Toronto FC never worked very hard to win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship and in the two additional games earned by doing so it never worked very hard to prove it belonged. Which is why it is with an apathetic tone that I write the first-ever CONCACAF Champions League obit.
The Reds were never going to win this tournament, even the most ardent of supporter would agree. In the wake of the 6-1 demolition of the Montreal Impact the success seemed to be over, and the two-game preliminary set versus Puerto Rico was as far as the eye could - and wanted to - see.
The trophy case at BMO Field was no longer empty and the question of 'why not us?' was answered. In short, the laurels were rested upon. In 2008 Toronto learned from not winning the inaugural Nutrilite Canadian Championship (Voyageurs Cup) and in 2009 it will learn from not making the CONCACAF Champions League group phase.
Head coach Chris Cummins does not need to be fired; nor does Director of Soccer Mo Johnston. It comes down to the fact that the MLS team, despite its wealth of international talent, was simply out-classed by a lesser (in league only) opponent. The Reds struggled and always looked out of ideas over what was needed to prevail in a winner-take-all two game showdown. Not conceding in the home leg was paramount and it never happened. Playing with an unabated sense of urgency in the away leg was equally as paramount and it never happened. The urgency quickly turned to panic, and those players who thrive on the big stage lost their way; firing from too far while never being on the same page.
As for the Islanders, they were a similar - if not the same -- group of players who learned the aforementioned important lessons last season en route to the tournament semi-finals. It was during the Cinderella run that the team learned how to play home and away and more so how to deal with teams inked as easy favourites. In the two games against TFC the lower league Islanders never looked wide-eyed or surprised by anything TFC threw its way on the field. The Islanders were perfect in wait, perfect in their pounce and finished it off by being perfect in killing off a strong-but-clueless MLS opponent.
As a team only two-plus seasons in existence it is naïve to expect anything more from the Reds. It is mandatory to not lose sight of the short, attainable goals set out for this club. Winning the Voyageurs Cup and representing Canada was one. Winning the subsequent CONCACAF Champions League in the first try is not one. Contending for a playoff spot when the summer turns to fall this year will be another.
And come the start of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship next spring hopefully the humble lessons learned against Puerto Rico will go a long way in helping the Reds play like they belong, and not like they deserve to be there.
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