TORONTO – We’ve all heard it countless times over the years, haven’t we?
A Toronto FC general manager, coach, team official or player maintaining that the playoffs are still firmly within reach, and that TFC is about to turn the corner, even when it’s mired in a horrible losing run.
On Friday, it was Ryan Nelsen’s turn to spread a little sunshine, with the Toronto coach explaining that despite appearances, the season is far from lost and that the campaign is in no immediate danger of slipping away from the Reds.
A look at the current MLS standings suggests Nelsen might be kidding himself, though.
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Toronto sits ninth in the 10-team Eastern Conference with an anaemic 1-7-4 record, and is 11 points out of a playoff spot with 22 games left in the season, including Saturday’s home contest against the Philadelphia Union.
Twenty-two matches sounds like more than enough time for the Reds to close an 11-point gap but recent history suggests it might be a bridge too far. TFC is winless in 10 MLS games (six losses and four draws) and has lost their last five in a row. It gets worse: Toronto has only one win in its last 26 league matches dating back to Aug. 4, 2012.
Yet Nelsen, who took over the coaching reins in January from Paul Mariner, insists the Reds have been in every MLS game under his watch. He points to the fact that Toronto has only lost by more than one goal in 12 league matches this year as evidence that the side has been more competitive in 2013 than last season.
When asked directly if Toronto FC could overcome its poor start to the campaign and still make the playoffs, Nelsen left no doubts.
“Of course. It’s funny (with this league in that if) you win two or three in a row, the whole thing changes. Players know that. We know that. … 100 per cent (this season is salvageable),” Nelsen told reporters after Friday’s practice.
Nelsen also added: “Thank God the East is where it is at the moment, where we have a shot. We have to go on a run at some stage. We’ve been threatening but now we obviously have to turn it into some end product.”
Yes, thank goodness for playing in the East. But there’s a bigger issue here that the team has to overcome: its genuine lack of quality on the pitch. If TFC can’t fix that, it will continue to sputter and won’t climb the table, even in the East.
“The last few weeks have been disappointing. For us, there’s going to be a big improvement, and our quality has to get better,” forward Robert Earnshaw admitted.
“The whole team needs to improve. It’s as simple as that. But I’ve got confidence in this team. We’re capable of doing it. We’re so close; we just have to turn it into wins.”
Had a brief chat w/ Califf. Says he’s focusing on working hard to get back into first 11 but said wouldn’t be surprised if he’s traded. #TFC
— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) May 31, 2013
Nelsen reiterated, not so subtly, that he and new general manager Kevin Payne had to clean up quite the mess left by the previous managerial regime. That work has set back the team’s progress on the field.
“When we came in, gee whiz, we had a very young squad, and an awfully unbalanced salary cap. It was an awful situation. It’s very hard to just change it over night. So every game from now until (season’s end) is a progression forward,” Nelsen explained.
So again, it’s not hopeless? Not according to the coach.
“It’s very hard to claw back points when you give them away in the league. But we have to take some confidence (from the fact) that we’re in every game, and it just takes one little turn and you go on a run and things change quickly,” Nelsen stated.
Here’s hoping.
NOTES: Nelsen told reporters that Dutch forward Danny Kovermans, who’s been recovering from a knee injury since last year, will more than likely be available to play against Philadelphia, and could see action off the bench… Goalkeeper Stefan Frei, defenders Logan Emory and Richard Eckersley, and forward Justin Bruan are all ruled out for Saturday’s match through injury…. Defender Darrel Russell and Canadian midfielder Terry Dunfield are fit again and available for selection… Earnshaw, who is on loan from Cardiff City until July 1, said there is no update on him signing a permanent deal with the Reds. He stated things might change in the upcoming weeks and that he hopes to stay on with Toronto… Nelsen revealed that TFC will be “moving on” from trying to sign Tal Ben Haim due to the Israeli defender’s contract demands.
