AFTN Soccer Show

Episode 173 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Dial M For Merthyr)

We're back! Our podlet idea seems to have already gone out the window as this episode comes in at 45 minutes long.

It's our second podcast from Wales following Vancouver Whitecaps on their preseason tour.

We have a lengthy chat with one of the few veterans on the team, left back Jordan Harvey and a couple of strikers looking to make a name for themselves this season, Kyle Greig and Erik Hurtado.

Plus we chat with one of the newest, yet oldest, Whitecaps, newly signed WFC2 midfielder David Norman Jr.

There's a welcome in the hillside for you, so have a listen.

Episode 172 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Croeso with guests Carl Robinson, Kekuta Manneh and Christian Dean)

Croeso i Gymru. Or Welcome to Wales if you want that in English.

The AFTN travelling roadshow has hit Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan as we follow Vancouver Whitecaps preseason preparations in Wales.

With the first game of the trip in the history books, an unfortunate 1-0 loss to Cardiff City U23s, we bring you the first of our (mini) podcasts of the preseason.

We chat with 'Caps coach Carl Robinson about the match and some of the talking points from the preseason so far, and we catch up with two players that returned to the pitch after long term injuries, winger Kekuta Manneh and defender Christian Dean.

There's a welcome in the hillside for you, so have a listen.

Episode 171 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Draft Day Extravaganza!)

What number of offseason draft was this? We've lost count. But Friday was the big one, MLS SuperDraft. You know it's special because it has Super in the title!

Not that explosive and Vancouver Whitecaps had fewer selections it felt than in seasons past, but they came away with a couple of solid, promising defenders.

We speak with 'Caps coach Carl Robinson (at 02:58 mark) after all the draft hoopla was over for the afternoon about Vancouver's selections, his search for a new striker and attacking midfielder, and a number of other offseason talking points in Capsland.

We also chat with both of the Whitecaps draft picks, UCONN Huskies right back Jakob Nerwinski (18:32) and St Francis RedFlash centre back Francis De Vries (32:58) about their journey to the pro ranks and a lot more besides.

We discuss all these things and a lot more. There's a lot of drafting and Whitecaps chat to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 170 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Ring out the old, bring in the new)

Ring out the old, bring in the new. Is there anyone who isn't glad to see the back of 2016? Happy and healthy New Year salutations to you all from all of us here at AFTN.

We bring in 2017 with our first podcast of the year, a round table discussion on the year that's been and the season to come.

Michael and Steve are joined by AFTN writer Jay Duke and Curva Collective's Zachary Meisenheimer to look back at Vancouver Whitecaps 2016 season. Not the happiest year to review we know but we look at what went wrong, some of the big talking points, and what can be learned and needs to be done to make the Whitecaps challengers this season.

Did the Whitecaps fail to recover from their bad start? Why did the impact signings not happen and what went wrong with the key players from the year before? Did the Voyageurs Cup loss affect the team? What will Seattle's win mean for Vancouver, if anything? Is MLS success just now all down to money? And if the 'Caps get off to a bad start, how safe is Carl Robinson's job?

We discuss all these things and a lot more. There's a lot of New Year chat to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 169 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (2016 Christmas Special)

Well a Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hope you're having a wonderful festive period, with lots of fun and family traditions. Let us bring you ours, with the 2016 Christmas Special of the AFTN soccer podcast.

We chat with Carl Robinson, David Edgar, and Fraser Aird about Boxing Day and New Years Day football action. What it's like to play in and go to those matches, do they miss it, and what are some of their favourite Christmas footballing memories and players and as fans.

Robbo is currently in the UK to spend the holidays with his family, but he'll be taking in a couple of games and scouting a few players along the way. There's been a number of UK players head to MLS over the last few years, some more successful than others, but there's not been that many managers. We chat with Robbo about why that might be.

We also catch up with four members of the Canadian Women's national team - Karina Leblanc, Diana Matheson, Christine Sinclair, and Rhian Wilkinson - and chat about just what it was they strived for in their teenage years and what they strive for now in their lives after launching their new business venture iS4.

Plus there's lots of festive music along the way and we finally bring you a special announcement about the future of the podcast.

There's a lot of festive fun to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 168 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (The State of the Whitecaps with guest Carl Robinson)

2016 has been a pretty shitty year all round. From a Vancouver Whitecaps perspective, it hasn't been on of their best, but that's all in the past now and we just need to look forward to the better times ahead.

But not without our fourth annual State of the Whitecaps end of season chat with 'Caps coach Carl Robinson (at 37:16 mark).

In our latest one on one with Robbo we look at just what went wrong this season past, what's he's learned, what needs to be done to make this team better, and a look at the players moving on and those possibly coming in. We chat referees, Fabian Espindola, Seattle's MLS Cup success, those rumours linking him with the Swansea City job, and a lot more.

