The plight of the TFC supporter

In the 75th minute you could feel the anxiety in the air, the sense of ininevitability that 1-0 just wasn't enough. 

At the 85th minute Saturday night you could have come up with about 100 different cliches to describe TFC's capitulation of its slender one goal lead. Granted TFC were robbed of a goal as Joao Plata was clearly onside when he seemingly put the Reds two up.

By the 90th minute you could see the frustration on both supporter and player faces alike.

Another defensive collapse, another performance that went begging, another lead squandered. This has been the 5 year story of a Toronto FC supporter. For those who are not up to speed on the events of the last four years, watching one match can give you glimpse into the disarray of the club. From the consistent movement players in and out of the club, to the ineffective management on and off the pitch, all the way to the shockingly bad scouting of player talent. It is been clear for sometime that something fundamentally is, and has been from day one wrong with the club. There is no one thing that you can point your finger at, no single smoking gun that explains the poor results on the pitch. There are several things mainly behind the scenes that have caused this. However this blog post is not dedicated to those reasons, this is dedicated the the loyal almost to a fault TFC supporter.

This blogger does not sit in the south end (Still on the waiting list...and will probably will be there for awhile) however he's watched just about very TFC game there has been either live when it was still nearly impossible to get tickets, and now when you can walk up to the box office. On T.V when it was carried, online through at times terrible feeds with massive lag times. I've skipped work for games, brushed off dates with ex-girlfriends to be home to catch a game (Hence the ex). I've even hung outside BMO on days I could get match tickets just so I could hear the game and the crowd and feel a part of things. I've watched the team get completely thrashed 5-0, I've watched heartbreaking 1-0 defeats in which the losing goal was scored in the 92nd minute....and I came back for more. But after 5 years for losing football and no chance of the playoff come August, as the reality is TFC will not make the playoffs again this year, you have to ask...how much more of this can one take?

The club now seems to be on the right path towards building a winner. A strong emphasis on youth and the academy has always been the key to strong long lasting sides. The senior squad under manager Aron Winter are playing, at least offensively a more attractive style of football. However this style of rebuilding takes time, a long time and do TFC supporters have the patience to wait? This town is craving for a winner, and the first team that does it will win the hearts of the people, TFC had the chance right away. Duane Rollins made a good point in his post today on Canadiansoccernews.com, those who were 27 when the club started are now 32 with kids. Renewing TFC season tickets will not be on the top list of priorities, nor should it, and frankly my age group (I'm 28) may not have money to afford to spend on a losing football club. I personally will be there, along with many of the die hard supporters, but that may only fill one end of BMO field, what about the rest of the stadium? Will people care enough if the rest of this season is a dud?

The crowds this year have been falling short of previous years, it was evident at the home opener something was different. Even for the notoriously late arriving Toronto crowd you could see the games was not a clear sellout. The trend has continued through out the year, with some Canadian Championship games only drawing 10-12,000 people. After the end of last season it was clear that some casual fans had enough, for them the side show was over. Depending on how this season ends a lot more casual fans may just say forget it when they get the season's tickets call from their sales rep. Contrary to what is shown on the televised games or the ticket packages, the casual fan is the key to TFC's success. The die hard soccer fans in Toronto were always going to come out in numbers, but those numbers are small compared to the amount of so called "part-time supporters" who fill out the rest of the stadium. It seems that MLSE and TFC believe that the good times would always role at BMO as long as they could keep the ticket prices reasonable and the Carsburg flowing. However this part-time supporter is smarter than that, pints are fun but winning along with those pints make the experience worth coming back for.

So what now...what will make BMO continue to rock like it has these past 5 year come 2012? Winning for one will help but the question is how and will the club take the steps to do that? It seems that Director of Player Development Paul Mariner along with Winter and the rest of the player staff are up for the task. But TFC supporters have heard all this before. All the promises, all the changes all the fancy ads and new kits. However there is only one thing that will matter, the signing of quality players who want to be here and the successful implementation of Aron Winter's vision on the pitch.

This is the plight of the TFC supporter, this is when you find out who'll stand up and who'll fade away.

Cheers,
Mike

When fair isn't fair: Vancouver screwed in Canadian Championship second leg



I was at the game and I can tell you the game was unplayable after a while.



Wednesday May 25th, in the 29th minute, Vancouver Whitecaps forward Eric Hassli curled a low left footed shot into the bottom corner of Toronto FC's goal in the second leg of the Voyageurs Cup final, it seemed they were on the way to their first Canadian title....Then the skies over Toronto opened up.

The lightning struck closer and closer to BMO Field and the pitch became so badly water logged the match had to be abandoned after 62 minutes. The question on everyone's mind was "What now?"

Hassli's goal made the aggregate score 2-1 in favour of Vancouver, and with away goals counting double, it could have well won the match and the cup. The fair thing in most people's mind was a replay starting at 1-0; or call the leg completely and hand the cup to the Blue and Whites. The rules written by FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association said something completely different in mind. Rule 27 subsection F stated:

27. f. If the match is interrupted before the completion of normal playing time or extra time (if required) because of extreme weather or for reasons outside the control of the host team, a repeat match lasting 90 minutes shall be arranged for the following day, thus avoiding the considerable extra expense for the visiting team. If it is still impossible to play the match the next day for the same reasons, the match may be postponed by another day, provided both teams agree. If the match can still not be played on the third day, the expenses thus incurred by the visiting team shall be split between the two teams

When reading the rule at first it seems a simple interpretation; that is until you understand that "repeat match" in this case meant the game would start at 0-0, making Hassli's potential winning goal irrelevant. Is it fair? According to the CSA and FIFA it is, to Vancouver it's a joke and it's hard to argue against them.

Toronto had the majority of possession and were creating chances, but it is the what ifs that strengthen the west coast team's case. If the game had not been stopped, and if Toronto had not scored, Vancouver are champions and heading to  CONCACAF Champions League. Therefore in true fairness the replay should start 1-0.

It is one thing to have a replay, but it is another to nullify the results of the previous unfinished game as if it never happened. The advantage is back in Toronto's court in which they can go back work on the things that didn't go well with a lead on aggregate as they scored the away goal in the 1st leg. It's a huge let off for the defending champions were we facing another poor result at home.

As for Vancouver they are left to stew over a game they were winning and a cup that (for now) has eluded them for a fourth straight year. Who must wonder what if at least until the replay on July 2nd.

Cheers,
Mike

Is Toronto FC the worst team in the MLS?

Saturday was a disaster.

A 3-0 loss is always a better pill to swallow for any team, but for one trying to re-built both on a off the pitch it is extremely harsh. While most Toronto sports fans had their eyes glued to the blood and glory at Rogers Centre Saturday night, a small dedicated group of football supporters gather at bars or around t.v's to watch their ever evolving Reds take on the Sounders in Seattle. What they saw might have sent them to even heaver drinking than when the team plays at home. 

