The Third Sub (The Third Sub)

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast, presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a busy month of 'Caps news.

First, they dive into the big news of the last month, that the 'Caps finally have a DP #10, Ryan Gauld, looking at what this deal means for Vancouver.

After, they look at the team's current midfield depth situation, analyzing what that move might mean for some other players.

Then, they look back at some of the 'Caps most recent games, breaking down what's been working and what hasn't, as well as some standout performers.

Continuing on, they then update their stocks in the latest edition of 'Buying and Selling', where there are some big movers and shakers after some time away.

Lastly, they look back at the 'Caps first 2 weeks of training back in Vancouver, before finishing with some interviews with homegrown Patrick Metcalfe, Gianfranco Facchineri and Theo Bair.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps as they got the ball rolling for their first (exhibition) game of 2023!

To begin, they dive right into that game, a friendly against German 2nd Bundesliga side Hamburger SV, breaking down what went on in HSV's eventual 2-0 win over the 'Caps.

From a decent showing defensively, to a tough night at the office offensively, as well as some other tactical notes and underrated performers, they take a look at what they took away from that match.

After that, they take a look at the latest news surrounding the club, as they recently made some signings, including that of Matías Laborda, as well as invited some players on trial, such as Daniel Krutzen. Not only that, but there was also a Super Draft recently, too, so they take a quick look at who the 'Caps selected, including JC Ngando and Levonte Johnson.

Lastly, they round things off with a couple of rumoured moves, including the potential signings of Tai Baribo and Salif Sané, seeing where they'd fit, as well as the news that Bell is no longer a 'Caps sponsor, ending a long tenure as kit sponsor for the bank with the club.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps ahead of a big week for Vancouver's MLS side. 

Set to host the Canadian Championship final against Toronto FC, the Whitecaps are looking for their third-straight Voyageurs Cup trophy in a massive match for the club. 

Before then, however, they had to visit the first-place team in MLS's Western Conference this past weekend, as they took on the LA Galaxy on the road, falling 4-2 with a rotated squad. 

Despite that, it didn't feel like a 4-2 game, and they dive into why they felt that was the case, as the Whitecaps still put up a good performance, only finding themselves undone by a few key mistakes. 

Now, the 'Caps will look to put that behind them as they get set for this TFC test. A team that can be fun to watch on their day, it's been an inconsistent season for the Toronto-based outfit, but they'll want to peak just in time to lift their first trophy in two years. 

A John Herdman-coached side who have done a good job of adapting to their new bench boss in his first season in charge after arriving from Canada's National Teams, they'll have plenty of reasons to want to lift a trophy this week. 

Alex and Sam dive into everything you need to know ahead of that game, including what to watch tactically, key matchups and much more. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Canada Soccer's Men's and Women's National Teams as they continue a busy summer of action.

First, they look back at how June went for the CanWNT, recapping their two games from that month, sharing their thoughts on the two 0-0 draws with the Czech Republic and Brazil.

Then, they look at what's ahead for the team, as they look ahead to the Olympics, breaking down Canada's squad for that tournament, and what their expectations for them are in Japan.

After, their attention shifts over to the CanMNT, as they look back at their big wins over Haiti in World Cup qualifying, as they progressed to the Octagonal, the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, for the first time since the 1998 World Cup cycle.

Once through that, they then look ahead to the Gold Cup, looking at Canada's squad for that tournament, before sharing their expectations for them down in the US.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps in the midst of a busy week for the club.

To begin, they look back, as they review the 'Caps most recent game, a 1-1 draw with Nashville SC, one in which they showed some good and some bad in their first visit to the Music City. From Ryan Gauld's resurgent form, to Javain Brown's first MLS goal, they see what stood out to them in that game.

Then, they take a look at the now-official news that Alessandro Schopf has signed for the club, sharing their thoughts on what it means for the rest of this season and beyond.

After, they take a step back and dive into all of the 'Caps moves from a busy summer transfer window, giving a letter grade for how they feel it has gone so far, both in terms of arrivals and departures.

Lastly, they preview the 'Caps next game, a clash with the Houston Dynamo on Friday night, seeing how they feel about what is going to be a must-win game for Vancouver at BC Place.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps!

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps' offseason, as the start of preseason starts to creep up on everyone here. 

Despite that, the Whitecaps remain without a head coach and any new signings, and they dive into why that is the case, and what that means for them. 

After that, they dive into what they expect in terms of the new coach and prospective signings, and what the anticipated timelines could be for both of those things. 

Then, they wrap up offseason talk by looking at some of the other small moves that have happened, including some intriguing re-signings and some key departures. 

Lastly, they dive into the big Whitecaps news of the offseason - the news that the club is for sale. They dive into all of the implications of that news in the short and long-term, and what it could mean for the future of the club. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast! 

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and the end of their 2023 campaign, after their recent MLS Cup Playoffs elimination at the hands of LAFC. 

After their 1-0 loss at home to LA in game two of their first-round best-of-three series, the Whitecaps season is now over, and they dive into what this series taught them about the 'Caps. 

First, though, they start with the big elephant in the room - the officiating in this second game, which was a hot topic around Vancouver and MLS afterwards, for a multitude of reasons, something they dive into. 

Following that, however, they take a look at what they learned about these Whitecaps in the playoffs, as well as seeing what they need to do in order to become a contender. 

From needing to answer some key tactical questions, to some big roster decisions, they take an early look at some of those moves, too, without diving too deep (as the plan will be to do in future episodes). 

Lastly, they take a look at what this season meant for the Whitecaps, who took a step forward, but are yet to make that jump into an elite contender, although they are now closer than ever to being able to make that step. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things the Vancouver Whitecaps, Canadian Premier League and more. 

To begin, they look at the latest out of the Whitecaps, who began their 2023 MLS Cup playoffs journey with a trip to LA, as they took on LAFC in game #1 of their best-of-three series. 

Unfortunately for them, however, things didn't go as planned in that one, with LAFC picking up a 5-2 victory, giving them an edge heading into game two. Not only that, but some old woes cropped up for the Whitecaps, too, as they gave up four of their goals on set-pieces, although they'll be pleased that they were able to score two goals on the road. 

The good news, though? With this new format, the Whitecaps can tie the series in game two with a win by any score (or a draw and penalty shootout win), giving them a chance to hit the reset button in game #2. 

So they'll now look to do that this upcoming Sunday, where a record crowd for their MLS era awaits them, with the Whitecaps already opening the upper bowl at BC Place for the first time since before the club was in MLS. 

Speaking of that match, Alex and Sam then take the time to preview that match, looking at what adjustments Vancouver might try to make, as they look to keep their season alive, which they can do if they force game #3. 

Lastly, they dive into some CPL chatter, as Forge claimed their fourth playoff title in five years with a 2-1 win over Cavalry in the CPL Finals, in what ended up being one of the best matches in league history. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

In this 12th episode of the Third Sub, Alex and Sam are back, this time to take a look at the latest news in the global soccer world. They look at how MLS is slowly setting the stage for a return to play in North America, as leagues such as the South Korea's KLeague get set to return this week, with the potential success or failure of that venture likely to be something that MLS is following closely. After that, Alex lays out his argument on why leagues should consider finishing this year's season before worrying about the next one, in the wake of decisions made by leagues in France, Holland and Belgium. The episode then rounds off with a look at the USWNT'S fight for Equal Pay, and why it's ridiculous how their own federation has taken this battle so far, despite all that the women have done for them. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, as the 'Caps get set to take on the Houston Dynamo this weekend.

First, they dive into some Dynamo chatter, looking at what to watch out for on Houston ahead of Saturday's game. Despite having a roster light on top-end talent, the Dynamo have quietly picked up a few good results this year, and Alex and Sam dive a bit deeper to break down how.

Afterwards, they shift their attention back to the 'Caps, looking at the mood in the Vancouver camp ahead of this game. They also provide a quick update on a few injuries, before projecting the 11 that will likely start this game for Vancouver, predicting a few changes from last game.

Lastly, they finish off with their predictions for the match, as usual.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

In their 4th episode of the Third Sub, Alex and Sam are back to pick over the bones of a tough opening day Whitecaps loss to Sporting Kansas City. The result sucks, but it is early, so they also look ahead to why things could change in a matter of weeks, starting with this weekend against the LA Galaxy. They also look at some new signings, MLS's opening day weekend, their 'Third Sub' of the game and what could one day push Alex to go swimming and dye his hair blonde. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps. 

To begin, they look at the biggest news out of Whitecaps-land, and that's the signing of veteran MLS forward Fafà Picault, who was inked as a free agent last week. 

They take a look at what Picault could bring to the table, before looking at what his signing means for the team's roster build, as they continue to load up on veterans ahead of the 2024 season. 

Afterwards, they look at the latest surrounding Richie Laryea, who remains in limbo thanks to a strange MLS rule, one that puts a return to the Whitecaps in doubt. 

Continuing on, they take a look at some interesting chatter surrounding Ryan Raposo, who has attracted some interest from abroad, which could force the Whitecaps to make a tough decision about his future. 

Lastly, they dive into some of the interesting names on the Whitecaps training camp roster, including some new faces and some exciting youngsters, seeing what to expect from them over the next few weeks. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

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Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps in a jam-packed episode.

First, they take a look back at the 'Caps most recent game, a 3-0 loss to Austin FC from the weekend, in which the 'Caps continued their nightmare start to the 2022 MLS season.

Seeing that, Alex and Sam first break down the match before offering their solutions to fixing this edition of the 'Caps, based on what they've seen from the team so far. Is it a coaching problem? Is it the players? Is it the formation? Is it some plain old bad luck?

They ponder all of that, and more.

Then, they take a look at a possible saviour for the team at the moment, brand-new signing, Andres Cubas, who was officially signed to the team this week, potentially giving them the new face they need to turn things around.

Lastly, they take a look at one of the bright spots in the club right now - youth development, and more specifically, the 'Caps second team, which continues to take great strides at the MLS Next Pro level.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver FC, Pacific FC and more.

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Vancouver Whitecaps, who despite missing several key players due to injuries and international duty, were able to draw FC Dallas 0-0 at BC Place in a game they probably could've even won. 

They dive into what they learned from that one, as the Whitecaps continue to earn the respect of their opponents, which while a sign of how good this team has become, can also pose its challenges. 

After that, they look ahead to what's next for the Whitecaps, who get set to host the San Jose Earthquakes in a crucial must-win game against a side that's struggled heavily in 2024. 

From there, they take a look at the other big game in BC this weekend, and that's the Salish Sea Derby between Pacific and Vancouver at Starlight Stadium, which is a massive six-point match for both teams. 

Lastly, they take a look out of what they learned from Jesse Marsch's visit to Vancouver, as they got to hear from the Canadian Men's National Team in a special press conference held at the Whitecaps training ground, in which Marsch shared a lot of interesting details about what's next for his team, the sport in the province and much more. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps as they get set to take on CF Montreal in an all-Canadian matchup!

To do that, they're joined by Hady Raphael of Culture Soccer and the Ball is Round Podcast, who helps them get up to speed on CF Montreal ahead of Saturday.

First, they look at some of the standout individuals on Montreal, including Kamal Miller, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Djordje Mihailovic and Mason Toye, and how they've helped their team get off to a decent start, before looking at new head coach Wilfried Nancy and how his project has gone so far. Raphael also gives a quick injury update on some of Montreal's players, before finishing off with his thoughts on the 'Caps, as well as a prediction for the game on Saturday.

Afterwards, Alex and Sam take a quick look at some 'Caps news from the last few days, before finishing off with their predictions for this match, as well as update their stocks in 'Buying and Selling' ahead of the weekend.

You can find Hady Raphael on Twitter @SoccerEnFolie, and in writing at Culture Soccer. You can find the Ball is Round Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts, as well as on Twitter @TBIRMontreal.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps.