Round about our chat with Carl, AFTN writer Jay Duke and Curva Collective's Zachary Adam Meisenheimer join Michael and Steve to look at some of the main talking points so far this offseason in Whitecapsland and discuss what Robbo had to say.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 167 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (That Was Then, This Is Now)

Remember us? We thought we'd come out of winter hibernation to bring you a couple of end of year podcasts to round off what's been a pretty miserable 2016 with a bang.

It's been a fairly quiet offseason in Whitecapsland but with things starting to happen this week, it seemed only right to come back with a round-up of all the latest news and rumours and to bring you some unheard interviews we did towards the end of the season with Vancouver Whitecaps players and management.

It's been a week to officially confirm departures and which options have and haven't been picked up for the season ahead and we look at two of the more newsworthy ones - captain Pedro Morales and goalkeeper Marco Carducci - and look at what holes the 'Caps need to fill and whether a MLS Cup between two fierce rivals will force the front office to act.

On the interview side, we hear from 'Caps coach Carl Robinson about his search for difference makers, his offseason plans, squad harmony, Alphonso Davies, and more, while Costa Rican veteran Christian Bolanos looks back at his first season in MLS with the Whitecaps and talks about his dream of making it to a third World Cup with the Ticos.

We also hear from two Canadians, one who may be the new club captain, David Edgar, and one who has returned to his former club at the end of his loan deal, Fraser Aird, and a player hoping to earn his first MLS contract in 2017, WFC2 goalkeeper Spencer Richey.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 166 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Ending on a high note)

Well, if you've had a disappointing season, at least end it with a bang and send the fans home happy. And that's just what Vancouver Whitecaps did with their 4-1 demolition of their bitter rivals, Portland Timbers.

We're joined by Harjeet Johal to look back over the game, pondering, as everyone else is at the moment, just where that team has been all years and looking at the performances that got the job done.

Giles Barnes, Pedro Morales, and a whole load more players are all up for discussion as we look back at the year that was and what the Whitecaps need to do this offseason to be in a different position in 12 months time.

We ponder signings, salaries, the future of Carl Robinson if he can't turn things around, and a lot more besides.

We also bring you some postgame audio from Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson, Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter, and Timbers striker Fanendo Adi, who coincidentally falls to the ground in games like a felled tree.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 165 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Semi. Sweet!)

It's the USL Western Conference semi-final on Saturday afternoon. WFC2 face off against OKC Energy and we have you covered with all the build up here on AFTN in a special USLcentric episode.

Hear from head coach Alan Koch, defender Brett Levis, and captain Kyle Greig, as they look back on last Friday's historic playoff win in Colorado Springs, ahead to OKC this weekend, and share their thoughts on the season so far and what may still be yet to come.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 164 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Carl Robinson and Victor Montagliani conference calls)

We're technically on holiday, but there's no rest for the wicked when it's a busy week of football for both the Whitecaps and Canada.

The 'Caps have won two games in a row on the road, qualified for the knockout stages of the CONCACAF Champions League, and Erik Hurtado's scored in consecutive games. Whatever crazy voodoo has been done, it's working. Next up is a must-win game away to Cascadian rivals Seattle. Defeat is not an option if Vancouver's faint playoff hopes are to stay alive.

The 'Caps have stayed on the road, so head coach Carl Robinson held a conference call today to look at Vancouver's recent games, the task ahead against Seattle and to make the playoffs, and he reveals some exciting preseason plans.

Turning our attention to the national team, the Canadian Soccer Association have sacked head coach Benito Floro. No real surprise there, but CSA (and CONCACAF!) President Victor Montagliani held a conference call on Wednesday to explain why and the way forward for Canadian soccer.

We bring you the whole call (well the English parts!) and there's some interesting discussion topics in there for sure.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 163 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (with Bob Lenarduzzi, Pa Modou Kah, Benito Floro, Erik Hurtado)

It's a five day feast of football this long weekend, for both club and country. It's also a crucial, must perform one for Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian national team.

A tough season for the 'Caps still offers some hope of a postseason berth with seven games remaining. It's a tough ask, and after everything that's gone wrong this season, it's a hard one to see coming to fruition. But this is MLS, and nothing is straight forward here.

Just what has gone wrong and how can it be rectified? We chat with Whitecaps President Bob Lenarduzzi to ask him just that and a lot more besides, from youth development, to those wanting him and Carl Robinson out, the perceived cheapness, and the future path the club will take.

In a special interview heavy episode, we also sit down with new WFC2 player-coach Pa Modou Kah to chat about his transition into coaching, his decision to make that change now, and his clear love for imparting his knowledge with the younger players.

