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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

London City Soccer Club - To Media:Press Release (to whom it May Concern)

Fenix rises from the ashes and sending of a message to all the CSL teams, bring it on!

Third consecutive away win London City Soccer Club, only professional soccer club in London, shows that London City Soccer Club A team is still alive and kicking.
Win against the best team in the CSL demonstrates the correctness of the opinion that London City will not only play in the playoffs, but also directly participate in the fight for the championship CSL. If you want to be part of the history of London City you are all welcome and especially all the local media, and for those which do not like us, you have to admit that we are really good.

London city soccer club have a new couch and his name is Tomo Dancetovic former couch of CSL Champions Branford Galaxy 2009/2010.

Away Game vs. Brampton City ll Division CSL [Canadian Soccer League], ended London City 0 – Brampton City 2, and did not change noting regarding standings in ll CSL division, London City still numero uno! Last week middle season London City B record 8-7-0-1= 21 points, first place, middle season CSL champions and making History for London City! Congratulations to all London City B players on their efforts and we invite all the Londoners to support us in the second part of the CSL ll season and we invite all the London MEDIA to support us because 99% of London City B team players are local Londoners!

Congratulations to all London City team/s players and staff on their work. We ask/seek to all Londoners and MEDIA to help and support the work of London City Soccer Club only professional soccer club in London.
All players and staff London City you can have them in your press, interview, radio, TV!
London City A team, has won three away matches in a row, and we are confident that with your help we will win and the fourth in a row, so come out and cheer yours the only professional soccer team in London.

Home Game Friday August 02 at Hellenic Centre [133 South dale Rd W London, ON N6J 2J2], London City against Toronto Croatia, beginning at 8:30 pm. Admission Adult/s $10 - Children under 12 FREE.

Thank you and see you at the field. Any more info, please contact me at info below.

LCSC – General Manager Mr. Jasmin Halkić

www.londoncity.ca
info@londoncity.ca
[519] 701-1202

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Dave Bolland to bring the Stanley Cup to London Thursday

Chicago Blackhawks' Dave Bolland celebrates with the Stanley Cup after the Blackhawks defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their NHL Stanley Cup Finals hockey series in Boston, Massachusetts, June 24, 2013.

David Bolland is making London a part of his Stanley Cup celebration.
The former Knights star and new Toronto Maple Leafs centre, who scored the Cup-winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the final last month in Boston, will kick-off his 24-hour whirlwind with the famous mug Thursday morning with stops at the London Children's Hospital, his local gym (Empower Conditioning on Piccadilly) and his golf course (the Highland Country Club).
“I wanted to take it to the hospital because it's always a big thing for the kids,” he said. “I remember when I was a kid what a big deal it was (to see the Cup).”
The two-time Cup champ's local stop will be considerably less public than last year's day with Los Angeles Kings Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty, who rode downtown in a police tactical rescue vehicle before showing off the Cup at Budweiser Gardens.
Bolland plans to depart the city around 11:30 a.m. and return to his home in Mimico for a carbon-copy of his 2010 day with the Cup – an afternoon town parade followed by a party at The Blue Goose Tavern.
“For sure, it'll probably be a little easier this time knowing what's going to happen,” the 27-year-old said. “You get back to Toronto and it'll probably be packed down there.”
Bolland, a member of the 2005 Memorial Cup champion Knights, wanted to make sure he included London this time around. He has purchased an off-season home here.
“It's just a few minutes away from where Dale and Dylan (Hunter) live,” he said. “I love it. I'm not too far from Toronto if I have to get there and London's a nice place just to get away.
“It'll always be a special place for me.”
This is going to be a memorable year for Bolland. His wife Julia is expecting their first child at the end of September.
“It's two months off now and it's right in a good time before (his first Leafs) training camp,”he said. “For sure, I'm nervous. I should ask how everyone else on the team, with kids, what it was like for them (in the beginning).
“I'm really excited to be a parent.”
The Leafs, who traded for him six days after his Cup-winning goal, expect him to be his old ornery self on the ice for them this season. Bolland still remembers his first game back in Toronto with the 'Hawks against the Leafs.
“I had the game-winning goal at the (Air Canada Centre) against them,” he said. “It's going to be crazy. It's fun when you're going to play for Toronto. It's the Mecca of hockey. They're a huge team in the NHL and I'm excited to play for them.”
Not many days go by that Bolland isn't asked about his famous Cup winner with 58.2 seconds left in the third period to beat the Bruins.
“You don't expect to be the one to score it,” he said. “That'll always be a fun moment in my life.”

