February 21, 2021

Episode 431 - The AFTN Soccer Show (All Quiet On The Whitecaps Front - MLS U22 initiative, Erik Hurtado, Bjørn Johnsen, Football Time Travels, CPL player salaries)

2 hours 31 minutes

The latest AFTN Soccer Show is out for another packed show of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and Canadian Premier League chat.

It's been pretty quiet in Whitecapsland, so that surely means a shorter show. We thought that too, but turns out we ended up with a two and a half hourer instead as we turned our attentions to other matters.

AFTN writer Jake McGrail joins us to look at the main Whitecaps talking points of the week and share his thoughts on last season, the offseason, and the season to come. Plus we look at MLS' new U22 player initiative and the convoluted rules that seem to surround it.

But while it's been quiet in Vancouver, the same can't be said in Montreal and we take a bit of time to delve into all the happenings out east from the continuing rebrand to new signings to possibly losing their head coach just before the season begins.

Will Thierry Henry be heading to Bournemouth to become manager there? Where does that leave Montreal this close to the start of the season and just who has been behind the club's numerous signings this offseason? We also hear from two of them, striker Bjørn Johnsen and a player very well known to Whitecaps fans, Erik Hurtado about signing for Montreal and more.

All of this plus we travel back in the TARDIS with Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster to talk about revisiting some football history in our new feature and we talk CPL salaries and how the exemplify the need for the players' union to be recognised.

Here's the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

03.55: Whitecaps News of the Week

27.52: MLS' new U22 initiative

40.02: Montreal Impact chat

51.46: Erik Hurtado audio and discussion

66.30: Bjørn Johnsen audio and discussion

81.34: Is Thierry Henry heading to Bournemouth and where does that leave Montreal?

94.47: Football Time Travels featuring Axel Schuster

120.43: Wavelength - Vaudeville Smash ft Les Murray - Zinedine Zidane

129.39: CPL player salaries exemplify the need for recognising their union

...more