I was initially wondering if a new GM would bring in his own coach but apparently Vanney was consulted on the decision to hire Ali Curtis. Seems like this is just continuity. Nothing new philosophically, just a change of face?
From what I understand, Bez bailed on us, so it seems to me that they wanted to keep the status quo. For the most part.
Keeping the status quo would be in line with what they've said about the players, too. That they want to stay with the same core for another year and assume that the league play in 2018 was an aberration rather than the real state of the team. Given what they have, this seems reasonable to me compared to the alternative of totally blowing things up.
Sounds like Bez left for a better opportunity in his hometown - so to me this isn't necessarily a reason to blow up the whole squad - I would think having Vanney's input on Ali Curtis is good for continuity. Now whether I think the core players are who we need going forward is another story.
The way I see it is this: The core group is a solid team of players. What happened last year was a combination of injuries and a team that never emotionally got over the CCL. Now they've had a full off season to mentally reset, to wash away the high of winning the MLS Cup and the highs and low of the CCL. They can legitimately start over as a talented group of professionals starting a new season with a truly clean slate. If I was Curtis, I'd let this team ride (especially now that its already January). I'm not necessarily expecting them to return to a 2017, 69 point, league dominating form but I am expecting them to be a top team and comfortably qualify for the playoffs. By the end of the season we should all have a good idea how things are looking with the DPs and what route the team may take going forward. (It seems unlikely to me that all three DPs will be back in 2020 regardless of how well the team does this year.) The alternative would seem to be to try to completely overhaul the team in the next month. That sounds a lot like the bad old days of total roster turnover every season. Even if we do replace one or more of the DPs for 2020 I'm hoping we can maintain a strong team rather than abandoning a season or two to a rebuild phase.
I'm just not sure that the core we won with two season ago is capable of winning this season. I was hoping that the rebuild - not really the right word here - would be to bring in some younger players to replace the aging injury crew from last season, but since we replaced our GM and it's January now - I don't think we've got a good window for the upcoming season to make any big changes for this season. That said - I'm not confident that the current squad has what it takes to make the playoffs - especially if the injury bug strikes again. I do like the Ciman signing to help with the organization on the back line - but I'm not sure that adding more 30+ aged players is the right move either.
Interesting. I think our core does have what it takes to make the playoffs although not to challenge for the Supporters' Shield. I see us in the 3-5th place range behind Atlanta, Columbus, and possibly one or both New Yorks. I also agree that adding players who are 30+ is not the way they should have gone. They should have made their additions at the youthful end. That way next year those new players would be in place when it comes time to address the DPs. I think it is mostly Giovinco who would need to be addressed. He'll be 32 which, the way he plays, is aging. Altidore will only be 29. Bradley will be 32 but his style of play is a bit more forgiving of age, I think.
I think the spine of Giovinco/Altidore/Bradley/Vasquez/Moor is a bit too old and has too many injuries to be relied on after this season - though if healthy they can do the job just fine to get us into the playoffs. I worry that a playoff appearance has us doubling down on them when their contracts are up, which is my worry for ‘20 onward.
I wasn't focused on Vasquez and Moor but you are right. That spine is too old overall. I would not want to see TFC double down on them for 2020 onward. I think we need to start rotating them. I'm less worried about it, however, given the chatter in the media last year about Giovinco. If they were going to double down I think they'd have been a lot more committal to him by now (see Osorio). I suspect 2019 will be Giovinco's final season in Toronto. Probably Vasquez, too, but that might just be an out and out retirement.
Moor will be third on the depth chart so we need not worry about him. Vazquez is likely gone after this season as he can't play a full 90 anymore. If Giovinco leaves, it would be sad to see him go but in the end, it's business. I agree that in general the team needs to get younger and faster. The direction that I could see management taking afterwards is to target DP players under 23 who can be resold, similar to what Atlanta is doing. When the team is lacking in experience, they'll look to acquire them from within the league as opposed to using DP or international slots, which will be reserved mostly for younger players.
I think they'll focus younger but I'm not sure they'll be doing it with the intent of resale. If a great sale opportunity came up, I'm sure they'd look at it but my impression is they'd be more into keeping a talented youngster to keep the team a winning team. If Giovinco goes it frees up $7 million. I'm sure there are plenty of younger players who could equal his production at a salary closer to $2 or $3 million.
The old TFC would have done that. But it would be an incredibly bad move for a new GM to overhaul the team on day one if only for his own job security. Leaving the team as it is, if TFC has some bad seasons he can always say that it's really Bez's team that he inherited and hasn't had the chance to do his own thing with it. If he overhauls the team on day one then it's his team right from the start
I remember missing the playoffs by one win on the last day of the season and they went into overhaul mode and got worse. Definitely an old TFC move.
GM would be insane to blow this team up, yes we had a difficult season last year but with the way the league is I can see us doing what Portland did after winning 2015 then not making the playoffs in 2016 then coming back to be one of the best sides in 2017. I agree the core is getting old and more then likely only has a year or two left before we need to look into full rebuild but right now I guess a add a couple pieces (striker/back up keeper) and hope our key players like Giovinco, Altidore, Vazquez, Mavinga and Bradley can keep fit for majority of the season and have good form
I'm hoping they can do the rebuild over, say, three seasons so that we remain competitive the entire time rather than killing season or two to rebuild.
As do I three players who will be key parts during the potential transition period are Delgado, Mavinga and Osorio. It would have to be a combination of those guys really stepping up and the big money moves taking little time to bed in. I am not too concern about it now, I am looking forward to watching the current group of guys we have now make a push in MLS and CCL
TFC/MLSE have decided to throw away the entire 2019 season on a unneccessary rebuild..Bez saw this coming and wanted no part of the fiaco..getting rid of victor vadquez and seba and van der wiel was the white flag surrender to 2019. Jozy and Bradley are next out the door..likely at seasons end..reality us were going out of ccl early..not making the mls playoffs for the 2nd year running..mlse have run a championship team into the ground.
Mavinga is the only good player you mentioned delgaldo and osario are rubbish..and were not capable of doing anything in ccl and mls pkayoffs without seba and victor..season is toast
^ If everything is toast anyway hopefully you won't feel the need to come back and troll this forum for the rest of the season.
I dare you to explain why the season is not toast! We only have jozy as a goalscorer..seba and vv goal tallies are gone..we have a keeper that gave up 5 to.las vegas lights (usl) lol brutal..if u can find dibe like toast there you ignoring the evidence like the oj jury
You take away 3 top playets from anysidr it will set them back unless new replacements are brought in..this hasnt happenend at tfc
Ali on tsn saying he expected seba to play for tfc in 2019..after mlse demanded a pay cut..he cant be that brain dead to think seba would be back..lol this is our new GM .SIGH