Whitecaps Lately 01.22.12

WHITECAPS FC KICKOFF 2012 PRESEASON TRAINING ON MONDAY
VANCOUVER, BC – Preparations for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2012 Major League Soccer season begin today, with players undergoing physical assessments, followed by a week of training at Burnaby Lake West, starting on Monday.

Whitecaps FC will have seven weeks of preparation for their second season in MLS, which begins with First Kick versus Canadian rivals and MLS expansion club Montreal Impact at BC Place on Saturday, March 10. Vancouver’s preseason schedule is highlighted by an initial training camp in Casa Grande, Arizona, beginning Tuesday, January 31. The ‘Caps will also travel to Orlando, Florida, on Monday, February 20, to participate in the annual Disney Pro Soccer Classic. That will be followed by a preseason friendly versus ‘Caps head coach Martin Rennie’s former side in North American Soccer League outfit Carolina RailHawks in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday, March 4.

At the end of this month, the Blue and White will return to the Grande Sports World complex in Arizona for a third consecutive preseason. Their ten-day stay will include training sessions and two preseason friendlies, which will be confirmed shortly.

Upon their return to Vancouver, Whitecaps FC will train at Burnaby Lake West during the week beginning Monday, February 13, before embarking on the second stage of preseason when they head to Orlando, Florida, on February 20 for the annual Disney Pro Soccer Classic held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The tournament runs until Saturday, March 3, and features eight clubs, including MLS sides FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, Sporting Kansas City, and Montreal Impact. Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken and United Soccer Leagues Professional Division champions Orlando City round out the teams in the preseason tournament.

Preseason will wrap up with a friendly match versus the RailHawks on Sunday, March 4. This marks the first meeting between the two sides since Vancouver became an MLS club in 2011. The final week before First Kick will see the squad back training in Metro Vancouver from Tuesday, March 6, to Friday, March 9, in preparation for the March 10 season opener versus Montreal.
Whitecaps FC preseason roster will include the 25 roster players, Residency players Caleb Clarke, Ben Fisk, and Callum Irving, unsigned drafted players Chris Estridge, Mark Fetrow, Andrew Fontein, and Greg Klazura, as well as trialists Etienne Barbara and Bilal Duckett.

Whitecaps FC 2012 preseason schedule:

January 22: Entrance medicals and physical assessments
January 23 – 30: Training at Burnaby Lake West in Burnaby, BC
February 1 – 10: Training and matches in Casa Grande, Arizona
February 13 – 17: Training at Burnaby Lake West in Burnaby, BC
February 20 – March 3: Training and matches in Orlando, Florida
March 4: Match versus Carolina RailHawks in Cary, North Carolina
March 6–9: Training in Vancouver and Burnaby, BC

STRIKER JARJU AND MIDFIELDER DAVIES MOVE ON
VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that the club has parted ways with striker Mustapha Jarju. The club and player mutually agreed to a contract termination earlier today. Whitecaps FC also confirmed that it has declined the 2012 contract option on midfielder Philippe Davies and the two parties were unable to come to terms on a new agreement. Should Davies choose to continue his career within Major League Soccer, Vancouver will have the right of first refusal for the player.

“We would like to thank Mustapha and Philippe for their contributions during their time at the club. We wish Mustapha and Philippe the very best in their future endeavours,” said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi.

Jarju, 25, joined Whitecaps FC last July after three seasons with Belgian club Royal Albert-Elisabeth Club de Mons. The native of Banjul, Gambia, made 10 MLS regular season appearances for Vancouver.

Davies, 21, joined Vancouver in 2007 as a member of the club’s Residency program. During the 2009 and 2010 seasons, at the second division level in North America, Davies made 34 appearances for the Blue and White. Last season, the native of Longueil, Quebec, made 11 appearances with the club’s United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League side and played in eight matches for Whitecaps FC’s MLS Reserve League squad.

