Episode 643 – The AFTN Soccer Show (I Can Feel The Warning Signs - Vanni out in Vancouver, CanWNT’s toxic culture, Whitecaps Awards Part One, Vancouver Rise get their coach)

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Vancouver Rise, Major League Soccer, and international soccer chat, in what's been quite the week in the eventful world of Canadian football.

After six years at the club, over three of them as head coach, Vancouver Whitecaps fired Vanni Sartini. We react to the news announced on Monday morning and hear the thoughts of CEO Axel Schuster on why the decision was taken, the search for a successor, and how he feels the season went. What is next for the club in that regard and was this the right decision? Plus in happier news, we kick off our Whitecaps end of season awards with seven players awards. Let us know if you agree with our choices!

One coach may be departing the city, but Vancouver Rise announced their first head coach this week. We hear from Anja Heiner-Moller about coming back to Vancouver, while Stephanie Labbe talks about the hire and roster build, and Rise President Sinead King chats about the search for a stadium to call home - will it be Swangard and what would it mean for its existing tenants.

Plus we look at the Globe and Mail's expose of a horrific culture with the Canadian women's national team, chat about the over saturation of international matches and how it affects the players, with the thoughts of Jesse Marsch and Stephen Eustachio, Prolapse wrap up their residency as our Album of the Month and there's more Britpop songs.

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

01.29: Intro - Ted Lasso, finally!
09.37: Vanni Sartini fired - our thoughts and those of Axel Schuster
62.10: Whitecaps 2024 awards - part one
85.15: Vancouver Rise have their first head coach
100.33: Steph Labbe and Rise roster build and coach appointment
108.39: Sinead King on the Rise and Swangard Stadium
120.55: Toxic culture revealed within CanWNT
157.05: The international calendar and match overload for players
177.00: Wavelength - Peter Dean - Can't Get A Ticket For The World Cup
181.35: The price of World Cup 2026