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps, who faced LAFC in game #1 of their MLS Cup playoffs first-round best-of-three series. There, unfortunately, despite a strong performance, they left empty-handed, as they fell 2-1 in LA.

As is often the case when facing LAFC, being good between the boxes wasn't enough, as LAFC's dominance in both boxes ended up making the difference on the day. 

Now, the series shifts to Vancouver, where the Whitecaps will need to win at BC Place to keep their season alive (or draw and win on penalties), or else they risk being swept by LAFC for a second straight season. 

Can they actually beat this LAFC side, however? They look at what will need to happen in this second game for that to even be a possibility, before previewing potential lineups and key battles to watch. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In episode 59 of the show, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk about another Vancouver Whitecaps game.

This time, however, it's a 'Caps loss that's on the menu, as they pick over the bones of a tough Vancouver loss at the hands of the Seattle Sounders.

First, they dive into the game itself, before jumping into a couple of discussion points, including a look at Marc Dos Santos's confusing plan for his young players and the surprise formation change.

After that, they take a look at the Third Sub of the Match, which for this game was Fredy Montero, giving one word for his performance.

Once through all of the Seattle talk, they take a look ahead to the next 'Caps game, a clash with the Portland Timbers, giving their thoughts on that potential matchup, finishing with some lineup projections and score predictions.

Lastly, they take a quick look at some other Canadian Soccer news, including the appointment of Bev Priestman as the Canadian Women's National Team coach, some surprising moves at Pacific FC and Jonathan David's bad luck at Lille.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and Vancouver Rise amid a busy week for both the men's and women's sides. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps, who played their first game since the beginning of the month, as they took on Pacific FC in the second leg of the Canadian Championship semi-finals. 

Having had all of that time off after their elimination from the Leagues Cup, it made for a strange return, as there's no doubt that the break was beneficial for a team that was nursing some key injuries, but it also reset the momentum of their campaign. 

Despite that, they put that behind them nicely against Pacific, taking care of business to advance to their third straight Canadian Championship final in comfortable fashion. 

Now, they turn their focus back to MLS play, where a crucial stretch awaits, starting with a road match against Austin FC this weekend. They dive into what to expect from that game, where the Whitecaps will have to be ready for an Austin side that can be very 'boom or bust' depending on the week you play them. 

Lastly, they take a look at some other Whitecaps-adjacent news, including the launch of their NSL team, which was revealed to be called the Vancouver Rise, whose badge carries a lot of parallels with the Whitecaps, showing the club's plans to operate the two as sibling teams. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to a BONUS episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, for a bit of extra chatter, as they dive into the surprise news from this week that Stuart Armstrong is set to leave the Whitecaps to join Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. 

A big move given Armstrong's DP status and recent arrival in Vancouver, they dive into what this move means for Armstrong, the Whitecaps and their plan to contend for trophies this year. 

One thing is for sure - the pressure is mounting for these Whitecaps, who enter the month of February with a lot of business to do now, as this Armstrong move has compounded the team's quietly tough offseason in a big way. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat about some Canadian Premier League and some Alphonso Davies talk.

To start things off, they dive into the week that was at the Canadian Premier League's 'Island Games', which wrapped up 2 matchdays over the course of this last week.

They look at how their predictions have so far fared, as they reiterate their confidence in some teams, such as Forge, Cavalry and Halifax, and have less confidence in others, such as York 9 or Atletico Ottawa.

After that, they look at some standout performers from the tournament so far, including the play of some youngsters that are catching their eye, including the play of some forwards on Valour and Halifax.

Once done that, they quickly talk about Jonathan David's debut for Lille on Saturday, before shifting to the talk of the country right now: Alphonso Davies's and Bayern Munich's Men's UEFA Champions League victory from this past Sunday.

Alex and Sam share why they believe this victory is so significant on many levels, before stepping into an interesting debate on its place in sporting history among Canadian sporting moments, including Donovan Bailey's historic 100 metre sprint at the 1996 Olympics.

But no matter their stance on the debate, the one thing they do believe: this is a huge victory, and it'll have a big impact on the CanMNT both in the present and in the future.

Welcome back to the Third Sub Podcast!

In a special milestone episode, their 50th, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk some Vancouver Whitecaps, before wrapping up with some Gold Cup and CanMNT talk.

To start things off, before diving into the 'Caps most recent game, a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers, they look at the state of flux surrounding the club right now, which was well summarized by Kristian Jack of TSN after the game, and look at his comments and share what their thoughts about all of that are.

How can the 'Caps steady their ship? Can Axel Schuster play a role in that? How does the club stem warranted fan anger? They try to answer those questions, as the 'Caps continue down a confusing crossroads that they've been stuck at for a few years now.

Once through that, they look at the match itself, starting off with a look at the individual performances.

They praise the return of Erik Godoy, give Ali Adnan and Fredy Montero some good reviews, talk about Cristian Gutierrez's bounce back after a tough and costly mistake, look at what's ailing Lucas Cavallini, before finishing by comparing the contrasting performances from Leonard Owusu and Janio Bikel together in midfield.

After that, they look at the team from a more global context, as they look at how they continue to get plagued by inconsistency, but are showing signs of growth.

Finishing off the 'Caps talk, they then look at Marc Dos Santos's rotation and substitution woes from Sunday, jumpstarting an interesting debate about the importance of rotating your squad and using your substitutions, with both Alex and Sam bringing up some good arguments to why using your bench can make a big difference in games like that.

Lastly, the talk then shifts to some international football, and more specifically, CONCACAF, as Alex shares his many thoughts from the 2021 Gold Cup draw this week, which was a landmark event for so many reasons.

Before heading out, they take the time to thank every one of you, the listeners, as without you, the show would be nothing. Thanks for all of the support you've shown on the episodes, and there is much more content to come in the future, so stay tuned for all of that!

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, this time to discuss the American and Canadian soccer scene as a whole, as various leagues within the two countries prepare for a return.

They start with a look at the MLS plan for a return, with Orlando remaining as the likely hub city solution there, before shifting towards the return of the CPL, where various hub city candidates have not yet been whittled down, and teams await a return to individual training.

Lastly, they take a look at the one North American league that has officially announced a return, the NWSL, and how their idea for a return can inspire others to follow suit, while also boosting women's soccer interest in both Canada and the US.

To wrap up the episode, they then take a tour of the week that was in Bundesliga and KLeague action, where Alphonso Davies and Doneil Henry continued to shine for their various clubs, while the quality of play ramps up across the board.

Welcome back to the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 41st episode of the show, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat some Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Premier League action.

To start things off, they go back and analyze the Whitecaps win from the weekend, in which the 'Caps took out Toronto FC by a score of 3-2.

Alex shares what it was like to take in the match in person, while Sam shares some of his observations from watching it back after, as they break down what is only the 'Caps 3rd victory of 2020.

They also talk about some of the individual performances, as well as how they thought the new-look tactical setup fared, before diving into some talk about young players, and sharing their thoughts on what the recent splash of kids in the first-team lineup has done.

After that, they shift their talk over to the CPL's 'Island Games', as the first round of that tournament wrapped up this weekend.

From an entertaining finish from Pacific, to a clinical win from Halifax, plus business as usual from Forge and Cavalry, they look at what the final 4 teams did to qualify, before taking a look back at their predictions from a few weeks ago.

Sam interestingly enough went 4/4, while Alex went 3/4, and in the good spirit of the show, they say 'why not give it another shot' and give their predictions for the next round while they're at it.

To round things off, they then look at the recent reshuffling in the Whitecaps coaching ranks, as it was announced that assistant coach Vanni Startini will shift from the first-team over to the Academy, while longtime Academy Craig Dalrymple will move on from the club on October 15th, two moves which will open up a vacant assistant coach position on the first-team.

As part of the 'Caps long-term plan, it's an interesting move, one that sets the table for an interesting next year or so in the coaching ranks.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after an important break for the team.

To begin, Alex and Sam look back on a couple of 'Caps games, as they catch up on what has been a hectic month of September for the team. From a rocky start, to a strong finish, they look at what can be gleaned from this latest stretch of games.

Then, they take a look at the 'Caps overall season, and ask themselves an important question - what is the true version of this team? Is it the one that started slow? Is it the one that had a strong middle of the campaign? Or how about the one that has found some life as of late?

After, they begin to look forward to 2023, asking one important question - what does this team need to do in order to compete for the Supporters Shield? What moves can realistically get them there?

Lastly, they look ahead to the last few games of the season, and share what they want to get out of them, as the 'Caps look to finish 2022 on a high note, potentially in the playoffs.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into a busy set of Vancouver Whitecaps games from the past 14 days.

From a win over FC Dallas, to a tough loss to Charlotte FC, and a win over Sporting Kansas City in MLS play, as well as a clutch result over Cavalry FC in the Canadian Championship, they see what they took away from those games.

Cody Cropper's surprisingly good play? The 'Caps now stable defence? Lucas Cavallini's resurgence? They touch on all of those subjects, sharing their thoughts on them, and how they contributed to the 'Caps most recent run of form.

Otherwise, they also take a look at if the month of May has indeed salvaged the 'Caps season, before finishing up with a quick look at their next opponent - Real Salt Lake, who they'll play at BC Place this upcoming weekend.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian Premier League. 

To begin, they take a look at the Whitecaps, who finished off a marathon seven-game road trip this past week, falling 2-1 to Real Salt Lake on the weekend before drawing the Colorado Rapids 2-2 in midweek. 

First, they look at what went wrong for the 'Caps against RSL, as some untimely errors and sloppy defending undid them in the end, making for a frustrating evening after a solid start. 

Then, they take a look at the Colorado game, one where Vancouver started and finished strong, but had a lapse of concentration to forget in the middle, leaving them to draw one they'll feel they could've won. 

From there, however, that leads to an important big-picture discussion - is Vancouver as bad as the eye test suggests on set pieces, and could that be the source of a lot of long-term problems? Alex and Sam discuss in-depth, thanks to the discovery of some important statistics. 

Finally, to cap off the 'Caps chatter, they take a look at the team's next game, a much-awaited home game against DC United, in which Vancouver will look to return to winning ways back on familiar territory. 

Lastly, they take a look at the most recent results out of the BC Canadian Premier League teams, as Pacific has continued to battle inconsistency, while Vancouver has heated up despite playoff elimination, which should set up an intriguing final Salish Sea Derby of 2023 this weekend on Vancouver Island. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back as usual, this time to chat about all things Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver FC, Pacific, and more. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps, who have had a quiet few weeks after Vanni Sartini's departure. As a result, Alex and Sam take the time to look back at their pre-season predictions, seeing how the Whitecaps compared to those prognostics, and what that has taught them about their 2025 outlook. 

After that, they dive into the 2024 season that was for both BC Canadian Premier League teams, Vancouver FC and Pacific FC. 

First, they start with Vancouver, who despite a massive offseason, was unable to take the big step they were hoping to make in 2024. Now, that's put them in a tough spot heading into 2025, where they'll start to feel the pressure as they enter their third year as a club. 

Meanwhile, with Pacific, despite making the playoffs, the pressure is on there, too, as they look to rebuild on the fly after losing some more key pieces. After making the playoffs in five straight seasons, they face a big uphill battle to repeat that feat for a sixth straight year in 2025, with a big roster build ahead of them. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps and CPL after a busy week of action. 

To begin, they dive into the Whitecaps, who for the first time in over a calendar year, have won a road game in MLS! 

They look at how that happened, as they beat the defending MLS Cup and Supporters Shield winners, LAFC, in LA for the first time ever. 

From some tweaks in midfield, to a new position for Ryan Gauld, and a bright game from Sergio Córdova, they look at what stood out from that one. 

Then, they take a look at how some key 'Caps are faring on international duty, as Ali Ahmed shone in his Canada debut, Julian Gressel continues to get minutes for the US, while Javain Brown chases a great chance to win a trophy with Jamaica. 