PDL All-Conference Teams Announced

Aztex have league-best 4 players honored

Tuesday, July 30, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – The PDL announced its 2013 All-Conference Teams today, honoring the players from among the league’s 64 teams who shone the brightest during the 2013 regular season. The teams were selected through a vote of team management.

All four teams headed to the 2013 PDL Championship presented by Nike this weekend in Austin, Texas are represented on the All-Conference teams. The host Austin Aztex lead all teams with four players selected, including goalkeeper Devin Cook, defender Max Gunderson, midfielder Antonio Rocha and forward Krystopher Tyrpak.
The Eastern Conference champion Ocean City Nor’easters are represented by forward Dwayne Reid, the Central Conference Champion Thunder Bay Chill are represented by defenders Nolan Intermoia and Axel Sjoberg, and the Western Conference Champion Victoria Highlanders had defender Tyler Hughes and forward Brett Levis selected.
Next behind Austin with three selections each are the Ottawa Fury of the Eastern Conference and Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 of the Western Conference. Five players are making their second consecutive PDL All-Conference appearance, including Jordan Green of the Kansas City Brass and Bryan Ciesiulka of the Chicago Fire (Central), Taian de Souza of the Panama City Beach Pirates (Southern), and Gunderson and Tyrpak of the Aztex (Southern).
The 2013 PDL All-League Team will be announced on Wednesday and the finalists for Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Young (U21) Player of the Year will be announced on Thursday, with the awards presented at Saturday’s PDL Championship banquet in Austin. Goalkeeper of the Year will also be presented at the banquet.
The 2013 PDL Championship presented by Nike will kick off at 5 p.m. CT Friday when the No. 4 Highlanders face the No. 1 Chill, followed by the No. 3 Nor’easters at the No. 2 Aztex at 7:30 p.m. CT. The winners advance to meet for the 2013 PDL Championship on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. CT.
2013 PDL All-Conference Teams
Eastern Conference
GK – Chad Bush, Ottawa Fury
D – Shaun Foster, Ottawa Fury
D – Damion Lowe, Reading United AC
D – Gilbert Manier, GPS Portland Phoenix
D – Hugh Roberts, Baltimore Bohemians
MF – Brandt Bronico, Carolina Dynamo
MF – Brayan Martinez, Jersey Express
MF – Jason Plumhoff, Reading United AC
F – Peter Caringi, Baltimore Bohemians
F – Carl Haworth, Ottawa Fury
F – Dwayne Reid, Ocean City Nor’easters
Central Conference
GK – Tyson Farago, WSA Winnipeg
D – Brandon Fricke, Des Moines Menace
D – Tyler Hemming, Forest City London
D – Nolan Intermoia, Thunder Bay Chill
D – Axel Sjoberg, Thunder Bay Chill
MF – Bryan Ciesiulka, Chicago Fire
MF – Jordan Green, Kansas City Brass
MF – Matt Walker, Michigan Bucks
F – Moses Danto, WSA Winnipeg
F – Oliver Gore, Real Colorado Foxes
F – Zach Steinberger, Michigan Bucks

Western Conference
GK – David Meves, Portland Timbers U-23s
D – Derrick Bassi, Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23
D – Chris Brundage, Sounders FC U23
D – Tyler Hughes, Victoria Highlanders FC
D – Trevor Spurgeon, Fresno Fuego
MF – Zach Barnes, Portland Timbers U-23s
MF – Paul Islas, Fresno Fuego
MF – Bobby Jhutty, Van. Whitecaps FC U-23
F – Niall Cousens, Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23
F – Brett Levis, Victoria Highlanders FC
F – Tyler Reinhart, Fresno Fuego
Southern Conference
GK – Devin Cook, Austin Aztex
D – Taian de Souza, Panama City Beach Pirates
D – Max Gunderson, Austin Aztex
D – Walter Kromholz, Houston Dutch Lions
D – Felipe Souza, Laredo Heat
MF – Itode Fubara, Orlando City U23
MF – Jack McVey, VSI Tampa Bay FC
MF – Antonio Rocha, Austin Aztex
F – Adam Black, Oklahoma City FC
F – Tyler Blackwood, Orlando City U23

PDL Regular Season Honors Announced

Baltimore’s Caringi takes scoring crown, Golden Boot

Monday, July 29, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – The 2013 PDL regular season honors were announced today with Baltimore Bohemians forward Peter Caringi leading the way by earning both the Scoring Champion and Golden Boot awards.

