When it was all over at BMO Field and the rain came thundering down, it was easy to come to the realization that we all witnessed a quantum change in fortune for both the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC.
It's all good news for the Impact, who need to find ways to keep their fans happy. Supporters in Montreal have come to expect an MLS franchise and nothing less will do. Keeping them at Stade Saputo until that day arrives is the challenge. Playing the Carolina Railhawks in the USL won't cut it; beating Toronto for the Canadian Championship in front of 20,000 and a live televison audience will. And it gets better: If the Impact can knock off what figures to be a second rate opponent (I say that carefully) from Nicaragua, they'll move to the group stage of the Champions Leauge. The Impact group will consist of quality teams from Central America and the New England Revolution of MLS. Add it all up, and it brings the Impact to the doorstep.
They've almost made it into the brotherhood without actually getting a franchise. But that will happen. All things point to Montreal and Vancouver entering the league in 2011. As for Toronto, not so good. They have to live with the notoriety of losing to a perceived lesser opponent; and the goal scoring conundrum continues. And it's directly responsible for this team having won only one of their last 11 in all competitons and friendlies. The only positive is that another Montreal-Toronto rivalry has been cemented -- and that means there's money to be made.
We wonder when MLSE will spend some of the green stuff on a striker or two, or three. That question needs to be asked more, I think. How is it that Darren Huckerby and Paul Dickov show up in Toronto at the same time, Dickov actually trains, but nothing has happened. The Earthquakes wasted no time in getting a deal done for Huckerby who has already played, while Dickov has gone AWOL. I'm not saying he's the answer, but has he even been offered a contract? We don't know; and we don't have any idea how many potential strikers Toronto has on the radar. We do know the rumour mill is working overtime. What gives here? How long can this continue?
