USL Canadians Team of the Year 2016

[Dub Narcotic]

Changing the format up a little bit from last year where I will now just consider Canadian players, but expanded to include all USL teams. It's actually pretty amazing how much more talent there is this year in terms of Canadians than there was last year. Vancouver and Toronto got better and a lot of American teams had solid Canadian players.

First, 'where are they now' from last year's thread: (http://www.thevoyageurs.org/forums/topic/28467-canadian-club-usl-team-of-the-year/)

Caleb Clarke: Not playing in 5th division Germany as far as I can tell.

Victor Blasco: Promising career derailed by unspecified team rule violations; playing in VMSL.

Marco Bustos: Another year mostly in USL with a few senior team appearances sprinkled in.

Alessandro Riggi: Much like Bustos, playing again in USL. I believe he got hurt during pre-season with the senior team and didn't get a shot with the big club after that.

Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare: Got loaned out to the Fury at the end of last year, played all year with FC Montreal. 

Louis Beland-Goyette: Captained FC Montreal this year.

Zachary Sukunda: Played all year with FC Montreal

Jonathan Grant: Moved from FCM to play with Marc dos Santos at SPR and was in and out of the lineup.

Chris Serban: On the roster with VWFC2 but didn't play much.

Quillan Roberts: Lost out on the backup job with TFC to Alex Bono in pre-season and spent most of the year with TFC2 or on the bench with the senior team.

Skylar Thomas: Another year as captain of TFC2.

 

 

 

[Dub Narcotic]

 

[Dub Narcotic]

Mark-Anthony Gonzales (SPR) - One of many Canadians brought to SPR by Marc dos Santos, had a very good year for a very successful SPR team after completing his four years at the University of Evansville. Has an excellent touch in and around the box and scored some highlight-reel goals.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel (FCM) - A very good season on another horrible and pointless FC Montreal team, he also had very good xG/90 stats with the Impact senior team in his limited minutes. With Drogba on his way out hopefully he'll see more minutes next year.

HM: Daniel Haber (VWFC2), Michael Cox (OCB), *Shaan Hundal (TFC2)

Raheem Edwards (TFC2) - Building on a very good first season, Edwards became the undisputed leader and star of the team this year, signing a senior contract and terrorizing teams up and down the Eastern Conference from the left hand side, including a great goal against FC Cincinnati where you can hear fans yelling 'don't let him get the ball' as he leaves several players in his wake.

HM - *Tyler Pasher (SPR)

Marco Bustos (VWFC2) - Ran the show again for the VWFC2 team and also had spot appearances with the senior team. However, his tortoise-like run tracking back during a Voyageurs Cup game has many Whitecaps fans worrying about his work ethic and athleticism.

HM - Alessandro Riggi (FCM) 

Louis Beland-Goyette (FCM) One of the other bright spots with FC Montreal, took over from Gagnon-Lapare as the midfield leader and also got a USL goal of the month award for his spectacular striker against TFC2.

HM - Kianz Froese (VWFC2), Aidan Daniels (TFC2)

Alphonso Davies (VWFC2) - Incredible season for the 15 year old who was one of the best players for the senior team by the end of the year despite not having the best statistics at USL level. Rumors of big European clubs being interested abound.

HM - **Jean Ballou Tabla (FCM) * Malik Johnson (TFC2)

Brett Levis (VWFC2) - Moved between LB and LM in his breakout year and signed with the senior team at the end of the season. The team wants to see him at LB but his weakness at one-on-one defending and propensity to cut inside may make him a more natural LM or wingback.

Amer Didic (SPR) - Another dos Santos find in Kansas City, was being called up by the senior team by the end of the year.

Skylar Thomas (TFC2) - Another solid year for the big Thomas at USL level but his propensity for cards and lack of interest from the senior level leaves you wondering about his future at an age when he should be fighting for time at the senior level.

HM - Thomas Milleur-Giguere (FCM)

Kadin Chung (VWFC2) - Leaped over incumbent starter Chris Serban in electrifying fashion with incisive runs that made many a USL highlight reel this year. Needs to put on some weight and probably has another year in USL in his immediate future but a huge prospect.

Callum Irving (RGVFC) Irving shook of the disappointment of not being drafted despite signing a MLS contract pre-draft to make Houston's affiliate in southern Texas and won the starting keeper spot and led the team to one of the best defences in the leagues.

HM - Spencer Richey (VWFC2)

 

[Dub Narcotic]

Stock down:

Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare (FCM) - Might be the next one out of the Montreal setup.

Kianz Froese (VWFC2) - Didn't get much of a look on the senior roster, an attempted loan didn't pan out and he was getting outplayed by Will Seymore at the USL level. A tough year after a very promising 2015.

Quillan Roberts (TFC2) - With Bono's very solid run with TFC, hard to see what the future holds for Roberts.

Chris Serban (VWFC2) - Last year's breakout star mostly saw the bench behind Kadin Chung.

Richie Layrea (OCB) - High MLS draft pick didn't show a lot at USL level.

Jackson Farmar (VWFC2) - I don't understand how this guy has a contract. He might be the longest tenured player in the organization at this point oddly enough.

Chris Mannella (TFC2) - Hard to say how much blame he takes for a TFC2 team that constantly struggles to assert itself in midfield but he was watching a lot of games in street clothes by the end of the year and is taking up a senior roster spot. TFC also has a lot of young central midfielders behind him.

 

[Dub Narcotic]

HM for non-Canadians on the Canadian USL teams who have a shot at senior minutes next year:

Kyle Greig (VWFC2)

Cole Seiler (VWFC2)

Mitchell Taintor (TFC2)

Sem de Wit (VWFC2)

 

 

 

[Bison44]

Excellent thread, thanks Dub!  As none of last years list made it to a first team roster, how many of this years team of the year will have made the jump by next year?  Davies, Edwards...maybe Didic or Irving if we are lucky?  Long shots Ryan James or maybe even Pasher?  Really nice to see so many youngsters get so many minutes to further along their development.  

