VANCOUVER – No points will be on the line when Vancouver Whitecaps FC face off against the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders this weekend. No team will get any closer to winning the Supporters' Shield or qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
But don’t try to tell fans that these games are meaningless.
Hundreds of boisterous supporters will converge in Tukwila, Wash., the next three days for the Cascadia Summit, a series of preseason matches between the three Pacific Northwest clubs. (Vancouver kick off against Portland on Saturday at 7 pm ET, streamed live on whitecapsfc.com.)
“These derby games are always something different,” said Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson. “There has been a big rivalry between these clubs for years, so it’s nice now to have all the clubs in MLS.”
The I-5 feud dates back nearly four decades, including passionate affairs in the second division before promotion to North America’s top flight.
“There’s not a lot of good blood between the organizations,” said Greg Janicki after witnessing the hostilities first hand with the USSF D-2 ‘Caps last year. “We don’t like them and they don’t like us and I think that will wear off on the new players. Everybody will get that feeling pretty quick and build on it and maintain that rivalry.”
The Vancouver Southsiders supporters group are organizing buses to get fans down to Seattle to catch the action, and the players can’t wait to see them.
“It’ll kind of be like old times,” said Jay Nolly, who at three years in Vancouver is the longest-tenured player on the team. “Our fans have been excellent with travelling down to Portland and Seattle, and even across the country, so it’ll be nice to see them. I know they’re excited to get the season going so hopefully we can put on a good show for them because we have a great relationship with our fans.”
Added newcomer Shea Salinas, “We haven’t been able to play in front of our fans yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing their enthusiasm."
For many of the younger players on the team, this will be the first chance to play in a hostile professional environment with a frenzied road crowd rooting against them.
“It’ll definitely be a good opportunity for guys to see what the atmosphere is all about so they won’t go in and get blindsided during the season,” said Salinas.
While the players want to put in a good performance for the fans, they also see each match as a measuring stick. Portland are a fellow expansion side and Seattle have already established themselves in the league with playoff appearances in both of their first two seasons.
“It’ll be more of a feeling-out process,” explained Janicki. “But there will still be that rivalry, so it will be intense.”
Three players who won’t be in the lineup are Michael Nanchoff, Davide Chiumiento and Mouloud Akloul. All three will remain in Vancouver to rehab from injuries.
Canadian international Kevin Harmse, meanwhile, is on a two-week trial and with travel with the 'Caps to Seattle. The Vancouver native spent the 2004 and '05 season with the USL Whitecaps before playing for the LA Galaxy and Toronto FC. He was later picked up by Chivas USA, followed by the Houston Dynamo, but never played a match for either team.
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