The Vancouver Whitecaps are frequently decried for having no vision when it comes to big signings. They often seem to be bringing players in out of convenience rather than players who they’ve targeted as a good fit for their team. So let’s examine if there’s any truth to this perception.
Planned?: Yes
Based on Interviews with Teitur Thorderson it seems that Hassli was a planned signing. True he came on a free but it seems he specifically had his contract terminated to join the Whitecaps. Thorderson mentioned discussing the signing with Hassli’s former Swiss league colleagues Alain Rochat and Davide Chiumiento but I get the sense that this was to confirm he was a good character rather than the ‘Caps just signing the friends of players they already had.