The Vancouver Whitecaps had a choice to make today. Faced with a waterlogged pitch and a poor weather report, the club knew that it was highly unlikely that they could play two games in the space of three days on the temporary grass pitch that had been installed.
So, something had to give. They could either go ahead with the league game – the game that actually had meaning – or they could play a friendly against a uninterested European side on Monday.
They, of course, chose to play Manchester City on Monday.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK] CSN has been informed by people that were inside Empire Stadium as the decision was being made today that it really was an either or choice, although the club says otherwise.
Obviously, it would have been unfortunate to cancel the City game. They used the game as a way to market season ticket sales earlier in the year. Some fans would have been angered by that. City probably would agree to come back at a later date, but that might not come for a few years.
It would have been the right decision though. It would have demonstrated that the Whitecaps valued competition over spectacle and were committed to providing the players with the best possible environment to be successful in, even if that meant sacrificing a buck or two.
The fact that the game was scheduled to take place two days after a MLS game and two days before another should have tipped us to the Caps thinking. They have bought into the Church of the Big Euro Friendly that so many in MLS have.
One club that has not bought into that is Toronto FC. TFC fans demanded that the club not be burdened with unnecessary in-season friendlies during last year’s town hall meetings and the club agreed not to. In a year where TFC has been consistently criticised (often legitimately) they should be praised for that decision.
As for Vancouver, the only thing the Caps should feel about their choice is shame. They won’t, of course, because when it comes to these games MLS is truly shameless.