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Parke signs with Vancouver Whitecaps

Former New York Red Bulls defender Jeff Parke has finally found a home, and it is up north in Canada.

A week after joining the USL-1 Vancouver Whitecaps for a training spell, Parke has signed a deal to join the Whitecaps, signing a one-year deal. No details were made available yet but sources told SBI last week that Parke was likely to sign a deal that allows him to pursue other possibilities this summer, including Europe and a potential return to MLS.

Parke, who was suspended by MLS for 10 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, will be free to start playing for the Whitecaps immediately despite still having four games left to serve on his suspension.

Parke was taken by the Seattle Sounders in the MLS Expansion Draft last year but failed to reach a contract agreement with the Sounders before joining up with the Whitecaps.

What do you think of this move? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. PEDs are terrific; anyone who posts otherwise on a message board is an out-of-shape washout who never even fulfilled their mediocre athletic potential. Sorry to keep this so PC; I know it’s a push-button topic for many.

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  2. Sunil – I believe it’s an MLS suspension not FIFA so Parke can play immediately but would still have serve the 4 game suspension if he were to join Philly in 2010

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  3. He made a mistake, admitted it and was as straight as anyone. I’m glad that he found a team…and I hope he does well. Thanks for keeping track of this. (Not from Sayerville NJ)

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  4. Ives: Parke cannot just dodge the 4 game suspension by switching leagues. It is a FIFA suspension, so he has to miss the first four that he is eligible for regardless. That includes rec games if affiliated to FIFA and USSF.

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  5. I have to say Parke is either getting bad advice from his agent or he is smoking something. The reason Europe didn’t want him is because of his link to PED. They all passed on him, he didn’t pass on them. Seattle was his best choice due to the fact that he still has a suspension to finish, and most teams that would be willing to give Seattle the right trade value, would not want to trade for a guy who cant play for 3 games, and no team wants a guy who will just walk out if he is not happy.

    I am a USL fan but i have a hard time believing that he will make even decent money if the club knows he is out in the summer. The Caps are smarter than that.

    So it comes down to sticking it to the MLS.
    Well Buddy, Good luck out there in the second division. No MLS team will trade for you now that you play in the USL. Seattle will still hold your rights this summer, so see you in third division Belgium or wherever you can land your big head over there. Good riddance!

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  6. What does Jeff Parke think of:

    1) Promotion/relegation

    2) A 2nd NY area team

    3)Expansion

    4) John O’Brien

    5) Latin women v. Scandanavian women

    Ives – can we set up a Jeff parke-cam so we can actually see him get released by Vancouver & sign with the Brooklyn Knights?

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  7. Parke is a MLS calibur center back. Hopefully he’s making decent scratch in USL. I feel for the guy and hope he gets back on track.

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  8. SEE YOU IN MINNESOTA PARKE!!! HA HA HA!!! Cannot wait to heckle you off the field in shame!

    ” Jungle Fever…in the morning…fever all through the night…FEVER!…Jungle Fever…sure to make you feel alright!”

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  9. Probably the the best move for him given the present situation.

    Even if he went to play in Malaysia does anybody really care about Jeff Parke’s soccer career? Pre-suspension I doubt you could find 10 people outside of NY who knew who he was.

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  10. I am upset that TFC didnt get into the action of trying to sign Parke for a single year, i was assuming he could help us until the summer transfer season so we could of picked up another CB

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  11. Yeah Ives, you should definitely run your blog however anonymous Sayerville tells you to. How dare you post news related to American soccer?

    I am just amazed how fast a player can go from having opportunities to make a bit more money in Europe to signing for a second tier American club.

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  12. I agree. He is a good but certainly not newsworthy player, at least not this much coverage. Though I understand he was a NY players, and this is a NY based website.

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  13. Parke has made the best of a bad situation. I see him back in MLS for the 2010 season. If he goes to Europe it will be one to of the Scandinavian countries not one of the big leagues.

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