Joseph Lowery
Where we left off last year
2024 season: 47 points, 8th in the Western Conference, 14th in MLS
In terms of Vancouver’s play on the field, we left off in very familiar territory.
A good-but-not-great roster led by the familiar dynamic duo of Ryan Gauld and Brian White finished on the fringes of the playoff field in the Western Conference, marking the fifth-straight year where the Whitecaps have finished between sixth and ninth in the West. They met LAFC in Round One of the playoffs — again, sound familiar? — and pushed them to a three-game series, thanks at least in part to the play of late Designated Player signing Stuart Armstrong, before bowing out. Manager Vanni Sartini was fired two weeks after that playoff exit.
In terms of Vancouver’s off-field situation, things have changed a bit since we last saw this team suit up. The team was put up for sale in December, with majority owner Greg Kerfoot looking to get out. There are concerns about relocation, though Sportico has reported that the “current intent” of existing ownership and the league is to keep the club in Vancouver.
