Robinson was pushed out
It's in news but deserves its own thread:
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/jason...departure.html
So basically, regardless of whether it was tactically the right decision, the club acted like spineless cowards and blamed the move on him. Plus, our new coach lied about it, publicly.
Eek. What a shit show.
Posted in Today's News thread as well.
This is really the only part of the article that isn't DeVos' opinion of Carl and the part that really matters, his words:
"I would like to make something clear. Back in November, I was told by the club that I was not part of their plans, that I was not the type of player they wanted - that I was too old - and that they would try and ship me out. As a player, when your club tells you that, it becomes very hard to concentrate on moving forward with your club.
"I loved my time in Toronto, my family loved it, and I developed a wonderful rapport with the fans. In fact, I had my heart set on ending my career in Toronto. Unfortunately in football, things don't always work out the way you plan. Now, I am focusing all of my energy on the next phase of my career, which is in New York."
-Robbo
God, I the want the season to just START ALREADY so we can stop talking about this.
And I don't mean that out of disrespect to Carl -- it's just that a few months from now this is going to be a non-story and I just wish we were at that point.
Christ, could this off-season be any more of a shit show?
"I would like to make something clear. Back in November, I was told by the club that I was not part of their plans, that I was not the type of player they wanted - that I was too old - and that they would try and ship me out."
So, what else happened at TFC in November?
What a "classy" way to let him go.
MO MUST GO.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Well, I have no problem with them telling him in November that he wasn`t in the future plans. But it does make Johnston look like a complete idiot considering he just extended his contract recently before that.
The best thing to do here was to ship him out and just say the team was at a junction where Robinson wasn`t part of the future, thank him for his service, end. Obviously no statement can really be released before he`s traded because that might hurt TFC`s ability to deal.
As was said, the communication thing is what makes this team look so amateur. Just say you`ve let Serioux go and Robinson`s traded because you don`t want him to be part of the team going forward.
sadly, this isn't really a surprise. We suspected it happened like this all along.
I think the saddest part about this whole thing isn't just the treatment of
one of our players, but the overall style of 'management' currently being used
by the people running our club. It's tragic but it seems that the very Canadian
virtues we all hold so dear (honestly, teamwork, dedication to your peers, integrity)
are no longer present in Toronto FC's management. And it's not like they sold our
their morals to put together a winner.... they've sold their soul for nothing!
it's a crying shame. Our clubs reputation is in the hands of dirty, dishonest weasels.
(sorry, that's disrespectful to the rodents.)
Our team is becoming an embarrassment, and I now truly believe that the legacy
and reputation Mo is creating for our club will hurt us for YEARS down the road.
The well has been poisoned.
Last edited by Parkdale; 03-14-2010 at 12:15 PM.
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You mean instead of blaming them and saying they wanted out? hahaha what a complete and total bullshit way to do things. TFC, GET YOUR FUCKING SHIT TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Originally Posted by ag futbol
Yes, that's exactly it. Of course, it's no surprise in this city, we're used to it.
We should start doing what the Man U fans are doing with Glazer - we need new owners, too.
As I told you guys a month ago, what they were doing to Robbo was fucking horrendous. I'm surprised this team still has players who want to play for it...
I'm just glad its finally over and we can talk about this. Robbo's situation has been going on for a whiiiile. His family is not short of being pissed too.
It makes you wonder if players that check these boards are sitting quietly at their keyboards saying to themselves " Yes! that's it guys keep going, push Mo out he's the problem!" but can't add their support to the cause beacuse they need the money lol
Don`t worry they`ll just deny they ever said that despite some mumbling club official being quoted directly in an article on TFC TV saying the opposite.
I have to respectfully disagree a little bit.
I don't think it's really as bad as all that. Plus, I believe that any bad rep. there is will leave when Mo does.
People around the league still want to come play at TFC just because of the fans and the amenities the club provides -- watch the Ty Harden interview where it's obvious how happy he was to be traded here.
Yes, how things went down with Carl are lamentable, but I really think we're all (media included) focusing way too much time and energy on it, simply because there's nothing really else to talk about right now.
Carl Robinson was not going to help us win this year -- he was either going to be there when we lost or contribute to our losing.
So once the season starts and we can either be happy about winning or dissect how badly we're losing, this whole Robbo story is basically going to fade away, because, as nice a guy as he is, he just really wasn't a part of the on-the-field plans any more.
but as it stands, our reputation has a permanent black eye from Mo, and I'm not sure what will clear that away. Obviously it can change in time, but the longer we keep that guy on our team, the longer it will take to wash away his stench. Carl's future with the team isn't a relevant part of the argument - his position is now filled, but the handling of the whole thing is disgraceful. And it seems pretty clear in hindsight that Dichio was headed for the same fate.
Unfortunately, Mo's reputation is OUR reputation - because we've never had a team without him. (and let's be dead honest here, his reputation was beyond bad before he even came here)
Last edited by Parkdale; 03-14-2010 at 12:30 PM.
