Valour FC - 2023 Season Thread

[EnigMattic1]

I know we have only played 1 match, but already, there appears to be a decent core of young(ish) players that we should look to keep past this season and possibly even build around. I mean, there is only around 10 players upwards of 25.

If we could try to keep Guti, Niyongabire, Chandler, Rayane and Williams for starters, that gives a decent base. Pianelli gave a good account of himself and, realistically, him and Chandler could be a first choice pairing for a few seasons (that means they will be gone after this season). Campbell is still around mid 20's and could develop well, a midfield pairing of him and Guti could work well.

[jonovision]

On 4/16/2023 at 5:25 PM, jonovision said:

Looking ahead to next Saturday, the forecast isn't quite as dire as the last time I checked: 7 degrees and sunny. Hopefully that keeps improving.

haha nope

2 degrees Saturday, and half a foot of snow 2 days before. I love it here...

Edit: Maybe a day 1 STH can weigh in here: will this be the worst weather for a Valour home match in team history?

Edited April 18, 2023 by jonovision

[Ansem]

Looks like the club's lead marketing person is pushing back at the notion that there's little marketing of Valour being done

 

 

[jonovision]

There's lots of fair criticism of the marketing department, but also lots coming from supporters whose attitude seems to be: "market to people like us" (mostly male twenty- and thirty-somethings) "and we'll create the atmosphere for your team to be successful". That simply won't work in Winnipeg. And it is very evident, driving around the city, that money is being spent on marketing the team this spring. Will this spending be effective? That remains to be seen.

Too bad the weather and the Jets will absolutely tank the turnout for the opener.

Edited April 18, 2023 by jonovision

[Soccerpro2]

1 hour ago, jonovision said:

There's lots of fair criticism of the marketing department, but also lots coming from supporters whose attitude seems to be: "market to people like us" (mostly male twenty- and thirty-somethings) "and we'll create the atmosphere for your team to be successful". That simply won't work in Winnipeg. And it is very evident, driving around the city, that money is being spent on marketing the team this spring. Will this spending be effective? That remains to be seen.

Too bad the weather and the Jets will absolutely tank the turnout for the opener.

The Ontario teams were lucky with their beautiful sunny +23 home openers.

We're getting 15 cm of snow this week and the Jets playing a playoff game on Saturday.

It's like FC Edmonton levels of bad luck (6 days a week of sun last year and then rain on what seemed lik every single game day)

[jonovision]

8 minutes ago, Soccerpro2 said:

The Ontario teams were lucky with their beautiful sunny +23 home openers.

We're getting 15 cm of snow this week and the Jets playing a playoff game on Saturday.

It's like FC Edmonton levels of bad luck (6 days a week of sun last year and then rain on what seemed lik every single game day)

Well, the Jets problem should take care of itself soon enough, and on average Manitoba has nicer summers than Alberta. This weekend's bad luck should be a one-off.

[Soccerpro2]

22 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Well, the Jets problem should take care of itself soon enough, and on average Manitoba has nicer summers than Alberta. This weekend's bad luck should be a one-off.

I think the 2 free tickets for season ticket holders for the opening match is a good promotion. I'm bringing 2 friends who have never seen a game before.

[Cheeta]

^ Think that's for Pinnacle STHs only.  Out in the sticks it's only one per.  Still a great benefit for buying a season pass.  The kids usually come out to a couple- three matches a year.  They'll be there this weekend!

Come to think of it, with the parking pass included this year I don't really have much to moan about for what we pay.  

Except for snow in late April but I can't put that one on Wade Miller.  Sure, I'm still jabbing a pin in the voodoo doll if the weather gets too bad but that's just for good measure.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Cue announced crowd is 5000+ everything is wonderful again posts this weekend. That should boost the tickets distributed number significantly.

[jonovision]

24 minutes ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Cue announced crowd is 5000+ everything is wonderful again posts this weekend. That should boost the tickets distributed number significantly.

Even without the promotion (which is a fairly common perk of season tickets packages across all sports and leagues) the number of bought and paid for tickets is likely to far exceed the number of butts in seats on Saturday due to weather and the Jets playoff game.

I don't think there will be any useful lessons to be drawn from the announced crowd on the day. Like any sane person, I'm much more interested in what happens on the field. I'd like to see if Gutierrez and company can boss the midfield like they did against York.

[johnyb]

56 minutes ago, Cheeta said:

^ Think that's for Pinnacle STHs only.  Out in the sticks it's only one per.  Still a great benefit for buying a season pass.  The kids usually come out to a couple- three matches a year.  They'll be there this weekend!

Come to think of it, with the parking pass included this year I don't really have much to moan about for what we pay.  

Except for snow in late April but I can't put that one on Wade Miller.  Sure, I'm still jabbing a pin in the voodoo doll if the weather gets too bad but that's just for good measure.

I was offered 2 as well and not in the Pinnacle section, but I have 4 Seats, maybe its 1 for every 2 seats.

[Bison44]

Cue bird shit for brains and the negative comments.  This is the CPL's biggest fan everyone!  And yeah yeah you shouldnt respond to the troll but its only 1 week into the season and I've had enough of his nastiness.  He isnt a Valour fan, but makes a point to come in here and shit on us if we get excited about maybe getting a good crowd out for opening day.  

Jonovision     Edit: Maybe a day 1 STH can weigh in here: will this be the worst weather for a Valour home match in team history?

I had to miss a game in season 1 if I remember correctly  because #1 was closed (i think it was in the fall though), so we'll have to see if we actually get the foot of snow they are calling for and if the highways are closed.  