I could go into all the tactical issues that occurred in the game and what exactly went wrong, but the only thing one needs to know is that the fight was not there. Head coach Aron Winter, his coaches and some players described the loss in three words; Embarrassing. Shameful and Frustrating. In all sports; especially in Toronto, the effort is as important as the win. Obviously this town wants a winner, but this town has been without a winner for so long now we can settle for second place until then. This town can even forgive a lack of quality if you give it your all. However what we can't forgive is a poor, spineless effort. Or in the words of Columbus defender Chad Masrshall after last week's 1-1 draw at BMO " This team is not very good". On evidence of the first 8 games of the season, this is the worst team in the league.*

Yes I am aware that Toronto currently does not have the worst points total in the league, that belongs to Sporting Kansas City. However I've watched a few SKC games, and although they lack quality in the midfield... they fight. When I watch TFC go down in a game, I have no sense or feeling that they could mount a come back. Most teams in a situation like that can pour on the pressure and create chances to tie the game. In both Saturday's game and the 3-0 home loss to D.C United a few weekends ago, you had no belief that this team could mount any kind of challenge. The passing was poor, there was no creative spark anywhere on the pitch. Players were afraid to play the ball, which has become a recurring theme for the coaching staff. The defence caved in easily and  maybe the most startling thing, Aron Winter seemed to have no answer.

Granted the team is only 8 games into a 36 game season, so there is a lot of football left to played, and at times they have shown that the system Winter is trying to bring in is starting to sink in. But glaring questions still remain; where are the goals going to come from? who is going to be that creative force in the midfield? (Lets face it De Guzman is not the answer here) Can they strengthen the defence? And  maybe the most important question, when things get really tough; and they will before they get better, Can Aron Winter keep this team motivated?

3 of those 4 questions won't be answered until the European transfer window opens in July.

The fourth maybe answered in the next few weeks, if the recent results continue. I'm not trying to suggest that Winter will be fired anytime soon; but it could potentially derail the continuing installation of the "Dutch" style of play.

*I left an asterisk beside my statement of TFC being the worst club because all of this is still a work in progress. If the club can add two or three quality players to the fold they have the potential of being a very explosive team. They also have have on of the best goal keepers in the MLS in Stefan Frei, so if they can upgrade their defence they could become a much more solid team at the back. But for now these are all ifs, and ifs for a fan base starving for success may not be good enough.

Cheers,

Mike

Toronto remain winless against Columbus Crew



Tony Tchani celebrates..to his own dimise.



Tony Tchani had a day to remember on Saturday as he scored his first goal for the Reds since being traded for Dwayne De Rosario, and then had his first sending off all in the span of a minute as TFC remained winless lifetime against the Crew drawing 1-1. Following the recent comments from David Beckham and other MLS players in regards to referees and their influence on games all eyes were on the officials this week, and in some ways they did not disappoint.

The talk going into the match was the manufactured rivalry against the 2008 MLS Cup winners after incidents at Crew stadium sparked fights outside the stadium that same year. Tough the "Trillium Cup derby" as it has been called packed little punch as only about 20 Crew supporters made the journey north. With the home support in full voice the game's first 20 minutes were scrappy with TFC gaining the upper hand in possession. Alan Gordon had the best chance early on with a sliding effort that Crew keep Will Hesmer saved well.

5 minutes later the Crew should have gone in front as Crew striker Emilio Renteria beat out Decoy Williams on the byline and fed the ball back to Robbie Rodgers however the American international fired his placed shot wide of the post.

Things almost threatened to kick off in the 34th minute when TFC right back Danleigh Borman was fouled hard into the visiting bench by Kevin Burns. Tchani flew in to defend his teammate and both he and Burns had a shove in. Both players were cautioned which would have a major impact on the game just 5 minutes later.

After a wonderful lay off by Gordon, Julian De Guzman played a precise chip pass to the streaking Tchani who buried the ball pass a diving Hesmer. The jubilant Tchani jumped the partition and into the first row of section 127. For this referee David Gantar gave the 21 year old midfielder his second yellow and his matching orders. TFC for the second week in a row would have to play a significant portion of the game down a man.

The second half saw the Crew dominate possession as expected and in the 50th minute they equalized though and excellent glancing header by the dangerous Renteria. The rest of the second half saw little in actual goal scoring chances, though TFC showed much more fight then they did in last weeks poor display against D.C United.

As the full time whistle blew for full time the major talking point was the Tchani sending off and if really warranted a yellow card.

Hi his post match comments TFC head coach Aron Winter had no issue with the card being shown, but took some issue with the ref over the first card and the overall consistency of calls.

When asked about the sending off, Winter replied "It's stupid, you know you're on a yellow card and you know when you jump from the pitch into the crowd you're going to get a second" (Yellow card) He added that "He was emotional because it was his first goal at TFC, but it was not clever, he feels bad because he let his mates down, but let's hope he gets some teachings from this".

Winter also took issue with the consistence in the application of the celebration rule, noting that on three separate occasions this early season , Alan Gordon, Charlie Davies of D.C and Terry Dunfield for Vancouver have jumped into the crowd and have not been booked.

Winter looked to the positives in the game especially the start that TFC made in the first half. It has been an issue with the first year manager all season which culminated in the horrid 3-0 defeat to United last weekend. If Toronto are to start making a push up the eastern standings the team must continue to play with the same intensity they did in this game.

NOTES: Nana Attakora missed the game with a groin injury...Toronto FC have never beaten Columbus (0-5-7)...CB Decoy William made his full debut for TFC after one sub appearance. TFC new signing Richard Eckersley made his debut as a sub in the 63rd minute.

Unlucky but sloppy TFC draw 1-1 at home to Chivas USA

Things looked to be going against the home team early as Alejandro Moreno scored off bad TFC defending in just the second minute, however former Chivas striker Alan Gordon tied the game in the 36th minute off a whipped in set piece from midfielder Jacob Peterson.

Much of the buzz around the stadium had little to do with the match however as club supporters were still coming to grips with the Dwayne De Rosario trade. The reaction seemed to be split down the middle, one half believing that the trade needed to be made made as the player was asking for money the club could not pay. Or the other belief, that the club has once again let the supporters down by trading the club Captian, best player and home town boy. Coincidentally both Danleigh Borman and Tony Tchani, the players that were sent in return for De Rosario from New York made their club debuts in the starting 11.

The first half was a display of sloppy football by the home side, a poor giveaway and bad marking by the usually reliable Adriab Cann allowed Moreno to dribble though the defence for the opening goal just 2 minutes in. In his post match comments Head Coach Aron Winter was shocked at his club's sluggish start in the first 25 minutes "We seemed to be asleep for the first 15 minutes. We had two new players in the team and they struggled for the first 10-15 minutes".  As TFC struggled to complete even the simplest of passes Chivas heaped on more pressure and could have made it two as Justin Braun missed a good opportunity.  The California side were soon made to pay for their missed chance as off a free kick Jacob Petersen delivered an excellent ball into the box were Alan Gordon was left unmarked to head home the equalizer.

