three clubs to play in Edmonton's Commonwealth stadium.

Everton of the Barclays Premier League will play an Argentinian club (believed to be River Plate) on July 25th.

That game is scheduled just days before the Toffees meet the MLS All-Stars in Utah.

But bigger news has Juventus potentially meeting River on August 8th at Commonwealth.

See also here and here.

According to juworld.net, Juve will also play River Plate in Toronto on August 5th.

PAT ONSTAD SAYS GOODBYE TO CANADA

For a new segment on "Full-Time" called "MLS Corners", I had the chance to catch up with Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad. Onstad is also a former Canadian goalkeeper. Now when I say former, I'm not trying to push Pat into national retirement, he's done that himself. When asked whether he would take a call to represent Canada at the Gold Cup this summer, Onstad responded by saying, "I can't see that happening anymore, if the coach did that he might get into a little bit of trouble". Which means he's not expecting a call from the Stephen Hart. Pat went on to say, "I think I'm done with the National team, but it's been a fantastic ride and I've enjoyed every minute of it". So there you have it, the Canada number 1 job is up for grabs, although it would seem that Lars Hirschfeld has that spot wrapped up right now. I've written about the potential replacements before, and now it would appear that those replacement can now fight it out in the years to come.

In other news, despite the fact that he would be 43 in 2011, Onstad said he would love the opportunity to play in Vancouver, "At this stage it would be pretty surprising, but it would be great to finish up in Vancouver, but a little unrealistic."

To listen to the interview, tune in to Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show this Sunday, June 7th at 10pm PT on TEAM 1040am.

MLS Corners is a new feature on Full-Time that will dive into the world of the MLS. With Vancouver entertaining the MLS in 2011, we decided that we should get the fans of the game up to date with some of the players around the league. You will hear from the likes of veteran players like Pat Onstad and Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad and young players like Columbus' Eddie Gaven. Plus those currently building an MLS team, like Peter Nowak in Philadelphia.