The Vancouver Whitecaps have a new striker in town and his name is Tosaint Ricketts.
The team is in need of someone who can put the ball in the back of the net, and the 32-year-old Canadian, who was playing overseas this year with Lithuania’s FK Suduva, has put up some impressive numbers, including eight goals in 15 games, but found that communication there was a problem.
“It was quite difficult—language barrier was big on our team. We had a Russian-speaking coach who didn’t speak English,” said Ricketts. “I had Lithuanian players translating Russian to English so the connection between me and the coach could get lost at times. I did quite well through the adversity.”
Ricketts ended his stint with his former club and signed last week with the Whitecaps.
“Once the Whitecaps came calling it was a no-brainer and I jumped right on it," he said.
Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos wasted no time in getting the striker on the pitch Tuesday.
“First impressions, he needed to get in this training session based on all the travelling he did in the last few days. It’s just good for his body right now—a great guy he’s going to be a great teammate and he’s going to be here for the team,” said Dos Santos.
“For any striker goals is confidence. I’m familiar with the league, I’ve scored goals with TFC and I’m hoping to come here and do the same," Ricketts told reporters
The Caps are coming off a loss to Portland on Saturday and sit at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of 5-12-9. There was a bright spot and it came with a highlight goal from 19 year old Theo Bair.
“It’s been a rush,” Bair told the media Tuesday. “Everything moving in slow motion and then just a rush of adrenaline, it made me sprint half the field after. It was unbelievable.”
Dos Santos says Bair has been a work in progress this year and worked hard to gain a spot on the roster.
“He’s been given the opportunity and of course that if he can dream about a better goal in a better place to score it with that quality and that finish was very special for him,” said Dos Santos.
Bair realizes that this is just the start of his career and there is a lot of hard work ahead of him.
“I have to build off of that, they always say the first one is the hardest. I just want to keep going I don’t want to think about that one anymore I have a lot ahead of me and I want to keep going," said Bair.
The Caps are back in action this Saturday at BC Place - as they face DC United and soccer super star Wayne Rooney - who still hasn't confirmed he will make the trip to Vancouver.