This seemed to spark the home side as they started to have better control of the ball and in the 44th minute looked like they had taken the lead when new Captain Maicon Santos headed in from close range. However the goal was disallowed by the side judge as offside, though the replays showed otherwise.

The second half was evenly played though lacking a cutting edge for a decisive goal. The introduction of club designated player and Canadian international Julian De Guzman at half time was a welcome and unexpected sight for Reds fans who were now looking for a new home town hero. He came on to a loud ovation and made a difference in the teams ability to keep possession of the ball, though his lack of match sharpness showed at times. He commented after the game that "There were a couple of early runs in the game where I felt the physical side of things needed to be worked on but that will come naturally," But I was very pleased to have 45 minutes with no pain, and the knee feels great."


The only significant chance of the second half came in the 66th minute as Santos would miss a glorious chance after he beat the onside trap and was sent in alone on Goats keeper Dan Kennedy. Santos rounded Kennedy however it allowed time for former TFC defender Andrew Boyens to put him off and slide his effort wide of the post.

As referee Toledo blew for full time the attention once again shifted to De Rosario. Winter wanted to make it clear that "We gave him a very good offer for 3 years but he turned it down". He also added that the former Captain requested to be traded during training camp as he wanted to be made in to a DP and make the larger salary. When pressed on how the club will use the extra cap room or who will be brought in to help score goals, Winter indirectly answered by saying the club will explore their options over the next few weeks. He also inadvertently hinted that the opening of the European transfer window will be a prime target.
 Although in the immediate future no signings were planned.

Cheers,
Mike

The face is gone: DeRo had to go



De Rosario in his last game for Toronto FC



It sucks...plain and simple, no football supporter even wants to lose their clubs best player, leading goal scorer and icon at anytime, but especially at a time in which the club is forging a new identity. However this is what has happened again to Toronto Football Club supporters. After today's confirmation that club Captain Dwayne De Rosario had been dealt to New York Red Bulls it was clear to all that didn't already know, the club was heading in a new direction.

For those who follow the club closely this trade is not a total shock. The deal had been rumored for the past 10 days or so, and NYRB manager Hans Backe has made it clear he was looking for an experienced number 10 to fill out his already stacked roster. Most TFC fans hoped he was looking somewhere else for his midfielder.

Now that the trade has happened and there has been some time to swallow the news, TFC fans should take a step back and ask is this a blessing in disguise for the club?

It was clear from the start of training camp in February that De Rosario was not happy with the club. He was promised something from previous GM Mo Johnston that never materialized. Until we hear from DeRo we can only speculate, was it a promise of Designated Player money? was it the promise of high profile signings? a quick route to the playoffs? whatever the reason(s) were he was not pleased to be here. As I had mentioned in a previous post the equation of a disgruntled player and a rebuilding club equaled a parting of ways. What I and many supporters knew as TFC dilemma was What's more important? star and drawing power? or building a strong nucleus for the club?" I leaned towards the latter stating that dumping his salary cap hit would allow the club to bring in players that could help the club both in the short and long term. Bare in mind I wrote that post before Winter was hired as TFC manager so I did not know what style the club was going to be playing. But clearly Winter, director of player development Paul Mariner and the rest of the TFC brass thought the same way.

It didn't help the Canadian international that he wanted more money after signing a 4 year deal paying him $420,000 after one year. No one could argue that he was the clubs best player, but was he worth DP money. After the acquisition of Julian De Guzman on DP wages he clearly thought was. Yes admittedly he scored goals and won games for the club, but he was also known to be a cancer in the dressing room with many calling him a Captain in name only. He also at times on the pitch played for himself, taking shots when a pass would have been the better option, or trying to dribble past three defenders to create a chance.

Did the club lean on him too much to score and create? Yes, did he make things worse by feeding into that? Maybe. However both sides clearly needs this separation, DeRo needed to be on a winner and TFC needed to find some young players with potential for depth reasons. No one knows if Tony Tchani or Danleigh Borman will proved to be good buys for TFC but one thing  is for certain the club will be out of excuses if this season turns into a complete failure.

Cheers,
Mike

TFC defeat Portland 2-0: Building blocks for the season.

I'll be honest right off the bat, I will not provide to many tactical views on Saturday's game as I was both freezing in the 200 level at BMO and slightly drunk by the 70th minute. As mentioned in the previous post it was a cold one for the opener and I was prepared for it, however it still made it difficult to grasp all the tactical displays on the pitch. What I will provide is the aspect of play from a purely supporters point of view.



Javier Martina with the brace on opening day



There as a lot to like in TFC's second outing of the year, for one the defenders cut down on the amount of horrible mistakes they had made in the Vancouver game. Adrian Cann was returned to his preferred centre back position and look much more comfortable both defensively and with the ball at his feet. Ty Harden actually looked a bit better this week, but was really only in the line up due to an injury picked up by Nana Attakora during training. It also helped that he didn't have to worry about getting battered by a big powerful forward like Eric Hassli.

The passing looked improved as well, new comer Alan Gordon seemed to fit in well at the top as the centre forward. Maicon Santos and Dewayne DeRosario played just off of Gordon with Javier Martina playing wide right. The latter looked very effective as he helped to spread the play wide on the flanks, it was his pace off the wing which lead to his first of two goals. As TFC have never really had a wide player that could attack the back four it was refreshing to see that a lot of the play was focused that way. Unfortunately Dan Gargan so far does not look like he is quite fitting in Aron Winter's system as a right back who can pass and attack on an over lap.

Martina's second goal was very well taken, set up by and excellent long ball pass by kepper Stefan Frei. It is unusual to see a goal like that but Martina's first time volley was well placed and left the keeper with no chance. The goal set off wild celebrations in the stands as it was one of the finer goals ever scored at BMO by a TFC player.


If there was any bad news from the game, it was that fact that Portland is that bad of a squad and TFC were still making some school boy errors on the pitch. Winter commented as much after the game as he quickly pointed out there was a ton of work still to do. The back four is still shaky and unsettled, Mikael Yourassowsky looked solid as an attacking left back but made some errors defensively and was also sent off late in the game. Harden still has a lot of work to do in order to fit in the new system, and is facing being replaced in the starting 11 once Attakora returns to fitness. The team as a while still have an extremely difficult time defending set pieces and corners. In all honesty Portland should have turned in at least one of their corners in the first half as Reds defenders had a hard time clearing out a bouncing ball.

So my first impressions of the 2011 squad after seeing them in person is this: They will make a lot of mistakes this year, and they will lose a few ugly games against better sides. However they will be entertaining going forward and they will score much more than they did last year when going down a goal spelled the end of the game, even if it was early on in the first half. It's way to early to indicate if this club will have the playoff come October, but I got a feeling they will be in the mix for the majority of the season.

But judging form my predictions from the World Cup, they are doomed to last place.

Cheers,
Mike

-1 degree and going: Why I'll brave it for TFC's home opener Saturday



Bundle up Saturday!