After that, they take a look at the next 'Caps game, a road clash with Sporting KC, diving into what to expect from that one, as well as some lineup predictions. 

Lastly, they take a look at the BC CPL teams, as Vancouver recently won their first-ever home game, and made some big moves in the transfer market, while Pacific continues to coast along as the top team in the league thanks to a four-game winning streak. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a busy few weeks for the club.

First, they look back at the most recent 'Caps games, a 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers at home, and a 2-1 loss at CF Montreal away, as the 'Caps failed to get any points off of the back-to-back derby matches.

From looking at what led to the results, to what stood out, both good and bad, they tell the story of both matches, which are both ones the 'Caps would rather forget.

Then, they take a look at what they think is plaguing the 'Caps right now, as they have just 1 win in their first 7 games in the 2022 MLS season, a far cry from the playoff team they ended off on. Plus, with the Canadian Championship right around the corner, they also discuss the impact this run of form could have on that competition.

After, they preview the 'Caps upcoming game, a clash with Austin FC down in Texas, where they'll take on an Austin team that is one of the hottest in MLS right now.

Lastly, they then look at a potential new player that could maybe help save the 'Caps season - midfielder, Andres Cubas, who looks to be joining the 'Caps from Ligue 2's Nimes soon as a TAM signing, shoring up a huge area of need for the team in midfield.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

The Third Sub can be found on Spotify, Google Play, Apple Podcasts and Anchor. It can also now be found on Breaker, Overcast, Pocket Casts and Radio Public, so if you have any of those platforms installed, you can now find it on them.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian Premier League. 

To begin, they take a look at the week that was for the Whitecaps, as they started with a key 2-1 road win against Toronto FC, before losing 4-1 to the Houston Dynamo. 

They look at what stood out from those games, from some good resilience against Toronto to some intriguing lineup choices against Houston, as well as some concerning defensive trends across both games. 

Then, they cap off their Whitecaps chatter by taking a look at their next game, a road clash against Real Salt Lake, as they continue their marathon seven-game road trip with their sixth out of seven games. 

Lastly, they finish with some CPL chatter, as they look at how Pacific FC was able to book a playoff spot with a dominant win over York, while Vancouver FC found itself eliminated after a road loss to Cavalry. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver FC, Pacific FC and more. 

To begin, there's the latest out of the Vancouver Whitecaps, who fell 2-1 to Real Salt Lake in their final match of the 2024 MLS regular season. A game in which they led in the second half, they were unable to hold onto that lead late, as they lost their fourth straight game in a row to end the campaign.  

Now, that's pushed the 'Caps into a position they didn't think they'd be in a month ago - MLS's play-in match, as they must now beat the Portland Timbers on Wednesday to book their spot in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. 

Alex and Sam preview what you need to know about this Portland match, one that could potentially be era-defining for this Whitecaps team, win or lose, and they look at why that is the case. 

After that, they take a look at the CPL, where both BC teams capped off their regular season slates this weekend, with Vancouver FC drawing Atlético Ottawa 0-0, and Pacific beating Forge FC 1-0. Thanks to those results, Pacific clinched a spot in the playoffs, doing so just ahead of Vancouver, marking the fifth straight year in which Pacific will participate in the playoffs. 

As a result, they're also getting set for a midweek clash on the road, with their playoff journey kicking off with an elimination match against York United on Wednesday, one that Alex and Sam make sure to preview before the end of the show. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Alex and Sam are once again joined by Keveren Guillou in the 2nd part of Episode 7, as they dive into some of the audio from Dr. Jim Bovard and Mark Pannes' press conference from last week. They chat about what COVID-19 could do for the short and long term future of the Whitecaps, how it affects staff, players, season tickets before looking at how it could also affect MLS. They then round things off with a look at some fonder memories, including their first submission to the 'Third Sub Hall of Fame'. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a heartbreaking loss for the team this past weekend against Nashville SC.

Needing a win to take control of their playoff hopes, they instead ended up falling 3-0 in a game that was memorable for all of the wrong reasons.

From a tough defensive display, to a moment of madness from Lucas Cavallini, and some other lowlights, it was a match to forget for the Whitecaps, who are now up against the 8-ball in terms of qualifying for their 2nd straight MLS Cup playoffs.

As a result, they take a look at how this happened, and what this latest run of form has meant for the 'Caps, who have certainly learned a lot about themselves over the past few months.

Despite the big blow, however, the playoff push continues for the 'Caps, as they get set to fly to San Jose to take on the Earthquakes, in what is a must-win game for the club.

With a history of high-scoring games against the 'Quakes in recent years, can the 'Caps find themselves on top of one of those matches this upcoming Sunday? If they're to have any hope of making the playoffs, finding a way to make that possible is a must.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Championship, after a busy week in both departments.

To start, they dive into the latest surrounding the Whitecaps, breaking down their most recent match, a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids. From there, they debate if that was 1 point gained, or 2 points lost, before diving into the more intricate details that stood out to them from that one.

After, they look ahead to the next 'Caps game, a home clash versus Dallas this weekend, seeing what they expect from the opponents in that game. While doing that, they also take a step back and do more of an organizational look at this Dallas franchise, sharing their thoughts on their latest move, which was to fire head coach Luchi Gonzalez.

Moving on, they then take a look at the quarter-finals of the Canadian Championship, which wrapped up this week, looking back at what they learned in those matches, before looking ahead to the pair of intriguing semi-finals that now await us in that competition.

Lastly, they share their thoughts on the surprising bit of news in the Canadian Premier League this week, and that was the firing of Rob Gale by Valour, who they then replaced with former Whitecaps assistant coach, Phil Dos Santos, brother of former 'Caps head coach, Marc Dos Santos.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Alex and Sam are back with a bonus episode of the Third Sub! In this special episode, they break down the recent Whitecaps zoom call availability, in which they had the chance to ask questions to midfielder Russell Teibert and goalkeeper Max Crepeau, looking at how the two 'Caps stars are coping with this new reality. From helping the new guys integrate into the squad, to keeping fit, they've been busy, and the guys are here to break it all down. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps in the midst of a busy week for the club.

First, they dive into the big news of the week, and that's the start of the Whitecaps 2022 preseason, which got underway at UBC this week.

They look at what stood out from the first few days of camp, including some standout players, some rumours, the preseason plan and more.

Afterwards, they dive deeper into some of those rumours, such as Janio Bikel's imminent departure, as well as the persistent chatter about Lucas Cavallini, before taking a look at the state of the team heading into the start of the season.

Once through that, Alex shares some conversations that he had with new 'Caps centre back, Tristan Blackmon, as well as fellow triallist, Kwame Awuah, who he got to speak to at training camp this week.

Lastly, they dive into some CanMNT, CanWNT/CanXNT and Canadian Premier League news that has stood out from over the last week.

(Disclaimer, this episode was recorded before the reports that came out on Wednesday that Maxime Crepeau, the 'Caps goalkeeper, would be traded to LAFC).

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things awards in a special edition of the show.

To start, they talk about one award that a team brought back lately, and that's the Canadian Premier League's North Star Shield, which Langford's Pacific FC won for the first time on Sunday. Despite facing off against the x2 CPL champions, Forge, away, Pacific stood strong and took care of business in the final, and they break that down in this episode.

After that, they look at what this win means both for Pacific, as well as the league as a whole, as it changes the landscape of the CPL as teams get set for their 4th season of competition in 2022.

Then, they shift their attention over to the other team in BC, the Vancouver Whitecaps, breaking down their latest roster moves, seeing what they could mean for the 'Caps team this offseason.

Continuing that, they then dive into a yearly tradition on the show - their 2021 end-of-year awards, as they give out some hardware after a year to remember for the Whitecaps.

The awards up for grabs include:

• MVP
• Rookie of the Year
• Unsung Hero
• Defender of the Year
• Shea Salinas Departure of the Year
• Robert Earnshaw Third Sub of the Year
• Eric Hassli Goal of the Year
• Alphonso Davies most promising player
• Kendall Waston most improved player
• Game of the Year

Lastly, but most certainly not least, they look at the news that the Whitecaps will be getting a 2nd team back (sort of), thanks to the creation of MLS Next Pro, the newest MLS U23 reserve league, giving teams like the 'Caps another option to give youngsters minutes.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a big week for the club.

To start, they take a look back at their most recent match, a clash against Sporting Kansas City at BC Place this past weekend, in which they grabbed their first win of the 2022 MLS season in a 1-0 result over their visitors.

And seeing that, they see what stood out from that game for the 'Caps, good and bad, as they put up their most dominant performance of the season so far.

Then, they take a look at the 'Caps current wing back and centre back situation, breaking down some interesting comments from head coach, Vanni Sartini, from this week.

After, they shift their attention to the future, as they preview the 'Caps next game, a Cascadia Cup clash at BC Place this weekend against the Portland Timbers.

Can the 'Caps make it two wins in a row in this one? They see how they're feeling on that subject ahead of Saturday.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

The Third Sub can be found on Spotify, Google Play, Apple Podcasts and Anchor. It can also now be found on Breaker, Overcast, Pocket Casts and Radio Public, so if you have any of those platforms installed, you can now find it on them.

(We are no longer uploading to Soundcloud, but you can still find the first two episodes there, if interested.)

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk about some Canadian Premier League, Vancouver Whitecaps/MLS, and global football!

To start things off, they take a look back at the week that was in the CPL, as they kicked off their 'Island Games' this past weekend.

They review some of the opening matches, as they take a look at what stood out, both positively and negatively, from a relatively successful opening weekend.

To round off the CPL talk, they also look at how they're feeling about their predictions from Episode 34, before picking a modified team of the week from matchday 1.

After that, the talk shifts to the Vancouver Whitecaps, who resume MLS action this week with a doubleheader against Toronto FC.

Ahead of the first match, which comes Tuesday, they look at how they're feeling about both the 'Caps and TFC, who will have a lot to prove, for different reasons, in these matches, especially after their performances at MLS is Back.

Alex and Sam then talk about the transfer of In Beom Hwang to Rubin Kazan, and how that affects the 'Caps, before rounding off the Vancouver section with some lineup predictions, in which they share their projected XI's for the Whitecaps in this Tuesday clash.

Once done that, they finish off the episode with some 'Around the World', in which they talk about what caught their eye from an international footballing perspective this weekend, including some UEFA Champions League magic from Alphonso Davies and Bayern Munich, K-League action and a strong debut from Jonathan David at Lille ahead of their Ligue 1 season.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by a very special guest, Mike Ayyash. For those who don't know Ayyash, he's the recently named Whitecaps FC BMO Eastern Canada Head Coach for their newly minted Atlantic Canada Development Centre. Previously, he worked in a similar role at the Whitecaps Academy in London, Ontario, and has experience with various provincial organizations and Canada Soccer under his belt.

First, they talk about the creation of this development centre, and what awaits Ayyash in his new role. They also touch on the structure of the centre, and how the 'Caps will look to maximize the wealth of talent that continues to grow in the Atlantic provinces.

After, they touch on Ayyash's career up to this date, which has included playing for Dalhousie University, where they were the first-ever Nova Scotia university to win a Men's Soccer National Title, as well as his coaching career, which includes an 8-year stint as technical director of Bedford Soccer association. He also has a Bachelor of Journalism from University of Kings College, and they touch on the work he did in the media world before becoming a coach.

Next, they take a look at what the 'Caps long-term plans for this academy are, and how he's working with newly-hired 'Director of Methodology', Vanni Startini, to ensure the pathway to the first team becomes more accessible than ever.

Lastly, they look at how the presence of the Canadian Premier League's Halifax Wanderers can also help youth development in the Atlantic provinces, and how their presence will allow for a mutual relationship, not a prohibitive one.

You can keep track of Ayyash's coaching work through the Whitecaps academy social pages, and through some yet-to-be-announced social media initiatives by the Whitecaps, who are planning to beef up their coverage of their Academy sides.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Canadian Premier League ahead of the start of their 2021 season.

