The buzz words at Toronto FC training on Friday were ‘new blood’ and ‘competition’ as the club prepares for an important divisional match-up with DC United on Saturday.
The training session at BMO Field was the first for Haitian defender Lesly Fellinga, who signed a contract with the Reds on Wednesday. The 23-year-old spent the last season in the Dutch Eredivisie with SC Heerenveen, and prior to that was with BV Veendam (2006-2008) of the Eerste Divisie. The left back will not play against DC United on Saturday, but is expected to push captain Jim Brennan for the starting spot when his fitness level is up.
“I like to attack, but my preference is to defend well,” Fellinga said on Friday. “I saw Jim Brennan play on the left back and Serioux as well, they have different qualities but I think I am a little bit of a mix of them.”
Fellinga was active on the Haitian 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad, but did not see any minutes in the tournament. Reds coach Chris Cummins was impressed with the play of Fellinga during his trial, and is keen to watch the new signing push the rest of the defenders for position.
“We had a good look at him for a week and he is a great tactician and he has a great football brain. He is also a good athlete and he can play anywhere down that left line: left back, left wing back,” Cummins said “What he does is push Jimmy Brennan as well. Jimmy has made the left back spot his own; he knows he is guaranteed 90 minutes each week because there is no competition. But now there is some and it might squeeze a bit more out of Jimmy, you never know.”
Toronto and DC United played to a wild 3-3 final back in May, and going in to Saturday the visitors lead the Reds by a single point in the Eastern Division. Cummins knows that with 10 games left in the regular season, earning full-points at home is paramount for a team in search of a first-ever playoff appearance.
“We don’t want to concede three goals of course, so we will be solid and I think they will come in looking for a draw so we don’t leap-frog them in the league,” Cummins said of the opposition. “We have 10 games to go: There is going to be a big push and we have some new blood in the team and that energy should help us along.”
The new blood and competition could not have come at a better time for Cummins, who is faced with an injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s clash. Defenders Marvell Wynne and Nick Garcia have been ruled out while Amado Guevara and Ali Gerba only rode the stationary bike on Friday morning. Guevara returned from international duty late Thursday night and Cummins will wait until Saturday to decide if the Honduran is included in the starting 11.
“Amado came in late last night and he had a recovery session today. As I keep saying he is no spring chicken and we’ll have a good look at him on Saturday,” Cummins explained. “Ali had a scan on his knee and it came back all clear, but it keeps swelling up. The best thing for it is rest but with the games coming up he is not going to be able to do that. He will be involved at some stage but whether or not it is a start, we won’t know until the morning.”
The rash of injuries may open the door for young players like defender Emmanuel Gomez and forwards Fuad Ibrahim and Gabe Gala to step in and prove themselves in a regular season game. Both Gomez and Gala played in the exhibition game against Real Madrid last Friday, with Gala coming on to score the only goal for the home side in the 5-1 final.
” I think it is the right to put in the energetic, young players and push the game," Cummins said.
The DC United and Toronto FC match can be seen in all Sportsnet regions on Saturday, with kick-off set for 4 p.m. ET.
NOTES: Fellinga speaks multiple languages, and was knowledgeable of MLS when asked: “In Europe it is pressure all over the pitch. In MLS it seems more like chess, where you strike at the right moment,” he said …. TFC Street returns for another year on Sunday, August 16, as 32 teams battle through a freestyle soccer tournament played in the confines of a 60’x40′ cage. Participants will get a chance to meet and get autographs from midfielder Sam Cronin … Dominique van Dijk trained with TFC again on Friday, wearing the No. 29.