The reality of the long-grinding MLS season is beginning to set in for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
When the current MLS season began, Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson said his team would go out to win every game. The league is important, the Nutrilite Canadian Championship is important, heck, even friendlies are important.
A noble position and one all coaches have to take but 11 games into the season, reality is beginning to take hold.
Expansion teams aren't expected to win the MLS Cup although it did happen once. The Chicago Fire entered the league in 1998 and won the entire thing that year with current U.S. National Team head coach Bob Bradley managing the team.
At any rate, the Whitecaps don't appear to be equipped to pull off such a feat in their inaugural season.
So it seems that gradually they have begun to place far more importance on hoisting the Voyageurs Cup. It has been a frustrating tournament over the years for Vancouver. They are the only team of the so-called "big three" not to win it.
Their chances of winning it were already gone in 2008 when Montreal only needed a draw to beat Toronto before embarking on a memorable run that would take them deep into the Concacaf Champions League. Then they watched bitterly while TFC came back to destroy the Impact a year later. Any result other than the extraordinary would have handed the trophy to the Whitecaps. The Impact fielded a less than stellar 11 that day -- bringing it up even now, and Thordardson looks like he's sucking on lemons. Last year they lost the title to Toronto despite not losing a single game.
Yes, the NCC is important to this team and for more than just the glory of winning it. A title would give the Whitecaps a much-needed confidence boost at a time when that feeling is starting to ebb. It would also provide the possibility of matches through next winter against top-quality opposition. It would help keep the momentum alive in Vancouver after what appears is going to be a difficult league campaign in 2011.
Saturday's 1-0 loss to New England offered another important clue. Thordardson rested several starters in order to be able to send out a healthy, invigorated and (hopefully) inspired side against TFC Wednesday night at Empire Field. They'll be buoyed by the fact their only win this season came against their hated rivals on opening day back in March.
The first leg is Wednesday night at Empire Field, with the return leg a week later at BMO Field. Both games can be seen live on Sportsnet.
