The 2009 Vancouver Whitecaps season was the club's 24th year of existence (or 34th if counting the NASL Whitecaps), as well as their 17th and 2nd last year as a Division 2 club in the franchise model of US-based soccer leagues. Vancouver was officially named an MLS expansion city on March 18, 2009. Following the end of the 2010 season, the Whitecaps FC joined MLS, becoming the second Canadian club and 19th overall (counting contracted franchises) to enter the league.
The 2009 season started in an up and down fashion including three game winning and losing streaks before ending the season with only one loss in their last ten games. The USL-1 league was a closely contested affair with the Whitecaps a member of an intermediate trifecta in the standings separated by less than three points. The Whitecaps overcame the Railhawks and Timbers in tight, hard won playoff series before finishing as runners-up to the Montreal Impact in a dramatic playoff final series.
The Whitecaps also finished second in the 2009 Voyaguers Cup in a controversial fashion after Montreal rested important players for their following USL-1 league match against the Whitecaps.
2009 Montreal controversy
June 18, 2009: After losing any chance to win the round robin, the Impact lose 1–6 to TFC giving the Voyageurs Cup to TFC over Vancouver on goal difference while coach Marc Dos Santos rests key players for the league match against Vancouver two days later. The Vancouver Whitecaps team attended the TFC-Impact game. June 20, 2009: Two days later Montreal Impact win their USL-1 league game 2–1 against Vancouver. The Montreal Ultras protest against Impact management's unsportsmanlike behaviour two days earlier during the first half. September 18, 2009: The extra three points Montreal got against Vancouver is also the difference between fifth and seventh place in the end-of-season league standings putting the Whitecaps at a lower seed in the USL season ending playoff tournament. October 17, 2009: Montreal Impact win the league playoff final's second leg 3–1 at home with the Whitecaps playing shorthanded due to a second sending off in a row, and Montreal wins the USL-1 Championship 6–3 on aggregate.
Schedule and results
Tables
Pos Club Pts GP W D L GF GA GD H2H Pts1Portland Timbers5830161044519+262Carolina RailHawks553016774319+243Puerto Rico Islanders533015874431+13PUE: 6 ptsCHA: 3 pts4Charleston Battery5330141153321+125Montreal Impact4330127113231+16Rochester Rhinos4330111093432+27Vancouver Whitecaps4230119104236+68Minnesota Thunder3130710133944−59Miami FC293085172652−2610Austin Aztex21†3058172851−2311Cleveland City Stars193047192252−30 † Austin deducted two points for fielding an ineligible player on July 25, 2009
Results summary
Pre-season
USL-1
Results by round
Post-season Play-in round
Semi-finals
Finals
Voyaguers Cup
Standings
Results
Cascadia Cup
Staff
Professional teams President – Bob Lenarduzzi Director of professional teams – Greg Anderson Manager professional teams – Lindsay Puchlik Manager communications – Nathan Vanstone Head coach men's – Teitur Thordarson Assistant coach, men's – Todd Wawrousek Head coach, women's – Alan Koch Assistant coach, Women's - Women's manager – Diane Voice Club logistics manager – Matt Holbrook Equipment manager – Darren Woloshen
Youth development Youth development director – Dan Lenarduzzi Youth development administrator – Marlise Buchi
Professional development program Managing director, professional development – Chris Murphy Managing director, residency – Thomas Niendorf Administrator, residency – Allison Hogg Manager, technical programs – Dave Irvine Developer, whitecaps interactive – Byron Ribble Head coach, prospects boys – Bart Choufour Head coach, prospects girls – Jesse Symons
Community soccer system Manager, community soccer system – Sam Lenarduzzi
Current roster Both Jay Nolly and Marcus Haber played all thirty regular season games with Jay Nolly playing every minute of every game. Charles Gbeke was tied for second among the USL-1 point leaders including the league golden boot with 12 goals while Marcus Haber was 7th (with 8 goals) and Marlon James 8th. Wes Knight had eight assists in the league.
After the 2008 season, the Whitecaps and coach Teitur Thordarson changed the roster much more than in the previous seven years. Some of this was due to a ten-month contract versus the previous norm of an eight-month contract. Look at the preseason above starting in February with presumably a training camp before hand versus previous years of training camp starting in late March. For some players with other part-time or off season employment and/or families the extra commitment was too much. Many long time stalwart veteran Whitecap players such as Jeff Clarke, Jason Jordan, Steve Kindel and Alfredo Valente were not on the 2009 roster. Additionally, several other players earning significant playing time over a number of years moved elsewhere. Eduardo Sebrango and back-up goalkeeper Serge Djekanovic started the 2009 season with Canadian rival Montreal while Nicholas Addlery went all the way to Puerto Rico.
Two players who remained to serve as the backbone of the side for 2009 were Martin Nash, the captain, and striker Charles Gbeke for offense. The club added Marco Reda from Charleston, Justin Thompson from Portland, and Ansu Toure from Miami. Foreign players signings included Caribbean internationals Kenold Versailles (Haiti) and Tyrell Burgess (Bermuda), who spent 2008 with the USL PDL's Reading Rage. Another signing for the portion of the season he was with the Whitecaps was former New York Red Bulls defender Jeff Parke.
All stats as of the end of the season.
Goalkeeper stats No.Nat.PlayerTotalUSL-1Playoffs1Jay Nolly3240145461.2892700118361.20754027101.672
Player statistics No.Pos.Name Apps Minutes Goals Assists Shots Fouls 1GK Jay Nolly3635400001202DF Marco Reda14(2)127420612404DF Justin Thompson2(2)2260014104DF Shaun Pejic1513440049114DF Wesley Charles12102500215116DF Luca Bellisomo12(4)11680147307MF Martin Nash292481432723518DF Wes Knight35(1)2855191635409FW Marlon James12(11)116011259294013MF Kénold Versailles9(5)9121013314013MF Geordie Lyall2(5)25300141014FW Marcus Haber30(6)242211442302015MF Philippe Davies1(1)6500220016MF Ansu Toure20(7)15791336164017FW Randy Edwini-Bonsu(15)21411830018DF Mason Trafford12(14)1256027182019MF Chris Pozniak11(2)1009006111020MF Ethan Gage9(8)803007171020FW Charles Gbeke28(6)233813279583120MF Dever Orgill2(9)301217102022DF Takashi Hirano33(1)295402633023MF Vicente Arze8(10)7970114233024DF Lyle Martin19(4)17281212142025MF Tyrell Burgess11(14)10471228152025MF Justin Moose2(10)32300261027DF Jeff Parke752400351028MF Gordon Chin14(12)13971424203029MF Nizar Khalfan9(5)729002080037MF Michael Onwatuegwu14500020099GK Diego14000000—–Opponent Own goals––0–––––
References
External links