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Whitecaps focused on MLS not Man City

VANCOUVER — The opportunity to play one of the best soccer clubs in the world is generating restrained enthusiasm from a Vancouver Whitecaps team more focused on trying to gain some traction in an MLS season that is slowly slipping away from them.
John Guidetti, Renato, Erik Pimentel
John Guidetti and Manchester City are on an MLS tour to get ready for their upcoming season. Next up are the Vancouver Whitecaps.

VANCOUVER — The opportunity to play one of the best soccer clubs in the world is generating restrained enthusiasm from a Vancouver Whitecaps team more focused on trying to gain some traction in an MLS season that is slowly slipping away from them.

The Whitecaps will play FA Cup champion Manchester City on Monday night. The friendly is expected to draw over 20,000 fans to Empire Field hoping to watch big names like English international goalkeeper Joe Hart and Spanish midfielder David Silva.

Some of the younger Whitecaps might have stars in their eyes, but veterans like Joe Cannon are not mustering the same excitement.

“These games are good for the fans, but that’s about it,” said the Whitecaps’ keeper, who has faced English Premier League teams like Chelsea and Tottenham while playing for other Major League Soccer clubs.

“I’m over the whole this is Manchester City thing. Some of the guys who get on the field will appreciate it a lot more than I would. I think because of how we are doing right now, that game is not important at all to me. I’m more focused on how we do in league play and trying to get us higher on the table.”

Defender Alain Rochat, who has played in the UEFA Champions League as a member of the Swiss club FC Zurich, questioned the timing of the game.

The friendly was supposed to be sandwiched between league matches against Real Salt Lake at home Saturday and in San Jose on Wednesday.

However, the Real game was postponed due to wet field conditions directly related to the laying of sod for the friendly against City.

Team officials said they were still working on removing water from the pitch Sunday.

The first-year Whitecaps have one of the worst records in MLS and their chances of making the playoffs are fading. The match may be a bit of a busman’s holiday, allowing the Whitecaps a chance to play for fun.

“It’s something we can put our problems and the league away and just enjoy this game,” said Rochat. “Right now, it doesn’t mean nothing.”

Manchester City has earned the reputation of a rich team not afraid to throw around money. Owner Sheikh Mansour comes from an Abu Dhabi royal family that has an estimated fortune of US$1 trillion.

Mansour has spent around $1 billion overhauling Manchester City’s roster in less than three years.

The Whitecaps play under a salary cap of $2.6 million a year.

Vancouver striker Eric Hassli, one of the Whitecaps’ two designated players, is paid $900,000 a season. Defender Bilal Duckett, a 22-year-old from Peachtree City, Ga., earns $32,600.

Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy collects $129,000 a week.

“It is what it is,” shrugged Duckett, one of the young players likely to see action Monday night. “If you get caught up thinking in terms of salary, things will become a little overwhelming.

“Nobody on the field sees dollar signs while you are playing. You can play just as well as any of these guys, and your day will come eventually.”

Manchester City is touring North America as part of its pre-season training. Brian Kidd, the team’s assistant manager, said players will be fighting for jobs and looking to perform on the pitch.

“Players are playing for their places,” Kidd said during a telephone conference call. “They can’t afford to sit back and relax.

“There is very good competition for places on the squad. Everybody will be trying. The boss (manager Roberto Mancini) will be going with a strong team. All the so-called, well-known players will be playing.”

Other Manchester City stars making the trip include recently acquired French defender Gael Clichy, England international Shaun Wright-Phillips, Yaya Toure and Micah Richards.

Duckett admitted it’s hard not to be impressed.

“Some of these guys are guys I watched and studied when I was much younger,” he said. “You are watching the World Cup and these are all the guys you are looking at.”

Over 20,000 tickets have been sold for the match. The Whitecaps added an extra 3,000 last week.

Fans attending the game will have a chance to have their photo taken with the FA Cup, which Manchester City captured this year for the fifth time in club history. A C$5 donation is required, with the money going to charity.

The Whitecaps are paying C$200,000 to lay temporary grass on the artificial turf at Empire Field for the game.

A lot of the noise being generated around the game will disappear once the players take the field.

“After that first tackle, the competitive nature comes out and people start playing harder and harder,” said Vancouver defender Jordan Harvey.

“They have guys competing for jobs. It will be fun.”

Even Duckett says he won’t be intimidated.

“As soon as the whistle blows they are just like anybody else,” he said. “During the game, I kick them just like I kick anybody else.”