Thomas Hasal

[Footyeh]

28 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

I'm not saying they don't need to review their homegrown strategy, but I also remember hearing about the "flood of kids" who were going to leave the academy and have massive success elsewhere, and it really hasn't happened. Vancouver FC talked about how they were going to build a roster around local kids and that didn't happen.  BC Soccer is just in a bad state, and not all of it is attributable to the Whitecaps.

Agreed that the whole province is lackluster.  But ultimately as well I think Whitecaps have had no competition for so long that they've not needed to be on point with how they manage the Academy.  

That being said, players like TJ Tahid are among the first that finally have other options outside of Whitecaps after not being deemed good enough for them (and not having a EU passport).  There's two young players the Whitecaps did not select for Residency that have signed with Utrecht and Heerenveen academies respectively for next season.  Niko Sigur was deemed not good enough and has quickly ended up in a better situation than 95% of all homegrown signings in Whitecaps.  I think there's a lot more exposure now, a lot more agents in the market with connections, the trend of players opting to not go the Whitecaps path will drastically increase.

Not to mention, the academy has drastically gone downhill in regards to overall quality of players and coaching.  The Residency for so long was considered one of the best in North America, consecutive USDA finals and players being highlighted by clubs abroad, now if you look at the U15 & U17 squads they aren't even beating Non-MLS teams in season play and for the 2nd year in a row have failed to qualify for the MLS Next Play-offs in a system that's literally designed for all of the MLS teams to qualify easy.

Theo Bair, Marco Bustos, Thomas Hasal, Kamron Habibullah, Damiano Pecile etc. are all example of guys that shined in the academy level and had European interest before opting to sign Homegrown deals.  Not to say they would be stars right now, but it's always an interesting thought to imagine where they would be or how much further along they'd be had they gone that route.  

Edited June 1, 2023 by Footyeh

[Watchmen]

16 minutes ago, Footyeh said:

Theo Bair, Marco Bustos, Thomas Hasal, Kamron Habibullah, Damiano Pecile etc. are all example of guys that shined in the academy level and had European interest before opting to sign Homegrown deals.  Not to say they would be stars right now, but it's always an interesting thought to imagine where they would be or how much further along they'd be had they gone that route.  

Theo Bair was promoted up to the MLS squad, then loaned/sold to Europe. Hasal received significant playing time last year, and had it derailed by injury. Habibullah was loaned out last year to Pacific. Colyn was loaned to SPAL and then sold to Jong PSV. I don't think they're holding players back the way they used to during the Robinson era, even if it hasn't always worked out for their progression to the main roster.

[toontownman]

I was convinced in preseason he was going to pacific on loan. Would have been great for everyone and still could be. It's Pacific's Achilles heel at the moment.

[footballfreak]

11 hours ago, Footyeh said:

There were offers, Axel Schuster even put it out there publicly two weeks ago in an interview.  It's not the first time either, numerous reporters have said this over the last years.  What kind of player management is it to put a GK in 14 games into the season without even having given him a run in the 2nd team to keep him active?  He's not a veteran back up, he's young.  No issue with him being replaced by Takoka, he's simply better and the team was crying out for experience all over the field.  But to me, if teams are making offers for a player, does that not say they see something there that can maybe be developed?  Just let him go, you're robbing a kid a chance to play regularly whereas there's no plan for him in Vancouver.  They said no to letting him leave but then also go and completely kill the market for him.  They could have at least made some money, now what will they get?

I agree, he has to go away now and find his form somewhere else because he won't get another chance in Vancouver.  Perhaps he even needs to go to a low level to find his form.  Not all of them will be good enough or make it, but I really feel the club needs to evaluate their strategy with Homegrown's because players are catching on.

First and foremost, and I feel this bears repeating, the Caps can’t move him without someone to take his place. Until that signing happens, or one of Boehmer or Anchor steps up, Hasal stays on the bench. Just the way she goes sometimes. 

Regarding offers, call me negative, but I have to think Axel was just trying to stir the pot with those comments. I find it difficult to believe someone out there is going to pay for Hasal and match his current salary. His stock was already low after last year. The Caps gave up very little by giving him some time to reverse that trend. That hasn’t happened, but the narrative that he’s somehow been set up to fail doesn’t hold water with me.

For one thing, it’s disingenuous to say he was thrown out there with no prep. He played against Real España in March. He played against LAFC in April. He gave up three goals in each game.

