Watching the Canada vs USA game on the weekend I was keenly impressed. One because based on that game I can finally start to see a light at the end of the tunnel for our CMNT. Great young talent lots of MLS representation and some TFC current and alumni members as strong contributors. However one young man stood out for me, #9 Tosaint Ricketts. This guy is great. He's Canadian. He's available. Ok perhaps not available to TFC or any other MLS club for now. But it he is coming from Romania he could not be beyond MLS mid to high range no DP type money. Would love love love to see him in TFC kit. Who can we make disappear to arrange this.
CMNT players are overrated. This is a team that struggles to get by Panama and Costa Rica. Fans complain about JDG playing for TFC, yet he's arguably one of the top players on the team. We need set our sites higher than the underperformening national team.
I wouldn't ignore a player because he's on the CMNT, yeah Gerba was a bust, but I'm sure that most of us would like to have DeRo back. I'm also sure that we'd all be thrilled to have Kevin McKenna on the back line or Simeon Jackson up front.
Completely agree. There have been many times where after seeing the CMNT play I've been certain that TFC could have done better. I haven't seen the game yet (although I have it recorded), but what I've seen from that team in the past there isn't a single Canadian striker I'd want on TFC (I'd take Jackson, but his wages would probably be DP money which he's not worth)
at the right price, sure, but when you go after players playing in Europe you are going to have to pay European prices. And if you're going into that range you can get much better players than Ricketts or McKenna. Even DeRo is overrated. I watched the Canada game vs Argentina a few years ago and he was totally ineffective. Got pushed off the ball easily like he was a pdl player. I'm not saying he's a bad player, but when you look at the rest of the world, there are much better players out there.
Those Argentine players play in big time leagues, not MLS. We're talking about an MLS club here and DeRo is among the best players in the league. Yes, I don't want to pay European prices for those guys, but that's not the point. The point is that the CMNT players are not all crap. If some of them can attract European level salaries, then I think there's a message there that they're more than good enough for MLS. Any player who is good enough for PSV Eindhoven, FC Koln or Norwich City is certainly good enough for TFC (or any other MLS club). I know it's hard for Canadians to come to grips with the idea that we're not entirely pathetic and that we can produce something of quality that isn't related to hockey, but maybe someday we'll come to terms with that.
I'm not suggesting that Canada can't produce quality players. It's just that whenever the national team plays the TFC message boards start calling out for us to sign Ali Nakajimi-Ricketts because he looked really good against semi-pro players from St Lucia. And the scary thing is that TFC management seem to listen to this sort of thing so they go out and overpay to lure these Canadian players back from Europe. Meanwhile, the rest of MLS is going after players from the USMNT, a team that not only makes it into the World Cup consistently, but also gets out of the group stage. Heck, Canada can't even make it into the hex. There is talent in Canada no doubt. And it is getting better. But if we limit ourselves to only looking to sign players from the MNT we're going to fall even further behind the other teams in this league.
While I agree with the gist of what you're saying, to call DeRo "overrated" is a bit much. He's the best player in the league, and makes just over half a mill. If anything he's under rated.
Except that this was a game against the USA, in which we had the only goal disallowed causing a 0-0 draw that should've been a win for Canada, in which Ricketts was instrumental.
I also think you grossly overstate when suggesting that "all other MLS teams go after US Nationals" outside of Donovan. There are only 3 other MLS based players on the US national team. Beckerman, Wondo and Nick Romaldo. The ladder 3 will probably see very very limited playing time. The other more valuable players are out of the proverbial reach for MLS based teams however based on his current situation Rickets who performed well against the Americans is dueable in terms of availability and price range. Naturally this is not considering he may not want to try the MLS or Toronto. But I still maintain it would be a great addition if it works out that way.
Translation: Top-quality MLS players shouldn't be considered good enough for MLS. It sounds like you just don't respect players at the MLS level. Might I suggest watching European soccer instead?
uh, where did you get that from? Never said DeRo wasn't good enough for MLS. I just don't think he's the best player in the league. Maybe 5 years ago.
So being the MVP, golden-boot winner, and a guy who consistently makes DCU's entire attack pop isn't recent enough?
It's actually easier to formulate an argument that he is than it would be to suggest he is not. Infact to counter to your overrated valuation. I would suggested he perhaps has been underrated as a player. He is the only player to be awarded the MLS MVP and appear as a finalist in other years twice. The only person close to him would be Donvan and if you compare there pay checks it would be hard to argue Dwaynes worth.