VANCOUVER - Around this time last year, the Vancouver Whitecaps displayed considerable bravado as they aspired to place among the top teams in MLS. But in 2014, the Whitecaps will have a new coach, a new look and less attitude, starting with Saturdays season-opener against the powerhouse New York Red Bulls at B.C. Place Stadium. Watch the Whitecaps vs. Red Bulls live on TSN tonight at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. "Were all looking ahead with a cautious optimism," Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said before the team held its final pre-season practice Friday. The Whitecaps finished seventh in the Western Conference with a 13-12-9 record in 2013 after becoming the first Canadian team to make the playoffs the year before. New York, which features a star-studded lineup, finished first overall with a 17-9-8 mark. Carl Robinson, a former Whitecaps assistant coach, will try to excel in the top job after Martin Rennie was fired at the end of the last campaign. "Obviously, with a new coach coming in, theres going to be a transition, but hes had a full pre-season to work with a majority of the guys," said Lenarduzzi. "And then, getting the guys that weve added over the course of the pre-season, therell still be I would think a required time for players to gel and for the newer guys to get to know Carl and his coaching staff and their teammates." Robinson has brought in several new players from South America and Europe, including new designated player Pedro Morales, a Chilean midfielder who was signed earlier this week. "We dont want to put too many unrealistic expectations on him, but were hopeful that hes going to produce and well see results of that in goals and assists," said Lenarduzzi. "But ultimately what were looking for from him is to bring out the best in players around him." Other prominent newcomers include attacking Nicolas Mezquida and Sebastian Fernandez, who both hail from Uruguay, and Mattias Laba of Argentina, a designated player who was acquired from Toronto FC. Vancouvers acquisitions have paled in comparison to TFCs splashy off-season signings, but Lenarduzzi did not feel pressured to match them. "I dont think any team in the league feels the pressure to match $100 million spent on three players," he said. As a result of the changes, the Whitecaps lineup features players from 16 countries, who bring diverse skill levels, backgrounds and languages. "Football is a global sport," said Lenarduzzi. "The language barriers? I dont believe they are barriers. Obviously when you get on the field youd like to be able to communicate with your teammates. But really, if youre good players, your ability will do the talking for you." Lenarduzzi is hopeful that Robinson, 37, a former Welsh international player who toiled in England and in MLS with Toronto and New York, will be able to get his message across. Known as a strong communicator, Robinson developed close relationships with players in his assistants role and, according to Lenarduzzi, succeeded in getting them to accept what they sometimes did not like to hear about their play. "Now that hes the head coach, hes the guy where the buck stops," said Lenarduzzi. "So it wont be the same as it was the previous two years. Itll be different. But Im encouraged that up until now hes maintained his willingness to communicate with the guys." Lenarduzzi also likes the fact that Robinson stresses a possession-oriented, attacking style of play while still requiring the club to display a disciplined defensive structure, and "puts a premium" on young players. "We havent kicked the ball in anger yet, so were not getting carried away," said Lenarduzzi. "We think weve got a good squad of players. But if he applies all of those things then I think weve got an opportunity to make the playoffs this year, which is really our objective." The quest for a post-season berth became more difficult following the departure of striker Camilo Sanvezzo — who led MLS with 22 goals last season — to Queretaro of the Mexican League. Camilo angered the club by donning the Mexican teams jersey while he was still a Whitecap and a transfer was eventually negotiated. "The hope is that two players or, more than likely, three players will help pick up that (scoring) slack," said Lenarduzzi. One likely source of more offence is striker Darren Mattocks, who had a disappointing sophomore season marred by injuries, inconsistent play and international absences that limited him to just three goals. Lenarduzzi also hopes to get "10-plus" goals from striker-midfielder Kekuta Manneh, a gifted 19-year-old scorer who was used sparingly in his rookie season but still found the net six times in only 764 minutes of action over 20 games. "What I dont think we want to do is heighten the expectations of Kekuta," said Lenarduzzi. "Hes a very good player, and he proved that late last season." Former Scottish international striker Kenny Miller will be expected to produce early as he plays on an unusual six-month contract that could see him leave the team in mid-season. "Kenny will need to do what he did the first half of last season and if thats the case, then certainly thats going to encourage us to keep him around," said Lenarduzzi. Striker Omar Salgado, 20, the teams first-ever MLS draft choice who has missed most of the past two seasons with foot injuries, could also help make up for Camilos absence, depending on how much playing time he can earn after his long layoff. Ultimately, Vancouvers scoring prowess could hinge on Robinson, also a former Red Bulls assistant coach, who was not managements first choice to replace Rennie. "Im excited. I really am," Robinson told reporters this week. "But Im trying to keep a calm head on my shoulders in (the dressing room) and in front of the guys." Notes: The Whitecaps loaned five players, including seventh-overall 2014 draft pick Andre Lewis, to the second-tier Charleston Battery on Friday. Lenarduzzi said the Whitecaps made the move to ensure that Lewis, a 19-year-old midfielder from Spanish Town, Jamaica, gets plenty of playing time. Strikers Mamadou Diouf and Marlon Ramirez, midfielder Aminu Abdallah and defender Jackson Farmer were also sent to Charleston. … Vancouver beat New York in their lone meeting last season. The Whitecaps are unbeaten (1-0-2) against the Red Bulls in three all-time games. Troy Niklas Jersey . 