J.J. Adams: Door opens for young Whitecaps at MiB tournament in Florida
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Major League Soccer has long been saddled with the reputation of a retirement league, attracting the likes of fading global stars like Chicharito, Zlatan Ibrahimović or David Beckham. And, to an extent, it’s true.
The league’s average age is 26. Of the 11 players last season with 13 or more goals, only two were under the age of 27, and five were north of the 30-year-old line — including the two top scorers in Carlos Vela (34) and Ibrahimović (38).
But Orlando, Fla., in mid-July is no country for old men.
Abbreviated training camps increasing the risk of soft-tissue injuries. Scorching temperatures and oppressive, blanket-like humidity. A compressed schedule that sees just three or four days between matches.
The MLS is Back tournament is definitely a young man’s game.
The Vancouver Whitecaps have the youngest average and median age in MLS , and that number is even more pronounced now, with 30-somethings Fredy Montero (32), Tosaint Ricketts, (32) and Andy Rose (30) staying behind in Vancouver.
The young guns from Vancouver get their chance Wednesday evening, when they take on the San Jose Earthquakes ( 6 p.m., TSN, TSN140 ) in their first game in more than four months. The spotlight will be bright, as it’s the only game of the day.
With MLS having begun marketing itself as a selling league, one that develops young players who can use it to springboard to greater heights, the MiB tournament provides a showcase moment for the youth. Case in point: Toronto’s Ayo Akinola, a 20-year-old who filled in for an inactive Jozy Altidore in the Reds’ first game, scored twice in his third career MLS start .
Whitecaps forward/midfielder Ryan Raposo sees that golden ring in front of him, and knows he just has to take it.
“It’s a big opportunity,” said Raposo, who recorded an assist in 23 minutes of substitute work on the wing in the club’s 1-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy in March.
“It’s unfortunate that we can’t have all the guys here with us, but us being young, we just have to be ready for the opportunity when it comes. Whether the team needs us to start, come off the bench or train extra hard to get the guys prepared, that’s what it’s about.”
The subtraction of Montero, Ricketts and Lucas Cavallini deprives the Caps of their usual striker depth, and spells the end of the 4-4-2 formation the team rolled out in its first two games. It’s back to a 4-3-3, with Yordy Reyna likely getting the start in the middle as a false nine.
Raposo and Theo Bair will see significant time during the tournament. Raposo played centrally in a No. 10 role in pre-season and should be second on the depth chart behind Reyna in the middle, while Bair is capable of playing both, but coach Marc Dos Santos has found him more effective on the outside.
“There’s 100 per cent chance that Theo could be used in a central role. But Theo needs to grow in his linkup play. We talk a lot about that with him, about when he’s in central areas and gets the ball, the No. 9 has a lot of that role — linking with the midfielders,” said Dos Santos. “Right now, the thing he does the best is attacking and exploiting the space behind the opponents. When he does it from wide areas, he’s more aggressive and more dangerous. But what you can expect from Theo is any of of the three positions up top.”
“I’ve been shifted a lot within the front three, whether that’s on the left, right or down the middle,” Raposo said of the team’s training sessions in Florida.
“And personally, I feel comfortable in all three positions, in the middle or as more a false nine. Going forward, I see myself more as a winger. But during the flow of the game, if the team needs me as a false nine, I’m obviously ready to play there.”
Reyna, 26, will be the old vet on the front line, and while he is the most offensively created and gifted forward remaining, he still has the issues that plague younger players.
“The problem he has, what he struggles with as a player, is consistency,” said Dos Santos. “He can do it very well, then he disappears, then he comes back again … what we hope we can get from him is what he showed against LAFC last year or (with Peru vs.) Brazil.
“It’s me doing everything I can to get the best out of him. But him having the focus every day to stay consistent. It’s very hard. But it’s the difference between the average players and the top players. If Yordy wants to keep growing and go to higher levels, it’s something he has to become better at.”
In the middle of the park, midfielders Michael Baldisimo, Simon Colyn, Patrick Metcalfe and Damiano Pecile made the trip to Orlando. Only Colyn has any MLS minutes among the quartet, playing four minutes after subbing off Alphonso Davies in his final game as a Whitecap in the 2018 season finale.
On the back end, the Whitecaps will be without the services of Érik Godoy, still rehabbing an injury listed as a strained left calf. That leaves them three centre backs: Jasser Khmiri (22), Derek Cornelius (22) and Ranko Veselinović (21).
Khmiri and Cornelius started the season opener together before the Tunisian partnered with Rose in their away game against L.A.
NEXT GAME
Wednesday
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. San Jose Earthquakes
6 p.m., ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex , TSN, TSN 1040 AM
After the pandemic lockdown put his integration into the deep freeze, Veselinović has impressed the coaching staff in the month the team has been back to full training, and is itching to pull on the jersey for a game.
“I came in, and after three days everything stopped. It was a difficult three months for me but everyone from the club, all the staff, all the players, all the people from the club helped me to adopt a new environment, a new city, new club,” said the lanky Serbian defender, who credited the translation services of winger David Milinković as a big factor in his transition.
And despite Khmiri’s native language being Arabic and Cornelius being born in Ontario, there is no communication between the three.
“Yeah, well, Jasser is a little bit struggling with English but we understand the on pitch — you learn that conversation,” Veselinović said with a chuckle.
“Right, left, behind you, up, back, you know, it’s not hard to learn, so we understand really well on the pitch. I’ve played with both (Khmiri and Cornelius), and there’s not too much difference. I can play with both of them, because we do the same things, know the same same principles in defence and we understand each other.”
The energy, vigour and regeneration of youth might be suited for this tournament, but it can easily go astray without the mentorship of the calming, unifying voice in the locker room. And with the core of the team’s leadership group remaining in Vancouver, the Whitecaps will have to look elsewhere.
“I feel like a lot of the other older guys are stepping up,” said Raposo. “We have Rusty (Teibert, 27), who’s a big time vet, Max (Crepeau, 26) … they’re really holding holding the guys together and holding everyone accountable. And that’s exactly what we need right now.”
GROUP B SCHEDULE
July 11: Sounders 0, Earthquakes 0
July 14: Fire 2, Sounders 1
July 15: Whitecaps-Quakes, 6 p.m. (TSN, TSN 1040)
July 19: Fire-Quakes, 5 p.m.
July 19: Sounders-Whitecaps, 7:30 p.m. (TSN, TSN 1040)
July 23: Whitecaps-Quakes, 6 a.m. (TSN, TSN 1040)
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