Caringi, set to play his senior season at UMBC, led the Bohemians (8-1-5) to second place in the Mid Atlantic Division while tallying 16 goals and 37 points in 12 games. He edged out Ottawa’s Carl Haworth by a point in the scoring race and finished one goal ahead of Real Colorado’s Oliver Gore and Orlando City U23’s Tyler Blackwood in the goal-scoring race.
Haworth is the PDL’s 2013 Assist Champion after tallying 12 in 12 games for the Northeast Division Champions, who finished 11-1-2 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship, where they fell 3-1 against the Ocean City Nor’easters. Haworth is a Niagara University grad who has represented Canada on the international stage.
Haworth’s teammate Chad Bush ran away with Goals-Against Average Champion honors, posting nine shutouts in 10 starts for a miniscule 0.104 GAA. A sophomore at Duke University, Bush also has Canadian international experience and was recently chosen to participate alongside the Canada Under-20 National Team as they prepared for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
The 2013 PDL All-Conference Teams will be announced on Tuesday, followed by the All-League Team on Wednesday. The finalists for Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Young (U21) Player of the Year will be announced on Thursday, with the awards presented at Saturday’s PDL Championship banquet in Austin, Texas. Goalkeeper of the Year will also be presented at the banquet.
The Austin Aztex will host the 2013 PDL Championships presented by Nike and will welcome the Ocean City Nor’easters, Thunder Bay Chill and Victoria Highlanders to House Park in Austin, Texas this weekend. The Semifinals will be played Friday, with the winners advancing to meet for the 2013 PDL Championship on Sunday.

Canadian Clubs turning heads with PDL success in 2013

Carl Haworth, PDL Super Star - Canadian Soccer Association

Their are eight Canadian clubs in the PDL and this year four of them made it all the way to the final eight and two managed to reach the semifinals. The question is what does all that success have to do with Canadian soccer going forward?

The USL PDL final four is all set and it includes a pair of Canadian clubs as both the Victoria Highlanders and Thunder Bay Chill continued their impressive seasons by claiming conference titles over the weekend. The weekend also saw defending champions FC London eliminated in the final eight along with the Ottawa Fury.

