If there’s one thing you notice about this year’s Whitecaps FC roster, it’s that it looks a whole lot like last year’s – with the exception of six new players. A total of 22 players have returned to the ‘Caps this year, a new Whitecaps FC record in the MLS. In addition to the returning players, head coach Carl Robinson and his coaching staff were all signed to multi-year contract extensions.
Here are the six new faces you’ll be seeing on and off the pitch this season:
#18 Diego Rodriguez
Image: Whitecaps FC
- Position: Defender – Centre back
- DOB: January 8, 1991
- Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay
- Previous Club: Club Atlético Juventud de Las Piedras (Uruguayan Primera Division)
- Status: International
- How Acquired: One-year loan from Juventud
- Noteworthy:
- Made professional debut at age 19
- Four appearances with Uruguayan U-20 national team
#20 Deybi Flores
Image: Whitecaps FC
- Position: Midfielder
- DOB: June 16, 1996 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
- Hometown: San Antonio, Colon, Honduras
- Previous Club: St. John’s Red Storm
- Status: International
- How Acquired: One-year loan from Honduran Liga Nacional side Club Deportivo Motagua
- Noteworthy:
- 21 appearances over two seasons with Club Deportivo Motagua in Honduran Liga Nacional (highest division of football in Honduras)
- Started five matches for Honduras at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship
#26 Tim Parker
- Position: Defender – Centre Back
- DOB: February 23, 1993
- Hometown: Hicksville, New York
- Previous Club: St. John’s Red Storm
- Status: Domestic
- How Acquired: Selected 13th overall in 2015 MLS SuperDraft by Whitecaps FC
- Noteworthy:
- Earned Big East honours in each of his four seasons
- Started 78 of 79 appearances with Red Storm
- Helped lead St. John’s to three NCAA Tournament appearances and a Big East title
- Three-time NSCAA All-Region selection
- Captained St. John’s as a senior
- Twitter: @Tim_Parker26
#29 Octavio Rivero
Image: Whitecaps FC
- Position: Striker
- DOB: January 24, 1992
- Hometown: Treinta y Tres, Uruguay
- Previous Club: O’Higgins FC (Chile’s Primera División)
- Status: International, Young Designated Player
- How Acquired: Via transfer from O’Higgins FC
- Noteworthy:
- Scored 10 goals in 16 matches during the 2014 Torneo Apertura with O’Higgins FC
- Named best striker in Chilean Primera Division, as voted by his peers, during the 2014 Torneo Apertura
- Scored 23 goals in 52 career matches in Uruguay and Chile
- Represented Uruguayan U-17 national team
- Twitter: @OctavioRivero29
Rivero scores twice against New England Revolution in his Whitecaps FC debut:
#30 Ben McKendry
- Position: Midfielder
- DOB: March 25, 1993
- Hometown: Vancouver, BC
- Youth Club: Whitecaps FC Residency / Vancouver Selects
- Status: Domestic, Homegrown
- How Acquired: Signed as an MLS Homegrown Player
- Noteworthy:
- Product of Vancouver Selects and Whitecaps FC Residency
- Joined Whitecaps FC youth set-up in 2007 at age 14
- Led University of New Mexico to College Cup Final Four for second time in program history in 2013
- Named First-Team All-Conference USA as a junior and sophomore, and Second-Team All-American honours as junior
- Twitter: @ben_mckendry
#44 Pa-Modou Kah
“paw Moh-doo KAW”
Image: Whitecaps FC
- Position: Defender
- DOB: July 30, 1980 in Banjul, The Gambia
- Hometown: Olso, Norway
- Previous Club: Portland Timbers (MLS)
- Status: Domestic (Green Card)
- How Acquired: Free agent signing
- Noteworthy:
- Started all 47 of his appearances with Portland Timbers
- Played over 300 matches professionally in North America, Europe and Asia
- 10 international appearances with Norway
- Speaks eight different languages: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Wolof
- Twitter: @PMKAH
Get ready for Kah:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkz8dKfc1g4