Many of you will think I'm just about nuts to be willing to stand outside near Lake Ontario for 2 hours to watch a soccer game. Especially to watch Toronto FC after their dreadful display last weekend against Vancouver. In some ways I actually might be a bit nuts but that's another post for another day. Everything leans to the team playing another sub-par game, another game with a lot possession but no forward thrust. In fact everything points to it being a complete miserable day on the pitch for your local boys in Red.

So why the hell am I doing this???

The reason is everything happening in the stands. I've been to a ton of TFC games at BMO Field, but never a home opener. From what I've seen and hear from friends who have been it is a electric atmosphere. On top of that it's always fun to see what the U-Sector and Red patch boys have come up with for the new TIFO. Last years was a Star Wars themed one which was call for victory. Unfortunately those call went unheard in the end but it was still cool to see.


TFC 2010 Home Opener TIFO

 It also fun to see all the first timers, going into year five you can pick them out pretty easily as at first they look a bit lost and overwhelmed; however after 20 minutes they start to get into the game and what's happening in the South end. By 80 they are hooked. As all of us soccer fans in Canada are trying to draw more people to the game it is always good to see new or causal supporters come out and get behind the game.

I have a unique perspective on the proceedings at BMO as I have seen games both as a fan, and as a writer in the press box. I can tell you that watching the game in the stands as a supporter will always outweigh sitting in the press box, well except for the food.. they do feed the press well! The energy of the fans and the the proximity to the pitch always makes the game more exciting! Mind you I don't miss over priced beer or mass selling near the gates.

So I'll be up early getting my game face on ready to take on often talked about Timber Army of Portland, so bundle up, suck it up, drink it up and support your Toronto Football Club!

Cheers,
Mike

Stalling out the gate: Winter gets back four selection wrong as Toronto FC falls 4-2 to Vancouver

At the beginning of the pre-season, much was made of Aron Winter's new approach to TFC's on pitch tactics. He preached a possession game utilizing a 4-3-3 formation, with an emphasis on passing and good decision making with the ball. Most supporters and journalists who followed the club and knew the make up of the roster understood that this transition would take a good deal of time. Although selling the public on a more offensive seemed to work, the real issue with the club would be at the back. Entering the first game of the season against expansion, but hardly new Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday expectations were mixed as to what kind of team supporters would see for the 2011 season.

The first thing that struck me when the team sheet was announced was the back four Winter had chosen to start the game with. He went with a defence of Dan Gargan at right back, Nana Attakora and Ty Harden at centre back and what was the biggest surprise, recent hold out Adrian Cann at left back. As the clubs 2010 most valuable player Cann was expected to anchor the defence from centre back; Especially as he and Attakora had developed a decent partnership over the past year. Cann was playing completely out of position and it showed through out the game and especially on the first Whitecap goal as he was completely out of position on Davide Cuiumiento's cross into the box which led to Eric Hassli's half volley past a helpless Stefan Frei. Cann's lack of pace lack of pace made it fairly easy for Cuiumiento to get by him and dictate the game with his precise passing.

The other issue with Winter's defensive selection was the pairing of Attakora and Harden against the physically bigger and stronger Vancouver forward Eric Hassli. Nana will I believe will become an excellent defender in the MLS, however it became clear early on that he and Harden were going to have trouble handling Hassli. On both of Hassli's goals his strength and movement cause the defenders massive problems. This is where the size of Cann would have come in handy for the relatively small team.

TFC's management has stressed over the past 6 weeks leading into the season opener that patience was needed while the players adapted to the club's new philosophy of play. A key to playing the 4-3-3 is having players on the pitch that can make a decisive pass and most importantly make good decisions. Saturday was evidence that the team has a long way to go before this system is anywhere near what Winter would like it to be. There were countless turnovers especially from the back four who are still not adept to making as many passes as they're are now required to do. Harden and Gargan were guilty of making poor passes that lead to Whitecap chances, Harden making a horrible pass that was easily intercepted by Atiba Harris which lead to an open break on goal. Gargan's intercepted pass lead to Vancouver's third goal as Russel Teibert's pass put Wes Knight and Hassli clear on goal with the latter finishing off the move.

What was very alarming to any TFC supporters was how disorganized the side looked at times in the midfield and back four. Not taking anything away form Vancouver's performance, but 3 of the 4 goals were due to serious lapses in TFC's judgement. The midfield did not help the back for much with bad defensive positioning and sloppy turnovers which left the defenders out of position.

With a lot of negative play getting the focus, and rightfully so, there were some bright sports for the Reds going forward. For one Winter did get his wish in regards to possession, 61% of possession to be exact. In the first 30 minutes The Reds looked dangerous on the left flank. Newcomer Javier Martina was bright in his attacking play and teased a few good low crosses into to box, and showed some creativity on the wings that this club has rarely ever seen. Jacob Peterson's attacking play looked decent, now deployed more centrally he made some good passes and liked up well with the front players. Macon Santos had the thankless task of holding put the ball and bringing players into the game, but did it reasonably well; He also struck an absolute net buster late in the game for TFC's second goal. For all his off the field dramatics captain Dwayne DeRosario was best outfield player for the Reds once again. His great finish for the first goal showed TFC fans why they still need him, and he did a great job linking the play, especially out wide. However TFC's star of the game was kepper Stefan Frei. Without the third year stopper Vancouver could have scored 5 or 6.

Next week's home opener against Portland will be a big test for this club. Although supporters have seem to have given the club some leeway in terms of implementing the new system, if they turn in a result like Saturday that leeway will evaporate very quickly.

Cheers,
Mike

A new Era at Toronto FC

Hello all! Welcome to 2011! I hope you had a great holidays. As for TFC supporters they are about to get a welcome post Christmas gift with the official announcement of the new football management team. Tomorrow's press conference at the Air Canada Centre will confirm the news that has pretty much been known since Monday, Former Dutch international Aron Winter will be the clubs new technical director and Head Coach. Paul Mariner will join as GM or a higher management role, and Bob de Klerk will be first team assistant to Winter.



New TFC head coach Aron Winter (Middle)



Winter is a former Ajax, Lazio and Inter Milan midfielder with an extremely high pedigree. On the sidelines he has been an assistant at Ajax for the past 5 years along with Bob de Klerk. When Jugren Klinsman had his press conference in November he spoke about the club identifying a method of play, a philosophy which would define the way the club developed players. Clearly the hierarchy at TFC have chosen the Dutch style of "Total Football". I could go into what exactly total football means and how it looks tactically, but tactics are not my strong suit. Ben Rycroft executive editor of canadiansoccernews.com has broken down the system terrifically in his article It's The Tactics Stupid - Total Football Club (Part 1).

What Winter and de Klerk can bring is the intimate knowledge of this system that is an attractive style of play to watch. The system also calls for development of youth specifically focusing on developing on the ball skills, positional play and positional awareness. As players can play in a multitude places on the pitch in a match, those skills are extremely important for a young player to know. The two new first team coaches also bring a fresh approach to how TFC operate.