To start, they dive into some bits and bobs surrounding the league, including the format, before diving into some of the comments of CPL commissioner David Clanachan ahead of the start of the campaign.

Then, they do a look at all of the teams in the league, breaking down their rosters, before picking a new player to watch, and an underrated player to keep an eye on.

Lastly, they finish with some predictions, as they predict the league table, award winners and eventual champion.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Canada Soccer's Men's National Team and Vancouver Whitecaps ahead of a big weekend for both sides.

To start, they dive into the CanMNT chat, as they look at what to expect from Canada in their upcoming October window, where they'll take on Mexico, Jamaica and Panama in some crucial qualifiers.

From the squad called up, to what they expect from those games, along with a look at some potential lineups, they look at everything at stake for Canada here, as they continue their quest to qualify for their first World Cup since 1986.

Then, they shift over to the Whitecaps, who continue to remain one of the hottest teams in MLS as of late.

First, they chat about the 'Caps most recent game, a big win over the San Jose Earthquakes, a game in which Brian White announced himself to the rest of MLS with a big hat trick. After, they then look ahead to what's next for the 'Caps, a big away trip to Seattle to play their rivals, the Sounders, and what the 'Caps will need to keep doing ahead of that match.

Lastly, they try their best to predict that Seattle match for the 'Caps, sharing what they think might happen in that one.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps as they continue their strong start to the 2025 season. 

To begin, they dive into the big result for the Whitecaps from the past week - their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 triumph (3-3 on aggregate, advancing on away goals) against Liga MX giants CF Monterrey, setting up a quarter-final date against Pumas UNAM. 

Arguably one of the biggest successes of the Whitecaps MLS era, eliminating Monterrey was no fluke for these Whitecaps, either, as they continue to quickly find their feet under their new manager, playing some excellent soccer in the second leg on the road. 

Along with a hot start in MLS play, as they defeated CF Montréal this past weekend to improve to 3W-0D-0L to start an MLS season for the first time, everything's clicking nicely right now for the Whitecaps, who are doing this despite dealing with a congested schedule and key injuries. 

Now, they'll look to ride the high from their Monterrey result back into MLS play, as a tough away game against a resurgent FC Dallas side awaits this upcoming weekend. They dive into what to expect from that one, as the Whitecaps look to make more history once again with another positive result. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, who kicked off their offseason in a big way this week. 

To begin, they dive into the big news out of Whitecaps-land this week - the end of the Vanni Sartini era as Whitecaps head coach, as he was let go this week. 

First, they reminisce on some of Sartini's best memories with the Whitecaps, before diving into the key details of this move, including the timing of the move, and what his potential replacement might look like. 

Then, they look at the other Whitecaps news from this week, as the club released their post-season roster decisions, in which they made some big calls regarding who they'll be bringing back for 2025, and who looks to be on the way out. 

Quietly, that's opened the door for some big moves this offseason, and they dive into what those moves could look like, giving an early glimpse at what the Whitecaps winter could look like. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

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Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and CanMNT after a big few weeks for each of them.

First, they start with the Whitecaps, as they dive into a new acquisition, that of Sebastian Berhalter via trade from the Columbus Crew, before looking at a potential new signing, that of Andre Rawls, the goalkeeper currently on trial with the 'Caps.

Then, they look at a departure (of sorts), as it looks like Kwame Awuah won't be signing with the 'Caps despite a solid showing on trial.

Afterwards, they look at the 'Caps preseason games so far, and why it's been ridiculous that both games haven't been streamed, which is the sign of a bigger problem from MLS.

Lastly, to round off the 'Caps chatter, they look at the news that former academy coach, Bob Birarda, has pled guilty to several counts of sexual crimes that occurred over his time at the club, seeing what impact that will have on the 'Caps, who remain under investigation by MLS.

In the second part of the show, they then dive into some CanMNT chatter, looking back at a January window to remember for the team, one that has them one foot into the World Cup.

They start by looking at some of the individuals who made that happen, including Sam Adekugbe, Atiba Hutchinson and Alistair Johnston, among others, before looking at some other storylines that stood out from the camp.

Lastly, they finish with a fun question - what could this Canadian team's ceiling be in Qatar?

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a busy and important week for the club.

First, they dive into the big news of the week - the 'Caps are going to a final, as they defeated York United 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 2022 Canadian Championship, officially allowing them to book a ticket to the final of that competition for the first time since 2018.

To start, they look at what stood out from that win from York, including a return to form for Brian White, an interesting back 3, some questions in the midfield and some intriguing squad rotation.

Then, they take a look forward to the biggest news of them all from that game - the fact that the 'Caps will now be in a final, as they see what that'll mean for the club and the city, who many are hoping shows up big for this game.

Afterwards, they continue the episode with a look at the 'Caps next game, a home clash against the New England Revolution, seeing what they expect from the current Supporter's Shield holders this weekend.

Despite some key departures, the Revolution have no shortage of star talent to draw from, which should make for a fun matchup in their first meeting since 2019.

Lastly, they decide to get bold and predict a 'Caps lineup and score for this game, throwing their names on the line in the process.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

In this episode of the Third Sub, Alex and Sam are back, this time to discuss German Soccer! With the Bundesliga's return, they dive into the first weekend back, and their impressions on how things went. They then shift talk over to Korea, where the KLeague's return is continuing, and take a look at how Doneil Henry fared this week. In the 2nd part of the show, they then shift talk over to North America, and discuss the potential of both the MLS and the CPL returning, albeit with a 'hub city' solution, before rounding things off with some MLS kit discussion and their answers to some hypothetical questions.

Welcome back to the latest episode of the Third Sub!

In this 23rd episode, Alex and Sam are back, this time joined by a full complement of guests, who join the show to help them preview the Vancouver Whitecaps 3 opponents throughout Group B at MLS is Back.

To kick things off, they're joined by Alicia Rodriguez of SB Nation in California, who covers all California teams for SB Nation, including the San Jose Earthquakes with 'Center Line Soccer'.

She takes the time to chat all things Earthquakes, including a look at the impact Matias Almeyda has had, the 'Quakes most important players, how they match up against the 'Caps, and the 'Third Wheel' rivalry both teams have developed.

Next up, Alex and Sam are joined by Jeremiah Oshan of Sounder at Heart in Seattle, who covers all things Seattle soccer, with a primary focus on the Sounders.

He takes the time to chat the Sounders vs Whitecaps rivalry, the Sounders struggles at MLS is Back so far, the important players on the Sounders, their squad's fitness conundrum, some scheduling woes, and the youth movement down in Seattle.

Lastly, Alex and Sam are joined by Mike and Nick of Sons of a Pitch podcast, who run an MLS-based podcast out of the Chicago area.

In that part, they take the time to chat the Fire's rebrand, the outlook for this rebuilding roster, their early-season defensive struggles, some returning and new players to watch, their thoughts on the new management, and how the move to Soldier Field can help out this club long-term.

Alicia can be found on twitter @soccermusings, and she can be found in writing at Center Line Soccer, Angels on Parade and LAG Confidential, the three Californian SB Nation sites.

Jeremiah can be found on twitter @JeremiahOshan, as well as in writing over at Sounder at Heart.

Lastly, you can find Mike and Nick on twitter @SOPSoccer, as well as on their website, Sons of a Pitch, where they regularly post their podcast.

Welcome back to the latest episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 30th episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by Peter Galindo of Sportsnet, who comes on the show to talk all things Canada Men's National Team, along with a bit of CPL and MLS.

To kick things off in this 30th episode, they break down the latest news surrounding CONCACAF and their Men's World Cup qualifying format, as they finally made an announcement ahead of qualifiers in the fall.

Now, thanks to a new format, Canada has new life in qualifiers, and Peter explains why.

It won't be easy, as there are a lot of tough opponents and venues to come, but once again, they control their destiny, which is all they can ask for at this point. Along with an impending Gold Cup in 2021, it's going to be a busy few years for the CanMNT, who will have a lot to look forward to in their road to Qatar in 2022.

After that, the talk shifts to Canadians playing abroad, as Peter details some of his findings from his 'Canadians abroad' series, in which he analyzed the seasons of CanMNT-eligible players playing in Belgium and in Portgual.

Before ending off for this episode, he also talks about the play of Doneil Henry in South Korea, along with the importance that a league can have on the development for a player, as Henry has proven to be a good example of what a move abroad can do for a player.

The 30th episode concludes then, but fret not, as the 31st episode will be the 2nd part of the chat with Peter, as they will go in-depth into their dream CanMNT lineups, before looking at potential Olympic qualifiers and the play of CPL and MLS CanMNT hopefuls in recent and future games.

You can find Peter on twitter @GalindoPW, and in writing at https://www.sportsnet.ca/ and https://petergalindo.wordpress.com/.

(This show is split into 2 parts, so stay tuned for part 2, which will drop soon!)

Welcome back to the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 49th episode of the show, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by AFCCurtis, Canadian Premier League YouTuber extraordinaire, as they take the time to dive into an in-depth chat about the CPL.

To start things off, they take a look at OneSoccer's broadcast during the tournament, and their thoughts on that, before taking a look ahead to what the league could like in 2021, as the CPL aims for a return to home markets for a full schedule next year.

After that, the chat shifts to the main subject of the day, the Island Games, as they go around the horn to hear Curtis's opinion on each of the potential award winners, before then taking the time to take a look at each of the 8 teams and how they performed relative to expectations during this tournament.

Then, they take the time to chat about transfers, both in terms of the players arriving in the league and those leaving, as they look at how the league's agreement with 21st club has raised the profile of the CPL for internationals, before then looking at some of the players that will likely join Tristan Borges and Emilio Estevez as high-profile departures this offseason.

You can find Curtis on Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and Facebook @AFCCurtis, so make sure to check him out on your preferred channels and give him a follow there!

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps as their 2022 MLS season continues to roll along here.

To start, they begin with the most recent 'Caps game, a 2-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo from this past weekend, diving into what stood out to them from that game.

From the team's struggles in midfield, to some questions with the formation, as well as some kudos to Tristan Blackmon, Thomas Hasal and Lucas Cavallini, they break down the story of that match.

Then, they take a look forward to what lies ahead now for the 'Caps, as they get set for a stiff matchup this upcoming weekend, when they'll take on LAFC at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, a locale they've never won in.

Because of that, they set their expectations for that game, seeing what would be classified as a good result for the 'Caps.

Lastly, they finish with some big picture questions, using the fact that the international break is just around the corner to see where they feel this 'Caps team is at right now. Are they below, meeting or above expectations so far? They share their answers.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps men's and women's, the Canadian Premier League, League 1 BC and more. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps men's side, who advanced to the Round of 32 of the 2024 Leagues Cup, where they were promptly eliminated by Mexican giants Pumas UNAM. They look at what that result means for the team, and what they can learn going forward, as they now tackle a short break ahead of the resumption of their 2024 MLS season. 

Then, from there, they dive into the latest off the field for the Whitecaps, who made one signing before the end of the Canadian transfer window but might not be done yet when it comes to adding to their squad, and they look at why that is the case. 

Continuing on, they take a look at the big news out of the Whitecaps women's program, as their League 1 BC side had quite the couple of weeks, winning the League 1 BC playoffs, the League 1 Canada interprovincial championships and then their preliminary round game of the inaugural 2024-2025 Concacaf W Champions Cup. In particular, that last point is key, as that means they've now made the group stage of that tournament, in which they'll play some of the top teams in the world such as the San Diego Wave and the Portland Thorns, along with Liga MX side Club América and Panamanian side Santa Fé, over the next few months. 

Ahead of the launch of the NSL next spring, of which the Whitecaps are one of the founding members, it's a massive opportunity for them, and they dive into why. 

