Starting XI: Wes Knight

Starting XI

1.) How excited are you to play in Vancouver in the upcoming Canadian Championship?

Wes: “Obviously I’m buzzing to have the opportunity to come back to where it all began. I spent my formative years as both a player and a young man in Vancouver developing a lot of friendships throughout those years. I am excited not only to play, but to see some familiar faces in the stands at BC Place!”

2.) What is your favourite soccer playing memory in a Whitecaps jersey?

Wes: “My favorite moment as a Cap would have to be the opening day assist that I had to seal the victory for the franchise against TFC. It was a culmination of who I am as a person/player and my interest for the club all wrapped up into one play. I couldn’t have been happier to represent Vancouver at that moment having transitioned with the club from the second division.”

3.) How excited are you to be playing in Edmonton this season?

Wes: “I’m excited to be in a position now where I can start to lead and help young players with their adaptation to the professional game. There is good young talent here and they are focused on bringing proven senior players in to help them grow and I am excited to be a part of that.”

4.) Who is the best player you have ever played against?

Wes: “The best player I have ever played against were both in the same game. Defensively marking Balotelli was a huge task and on the opposite end it was fun to take on Clichy in the attacking half. Both elite level players whose jerseys I have framed!” 5.) Who is the most skilled teammate you have ever played with?

Wes: “Davide Chiumiento , without question! He would do juggling tricks in the locker room with oranges before practice. His relationship with the ball was unreal. You couldn’t take the ball off of him in a phone booth.”

6.) Who is your favourite soccer player of all time?

Wes: “Ronaldinho for me because he purely loved what he did. He always played with the biggest smile and was the innovator of the moves that the most skillful players still use today i.e. Neymar, Hazard, the younger Cristiano.”

7.) What are you thoughts on the MLS trying to trademark the Cascadia Cup and take it from the Vancouver, Seattle and Portland supporters?

Wes: I think this is another sad byproduct of the single entity system by which MLS operates. Hopefully they will do whatever it takes to involve the respective supporters groups in any decisions moving forward involving the Cup.

8.) How hungry are you to get back to the MLS?

Wes: “Obviously I am always hungry to play at the highest level, and I had the opportunity to join an MLS team this offseason but it made more financial sense for me to come to Edmonton instead. It’s always been a goal of mine, and some may say I wasn’t given the fairest opportunity in Vancouver, but I like to look at the standing of the club before I stopped playing as opposed to the end of that season as the proof that the players who got dropped had a bit of success.”

9.) When you were released from Vancouver a lot of the Southsider supporters where not happy with the way it was done. How did you think Tom Soehn handled the situation?

Wes: “I think the way Tommy handled himself as a whole in Vancouver is evidence of why he is no longer with the club. His track record speaks for itself. Without going too far into detail, I wish Tommy well wherever he ends up.”

10.) You are still a Southsider legend and fan favorite in this city. Do you have a favourite tifo or chant from your Whitecaps days?

Wes: “Everything that the Southsiders did for me was a favorite to me. They would invite my family to cookouts, got my father a sweet deal on a really nice bike, introduced me to their kids, signed my scarf and tifo which hang in my room to this day. I will forever be a Southsider.”

11.) What are your personal goals this season?

Wes: “I want to be a best XI player, no matter what position I am called on (RM or RB). I put more emphasis on my attacking skill set this offseason with the intention of having more quality in the final third. Also, I would love to come back to BC Place to a warm reception and showing well for myself and the fans.”

Extra Time

12.) What is your favourite city to play soccer in?

Wes: “Vancouver and Seattle, goes without saying.”

13.) There will be many Whitecaps fans in Edmonton for the game this year. What kind of reception are you expecting from them?

Wes: “I hope a friendly one, but I do know how much they love their Caps, I guess the reception remains to be seen.”

Wes comes to Vancouver May 1st in the 2nd leg of the Whitecaps vs FC Edmonton match for the Amway Canadian Championship.

Stay tuned next week for another surprise guest…

Aaron Campbell

@AaCamp81