For the first 4 years of TFC 's existence the club has been run into the ground by former Director of Football Operations Mo Johnston. The club aside from a few players signed the wrong footballers on the wrong wages, it was clear there was no idea on how the club were going to play or develop its youth. It may be too early to tell if the new policy will be a success, but it's already a step further then the club has been in four years.



Paul Mariner the new GM



The other important piece of the new management team is Paul Mariner who is no stranger to the MLS. In his expected role as GM he has the experience to find and select players to fit Winter's style of play. He knows the league and its talent, Mariner is also experienced with the ultra confusing MLS salary cap and the rules around it. He also can be the link between Winter and the league. There will be many...many things Winter will have to learn about the MLS, it is very different than Europe on how the leagues work there. Mariner's excellent track record with the New England Revolution (4 MLS cup finals in a row) can act as the administrative head while Winter and de Klerk can focus on the first team.

It'll be interesting what they all will have to say tomorrow. Whatever the case may be it's an exciting time for the club ahead of the MLS Superdraft next Thursday.

Cheers,
Mike

The DeRo Dilemma...and why he needs to go.

Over the last few days long suffering Toronto FC supporters have been watching an evolving soap opera of events take place at the club between management and its best player Dwayne DeRosario. And just like a soap there is a third party to complete the sordid triangle in legendary Scottish club Celtic. All jokes aside this trial...or training or tryout whatever DeRo's camp is calling it is starting to become an unwelcome distraction of a club that is trying to sort itself out for the upcoming MLS season.

The facts are this, DeRosario has gone to Scotland to "workout" with Celtic for a week in Scotland to keep himself fit..... in his terms. TFC first came out on Monday denying that DeRo was even in Scotland, then had to admit he was there when pictures surfaced of him in Celtic training gear in Lennoxtown. Now the club has come out stating that they knew he wanted to go but had no permission from the club to go train. Then there is Celtic who seemed to be convinced that a) The player and agent had permission from the club and b) that he was on trial with the possibility of a short term lease, or even a permanent switch.

On the surface the issue is whither or not permission to train with Celtic was given by MLSE to DeRo, right now things do not look good for the TFC captain as both the club and the league appear to be in the dark about the whole thing if you read their statements. However if you scratch below the surface the issues between club and player are coming to a head.

Last seasons cheque writing goal celebration  by DeRo put him in the dog house for the first time since his arrival in early 2009. It was clear money was an issue for the captain who felt he should be receiving DP level money considering he was by far the club's best player. Although he may have been right in asking for a raise, the way in which he went about it was "unacceptable" in the eyes of club President Tom Anselmi and put the club in a difficult position, say nothing and you are seen as condoning the behavior, say too much too strongly and best player demands a move out.

This latest move by DeRosario once again puts the club in the same position with an added dilemma, "should we let him go?"

On this question you will get many different reactions some for, many against but what supporters and management have to weigh is " What's more important? star power and drawing power? or building a strong nucleus for the club?"

Right now DeRosario is in the middle of a 4 year deal with a roughly $400,000 a year salary. That made him the 3rd highest paid player on the squad behind Julian DeGuzman and the now departed Mista. If you take that $400,000 hit off the salary cap, TFC could bring in a lot of good pieces that could make this club a contender in the MLS very quickly and very cheaply. However the down side is the loss of quality, there can be no doubt that he is the most gifted player on the squad, who can go on massive goal scoring runs. But how many times last year was it asked, who else is going to score the goals? Who will provide the wide play? Who can stop the other teams best player? Sending DeRo and his massive contact to Scotland could begin to answer some of these questions.

Here's what Dwayne needs to understand, with his current contact and the club's current salary cap situation he CANNOT get a raise his salary is at the max for a non DP. As for the oft wondered option of making him a DP the answer is probably a no as well. The league likes to have clubs reserve those spots for international talent coming from overseas; plus the only "life long MLS'er" who has made that jump is Landon Donovan for political reasons more than anything. So unless DeRosario can find a way to live with his contact he could be seeing the door sooner rather than later.

At 32 he has only a hand full of real options available to him, one is to try and make a last ditch effort to catch on with a club in Europe (which he's trying to do now, no matter how much he denies it) Try and force a trade to another MLS club, but seeing how the re-entry went not a lot of teams are looking to pick up big ticket contacts right now. The third is to stay put.

Whatever he decides to do this latest move by the Canadian international is one of serious disrespect to both the club management no matter what you think of them, and to the supporters who will not take this one lying down.

Cheers,
Mike N

The Klinsmann job

Interesting developments out of Toronto FC this week, it was rumored for about a week, but it was made official by the club today. German legend Juergen Klinsmann and his company Soccer Solutions has been hired by TFC to help consult with the entire operation of the club. From identifying and hiring the new head coach and GM, to working on the football operations of the club right down to the academy level. Many people have been applauding the move as at the very least MLSE have recognized that they need to have proper football people helping to make decisions. However a world of caution to those who think Klinsmann or his company is the savour...they are not, they are just a part of the solution.



Juergen Klinsmann, here to clean the mess.



First thing to note, Klinsmann himself is not taking any official office position with the club, he is just a consultant. In fact since he's the CEO of Soccer Solutions there is no guarantee that he will be talking the executives at TFC. I believe that he'll be apart of the dialogue, but he's not managing the club nor will be  apart of the transfer policy. Nor will Juergen be moving anywhere near Toronto during the off season, he'll be running the show from his home in California.

What I think he and his company will bring is contacts in the world game. Last season the idea what that TFC needed a manager with MLS experience, that didn't turn out that well. Now the organization realises that they need the best person available, regardless of MLS experience. Soccer Solutions will be able to line up the best football people in the world for TFC to look at. The great advantage for this club over other in the league is that money is really no object when it comes to hiring the best talent. This will allow the club to seriously pursue some great managerial talent both on and off the pitch.

lthough the GM and manager positions will be the two high profile finds for Soccer Solutions the one that intrigues me the most is the involvement with the TFC academy. I'm a big proponent of building academies and growing a clubs strength through youth players developed in house. Toronto have an excellent crop of players to choose from as I believe only B.C soccer produce players at the same level. The youth levels is where I believe the company can have it's greatest influence and success. current interim GM and academy head Earl Cochrane has done an amazing job building the program form the ground up, but having a few ideas from one of the game's greats can only make it better. Tom Anselmi, MLSE's executive vice-president and chief operating officer, indicated that Klinsmann's role with the club ends in the summer. Although you have to believe that his wisdom will be called upon will after his tenure is over.

The next few months in TFC land will be interesting, it's clear the club will be looking to go big with it head coach signing, and the new GM will probably have some serious pedigree behind him. TFC will want to make a splash this off season, with Vancouver joining the league in 2011 the club is about to lose its strangle hold on the Canadian soccer market.