After that, they dive into the latest out of the two BC CPL teams, who had a bit of a strange week, as they first played each other in the latest Salish Sea Derby, won by Vancouver for a fifth straight edition, before making a trade with each other. They dive into that latest game, and then dissect the trade, seeing what it means for both sides respective playoff hopes.

Lastly, they dive into the latest out of League 1 BC after that circuit's 2024 season recently came into an end, seeing what stood out from an entertaining final weekend out at Swangard Stadium, where the Whitecaps were crowned women's playoff champions and the TSS Rovers were crowned men's playoff champions. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps. 

To begin, they chat about the big news out of Whitecaps land at the moment, which is that first-team head coach Vanni Sartini will be suspended for the first six games of the 2024 MLS season, following Sartini's actions and comments addressed towards referee Tim Ford in game #2 of the Whitecaps first round MLS Cup playoff matchup with LAFC. 

First, they look at what that suspension means for the Whitecaps, before diving into what this suspension and that of FC Cincinnati's Matt Miazga for a similar offence involving an official, and what that could mean for the future of refereeing in MLS. 

After that, they take a trip down memory lane, diving into their 2023 preseason predictions, and seeing what they got right and wrong, reflecting on how the team performed relative to their earlier expectations. 

Then, after that, they take a look at some year-end awards, as they conduct the fourth-annual Third Sub awards, giving out the usual hardware like MVP, unsung hero, Third Sub of the year and more to players on the team. 

Lastly, they finish off the episode with some bold predictions, as they take a stab at some wacky things that could potentially happen in Whitecaps land over the next 12 months. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

BONUS: In a special episode 122.5, Alexandre Gangue Ruzic and Samuel Rowan dive into the surprise news that x2 Vancouver Whitecaps MVP, Maxime Crepeau, would be traded to MLS. In that special 30-minute emergency podcast, they share their thoughts on that move.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast, presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into the big news of the week - the firing of head coach Marc Dos Santos by the Vancouver Whitecaps, a move that came shortly after the Whitecaps were eliminated by Pacific FC in the first-ever Ferryside Derby in the Canadian Championship.

Fresh off of hearing the news, Alex and Sam dive into their raw thoughts surrounding the move, from the optics, the timing of it, discussing if it's the right one or not, and what this means going forward.

They also look at who they think orchestrated the move, see if it's one that's been in the works for a while now, before finishing by looking at how things are set up for the new coach when they come in.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a busy weekend of MLS action.

First, they dive into the main topic of the weekend, which was the 'Caps 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City from Sunday, a game in which they played probably their worst soccer of 2021.

Alex and Sam look at why that ended up being the case, before pondering the 'Caps road struggles, and then looking at how switching to a 4-3-3 could help them avoid performances like that in the future.

Afterwards, they then look at some of the individual performances that stood out, both good and bad, sharing their thoughts on the players that took the field on Sunday.

Then, they finish off their SKC analysis by looking at their Third Sub of the Match, which for this week were Javain Brown, Kamron Habibullah, Erik Godoy and Theo Bair, before quickly diving into their stocks in 'Buying and Selling'.

Lastly, they quickly talk about some Canadian Soccer news from the weekend, as a few names continued to impress abroad, while a familiar face got an opportunity close to home.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In episode 51, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk all things Vancouver Whitecaps in a unique episode.

It's award season in the Third Sub world, as the guys dive into some midseason awards to hand out to members of this Whitecaps side, with the 2020 MLS season somehow having recently passed its halfway point, even though it hasn't felt like it.

They give their midseason picks for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Unsung Hero, Defender of the Year, Departure of the Year, Third Sub of the Year, Goal of the Year and Game of the Year.

From some surprising faces, to some expected winners, there's a lot of silverware thrown around in this episode, including one special double-winner (and it's not who you think!)

After that, they take some time to quickly preview the 'Caps next game, which comes against the Seattle Sounders this upcoming Saturday, as the 'Caps arguably get their stiffest test since the beginning of MLS's return-to-play plan in August.

With that in mind, Alex and Sam share what they want to see from the 'Caps in that game, before looking at some possible lineups and score predictions.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and CPL after a busy week on both fronts. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps, who have had a busy week off the pitch despite being on an international break. 

Firstly, there was the big news: they aren't done wheeling and dealing even if MLS's secondary transfer window closed in August. As a result, Sergio Cordóva has been sold to Turkey, while CanMNT attacker Junior Hoilett has been brought in as a free agent, in a pair of big moves from the Whitecaps. 

Two different moves that help the club both in the present and future, with the latter especially proving to be true in Cordóva's case, they look at what these moves mean both for now, the rest of the season and the future of Vancouver. 

Finally, they take a look at what's next for those 'Caps, who get set to travel to Toronto to face Toronto FC this upcoming weekend for a big clash in their ongoing quest to finish top four in MLS's Western Conference. 

From there, they also finish up with some Canadian Premier League chatter, as Vancouver FC kept their playoff hopes alive in dramatic fashion this past weekend, while Pacific faced a small roadblock in their race to the regular season title, marking a busy matchday for both BC-based CPL outfits. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS as the 2024 MLS season rolls on.

To begin, they take a look back at the Whitecaps latest match, a 2-1 home loss to RSL this past weekend, in which the 'Caps fell 2-1 for a third straight game against RSL.

And, much like their previous two RSL losses, which both came in 2023, the Whitecaps also opened the scoring in the first half, before collapsing with two second-half goals, which will certainly give some fans deja vu.

Yet, that can be pinned on several factors, which they dive into, including some rare mistakes from what has been an otherwise excellent defensive group in 2024, some continued struggles up front and a key injury to Brian White that ended up hurting them at a crucial time.

From there, they take a look ahead to what awaits the 'Caps this week, as they get set for a Cascadia Cup matchup against the Portland Timbers, continuing a four-game homestand at BC Place.

A resurgent Timbers side, one led by new head coach Phil Neville and a bunch of new signings, including a trio of Canadians in Kamal Miller, Maxime Crépeau and James Pantemis, this promises to be a good matchup, as battles between these two rivals always are.

Two teams who believe they can compete near the top of the Western Conference by the end of the year, it's a good measuring stick game, especially after inconsistent starts from both teams.

Lastly, Alex and Sam take a look around MLS in "Around MLS in 5", seeing what stood out from a strange international break matchweek, before previewing what awaits teams this upcoming weekend.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports.

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps as they returned from a lengthy international break.

First, they dive into the main subject of the episode, the 'Caps latest game, a 3-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. From a slow start, to a late collapse, they looked at what went wrong for the 'Caps on Friday.

Then, they look at the new formation that was tried out against RSL, a 4-3-3, sharing their thoughts on how that went. They then get into an interesting discussion about the 'Caps not being put in a position to succeed no matter what formation they play, looking at why that is the case.

Lastly, they dive into this week's Third Sub of the Match, which was Derek Cornelius, as well as their stocks in the latest edition of 'Buying and Selling'.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to season 2 of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this first episode of season 2, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps! To do that, they're joined by the newest member of the Third Sub, Peter Hicken of AFTN, as they dive deep into the team ahead of the new season.

First, they look at the 'Caps roster, breaking down its strengths and weaknesses, as well as where players rank in the depth chart. While they're still thin in a few areas, it's an improved unit compared to 2020, and the 'Caps will hope that allows them to take a step forward in 2021.

Next, they look at how the Whitecaps being forced to play out of Utah for the first 3 or so months of the season will affect them, and seeing if there could even be an advantage to that decision that might pay off down the road.

Then, they do some way too early award predictions, ranging from top scorer, MVP, Third Sub of the Year and more.

Lastly, they look at the Western Conference as a whole, before making some predictions about how they think the playoff picture will look at the end of the season.

You can find Peter on Twitter @peterhickens, and stay tuned to hear more of him on the Third Sub, as he's joining the team to do weekly segments on MLS.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps as they continue to navigate a busy stretch of action. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of the Whitecaps, who got past Pumas UNAM on away goals in the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Champions Cup this week, setting up a date with Inter Miami in the semi-finals later this month. 

A historic result for the club, who found it despite missing several key regulars, it has set up what is sure to be a memorable matchup with Miami, for a multitude of reasons. 

Meanwhile, they'll turn their focus back to MLS, where they've done pretty well for themselves - they sit first in MLS after a win vs. the Colorado Rapids this past weekend, one where they confidently defeated the Rapids 2-0 at BC Place. 

Now, they'll look to further fortify their place atop the league standings this weekend, where they'll host Austin FC at BC Place, in what will be a fascinating clash of styles. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS. 

To begin, they dive into the latest Whitecaps match, a clash with their Cascadian rivals, the Portland Timbers, who they welcomed to BC Place this past weekend. 

There, the Whitecaps went through quite the emotional rollercoaster, as they won 3-2 after blowing a 2-0 lead, allowing them to climb to second in the Western Conference. 

They look at what to take away from that Whitecaps performance, one where they showed a lot of good things on both sides of the ball, but were let down by their execution, especially defensively, which allowed the Timbers to grow into the game. 

Despite that, the 'Caps did enough to win on the day thanks to their strong start and finish, as they continued to show their maturity as a side through the early days of this 2024 MLS season. 

After that, they took a look at the 'Caps next game, a clash with Canadian rivals Toronto FC, who they'll face at BC Place this weekend. 

A clash of two teams that have started quite well, they dive into what to expect from this upstart TFC side, who is clicking nicely under new manager John Herdman, before seeing how the 'Caps might match up to that, setting the table for what should be a pretty cagey matchup. 

Lastly, they take a look around MLS in "Around MLS in 5", seeing what happened around the league amid another chaotic weekend of action. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps in the midst of a big week for the 'Caps.

First, they dive into the game that was over the weekend, one in which the Whitecaps cruised to a 2-0 win over their Canadian rivals, CF Montreal, despite a mixed performance.

They break down that performance, and share their thoughts on what that means going forward, win or not, as the 'Caps showed both plenty of good and bad in their win over Montreal.

After, they update their stocks in 'Buying and Selling' and look at this week's 'Third Sub of the Match', which for this match, was Derek Cornelius.

Lastly, they preview the 'Caps next match, a clash with Minnesota United on Wednesday, as Vancouver will have to deal with the unique nature of a midweek matchup.

Against a Loons side struggling after having lost all 4 of their games to date, the only team in MLS to do so, it's a fascinating matchup, one that the 'Caps will actually arguably enter as favourites for the first time this year.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps in an express version of the show. 

To begin, they look at the Whitecaps latest game, a Cascadia Cup clash with the Portland Timbers, where they picked up a massive road 3-2 road win. 

Led by big two goal and one assist effort from Ryan Gauld, and supported by some key pieces around him, they look at what went right for Vancouver in this one, as they kicked off their seven-game road trip on a high note. 

Then, they take a look at what they can also learn from this game, especially defensively, where they continue to struggle on the road. Because of that, Alex and Sam explore some alternate solutions, including a potential personnel tweak that could be worth exploring. 

Lastly, they take a look ahead to the Whitecaps next game, a midweek clash away to the Chicago Fire, looking at what to expect from that one. 

A middling side, this Fire team will be no pushover, but represents a very winnable challenge for this Vancouver team as they continue to try and push up the table. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 52nd episode of the show, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk all things Vancouver Whitecaps after they suffered yet another tough defeat this past weekend, this time at the hands of the Seattle Sounders.

They look at what went wrong in that Seattle game, which was essentially a tale of two halves, in which the 'Caps started strong, but fell apart in the second half.

After that, they look at the dubious officiating, which was unusually inconsistent, for both teams, before looking at what happened during the 'Caps second-half collapse, as individual mistakes plagued them once again.

Then, they look at the quality of Seattle's midfield, and what playing against it taught the 'Caps, before looking at the age-old question, how can the 'Caps keep more of the ball and avoid having to defend so much? Is it tactical? Personel related? A little bit of both?

