Mike Toshack joins Vancouver

[Bxl Boy]

The Vancouver Whitecaps Director of Soccer Operations, Bob Lenarduzzi, announced today the hiring of Michael Toshack as the Whitecaps Director of Goalkeeping. Toshack will be responsible for the training and development of the goalkeepers playing with the Men's and Women's professional teams, as well as the new reserve and Super Y-League teams.

"The addition of Michael to the Whitecaps staff is another important addition in our goal to be one of the best professional clubs in North America," said Lenarduzzi. "He will provide consistency in goalkeeper training and development from youth to the professional level."

In addition to specific training of the Whitecaps keepers, Toshack will run a full Whitecaps Goalkeepers Academy for boys and girls U-9 through U-17. Toshack will also develop goalkeeper training programs for interested youth clubs in the greater Lower Mainland.

Toshack has extensive experience on the International, professional, collegiate and youth level. He has spent time with the U-20 Canadian National Teams as well as working with Whitecaps head coach Bob Lilley while in Montreal. Toshack played a major role in the development of Impact keeper Greg Sutton. Sutton was the 2003 A-League keeper of the year and Impact reserve keeper Andrew Olivieri was the MVP of the Canadian Olympic team CONCACAF qualifying tournament.

Toshack will begin developing the Whitecaps Goalkeeping Academy immediately. There will be an evaluation on the weekend of February 26 and 27 for interested goalkeepers from U-9 to U-17. The evaluation will be provided for both the Whitecaps Super Y Teams and the Academy.

[François]

Are we surprise???