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We talk with Jon Szekeres of Eighty Six Forever to preview the 2015 Amway Canadian Championship final between the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps.
MRS: How seriously does your team take the ACC?
Jon Szekeres:
It may seem like Carl Robinson isn't taking the situation seriously when he trots out his youth filled lineups for these matches, but it's not like he goes into these expecting to lose. He expects a lot out of his young players, and he believes that if he rolls out a strong youth presence in his starting 11, they're going to compete, impress and work their asses off. With the 'Caps in the midst of a jam packed schedule, Robinson will likely have more incentive than ever to rest some of his veterans, but fans shouldn't take that as a slight. Robinson knows the matches could be invaluable experience for his youngsters, and he won't hesitate to put them in. Long story short, Robinson cares about these matches, even if he doesn't trot out his 'A' lineup.
MRS: Who should we keep an eye on?
Jon Szekeres:
How about the pint sized winger, Cristian Techera? If he gets the call, fans will want to keep their eye on the 5'5 spark plug, who was named to the MLS Team of the Week for his second half brace against Real Salt Lake over the weekend. Techera has been a great find by Robinson and co, and seems to get better every week. If he is rested, Montreal fans should pay attention to the Center Back spots. Kendall Waston and Pa Modou Kah will likely be rested, which means youngsters like Christian Dean, and Tim Parker could get a look. The pair have looked very good this season, and it would be nice to see them get chance for some more minutes against the Impact.
MRS: What is the overall impact of the tourney on your fan base? Do Impact supporters care about the ACC?
Jon Szekeres:
I think it's pretty obvious the Whitecaps supporters care most about the MLS cup, but there is still tons of buzz around the ACC. Fans like winning, the fans want to have the best MLS team in North America, and if they do lose, fans will be naturally pissed off. The 'Caps are a very good team this year, and that means expectations are heightened.