Lastly, they look at their Third Sub of the Match, which for this one was Theo Bair and Patrick Metcalfe, giving one word for each of their performances, before wrapping up with a look ahead to the next 'Caps matchup, which comes on Wednesday against the San Jose Earthquakes.

To finish off, they also give their predications for the 'Quakes game, with Alex feeling especially confident after predicting the correct result and scoreline for the Sounders clash.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps ahead of the start of their 2023 MLS season.

To begin, they dive into an in-depth preview of the team, looking at their new acquisitions, before looking at the team's important floor and ceiling raisers that the team will be relying on in 2023.

Then, after that, they take a look at what a best-case and worst-case scenario looks like for the team, should everything go (or not go) to plan.

Lastly, they round off their preview section with rapid-fire predictions, sharing their thoughts on how they think things will go for Vancouver, using highly (not at all) scientific methods to help them do that.

After, they take a look at the latest news out of 'Caps land, which is that the team has a new kit and sponsor, with the "Bloodlines" kit now in the arsenal, in which the team's new premier partner, Telus, is highly prominent.

From there, they round off the show with a preview of the 'Caps opening match of the 2023 MLS season, which is a home clash against Real Salt Lake, who they welcome to BC Place on Saturday, February 25th to kick off their 13th MLS season.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk about some loaded subjects in both the North American and European soccer scene.

First, they take a look at MLS's return to play strategy, which only materialized after intense negotiations, during which the MLSPA and MLS's owners butted heads on a myriad of issues. Despite strong resistance from the owners, the MLSPA stood strong, and eventually got most of the concessions that they wanted on a new CBA, paving the way for a return next month in Orlando.

After that, talks shift up towards Canada, where the CPL is preparing a similar return plan to that of MLS, but they find themselves a few steps behind their fellow North American league, as the PFACan looks to ensure that its players are taken care of ahead of this proposed tournament.

To round off the episode, the talk then shifts over to Europe and Asia for the weekly roundup of German and Korean football, with lots of interesting games to analyze in both circuits.

And with everything going on in the US, Canada and all around the world, as people justly stand up against systemic racism in the wake of the George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery murders, Alex and Sam also both share their thoughts on the importance of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, while tipping their cap to those in the Bundesliga this weekend who did just that.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and Pacific FC. 

To begin with, they dive into the latest from the Whitecaps, who advanced through MLS's Western Conference Wild Card match in style by beating the Portland Timbers 5-0 on Wednesday.  

Arguably one of their best performances of their MLS era, they dive into what stood out from that win, as the Whitecaps seemed to hit all of the right notes in that game, both tactically and individually.

Now, however, the Whitecaps won't have much time to think about that win, as they're now getting set to take on LAFC in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, in a rematch of the 2023 playoffs. 

Can they legitimately cause problems for LAFC? Can they carry over the blueprint used vs. Portland? Will fatigue play a factor? 

They dive into all of the key questions surrounding this LAFC series, before previewing what they expect out of game #1, which goes this Sunday in Los Angeles. 

Lastly, they finish with some Canadian Premier League talk, as they look at Pacific's elimination from the CPL playoffs, which came at the hands of York United in midweek, seeing what this means for the Tridents. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to the latest episode of the Third Sub podcast!

In this special dual-episode, numbers 33 and 34, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into some Canadian Premier League talk.

Ahead of the CPL's 'Island Games', they take an in-depth look at each of the league's 8 clubs, as they analyze the players to watch, the questions to monitor and storylines to ponder, before rounding off the episode with some predictions.

In the 33rd episode, they look at Atletico Ottawa, Valour FC, FC Edmonton and Halifax Wanderers, before diving into Pacific FC, York 9 FC, Forge FC and Cavalry FC, along with their predictions, in the 34rd episode.

For those looking for a comprehensive preview before the 'Island Games' this week, these are the episodes for you, so make sure to have a listen if you're excited for that to get underway.

With this CPL tournament promising to be an exciting one, it's a good chance to learn about each of the CPL's 8 teams, who will all look to raise the 'North Star Shield' as CPL champions when the dust settles.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by Ian Knighton of RSL Soapbox, who joins them to preview the upcoming Vancouver Whitecaps clash versus Real Salt Lake.

To start things off, they take a quick look back at when these two teams last played, which was a mere 3 weeks ago, as the 'Caps picked up their last victory in a dramatic 2-1 result over RSL.

After that, talk shifts to how RSL has fared since that game, as they look to carve out their identity in the midst of a change of ownership, which Ian takes the time to talk about.

Next, the talk shifts to individual players, such as Pablo Ruiz, Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach, Albert Rusnak and Sam Johnson, as Ian shares who he thinks the most important player to the RSL team is.

Once through that, they take some time to talk about youth development, as Real have continued to be one of the best teams at playing homegrowns, and Ian shares why that is down to a couple of factors, including opportunity and having a second team playing in the USL.

Then, they talk about the upcoming game, and how they feel about it, before all giving a prediction of what's to come.

Lastly, they take the time to talk about officiating and VAR, as Ian, who is qualified official, shares his thoughts on some of the interesting officiating decisions the 'Caps have faced as late, before shifting into a chat about officiating as a whole in MLS.

You can find Ian on Twitter @SwallowedWhistl, and in writing on RSL Soapbox.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, CPL, League 1 BC and much more in a jam-packed show. 

To begin, they dive into the latest from the Whitecaps, who travelled out east to take on the New York Red Bulls in MLS action. There, they had to split the spoils in a 1-1 draw despite a solid performance, one where they could've snatched a win if not for an unfortunate error from Yohei Takaoka. 

They dive into why that was the case, and then look at the conundrum that the 'Caps have with Takaoka, who has been excellent to start the year, but continues to battle one consistent struggle - crosses. 

After that, they preview the 'Caps next match, a home clash against a surging Austin FC, in which they'll celebrate the club's 50th anniversary. A game that promises to have a strong crowd, it's a good opportunity for the 'Caps to keep climbing up the standings, something that they'll look to take advantage of in front of their fans. 

Lastly, they round off their Whitecaps chat by looking at their recently announced friendly against Wrexham, and the good and bad surrounding that match for the team, and more specifically for the club's fans - new and old. 

Continuing on, they take a look around MLS in "Around MLS in 5", diving into what stood out from another busy weekend of league action. 

From there, they dive into some CPL action, as Vancouver FC hit a wall in a 3-0 road loss to York United, while Pacific grinded out a gutsy 0-0 draw with Cavalry, as both teams dealt with their first taste of road action this CPL season. 

Finally, they round off the show by looking at the start of the League 1 BC campaign this past weekend, with Sam recapping his adventures at Burnaby FC's first-ever games, which they hosted against Harbourside, before they looked at what else stood out from around the league on opening weekend. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this one, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat some Vancouver Whitecaps, after the 'Caps did well to beat the Montreal Impact at BC Place on Wednesday.

To start things off, they look at went right for Vancouver, including a switch to the 4-2-3-1, improved defensive play and some clinical Fredy Montero finishing, all part of a pretty complete effort from the 'Caps.

After that, they dive into some of the individual performances that stood out, including the play of Janio Bikel, Russell Teibert, David Milinkovic, Cristian Dajome, Cristian Gutierrez, Jake NerwinskI, Derek Cornelius and Thomas Hasal, before looking at the good problem that the 'Caps have in terms of their much-improved depth situation from last year.

Ending chatter of the Montreal game, they then look at their 'Third Sub of the Game', which in this one was Ali Adnan, giving one word on his performance, before looking at what his short and long-term future could look like for the 'Caps.

Lastly, they look ahead to this weekend's matchup with Real Salt Lake, as they look at what to expect from RSL, who's form has been up and down as of late, before throwing themselves on the line by giving a prediction.

Welcome back to the latest episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this one, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk all things Vancouver Whitecaps, fresh off of a tough 'Caps loss to Toronto FC to kick off MLS's Phase 1 return.

They look at what went wrong for Vancouver in this one, as they were outmatched in all parts of the game by their Eastern Rivals, and propose some fixes for the 'Caps next game, which coincidentally comes in a few days against Toronto once again at BMO Field.

Do the Whitecaps have the pieces to change things up? Is a formation switch on the cards? Who should possibly start on Friday?

Alex and Sam take the time to answer all of those questions, and many more, as they look at what befell the 'Caps on Tuesday.

After that, they take the time to talk about tactics, break down the play of some individual players, before finishing off with a look at their 'Third Sub of the Game', which in this one was Ryan Raposo.

Can the Whitecaps find the tactical changes to disrupt the Toronto FC machine? They look at what Marc Dos Santos could possibly try in order to do just that.

Stay tuned for Episode 37, as well, which should come out before the TFC rematch, as Alex and Sam will look to get someone with Toronto expertise on to chat about the return leg from the Eastern persepctive.

Back with their 3rd episode, Sam and Alex look back at Vancouver's last week of preseason, before looking ahead to their first game of the MLS season. They also round things off with a look at some CPL and Canadian Soccer news.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into a confusing stretch of games for the Vancouver Whitecaps, who continue to progress through their 2022 MLS campaign.

First, they dive into the 'Caps most recent games, a 2-1 win over RSL and a 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, where, as has been typical as of late for Vancouver, they continued to be dominant at home, and struggle on the road.

Seeing that, they explore some theories for why that is the case, before diving into some of the individual performances that stood out to them in those games - both good and bad.

After, they look ahead to the next two-game 'Caps stretch, a pair of games against FC Dallas and York United, with the latter coming as part of the semi-finals of the Canadian Championship, making it arguably the 'Caps most important game of the season up to this point.

Continuing on, they shift their attention to the CanMNT, and their chaotic June window in Vancouver, one that ended up being quite the memorable one, for a lot of the wrong reasons.

Lastly, they dive into the good news out of Canadian Soccer circles this week, as it was revealed that Vancouver and Toronto would be hosting games at the 2026 Men's World Cup, a bit of news that has many happy - and for good reason.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by a very special guest, Vancouver Whitecaps Director of Methodology and former assistant coach, Vanni Sartini. During this chat, they take the time to chat about all things Whitecaps youth development, as well as Sartini's career path, as he took quite an interesting path from Italy to Canada, via a career stopover in the US.

First, they dive into Sartini's career path up to this point, as he talks about his experience coaching in Italy and working in the US, sharing how he met Marc Dos Santos when the pair of them were working in the States. He also chats about what it was like to work under Dos Santos as an assistant coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps, a role that Sartini held from 2019 to 2020.

After, they look at Sartini's new job, Director of Methodology, and what sort of work that job encompasses, as he's tasked to oversee all things youth development at the Whitecaps.

He then looks at MLS's plans for a U23 League, a model that is hoped to emulate Englands Premier League2, sharing how he thinks that should benefit players in that age group, especially for the 'Caps.

Lastly, he chats about some other bits and bobs concerning the Whitecaps academy, including his plans for the younger age groups, as well as his plan for transitioning players from the younger age groups all the way up to the first team.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Canadian and Vancouver soccer.

To begin, they start on the Canadian side of the ledger, as they dive into the big news from the last month, that being the participation of the CanMNT at the 2022 men's FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Things didn't end up going as planned there for Canada, unfortunately, but there was still a lot to dive into from that, especially when you look forward to what is still on the horizon for this young team.

After, they dive into some big women's soccer news, that being the impending launch of a professional women's soccer league in Canada starting in 2025, thanks to the work of Diana Matheson's Project 8 Sports. They look at what this league could mean for the state of the sport in Canada, and what will need to happen for it to work, allowing for a successful launch in two years time.

Then, continuing on, they then shift their attention to the recent Whitecaps news. From a new arrival, to a couple of key departures, along with some interesting rumours, they dive into the latest transfer news about the 'Caps, as they begin to shape their 2023 squad.

Lastly, they look at the other Vancouver team that will be playing in 2023 - the CPL's Vancouver FC, who made their first signing in club history this week, something that they take the time to dive into, seeing what it means for the new club.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps. 

