Covering Toronto FC provides a challenging endeavour that pushes the creative limits of practically every journalist inside the press box at BMO Field on match-days.
Season after season, the narrative remains consistent: individual defensive errors coupled with a seemingly innate capacity to blow scoring opportunities leads to dropped points. This year was supposed to be different, and it has been to a degree. However, following yet another demoralizing defeat over the weekend—the club’s third in succession—that saw New England overcome an early one-goal deficit to win 2-1, I struggle to find new ways to tell the same old story.
So I’ve decided against polluting readers with the mundane monotonous drivel of TFC’s most recent sub-par performance. No más. Instead, I feel inclined to focus my attention elsewhere.
The big-money DP additions of Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Gilberto have laid the necessary foundation, which was long overdue. However, it’s only the first step of many towards attaining a winning mentality.
Soccer Central podcast: SPORTSNET.CA’s Soccer Central podcast, hosted by John Molinaro and James Sharman, takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, CLICK HERE.
Progress has been made, and the team is definitely worthy of mention in the playoff conversation this season. Ryan Nelsen underwent a baptism by fire in his debut campaign in the dugout. He received ridicule from the Toronto media who questioned his managerial inexperience. Some of it was warranted, though the squad he inherited was nowhere close to the competitive standards required.
We all know exactly where most of the blame rests. Need a hint? It starts with the letter M—followed with the letters L, S and E. Do you blame the driver or the mechanical engineers when the racecar’s engine seizes? The jury is still out on Nelsen being the right man for the job. The question elicits mixed answers from soccer pundits and fans alike. However, it’s a fair assessment to say he was dealt a bad hand from day one, and deserves an opportunity to stake his claim with an improved roster.
A drastic overhaul was promised, accompanied by the guarantee of the imminent arrival of big-name players. So far MLSE President and CEO Tim Leiweke and TFC general ganager Tim Bezbatchenko have stayed true to their word. But let’s not kid ourselves, the only reason for this sudden about-face from the suits at MLSE was in direct response to a consistent and concerning drop in season ticket sales.
Seven years have passed since David Beckham crossed the pond to become the face of MLS—which also coincided with TFC’s inaugural season—and the investment in global exposure has paid dividends as the league has swelled from 12 to 19 teams, with another three cities (New York City, Orlando and Atlanta) set to take the count to 22 by 2017.
Toronto FC has always used their designated player allocation, and done so atrociously. Let’s take a walk down memory lane; Julian De Guzman ($1.9 million), Mista ($987,000), Torsten Frings ($2.4 million)—the epitome of gross mismanagement, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
I’ve never been fully convinced by the ‘super club’ methodology. It’s not a path to sustainable success. Glamour signings provide clubs the financial incentive—jersey sales, gate receipts, prime-time television allocation—to sometimes attempt to force a square peg into a round hole.
The parity in the MLS goes without question. In 18 seasons, nine different clubs have been crowned champions. Compare that with the top four leagues in Europe; the Bundesliga has seen six different winners, followed by Serie A with five—the English and Spanish top divisions are tied with four. MLS routinely transforms pretenders into contenders, or vice versa. DC United were top of the Eastern Conference in 2007 (55 points), and the following year they ended with the third worst record in the league (38 points). On the flip side, New York Red Bulls went from worst (21 points in 2009) to first (50 points in 2010).
Every team has a shot at the playoffs heading into a new campaign—some more than others. Unfortunately for Toronto soccer fans, the club’s failure on the field has been a reverberating theme. Frustrations have somewhat subsided this season, and for the first time ever, Reds fans are optimistic about the team’s chances at finally breaking their playoff curse.
Here’s where a little perspective is needed. Although, the off-season additions were long overdue, this team is nowhere near ready for anything more than a playoff push. Ultimately, a lack of depth will make this journey a struggle from beginning to end, testing the squad’s character and resolve.
It may come as a surprise, but the most successful MLS teams since the game-changing DP rule was implemented seven years ago are not the ones who go after the glamour signings. The Galaxy had to wait until Beckham’s fifth and final season to lift the MLS Cup, and only repeated the feat because a solid foundation was already in place. Take note TFC fans. New York are still searching for the right formula four years after Thierry Henry moved to the Big Apple.
Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake are the best examples of how to achieve continued success without swinging for the fences. Both clubs are of stalwart build, and always in contention for silverware. They’ve proven that a modest approach based around astute scouting and player development can deliver positive results, minus the need of flashy imports.
Since 2007, the Dynamo have made two MLS Cup finals—winning one—four Conference finals and have only once failed to compete in the post-season. Real Salt Lake boast similar numbers; winning the MLS Cup in 2009 and finishing runners-up last year, with four Conference final appearances—plus the added bonus of six consecutive seasons of playoff soccer. Honourable mentions also go out to Sporting Kansas City (champions in 2013) and the Colorado Rapids (champions in 2010).
It took Toronto until mid-June last term (14 games) to reach nine points, and even worse, the club only secured their third victory at the end of July (21 games). They’ve already managed to reach both figures after four matches played, so rejoice in the notion that for the first time in the franchises short existence, TFC are properly equipped to have a fighting chance at a winning season.