Episode 628 – The AFTN Soccer Show (Fragments of Fiction with guests Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Sebastian Dzikowski, Eric Lajeunesse, and Keira Martin)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Pacific FC, Vancouver FC, and Canadian Championship chat and interviews.

No MLS action for the Whitecaps this weekend because of the Leagues Cup final, so it's full steam ahead looking to next week's Canadian Championship semi-final second leg against CPL side Pacific FC. We preview the match and Pacific's huge slump in form, as the Whitecaps will be coming in cold for this one. Plus we hear some thoughts from both head coaches, the 'Caps' Vanni Sartini and Pacific's James Merriman.

In the first of two feature interviews this episode we sit down with Pacific's key defensive piece Thomas Meilleur-Giguère to chat about the match, Pacific's season so far, his own personal footballing journey, and adapting to BC island life from the hustle and busy of city life in Quebec. We also chat with a defender that's left Pacific and gone back to college, Eric Lajeunesse. Eric played in the first leg and looks ahead to the second, as he talks about his time in the CPL so far and transitioning back to the college game with UBC.

Our second feature interview is with a former UBC Thunderbird, and current Vancouver FC player, Sebastian Dzikowski. We chat with the forward about his time at college, transitioning to the pro game, and trying to break into a VFC side that's in a playoff dogfight right now.

All of this plus there's still time to talk about the Whitecaps Girls Elite tough outing in Mexico in CONCACAF Champions Cup action, chat with centre back Keira Martin, and bring you a Wavelength song about a much maligned, and long forgotten, English cup competition.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.26: Intro a decent weekend in MLS for the 'Caps
08.05: Whitecaps v Pacific Canadian Championship preview
17.25: Thomas Meilleur-Giguère interview
39.51: Eric Lajeunesse interview
49.20: Sebastian Dzikowski interview
79.52: Whitecaps Girls Elite go down to heavy loss in Mexico
90.20: Keira Martin interview
96.45: Wavelength - Armchair Loyal - The Full Members Cup