To begin, they look at the latest out of the Whitecaps, whose journey through the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs came to an end last weekend. 

After doing well to force a third and decisive elimination game in their first-round series vs. LAFC, they were unable to extend their playoff run down in LA, as they fell 1-0 at BMO Stadium.

Despite another strong showing, they were unable to convert on some early chances and got punished for a sloppy mistake in the middle of the park, much like was the case in game #1 in LA. 

Now, the focus shifts to the offseason for the Whitecaps, who have some big decisions to make in terms of their roster and coaching staff.

Alex and Sam dive into those decisions, taking a look at what they feel might happen over the next few months, as the Whitecaps gear up for a massive 2025 season, one that's arguably the peak for this core as currently assembled, and they share why that's the case. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps (and a bit of CPL), after the Whitecaps won the Canadian Championship for a second straight year and third time total this past week. 

With that in mind, they began this show by diving right into that game, and what stood out from a Whitecaps perspective. 

To begin, they look at some of the individual performances, as everyone shone, from the main pieces such as Ryan Gauld, Julian Gressel and Yohei Takaoka, to the likes of Javain Brown and Ranko Veselinovic, and the always underrated Andrés Cubas, all playing big roles in the Whitecaps victory. 

Then, they take a look at how Vanni Sartini coached in this game, as he further cemented himself in Whitecaps lore with not only his decisions on the touchline, but those off it, such as his quotes and celebrations. 

After, they take a look at some roster decisions this tournament could lead to, such as the signing of Whitecaps 2 forward Levonte Johnson to a permanent MLS first-team deal following a strong performance in the final, among others. 

Continuing that theme, they then speculate on what the Whitecaps also qualifying for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup (former league) could mean for the rest of the season, and more specifically the Leagues Cup that is coming up this summer. 

Lastly, they then take a look at some CPL action, as they revisit the dramatic all-BC CPL derby between Vancouver FC and Pacific FC that finished 6-3 for the Tridents last week, in a game to remember for many reasons. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Canadian Women's National Team, Canada Soccer and Vancouver Whitecaps.

To do that, they're joined by a special guest, Harjeet Johal of the Equalizer, Daily Hive and ProSoccerUSA, who returns to the show to help break down Canada's performance at She Believes Cup, the Whitecaps offseason and some other important news.

First, they dive into the CanWNT talk, as Johal shares her thoughts on Canada's performance at She Believes Cup, which gave us a first look at Bev Priestman as the Canadian head coach. Despite a lengthy absences list, Canada battled hard in their 3 games, leaving an overall positive impression of Priestman's work.

After, they chat about reasonable expectations for Canada at this summer's Olympics, in which they're looking to earn a medal for the third consecutive tournament. They also finish off with some roster talk, including an interesting debate about the formation that Canada should consider using going forward.

Once through that, they take a quick look at the Voyageurs Cup drama that has dominated the conversation in Canadian Soccer circles this past week, as Canada Soccer announced that the final of the 2020 tournament would be postponed once again, while also automatically gifting Toronto FC a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League after holding discussions with Forge. After missing a chance to play this final back in the fall, this outcome always felt like it was a looming possibility, so they look at how things got to this point.

Lastly, they dive into some 'Caps talk, as Johal shares her outlook on the team's work this offseason, including their work in the transfer window, in which they've made a few good moves, but have a still few important holes still to fill, such as a DP #10. They also break down the hire of Ricardo Clark as an assistant coach, news that broke while they were recording, as they give kudos to the 'Caps for the hire, which filled an area of need in their coaching staff.

You can find Johal on Twitter @HarJournalist, and her work at Equalizer Soccer, Daily Hive and ProSoccerUSA.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk all things Vancouver Whitecaps, after the 'Caps suffered another tough loss this past Friday against Toronto FC.

For the second time in 3 days, the 'Caps were unable to muster up much offensively against Toronto, and they look at why that comes down to tactics and offensive work rate, both of which being things that this 'Caps team are seeming to lack at the moment.

From a lack of movement in the final third, to a dearth of line-breaking passes, Alex explains why he believes that the 'Caps need to restructure their play offensively, at least bringing it back to where they were in the preseason.

After that, they talk shifts to some individual performances, as they look at who stood out on Friday, including the play of some promising young Canadians.

To round off the episode, the talk shifts to the 'Third Sub of the Game', which for this effort, goes to David Milinkovic and Theo Bair, the 3rd and 4th subs of Friday's game, respectively.

Stay tuned for the 38th episode, dropping tomorrow, which will look at the week that was in the CPL, as well as Alphonso Davies winning the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS.

First, they talk about something they haven't been able to talk about yet this offseason - a new Whitecaps signing. With the 'Caps signing young Colombian winger Deiber Caicedo, they look at what that transfer means for the 'Caps, and why despite his high price tag of around $2.5 million dollars, it's important that expectations are tempered for the first few games of his MLS career.

After that, they look at the 'Caps ongoing search for a #10, and the updates they've heard in that regard, including the revelation that they have 3 main targets in that hunt for a creative midfielder. With two of the three names already out there in some reports - Benfica's Chiquinho and Porto's Otavio, Alex and Sam dive into the supposed interest in those two players, as well as speculate about the profile of the third, still unnamed target.

Once through that, they look at the ongoing MLS's CBA negotiations, and how those are going, as the league and the MLSPA continue their 3rd set of labour negations in 12 months. Once again, things have been far from ideal in terms of how these have played out, either, as MLS has used a few negotiating tactics that have not sat well with players, including a few forceful statements and a premature release of the 2021 schedule.

To round off the 'Caps news, they then look at the revelation by Sporting Director Axel Schuster that the 'Caps will hold their 2021 preseason exlusively in Canada, before finishing off with some speculation about what the next Whitecaps home kit will be.

And to finish off the show, they talk about the CF Montreal rebrand for the first time, breaking down what they like about it, as well as what they really don't like about it, leading to some interesting debate about the merits of such a rebrand.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to talk about the Vancouver Whitecaps and some other interesting news from the other Canadian MLS teams.

First, they dive into the latest news that came from the Whitecaps on Monday, as they announced that 7 players re-signed through 2021, while 2 others remain in negotiations, with 2 others officially being released from the team.

They break down each of the players implicated by this news, both in terms of who's returning, who's not, and who still might come back, sharing their thoughts on the decisions that the 'Caps eventually came to, and what it may mean in the long-term.

After that, they dive into some other Canadian MLS news, including the shocking departure of Greg Vanney from Toronto FC and what that means for them, as well as the rumours of a potential rebrand in Montreal, who are considering moving away from the 'Impact' moniker.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Women's National Team action. 

First, they dive into the Whitecaps talk, as they look back on a huge 'Caps win over the Portland Timbers to open the season, seeing what stood out from a tactical and individual perspective. 

After that, they take a look at their 'Third Sub of the Game' from the match, before introducing a new weekly segment, 'Buying and Selling', where they place their faith in some Whitecaps-related stock heading into week 2 of MLS action. 

Then, they recap a strong week of action for the Canadian Women's National Team in the UK, where they beat Wales and England in a pair of friendlies, looking at who and what stood out in those games. 

Lastly, they finished off the show with some MLS Fantasy and European Super League chatter. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

Alex and Sam are back with their latest episode of the Third Sub! In this one, they break down the latest news surrounding COVID-19 and football, take a look at what the Whitecaps are up to during this break, and then take a blast back to the past, where they break down their choices for their Whitecaps Mount Rushmore. Stay tuned for the end, where they also pick their 'Third Sub' Mount Rushmore, littered with legends of Whitecaps MLS past. 

Welcome back to the latest episode of the Third Sub!

In their 28th episode of the Third Sub, Alex and Sam are back, this time to chat some more Vancouver Whitecaps, after the 'Caps concluded their MLS is Back tournament this past weekend, in what was a heartbreaking loss to Sporting Kansas City.

To kick off the show, they look at what happened in that loss, both good and bad, as the 'Caps did well to push SKC to penalty kicks, where they eventually succumbed.

From the play of their youngsters, to their defensive resilience, and much more, there was a lot of good to highlight, as Vancouver continued to bounce back nicely from a tough start to their MLS is Back tournament.

After that, they dive into some of the performances that stood out, on both sides, before sharing their thoughts on potential penalty kick strategies and lineups, a debate often brought up in the context of analytical studies on the matter.

The talk then shifts to their 'Third Sub of the Game', which given the fact that the 'Caps only made 1 substitution, was a segment that was rendered a bit moot, but they took that time to talk about why they weren't surprised given the tough circumstances under which head coach Marc Dos Santos had to operate in against SKC.

To round off the episode, they then look ahead to some of the other stuff they plan to talk about on upcoming shows, including a full post-mortem of the 'Caps performance at MLS is Back, the CPL's return and the latest CONCACAF Men's World Cup qualifying announcement.

So stay tuned for that, and thanks for coming by and listening to this latest episode of the podcast!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after a big weekend for the club.

First, they look at the big and surprising news from the weekend, as the Whitecaps actually went out and did the unthinkable - win away in commanding fashion in MLS, doing so in a 2-0 road victory over FC Dallas.

Having both witnessed that surprise performance from the 'Caps, Alex and Sam dive right into what they thought of that game, including the debut of the Andres Cubas show, some Colombian magic, an improved defensive shape and the continued progress and dominance of Lucas Cavallini.

After, they then look ahead for the 'Caps, previewing their next match, a midweek clash against the CPL's York United in the semi-finals of the Canadian Championship, seeing what they expect from that one.

Can a struggling York take down a red-hot Whitecaps side? Knowing the magic of the cup, it's something you don't want to rule out quite yet.

Lastly, they dive into a bit of CPL chatter, as they look at Sam's recent visit to a Halifax Wanderers game, diving into his experience at Wanderers Ground, and what teams around Canada could stand to learn from that venue and the club as a whole.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS in a jam-packed 88th episode.

First, Alex and Sam are joined by Mitchell Tierney of Waking the Red and Darby Magazine to break down the 'Caps upcoming matchup, a clash with their Canadian rivals, Toronto FC. To start, Tierney shares how he feels TFC's start to the year has gone, before looking at who to watch out for from this game, and the expectations for TFC against Vancouver knowing that some big Champions League games are awaiting them just around the corner.

After, Alex and Sam look at what's new with the Whitecaps this week, diving into some updates surrounding the team and its players, before then diving into some interesting comments from Marc Dos Santos, Cristian Gutierrez and Andy Rose from media availabilities this week. Then, they dive into some predictions for the Toronto match, first looking back at their predictions from last week and seeing how they did on that front, before then throwing out a few new predictions of their own for the Toronto game.

Lastly, Third Sub contributor Peter Hicken then joins Alex for a first edition of 'Peter's Ponderings', a new weekly segment where Peter joins the show to chat about stuff that he's been finding interesting in the North American soccer scene.

This week's topic? A look at a potential Major League Soccer and Liga MX merger, and how a Super League between both leagues could look, which in light of what happened in Europe this week, is a very relevant topic. They then also dive into some interesting storylines from around MLS this weekend.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram @thethirdsub.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, as they continued to roll through their 2023 preseason.

First, they dive into their latest preseason match, a 2-1 loss to Austrian side Wolfberger AC, the second game of two for the 'Caps during their trip to Marbella. From a Cristian Dajome goal, to another strong Ali Ahmed performance, they share what stood out to them from what limited viewing they were able to get of the match.

Afterwards, they dive into the latest news roster wise for the 'Caps, including updates on Daniel Krutzen, Salif Sané, Yohei Takaoka and Tai Baribo, seeing what to expect from the team transfer-wise in the coming weeks. Also, they take a look at the latest injury news, as the 'Caps welcomed back a few wounded bodies this week, bolstering their squad a tad.

