Episode 555 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Ten Years Of Tears with guests Axel Schuster and Gloire Amanda)

We’re back with another packed show of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and Canadian football chat, and not only that, it's our three hour 10th anniversary special! Ten years to the day that episode 1 dropped, we're back with number 555.

Once again we're covering a lot of bases in the four parts of the show. If you want to skip the somewhat self indulgent look back at the last ten years of the podcast in the first part and just get into the football chat, just skip ahead to the 45.20 mark where we delve into the Whitecaps latest match, a 1-1 draw in Minnesota.

We pick over the bones of that one, look at the concerning issues surrounding the 'Caps as they look for their first win of the season, and delve into how crucial April is for Vanni Sartini and the team. Plus we look around the rest of the weekend's action in the MLS West.

Our feature interview this episode is with Whitecaps General Manager and Sporting Director Axel Schuster. In a 35 minute chat, we talk to Axel about the 'Caps' start to the season, is there concern around the team's performance and are changes on the horizon, the departure of Director of Recruitment Nikos Overheul and what that means for the future direction of scouting at the club, and the important of WFC2 to that.

We also look at WFC2's season opening win on Sunday and chat with one of the academy alumni that has returned to the Whitecaps fold, striker Gloire Amanda about coming back to Vancouver, his MAC Hermann trophy success at college, and his recent two year stint in the Austrian Bundesliga.

All of that plus we talk Vancouver FC's new kits, Canada qualifying for the Gold Cup, find out if Tristan Blackmon fancies a chocolate digestive, see what Julian Gressel's favourite jam is, talk take out food with Vanni Sartini, and music-wise The Skinflicks continue as our Artists of the Month and Goldie Lookin' Chain return to Wavelength.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.32: Intro - 10 years of the podcast
20.30: Anyone Fancy A Chocolate Digestive - Tristan Blackmon
24.25: Christmas/Anniversary gift opening - they are football related!
45.20: Whitecaps snatch point at the death in Minnesota
71.35: MLS round-up
85.10: Take Me Out - Vanni Sartini
90.53: Axel Schuster interview and discussion
130.00: Nikos Overheul leaves the 'Caps
134.55: Julian Gressel's Favourite Jam
139.12: WFC2 win season opener
141.05: Gloire Amanda interview
148.25: MLS Next Pro v CPL discussion
154.10: Vancouver FC kit launch and chat
160.50: Canada qualify for the Gold Cup!
166.30: Wavelength - Goldie Lookin' Chain - Unofficial 2002 World Cup anthem