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HEROES Blake Comeau – The Penguins winger had a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto.If I were a rugby agent or a professional rugby scout, Id be casting my eye at the men hailing from north of the 49th-parallel during the International Rugby Boards November international window. Eight top Canadian players are missing from Canadas 26-man roster named to face the New Zealand Maori All Blacks in Toronto on November 3rd. While this is an obvious hindrance to Rugby Canada on the day, its also a backhanded compliment. Those top players are good enough that their overseas professional clubs dont want to release them, even for a game against a top representative side that has beaten England, Ireland and the Lions within the past eight years. All Canadian athletes have an international reputation for coming from good stock - strong, fit, hardworking and eager to learn team players who are full of character. Over half of the players in the NHL come from Canada because thats our game – but Id bet the farm our athletes would thrive at with whatever sport saturated this country. Professional rugby is starting to tap into our countrys natural athlete resource – hence the 14 or so Canadians currently playing professionally overseas – but Rugby Canada wants to establish itself as a favourite hunting ground for agents, scouts and for its XVs players especially. Rugby Canada has identified a long-term strategic plan of signing their XVs athletes with professional clubs overseas for a number of reasons. A disclaimer: Canada isnt shopping its athletes around recklessly. A parent wouldnt trust their kid in just anyones care and Rugby Canada is taking the same approach. If the quality of an interested pro club is there, from staff to teammates, competition to environment, then that club becomes a genuine contender to be almost a foster parent for Rugby Canadas athlete. Likewise, just as every club may not be the right fit, life overseas isnt for every athlete either. It should always come down to the individual athlete and whats best for their personal development, both athletically and mentally. Having made the disclaimer, there are still several reasons the Canadian rugby program can look to overseas clubs for help in its long-term development: 1. There isnt enough IRB funding for a Tier 2 team in a country as vast as Canada to get players playing at a consistently high level day in and day out like they can in nations where rugby is a priority sport. Without a consistent high performance atmosphere, progress would be stilted. 2. Rugby Sevens, with its induction into the Olympics, has become the financial and commercial priority through programs like Own the Podium, for the women especially. XVs in North America doesnt need to go the way of the dinosaur, but it just needs to be managed differently. 3. For the players who do sign overseas professionally, what they bring back to the Canadian training environment from a professional one is priceless, and raises everyones expectations starting with the players. Its not that there is a conscious complacency in the Canadian environment, but if an athlete has never been exposed to what it takes to get to the international level, theyll never know what they need to change to get there. Now time to play devils advocate. Critics of thiis methodology will suggest that its an insult to Canadian rugby to just up and leave for greener (or richer) pastures or point to games like the upcoming NZ Maori one as a blown chance for Canada to make a statement internationally.dddddddddddd If an Australian hockey player (or a South African or a New Zealander or a Welsh one, etc.) wanted to improve, what country would they move to give themselves the best possible chance at making the highest level? Exactly. Those same critics who want to keep the homegrown talent at home will probably also point out the number of foreigners within Rugby Canadas administration, at the coaching level especially, taking jobs away from Canadian rugby coaches. When your car breaks down, you bring in a mechanic. When you need to do taxes, you hire an accountant. When you need help, you bring in an expert (eventually – but probably not until after youve stubbornly tried to do it yourself, of course.) This is when the bigger picture needs to find its way into the conversation. Sport creates stewards and rugby does so especially. When players leave to go overseas, there is an expectation it was done with this bigger picture in mind. Every person is different and life happens, but there comes a time in an athletes – in everyones - careers where the question of "What now?" needs to be answered. Gareth Rees, Hans de Goede, Mike James, Al Charron and Morgan Williams – all former Canadian international greats who have returned with a world of experience and to give their time back to Canada from the grassroots level and up. Rugby Canada have a number of foreigners on their staff and they, too, are in the midst of this stewardship, giving back to the sport that raised and shaped them. This means they are away from their own homes and probably uprooted their families to do it. It is a cycle, even if it takes a while to develop or see. The current Canadian squad is bolstered by a number players who are proof of the gains made individually and have returned to the group. Okotoks 22-year-old Jeff Hassler was scooped up by the Ospreys for a two-year contract after just four caps and a year on the IRB Sevens circuit. The hare-footed Hassler is missing a Heineken Cup match against Munster for this New Zealand Maori match. Niagara, Ontarios 33-year-old journeyman Ray Barkwill took a less conventional route and didnt wait for the scouts to find him. He eventually played his way onto Super Rugbys Western Force, proving heart and grit are bigger than age and height. And an even more erratic trail was blazed by the baby-faced, Jake Ilnicki (dont let the beard fool you.) 21-year-old Ilnicki took the same initiative and risk as Barkwill, moving from Williams Lake, British Columbia all the way to the Auckland Colts, back to Canada for the Americas Rugby Championship and will now most likely face the Maori on Sunday. Rugby Canada could help its athletes and, therefore, its program by building a two-way pipeline to strengthen relationships with professional clubs, agents and scouts and start to establish Canada as a go-to nation for professional rugby to recruit from. If you build it, they will come - and the players will go and come back. 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