Let’s Get Tim Parker a Shot at Cristiano Ronaldo

The 2017 Major League Soccer All-Star game is set to take place on August 2^nd, at Soldier Field in Chicago. The match will pit an MLS squad voted on by the fans against La Liga powerhouse, and recently crowned Champions League….champion (?), Real Madrid. While some fans have actively attempted to avoid their team’s players from being voted into the All-Star game, we have decided to take a different approach and need your help!

Last season, the Vancouver Whitecaps were represented by, now, team captain Kendall Waston, while the year previous it was keeper David Ousted. Of course, the first Whitecaps player to make an appearance in the match was Jay Demerit.

Given the number of quality players now in MLS, being voted into the all-star game is quite the accomplishment. We expect to see new stars like Miguel Almiron, who currently leads the voting, long-time greats like Kaka and Bastian Schweinsteiger, and US national team players like Michael Bradley. However, we also have the chance to send up and coming players and/or those who deserve the recognition but may not be as well known throughout the league. Enter Tim Parker!

Tim Parker, with Kendall Waston, leads the Vancouver Whitecaps in minutes played (1080) starting 12 of the squads 13 MLS matches. He is 20th in the league in clearances (5.1), 25th in interceptions (2.2), and 27th in blocks (0.6); all key categories for a center back. In addition, Parker has contributed to the offense with his first two MLS goals. Despite his hard-nosed play this season, Parker has only received two yellow cards...and one beating from his CB partner.

Although some fans of the Whitecaps have argued against their players going to the all-star game, we think this is foolish. The first argument being made this season is that the Whitecaps will play a match in Dallas just after the all-star break. As a result, it would be better for a player to be 100% for that match. We all know that Tim Parker is very capable of playing two matches in a week, especially one that will be low stakes in which he will play, at most, 45 minutes. The second argument is that the all-star game is a ‘meaningless’ friendly. For Tim Parker, this could be a great opportunity for him to get more recognition and some attention from the broader US media, with an eye on the national team. In addition, I believe it would be exciting to play against the defending Champions League title holders. Third, it will probably assist in his contract negotiations, which may include a bonus for making the all-star team. Fourth, and most importantly, I think if you asked Tim Parker he would not consider it a ‘meaningless’ friendly. He would see it as an honor and an opportunity. If we were to ask DeMerit, Ousted, and Waston about their experiences, I doubt they would characterize it as meaningless. As supporters of this great club, we should be focused on getting them as much league-wide recognition as they can. In MLS, the all-star match is a part of that recognition!

To achieve this goal of getting Tim Parker into the all-star game though, we need your assistance. What that means is that we need you to vote often. We are here to help with that process though. We are going to be your spam machine until the deadline of June 30^th, keeping this article pinned and beating you over the head on Twitter and Facebook (yes, we have a Facebook page!).

Here is what you do

1. Go here: https://www.mlssoccer.com/all-star/2017/vote
2. Select one of the three defender slots
3. Find Tim Parker’s name and click ‘add’
4. Then click ‘Vote Now’

You can vote once a day, hence why we will beat you over the head with this.

We also need your help. We need you to share this wide and far. We need you to get on your social media accounts and get everyone on-board. Whether you are a group that reports on the Whitecaps or are an individual fan, each vote counts and we need them all! We believe that the Vancouver Whitecaps deserve to be represented at this match and we feel that Tim Parker is a deserving representative! Help make this happen!