How come we don't get any details of TFC scouting missions?

[anto7]

We seldom here any news about what TFC is up to regarding scouting missions . Not sure why this is but it would be nice to know what is going on regarding attempts to bring in new talent. I was reading the article below this morning and Dallas are very up front in what they are doing, they do not promise anything but they do give details of where they have been looking.
Anyone have an opinion on this?

"We've received some very, very good, interesting people. So we're in the process still of evaluating and hope that we can go through the process and have somebody on board with us in the near future," Hyndman said. "... We've got a lot of look on this, considering we don't have anybody named. At the same time, the position is really designed a lot to help me in player identification, so somebody who has been around and has got a little experience, who understands the college game, understands the level that we're looking at for MLS players, international contacts and realizing no one person is going to have all of those." Like every other coaching staff in MLS, Hyndman and his staff have spent much of the offseason looking at players. The head coach went to Ghana in late November, top assistant John Ellinger ventured to Germany and goalkeeping coach Drew Keeshan returned from a junket to England just before the end of 2009.

"There was a player that we had brought over during the year," Hyndman said of Keeshan's trip. "We went over and saw him again. We had continued to make contact. At the same time, it was a wonderful opportunity for Drew Keeshan to shadow a coach. It was a learning opportunity for him to be with some of the better clubs like an Everton and so forth to see what they're doing to bring back some ideas and make him a better coach."

The FCD coach recounted his own travels so far this offseason.

"I'm the type of person who just doesn't sit around. I went to Ghana and spent eight days there," Hyndman said. "Once I got back, two days later, I was at the College Cup. I got back and the next day, I was in LA looking at junior college players who will slip through the draft because they're junior college players who didn't have a chance to go to a four-year school. We saw some players that we liked and they're on our Discovery List. They might be a pleasant surprise. The only thing I know about the offseason is that we haven't been playing games. I haven't looked at this as an offseason."

Once FCD begins preseason practice, he expects a number of the players he and his staff have seen to be front and center for trials.

"I'm thinking maybe eight," Hyndman said. "That's a pretty good number of players that we've seen, we've identified and then we want to see them now a little bit closer. I'm very excited about some of the people we've identified and things we've done in this offseason for the future. I know I was excited last year because I thought it was an improvement in the offseason. I was on the job for four or five months and then, thought we made an improvement. I think this year, we're making another improvement coming off of a season where at the end, we were playing some of the best soccer in the league."

Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com

[TFC FORZA RPB]

We do get info on their scouting missions, normally it is once they arrive home, we find out what they have done, where they have gone, who they were looking at. Normally it is posted on the TFC website, or through transactions, or reporters covering the stories.

Personally i feel as though we have more then enough info, and believe the last thing that we need, is a video camera on Mo, or Preki, 24/7.

Just watch the forums, their is always talk about who is availible in the draft, as well who they were looking at while scouting, who they have brought home to train, and who our fellow RPB's petition do join the club

[Parkdale]

well... scouts play their cards close to their chest.

If they find some wunderkid, but can't get him on the team, they would
be out of their minds to announce the kid so others can take a crack at him.

It's kind of like the CIA and the FBI -- you only hear about their mistakes, never their successes.
Just here we only hear about the one or two big options, and not the dozens (??) of moderate ones.

that or the TFC scouting program is just a front to get Mo and his buddies on a winter vacation.

[billyfly]

Cell phone reception in Brazil isn't that good.

[anto7]

well... scouts play their cards close to their chest.

If they find some wunderkid, but can't get him on the team, they would
be out of their minds to announce the kid so others can take a crack at him.

It's kind of like the CIA and the FBI -- you only hear about their mistakes, never their successes.
Just here we only hear about the one or two big options, and not the dozens (??) of moderate ones.

that or the TFC scouting program is just a front to get Mo and his buddies on a winter vacation.

I was not suggesting that they name players, I understand that is not a good idea. But it would be nice to know if they are scouting particular regions or countries.
Yes we all know about the combine but every team takes part in that so no surprise there. We have just got rid of 3 players so assume we will be filling their spots. Would be nice to have a general idea of what Preki and Mo's plans are for this.

[anto7]

We do get info on their scouting missions, normally it is once they arrive home, we find out what they have done, where they have gone, who they were looking at. Normally it is posted on the TFC website, or through transactions, or reporters covering the stories.

Personally i feel as though we have more then enough info, and believe the last thing that we need, is a video camera on Mo, or Preki, 24/7.

Just watch the forums, their is always talk about who is availible in the draft, as well who they were looking at while scouting, who they have brought home to train, and who our fellow RPB's petition do join the club

I do not recall reading any details of scouting missions in the past. Most of our info is leaked or we see pictures of unknown faces at practise and then all speculate who it may be. As I said in my previous reply, I do not expect names of players, but a general idea of what their overall plans are might be nice. This is the off-season where the vast majority of activity takes place so surely they have a specific plan that is being followed that includes much more than the combine/draft

[billyfly]

? Mo's comments about going to Brazil are legend.