Giving him Next Pro minutes just takes them away from Boehmer/Anchor. Certainly he needs starts, but do you really think 2-3 extra games against teenagers is what’s holding him back when he’s practicing against MLS players every day?

[Dominic94]

@GlassCitycan confirm but I recall seeing this about the following:

 

Hasal in like 2021 was it, had champions league teams showing interest and made offers.

Pecile was signed due to his euro passport and fear they would get nothing for him.

Campagna was signed for the above reasons and MDS said he had loads of potential but here we are still waiting.

Habibullah could have signed with multiple can pl teams and had euro options.

im not clear on the others but I do know that a 15 year old Colyn was seen as the heir apparently to Davies and that was when the Whitecaps thought KH was a wonder kid… quite a few Dutch teams wanted Colyn.

It’s not really normally that years later all their top prospects have not established themselves with the first team and that no one can get in. Their academy teams were something else… 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Dominic94

[shorty]

18 hours ago, toontownman said:

I was convinced in preseason he was going to pacific on loan. Would have been great for everyone and still could be. It's Pacific's Achilles heel at the moment.

Not questioning that we have given up a few soft goals, because that's true.  But why would we trade in a decent young keeper with a potentially high ceiling who is contributing the vast majority of our U21 minutes but who gives up the occasional soft goal, for a more expensive older keeper who might also have a higher ceiling but is coming back down a level not having cut it a level up who also gives up the occasional howler?  

I think where keepers are concerned, if you make the occasional brain fart mistake at a higher level it's unlikely that you stop making those mistakes a level down.  With gaffes, the difference isn't in the quality of strikes you are facing, it's your decision-making and mental focus, and possibly the communication (or lack thereof) with the defenders in front of you (see:  Blackmon own goal).

[toontownman]

29 minutes ago, shorty said:

Not questioning that we have given up a few soft goals, because that's true.  But why would we trade in a decent young keeper with a potentially high ceiling who is contributing the vast majority of our U21 minutes but who gives up the occasional soft goal, for a more expensive older keeper who might also have a higher ceiling but is coming back down a level not having cut it a level up who also gives up the occasional howler?  

I think where keepers are concerned, if you make the occasional brain fart mistake at a higher level it's unlikely that you stop making those mistakes a level down.  With gaffes, the difference isn't in the quality of strikes you are facing, it's your decision-making and mental focus, and possibly the communication (or lack thereof) with the defenders in front of you (see:  Blackmon own goal).

I get your point, it's a good one. Hasal is night and day a different level to Gazdov from what I have seen of them both, imo. Thats why i wouldnt have blinked having Gazdov as backup and still getting the odd games. The u21 minutes shouldn't be hard to find for any club over a season.

Most of Hasals lack of confidence is due to zero game time. Also fair to say had a move to pacific happened Gazdov would find himself in the same position Hasal is in now. Pacific idea aside, Hasal needs a loan (or permanent) move and consistent game time. Also said with full bias regarding Hasal, so take it with a pinch of salt 🤫

[Watchmen]

I think people are forgetting the injury history with Hasal as well. In 2020 he became the Whitecaps starter, only to fracture his tibia. In 2022 the Whitecaps made him their starter, only for him to pick up a finger injury and miss 2 months. Harder for them to find him games at times when he's out.

[BearcatSA]

On 6/1/2023 at 12:20 PM, Watchmen said:

I'm not saying they don't need to review their homegrown strategy, but I also remember hearing about the "flood of kids" who were going to leave the academy and have massive success elsewhere, and it really hasn't happened. Vancouver FC talked about how they were going to build a roster around local kids and that didn't happen.  BC Soccer is just in a bad state, and not all of it is attributable to the Whitecaps.

In Waterman, one BC born and developed player on the MNT 53 player provisional roster.

[VinceA]

41 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

In Waterman, one BC born and developed player on the MNT 53 player provisional roster.

Is that right? Jesus that's horrendous. And AFAIK he isn't a Whitecaps product.

Edited June 2, 2023 by VinceA

[Obinna]

57 minutes ago, VinceA said:

Is that right? Jesus that's horrendous. And AFAIK he isn't a Whitecaps product.

I believe his path was TWU>?>Foothills>Cavalry>Montreal

The ? was some amateur team in the lower mainland, IIRC. 

[Footyeh]

21 minutes ago, Obinna said:

I believe his path was TWU>?>Foothills>Cavalry>Montreal

The ? was some amateur team in the lower mainland, IIRC. 

Surrey United

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, VinceA said:

Is that right? Jesus that's horrendous.