A quick thought on TFC's 0-0 at Cruz Azul

First things first, you have to complement the club on gaining 4 points on the road which is very difficult given the team's history with away fixtures.

However I'm not so pleased with the performance by TFC. Granted they were playing at altitude in Mexico City against the group leaders, but the inability to even retain a small bit of possession became irksome during the match. The broadcast made it seem like TFC produced a heroic defensive display against the Mexican side, and it is true to a certain extent. The defense was very good, but it was forced to be the main focus as neither the up front players nor the midfielders could hold on the the ball for more than a few seconds.

At points it seemed that it was inevitable that Azul would find a winner as they were all over them, even after being down a man. Although this seems to be a case where the opposition played down to the level of its competition. Azul had several chances to finish the game, but either they squandered it or the back four swept the chance away.

I know a week and two matches will not be enough to assess the squad's new leadership, Nick Dasovic has a lot of work to do before TFC play again this weekend against San Jose....Which of course is another must win.

Cheers,
Mike

The shoe finally drops at TFC



Mo Johnston and Preki were fired on Tuesday



When it was announced that TFC executive vice president and chief operating officer Tom Anselmi had called a news conference for Tuesday afternoon people knew someone was out of a job. After the team's worst performance of the season against DC United at BMO field in do or die game, Anselmi clearly had seen enough. On Tuesday director of soccer operations Mo Johnston and head coach Preki were fired and assistant coach and former Canadian international Nick Dasovic was installed at interim head coach.

At the press conference Anselmi stated that “At the end of the day, it’s a results-oriented business, and the results just weren’t there. “It hasn’t worked, it just hasn’t worked and so we’re moving on,”

For supporters of the club neither move was all that surprising specially considering the fading hopes of making the team playoffs. However what might have caught some people of guard was the timing, with 6 games left in the regular season many (including myself) thought that the club would make this move in the off season. Johnston had always stated that if the team failed to make the playoffs this year he was gone, but with the team still in the hunt for the 8th and final playoff spot some have seen it as a reactionary move. The very vocal south end supporters made it clear on Saturday that they were fed up with the mediocre play for the squad chanting “We not going to take it” a verse from the 80's Twisted Sister song. It was first time that the discontent among the fans was so boisterous in the 4 years of the club's existence, it seemed ownership shared their view.

The rumours of Johnston and Preki's demise first started up after the Chicago loss on Wednesday, after it had been leaked that Preki and assistant coach Dasovic had a verbal dust up over tactics a few week earlier. The other coaches were called into a meeting with the brass in which they questioned Preki's knowledge around tactical game planning, and expressed that fact that Preki was difficult to work with. The rumour mill went into overdrive on Saturday when Dasovic was nowhere to be found, subsequently we learned that he had flown to his home in Vancouver.

Although Johnston had been with the club since inception in 2007, his record is one of disappointment and failure right from the beginning. Whether it be poor coaching decisions and roster selection in the first season to ill advised signings like Pablo Vitti, Laurent Blanc, Carlos Ruiz, Ronnie O'Brian, Raivis Hscanovics etc.... Johnston has failed to bring quality to the side while also over paying for players. The club is up against the salary cap and is very thin in terms of squad selection. It will be very difficult for his successor to shed the payroll of some of these contacts.

As for Preki, he becomes another TFC coaching causality as the carousel of head coaches continues. Dasovic becomes the 5th head coach of the club in 4 seasons.

I stated in my last TFC post that I thought Preki should remain head coach as he had improved the club defensively and brought about a better work rate, I also believed just for stability sake he would be retained. However work rate and defensive football does not equal goals. It has been the Achilles heel for this club since 2007 and they are currently on a 4 match goal less streak. There also comes the question of his attitude and at time bombastic nature around the players. Saturday is was made clear that Preki had lost the players. It has been long known that DP Julian De Guzman had questioned the lack of tactical knowledge and planning of Preki, and recently other members of the squad has begun to question their treatment by the head coach. When this happens then its clear that the manger has to go.

Make no mistake in most cases players get coaches fired, and TFC's squad is not innocent of this. However it was also clear that Preki had little grasp on how to plan an offensive attack.

So as in my last post I pose the question, where does TFC go from here?

Tom Anslemi believes the season is not completely lost yet, “Short-term we’ve got six games left in the regular season of MLS. The players play up to their potential, we believe we can still make the playoffs.

“Longer term we came to the conclusion that we needed new leadership for this club on the pitch, so the search for a new manager begins today.”

At this point Toronto FC fans would just settle for stability and some winning soccer.

Cheers,
Mike

Changes needed at BMO Field Part 1

For anyone who watched TFC's lacklustre loss to DC United on Saturday afternoon you could tell that something was off, broken if you will. Put aside the fact that the Reds lost to the worst team in the league, or that they dropped more important playoff points; The most disappointing thing about Saturday and even back to Wednesday night against Chicago is that you realized this team is just not good enough. The quality on the pitch is just not there and when you look at the players available for selection there really isn't any match winners on the squad, and I would even throw Dwayne De Rosario in that mix.

I should point out that I'm not questioning the team's work rate as I do believe that they play hard for Preki and they put forth a good effort, however a team with an excellent work rate and no quality goes nowhere. For myself the low was on Wednesday night, for a lack of a better term the squad was god awful in the final third of the field. Should TFC have been awarded 2 penalties in the first half? probably yes, but it does not excuse the fact that at no point in the game did they really look at a threat to score. The work rate during the game was there, but there seemed to be a disconnect between the players. It's not the first time there has been a breakdown in team chemistry, at the beginning of the season the squad had a hard time gelling. However it's now September and we have less than a month left in the season and squad look as lost as they did in April, something needs to change...

So where does the responsibility lay? The easiest place to start is the coach, Preki was brought in to make the playoffs plain and simple. At the end of last season after the club's most humiliating loss to the Henry, Marquezless bottom of the league feeding New York Red Bull 5-0 the club embarked on a mission the find a MLS experienced disciplined manager. The statement made was clear 2010 was expected to be a playoff year. At Preki's hiring news conference, he warned that the club would take time to develop under him, but that the goal was the playoffs.

So is he the man that should bare the brunt of the blame? No of course not.

The club has improved by leaps and bounds in the defensive department since his appointment. Consider last year that the team leaked goals all over the place especially in the last 15 minutes of games, this season they have only allowed 5 goals in the final 15. He has also improved the fitness and work rate of the club as mentioned above. TFC in the past have been criticized for not always fighting as hard as they should during tough matches. For the most part this season TFC have been the harder working team on the pitch which in turn helped the team on the 11 match unbeaten streak earlier this summer. Preki has also been able to work in some of the young players to the first team in cup matches. This will go a long way in improving the squad for the future.

With all that said Preki has been unable to help improve the team's biggest issue which is goal scoring. It's hard to lay this on at his feet but as the manager he needs to put out his best attacking players and place them in positions to create chances and score. At times he has failed to do this and it leaves the club in the position they're in now, struggling to finds important goals in important games.

