Yesterday was embarrassing. Thoroughly, as a matter of fact. I’ve spent the past year “pumping the tires” of Toronto FC to anyone that would listen, and yesterday took a friend that had been out of the country the entire time to his first game. Needless to say, he was impressed with the atmosphere, even though we weren’t in the supporter’s section, but I could tell after the first half that the play had failed to impress.

And he wasn’t alone.

It was a completely ineffective display on both a quality of play level, and also a results level. I know that the USL isn’t too far off from the lowest level of play in the MLS, and last year this result would be easier to swallow. But we’re not the team of last year, and therefore we should be celebrating a 3-0 victory instead of choking down a loss.

The aforementioned silver lining?

Two weeks the the transfer window, and according to Morgan Campbell Darren Huckerby was at the game yesterday. Readers of the this blog will know that I’m a huge supporter of Darren joining TFC (under the right terms) and I’m very much excited at the implications of him actually showing up here. We’ll have to watch training sessions over the next week to see if he slips in.

(that’s right, I’m a fan of that nickname!)

United v. Chelsea for the glory of the best team in Europe. I think this will be a fantastic game of pace and skill. Of course, it may end up being a slow and methodical game in the end, but I hope not.

If both teams are running and gunning, I think that United will come out on top. A defensive struggle could go either way but I don’t think Sir Alex is going to allow that to happen.

I’m predicting a 2-1 win for the good guys.

If I had to put money on it, I’d also predict a 2-1 win for Toronto FC tonight against D.C., but what I actually want is a 5-0 thrashing. I was never embarrassed to be a TFC fan last year, but the loss to D.C. in the second game of the season was definitely something to be ashamed of. Make no mistake, however, both teams have shown themselves to be different from the second week squads. Toronto FC is much more strong team defensively and in the midfield. We should be able to contain DC tonight, and hopefully surprise them on the counter. Look for Cunnigham to start today giving TFC that quick attack that will be needed.

That’s it - I can’t wait for these games to start!

Darren Huckerby and Norwich City have officially parted ways. Darren had asked late last week that they settle on a new contract by the end of this week, but Norwich management have decided that one will not be offered.

It sounds like he’s limiting his options to an MLS side as he says he does not want to play against Norwich and he’s not likely to play up or down a level.

Could we see talk of a move to Toronto resume? I hope so…

Here’s a tribute video that City fans have already put together for him:

…I’ve been hearing a thing or two from people (indirectly) in the know about a possible opponent for an International Friendly…

Now, I’m going to tentatively go out on this limb, because should it turn out to be true I’d love to have reported it first, but I’m still sceptical.

Here’s my indirect way of saying it - we’re talking big four from the EPL. We’re not, however talking my other favourite team. Nor are we talking anyone Addidas sponsored (which I was assuming would be the case for promotional purposes.)

Now, I haven’t gone out and named names, but there’s one former Toronto FC blogger that’d be pumped if this team came.

(If you haven’t put it together yet, you’re just dim.)

So there you have it…take your best shot (get it yet?) at me if you like, but we’ll see.

There’s more to the story than just needing to free-up a roster spot for Olivier Tebily. That much I’m certain of because Hemming’s spot was not one that Tebily can occupy (Hemming was a Canadian under a developmental contract.)

He’s also been playing some solid soccer for the squad in both reserve games and when called upon to play with the senior team.

This leads me to believe that Hemming asked to be waived and Mo obliged. He’d been falling lower on the depth chart with the recent additions to the team but there’s no reason he couldn’t get more playing time somewhere else.. Hopefully, for the sake of his career and for the sake of Canadian soccer, he’s been offered some first team action somewhere.

Otherwise, not the happiest guy to see him go.

…is that it only took TFC two games to get their first goal. And a pretty nice goal at that courtesy of Mo Edu.

The bad news is….

…that the team kinda sucks.
The first two goals against were comical almost. The defense couldn’t have looks more porous but I have to say that Sutton did all he could on them and was left out to dry but his defenders. Somethings going to need to change back there, because it’s just not good enough if we want to be at all competitive. DC looked like a team that studied the game tape from Colombus, knew exactly how to exploit our weaknesses, and went out and did it.

Surely Harmse’s Red Card (I get why it was given but it still seems a bit soft for a straight red) didn’t help. But really it was a bit of a joke in our half by the end of the game.

Here’s the thing, however - We didn’t look HORRIBLE going forward. There were definite chances that coulda/shoulda been put away. Robert, in my opinion showed great class and played hard (except for the absent minded give away just before he was subbed off.) His passes were aggressive and his free kicks showed that he at least had an idea of how to get the ball in the net. Hopefully, given more time to play together, Robert’s skill will be utilized.

I’m just worried that he’ll want to wash his hands of the team if they keep playing like this.

So, one more away game in LA and then home. I’m feeling a little (a lot) less optimistic about this season than last so I’m hoping some time in the Supporter’s section will help. A dusting of the Galaxy would help too…

Official, yo.

More and more I’m hearing grumblings about Mo’s ongoing search for talent and his apparent bias towards those players from the British Isles. In fact, as the transfer window close approaches, the opinion that Mo hasn’t looked far nor wide enough is cropping up in all corners of the Toronto FC supporters’ network.

Let’s look at this issue for just a minute, and I’ll give my take on what I believe is going on.

Firstly, on his bias, I couldn’t agree more. Save for his trip to South America at season’s end, it appears that he hasn’t taken any trips to exotic locales in search of the proverbial “diamond in the rough.” England, Scotland Ireland, and Wales are what Mo knows from his history as a player; North America, he has learned from the end of his playing career and from his time in management.