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What you`re talking about there is another debate entirely. I don`t think Harden would have gone on TFC TV and said ``well i wanted to play pro-soccer and don`t really have much choice in the matter, here i am``. The question is really a formality and not an opportunity for him to give an honest opinion.
There are two major problems here: none of them have to do with Robinson`s on field performance (good or bad). It`s more like we treat our players like shit and we shuffle parts continuously without getting any better (ie we have no vision).
John Ellinger = Fernando Clavijo = Mo Johnston
Last edited by ag futbol; 03-14-2010 at 12:37 PM.
exactly.
and like the article originally said, there are many positives about Robbo that aren't easily conveyed in the stat sheet. He's just not that kind of player. He'll be the first person to admit he's not playing a glamorous position, and his job isn't to score goals - but none of that matters. He was a leader of men, and a person who earned fair treatment from the team, but didn't get it. It seems like no one gets fair treatment.
I wonder what numbers we need before we can 'Sam Mitchell' Mo out of town?
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Winning.
If we win, no one will care.
The question is, how likely is that to happen . . .
No, he wouldn't have, but he did appear to be genuinely grateful to be here (I mean, maybe that was just my interpretation -- you can go back and watch the interview and see for yourself).
If he was ambivalent he probably just would have given a stock answer.
We aren't the only well-supported club in the league, so I don't buy that for a minute.
The media has suggested, time and again, that it's not that Robbo is gone. It's how the organization treated him. Symptom of a larger problem.
See above.
You're missing the point. Once the season starts, anything we discuss will be a symptom of the cancer in the organization, which is also the cause of the Robbo/Serioux incidents, Dichio, the fact that we're on the eve of year 4 with a team that simply cannot compete.
It's funny, we're having this exact same debate on some TV writer blogs I follow. Is Ivan Fecan the problem with CTV and the fact it makes crappy shows or is it higher up with the shareholders and BellGlobeMedia? CTV, like MLSE is very profitable, but its products aren't very good.
In sports and TV you'll always have more people wanting to do the job than there are jobs so players will still come to TFC the same way actors and directors will still work on Canadian shows. There will be bad GMs just like there are bad showrunners and they make easy scapegoats but it nothing ever changes where it would really make a difference.
fans wont care.
supporters will remember, but we'll be happy to win.
potential signings (and their agents) will remember. They won't be playing here if they know it's a minefield.
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I don't think I'm missing the point, I just don't think it's quite a the 'cancer' that everyone else is making it out to be.
Maybe just an ulcer, or something.
Painful, but treatable.
Sorry but i have a hard time feeling robbo is so hard done by, making 300G for playing a game he loves. I'm disappointed too to lose one of our originals, but the writing was on the wall from the minute we hired JDG, he knew it (he said so on the Score Footy show in Auygust or somethi9ng last year), the media knew it, we knew it and so did management. I can't see how making a significant move to improve the clubs talent level is such a black mark.
Preki inherited the situation and was honest and straightforward about it. It was a cap issue and Robbo knew it and choose to prepare for it. It's business and Mo's screw up was probably just signing him for 300G in the first place.
The worst part about this is they say he wasn't part of the plans but what plans are those? This team looks poor in pre-season and barely anyone new came in. Maybe I'll end up eating these words later if TFC does well this year but as it is right now it looks like they just let a bunch of players go and brought no one substantial in as part of some non-existent plan.
I'd be curious to know two things:
1. How much of this actually comes because of the league's rules and mandates, and not TFC; and
2. How does TFC's behaviour compare with that of other MLS clubs? Is it actually all that different or are we just assuming?
With respect, that kind of approach to systemic issues in a team"s management -- looking at the immediate outcome of one part of an incident and delcaring it done -- is really damaging in the long run.
As Devos pointed out, Robinson was a locker room leader. Management has effectively told the players, "look, you're not only just commodities, you're going to wear it publicly when we get rid of you."
Do you not think something that damaging to morale, and yet that unnecessary, is indicative of larger problems that need addressing? So what good, exactly, would shutting up about it do?
It's a longstanding tradition at successfull football clubs -- which rely on supporters groups to remain so -- for fans to voice their displeasure when ongoing management issues are undermining the club. If people want to see this kind of "management by character assassination" continue, fine, be a sheep. Otherwise, speak up.
think that 15 years ago, Izzy Asper could have seen what was in store for Canwest?
Mo Johnson is the 'Joseph Hazelwood' of Toronto FC. Look it up if you don't know the reference (but I'm betting you do)
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Yes, but what happened will make agents like TFC more.
I don’t understand.
If Carl is telling the truth (and why wouldn’t he?!) about what he was told, what more do you want the organization to say to him? I think they did the admirable thing in offering him the truth instead of leading him on to believe that he was more valuable than he really is?! Or worse, making him believe that he was part of their plan?! I dunno. I think we’re overreacting because he was a fan favourite.
Maybe I’m missing something?!
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