With that said I believe Preki should stay as head coach. I believe that he will lead TFC to the playoffs but he needs better pieces to work with in order to accomplish this, which leads us to the guilty party.

General Manager Mo Johnston has been with the club since it's inception in 2007 and since then he has been responsible for bringing in players for the squad. Johnston has also from the beginning brought in low quality players to fill roster space, and then paying they way too much. TFC are currently brushing up near the salary cap, which wouldn't such a big deal but considering the lack of quality compared to their salaries and it has become a bit of an albatross for the club.

Mo Johnston has been in charge of TFC since 2007

The blame has to rest on his shoulders, he built this team, he offered and approved the contracts (Though MLSE brass also shares some blame as well). During the same Preki hiring press conference, Johnston stated that if the team did not make the playoffs he would resign from the club. As it stands right now TFC still have a shot of making it, but their destiny is now out of their hands as they must rely on other teams dropping points to have a chance. Realistically it is hard to see them taking the final playoff spot so as far as I'm concerned trader Mo is gone, provided he's a man of his word.

In the 4 years of TFC 's existence, he has not improved either the quality of the squad or it's results. Now much of that goes to the players, but it's the GM that signs them in the first place. He's brought in poor players, out shape players, bad apples and bench warmers.

I can't knock every signing though, De Rosario, Amado Guevara and drafting Stephan Frei were positive signings, but even signing Julian De Guzman as the first club designated player has not been the best of deals. De Guzman has has flashes of brilliant play mixed in with some serious inconsistency. Mista's signing as the second DP is still a work in progress, but with signs that he's already butted heads with Preki in the locker room do not look good.

At the end of the season, the TFC brass will have to take a good hard look at where this team is going and why it has failed to make a serious impact in the league. Every position in the organization has to be evaluated and I hate to say it...people will lose their jobs. The person that should be at the top of that list is Mo Johnston, the club needs fresh ideas on player recruitment and development and Mo just cannot provide that. I've met Mo on a few occasions in press scrums and he is a very nice man approachable man, which is why it will be difficult to see him leave as he truly has TFC's best interests at heart. However even Mo will agree that he may just be fresh out of ideas.

Cheers,
Mike

Toronto FC Shock Cruz Azul in CCL Group stage opener

In front of an announced 16,892 at BMO Field Toronto FC put forth it's most dominating performance of the 2010 season, defeating 5 time CONCACAF Champions League winners Cruz Azul of Mexico 2-1. First half goals from Martin Saric and newest DP signing Mista sealed the three points for the MLS side.

Mista celebrates after scoring his first TFC goal Tuesday night

Although the scoreline impressive, what was more impressive was how TFC dominated play through out the 90 minutes. The reds played with an urgency that has been rarely seen from the club this year, and key players such as Dewayne De Rosario and Julian De Guzman played their best football of the season.

De Rosario's excellent movement in the first half opened up holes for Misa to cause havoc for the Mexican defenders, as his free header that was saved by the keeper set up the Saric goal within the first three minutes of the match. Mista found himself with another chance in the dying minutes of the first half in which he slotted the ball home just beyond the full reach of Yosgart Gutiérrez. After the match TFC head coach Preki commented regarding Mista that "We always knew he was a quality player,“It was just a matter of getting him fit and healthy and ready for all the games coming up now pretty fast. He gave us 60-plus minutes, good minutes.” Mista has been a bit of an odd fellow for the club even since they signed him. Preki has used him in several different area of the pitch including an attacking midfield role, up front or as a potential winger. It became clear what kind of talent he can provide up front for the club especially with O'Brian White seeming to have lost a bit of confidence in front of goal.

It must be stated that the Crul Azul players underestimated their opponents Tuesday night. At the half time the Cruz Azul players looked shocked to be 2 down by halftime. Varying reports claim the team's scouting report was not up to date, cautioning the players against exerting to much energy on BMO's plastic pitch in case of injury. Evidently the club had not been told that the field had been replaced with the real stuff at the beginning of the year.

Whatever the case may be, Crul Azul did not take to the games as quickly as their hosts, even though they had a clear class advantage. The second half was played at a higher tempo for the visitors but they could not penetrate the Toronto backline lead by Canadian International center backs Nana Attakora and Adrian Cann. Who played arguably their best game as a defensive pairing. Cristian Gimenez’s curling free kick in the 90th minute to beat TFC number two Jon Conway was the lone bright spot for Cruz Azul.

Credit must also be given to Toronto Head coach Preki who got his tactics all right as he started off playing a flexible 4-4-2 which at times floated into a (4-3-1-2) with De Rosario tucked behind Mista and White. This seemed to give the Mexican club problems as they could not handle De Rosario's movement or Mista's clever flicks and runs. In the second half as some players started to run out of gas, he reverted to a more defensive 4-5-1 set up to deal with the increased pace the visitors put on the pitch for the second half.

For Toronto, who when to great lengths to down play their chances of winning put together their most complete performance of the season. However there will be little time for back slapping as their most important league match of the season comes up on Saturday, as New York comes to BMO on the back end of a home and home series. With New York 5 points clear of TFC for that all important second place spot in the East, Preki will have to prepare his squad for the vastly improved Red Bulls, Who will be coming into the game with some confidence having beaten TFC 1-0 last week at home. Saturday will be Toronto's true measuring stick to see where they stand with the top clubs in MLS.

For now though Toronto FC can enjoy a short if not sweet club milestone.

Toronto FC learning the price of success

As this season began Toronto FC's expectations were high. The club set three major goals with new head coach Preki, 1) Retain the Nutrilite Canadian championship 2) Qualify for the group stages of CONCACAF Champions League and 3) Make the playoffs for the first time in club history. After a sluggish pre-season filled with poor play and roster issue it seemed the team would have been hard pressed to attain those goals. It looked even bleaker after the first two games of the regular season in which they lost at a combined score of 6-1. After the first four games TFC were 1-3 with only 3 goals scored and 9 against.

Through out the that time Preki and GM Mo Johnston preached clam, noting that the players were getting the know each other and the new managers style of play. There were only 7 players that returned from the 09 squad, with many of the new faces joining the club just before or right after the start of the regular season. Shortly after being outclassed at the Rio Tinto by Real Salt Lake in early May, the players held a closed door meeting the air out the issues and get on track with club expectations. The next game, a home win against Chicago would start the club on a club record 11 match unbeaten streak.

Within that streak the club captured it's second Canadian championship and a preliminary round date with Motauga of Honduras. With the added success the club faced a new problem, a congested fixture list with a lot of travel and little rest or training time.

TFC's success in defeating Motagua in the preliminary round and advancing to the group stage of the champions league (Check two in the list of club goals if you're keeping track) is so far the club's biggest achievement in it's 4 year history. However many TFC supporters are wondering what cost will the CCL group stages take on the team's main goal, making the playoffs.

