Kevin Harmse

[J .]

The CDN international has been moved from a midfield role, to centre back. What are your thoughts on the player and on his role in the future?

[Ossington Mental Youth]

i think hes done really quite well there since the move, im not a fan of the guy and hated him before but he has excelled.

Question: did he cause the penalty last night?

[Roogsy]

Capable but not exceptional. He will definitely cost us PKs if he stays back there, but he does have a certain grit and determination others on the team lack sometimes. I dunno if we want someone who will have brainfarts from time to time back there, but it wouldn't be any different than what we've had the first two seasons.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

ideally we sign some (or at very least a) talented centerback that can command the back line. Someone was right when they said we need a commander in the back telling Marshall where to play etc. Sadly Harmse is not that guy, like Roogsy said tho, he is a good back up.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

i can see him starting in place of Marshall when he retires

[reggie]

i would keep him instead of otto velez and JJ, i think they may trade james....

[MG42]

I think he is good off the bench, but man he needs to chill in some situations, that red card at the start of the season was too much lol

[Ossington Mental Youth]

itll be curious to see if a) we rid of velez, james or harmse and b) if we do, who the commanding cb will be that replaces them

[reggie]

harmse is more flexable,he can play DM,RD AND CD....

[J .]

I think Marshall will be gone. The idea of Harmse starting I think is a good one. He is a pitbull out there. You can see it on him and I like it. In the short time he has played here, he has made mistake, but they are teachable. Ability, distribution, toughness are not things that come easily. Body positioning, which were the cause of his mistakes, can be taught.

If Harmse works this off season on his positional defending, he will be starting next year. Good for TFC to have a Canadian spot in a key role and good for the CDN national team cause our CBs were garbage during qualifiers,

[Bobo]

He's not quality enough to start but he is a good versatile squad player. Still, I think I'd rather have Poz back.

[Cambridge_Red]

I love the guys passion for his team, but he can't tackle to save his life.

[Keegan]

Harmse is the next Adrian Serioux

They are so similar it is scary

Both LATE bloomers, I mean Serioux didnt start playing like he is now until he was about 27/28.

Both are VERY aggressive, overly aggressive actually but always give their all. Both played midfield before moving back to center back. I am happy with Harmse's play in the past few matches

[Roogsy]

^ LOL!

Man, you just love making Canadian players sound better than they are.

[TheRenter]

until he can control himself moreso, he will be a concern at the back; to many stupid tackles, however i believe he can be groomed with the right coaching and leadership as Harmse is a tough-as-nails Canadian boy

[Beach_Red]

Both are VERY aggressive, overly aggressive actually but always give their all. Both played midfield before moving back to center back. I am happy with Harmse's play in the past few matches

Earlier this year Wynne shoved a guy and gave up a penalty and people were pretty hard on him, but it looked to me like the guy was going to score anyway, so I was glad Wynne shoved him. Maybe it's too much of a hockey mentality, but I like it when other players have to pay to score against us. Make them nervous to get too close to the net, looking over their shoulders. Harmse will very good at that. It's worth giving up a penalty every once in a while.

[Keyman]

Kevin Harmse is a back-up on a good team, so hopefully he isn't a starter next season. With the addition of a more reliable CB I think Harmse would improve quite a bit, but he still has numerous weaknesses in his game. Having said that, he'll be an important team member next season. I expect him to continue to develop and play quite a bit.

[Cambridge_Red]

Earlier this year Wynne shoved a guy and gave up a penalty and people were pretty hard on him, but it looked to me like the guy was going to score anyway, so I was glad Wynne shoved him. Maybe it's too much of a hockey mentality, but I like it when other players have to pay to score against us. Make them nervous to get too close to the net, looking over their shoulders. Harmse will very good at that. It's worth giving up a penalty every once in a while.

You hit the nail on the head. It's alot easier to score in hockey than it is in soccer. Games are decided by such play.

[canadian_bhoy]

He reminds me of Bobo Balde - you never know when he'll blow a tire that costs the team HUGE.

Not worth the risk

[Dirk Diggler]

He reminds me of Bobo Balde - you never know when he'll blow a tire that costs the team HUGE.

Not worth the risk

Not sure who Bobo Balde is but I agree with the rest of your post ... he is just too big of a risk to be playing in our back four.

[nascarguy]

sell is ass to a team over sea he cost us too many games

[Keegan]

^ LOL!

Man, you just love making Canadian players sound better than they are.

I am not trying too. You can't argue that the too are very similar.

[TOBOR !]

I was impressed by some of the skill he showed in his midfield role. On the back line though, he's a cementhead. He'd've given away an earlier penaly if Huckerby hadn't jumped to his feet so quickly.

[RedRum]

He's done alright discipline-wise this year - or at least alot better than many of us were expecting...and he looked good defending last night.

Keep him, considering how little cap space he eats up you can't go wrong with international call-ups and such.

Plus, you never know when shit will hit the fan and someone will need to have their leg broken in retaliation for a cheap shot against one of our guys :D

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

He should be starting, he has played well this season and deserves to start, and would lead a decent defence with Marshall, Velez and Wynne...

