VANCOUVER – Greg Vanney wants to make one thing perfectly clear: the past doesn’t matter. Neither does your reputation, or your previous standing at Toronto FC.
TFC’s coach delivered that message loud and clear by making some eyebrow-raising decisions on who to bring—and who not to bring—to the west coast for Saturday’s Major League Soccer regular-season opener against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The big three of Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco boarded the plane to Vancouver. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. But the more notable absentees include Brazilian winger Jackson, midfielder Daniel Lovitz and right back Mark Bloom.
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Bloom, 27, was one of the Reds’ most consistent performers in 2014, making the right fullback position his own. He did so well that the club signed him to a multi-year contract extension this off-season even though the Georgia native had two years remaining on his previous deal.
Why was Bloom, who appeared to have a lock on the starting right fullback position coming into training camp, left at home in Toronto this weekend? Vanney explained that Warren Creavalle looked “a bit sharper” in pre-season than Bloom, who was coming off minor surgery.
“Warren has come in and he’s been hungry for the position. He’s shown a lot of confidence with the ball in terms of how we want to play—he’s been getting up and down the line. … Warren, during this pre-season, has progressed a little bit more (than Bloom),” Vanney told reporters after TFC’s practice Friday morning at BC Place.
He later added: “A lot of guys made strong cases for themselves who aren’t even here, and that’s just a tribute to the depth we have.”
So, Creavalle is the starting right fullback for the opener. But he shouldn’t feel completely comfortable, and changes could be made to the starting 11 for next weekend’s game away to the Columbus Crew.
“It’s a competitive team and you have to earn your spot week in and week out and be at the top of your game. We can start to pick guys on form now, not just because they deserve to be in the team because they’re the better overall player. It’s whoever is in better form that will get starts,” Vanney warned.
Going with Creavalle ahead of Bloom is a bit of a gamble by Vanney. He’s set to start a new pairing in the centre of defence in the form of Steven Caldwell and French newcomer Damien Perquis, so introducing Creavalle to a back four still trying to gel could disrupt things even more. It’s not exactly ideal, considering Caldwell and Perquis are still trying to learn each others tendencies.
“I’m excited about having more of an understanding (with Perquis) as time goes on. He’s a great player who’s played at a fantastic level in his career. I feel we have the attributes to be a great partnership. It’s early days, we will get better, but we’re excited to get started,” Caldwell offered.
Saturday’s contest marks the MLS return of Altidore, one of TFC’s big signings this off-season. The American forward played in the league earlier in his career with New York before heading off to Europe where he enjoyed mixed results—brilliant with Dutch club AZ, but a complete washout at Hull City and Sunderland in the Premier League.
With both Jermain Defoe and Gilberto gone, TFC will look to Altidore as the main supplier of goals this season. Failure by the hulking American forward to score on a consistent level, and failure by TFC to finally end its playoff drought, will not be looked upon kindly by the team’s long-suffering fan base or the reporters who cover the team. Make no mistake about it, the pressure is on.
“It’s a bit early in the season to be (talking about) pressure of that variety. At the same time making the playoffs here is a big goal,” Altidore said.
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The fact there will even be a game played at BC Place on Saturday is a minor miracle, as MLS and its players’ union only agreed terms on a new collective bargaining agreement on Wednesday night.
Players were threatening to strike unless they were granted some form of free agency, and they got it—sort of. Previously, clubs retained the MLS rights of players even though they were out of contract. The new labour deals offers free agency to out of contract players who are 28 years old and who have eight years of MLS service.
“There were a number of times when we all thought we weren’t going to be playing this weekend,” TFC captain Michael Bradley admitted. “There probably isn’t anybody who thinks it’s a perfect deal on any side, but at the end of the day it’s done and behind us. It’s a deal that allows for football to be played and the league to continue to grow.”
Like Bradley, Caldwell was in Washington, D.C. as both parties negotiated a new deal. He characterized the labour talks as “very intense.”
“It’s a very interesting process to be part of and I enjoyed the experience and I learned a lot …. but it’s a mentally and physically taxing experience. We feel we’ve come out with an agreement that is not perfect in a lot of ways but certainly moves the players and the league forward,” Caldwell stated.
Caldwell did, though, suggest the new CBA is a starting point for players to eventually gain true free agency.
“It’s a fantastic contract for what we hope to push for in the years ahead,” Caldwell said.
Check back with Sportsnet.ca throughout the weekend as John Molinaro is in Vancouver and will file a number of reports before and after Saturday’s Whitecaps-TFC match.