And talking of younger players, we speak one of them who has been at the 'Caps for four seasons now, striker Erik Hurtado. It's been a year since he flew out on loan to Norway. What has he learned in that time and did he expect to be back in the first team reckoning when he came back to Vancouver?

Turning our attention to the national team, we hear from Canada coach Benito Floro as he gives a conference call ahead of this Friday's massive showdown in Honduras, with a place in the Hex on the line.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 162 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (There's still time, or is there?)

Another summer, another slumping Whitecaps. I guess it's good to have something stable in life, right?

It's not been a good few week for Vancouver, who are now winless in their last five matches, losing their last three.

We look back at the most recent defeat, Friday night's loss to San Jose, and ponder just where the woeful Whitecaps go from here. What's gone wrong this year and just what has happened to last year's strongest performers and the team's DP's? What changes need to be made to the team and tactics ahead of next week's trip to KC, and is too late to save their season or is there still some hope hidden amongst the despair?

We also hear from the latest 'Caps signing, forward Giles Barnes about what he hopes to bring to the team. We just haven't seen it quite yet.

And with the next Champions League game coming up soon, we finish on a positive note as we chat with two guys who did well in the first CCL game in Trinidad and are both pushing hard for MLS contracts, defender Brett Levis and goalkeeper Spencer Richey.

There's a lot of talk to be had, so have a listen.

Episode 161 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (A Not So Hot Summer with guest Harjeet Johal)

It's been a tough couple of weeks in Whitecapsland. Lots of heartache, lots of comings and goings and lots of action.

The AFTN team is back, refreshed (?) from a month's break to digest all the Vancouver Whitecaps happenings these past few weeks.

It's also our Vancouver vs Orlando postgame show, so we kick things off picking over the bones of that 2-2 draw. We also take a look at the signings of Alphonso Davies, David Edgar, and Marcel de Jong, and the departures of Octavio Rivero and Sam Adekugbe.

Is there more movement to come this transfer window? Will we be adding the guy from C.H.I.P.S? Will the vacant DP spot be filled before the end of the season and if so, in what position? And are the current Whitecaps DPs performing at the level required?

After a disappointing home stand, the Whitecaps are heading out for four games on the road. There's a lot of chat to be had before then, so have a listen!

Episode 160 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Home Is Where The Heart Is with guest Dario Zanatta)

Vancouver Whitecaps returned to MLS action on Saturday. They shouldn't have bothered.

We pick over the bones of the Whitecaps 2-1 home loss to New England Revolution. What went wrong and was there any positives? We also get the thoughts of both head coaches, the 'Caps Carl Robinson and the Revs' Jay Heaps.

We also hear from former Whitecap goalkeeper Brad Knighton, who had an excellent game, and matchwinner Kelyn Rowe, plus we catch up with striker Kei Kamara to talk about those Vancouver trade rumours and just how close he came to becoming a Whitecap - spoiler, very close!

Our main guest this week is another former Whitecap, Residency alumni Dario Zanatta. We chat with Dario about his move to Scotland with Hearts, how well he's done in his first season, settling into a new country, his hopes for the upcoming season and his time with the Canadian national team.

All this and there's still time to look ahead to the Canadian Championship against Toronto. There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 159 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Feast of Football with Bruce Grobbelaar, Carl Robinson and Cole Seiler)

June is very much a feast of football. There's the Euros, Copa America, the Canadian Championship, MLS and USL matches to enjoy. So many games to watch, so little time.

We cover all those competitions in our latest podcast and we kick things off with Vancouver Whitecaps. They've got it all to do in their semi-final second leg against Ottawa Fury, heading in to the game with a two goal deficit on the back of a pretty horrible performance for the most part.

We hear from 'Caps coach Carl Robinson, who tells us what winning the Voyageurs Cup meant and means to him and the club, and we chat with one of the Whitecaps who came away with praise from last week's loss, debutant centre back Cole Seiler, about that game, making his first team debut, his own development and the USL season so far.

There's a lot of Vancouver connections with the Ottawa side and one of them is current Fury goalkeeping coach, and former Whitecaps NASL 'keeper and Soccer Bowl winner, Bruce Grobbelaar. We dig into the AFTN vaults for our chat with Bruce from back in 2012. It may be four years old, and things may have changed for him, but it's a fascinating chat with the legend and well worth hearing again as he talks about his time in Vancouver, Liverpool and Zimbabwe and we look at everything from his wobbly legs to his European success and Hillsborough.

And there's still time to look at Kendall Waston's sending off at Copa America and ahead to the Euros, which get underway this week. Carl Robinson will be cheering on Wales and he chats about what qualifying for their first major tournament since 1958 means for the country and the massive steps Wales have taken to improve the game there. Canada (and Scotland) take note!

