Here are some news and notes from Toronto FC’s annual pre-season Media Day, held at the club’s training centre on Tuesday.
Roster looks pretty set
Toronto FC has been a train wreck in previous pre-seasons, scrambling to fill out its 30-man roster in the very days before the start of the regular season.
At the moment, though, the Reds have 28 players under contract, and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko feels very good about his squad and doesn’t foresee making any more major additions in the short-term.
“I’m very comfortable with where we compare to others teams positionally,” Bezbatchenko boasted. “Every area of the roster, I feel like we stack up against the best teams in MLS.
This weekend the team will travel to Florida where it will conclude its pre-season preparations by competing in an exhibition tournament from Feb. 19 to Mar. 1 against teams such as the Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and Orlando City of the USL Pro League. TFC opens the regular season on Mar.15 on the road against the Seattle Sounders.
“We have a very strong team on paper. It takes an entire pre-season to see how they’re (coming) together. Right now I wouldn’t say that there is one area where we’re weak or have a hole,” Bezbatchenko said.
A year ago, former GM Kevin Payne complained that a lot of TFC players were out of shape when they arrived at pre-season camp. That hasn’t been an issue this time around.
“I couldn’t be happier (with the fitness levels) of the players (in pre-season). My problem has been getting them off the field and out of the training room,” coach Ryan Nelsen said.
Gilberto sets lofty goal
Reporters spoke to most players in camp on Tuesday, but it was new designated player Gilberto who captured a lot of attention with a rather bold statement
“I’ve set a goal. I’m trying to score 25 goals (this season)” the Brazilian forward said through a translator.
Mum’s the word on Cesar
Brazilian national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari told reporters during a press conference in Rio on Tuesday that Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Julio Cesar would be joining TFC. News of Cesar’s impending loan move to the Reds was first reported by Brazilian media last week.
Bezbatchenko declined to comment when asked for confirmation, while Nelsen was rather coy with his answer.
“That would be really nice for the Toronto community, to have a player of his skill, and experience and expertise. It would be fantastic for this city if something that like happened. I may have to give Scolari a call to see if it has happened,” Nelsen quipped.
Still, fans can expect Cesar to join TFC on loan ahead of this summer’s World Cup, which means Joe Bendik, the Reds’ starter last season, will be relegated to the backup role-not that he’s giving up the No. 1 job without a fight.
“I’ll welcome (Cesar) with open arms but it’s still a competition. He’s a legend. … I grew up watching him play and being in awe of him. Now he could be my teammate and I’m going to compete with him every day and off the field I’ll pick his brain for any piece of knowledge that I can get,” Bendik said.
Laba’s future remains murky
TFC’s signing of Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Gilberto to DP contracts in the off-season means Mattias Laba is the odd man out.
MLS teams can only have three DPs on their roster, and the club has been trying for weeks to work something out with Laba, the young Argentine midfielder who the club inked to a DP deal last season. MLS teams have to be roster compliant by Mar. 1, so the Reds will have until then to figure out a way to keep Laba or move him: whether that’s trading him or loaning him out to another MLS side, or selling him to a club outside the league.
Bezbatchenko said he sat down with Laba on Monday to discuss his future at the club and what his preference would be if he had to leave. Fans shouldn’t get their hopes up, though, as it appears very likely Laba won’t be playing for TFC this season.
“I’d love to (keep him). Do I expect (him to stay)? I don’t know,” Nelsen said. “He’s such a great player and we’re just trying to do what we can to make sure everybody’s a winner in this situation.”
Who’s going to North Carolina?
TFC announced last month that it has signed a one-year partnership agreement with Wilmington Hammerheads FC. Based in North Carolina, Wilmington competes in the USL Professional Division (commonly known as USL Pro), which is the third tier of the American soccer pyramid below MLS and the North American Soccer League.
As part of the deal, TFC will loan a minimum of four players from its first team to Wilmington during the course of the MLS season. Nelsen said no final determination has been made about which TFC players will be loaned out.
“We have a fair idea of who’s going to go down there, but it will only be for the benefit of the player so they can get games,” Nelsen said.
Bezbatchenko said Toronto is “working on that on next 10 days” and that a number of factors come into play, such as the player’s age and experience, and Wilmington’s needs. Bezbatchenko confirmed that at least four players will be loaned out (maybe more) and that the final decision will be made collaboratively between TFC and Wilmington.
Odds and ends
Right back Bradley Orr joined TFC on loan in the off-season from Blackburn even though he said he had other options in his native England: “The ambition of this club speaks volumes. It’s why I came here.”
Bezbatchenko confirmed that Issey Nakajima-Farran is no longer on trial, but that he’ll make a decision sometime over the next two weeks whether or not to offer the Canadian midfielder a contract.
Ryan Richter will be moved into the middle of the defence from the right side.
Quote sheet
“It’s great that (Richard Eckersley) was popular with the fans, but he’s not here now. That’s past tense. I can only focus on myself, and certainly it hasn’t entered my mind that I have to be as good or better than him.” — defender Bradley Orr
“Everyone’s shooting for us… We are now, instead of being at the bottom, we are the top (of MLS) and everyone is trying to catch up with us. Now we haven’t done anything yet, but in terms of what we have done in the off-season… we set it up so we can hopefully take advantage of all the moves.” — general manager Timothy Bezbatchenko
“I was at a point with Roma where I feel I needed a change, both for my career and motivation in my life. I needed a new challenge. I needed something where I would be asked to take a big role, and asked to put a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.” — Michael Bradley
“The ownership have given us that opportunity (to qualify for the playoffs) by spending serious amounts of money. It doesn’t come easy, it’s not a given… but I do feel it is a possibility.” — captain Steven Caldwell
“I’ve played against Toronto before and the fans hated me. I hope that changes. I want to bring love to the game, not hate.” — midfielder Jackson, through a translator