By no means are the Reds the lone MLS team that will have to deal with 6 extra games, as Seattle, Columbus and Real Salt Lake will also play group stage games. However what those teams have that Toronto lacks is true squad depth. Aside from new acquisitions like Mista, and Maicon Santos, the squad it fairly thin especially in the midfield. If the priority in the playoffs, Preki will have to make tough choices around who plays and who rests for crucial league games. One wouldn't be surprised if Preki chose to field some of the academy players against Cruz Azul on Tuesday. He showed his willingness to do so in the second leg against Motagua in Tegucigalpa playing academy stand out Doneil Henry at right back.

Preki may have to start making these decisions quickly, as the team looked flat out exhausted in the second half of their loss to the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday night. He also now has to deal with preferred starting striker Chad Barret sidelined with a hamstring problem after he hobbled off only 30 minutes in. Barret's injury is one in a growing list of concerns facing TFC as we head towards the business end of the season.

Toronto currently hold the 8th and final playoff spot with San Jose just 3 points behind, but with a crucial 2 games in hand on TFC. The club is also heading into the toughest part of their schedule in which they still have to play Real twice, Columbus, Chicago and Houston all on the road where they have a 1-9 record this season. In between those games TFC have mid week group league games which will take them as far as Panama within a three day turn around.The long used mental gut check cliche will be an ever present for the Reds.

However this is what club management wanted, this is the price for relative success.

Preki will have to become a master of man management in order to pull this off. He will need to get captain Dewayne De Rosario and DP Julian De Guzman rest, get the back four in order and get Mista match fit. He also has to avoid injury to key members as he does not have much to choose from in replacements. He also must not crumble under the immense pressure club supporters are putting on him to win, and although Club owners Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment will not come out a directly say it, they want TFC in the MLS Cup final on home soil as it would be a cash bonanza for MLSE.

TFC have craved success since its inception and now that it has some of it, tough choices need to be made before the relative champions league dream season turns into potential playoff disappointment.

It all begins Tuesday night against Cruz Azul at BMO Field.

TFC should take Champions League seriously

Consider this an add-on to Monday's Toronto FC post.

After Tuesday's 2-2 draw against Motagua in Honduras, TFC's place in the CONCACAF Champions League group stages was confirmed winning the two leg match by a 3-2 aggregate score. Some Reds supporters can be forgiven if they think this is the greatest result in the club's short history, as the greatest triumph still lies ahead.

As I mentioned on Monday many supporters would prefer that Preki make the CCL the lower priority in favour of making the MLS playoffs for the first time in club history. Although I do not exactly share this point of view, I would agree that making the playoffs is ONE of Preki's priorities, but it should not place the champions league completely on the back burner. Making the playoffs would be TFC greatest achievement to date, but you cannot say that if TFC beat Cruz Azul (Mexico) on August 17th at home it would not be a watershed moment for the club.

As underwhelming as many find the CCL, it does place Toronto FC on the international stage, even if it is a bit smaller that the rest. It gives the fans the opportunity to continue building a history around the club, which all great clubs in the world have. It becomes hard to build a history when the teams is not winning or competing in the top tournaments in the region. I can't argue that making the playoffs won't do that either, but champions league nights can become magical events for clubs just like in Europe.

The Tournament also gives Preki the opportunity to play some of the youth squad members that normally would not see a lot of pitch time. On Tuesday Doneil Henry the 18 year old central defender who normally plays for the academy team started at right back in a massive match for the club. As the team tries to balance the squad between league games and CCL matches during mid week young players like Nicholas Lindsay, Oscar Cordon and Henry could find themselves playing major minutes in very important matches.

This can only be seen as a positive for the club who will be able to try and progress through the group stages of the CCL and qualify for the playoff while getting the future of the club some much need match action with the first team.

Onwards and upwards for TFC as they say.

Cheers,
Mike

CONCACAF Champions League important for Canadian development

After Toronto FC's important 1-0 win of Honduran side Club Deportivo Motagua, I began to read the debate around how important or not the tournament is to TFC. For those who oppose TFC taking the tournament seriously, the argument goes; TFC is in the hunt for its first MLS playoff in club history, therefore the club needs a less crowded fixture list down the stretch in order to help qualify. This importance on making the playoffs is made even more urgent considering the MLS Cup is going to be held at BMO Field in November.

What the playoff only pundits seem to be missing is the fact that a run into the knockout stages of the CONCACAF Champions League will go a long way in improving soccer all round in Canada, plus bringing TFC extra revenue for future signings.

Montreal's run into the quarter finals of the tournament in 2008 brought not only a level of excitement about the game (The first leg of the quarters was held in front of 51,000 at the Olympic Stadium), but it also brought more talented players into the Impact academy. What the run also did was place the issue of soccer development in the minds of the public. It also infused the grass roots players with a goal to shoot for, play against the best in the region for your home town club. This was an aspect of Canadian soccer that was missing for a long time. In the past there would be little incentive to play in the Canadian pro ranks as it was thought to lead you nowhere. Now the promise of champions league soccer is a reason young players can choose to stay and develop in Canada. This is especially important for TFC as they are still growing their academy, and trying to convince their young players to sign with the club once they turn 18.

The Voyageurs Cup, Canada's one ticket to Champions League

The tournament is also important to the bottom line for TFC, no one can argue that at the minimum, 4 extra home games will hurt the club in the pocket book. The extra money can be used to help upgrade the stadium or build the long dreamed of training complex for both the senior and academy teams that the club wants so badly. As said earlier it will also provide funds for new signings that could help turn the club into league and region elites. Which at the end of the day is what every club wants, competing with the top clubs in CONCACAF helps to raise the team's profile both at home and abroad. It can also provide healthy competition from Vancouver and Montreal who will push to become better and represent Canada at the tournament. In the longer run what fans would like to see is more than one Canadian club be included in the running for the champions league, and with today's announcement of three new teams applying for NASL in Edmonton, Victoria and Ottawa we could see the Voyageurs Cup expand outside of the 3 teams currently involved.

In the end the CONCACAF Champions League is still a work in progress in terms of prestige, but if a Canadian club won it, soccer would really be on the map in Canada.

Cheers,
Mike

Quick Soccer posts

Just some news and notes for the soccer world today:

- It's been a bad month and a half for French football. First the disaster with the team mutiny in South Africa, then the fallout of said mutiny from both the public and the French government, and now this...
French international Franck Ribery was handed preliminary charges for soliciting an underage prostitute in Paris today. Another French international Karim Benzema is under investigation for the same charge. Wow that's all I can say. Click Here for the full article.

- On a lighter note, Toronto FC have reached the half way point in their season. They currently are in a playoff spot sitting 7th in a league that sends 8 teams to the playoffs. I've written a few times about the state of the club during the season, and CBC commentator and former Canadian international Jason De Vos writes a pretty accurate review on how they have done so far this season. Click Here.

- Also the vuvuzala debate has come up again...this time in England. Several teams in the English Premier League have actively banned the noise makers. The BBC outlines the teams and the why's.

Enjoy the links!

Mike