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 158 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Dynamo, discipline and defending the Cup)

Another Saturday, another Vancouver Whitecaps sending off, another game where Carl Robinson and everyone else is sick of talking about referees, oh and a second half fight back to claim a point. It was an eventful game against a managerless Houston Dynamo side.

We pick over the bones, then throw them at referee Drew Fischer, as we look back over the main talking points from the match - the goals, the defensive breakdowns, the world class saves, the red cards. So much to say, so little time.

We hear from both coaches, Vancouver's Carl Robinson and Houston caretaker Wade Barrett, about those talking points and venture into the Dynamo dressing room to hear from goalscorer DaMarcus Beasley, goalkeeper Tyler Deric and defender Sheanon Williams about Houston's turbulent week and what the team needs to do to start climbing the table.

And there's still time to hear from Kendall Waston about his red card last week in Portland, look at the Whitecaps' disciplinary problems, the CONCACAF Champions League draw, the Crystal Palace friendly and what the line-up might look like in this week's Canadian Championship first leg in Ottawa.

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 157 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Nine! Nine! Nine!)

What a week that was to be a Vancouver Whitecaps player or supporter. Well, technically it was eight days, but who's counting.

Three MLS matches played. Three victories. A nine point haul that shot them up the standings. All fantastic stuff, but it would have been nice if they didn't make it so nerve wracking for those watching!

A come from behind victory against Portland was followed by a last ditch win against Chicago and finished off with a rollercoaster of emotions of a match away to Toronto. We look back at the last two matches and ahead to this weekend's latest Cascadia Cup encounter with the Timbers.

What stood out, both good and bad, in the wins? hat transformation has taken place with Erik Hurtado? How good was Kekuta Manneh and where's that consistency week in, week out? We also look at Masato Kudo's horror injury and hear from Chicago Fire player Razvan Cocis about what it was like on the pitch when it happened and his own important reaction.

All this and a lot more, including some WFC2 chat 'Caps head coach Carl Robinson talks about the form of striker Kyle Greig and the opportunity the upcoming Canadian Championship and Champions League matches will afford these players.

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 156 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Chop Chop - Vancouver v Portland postgame show)

Kings of Cascadia, we know who we are.

Another Cascadian derby, another six points. Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 comeback victory over Portland Timbers could be a turning point in the 'Caps season. We'll have to wait and see, but right now, let's just bask in the win.

We look back at the key moments of the match, which players did and didn't stand out on the day, and hear the thoughts on the game from both head coaches, Vancouver's Carl Robinson and Portland's Caleb Porter.

We also head into the losing locker room and hear from Portland's blundering Kiwi 'keeper Jake Gleeson, ten pint man Liam Ridgewell, and former Whitecap miss machine Darren Mattocks.

We also look ahead to the Chicago and Toronto games and give a hat tip to the form of WFC2.

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 155 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Texas Toast - Vancouver v Dallas postgame show)

They may have had some luck, poor finishing by their opponents and an inspired David Ousted along the way, but Vancouver Whitecaps got back on the horse again on Saturday night with a 3-0 win over MLS leaders FC Dallas.

We look back over the win, the standouts, the key moments and what it might mean for the Whitecaps going forward, now that they've broken their three game winless streak and scored their first open play goal of the season.

We hear from both head coaches, Vancouver's Carl Robinson and Dallas' Oscar Pareja, and visit the visitors' locker room to hear from Canadian striker Tesho Akindele, defender Walker Zimmerman and former Whitecap Mauro Rosales.

And there's still time to look ahead to Wednesday Western Conference clash at home to Sporting KC. What changes will Robbo make for that one?

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!

Episode 154 - The AFTN Soccer Podcast (Capital Punishment with PRO's Peter Walton and WFC2's Sem de Wit)

The horrorshow that was Vancouver Whitecaps 4-0 loss in DC was certainly one to forget. Yes, there were injuries and absences, but that doesn't fully excuse the defensive deficiencies, lack of creativity and the impotent attack.

It was a tough one to watch but what to make of it now that the dust has settled? We look back at the defeat and some of the big questions coming out of it at both ends of the pitch for the 'Caps. Plus we look ahead to this weekend's match at Real Salt Lake. Is there anything out there that gives a sense of a better result against a much better side?

The MLS Whitecaps might be having their struggles, but the USL side are still unbeaten. A large part of that lies in their solid defence and we talk to a key reason behind that, Dutch centre back Sem de Wit.

The second half of our show is dedicated to refereeing. It's been the big talking point all season long, and even with some of the refereeing reigned in this past weekend, there's still some tackles that set social media abuzz.

PRO (the Professional Referee Organisation) general manager Peter Walton had a conference call with media last week to discuss current refereeing directives and the red mist that's been descending down upon MLS. It covered things we feel a lot of the fans, media and players should know and hear, so we're bringing you a big chunk of it on this week's show.

There's a lot of chat to be had, so have a listen!