Yup. The best Whitecaps academy players have been coming out of the prairies for quite a while now.

[Watchmen]

Hasal starting for WFC2 tonight. 

 

[Dominic94]

What happened to Wright ?

[Shway]

20 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

What happened to Wright ?

He isn't right. 

[footballfreak]

8 hours ago, toontownman said:

Most of Hasals lack of confidence is due to zero game time.

He had plenty of game time last year and looked about the same as he does now. He was comfortably outplayed by Cody Cropper, who is now at USL Championship bottom feeders Orange County SC. 
 

23 minutes ago, Dominic94 said:

What happened to Wright ?

He gained a bunch of weight, played a few 10-15 minute cameos for WFC2 early in the season, and hasn’t been seen since afaik. 

[saladroit]

just got a straight red for a tackle outside the box against austin fc II in mls next pro

[toontownman]

14 minutes ago, saladroit said:

just got a straight red for a tackle outside the box against austin fc II in mls next pro

So you're saying it's going well for him. 

[footballfreak]

12 minutes ago, saladroit said:

just got a straight red for a tackle outside the box against austin fc II in mls next pro

Feel for the guy, but the wheels are coming off. Now he has to sit out again. I hope he gets a Gold Cup backup/3rd string job to get some separation and clear his head.

[Stoppage Time]

51 minutes ago, footballfreak said:

Feel for the guy, but the wheels are coming off. Now he has to sit out again. I hope he gets a Gold Cup backup/3rd string job to get some separation and clear his head.

Nowhere near the GC squad - not a hope. A CPL loan or staying in MLSNP is where he is at right now. I would call Tristan Henry before Hasal at this point.

[footballfreak]

36 minutes ago, Stoppage Time said:

Nowhere near the GC squad - not a hope. A CPL loan or staying in MLSNP is where he is at right now. I would call Tristan Henry before Hasal at this point.

I admit it’s unlikely, but Herdman has shown a preference for familiar faces in the past, and a number of our goalkeepers are out/questionable for GC. Crepeau is out. Borjan is unlikely imo. Both St. Clair and Sirois are both on playoff bubble MLS sides that probably aren’t keen on losing a starter for a month. It’s not inconceivable that one or both opt out.

I expect there’s a good chance we will see Borjan sit this one. St. Clair (hopefully) starts, one of Sirois/Pantemis as the backup, and he third spot is completely dependent on who’s willing to do the job. How many times have we seen Leutwiler fill that spot even when he wasn’t the best keeper available?

Maybe McGill or Boehmer get a look instead, but it’s a thankless job with zero expectation of playing time. Boehmer is currently the defacto Whitecaps backup if Takaoka goes down. I don’t know what McGill’s situation is like, but he may opt out in favour of preseason. Has Breza played a competitive match since September? 
 

Lots of ifs, but I don’t see it as an impossibility.

[BearcatSA]

3 hours ago, saladroit said:

just got a straight red for a tackle outside the box against austin fc II in mls next pro

What exactly happened on the play?  Did he get caught out by a badly played back pass from one of his defenders?  Or was it a play where his demise was entirely owned by him?

Edit:  just saw the highlights and that one is all on him charging off his line, even though the team was caught out on the original pass.

 

Edited June 10, 2023 by BearcatSA

[archer21]

7 hours ago, footballfreak said:

I admit it’s unlikely, but Herdman has shown a preference for familiar faces in the past, and a number of our goalkeepers are out/questionable for GC. Crepeau is out. Borjan is unlikely imo. Both St. Clair and Sirois are both on playoff bubble MLS sides that probably aren’t keen on losing a starter for a month. It’s not inconceivable that one or both opt out.

I expect there’s a good chance we will see Borjan sit this one. St. Clair (hopefully) starts, one of Sirois/Pantemis as the backup, and he third spot is completely dependent on who’s willing to do the job. How many times have we seen Leutwiler fill that spot even when he wasn’t the best keeper available?

Maybe McGill or Boehmer get a look instead, but it’s a thankless job with zero expectation of playing time. Boehmer is currently the defacto Whitecaps backup if Takaoka goes down. I don’t know what McGill’s situation is like, but he may opt out in favour of preseason. Has Breza played a competitive match since September? 
 

Lots of ifs, but I don’t see it as an impossibility.

Breza played 14 matches in Serie C this year.

[Stoppage Time]

2 hours ago, archer21 said:

Breza played 14 matches in Serie C this year.

Would Breza be a good backup candidate in MLS at this point in his career?