A Thin Squad

Discussion in 'Toronto FC' started by ErnieE, Jan 13, 2011.

  1. ErnieE

    ErnieE Member

    Mar 6, 2007
    Oakville Ontario
    It appears that we only have a squad 0f 14 players (if Gomez is now fit),

    With the season not far away how are we to get a team ready, in the mold of Winter, to play in Turkey, Charlotte and MLS.

    Are we to suffer the usual start of season which leaves us playing catch up thereafter?

    Winter has an unenviable task.

    One draft pick so far but will he, or any others, be of any use this year.
     
  2. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I'll predict that it's the same as in other years, we'll sign a few more before season start and fill out the balance over the first 5 or so games.

    Hoping that Bas Ent will be in the fold sooner than later. No doubt that there are a few other irons in the fire.
     
  3. TheChoker

    TheChoker Member

    May 6, 2007
    Toronto
    ...it is the winter transfer window...
     
  4. Blizzard

    Blizzard Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jun 25, 2002
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Exactly. Give Mariner and Winter a chance for gawd's sake.
     
  5. deepm

    deepm Member

    May 13, 2009
    Mississauga
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Agreed. They're only a week or two into the job. I doubt a guy like Winter heads into the season with only one striker on the roster.
     
  6. Khaleeji

    Khaleeji New Member

    Apr 7, 2007
    Bahrain
    It sounds like we picked up a few attacking options in the draft: Plata and Borgas. I doubt we're done at that though
     
  7. crazypete13

    crazypete13 Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 7, 2007
    A walk from BMO
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Our new management group isn't Mo either. I don't think any criticism is warranted unless we see the same thinness after the January transfer window closes.
     
  8. ErnieE

    ErnieE Member

    Mar 6, 2007
    Oakville Ontario
    My comments were an observation, not a criticism, We are obviously going to have a tough job to make a team that gells in a new style with new players in a short spell of time,
     
  9. crazypete13

    crazypete13 Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 7, 2007
    A walk from BMO
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Agreed, I think the key is to have a good chunk of the roster ready for the start of camp, in prior seasons this was rarely the case.
     
  10. torontofcmark

    torontofcmark Member

    Oct 24, 2006
    Toronto
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    my biggest pet peeve...turnover and changes during and before training camp leaves us with a squad with very little integration come game 1. This is true of years 1 through 4...and i dont want that in year 5.
     
  11. torontofcmark

    torontofcmark Member

    Oct 24, 2006
    Toronto
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Thin? Does that mean you want Colin Samuel back to add some fat to the squad? :D
     
  12. crazypete13

    crazypete13 Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 7, 2007
    A walk from BMO
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    I have no issues with turnover before or even during training camp, but I'd rather they not be adding lots of players after the season starts. I'd expect a full compliment of draftees and several new signings (Ornoch, Ent etc.) are in place by the start of camp.

    It might also just be a fact of life that MLS teams by the nature of the schedule tend to add players the way we've seen in season 1-4, and there's not much we can do about it.
     
  13. tfc_for_life

    tfc_for_life Member

    Oct 18, 2007
    I hope winter's name has the cache to attract quality. Nothing much you can do about the roster when you start from scratch. Cohesion comes from academy and reserve depth if tfc can play a style consistently.
     
  14. RedCoatsforever

    Jun 10, 2008
    London, Ontario
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    With the regards to the original post, IS Gomez healthy?

    If so, he could do a solid job as our new RB come regular season time.
     
  15. Chiqui Arce

    Chiqui Arce New Member

    Sep 17, 2008
    Mariner sez European free agents will join the club in Turkey; while South American players will join the club in Florida after the Turkey trip.

    So how many internationals can TFC sign?

    For reference & discussion purposes ...

