Valour FC - 2023 Season Thread

[jonovision]

8 hours ago, Cheeta said:

Have to say, in person the blacks with the claw marking aren't as arse as they look in the vid.  Only because the claw mark dosen't seem so pronounced in person, because the claw mark IS arse.  (BTW, apparently there is a bit of a story behind that.  Sort of a "plan B" thing).

The Reds however are 100% legit.  Will be buying one, you should to.  Macron gets it more right than wrong most of the time and the 2023 Valour Reds will be a classic example of that for years to come.  Well done.

Launch party was decent, say a 100ish plus change.  Not too bad for a Friday!  

I definitely will be having a look at buying the red one. I have last year's whites and it is the most comfortable jersey I've ever owned.

[Wippersuna]

Those blacks would look a lot better without the claw marks which look decidedly like clip art. It’s unfortunate because I really like Macron’s work in general but when they miss they seem like they can miss pretty hard (Yorks map shirt, the collar on our season 2 shirt). Still I think we’ve had a lot more hits than misses.

My favourite by far is still the white and red stripes from season 3. Wish we kept with that as a general look. 

[narduch]

Would make a great Raptors jersey

[K Edgar]

8 hours ago, EnigMattic1 said:

Nothing against the guy, but I think LaPlante would be a bad choice. Simply because we already have 2 U-Sports players signed. If he signed too, that would be 3 contracts up on August 15th and I believe someone mentioned in a previous post that we are only able to keep one of them?

I saw that post.  I have never heard of a limit on U-Sports contract players after Aug 15.  Anyway Valour could switch the players to regular contracts -- as long as the player is willing to give up U-Sports eligibilty -- at any time.  So that may not be a concern.

I see a Cristian as a equal replacement to Levis at left back (perhaps even an upgrade?).  Where as Haynes appears to be a downgrade (not that I know much about his time at Pacific, and I hope he proves me wrong) and LaPlante is completely unproven and years from being a Levis equivalent (again, if signed, I hope he proves me wrong).

[Soccerpro2]

If we managed to sign Guti from the Whitecaps, that would be massive.

Who knows if he has other opportunities in mind, but man, what a signing he would be.

[toontownman]

I fully expect he has interest back in Chile. Maybe in MLS or USL too. 

Another thing to watch is Cavalry. Don't they need a starting LB still? I expect he would likely move there before Valour but you never know. The sibling/dos santos/prior contact might be a big incentive.

[Soccerpro2]

27 minutes ago, toontownman said:

I fully expect he has interest back in Chile. Maybe in MLS or USL too. 

Another thing to watch is Cavalry. Don't they need a starting LB still? I expect he would likely move there before Valour but you never know. The sibling/dos santos/prior contact might be a big incentive.

He made $267,500 last year in MLS.

Edited March 11, 2023 by Soccerpro2

[EnigMattic1]

2 hours ago, K Edgar said:

I saw that post.  I have never heard of a limit on U-Sports contract players after Aug 15.  Anyway Valour could switch the players to regular contracts -- as long as the player is willing to give up U-Sports eligibilty -- at any time.  So that may not be a concern.

I see a Cristian as a equal replacement to Levis at left back (perhaps even an upgrade?).  Where as Haynes appears to be a downgrade (not that I know much about his time at Pacific, and I hope he proves me wrong) and LaPlante is completely unproven and years from being a Levis equivalent (again, if signed, I hope he proves me wrong).

Here is all I can find regarding CPL contract rules:

https://canpl.ca/roster-rules/#1650986563997-12328774-0daa

Cristian will also offer the versatility that Levis had. Haynes is only really a full back. The up side is, as there appears to be a good relationship between PDS and the Guti family, it would increase the chances of a) him signing, and b) being able to convince both to re-sign with Valour at the end of the season.

[K Edgar]

2 hours ago, Soccerpro2 said:

He made $267,500 last year in MLS.

So you are saying he doesn't need the money and will be willing to play for close to nothing???😁

[EnigMattic1]

Going by Twitter, Svyatik Artemenko will be playing for Electric City this season.

[charlesmazz]

On 3/11/2023 at 11:54 AM, Soccerpro2 said:

If we managed to sign Guti from the Whitecaps, that would be massive.

Who knows if he has other opportunities in mind, but man, what a signing he would be.

Claimed by Toronto FC off waivers

[K Edgar]

-Valour FC has added a triallist who will accompany the team on the west coach trip. Meet Matt Chandler, a 6-6 centre back and Toronto native who began his NCAA career with St. John’s before transferring to the University of Wisconsin.  A Badgers captain, he started all 21 games for the club in 2022, scoring twice and adding one assist.

https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/being-around-the-guys-for-eight-days-in-the-hotel-you-are-living-with-these-guys-so-you-get-to-know-them

Preseason:

[K Edgar]

11 hours ago, EnigMattic1 said:

Going by Twitter, Svyatik Artemenko will be playing for Electric City this season.

Was hoping he would get a shot in the CanPL... there is always next year.

[Bison44]

Chandler could be a nice pick up. Hard to tell from NCAA vids and competition, but he has played in the big conferences with decent programs.  He looks a little more mobile than a 6'6 guy should be and looks to be good on crosses on offense end too.  Kind of makes you think of Vittoria watching his highlights.  

