DeMerit Named Captain of Whitecaps

The Whitecaps did what was expected and named their first MLS signing, Jay DeMerit, as the first ever captain.  One of the main reasons DeMerit was signed by the MLS expansion team last November is the leadership he brings on and off the pitch.  The former captain of English side Watford took the long road to success in football by starting at the lowest levels of club football in the UK and making his way to the English Premier League.  The United States World Cup veteran will anchor the back line for the Whitecaps on the field and is the face of the franchise for the mainstream public following the team locally and across the league

Dunfield

 

Also named today were midfielders Terry Dunfield and John Thorrington as alternates to Jay Demerit's captaincy.  Both players, who will most likely start in front of DeMerit as central midfielders, are good choices for different reasons.  In addition to his leadership ability, Dunfield is a wise choice as he is a native Vancouverite and a holdover from last year’s Division 2 team.  Thorrington, on the other hand, is a MLS veteran who has the experience of multiple seasons in the league and can pass on the wisdom onto his young teammates.

ROSTER MOVES

Harmse

 

The Whitecaps have added Vancouver native and former Cap Kevin Harmse to trial with club in the final couple of weeks leading up to March 19.  The midfielder is a MLS veteran having been with LA Galaxy and TFC appearing in 45 matches over 3 years.  Harmse was traded to Chivas USA midway through the 2009 season but did not play another game in that season because of an injury.  Houston acquired him in an off season trade expecting to have recovered him from that injury but when there was no improvement he was released before the 2010 season.  While his natural position is as a defensive midfielder, Harmse is versatile enough to play anywhere in midfield or the back line.

The Whitecaps have also announced that midfielder Kyle Porter and defender Ryan O’Leary are no longer with the team.  Porter had left camp a couple of weeks ago to join the Impact on trial and it seems like he has made move permanent.  As reported earlier when Montreal join MLS next year it is assumed that the Whitecaps will own the residency product’s MLS rights  and if Porter is to stay with them compensation would have to be agreed upon.  O’Leary was the former Kilmarnock defender who was hoping to catch on with the Caps after being away from football since last June.  The central defender holds a Canadian passport and has a football pedigree but was unable to impress the Whitecaps coaches.