Today’s News, Tuesday , May.27
Impact would be a great rival for TFC
Cathal Kelly
Carl Robinson wistfully recalls how much he despised each and every player on West Bromwich Albion.
"There was hatred involved," Toronto FC's Welsh midfielder said yesterday, casting his mind back to the bitter rivalry between West Brom and his first club, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"The build up to the game was frightening. The supporters let the players know that you must win this game at all costs."
Robinson stopped to emphasize: "At all costs."
If Wolves won, the city lay at their feet. If they lost, the players stayed indoors. Simple and slightly terrifying. How bad was it? As a youngster in the Wolves academy, Robinson was offered this piece of career advice.
"Someone once told me, 'It doesn't matter if you get promoted as long as you beat West Brom twice,'" Robinson said, shaking his head. "It's an incredible quote, that." ...
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TFC hopes to create old-fashioned hockey rivalry
By STEVE BUFFERY, SUN MEDIA
Tue, May 27, 2008
As Toronto FC captain Jim Brennan made his way off the BMO Field turf into the club's dressing room yesterday, he quipped: "Go Leafs." Being a born and bred Toronto boy, Brennan is a Maple Leafs fan.
But the reason for his impromptu cheer was to emphasize a point he had just made to a handful of media guys following TFC's practice yesterday.
Brennan believes that the inaugural Canada Cup series, which begins for Toronto FC tonight at Stade Saputo in a game against the host Montreal Impact, is the beginning of a what will become a great rivalry between to the two sides -- a rivalry he hopes will one day mirror that of the Leafs and Canadiens.
"It's great competition for the league, especially when you get two close teams with Montreal and Toronto, you get a great derby there and it will be something special," he said. "I think it would be big, almost a Leafs-Habs sort of thing, except for soccer." ...
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Soccer: TFC's Sutton faces old team
by Mark Masters
When Toronto FC faces the Montreal Impact in the first qualification game for the CONCACAF Champions League it will be a homecoming of sorts for goalkeeper Greg Sutton.
The native of Hamilton, Ont. played six seasons with Montreal in the United Soccer Leagues from 2001 to 2006 and earned all-star honours on four occasions.
“Montreal has a special place in my heart because they gave me an opportunity to be who I am today. I’m excited to go back there in front of their fans and hopefully win the game,” said Sutton, after a practice at BMO Field on Monday afternoon.
When he left the Impact, Sutton was the franchise leader in regular season career shutouts (67), wins (72), games played (132) and minutes played (12,309).
The Toronto FC keeper said he hopes Montreal will soon get a MLS franchise in order to help grow the sport in Canada.
Sutton isn’t the only player facing a rematch against his old side.
Montreal defender Adam Braz played for Toronto FC last season during their inaugural year in MLS. Braz played in 13 games for the Reds, starting nine, for a total of 773 minutes. He has started all seven games for the Impact this season.
Impact midfielder Cristian Nunez was also in the Toronto FC system last year but did not see any game action with the team.
The Montreal-Toronto match is only the first in Canadian club qualification for the CONCACAF Champions League. Here is the complete schedule of games:
May 27 Toronto FC @ Montreal Impact 7:30 p.m. (CBCsports.ca and CBC Bold)
June 17 Vancouver Whitecaps @ Montreal Impact
June 25 Montreal Impact @ Vancouver Whitecaps 11 p.m. (CBCsports.ca and CBC Bold)
July 1 Vancouver Whitecaps @ Toronto FC 3 p.m. (CBC)
July 22 Montreal Impact @ Toronto FC 7 p.m. (CBCsports.ca and CBC Bold)
Reds Set For Canadian showdown
Toronto faces Montreal Impact in Nutrilite Canadian Championship
Toronto FC are set to face Canadian opposition for the first time when the battle to be named "kings of Canadian soccer" starts Tuesday night against the USL First Division Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo in Montreal. It's the first game in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, with the winner of the round-robin competition also involving the Vancouver Whitecaps, gaining the Canadian berth in the newly formed CONCACAF Champions League which will begin play in August.
Toronto FC coach John Carver believes this game is just as important as the league games.
"Within minutes of the game finishing on Saturday against D.C. I stressed the importance of this game," Carver said. "I told the players to ask the Canadian boys how important this game is. On a scale of one to 10, it's 10. We're here to win it. It's an opportunity for us to get some silverware and to go on and progress against very good quality opposition. We'll put our strongest team possible out and hopefully be successful." ...
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Impact going after bigger fish
Hosts Toronto FC. National honours are up for grabs
PAT HICKEY, The Gazette
Published: 4 hours ago
The Impact heads into uncharted waters tonight when they face Toronto FC in the opening game of the Canadian Champions League competition at Saputo Stadium (7:30 p.m., Team 990, midnight replay, CBC).
It's the first game in a new double round-robin among Canada's three top professional clubs - the Vancouver Whitecaps complete the field - and it's the first time the Impact will be facing a team from MLS, the top professional league in the United States and Canada.
The winner advances to the CONCACAF Champions League, which brings together the top clubs in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
"The motivation will be high because it's a different championship for us," head coach Nick De Santis said following practice yesterday.
"In the end, you do want to represent Canada and go on to the CONCACAF Champions League where we'll encounter different atmospheres, different stadiums and different teams with different levels. It's very exciting for everyone." ...
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Caps watch Toronto FC, Impact clash
Building cross-country rivalry's vital if 3-way round-robin is to work
News Services
Published: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
TORONTO -- An intense rivalry that interests fans nationally is something that has been missing during Toronto FC's two-year life in Major League Soccer.
Captain Jim Brennan hopes that changes tonight when Canada's only MLS team plays the Montreal Impact of the United Soccer Leagues.
"There's no way I want to go there [tonight] and lose," said Brennan.
t's the first in a series of CONCACAF Champions League qualification games that also include the USL's Vancouver Whitecaps.The winner of a round robin between the three will represent Canada in the 24-team league featuring the best North American teams.
Toronto FC will need to focus on the game first and the rivalry second at Montreal's new Stade Saputo. The Impact's chances at an upset have been bolstered because Toronto will be without a full lineup. ...
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