[VPjr]

Harmse is a very limited player who substitutes desire for skill. I like his heart but he is far too error prone to be given a starting role on this team, unless missing the playoffs is still the name of the game in 2009.

Don't get me wrong...he has a role on this team but if TFC are going to win in 2009, he's our 4th sub most weeks (for those who might retort that we only get 3 subs per game...I know that...i mean he doesn't get to play).

Skill kills and Harmsey just doesn't have enough of it to warrant a starting role on a team that better have aspirations for a winning season in 2009 (and beyond).

Having said that, I do want to see him continue to develop as a defender. In MLS, you can live with a guy who is incapable of making a decent forward pass from the CB position. In MLS, you need to make compromises. He should only be allowed to play an MF role as a worst case scenario.

[BuSaPuNk]

I think he has played very well since getting more playing time. He is still worrysome that he will snap and cost us a penalty or send us to 10 men. However if he can get better tactically and positionally he wouldn't be in a spot to make those dumb descisions. I would still like to see him come back and show a little more skill. I would say use him as we did this year coming off the bench, until he shows more consistiency and can be trusted in the back.

[arsenal]

I am a bit shocked to see the number of people who think he can be a starter for us at CB. I definitely feel he has played better at the CB spot but if he is one of our starting CB's next year we are in serious trouble. He is only 6' and doesn't have much of a vertical that I can recall. We would be very vulnerable on set peices especially if Dichio is not in the lineup.

[joel]

Earlier this year Wynne shoved a guy and gave up a penalty and people were pretty hard on him, but it looked to me like the guy was going to score anyway, so I was glad Wynne shoved him. Maybe it's too much of a hockey mentality, but I like it when other players have to pay to score against us. Make them nervous to get too close to the net, looking over their shoulders. Harmse will very good at that. It's worth giving up a penalty every once in a while.

uhh..right but I'd rather have a player pressured in open play to make a tough shot, then gift him a penalty, which will defintely result in a goal as long as the kicker doesn't screw it up.

[Derko]

i think hes done really quite well there since the move, im not a fan of the guy and hated him before but he has excelled.

Question: did he cause the penalty last night?

It was a bad tackle, but everyone else was pushing for a goal, which should have come a hell of alot earlier, If TFC had shown up for the game.

[Shakes McQueen]

I would make him a backup, unless we can't find anyone better to take the starter's role.

He does a lot better as a CB, though I wish he would get his aggression under control.

- Scott

[J .]

He`s like a Canadian Vinnie Jones.

[Hitcho]

Definitely useful to keep in the squad since he's Canadian and can play in different positions (and probably doesn't command a huge salary from the cap, although that's just a guess). I'd be disappointed if we had him down as a starting CB since it's not his usual position and he's ok but not great there. I'd like to think we could aim a bit higher, but he's worth keeping as a back up, not least for when all the internationals come around unless he stays in the Canada team, in which case his utility drops considerably. Although if it's a choice between losing him or Jimmy B for internationals, I'd send Harmse off to the CMNT every time!

[Strikers]

I think Harmse should come in as an early sub in most games. He's not afraid to make
a challenge, and his rep has the other players always looking over their shoulder.

[GhostPK]

i think hes done really quite well there since the move, im not a fan of the guy and hated him before but he has excelled.

Question: did he cause the penalty last night?

He totally caused the penalty. There was no doubt in my mind when the whistle was blown. It was a poor challenge, who slides from a still standing position? Maybe it was a trick picked up from coach Dale Mitchell

[TFC OZZ]

Marvelle Wynne has caused more penalties. Obviously he's played more, but I think it's stupid to dwell on a penalty. It happened, it was a bad challenge, he's still a talented player.

[GhostPK]

Marvelle Wynne played all season (minus international duties and one missed game due to concussion) and in TOTAL accumulated 1 caution and 17 fouls. Don't ever try to compare Harmse to Wynne again.

[jloome]

In fact, I can't remember Marv causing a single penalty. I remember the "phantom hand on the back" from earlier this season, but I think that was Julius James.

[Chevy]

Marvelle did have one PK called against him. Earlier in the summer I believe. That said, 17 fouls in a season is pretty impressive.

[VPjr]

Marvelle did have one PK called against him. Earlier in the summer I believe. That said, 17 fouls in a season is pretty impressive.

the only PK against Marvell was in the away game vs. Dc united. that was a bad error. Otherwise, he's been ok defensively (not great but a big improvement over last year).

[Blizzard]

the only PK against Marvell was in the away game vs. Dc united. that was a bad error. Otherwise, he's been ok defensively (not great but a big improvement over last year).

Ya, that was when we did our DC / Montreal train trip!

He definitely was caught with his pants down and ended up having to push the DC attacker in the back ... hard!

[ben_vw]

the only PK against Marvell was in the away game vs. Dc united. that was a bad error. Otherwise, he's been ok defensively (not great but a big improvement over last year).

And on Robbie Rogers against Columbus. Greg Sutton came to the rescue on that occasion, though. :)