Today's News,Monday, Dec.14

[denime]

Mornin'


No TFC News for now.


Was the fix in? (http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/2009/12/13/dobson_macedonia_canada/)


Match-fixing in soccer must be addressed (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2009/12/14/12145366-sun.html)



SUNSHINE (http://www.torontosun.com/sunshinegirl/)

[CoachGT]

Morning all. A Plymouth newspaper suggests that Carver has accepted a position as Head Coach under manager Mariner. Seems that he's got a job again, and with an MLS connection.

http://www.plymouth.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=180690

[I_AM_CANADIAN]

In related news, rather than going back and actually investigating the case properly, they've just gone ahead and sentenced people in the Calciopoli trial:

http://goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/12/14/1686538/calciopoli-former-juventus-director-antonio-giraudo-sentenced-to-

[scooter]

mornin d

[TFCRegina]

I see it's the Sunshine B squad again.

[DOMIN8R]

Percovich Joins TFC, Winsper Departs

Leo Percovich leaves Chivas USA to join the Reds



"Leo and Preki worked well together at Chivas, and like we said from the beginning when we hired Preki, if he wanted to bring his own guy in we would let him," said director of soccer Mo Johnston. "I think Leo will mesh very well with the existing staff we have here."

http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20091214&content_id=7807956&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280

[Yohan]

interesting. Percovich has a lot of time in SA... is this guy that Preki used to bring his SA players to Chivas? (Maicon Santos etc)

so, we now have 3 assistant coaches... Dichio odd man out? too many cooks in kitchen?

[bgnewf]

... Dichio odd man out? too many cooks in kitchen?

Actually Danny is no longer listed as a staff member.

Technical Staff
Title Name Manager, Director of Soccer Mo Johnston (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=johnston_mo) Head Coach Preki (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=preki) Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Winsper (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=winsper_paul) First Assistant Coach Nick Dasovic (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=dasovic_nick) Goalkeeper Coach Mike Toshack (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=toshack_mike) Video Analyst Eddie Kehoe (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=kehoe_eddie) Equipment Manager Malcolm Phillips (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=phillips_malcolm) Athletic Therapist Carmelo Lobue (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=lobue_carmelo) Assistant Athletic Therapist Shawn Jeffers (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=jeffers_shawn) Massage Therapist Marcelo Casal (http://web.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=t280&player=casal_marcelo) Team Physician Dr. Ira Smith Manager Team Services Earl Cochrane

God help you Mo if you screwed Danny Dichio for a second time.

[Yohan]

hrm... academy coach then?

[Roogsy]

Before we get ahead of ourselves....was he listed as a staf member to begin with?

[DOMIN8R]

Well - that's unsettling. Can anyone provide a confirmation as to DD new role within the organization?

[Blizzard]

Before we get ahead of ourselves....was he listed as a staf member to begin with?

I was just going to ask that same question. It's very possible he was never on that list.

I suppose it's possible that Preki doesn't have a use for Dichio but that doesn't mean he isn't going to be with the club. He has a role with the Academy and he would still be ambassador.

[Jeffro]

I spoke with Danny about his new role.
He said he would be involved in the first team coaching. He had just had his meeting with Preki to discuss his role for the coming season.

[DOMIN8R]

Thank you (as we all breath a collective sigh of relief)

[DOMIN8R]

Toronto FC announced Monday that the team has hired Leo Percovich as assistant coach. Percovich arrives from Chivas USA where he was a member of their coaching staff as goalkeeper coach from January of 2008


Anyone care to speculate what role he will play here. Could he continue as a goalkeeper coach? 1st or 2nd Assistant Coach? Someone is going to have to have either to step aside or get pushed aside.

Does the above quote read that he will fill Daso's shoes?

[Batman]

I know last Sept they were looking at adding 2nd keeper coach which fell through.
(wife couldnt get Canadian work visa so the candidate had to move on.) so maybe 2 keeper coaches again which may also include responsibilities for the keepers in the academy as well. Or maybe they had advance notice that Mike T was planning on moving on.

[Yohan]

this revolving door thing not just with players, but staff is really weird...

[Blizzard]

Anyone care to speculate what role he will play here. Could he continue as a goalkeeper coach? 1st or 2nd Assistant Coach? Someone is going to have to have either to step aside or get pushed aside.

Does the above quote read that he will fill Daso's shoes?

Molinaro wrote: "Percovich, 41, will serve under head coach Preki, whom he previously worked with at Chivas USA, and alongside fellow assistant coach Nick Dasovic."

