'Wow, this is really happening': Two Edmonton teens turning heads with the Vancouver Whitecaps

Edmonton Journal

a day ago

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While they were confident, there was no guarantee they were going to get into the game. Like most of the subs will do in the second half of a game, they started to warm up close to the field, doing stretches and sprints just in case the call came from head coach Jesper Sorenson.
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'We were warming up, right?' said Selemani. 'And the coach starts yelling at the trainer, and the trainer runs over to him. I think he said my name first. And my heart started racing. I started shaking. I was like, 'whoa, no way.' And then I put on the jersey, I walk up to the coach and he's telling me all the set pieces and stuff. And I'm thinking, wow, this is really happening.
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'And I'm at the line, I take one breath. And then I go on, I run and I'm shaking. I'm like, 'no way, I'm really doing this.' And then I hear my name 'substitute Johnny Selemani' and, wow.'
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Elloumi said the Crew fans didn't give him the warmest of welcomes. But their name-calling was only music to the ears of a player itching to make his first-tier pro debut.
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'I remember going to warm up, and just even walking to warm up, the fans who are close to the pitch, they're just screaming at you. They're calling you names, just trying to get in your head. And for me, it was probably one of the best moments of my life. This is what it really feels like. What an opportunity this is. If someone is yelling at you, this is a great feeling.'
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Edmonton's soccer pipeline
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In a city where the Oilers dominate the sports headlines during the regular season and playoffs, and dominate the headlines during the off-season, it's easy for the pipeline that exists between Edmonton and the Whitecaps to be overlooked. Edmonton is a city where there's a true soccer dichotomy; professional teams have come and gone. But, in the youth ranks, the city has, for years, punched above its weight when it comes to producing talent. While Davies is surely the poster boy for Edmonton as a soccer city, there are others who've made the jump to MLS or to Europe.
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Dieu-Merci Michel, who also came through the BTB program, scored his first goal for Vitoria de Guimaraes in Portugal's top league in 4-4 draw against powerhouse Sporting Lisbon. Lars Hirschfeld went from Edmonton to a long-time career in Europe tending goal. Erin McLeod and Stephanie Labbe both excelled in goal for the Canadian women's national team.
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And there are Edmontonians who blazed trails in MLS; Shamit Shome made the move from FC Edmonton to the then-named Montreal Impact; Tosaint Ricketts played with both Toronto FC and the Whitecaps after playing in Europe.
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And the 'Caps recognize that Edmonton is a goldmine of talent. Edmonton Minor Soccer has forged a partnership with the Whitecaps that runs until 2026; the team has established the Whitecaps FC Edmonton BMO Academy Centre to help identify and develop top male and female prospects.
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A big part of Edmonton's footballing scene is BTB Soccer. Founded just 13 years, is now regarded as one of the top developmental clubs in the country. The proof of the club's success is the amount of players it has sent on to bigger and better things. Fifteen off to the pro ranks in North America or Europe. More than 50 sent to collegiate programs in Canada and the U.S.; 15 more sent to the Whitecaps Academy, the amateur arm of the pro club.
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'We just try to focus on ourselves and try to always improve,' said Kondeh Mansaray, BTB's founder and sporting director. 'I think I'm a soccer nerd because I know everything every club is doing in this country. I do the research, I go to websites, I go to social media. I like to see what they're doing, what's working, and if it is, try to bring that to BTB. And there are clubs who have reached out to me, asking how we think and how we do things. And then I see other clubs implementing what we just talked about. We've had to copy from people and they copy from us, but we're all just doing the best we can for the players. right?'
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Because of the age gap, Selemani and Elloumi never played together at BTB. But their stories are similar. Both grew up in the south side — Selemani's from Blue Quill; Elloumi was born in St. Albert but spent his childhood in Terwillegar. Like a lot of south-side players, Selemani played at Edmonton Scottish United, and calls the Edmonton Soccer Dome, south of Ellerslie Road, home. Elloumi played at Juventus. But, both made the jumps to BTB in their early teens. Moving to a team based in the north-side meant lots of long transit rides to practices.
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From there, both were selected to show their stuff with the Edmonton Whitecaps. Selemani was an immediate hit, and he moved to Vancouver at age 14. Elloumi was told by the Whitecaps that he needed to stay in Edmonton and work on his intensity. He came back the next year and was ready to go to Vancouver.
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Both players were living away from home before they could drive. Soccer talent is identified at much younger ages than other team sports. Careers begin earlier, but they also end earlier. The wear and tear of all that running, the punishment on knees and ankles, make a player an elder statesperson by the age of 30. So, kids start playing for keeps at an age that they're not really ready to leave the nest. But this is the nature of the sport.
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The Whitecaps have an academy program, where players go to school and develop as players. From there, many players go off to collegiate careers. But the chosen few can move on to professional careers. Elloumi and Selemani were moved up to the Whitecaps 2 team in MLS Next, then got the call to show their stuff in in the big league this year. They're back with Whitecaps 2, but both are hungry to get back to the first team. Elloumi has seven goals and six assists in 13 MLS Next matches. What makes the production all the more impressive is that he was a starter in just eight of those games. Elloumi posted those numbers without maxing out his potential playing time because he was injured at outset of the season. Selemani, who is playing on the left side as either a winger or fullback, and has started 15 of 18 Whitecaps 2's MLS Next matches
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Life in Vancouver took some time getting used to.
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'Just being away from at first, it wasn't easy,' said Elloumi. 'It's a whole different lifestyle. I had to learn how to become independent and more mature, not only as a player, but as a person. I had to make sure I was on top of everything, my own chores, my own food, and just getting around the city.
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'But, thankfully, I had a lot of support from my parents and family. They would call me every day, so I wouldn't be missing home too much.'
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Selemani moved into a very crowded house.
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'I was just 14 when I came in,' he said. 'So, I had to adjust to things and I lived in a big house with, like, 15 other guys. I had to look up to them. I was on the phone to my parents literally every day, just saying 'what do I do?' I had to learn fast.'
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Selemani was a key part of Canada's team that qualified for the U-17 World Cup. Both he and Elloumi are represented by ATG Sports Management, which was founded by Davies's agent, Nedal 'Nick' Huoseh.
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Mansaray coached them both at BTB. When he speaks about them, he can't hide his enthusiasm.
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'It's just so cool to see that all the hard work, all the sacrifices, are paying off,' said Mansaray. 'I was very happy for them when they made their debut.
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'Johnny was always an athletic player, fast, strong very good in one-v-one situations. He's a fighter, someone who can take a game and go win it for you. Rayan is a special human being. He's very kind. He's hard-working, a great teammate, a great person to coach. Rayan is probably one of the best finishers I've ever coached.'
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