With a handful of leagues and clubs coming out of their winter break, the weeks ahead will finally begin to produce some substantial news for Canucks abroad once again. The Bundesliga kicked off the second half of their season, with the 2.Bundesliga to follow in the first weekend of February. The Netherlands are now back into it full swing, and after that we are just waiting for Tosaint Ricketts to recommence with his Romanian side Timisoara.

Despite there not being heaps of action over the last seven days, there was no shortage of drama as well as comings and goings. With several leagues working though a mini pre-season before the start of the second half of the campaign, it is an opportunity to bring in some new faces. Former Toronto FC defender Nana Attakora has spent the last week on trial with 2.Bundesliga club Union Berlin. Should he catch on with the team, he will add to an already growing list of Canadians competing in Germany.

In the Netherlands 
It was a positive sight to finally see Atiba Hutchinson listed on the PSV gameday roster. While he did not get any minutes, it is not a stretch to believe he will be taken along slowly as to not aggravate the injury that kept him out of the side for most of the fall. PSV drew 1-1 with FC Utrecht, and while it was a lost opportunity to move atop the Eredivisie, they are still only one point behind leaders AZ Alkmaar. It will be interesting to see upon returning to 100% fitness where Hutchinson will fit into the team. Kevin Strootman, Zakaria Labyad and Georginio Wijnaldum have all performed well in his absence and it might come down what was seen last year where Hutchinson was slotted in at right back simply because his quality could not be left on the bench. However, of all three players mentioned, Strootman is the oldest at 21 years of age, and a veteran presence might be needed in the middle of the park as PSV try to maintain their position in the table and avoid a late collapse as seen last season.

In Switzerland
Without question the biggest CMNT news of the week came out of Turkey where after scoring for his club in a 2-1 loss to Fenerbahce on Monday, Josh Simpson proceeded to terminate his contract with Manisaspor for unpaid wages. It is not an uncommon scenario for the Turkish Super Lig as Ankaragucu has a poor reputation for paying wages as seen with Darrius Vassel and Canadian defender Mike Klukowski. 

Through the week rumours were abound that Simpson would end up back in Germany with his former club Kaiserslautern, except now in the Bundesliga, or even as a Designated Player for his hometown club, the Vancouver Whitecaps. In the end he moved to Swiss Super League side BSC Young Boys to find himself in the midst of a Europa League spot battle sitting third and in one of the nicest cities in Switzerland in Bern.

Here's how the rest of Canada's Internationals fared across the pond:

Issey Nakajima-Farran – Brisbane Roar (AUS):
Saturday, January 21, played 45 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Heart.

Simeon Jackson – Norwich City (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, subbed in at the 79th minute in a 0-0 draw with Chelsea.

Ethan Gage – Reading (ENG):
Saturday, January21, did not play in a 1-0 loss to Hull City.

David Edgar – Burnley (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, played all 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Derby County.

Jamie Peters – Ipswich Town (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 3-1 loss to Leeds United.

Iain Hume – Preston North End (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 2-0 loss to Leyton Orient.

Paul Peschisolido – Burton Albion (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, coached in a 1-1 draw with Bradford City.

Gavin McCallum – Barnet (ENG):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 2-1 victory over Northampton Town.

Haidar Al-Shaibani – Nimes (FRA):
Saturday, January 21, subbed in at the 46th minute in a 3-2 victory over Arles.

Kevin McKenna – FC Koln (GER):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 1-0 loss to Wolfsburg.

Marcel De Jong – FC Augsburg (GER):
Saturday January 21, played 77 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Freiburg.

Randy Edwini-Bonsu – Eintracht Braunscheiger (GER):
Next match, Sunday February 4 v. Eintracht Franfurt.

Rob Friend – Eintracht Frankfurt (GER):
Next match, Sunday February 4 v. Eintracht Braunschweiger.

Adam Straith – Energie Cottbus (GER):
Next match, Monday February 6 v. 1860 Munchen.

Olivier Occean – Greuther Furth (GER):
Next match, Friday February 3 v. Dynamo Dresden.

Nik Ledgerwood – Wehen Wiesbaden (GER):
Next match, Saturday January 21 v. Osnabruck.

Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault – Preuben Munster (GER):
Next match, Saturday January 21 v. Rot-Wiss Oberhausen 1904.

Julian Uccello – Crotone (ITA):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 2-1 loss to Verese.

Atiba Hutchinson – PSV Eindoven (NED):
Sunday, January 22, did not play in a 1-1 draw with Utrecht.

Andrew Ornoch – Telstar (NED):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 2-1 victory over Fortuna Sittard.

Alex Marrello – Veendam (NED):
Next match, Monday, January 23 v. Oss.

Tosaint Ricketts – Timisoara (ROM):
December 8, played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Gaz Metan Medias in Cup Play.

Marcus Haber – St. Johnstone (SCO):
Saturday, January 21, played 83 minutes in a 3-2 victory over Hibernian.

Josh Simpson – BSC Young Boys (SWI):
Next match, Sunday February 5 v. Servette.

Daniel Imhof – St. Gallen (SWI):
Next match, Thursday February 16 v. Delémont.

Mike Klukowski – Manisaspor (TUR):
Saturday, January 21, played all 90 minutes in a 3-2 loss to Istanbul BB.

Milan Borjan – Sivasspor (TUR):
Saturday, January 21, did not play in a 2-1 victory over Bursaspor.