After a promising young core led them to a third-place finish in the 2015 regular season, big things were expected from the Vancouver Whitecaps this year, with many picking the club as a contender for MLS Cup.

It's safe to say that the club fell well, well short of reaching those lofty targets.

Vancouver are currently in ninth place in the West; they were eliminated from playoff contention several weeks ago. Injuries, down years from big names, and transfer departures hurt the 'Caps, who will finish out the season on Sunday against the Portland Timbers at BC Place (4 pm ET, TSN, MLS LIVE).

The Province’s Marc Weber sat down with Vancouver minority owner Jeff Mallett ahead of last weekend’s draw at San Jose to chat about the 2016 season. Mallett was revealing in the two-part interview, dishing out some interesting quotes on Vancouver’s issues with discipline, the club's academy, and their overall organizational philosophy.

He was perhaps most revealing when talking about Designated Players, hinting that the Whitecaps – who currently have two DPs on the roster in Pedro Morales and Matias Laba – could change their strategy of how best to acquire big-money players this winter.

“I think the one area we have to keep an eye on is our model with regards to [Designated Players],” he said. “Is our approach for those type of players right? That’s an area we’re scrubbing really hard.”

For more from Mallett, check out parts I and II of Weber’s interview.