Vancouver Whitecaps assistant coach Paul Ritchie knows that Barry Robson will provide a big boost when he arrives at the club in July.

The Middlesbrough midfielder has signed a deal with the 'Caps which will see him leave England at the end of the current season and Ritchie is expecting big things.

The 36-year old former Heart of Midlothian and Manchester City defender spent two seasons with Robson at Dundee United between 2004 and 2006 and is well aware of the qualities he will bring to BC Place in the summer.

"Barry will bring a professionalism to the team and a work ethic that everyone else will need to step up [to match]," Ritchie told The Province.

"He's a winner and he makes no bones about it. If it's not done right on the training field, he's not slow in letting people know what he thinks.

"For us, if we want to be a winning team, that's what we need."

 The game is about opinions. Make yours heard! Join the tribalfootball.com nation on Facebook today: Facebook.com/tribalfootball