LEE GODFREY, host:
Lee Godfrey brings an extensive amount of soccer broadcast experience to GOLTV Canada, where he is the host of “The Contenders” and also the play-by-play commentator for “Match Capsule,” a GOLTV original production.

Before joining the team at GOLTV, Lee worked at Rogers Sportsnet as their soccer reporter filing regular stories for Soccercentral and providing insight along the sidelines during live broadcasts. Lee was the sideline reporter for the 2003 Women’s World Cup, 2004 U-19 Women’s World Championship Qualifying and 2006 Men’s World Cup Qualifying.

Lee also produced what may also be considered Canada’s greatest moment in International soccer — their unlikely, but remarkable run to the 2003 Gold Cup. He produced Canada’s qualifying games for the 2002 World Cup, the 1999 Canada Cup of Soccer and the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship qualifying tournament. Lee also made sure that the stories of Canadian soccer players around the world were told, going to England and Scotland to cover national team players following their soccer dreams. Lee was also the Assistant Director for Soccer Saturday on TSN and the 1998 World Cup.

PAUL JAMES, analyst:
Challenges on the soccer pitch are nothing new to Paul James. With 47 caps for Canada’s senior men’s national team under his belt – including appearances at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1986 World Cup in Mexico - the veteran of both the North American Soccer League and Canadian Soccer League has delivered and received countless tackles. But one of the biggest challenges James has experienced had nothing to do with getting knocked by an opposing defender. Two years ago, after completing an educational four-and-a-half year stint as coach of Canada’s U20 national men’s side, the Master Coach accepted a position at York
University, agreeing to grow both the men’s and women’s varsity programs.

The Wilfred Laurier University grad enjoyed an impressive playing career with the NASL’s Toronto Blizzard and the Doncaster Rovers in England, as well as making four all-star appearances throughout his time in the Canadian Soccer League. It was with the CSL’s Ottawa Intrepid where he got his initial coaching experience, filling the dual role of manager and player. James did the same with the London Lasers in 1992, earning CSL Coach of the Year honours, before taking the next step in his emerging coaching career. At the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship Qualifying Tournament, James was at the helm when Canada defeated both Mexico and the United States to advance to the 2001 World Youth Championship, making James the first ever Canadian to represent the country at a FIFA sanctioned event as both a player and coach. He left the Canadian Soccer Association and went to Liverpool, England, where he completed the prestigious Football Industries MBA at the University of Liverpool. He also appears on Match Capsule on GOLTV, providing in-depth analysis.

JIM BRENANN, analyst:
The Newmarket, Ontario native has been capped 43 times for Canada, making his debut back in April 1999 versus Northern Ireland. Since that time, Brennan has played matches against a number of countries that will be looking for World Cup glory this June in Germany including Brazil, Korea, Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iran, Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago. Brennan has scored six goals while wearing the Maple Leaf. Most notably, in his last appearance for Canada on March 1 of this year, Brennan scored two beautiful second half goals to lead Canada over Austria 2-0. He was also a member of Canada’s 2000 Gold Cup Championship team. At the club level Brennan has also enjoyed a great deal of success. In October 1999 Brennan was transferred from Bristol City to Nottingham Forest, completing the largest transfer fee paid for a Canadian player at the time of 1.25 million pounds.

He was transferred to Norwich City in 2003 who earned promotion to the English Premier League in 2004/05. In January of this year Brennan signed with Southampton of the League Championship. He’s made 16 appearances for the Saints this season including time in two FA Cup matches.

PETER MALLETT, analyst:
Peter Mallet provides in-depth coverage of Canada’s men’s and women’s World Cup squads as well domestic professional leagues and Canadians playing around the world for The Globe and Mail. He has worked on three World Cup soccer preview sections and European Cup reviews.

Recent exclusive stories include the Jonathan de Guzman debut in Holland’s First division, the involvement of MLSE in the construction of a soccer specific stadium at Exhibition Place and their desire to acquire an MLS franchise. Mallett is perhaps best known as the first to coin the phrase “Holger’s Heroes” in reference to Team Canada. His 1999 Globe and Mail article on the team’s training camp came a year ahead of the term being picked up by CSA and Canadian Press.