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Offline Quags

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Toronto FC Thread
« on: March 28, 2008, 09:11:51 AM »
The outlook for Toronto FC as the team enters its sophomore season in Major League Soccer is at best cloudy and at worst stormy.

The local side did a lot of tinkering in the off-season, but newly crowned director of soccer operations and manager Mo Johnston still hasn't pulled off the big signing that many expected to start the 2008 MLS season.

He did, however, bring in coach John Carver to take over on-pitch strategy for the team.

That move could turn out to be the best of the year because even Johnston admits that he was forced to spend as much time on his ever-present BlackBerry searching out players as he did instructing his lads on the finer points of soccer last season.

Johnston cautions not to read too much into what has happened so far this spring and reminds anyone willing to listen that he has a healthy war chest, courtesy of team owners Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

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Johnston also was able to clear some significant salary cap room with the deal that sent popular midfielder Ronnie O'Brien to San Jose.

But those legions of Reds supporters who made TFC the talk of the MLS last season will be watching closely to see if the on-field product will come close to being a worthy recipient of their ear-splitting passion again this year.

On the front end, little has changed for TFC except that strikers Danny Dichio and Jeff Cunningham both are healthy and rested, which is no small change from a rookie season in which both were sidelined for extended periods.

They will be joined by Colin Samuel, who failed to live up to his billing as a sniper in 2007, but who has shown in pre-season workouts that he appears to be back with the form that made him an attractive addition for Johnston in the first place.

Andrea Lombardo, who got lots of minutes late last season after his stint with the Canada under-20 squad, will come off the bench at forward along with 24-year-old newcomer Jarrod Smith.

What that points to more than anything is that Johnston still has work to do in developing any kind of depth in key skilled positions.

The midfield surely will miss O'Brien's touch, even if the Irish international did spend a majority of last season on the bench nursing two separate knee problems.

His ability to distribute the ball, though, was the glue that held the front end together and it showed when he was off -- TFC simply stopped scoring for a league-record 824 minutes.

The solid work of Welsh veteran Carl Robinson will be needed to make up that void in the middle. He also will be asked to continue his work as coach/mentor to rising star Maurice Edu, who is TFC's most electric player on offence.

The 21-year-old Californian was TFC's first pick in the 2007 SuperDraft and is drawing rave reviews whenever and wherever he plays, which is both a good and a bad for Johnston.

Edu's education in Toronto probably won't last long beyond this season. Several top British and European sides already are vying for the chance to scoop him up.

And Edu also will be absent from the team for most of August, when he will be representing the U.S. in Beijing at the Olympic Games

Canadian Kevin Harmse, obtained in an off-season deal with L.A. Galaxy, will be expected to step when that happens. The 23-year-old was born in South Africa, but his family moved to Vancouver when he was just a child.

He comes with a reputation of being a dependable player in the middle.

It's more than likely that Samuel will land in the middle as well.

Johnston has hinted that the team is in serious talks to bring in a pair of midfielders -- 22-year-old Ross Wallace and 27-year-old Liam Miller -- who have been deemed expendable by Sunderland in the English premiership.

That move certainly would go a long way in adding reinforcements to the team in the middle of the pitch with just untested rookie Pat Phelan and Canadian under-23 player Tyler Hemming coming off the bench.

If the TFC deficiencies up front and in the middle are seen as problematic, then the back end could be described as in a situation of crisis.

Only the solid game-in, game-out performance of Canadian international Jim Brennan prevented TFC from failing completely in 2007.

Marvell Wynne, who did give the defender position a speed threat from the right side, often forgot that his primary job was to prevent goals.

Wynne will join Edu in Beijing with the U.S. Olympic side and most likely Carver will take advantage of his speed and move him up to the middle.

Tyrone Marshall and Todd Dunivant are back, but Johnston could use either or both as trade bait in an effort to fortify the back end.

The team does have a diamond in the rough in SuperDraft first-round pick Julius James.

The 23-year-old native of Trinidad and Tobago came to the pre-season workouts determined to prove he was worth his high draft position -- and he did.

Johnston believes James will be an impact player before too long.


In the key goalkeeper position TFC welcomes the return of Canadian international Greg Sutton, who missed most of last season recovering from a concussion suffered when he was with the national team.

But the big question mark remains the same for the whole TFC roster: Is there enough depth to sustain the team if a round of injuries to key players such as Dichio, Cunningham, Edu or Sutton hits again?

With just a day to go before the team takes to the pitch against the Columbus Crew for its MLS season-opening match the answer is: Not yet.

http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2008/03/28/5128276-sun.html

« Last Edit: January 09, 2014, 12:21:44 PM by Flex »

Offline ribbit

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Toronto FC thread
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2014, 12:16:23 PM »
only a few more months till de beating continues. however, de office making some moves. ah hear american michael bradley get sign. de rosario returning for a bit. and de talk is jermain defoe will reach for dis season. a marked improvement from recent past.

