We hope you enjoyed last week's exclusive behind the scenes tour of BMO field. It was an exciting look at parts of the stadium that very few people have access too and we are excited to be able to deliver it to you. This week, we launch part 2 of the exclusive. In this episode, I sit down with Paul Beirne, Director of Business operations at Toronto FC. Paul talks about how he became involved with the club and why he feels they have been so successful. There is also discussion on the topics that TFC fans want to know about. Will TFC get a Designated Player? What about expansion of BMO? It's all on Red Patch Live Check out Red Patch Live's exclusive one on one with Paul Beirne today!!! http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=5915786027070516578 A big thanks goes out to Gobi for filming, Parkdale for editinging this and making it pretty and of course to Paul for taking the time out of his schedule to connect with the fans.
What I heard from this interview: - Andy Welsh will be returning to the squad next year. - There will not be a DP signing for next year - A academy is the number one offseason priority - MLSE has no intention of expanding for another 5-10 years. My interpretation...this is another business in the MLSE portfolio and nothing more. Will the TFC fan be rewarded for there support, I'm not sure. As long as TFC sells out, they will not do a thing to make this a world class soccer team, but focus on generating revenue. This a freightening reality that the potential of this franchise is really going to be suffocatted by a company not driven by winning or development.
In fairness to him, he was going by what was in the interview, the post about Welsh leaving is still only an hour old at this stage.
I agree I don't think an DP is coming, because it's a big issue to allocate 400K of your cap space to one player, when the cap next year is the same as last year (in the CBA it's only going up about 300K combined across the league) The YS is mandated by the league, so I'm glad it would be their #1 priority. I think this falls under the "development" issue that you're concerned with, though the results may not be seen next year. If they are entirely focused on generating revenue, then wouldn't be pushing for immediate expansion of the stadium?
hey next time you have one of these interviews (if you do) could you please ask him if the practices are open to the fans for me?? that would be great. thanks
Thanks for the Welsh update. Beirne mentions Welsh, Dichio and Robinson as the core nucleus for next year in the interview. Nice to know there is little room for error on this site hahaha. Cheers, I'm glad he's gone
That was a joke right? If not, provide a link to the trade report. There's nothing on SkySports for Blackpool FC transfers about Welsh... Cheers!
Couldn't agree more. I've been impressed with MLSE so far, but this interview left me feeling a little cold. No passion, or vision of what could be, just keep the money presses rolling.
Thanks for the interview...Keep them rolling! Its nice to hear the actual intentions of the brass of TFC since they do not get the kind of coverage that the other major teams get. It will be nice when TFC is in the same media spotlight at the other big teams and we can hear indepth news like this on a regular basis. Good Work RPB!
Well i also hear it from some folks about the ownership of the Leafs and possible similar style of running TFC. I surely hope the fans of the soccer team don't settle for mediocrity in the long run just because they love the sport. Let them know that you are paying for value as well as entertainment.
Thanks for this. The thing that I find most interesting is that they are thinking of adding a designated family section. Also, they have had complaints by prudes about the supporter's areas. And they are thinking of better separating the fans based on the level they want to cheer.
The designated family section might be a good idea. The question is where do you put it. And about separating the supporters' areas based on cheering levels: dude, I hope that's an unfunny joke. The RPB and U-Sector crews will be incensed if that were to happen.
I don't think he meant between supporters sections/groups. He was referring to supporters groups as a whole and separating them from the family section (red zone) , and then the rest being everybody else. I'm interested where this family section will be. I would think the upper bowl towards the ends but who knows.
I'm just glad the youth academy is a number one priority for them. If the CSA can't develop our players than might as well let TFC have a shot at it.
Speaking of the CSA, have any of you seen the protest thread on the Voyageurs site about doing something at the Costa Rica game to keep drawing attention to the CSA to try and force some change? Cheers!
Wear black to the game to show the future of the CSA if they don't change. The future is black for Canadian football. It's not a lack of talent, it's the lack of organization. I'm a lot more comfortable with TFC looking after our youth then these clowns.
read more carefully next time.. his post was a semi-sarcastic list of contradictions that he somehow "read into" the comments of Paul Beirne (PB said nothing of Welsh coming back........), and my comment on Welsh was similarly worded to show that his sarcasm was overblown because Welsh had been traded. it had nothing to do with the factuality of Welsh's place on the roster, but i guess that went over your head.
he doesn't call welsh, dichio and robinson as the core nucleus for next year in the interview. listen to it again more carefully IN CONTEXT. he is talking about how Welsh, Dichio and Robinson have played a lot over the past year because they played in England, and that he expects them to get rest and be fit next year. It's a general comment on the problems this team faced not a statement on who's going to be back next year. He's not the GM. Then he says "we have a great nucleus" but he doesn't say "Welsh, Dichio and Robinson" are the nucleus of the team next year. those statements are completely unrelated. sheesh. people on here read so much into what Paul Beirne said.. next thing I expect people to say he said they are expanding the stadium next year.