That was a whole lot of Canadian content in both the final eight and the final four. Now with Victoria and Thunder Bay set to meet in the semifinals there will once again be a Canadian club competing for the PDL championship. With just 8 Canadian clubs in the league that performance becomes all the more impressive.
Canada is currently represented in the PDL by Victoria, Thunder Bay, London, Ottawa, Vancouver Whitecaps U-23, WSA Winnipeg, Toronto Lynx, and K-W United. It is a good representation across the country in what is supposed to be North America's top development league for amateur players.
For those not familiar with the Premier Development League it is part of the United Soccer Leagues which make up a big part of the American soccer pyramid on both the men's and women's side. The PDL has some unique roster rules that ensure rosters are made up primarily of young players who are looking to move up in the game. Each club's 26-man roster is allowed to include a maximum of 8 players over the age of 23 and at least 3 must be 18 or younger.
That means the majority of players on each roster are university players who are looking for playing time during the summer at a high level. In recent years the league has become a good showcase for some of the top talent in NCAA soccer and with every passing year the number of MLS players with PDL experience continues to grow. It is a list that includes 6 former number one picks in the MLS SuperDraft including the last two as both Andrew Wenger and Andrew Farrell played at least one summer in the league. The league has also boasted 7 players with a MAC Herman trophy on their resume as the top NCAA player.
The league has also been a stepping stone for a number of Canadian internationals over the year. Randy Edwini-Bonsu, Lars Hirschfeld, Olivier Occean, Kyle Porter, Adam Straith, and Russell Teibert have all spent time in the league before pulling on Canadian colours just to name a few of them.
Over the years the Vancouver Whitecaps U-23 team has been the top producer of talent among the Canadian clubs with the team serving as the final step in the organization's development ladder before joining the first team. They joined the PDL for the 2008 season and have been routinely successful since then and have done so with rosters stacked with young Canadian players. Their focus has been on talent development though so finishing in the middle of the division was the norm but this year they claimed a third place finish and a first round play-off exit.
The success has not been limited to Vancouver in recent years though as other Canadian clubs have been producing results to be proud of.
Thunder Bay Chill: the first Canadian club to win a PDL Championship back in 2008, three time playoff finalists, winners of 6 out of the last 7 Heartland Division championships, and the 2013 regular season champions (first Canadian club to do so since Calgary Storm in 2001)
Victoria Highlanders FC: founded in 2007 with their season ticket holders making up a share of the ownership, reached the playoffs for the first time in 2011, won their first Northwest Division title in 2013, and made their first finals appearance in 2013.
Ottawa Fury: founded in 2005 the club has found success with their men's and women's team, won 4 of the last 5 Northeast Division championships, and three time Conference playoff finalists.
FC London: founded in 2008 they joined the PDL in 2009 they became the second Canadian team to win the PDL Championship in 2011, have reached the playoffs every year of their existence finishing in the top three of the Great Lakes division five straight seasons, and won their division for the first time in 2013.
WSA Winnipeg: having been founded in 2010 they just completed their third season in the PDL and despite finishing near the bottom of the Heartland division each season they have become the top club in the Winnipeg area and consistently fielded a team built around local talent.
K-W United FC: 2013 waas the club's first in Kitchener-Waterloo after being moved over from Hamilton. They played two season in Hamilton finishing near the bottom of the Great Lakes division each time and struggling to attract local interest. The move to K-W breathed new life into the franchise which had its best season just narrowly missing out on a playoff spot in 2013.
Toronto Lynx: they took the step down to the PDL in 2007 when Toronto FC came onto the scene as the top club in the city. In their seven seasons since then they have struggled along in the Great Lakes division with their best season coming in 2008 when they finished 3rd making their lone PDL playoff appearance.
There have been mixed results for the Canadian clubs in terms of on field performances with a few clubs languishing near the bottom of their respective divisions but there are also plenty of success stories to be excited about. The continued strong performances from Canadian clubs in the league are something that merits the attention of fans interested in the state of the game in this country.
Each club has developed their own approach to building a roster and have different aims for their club. Some clubs have worked to attract the top talent available to their roster building a squad filled with nationalities from all over the World. Others have built their team primarily around local players and stocked up on Canadians. The last two teams standing prove that both ways can bring success in the league as Thunder Bay have a roster built of players from a variety of countries while Victoria are stocked with local players with many who play at nearby colleges.
The good news is that all eight of the clubs are home to Canadian talent and as they continue to succeed and the league attracts more talent it becomes a crucial part of the development structure for the country. With three MLS clubs now in place and a second NASL club on the way the top of the pyramid is getting stronger with each passing year but young Canadians still lack quality development opportunities which is a void the PDL clubs are helping to fill.
The PDL has 62 teams and only 8 of them are in Canada. It is a start, a solid one, but it is not enough if the end goal is for Canada to finally turn into a competitive soccer nation. Too many talented players still seem to fall through the cracks and miss out on the development opportunities that they need. Every club in place with a clear pathway for players to follow to the top is one step closer to addressing some of the major issues in development.
This is where the Easton Report, the findings of which were published within "In a League of our Own", comes into the picture. The report was commissioned by the Canadian Soccer Association to look into the viability of a national division two league.
The report concludes that the best option for the Canadian Soccer Association to pursue was a regional U-23 league across the country. A league that would have a lot in common with PDL should it come to fruition but instead of providing playing opportunities for hundreds of Americans it would do the same for Canadians.
The Canadian equivalent would likely have its own set of rules for over-age players and international players but the basics would be quite similar to the PDL. Like the PDL it would be built around regional divisions to limit the travel costs teams incur and work around the fact that many players would likely also have jobs during the summer. It would be an amateur league with most or all over the players being under the age of 23.
There are areas that a Canadian league would need to improve upon the PDL mode though. The main concern is the fact that the PDL season is only three months long and the regular season only sees each club play 14 matches. When combined with playing in NCAA that means a young player who is in need of regular playing time in a competitive environment is only getting that for around 5 months out of the year and that is not enough.
There has been a push to extend the NCAA season so that players get more competitive games in outside of the fall season but that has made little progress thus far. The new Canadian league would be wise to address that concern from the beginning and ensure players are in a competitive setting for more than just the short period they currently get with PDL teams and provide development opportunities and training throughout the year for talented young Canadians looking to make the jump to the professional level.
That was what the Easton Report recommended to the CSA and was adopted by the governing body. When it is eventually implemented it would become the third division of soccer in Canada behind MLS and NASL. That would put the National U-23 league a tier above the PDL which is considered the fourth division in US soccer behind MLS, NASL, and USL Pro.
The question now is where will the PDL clubs fit into the future of Canadian soccer. They have managed to find success playing in the American league and many of them field squads in a variety of other USL leagues and are not just concerned with their PDL side. That might make it tricky to convince some of them to move their organization from the PDL but it could prove to be crucial to the viability of such a league.
A new Canadian league will rely on the support of the existing professional clubs who should all field some form of reserve team or senior academy team in the league but that alone will not be enough to bring success to a regional u-23 league. The five professional clubs can lead the way but the viability of the league will come down to attracting other dedicated ownership groups. Some of those potential groups can be found running the successful PDL clubs.
The likes of Ian Campbell (owner of iConect) in London, John Marrello (CEO of the Port Arthur Health Center) in Thunder Bay, Alex Campbell Jr. in Victoria are the sort of people who a new league could be built around. Canadian soccer is not exactly flush with money so when you do find people willing to spend their personal wealth supporting soccer they need to be key parts of moving the game forward.
Ottawa and Vancouver have ownership groups that will be focused on competing in MLS or NASL but they could also field teams in a national league. That leaves 6 other ownerships that are already investing heavily in soccer and should continue to be leaders going forward.
The success of Canadian clubs and the investment of their owners in PDL soccer is a good start towards what the Easton Report calls for but it is not enough. The CSA will need to entice these groups to join any new Canadian League since when you combine them with the existing professional clubs you would have a solid foundation already in place around the country for a national division three league.
In the meantime the CSA needs to continue to extend the olive branch to these clubs and once potential way to do that would be inviting them into the National Championship, the Voyageurs Cup. Their American counterparts get the chance to compete in the US Open Cup and it would be great for the same to happen in Canada since it would cast an increased spotlight on these clubs to see them going up against NASL or MLS clubs in cup competition.
For now it is nice to see so many Canadian clubs doing well in the PDL but it is not enough. Not if the end goal is to have Canada developing players talented enough to carry the country forward to a potential World Cup spot down the road. If that is the goal then there needs to be more done and the existing clubs need to play a big role in moving the game forward. They have made a good start but that is all it is, a start.
Hopefully, the recommendations from the Easton Report will be implemented in the coming years and a new Canadian league will open for more young players to develop at a high level and hopefully reach the professional ranks. Until then though Canadian soccer fans should enjoy the chance to see two Canadian clubs competing for the PDL Championship this coming weekend down in Austin, Texas.
With so little to celebrate in Canadian soccer it is worth taking time to highlight the good things that are being done around the country.