 

Offline elan

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2014, 12:53:27 PM »
Bradley move to Toronto 'complete'
By Kristan Heneage



Speaking to Radio Radio in Italy, Michael Bradley's agent, Alberto Faccini, said on Thursday that the United States international's transfer from Roma to Major League Soccer side Toronto is complete.

"Michael made this choice, and Toronto, in just two days, have closed the deal," the agent said. "There is a very important project for him at Toronto, who made an investment that is one of the most expensive in recent years."

The news marks the second major transfer of a U.S. international into the MLS in a six-month period, with Clint Dempsey joining the Seattle Sounders last August.


Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
Michael Bradley's transfer is complete, his agent says.


"For Michael this was a tough step to take, but the choice was dictated by some market movements," Faccini said. "Without waiting for Jan. 31, he chose to follow this path also to help the growth of [North] American soccer."

The 26-year-old American felt increasingly squeezed out at Roma by a squad that has grown in the current transfer window, Faccini said.

Bradley has struggled to break into the starting lineup with Roma this season, appearing in 11 of their 18 league games, with just five of them as a starter. With the Serie A side recently acquiring Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan on loan from Cagliari with an option to buy, Bradley was looking at being the fifth option in manager Rudi Garcia’s three-man midfield.

"The arrival of [Radja] Nainggolan at Roma has also contributed to Bradley's choice," the agent explained. "At Roma he never felt like an important player for the team."

Sources told ESPNFC that Bradley had been looking for an exit even before Nainggolan’s arrival, with his lack of playing time in a World Cup year his primary concern.

"There were many offers, also from Serie A, by clubs like Verona and Bologna, but Michael chose to return [to the MLS] after 10 years in Europe," Faccini said. "It was a bitter choice, but made with the heart.

"Roma wanted him to stay, to leave for Toronto was his choice."

MLS clubs were notified around the start of the year that Bradley was available and clubs were instructed to let the league know if they were interested. Given their financial muscle, and with new Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke eager to turn around the struggling club’s fortunes, Toronto quickly moved to the front of the line.

Sources have confirmed that the proposed financial commitment Toronto are making is considerable. The MLS is poised to sign Bradley to a contract in the five-to-six-year range at an annual salary in the region of 6.5 million dollars. There was conflicting data in terms of the transfer fee, with one overseas source indicating that Roma expect to receive seven million dollars and multiple MLS sources stating that the Italian club will receive in excess of 10 million dollars.

Much like Dempsey, Bradley likely found it impossible to turn down such a lucrative offer. But the move still comes as a surprise given his professed desire to play in the Champions League, something Roma are in a prime position to accomplish given that they currently sit second in Serie A, eight points behind leaders Juventus.

The move almost certainly will not sit well with U.S. national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann, who has long encouraged his players to test themselves at the highest level possible. The MLS, despite its increasing profile, does not provide the same level of play as the top European leagues, and it seems likely that Bradley could have secured a loan move to another European club. Instead, he has opted for the security -- both in terms of playing time and finances -- of the MLS.

The MLS can now claim to have the top three U.S. players -- Bradley, Dempsey, and Landon Donovan -- all playing in North America.
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Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2014, 03:36:39 PM »
We are critical of our players ability to adjust abroad ... and for generally reasonable reasons. However, American players have a demonstrated legacy of not adjusting to foreign stints. The causes are thought to have different roots, but the issue is there.

Offline maxg

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2014, 02:11:02 PM »
I'ain go lie, as ah Mtler, dat Dafoe signin have meh quakin in meh boots..

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2014, 02:43:36 PM »
I'ain go lie, as ah Mtler, dat Dafoe signin have meh quakin in meh boots..

Fuh sure.

Offline bingie man

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2014, 02:47:23 PM »
 ;D as ah toronto base i luv it..  :beermug:

Offline Mose

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2014, 04:59:26 PM »
I'ain go lie, as ah Mtler, dat Dafoe signin have meh quakin in meh boots..

Fuh sure.

Have faith in the signings of Saputo!
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Offline maxg

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2014, 03:10:14 PM »
Here we go..man (Defoe) score 2 ahready. Ah next TO double-D in we tail
« Last Edit: March 15, 2014, 03:16:25 PM by maxg »

Offline palos

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2014, 11:12:50 PM »
Here we go..man (Defoe) score 2 ahready. Ah next TO double-D in we tail
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Offline Tiresais

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2014, 03:57:00 AM »
Not surprised, Defoe has always had a sight for goal, even though he's a Judas :p (He started at Charlton youth academy, and then left us to join West Ham for more money, and it took us 2 years to sue West Ham and get any sort of transfer money for him)

Offline Deeks

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2014, 08:05:24 AM »
Obefemi Martins was playing for Seattle.

Offline Tiresais

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2014, 08:37:39 AM »
Obefemi Martins was playing for Seattle.

Wow, what ever happened to his career - definitely not trying to be mean for Seattle or him, but he was fairly regular at Inter Milan and Newcastle in his youth.