[Dub Narcotic]

Davies and Edwards already have senior contracts. Pasher (left-sided help is always needed), Chung, Johnson and Tabla are my best bets for senior signings next year.  Tabla really should have a senior contract already but the rumour is the Impact want to transfer him to Europe without paying 33% of the fee to MLS.

[masster]

On 10/5/2016 at 6:29 PM, Dub Narcotic said:

Marco Bustos (VWFC2) - Ran the show again for the VWFC2 team and also had spot appearances with the senior team. However, his tortoise-like run tracking back during a Voyageurs Cup game has many Whitecaps fans worrying about his work ethic and athleticism.

This has always been noticeable with Bustos, ever since he came to Vancouver as a 15 year old. I remember watching one of his first games with the U16 team and the coaching staff kept encouraging/yelling at him "work, work, work".

At the end of the day though, this doesn't concern me too much. There are 11 players on the pitch and not every one has to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Bustos reminds me of Antonio Cassano in skill, stature, physique and athleticism (but not ruthlessness). During Cassano's best years at Sampdoria, his lack of running was not a problem as the team was constructed with players that complemented him and made up for this deficiency in his game.

So the question is, will Bustos become good enough for a coach to be willing to construct his squad around him?

[Soccerpro]

Richie Layrea and Marco Bustos are the biggest busts for me this year.

I expected, maybe unfairly, for Layrea to be running the show at the USL level and getting some MLS sub appearances. Hopefully he just needed this year to adjust to being a professional.

I expected Bustos to be a regular contributor for the MLS team this season. But I don't know how much I blame him, given how terrible a manger Robbo is, evidenced by his insistence on playing Pedro Morales. I still believe Bustos is MLS ready and has special creative qualities.

[Northvansteve]

I love this thread. Thank you, Dub!

[Shway]

Honourable Mention: Greg Ranjitsingh...maybe even higher than Callum tbh.

 

(He isn't a Trini yet!)

[shamrock]

On 15-10-2016 at 8:23 AM, Jahinho Guerro said:

Honourable Mention: Greg Ranjitsingh...maybe even higher than Callum tbh.

 

(He isn't a Trini yet!)

Excellent point, this Canadian kid has been called up but has NOT been capped yet. And he's arguably THE most exciting young goalkeeper in the USL.

To parafrase something I heard the other day: I'd go after him like a bitch!

[C2SKI]

I was disappointed that Kianz spent most of this season with the USL squad, but he did have 10 first team appearances. 

[David C.]

On 10/15/2016 at 2:23 AM, Jahinho Guerro said:

Honourable Mention: Greg Ranjitsingh...maybe even higher than Callum tbh.

(He isn't a Trini yet!)

At various points over the last few years - people have pointed to Quillan Roberts, Crepeau, Callum Irving, Ranjitsingh and even Carducci as "the one" to watch for the future. It will be really interesting to see how these five play out over the next few years. It is great that we're blessed with a good group of prospects at one position, for a change.

[Shway]

1 hour ago, David C. said:

At various points over the last few years - people have pointed to Quillan Roberts, Crepeau, Callum Irving, Ranjitsingh and even Carducci as "the one" to watch for the future. It will be really interesting to see how these five play out over the next few years. It is great that we're blessed with a good group of prospects at one position, for a change.

Man to me....Carducci is the least of these four. When seeing him playing against boys he's alright - men...well he looks like a boy, and can't command his box. He needs a few years in the USL, and he isn't getting time there either. 

My ranking based on the three you mentioned:

1.) Ranjitsingh

2.) Crepeau

3.) Roberts

4.) Irving

[Kent]

1 hour ago, David C. said:

At various points over the last few years - people have pointed to Quillan Roberts, Crepeau, Callum Irving, Ranjitsingh and even Carducci as "the one" to watch for the future. It will be really interesting to see how these five play out over the next few years. It is great that we're blessed with a good group of prospects at one position, for a change.

What's interesting/concerning to me is how short this group of prospects are. I can only assume all these wikipedia numbers are up to date, but this is how some select Canadian GK's stack up height wise (which I feel is a bit of a prerequisite for goalkeepers)

Old guard:
Craig Forrest: 1.96m
Greg Sutton: 1.96m
Milan Borjan: 1.95m
Paul Dolan: 1.93m
Pat Onstad: 1.93m
Kenny Stamatopolous: 1.90m
Lars Hirschfeld: 1.90m

The new class:
Greg Ranjitsingh: 1.88m
Callum Irving: 1.86m
Marco Carducci: 1.85m
Quillan Roberts: 1.83m
Maxime Crepeau: 1.82m

1986 World Cup keeper which is a sign of optimism for these shorter kids
Tino Lettieri: 1.73m

 

For what it's worth, new boy Jayson Leutwiler is 1.93m

[Dub Narcotic]

As far as I know, Spencer Richey is eligible for Canada and is probably the best keeper of the youngsters.

[lazlo_80]

2 hours ago, Dub Narcotic said:

As far as I know, Spencer Richey is eligible for Canada and is probably the best keeper of the youngsters.

He got Canadian roots? I know he played for the US youth teams.

[shermanator]

37 minutes ago, lazlo_80 said:

He got Canadian roots? I know he played for the US youth teams.

It's a very tenuous link. His grandmother is Canadian, although he only learned of that fact a few years ago. Haven't heard whether he is pursuing a passport, or has any desire to play for Canada. For all intents and purposes, Richey is as American as they come at the moment.