[jonovision]

3 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

Cue bird shit for brains and the negative comments.  This is the CPL's biggest fan everyone!  And yeah yeah you shouldnt respond to the troll but its only 1 week into the season and I've had enough of his nastiness.  He isnt a Valour fan, but makes a point to come in here and shit on us if we get excited about maybe getting a good crowd out for opening day.  

Jonovision     Edit: Maybe a day 1 STH can weigh in here: will this be the worst weather for a Valour home match in team history?

I had to miss a game in season 1 if I remember correctly  because #1 was closed (i think it was in the fall though), so we'll have to see if we actually get the foot of snow they are calling for and if the highways are closed.  

 

Likely this match. Mounds of snow behind the goal in the highlights. Similar temps to forecast for Saturday.

[Soccerpro2]

2 hours ago, Cheeta said:

^ Think that's for Pinnacle STHs only.  Out in the sticks it's only one per.  Still a great benefit for buying a season pass.  The kids usually come out to a couple- three matches a year.  They'll be there this weekend!

Come to think of it, with the parking pass included this year I don't really have much to moan about for what we pay.  

Except for snow in late April but I can't put that one on Wade Miller.  Sure, I'm still jabbing a pin in the voodoo doll if the weather gets too bad but that's just for good measure.

I have 2 half season tickets (travel a lot), not in Pinnacle and still got 2 free extra tickets for the match.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Soccerpro2

[MrsC]

2 hours ago, Cheeta said:

^ Think that's for Pinnacle STHs only.  Out in the sticks it's only one per.  Still a great benefit for buying a season pass.  The kids usually come out to a couple- three matches a year.  They'll be there this weekend!

Come to think of it, with the parking pass included this year I don't really have much to moan about for what we pay.  

Except for snow in late April but I can't put that one on Wade Miller.  Sure, I'm still jabbing a pin in the voodoo doll if the weather gets too bad but that's just for good measure.

I got 2 free tickets, and I'm in the cheap seats. You only get two tickets per 2 season tickets holders on your account though. Tim and I have separate accounts so we each got 2.

[Wippersuna]

Watching the Canadian Championship makes me realize how disappointed I am that we’ve never been able to play a home game for it and especially against an MLS side. I feel like a game like that with some build up would make a great sell. 
 

My season tickets are about as cheap as you can get and I got 2 free ones. Always use them to bring out my whole family. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by Wippersuna

[jonovision]

So the cup's done. If we lost to any other team I would be fine with it.

But the real news: sounds like Ohin's done for the year again. Interesting to see what the midfield will look like. My prediction: Fordyce comes down from the front office and laces them up.

[Big_M]

wheres the indication that hes done for the year? yeah fordyce would be a good backup option...could play 30 min with a couple starts here and there and always has 1-2 goals in him...was not bad last year

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Could see that result coming after the quality (i.e. lack thereof) of the York vs Valour game on the weekend. A red flag on the quality of the Valour this season was the talk on here of players being signed because there had been no other trialists to compete for the roster spot with them. A stacked D3 team roster from a larger city that has always been one of the main soccer hotbeds in Canada was never going to be a gimme. Not everybody who is good enough to play in CanPL is going to want to do so if they can earn more in a regular job.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Ozzie_the_parrot

[jonovision]

5 hours ago, Big_M said:

wheres the indication that hes done for the year? yeah fordyce would be a good backup option...could play 30 min with a couple starts here and there and always has 1-2 goals in him...was not bad last year

If you saw his reaction when he came off (sobbing and pounding the turf with his hand) or if you've ever come back from a reconstructed knee (I have) you know exactly what happened there.

Fordyce has a good footballing brain, but he couldn't cover ground at all. Especially in person it was obvious last year how past it he was and how useless on the pitch.

[Soccerpro2]

Things we learned from the game:

Dont ever start Chandler again, he’s terrible.

Depth: This team needs Guti and Pacifique every game.

Ulloa hasn’t gotten any better 2 years later. He and Rendon didn’t have their names called by the announcer the entire time they were on the pitch. They were ghosts out there doing absolutely nothing. That’s shocking against an amateur team.

[jonovision]

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/this-just-in/valour-already-out-of-national-championship-playdowns

[Aird25]

6 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Could see that result coming after the quality (i.e. lack thereof) of the York vs Valour game on the weekend. A red flag on the quality of the Valour this season was the talk on here of players being signed because there had been no other trialists to compete for the roster spot with them. A stacked D3 team roster from a larger city that has always been one of the main soccer hotbeds in Canada was never going to be a gimme. Not everybody who is good enough to play in CanPL is going to want to do so if they can earn more in a regular job.

Didn’t Polisi trial with Valour, and not get offered a roster spot?

[K Edgar]

3 minutes ago, Aird25 said:

Didn’t Polisi trial with Valour, and not get offered a roster spot?

Valour still one roster spot... too late to change their mind? 

[toontownman]

2 hours ago, Soccerpro2 said:

Things we learned from the game:

Dont ever start Chandler again, he’s terrible.

Depth: This team needs Guti and Pacifique every game.

Ulloa hasn’t gotten any better 2 years later. He and Rendon didn’t have their names called by the announcer the entire time they were on the pitch. They were ghosts out there doing absolutely nothing. That’s shocking against an amateur team.

I did at least notice Rendon. Most of the team just couldn't handle or judge the grass. Baquero had a shocker, samake started well and went down hill. Brienne isn't a LB and Haynes is not the answer. Ponce was bad when he came on and Williams looked bad too. It was an off night for almost everyone. It happens but it's not easy to stop the alarm bells ringing! 

This weekends game will be big  early season test to see if there is a necessary positive reaction.