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2009/12/14/sp-tfc-coach.html

I can't see this fellow replacing Mike Toshack but obviously anything can happen.Toshack did a fine job with both Frei and Edwards this year so I'd be shocked if he was moved out.... and as for 1st of 2nd assistant, I think it's meaningless.An assistant is an assistant and they will each have their specific roles in all likelihood.

[Whoop]

So where does that leave Dichio?

Preki, with 3 assistants? Seems a little too much.

[Auzzy]

Around the time Danny was hired as coach/ambassador, TFC was saying they needed more people anyway.

Remember, when Carver left, Cummins moved up into his role. Nobody else was hired at that time. Then they hired Danny, then Cummins left -- still leaves them short one assistant coach compared with before. It was already expected that Preki would bring in one assistant -- no surprise whatsoever there.

Now what is a bit odd is that Percovich is another goalkeeping coach. We shall see, if Perkovich's or Toshak's role changes a bit; or if one of them focusses more on Academy & reserves (and Preki maybe even brings in another assistant). Danny's exact role also remains to be seen.

[Kaz]

where did this whole thing about Danny being an Assistant Coach come from? as I understood it he was working primarily with the Academy.

Or have I missed something since he retired?

[Auzzy]

From the TFC website, the day Danny retired as player: "Toronto FC announced Wednesday that forward Danny Dichio has retired from Major League Soccer. Dichio will assume the role of Toronto FC Team Ambassador and Academy Coach effective immediately. His new role will see him assist coaches on all three Toronto FC teams while beginning to learn about the nuances of MLS. Dichio will also continue to be an Ambassador in the community for Toronto FC, participating in local appearances."

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090909&content_id=6872274&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 (http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090909&content_id=6872274&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)

From the same day: "Danny Dichio announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending the forward's 16-year playing career but also marking the beginning of his new role as a coach for TFC. .... Johnston said that Dichio's responsibilities will include coaching the Toronto FC Academy, scouting the opposition and the Reds themselves on game days, and serving as TFC's official team ambassador. He also noted that Dichio will working as an assistant with the first team next season, whether the current coaching staff is retained or not."

http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090909&content_id=6879398&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280 (http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090909&content_id=6879398&vkey=news_t280&fext=.jsp&team=t280)

Of course, all the above was before Preki was hired. There's enough leeway in the above to define a role in consultation with Preki.

[Auzzy]

Truth or sarcasm or both? From Twitter:

Paulbeirne (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne) Leo Percovich is named an assistant coach of @torontofc (http://twitter.com/torontofc). He joins from Chivas where he was pure badass. The locker room is in for a shock
about 5 hours ago (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne/status/6672413008)from Tweetie (http://www.atebits.com/)

[Detroit_TFC]

Plus DD was tweeting from NCAA Cup tourney, so he is doing some scouting, too.

[Oldtimer]

Truth or sarcasm or both? From Twitter:

Paulbeirne (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne) Leo Percovich is named an assistant coach of @torontofc (http://twitter.com/torontofc). He joins from Chivas where he was pure badass. The locker room is in for a shock
about 5 hours ago (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne/status/6672413008)from Tweetie (http://www.atebits.com/)

Look at how he does a practice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSIBijop83E

[Ossington Mental Youth]

I spoke with Danny about his new role.
He said he would be involved in the first team coaching. He had just had his meeting with Preki to discuss his role for the coming season.

any other tidbits you wanna drop??
(not sarcastic btw, youve had good rumors in the past)

[Yohan]

Look at how he does a practice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSIBijop83E
i wonder how much part percovich had in fat boy zach thornton's amazing form this season...

[Stryker]

Ha! I knew this guy looked like a hard ass. I think this will be really good for our team.

[Hitcho]

Truth or sarcasm or both? From Twitter:

Paulbeirne (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne) Leo Percovich is named an assistant coach of @torontofc (http://twitter.com/torontofc). He joins from Chivas where he was pure badass. The locker room is in for a shock
about 5 hours ago (http://twitter.com/Paulbeirne/status/6672413008)from Tweetie (http://www.atebits.com/)

I'd say pure truth. Percovich comes with a reputation - a good one but a reputation all the same. By the sounds of it, last season under CC the dressing room got a bit out of hand. Somehow I cannot see Preki and Perco allowing the same thing to happen twice. So compared to last season, I think there will be a big shock.