To be honest, I was fully expecting Toronto FC to be training inside the Oakville Soccer Centre on Tuesday. It was impossibly hot, and based on recent precedent there was merit to my assumption.
But the cold, windy game against Seattle on April 4, 2009 was played under a different monarchy; one where complacency was reviled but at other times embraced. Training indoors that week was a mistake.
The current monarchy, better known as Preki, stopped training on more than one occasion in the midday sun to remind players that mistakes made when it is hot result in wasted energy spent to retrieve the ball from the opposition.
These were not pleasant reminders, either.
The forecast calls for the current Southern Ontario heat wave to continue right though to Saturday, when the Reds kick off at BMO Field against Colorado at noon ET. While training in the oppressive heat when a perfectly empty – and air conditioned – indoor facility exists just steps away appears unkind, on Saturday a week’s worth of acclimation might be the difference in what is an important three points up for grabs at home.
Preki, cooled off from the training session, was impartial to giving any credence to the strategy.
“Advantage or disadvantage, it can wear your body down,” Preki said of the heat “We have to be smart, too; we need to have a good recovery and understand that it is a 12 o’clock kickoff and hopefully we can adjust to this weather faster than (Colorado).”
Designated ambassador
It seems that the days of begging out-of-contract European players to ply their trade in a perceived lesser league — and not to mention in a Canadian city — are over. Sure, installing a grass surfaced at BMO helped, but not as much as having a former European player act as ambassador.
Mista, who signed with the Reds on Tuesday, admitted that phone calls from former Deportivo La Coruna teammate Julian De Guzman affected his decision to leave Spain and move to Toronto.
“It was definitely a fundamental piece,” Mista said through a Spanish translator. “When I found out that Toronto FC was interested I contacted Julian, who said the organization was great and that the decision to come here would be a good one.”
Mista and De Guzman played together for two seasons at Deportivo, where Mista scored two goals in 26 appearances. If Mista has a few more of these outside-of-the-foot goals left in him, supporters are in for a treat.
Next up for De Guzman: Calling up his brother Jonathan in Holland.
Speaking of which, the younger De Guzman’s plan to use his adopted passport and play for the Oranje at the international level got extra difficult thanks to the Dutch victory over Uruguay in the World Cup semi-final.
Perhaps his older brother can play dual ambassador and convince him to commit to Canada before qualification for Brazil 2014 begins next year.
Finally, did anyone see the local Toronto FC Academy kid interviewed by CBC in the Tuesday post-game commit to playing for Uruguay over Canada at any future World Cups?
Twitter didn’t miss it.
De Guzman needs to call him as well.