Episode 603 - The AFTN Soccer Show (Is Blue The Colour Of The Season? with Axel Schuster and Scott Arfield)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and Canadian football chat. Vancouver Whitecaps finally kicked off their 2024 MLS season with a 1-1 home draw with Charlotte FC at BC Place on Saturday. Not the best start, not the worst, but certainly a lot of talking points to come out of the match and for the coming weeks ahead, and we'll delve into a lot of them in this week's episode of the podcast. It's an important season for the 'Caps, with a lot to play for. Do they have the squad for success? Will there be more additions on the way? We hear from Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster about the squad build this offseason and whether he'll be filling that vacant Designated Player spot. Plus as Russell Teibert retires from playing, we ask what's next for the 16-year Whitecap and hear from Axel about what his new front office role will be. We look around the main action and talking points around the rest of the MLS Western Conference, chat about the farce that MLS have now made the US Open Cup, and get Vanni Sartini's thoughts on the new-look Canadian Championship format. And there's still time to chat about Canada Soccer's new General Secretary, Kevin Blue, and what it means for the sport here. Plus we take you back to 1974, the latest Football Violence Awareness Month kicks off, and we bring you two tracks from our new album of the month for March. This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Recovery Family Law, family law lawyers in Surrey, working with clients to get excellent results. They support AFTN, go and support them for all your family legal needs. Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode: 02.11: Intro 04.43: The Whitecaps kick off their MLS season with a draw 32.15: Scott Arfield interview 50.45: Axel Schuster talks DPs, transfers, and depth 95.37: Russell Teibert retires - what's next for him? 115.20: MLS West Week in Review 134.25: US Open Cup shambles 139.28: Vanni on the new-look Canadian Championship 143.40: This week in 1974 148.54: Canadian Soccer has a new General Secretary and CEO 160.55: Wavelength - Sir Robert Orange Peel - Casuals