    Current Roster
    D Nana Attakora, 21 Canadian
    D Adrian Cann, 30 Canadian
    M Julian de Guzman, 29 Canadian
    M Dwayne De Rosario, 32 Canadian
    GK Stefan Frei,24 Switzerland - Green Card
    D Dan Gargan, 28 USA
    D Emmanuel Gomez, 20 Gambian - International
    D Ty Harden, 26 USA
    D Doneil Henry, 17, Canada
    GK Milos Kocic, 25, Serbia - Green Card
    M Nick LaBrocca, 26, USA
    M Nicholas Lindsay, 18, Canadian
    M Jacob Peterson, 24, USA
    F Maicon Santos, 26, Brazilian - International
    D Nathan Sturgis, 23, USA

    Toronto FC 2011 MLS SuperDraft Selections
    D Demitrius Omphroy, 21, USA
    M Matt Gold, 22, USA
    M Junior Burgos, 22, USA
    F Joao Plata, 18, Ecuador - International

    Free Agents
    F Andrew Ornoch, 25, Canadian
    F Bas Ent, 23, Dutch - International
     
  16. RedCoatsforever

    Jun 10, 2008
    London, Ontario
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Does a green card give a player domestic status?
     
  17. adammac19

    adammac19 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jan 31, 2006
    Sydney Mines
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Yes it does

    http://www.mlssoccer.com/regulations
     
  18. Polygong

    Polygong Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 8, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    But then there's this bit that applies to us (and now, Whitecaps). From what I read here, a Green Card means nothing wrt playing for a Canadian MLS club.
     
  19. torontofcmark

    torontofcmark Member

    Oct 24, 2006
    Toronto
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    let me clarify a bit. I dont mind all the wheeling and dealing BEFORE camp, or early in camp..but towards the end of camp you should have a stable roster that you can hit the ground running come game 1 of the regular season. In the past the wheeling and dealing went right up through the start of the season and we never really had a starting stable 11 to create some cohesion early in the season and then we are like 4 losses in our first 5. There has to be some connection in having a cohesive stable unit coming out of training camp.
     
  20. Kingston

    Kingston Member+

    Oct 6, 2005
    While I agree with your premises there are two things to point out:

    First, there is going to be a high level of turnover this year. That's just how it is with the new coach and system. This should be the last year of that sort of wholesale change, however.

    Second, for the foreseeable future, MLS is going to have a higher rate of turn over than the bigger European leagues. That's just the nature of a league that is well down the international pecking order and works under a $2.5 million salary cap.
     
  21. TFCMANU

    TFCMANU Member

    Apr 19, 2007
    Parkdale/Newmarket
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Winter did say European Trialist will Trial in Turkey and American to trial in Florida, Everything will be fine...I'm Pretty sure management team have a few players lined up ....No worries.
     
  22. BHTC Mike

    BHTC Mike Member+

    Apr 12, 2006
    Burlington, ON
    Club:
    Toronto FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    We have a new coach and new system every year! We've only started the season with the same coach who ended the previous season ONCE!

    Well, until things go south in the summer (again), Winter gets fed up with MLS (or MLSE) and quits, and the cycle repeats itself. Maybe Mariner will stick around!

    [/unfair yet not wholy unrealistic cynicism]
     
  23. BearcatSA

    BearcatSA Member

    Jan 15, 2008
    Canada
    I agree with the first point in that I think the coaching staff probably will find that some of the current incumbents simply won't fit into their plans, so I'm expecting some flux even into the season.

    With the regards to the second point I wonder what the turnover is like for international players in this league. I'm guessing they have a much shorter shelf life than lower echelon American players who seem to fill the journeyman ranks.
     
  24. TOFC/ARSENAL

    TOFC/ARSENAL Member

    Jan 20, 2007
    Get ready for a new five-year plan.

    I don't mean that as a complaint, just an observation. It stands to reason that with an entirely new management team with different philosophy, there is going to be a lot of turnover. If you compare us to Vancouver, I think you have to say that the Whitecaps are ahead of TFC. We are more of an expansion team than they are.

    Despite the gloom of the immediate future, I really do believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope that the tunnel won't be too long.
     
  25. sportie1

    sportie1 Member

    Sep 4, 2008
    thats what will happen for 2011-- but there is a light at the end of the tunnel... a quality coaching and management team that will build the team thoughtfully and carefully-- think in terms of 2012 until you see the results
     

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