As universal as soccer is, once on the pitch, there are obvious benefits to knowing a player’s background, the systems in which they were trained from youth, and the mentality by which they were brought up. All those things help put a team together that will play like, well, a team. So, I can’t blame Mo for sticking to what he knows and not risking more fruitless trips to unknown regions.

However, that doesn’t completely excuse an organzation from scouting a region. Other organizations, those in Europe surely, have scouts in all sorts of locations watching the developement of players from the lowest levels and up. Manchester United is building a training facilty in Oakville! So why can’t Toronto FC put a scout in Africa, Asia, Continental Europe, and South America?

Here, we get to the heart of the matter. Resources: Time, people, money. All are lacking for a wide and deep search.

Take personal player biases out of the picture, there is no way that Mo could have visited and gotten anything approaching a quality look at every player that might be of benefit to the team, all across the globe. Ideas that he should’ve seen so-and-so play in Egypt and some other guy play in River Plate, is great in theory. But what would be better is a team of trusted scouts that have a specific job. Big teams have them, but Toronto FC is not a big team.

Yet, anyway.

MLSE certainly has the resources, but to be honest TFC is still the organizations third tier franchise. Proving a need to further the search so that the team can achieve the “next level” will (assuming that MLSE actually cares is TFC wins) bring the resources, in scouts, money, and time, to find those palyers. BUT, there’s not great evidence that such an extensive search is necessary to win at the MLS level.

So, while everyone is probably right that Mo isn’t looking at their favourite player in Guatemala, Slovenia, or Laos, understand that it takes local knowledge to make informed approaches of players. It may come one day, but I’d stop holding my breath.

Seriously, you’re turning purple.

Rumours have been floating around the web for the past week that Toronto FC is pursuing Canadian Josh Wagenaar of Dutch club ADO Den Haag. Word has it that he’s recently returned to Toronto to recover from an injury and some talks may have transpired. However, at this time, ADO says that they haven’t received any offers for Josh.

With Sutton coming back this year to resume #1 duties, the back-up role is still in doubt. Stammy isn’t sewn up by a long shot, so having cover for Greg is definitely necessary.

More here.

It’s a good thing that Stammy got to switch ends so soon after he let in Michael Parkhurst’s Beckham-esque effort from half. Granted, the goal was perfectly placed, but he was very much benefitting from Stammy being way off his line. It took the wind out of the Supporters’ Section sails to say the least, and I like to think that the TFC supporters are easier on their goalkeepers than Leafs fans, but I do think its best that he was able to re-group at the other end of the pitch. If you missed the goal, for whatever reason, you can watch it over and over at #1 on this list of the New England Revolution’s top goals of 2007. In fact, the last view it gives you is pretty much exactly the view I had of the goal during the game… 

…not pretty. 
Moving on. 

The game had atmosphere to be expected of the last chance of the year for the TFC faithful to show their support. The play was largely dominated by TFC during the first half however from our seats it appeared to be stuck between the half way line and the top of the Revs box. Settling for possession alone seemed to be the order of the day when Parkhurst delivered his goal from half, seemingly out of nowhere. The reaction in the Supporters’ Section, I can only describe as a collective whimper. The second Revs goal so soon after play restarted was equally surprising, to be honest.

Most TFC fans walking through the stadium during the break were sure the second half would bring an effort from Toronto to redeem themselves from a goal that shouldn’t have been. So, to find our team down 2-0 in the 48th minute was tough.

And then, suddenly, the most unlikely of heroes emerged to show a second effort that I would not have expected from him prior to the game. Colin Samuel, the mid-season addition to the squad that was highly touted prior to his arrival but showed little fitness and less effort for most of his time with the team, came through to slot away a Marvell Wynne rebound, and the crowd was revived. (Marvell became one of my favourite players as the season progressed - his run, while not always productive, were most often exciting.)

The second surprise of the game that emerged in the second half was the entrance of Danny Dichio into the game. Many believed his season to be over but when he was spotted warming up prior to half-time, we knew there was no chance he wasn’t going to make an appearance. His play was steady and he was creating space for his teammates by drawing two or more defenders at all times - but he rewarded our faith in him in the 91st minute with a goal when none were expecting it. 

Like the announcer said, virtually the last kick of the season for Toronto FC, and what a way to send the fans home.It’s hard to describe the end of that game and what followed. To be sure, and coach Mo Johnston admits, a tie to end a 6-17-7 season isn’t normal -

“We’ve not won anything,” Johnston said. “But the fans deserve it.”  

And he’s right - the fans deserved a thanks and we deserved our time on the pitch that followed for one last celebration of ourselves more than anything else. It could be argued that the supporters were the highlight of Toronto FC’s inaugural season - it’s argument that I would surely make.

Here’s to next season - Mo has some grand aspirations for it so lets hope his hunt is bountiful and his judgement of talent is spot on.

“There will be cuts,” he said. “We need more depth at all positions and in order to get that we’ll have to cut players. It’s not a part of the job I like but if we are going to go forward and become a playoff team we have to make changes.”  

If we’re to win the championship in the next couple of years, as Captain Brennan said, the building will need to begin now. Cuts are the nature of the game, but those that made valuable contributions or showed unwavering effort shouldn’t fear. Though some starters could (and should) be relegated to the bench next season, the team will be better for it if their replacements are as good as we, the fans, deserve.

Thanks for reading throughout the season. Over the off-season I’ll continue to bring Toronto FC news as it comes to me. Also, check in now and again for my thoughts on Manchester United’s continuing campaign, but don’t get me started on England Euro 2008 qualifying debacle. I suppose that’s a whole ‘nother post for another day.

And, lastly, thanks to the TFC fans at every game wearing Chelsea jerseys in the stands while singing “When the Reds go marching in…” Made my day - win, lose, or draw.