Monday, July 29, 2013

YORK REGION SHOOTERS MAKE IT EIGHT IN A ROW...Toronto Croatia rebounds while Brampton falls to London City

York Region Shooters extended their winning streak to eight games, Toronto Croatia bounced back with a victory over Burlington SC and Brampton City Utd fell to London City, three games in the CSL Sunday.

It was scoreless for most of the hard-fought contest at Victoria Park in Brampton with the first goal coming at 78 minutes when London City midfielder Harris Faziagic opened the scoring for the visitors, a well-taken goal while cutting in from the right wing to drive the ball in off the post away from a beaten Camilo Benzi in the Brampton goal.

Just six minutes later, Benzi was shown the red card by referee David Di Pasquale who ejected the Brampton goalkeeper for Violent Conduct.

Brampton pressed to get on even terms in the latter stages, but London increased their lead when Jefferson Omide Agaiha scored into an empty net at 99 minutes while substitute Brampton goalkeeper Euloge Kodzo Awitor was caught out of position.

The defeat is a set-back for the home side while bidding for the First Division title. The GTA side are third in the standings with an 8-3-0 for 24 points, while London City improve with a 5-5-3 record for 18 points.

It was a chippy encounter at the St. Joan of Arc ground in Maple where the home side York Region Shooters eked out a 1-0 victory over SC Waterloo to extend their winning streak to eight games, but it was all in doubt until the final whistle.

The first half was scoreless but not without incident with referee Ramee Arbaji extended to keep the game under control. York Region Shooters opened the scoring at 65 minutes, a goal by midfielder Ali Hamam, his sixth of the season. Hamam drove the ball from 12 yards on to a Waterloo defender and the ball deflected to enter the net to the right of goalkeeper Imad Hakura.

It was a close contest through the second half and Waterloo had an opportunity to tie the game from the penalty spot when referee Arbaji called a foul inside the box at the 94th minute mark, but Drazen Vukovic hit the post with the Shooters goalkeeper Adrian Ibanez well beaten.

The eight game winning streak gives York Region a 9-2-1 record for 28 points, tied with Kingston FC for the top position. SC Waterloo has a 5-3-3 record for 18 points and still very much in contention.

It was a ding-dong affair at Nelson Stadium in Burlington where the lead changed hands starting with Burlington scoring a go-ahead goal against Toronto Croatia at the sixth minute mark, a goal by midfielder Nicholas Lindsay.

Tihomir Maletic tied the game 1-1 for Toronto Croatia at the 18th minute mark, the score at half-time, and the prolific striker again beat Burlington goalkeeper Vladimir Vujasinovic at 55 minutes for a 2-1 Croatia lead. The goals were Maletic’s 5th and 6th of the season.

Lindsay struck again just three minutes later for the home side to level the score 2-2, his 7th goal of the campaign, but Toronto Croatia forward Kresimir Prgomet scored the winning goal at 71st minutes.