Offline pecan

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2014, 08:33:48 AM »

To those in the know, is that scenario likely?

24 Mar 2014, National Post - By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press


Defoe’s success sets up summer without him

Every goal Jermain Defoe scores for Toronto FC helps the MLS club climb out of the soccer sinkhole that was its home for the last seven seasons.

But each goal celebration also means that the 31-yearold striker may be a step closer to earning a spot on England’s World Cup squad, taking him away from Toronto.


Unlike his final days at Tottenham, Defoe is the first name on the team sheet in Toronto. And with three goals in his first two MLS games, Defoe was tied for the league lead in scoring going into play Sunday despite the fact Toronto (2-0-0) has already had a bye.

Despite a poor pitch, the 5 -foot-7 143-pound Defoe could have scored five goals Saturday. Instead he settled for the winner in a 1-0 victory over D.C. United.

He hit the post once and was a threat every time he got the ball near the penalty box.

“When it falls for a player of his quality — and you’ll see [it] with [Brazilian strike partner] Gilberto as well — you’re surprised when it kind of doesn’t go in,” Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen said.

“It might have been, again no disrespect, probably the other way — surprised if it did go in in the past [with previous TFC strikers].”

While Nelsen wants his English star to succeed and knows that as Defoe goes, so will Toronto, there must be a small part of him that wants to retain Defoe’s services for the entire season.

“I’ve got to watch what I say here because if I was [England manager] Roy Hodgson, I’d pick him in a heartbeat,” Nelsen said with a wry smile. “But if I’m Ryan Nelsen, I probably might be thinking another thing.

“Over his career, he’s just got a natural ability to do what you’ve seen out there [Saturday] and what you saw last week. And look, he’s not going to score every game, he’s going to have these [off ] games as all human beings do.

“If he keeps this up, he can’t do anything more as a striker, can he? But we’ve got to help him get even better. We’ve got to try to improve him in every way we can. So if he does get that call-up, like Michael [Bradley], like Julio [Cesar], that they’re ready and they’re going to represent their country.”

Bradley, an influential midfielder for the U.S. and Cesar, Brazil’s goalie, are both certain to be called up for the World Cup, which runs from June 12 to July 13.

Defoe is battling a group of England strikers that includes Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge and Southampton’s Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez (who scored in front of Hodgson on Sunday in a game against Tottenham).

The Toronto FC forward has 19 goals in his 55 England appearances. But only Lambert, at age 32, is older. If Rooney, Sturridge and Welbeck are the main men, then there might be an inclination to take along a younger striker with an eye to the future.

The other argument is experience is a good thing. Especially when the veteran is in a rich vein of goal-scoring form.

MLS has scheduled a twoweek break between June 1125, which essentially covers the first round of the World Cup. Sixteen nations will be eliminated from the World Cup after that.

Toronto hosts the San Jose Earthquakes on June 7 and visits the New York Red Bulls on June 27. It has seven league games scheduled in July.

While Toronto has strengthened its starting 11 substantially this season, it lacks depth. Losing stars to the World Cup — or injury — will take its toll. The good news is that Joe Bendik, last year’s starter in goal, is waiting in the wings for when Cesar rejoins Brazil.

Hodgson is slated to name his 30-man provisional squad before a May 30 friendly with Peru at London’s Wembley Stadium. England will then travel to Miami to play exhibition games against Ecuador on June 4 and Honduras on June 7 before travelling to Brazil.

So TFC’s World Cup players will likely need time off before the tournament and definitely after. Having represented New Zealand at the World Cup, Nelsen knows firsthand the toll the tournament can take on players.

In the meantime, Toronto is winning games it probably wouldn’t have last season.

And it’s not just the highpriced additions like Defoe, Bradley, Gilberto and Cesar leading the way. Canadians Doneil Henry and Jonathan Osorio are key parts of the starting 11 while captain Steve Caldwell, a hard-nosed Scot, continues to lead from the back.

Nelsen says there is a new hardness and determination to his team.

“That game would really probably have been a banana skin for us last year, definitely,” he said of the D.C. United clash. TFC found several ways to turn wins into draws and turn draws into losses in the closing minutes of games last season.

Toronto’s next outing, a road game against Real Salt Lake (1-0-2) next Saturday, presents a stiffer test. Toronto is 1-5-0 in Utah.

   
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Offline Tiresais

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2014, 08:53:31 AM »
I wouldn't worry too much - I think he has stiff competition from a number of alternatives such as Lallana, Rodrigues, Carrol, Lambert and Sterling (I'm sure I'm missing some), along with the top 3 striker positions of Rooney, Wellbeck and Sturridge.

Offline congo

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Re: Toronto FC Thread
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2014, 04:57:21 PM »
No way in hell he getting on that place to Brazil come this summer playing for Toronto FC in the MLS. Beckham was able to do that because he was brand Beckham. No Mls player getting on that england squad. Get real

 

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