WHITECAPS FC SOLIDIFY MLS COACHING STAFF
VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced the additions of assistant coaches Carl Robinson and Jake DeClute to the club’s Major League Soccer coaching staff. Per club policy, terms of their contracts were not disclosed. Robinson and DeClute complete head coach Martin Rennie’s staff, which also includes assistant coach Paul Ritchie and goalkeeper coach Marius Rovde.

Carl Robinson – Whitecaps FC assistant coach
- Over a decade of playing experience in England’s top two divisions
- Five years of playing experience in Major League Soccer
- Former Welsh international with 52 caps
- Currently working on a UEFA Coaching Licence

Jake DeClute – Whitecaps FC assistant coach and scouting coordinator
- Captained his college team to a national championship
- Over a decade of college coaching experience in the United States
- Professional coaching experience in North America’s second, third, and fourth tier
- Holds a UEFA ‘B’ Coaching Licence and currently working towards a UEFA ‘A’

“Carl and Jake are great additions to the club, as both bring a unique skill set that will complement our current staff,” said Rennie. “Carl has played the game at the highest levels and has a strong understanding of Major League Soccer. Meanwhile, Jake has risen through the North American soccer coaching ranks, while also bringing coaching experience from his time in Scotland, and has also shown a keen eye for talent.”

Robinson, 35, joins Whitecaps FC after a distinguished playing career that included more than a decade in the top two divisions in England, as well as the last five seasons in MLS with Canadian rivals Toronto FC and New York Red Bulls.

From 2007 to 2011, the former central midfielder made a total of 86 appearances in MLS. This included 74 appearances during Toronto FC’s first three seasons in the league, with Robinson being twice named Most Valuable Player with the Southern Ontario-based outfit. Prior to moving to MLS, Robinson spent 12 years playing in England, having started his career as a youth trainee at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Between 1995 and 2002, Robinson made over 180 appearances for Wolves before moving to England’s south coast when he joined Portsmouth FC. He was part of the Pompey side that won promotion to the English Premier League during the 2002-03 season. Robinson then joined Sunderland AFC in June 2004, and remained with the Wearside club until January 2006, when he moved to East Anglia to join Norwich City FC.

A native of Llandrindod Wells, Wales, Robinson made 52 senior international appearances for his country between 1999 and 2009. Robinson is currently working towards a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Coaching Licence.

“I am thrilled about this new opportunity to continue my career in the sport I love,” stated Robinson. “I have known for a long time that once I was done playing, I would transition to a coaching role, and have been actively working toward my licences. Whitecaps FC are an excellent club with a great tradition and fantastic supporters. I am excited to start my coaching career with Martin Rennie and the rest of the staff in Vancouver.”

DeClute, 35, comes to Whitecaps FC in the role of assistant coach and scouting coordinator after serving as the men’s team head coach at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. During his five seasons with the Fighting Scots, the native of Wheaton, Illinois, helped build a highly-respect program at Gordon College. In addition to coaching at the college level, DeClute has previously worked as an assistant coach under Rennie. They were together at Cascade Surge during the 2005 United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League season before he assisted the Scotsman at Cleveland City Stars. DeClute then assisted Rennie at Carolina RailHawks during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

DeClute also had a successful four-year playing career at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where he served as captain of the Thunder for two of those years, which included a national championship. The holder of a UEFA ‘B’ Coaching Licence, DeClute is currently working towards his UEFA ‘A’ Coaching Licence with the Irish Football Association in Northern Ireland.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Martin for a number of years and I am excited to now join him and the staff in Vancouver as a member of Whitecaps FC,” said DeClute. “I have been impressed with Vancouver as an organization, and I am looking forward to working as hard as I can for the club and city.”

WHITECAPS FC ACQUIRE INTERNATIONAL ROSTER SPOT AND DRAFT PICK FROM COLORADO FOR ALLOCATION MONEY
VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that they have acquired an international roster spot – until January 1, 2015 – and a second-round pick in the 2014 Major League Soccer SuperDraft from Western Conference rivals Colorado Rapids in exchange for allocation money.

As a result of Friday’s trade with Colorado, Whitecaps FC now have 10 international roster spots for the 2012 season.