[EnigMattic1]

1 hour ago, K Edgar said:

-Valour FC has added a triallist who will accompany the team on the west coach trip. Meet Matt Chandler, a 6-6 centre back and Toronto native who began his NCAA career with St. John’s before transferring to the University of Wisconsin.  A Badgers captain, he started all 21 games for the club in 2022, scoring twice and adding one assist.

https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/being-around-the-guys-for-eight-days-in-the-hotel-you-are-living-with-these-guys-so-you-get-to-know-them

Preseason:

 

38 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Chandler could be a nice pick up. Hard to tell from NCAA vids and competition, but he has played in the big conferences with decent programs.  He looks a little more mobile than a 6'6 guy should be and looks to be good on crosses on offense end too.  Kind of makes you think of Vittoria watching his highlights.  

This was what the Northern Tribune said in their "deep dive on every Canadian in the 2023 MLS superdraft":

Matt Chandler – Wisconsin University, Defender

Standing at a towering six-foot-six, 22-year-old defender Matt Chandler made 21 appearances during his first year in Wisconsin, recording two goals and one assist as the seventeenth-seeded Badgers exceeded expectations this year.

Chandler arrived to Wisconsin by way of St. John’s University, where he earned a degree in sports management and featured no less than 52 times for the Red Storm. Having been named to the Big East Conference All-Academic Team from 2018 through to 2021, the big Toronto native can certainly impose himself here.

I was wondering why that name sounded familiar and then I remembered that article.

[Bison44]

HAHA, deep dive, thats just his bio from Wisconsin.  Hard to say with NCAA kids though...if he is a worker and learns from AJB, maybe he'll be useful depth this year.  But Skyler Thomas was from a big NCAA program, got drafted high and wasnt very good.  

[EnigMattic1]

5 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

HAHA, deep dive, thats just his bio from Wisconsin.  Hard to say with NCAA kids though...if he is a worker and learns from AJB, maybe he'll be useful depth this year.  But Skyler Thomas was from a big NCAA program, got drafted high and wasnt very good.  

Think HFX picked up a kid from the same article. Was it them who signed Nimick (the guy from NL)? If Chandler did stick around, it would be interesting to see someone of his build lining up next to AJB. With a fit Ohin in front of them, it could be promising.

Although, how many slots do we have left? Bearing in mind we are short at LB and have contracts for Pianelli and Tisseur expiring on August 15th.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

 

 

[narduch]

 

 

[EnigMattic1]

17 minutes ago, narduch said:

 

 

Kinda disappointed if I'm being honest. Although, he didn't really light it up last season, I figured he would have had more of a chance this season with Rea not returning but I guess we will never know. Wonder what PDS has up his sleeve in terms of a replacement.

With the departure of Catavolo, that puts us at 21 roster slots. One would assume that, if he performs, Chandler would get one of the open slots as defensive cover and the other would go to a Catavolo replacement..... Or a left back.

Given the current state of the squad, I would take a left back over a Catavolo replacement as there are already a number of options in the middle of the park, whereas we only have Haynes as a recognised left back. Yeah, Laplante is a left back, but he hasn't signed, Mzoughi can play left back but is right footed and de Brienne is more of a winger, despite starting as a left back.

Edited March 16, 2023 by EnigMattic1

[K Edgar]

3 minutes ago, EnigMattic1 said:

Kinda disappointed if I'm being honest. Although, he didn't really light it up last season, I figured he would have had more of a chance this season with Rea not returning but I guess we will never know. Wonder what PDS has up his sleeve in terms of a replacement.

Would Valour be receiving a (small) fee for this transfer?

Had not seen Catavolo in any of Valour's tweets or heard him mentioned in Ed Tait's articles.  Thought something might be up.

[toontownman]

Hopefully this means a small fee and Valour bringing in a couple of players that make them look less like 8th place is the aspiration.

[EnigMattic1]

21 minutes ago, K Edgar said:

Would Valour be receiving a (small) fee for this transfer?

Had not seen Catavolo in any of Valour's tweets or heard him mentioned in Ed Tait's articles.  Thought something might be up.

 

9 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Hopefully this means a small fee and Valour bringing in a couple of players that make them look less like 8th place is the aspiration.

Given that Catavolo didn't "re-sign" with Valour, one would assume a fee would be involved as his contract wasn't due to expire until the end of this year. I believe that the only way a fee wouldn't be involved would be if Valour and Catavolo agreed on a mutual termination.

I know it is a very hit-and-miss website, but November last year, Transfermarkt valued Catavolo at 150k which, converted, is a little under 220k Canadian.

[K Edgar]

20 minutes ago, toontownman said:

Hopefully this means a small fee and Valour bringing in a couple of players that make them look less like 8th place is the aspiration.

This should not be a complete shock to Valour, Catavolo was training with TFC II in early Feb.  Is there a trialist or two at camp to take his place?  If not there should be!  Only trialists I have heard mentioned are Rode (a GK from Winkler) and Chandler (a tall DF from U Wisconsin).  No mention of MF trailists.

[Soccerpro2]

1 hour ago, EnigMattic1 said:

Kinda disappointed if I'm being honest. Although, he didn't really light it up last season, I figured he would have had more of a chance this season with Rea not returning but I guess we will never know. Wonder what PDS has up his sleeve in terms of a replacement.

With the departure of Catavolo, that puts us at 21 roster slots. One would assume that, if he performs, Chandler would get one of the open slots as defensive cover and the other would go to a Catavolo replacement..... Or a left back.

Given the current state of the squad, I would take a left back over a Catavolo replacement as there are already a number of options in the middle of the park, whereas we only have Haynes as a recognised left back. Yeah, Laplante is a left back, but he hasn't signed, Mzoughi can play left back but is right footed and de Brienne is more of a winger, despite starting as a left back.

I thought Catavolo wasn't up for it last season. Would he have improved this season? Maybe. I'm not upset about him not returning.