Lastly, they looked ahead to what's next for the 'Caps, who head down to Palm Springs this week, where they'll begin the second phase of their preseason with a match next week against DC United, the first of five matches that they'll play in California before they open their MLS season at home against RSL in just under four weeks time.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps, CPL, League 1 BC and more. 

To begin, they take a look at the Whitecaps, who are officially slumping after back-to-back losses to LAFC and the Colorado Rapids, which now leaves them without a win in four straight MLS games. 

Despite that, the sky isn't falling, and they explain why they feel that's the case, with some key numbers helping explain the story. 

From there, they take a look at the big Whitecaps news of the week, which was the bi-annual tradition MLS fans have gotten used to - salary release day, in which the MLSPA reveals how much each player in the league earns. An agent's favourite day and a sporting director's nightmare, they see who stands out on the Whitecaps, who have a whole host of names on interesting figures. 

Then, to round off Whitecaps chatter, they take a look at the 'Caps upcoming game, a Cascadia Cup clash against rivals Seattle Sounders in Seattle, in their second match there in a month. 

Can the Whitecaps catch lightning in a bottle and win there again after their previous struggles at Lumen Field? They see how realistic that is. 

Continuing on, they dive into some Canadian Premier League chatter, as they take a look at Vancouver FC's clash against Atlético Ottawa, and then Pacific FC's clash against Forge, as both BC teams picked up a pair of home draws against tough opposition in CPL play. 

Lastly, they take a look at the latest of League 1 BC, as that season starts to heat up in both the men's and women's division. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps along with some MLS and CPL chat. 

To begin, they dive into the latest out of Whitecaps land, as they continued a strong start to their 2024 MLS season with a 3-1 win over FC Dallas this past weekend. 

Their second straight road win, they dive into what stood out for the 'Caps in that one, as they made some key lineup tweaks and were rewarded for it after a gutsy and professional performance.  

From there, they take a look ahead at what awaits the 'Caps this week, as they get set to face Real Salt Lake at BC Place on Saturday, in a game where they can climb to the top of MLS's Western Conference table with a win. 

It won't be easy, as RSL can be a tough unit to crack, but they look at what the 'Caps will need to do if they're able to grab a third straight win. 

Then, continuing on, they take a look at what stood out from around MLS this week in "around the MLS in 5", looking at some key games from last weekend in MLS. 

Lastly, they take a look over at the Canadian Premier League, where teams are dropping fire kits left, right and centre, with both BC teams leading the charge in that regard. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps and the Concacaf Champions Cup.

To begin, they take a look back at the Whitecaps opening Champions Cup game, their leg one matchup of their round one tie against Tigres, which they played last Wednesday at Starlight Stadium in Langford. 

There, the Whitecaps showed well, too, drawing 1-1 in a game where they probably could've won, if not for some rust in the final third and some late Andre-Pierre Gignac magic, which was enough for Tigres to leave with a slight edge in the end. 

Despite that, however, the 'Caps have a chance heading into the second leg of this tie, and they dive into why that is the case, with the leg one performance being a big reason for belief. 

From the strong tactical growth that Vancouver showed to the impressive performances of individuals such as Mathías Laborda and Pedro Vite, they take a look at why this 'Caps side should remain optimistic as they head into a hostile environment. 

Speaking of, they then finished off the episode by previewing leg two of this tie, held at Tigres's Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, where a hungry Tigres is waiting after a big 3-0 road win against Santos Laguna in Liga MX action. 

Will they be tired enough for the 'Caps to catch them asleep? Or will they use that big win as a momentum-booster? 

They take a look at that, and other permutations, to get everyone set for that big Valentine's Day matchup. 

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @the3rdsub_. 

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to dive into all things Vancouver Whitecaps and MLS after a busy week of news.

First, they dive into the 'Caps, who despite not playing this past weekend, kept busy.

So seeing that, they look at the 'Caps latest item of business, the signing of Luis Martins, seeing what he'll be expected to bring to the squad, as well as what they think of the 'Caps having to bring him in at this stage of the campaign. On top of that, they look at what this move means in terms of how the 'Caps might line up going forward, especially based on recent comments from head coach, Vanni Sartini.

Having gone through that, they then take a quick look at WFC II, who continued to roll with another big victory in MLS Next Pro action this past weekend.

Afterwards, they look at the 'Caps latest marketing scheme, one that has fans across the country talking, although for not all the right reasons.

Continuing on, they look at the 'Caps next opponent, Toronto FC, seeing what to expect from their fellow Canadian rivals.

Lastly, they dive into some news around MLS, including CF Montreal's (second) rebrand, the Seattle Sounders CONCACAF Champions League triumph and the MLS's newest (controversial) sponsor.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports.

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 56th episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, taking the time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps after the 'Caps suffered a tough 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on the weekend.

They take the time to look at what happened in the game, as the 'Caps just couldn't find a way to muster up the energy they needed, causing the unfortunate result, one that keeps an already-tight Western Conference playoff picture as tight as ever.

After that, they look at how things went from an individual perspective, as some 'Caps had mixed performances, both positive and negative, from some of the Vancouver players on Sunday.

Once through that, they take the time to talk about the David Milinkovic situation, as the French forward was surprisingly left out of the squad for a 'technical decision' on Sunday, leading to some speculation about his current status.

Then, they take the time to talk about substitutions in their 'Third Sub of the Game' segment, giving one word for this game's Third Sub, Theo Bair, before delving into a rant about Marc Dos Santos's handling of his changes in this game.

Before finishing up, they then take the time to chat about the Ranko Veselinovic transfer, which was made permanent on Sunday, then shift chatter to a more league-wide perspective, as they talk about the Supporters Shield debacle that gripped MLS all weekend, taking the time to propose a couple of fixes.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat all things Vancouver Whitecaps! After a few weeks of focusing on Canadian soccer, they're back to catch up on the 'Caps news that popped up recently, ranging from transactions to talking about a game that was played.

First, they look at the big transaction that was made recently, as defender Jasser Khmiri was sent on loan to San Antonio FC in the USL, and they share their thoughts on what this move means for both Khmiri and the Whitecaps.

Next, they talk about the preseason game that the 'Caps played this week, as they took on the USL's Real Monarchs in a closed-door friendly down in Utah, a game they won 3-0. They look at what sort of takeaways one could even have in a game like that, including some musings on the formation and the goals, before serving a cautious reminder to not read too much into the result of games like this.

After that, they share some thoughts from having watched Whitecaps training last week, as they were both able to attend some 'Caps practices before the team jetted off to Utah. From Deiber Caicedo's electric training debut, to some youngsters that stood out, with some tactical thoughts also thrown in, they share what they saw from those sessions.

Lastly, they look ahead to the 'Caps next two preseason games, a doubleheader with the Chicago Fire and Indy Eleven on the weekend, which happens to also be their last preparatory games before the start of the season next week. With those games being streamed, they also share what they're expecting from these two teams in those matches, looking at the danger that Chicago poses, as well as the reunions that the Indy game will provide.

We'd also just like to announce that this episode was the last show in season one of the Third Sub! With a new Whitecaps season just around the corner, some new changes will be coming to the show, and those will be revealed in the next episode, which will drop in the week before the start of the season.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 60th episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat about the Vancouver Whitecaps.

First, they pick over a tough 'Caps loss to the Portland Timbers on the weekend, they dive into what that result means for the rest of the Whitecaps season, as the loss left them all but eliminated from the MLS playoffs.

From some quiet games from the forwards, to another tough individual error defensively, they look at what plagued the 'Caps against their rivals, as they would be unable to reverse their struggles against Cascadia opposition this season.

They then take a look at the Third Sub of the Game from that match, which in this case was Theo Bair, giving one word for his performance off of the bench.

After that, they look at the 'Caps 4 nominees for player of the year, which were revealed this week, sharing their thoughts on who made the cut and who didn't.

Lastly, they look ahead to the 'Caps next game, a clash with the LA Galaxy, which depending on what happens this week, could be a 'win-and you're in' game in terms of rescuing Vancouver's playoff hopes. Against a resurging Galaxy team who looked freed up by the firing of Guillermo Barros Schelotto, it won't be easy, but at the very least, it'll be a chance to end the year on a high note.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time to chat about all things Canadian Men's Soccer, including both the Senior and U23 Men's National Teams, who find themselves in the midst of a busy week of games.

First, they talk about the senior team, breaking down their 5-1 win over Bermuda to kick off World Cup Qualifying action on Thursday. They look at what and who stood out from the match, Canada's tactical plan and what we can reasonably take away from this game, a game where Canada showed some good things, but also a few issues worth keeping an eye on. After, to round off the talk about the game, they dive into the Third Sub of the game from this match, which was an honour shared by Samuel Piette, David Wotherspoon and Theo Corbeanu in this one.

Next, they preview Canada's next match in World Cup qualifying action, a clash on Sunday versus the Cayman Islands, sharing their thoughts on what to expect from Canada and the Cayman Islands in that one.

After that, they switch over to some U23 action, as they dive into their draw versus Honduras to close out the group stages of CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifiers, a result that got them through to the next round, where they'll now face Mexico with a spot in Tokyo on the line. They look at what stood out in that match, before finishing by looking at the Third Sub of the game in this one, which was shared by Lucas Dias, Aidan Daniels and Mo Farsi.

Lastly, they preview Canada's crucial game against Mexico on Sunday, in which a win would book Canada's ticket to the Olympics for the first time in 37 years. It won't be easy, but Canada will feel confident that they have a slight chance of making something happen, so they'll want to build off of that and see what happens on Sunday.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast!

In their 57th episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time joined by Sebastian Pereira and Ben Righetti of the 90Plus Podcast for a special Vancouver Whitecaps roundtable.

First, they took the time to dive into the most recent Vancouver Whitecaps game, a loss to LA Galaxy, sharing their biggest takeaways from that one. They chat about what went wrong, as well as their thoughts on the substitution plan both in that game and this season so far, especially considering how sporadic it's been as of late.

After that, talk then shifts to the current state of the Whitecaps, and what the team can do to steady its ship. Some interesting discussion points are touched upon, including a very loaded question: Is it in the best interest of the 'Caps to make the playoffs this year?

Once through that, they then take the time to talk about the identity of the team, as the 'Caps find themselves at a bit of a crossroads stylistically and personnel-wise. They also touch upon the unique challenges of this season, and why the 'Caps have already endured a bit of a change in philosophy due to how this season has progressed, opening some interesting questions ahead of the end of 2020.

From there, they also pose another loaded question: If you're the Vancouver Whitecaps, what do you do with David Milinkovic and Fredy Montero this offseason? Milinkovic's situation seems more straightforward, as bringing him in permanently seems like a smart move, but what to do with Montero?

To wrap things up, they then talk about the upcoming Whitecaps game against the San Jose Earthquakes, each giving a prediction for how they think the game is going to go on Saturday.

You can find Sebastian on Twitter @sebastianp74 and Ben @RighettiBen, as well as on the 90 Plus Podcast @90PlusPodcast. Sebastian's words can be found at World Football Index, while Ben's can be found at Last Word on Soccer.

If you have Twitter, make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast @thirdsubpod!

Welcome back to another episode of the Third Sub Podcast presented by Macey's Sports!

In this episode, Alex and Sam are back, as usual, this time with a special express edition of the show, one where they dive into all things Whitecaps-related in just ~30 minutes.

To start, they quickly dive into the 'Caps last 2 games, a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy and a 0-0 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, sharing their takeaways from those games.

After, they take a general step back to look at where the 'Caps find themselves just past the halfway point of the year, seeing the precarious position their recent run of draws has put them in.

Lastly, they set a table for the 'Caps next game, a clash with Austin FC, before teasing their usual pre-game Whitecaps show that they'll do an hour before that game.

Make sure to check out The Third Sub Podcast on Twitter, @thirdsubpod, as well as on Instagram, @thethirdsub.

You can find Macey’s Sports on Twitter @SportsMaceys, and on Instagram @maceyssports