Whitecaps sign Danish goalkeeper David Ousted: will the axe fall on Cannon, Knighton, or both?

by Martin Dunphy on June 21st, 2013 at 1:00 PM

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The end might be near for Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Joe Cannon as the team announced Thursday (June 20) that it had signed free agent Danish stopper David Ousted.

Or could the news be starter Brad Knighton’s death knell?

Ousted, 6-3 and 28 years old, spent the past three seasons with Danish team Randers FC, appearing in 103 matches and gaining 35 clean sheets. The Whitecaps’ starting goalkeeper, Brad Knighton, also 28, has a 3-1-1 MLS record this season with no shutouts.

Cannon, 38, started the season for the ’Caps and compiled a 3-4-3 record with one goose egg.

The new goalkeeper led his Danish Superliga team to a third-place finish in the season just past, qualifying Randers for next year’s UEFA Europa League.

On the MLS website, Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi said Knighton’s job is safe—for the moment.

"In terms of the short term, nothing really changes," Lenarduzzi told Martin MacMahon. "Brad is the incumbent, and if Brad continues to do well, then he’ll retain his starting spot."

In a statement, ’Caps coach Martin Rennie said of Ousted: "David is a solid goalkeeper with a commanding presence at the back. He’s been an outstanding performer in Denmark over the past couple of seasons and I’m delighted to welcome him to the club."

The Whitecaps posted a highlight reel of some of Ousted’s saves at http://www.whitecapsfc.com/video/2013/06/20/david-ousted-highlights/.

Despite their stellar unbeaten home record this season, the Whitecaps are dismal on the road and Knighton’s save percentage is one of the league’s worst. His contract is considerably less than Cannon’s relatively hefty $190,000, and it is generally thought that the team had used its allowed one-per-season buyout of a guaranteed contract when it came to terms with cranky Scottish midfielder Barry Robson earlier this year.

If the Whitecaps are keen on Simon Thomas, the 23-year-old Victoria native and development project who spent the past season gaining experience (but no starting games) with England’s Huddersfield Town, it’s conceivable that both Cannon and Knighton will find themselves on the outs, perhaps one of them (Knighton?) as soon as three weeks from now.

Cannon has a year left on his contract, and Ousted will be eligible to play for the ’Caps as of the July 14 game against the Chicago Fire.