[Lucky Strike]

I do not recall reading any details of scouting missions in the past. Most of our info is leaked or we see pictures of unknown faces at practise and then all speculate who it may be. As I said in my previous reply, I do not expect names of players, but a general idea of what their overall plans are might be nice. This is the off-season where the vast majority of activity takes place so surely they have a specific plan that is being followed that includes much more than the combine/draft

Yeah, it'd be nice but I can live with little or no information about scouting trips. The less information you disclose about anything, the better. Even saying, "we're scouting in Africa" can be detrimental if someone else gets that idea which they hadn't considered or planned for yet.

But I suspect the REAL reason why we haven't heard anything is that Mo hasn't travelled to enough countries yet to deliver a line like: "We've been looking at a few guys, a Brazilian, a Portuguese and a Gambian, and we'll have them in in the next few days and see what they can do up close."

[Lucky Strike]

? Mo's comments about going to Brazil are legend.

AH! You beat me to it!

[trane]

I suspect that is not much to write about.

[FluSH]

I don't think they allow media in some of the finer establishements in Brazil. Certainly not cameras. =P

[Oldtimer]

Dallas is writing about their scouting probably because their fans are upset why their team hasn't brought in fresh blood (i.e. "don't be mad, we ARE looking").

TFC fans are in a different situation, we're upset about different things, and no-one has any doubt about "Trader Mo" being able to bring in fresh blood. Our problem is that a team of midfielders can't win games, particularly if the few strikers are under-performing.

[Boris]

you cant give away where you are going to everyone. If you do then another team can land a discovery claim on certain players.

Its about playing your cards right in the MLS

[mlsintoronto]

? Mo's comments about going to Brazil are legend.

Yes - it is always so well received here when Toronto FC talks about scouting missions!

We should do more. And it should involve me going to Spain. In March. Near the coast. For a week. For scouting. With my wife. Morgan Fairchild.

[Parkdale]

We should do more. And it should involve me going to Spain. In March. Near the coast. For a week. For scouting. With my wife. Morgan Fairchild.

I heard that trip was called off because of someone's fear of having a full body X-ray scan at the airport.

[boomcha]

? Mo's comments about going to Brazil are legend.

Any links to these? I forget what was said now.

[ginkster88]

Any links to these? I forget what was said now.

After season 1: "I'm going to Brazil."

After season 2: "I'm going to Brazil."

After season 3?

[trane]

^ I have been to Brazil.

[Section 117]

Scouting trips???? Mo thought it was just to sample the local booze....

[rocker]

it's not like Dallas wrote that article. Some journalist did. So the answer is to get a journalist covering TFC to write about scouting missions. I don't think it's up to the team to say "hey guys, here's this great talent we're looking at in Ghana... don't tell NYRB!!!"

[Section 117]

I know some of the staff went to watch the NCAA final four of soccer and then they are going to combine. Besides that I am not sure they really do any scouting

[FluSH]

After season 1: "I'm going to Brazil."

After season 2: "I'm going to Brazil."

After season 3?

I need a job as a Futbol Scout... this is the only way my wife will let me go to Brazil!

[Hitcho]

Yes - it is always so well received here when Toronto FC talks about scouting missions!

We should do more. And it should involve me going to Spain. In March. Near the coast. For a week. For scouting. With my wife. Morgan Fairchild.

Try sending someone other than Mo and see how that's received!

Although, not you. (No offence).

[jloome]

Yes - it is always so well received here when Toronto FC talks about scouting missions!

We should do more. And it should involve me going to Spain. In March. Near the coast. For a week. For scouting. With my wife. Morgan Fairchild.

At the Star, they used to have quarterly meetings where the senior reporters were asked to submit project ideas for investigative features. Invariably, there would always be one or two who would submit "The Troubled Carribean." It actually became an in-house joke after awhile.

[Roogsy]

It's kind of like the CIA and the FBI -- you only hear about their mistakes, never their successes.
Just here we only hear about the one or two big options, and not the dozens (??) of moderate ones.

You mean the CIA. The FBI touts it's "successes" all the time.

[Roogsy]

As for scouting...let's just ask the fundamental question, what has Mo accomplished in all these beautiful scouting trips? How long does it take to find a genuine impact player?

1 year?
2 years?
3 years?

Has it already happened and I am simply not giving him credit? Or are people correct in being critical of Mo's scouting efforts? Which is it?

[anto7]

Perhaps I am expecting a little too much in thinking that our beloved club would share important information with it's fans or maybe other than those of us who frequent these boards nobody else really gives a shit. I guess I am too used to watching Sky Sports News every evening where you get every little detail of what is going on with every single club in England. I guess the interest is here is nowhere near that level and as such the club probably feels no need to update us on a regular basis. Is there not enough interest from the press to at least hold a press conference with the coach/GM once a month in the off-season ?

[Roogsy]

I agree with the position that it really isn't anything that should be shared publicly. I mean, we are talking about proprietary knowledge that affects a team's strategy.

But more than that, I would simply say, don't believe there is too much info back there anyways. TFC's only proven ability to scout is college players. Beyond that, they have shown no ability to find outside players that can be effective. So basically you are asking for inside info that isn't there anyways.

[Hitcho]

^ um, sanyang and gomez?

[Roogsy]

I wouldn't call them impactful. They aren't busts but they aren't unbelievable finds either. They are young and hopefully they will be starters one day, but they current aren't and there are no assurances they ever will be. Successful scouting involves more than bringing in talent that one day you hope will have an impact.