What does everyone think the current state of the Reds roster?

[Red CB Toronto]

I know this subject has been knocked around to death, but I wanted to get down to the facts, which are that only 13 healthy bodies are officially on the roster 19 days out from the season opener. I am sure they will get a roster exemption for Nicholas Lindsey with him being out for the season due to injury.

It is interesting that officially 13 players from the final game of last season have moved one, while only one Sturgis have been added.

With this in mind the Reds have 17 spots to fill over the next few weeks. With Martina, Bouchiba and Soolsma apparently signed and with it appearing only two draft picks, Omphroy and Plata figuring in, that pushes you up to 18.

The next factor are academy kids, it appears that five are on radar with a potentially signing them to a pro contract in mind. This makes sense of development seems to be Winter's thing. These kids could be signed to the back end of the roster, 25-30 and still play with the Academy in the CSL due to the NCAA rules that allow amateurs to play alongside pros.

I am also sure some of the other trialists currently in Orlando and thus South Carolina will be signed including Gay. It just seems that for this team to have some decent depth a lot will have to happen in the coming weeks.

I am excited and interested to see how Winter and de Klerk's vision and plan will evolve. I know this is not going to be an overnight success but it seems to me that at least they know what they are doing. Will that translate into success on the pitch, only time will tell.

[[NBF]]

I believe I heard Aron Winter say that he was looking for the 18 players by the start of the season and then work on bringing in TFC Academy players and others.

I think he said it on GolTV.

[Serb_Star]

What position have we upgraded? seems like the same team from last year even though so many players left.

I have faith in Winter but I'm not confident about this season.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

wingers for one. we've had a total of 1 winger in the last 4 years not including Lindsay, now with Lindsay we have at least 3

[TFCREDNWHITE]

Lindsay might never be the same player due to the injury.....

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Lindsay might never be the same player due to the injury.....

its possible, i really hope it doesnt happen like that, he was without a doubt one of my favorite up and coming players

[Stouffville_RPB]

I wouldn't be too worried.

As you stated CBlake TFC's roster is at 18 + 5 or so Academy players = 23. There are still trialists and the Charleston tournament between now and the season. Even if 1 or 2 players are signed that puts TFC's roster to 24/25 players which would be a full roster last season.

I would think that a spot or 2 are being left open purposely for possible DP's that they are intending to sign (but who knows if and when that happens). So then you are at 26 players.

If we were at 13 players total and no trialists or players really being looked at I'd be concerned but I think there will be something pretty close to a full roster come first kick.

[zamperina]

I think this team will continue to struggle...But with the way the Academy is starting to produce prospects hopefully that will translate into 1st team members. If this can happen then I think this team will become a powerhouse.

[T_Mizz]

The way I look at it, this year is basically a throw away when it comes to competing. So why no go all out with that, sign the 5 (or maybe more) academy kids let them play and see what you've got there.
I never expected this team to do anything this year anyway with such a huge turnover both on the field and on the sidelines.

[Oldtimer]

Work in progress.

No way Winter can get all that he wants in 1 season. That should be obvious.
If we make the post-season, that would be a bonus, but we can't even demand that.

[woolly]

I get the same feeling that I got at the beginning of last year.

I'm fairly pleased in my decision to give up my seasons this year. Paying game by game will reduce my frustration with teh team no end.

[nfitz]

Too early to speculate. Camp is full, and we are yet to be told who has been signed.

[drewski]

I think i'm not too worried. with the huge change in management, I was expecting a matching change in roster which comes with it, including gutting the roster, which I think is better long term instead of trying to force players into a system/spots that they wont' work in, and lots of trialists in the pre-season, to see who can fit the system.

[Darlofletch]

wingers for one. we've had a total of 1 winger in the last 4 years not including Lindsay, now with Lindsay we have at least 3

eh?

peterson, ricketts, johann smith, welsh. they generally haven't been good wingers, but we've definitely had more than one.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

eh?

peterson, ricketts, johann smith, welsh. they generally haven't been good wingers, but we've definitely had more than one.

thats what i more or less meant as well as how long have any of those dudes lasted? How many of those dudes could cross?
Peterson didnt really play much last year, Welsh was around for a bit, Johann smith barely played and left and Ricketts was in all sorts of diff positions and sometimes played wing but rarely was able to send in reg crosses. Also we left Obrien out of this but he also rarely played cus of injury. Basically what i meant by that comment is we never had TWO capable wingers at one time giving our team width which we appear to have now.

[Darlofletch]

well if we're talking capable wingers, then definitely no argument here.

[P-NUTZ]

with the roster appearing as it does so far, we will likely lose a lot of games this year.

if true, thats going to be really really annoying.

[Alixir]

Jesus....when we were in Turkey everyone was all "we are heading in the right direction" now everyone is a doomsayer...bloody hell. Relax.

[reggie]

some things dont change,the training camp coverage has been abysmal.
we have no idea who is playing well,who is signed,what about the drafted players.

[gkhs]

I thought this might contribute to the conversation. I tallied up the minutes played for TFC during preseason (through Orlando City), available here:

http://socceruntothedogs.blogspot.co...rough-226.html

I'm not sure it made me feel any better, but it definitely seems to underscore which trialists/unsigned players seem to be the leading candidates to sign on.

Zavarise, for one, has definitely gotten a long look, fwiw.

[Fort York Redcoat]

some things dont change,the training camp coverage has been abysmal.
we have no idea who is playing well,who is signed,what about the drafted players.

"Abysmal still" perhaps but better than last year. Let's not ignore the fact we didn't get the Mickey Mouse Tourney streamed last year.

[DangerRed]

Duane Rollins, over on Canadian Soccer News, wrote the following, which is an interesting take:

Sober Second Thoughts: Long Range Goals vs Really Angry Fans

The Gambians are gone.

Emmanuel Gomez was waived today months after his countryman Amadou Sanyang was shown the door. The move doesn’t free up much cap room (and TFC doesn’t really need the cap space anyway) and it moves the club one spot further away from having anything close to a full roster signed.

So, from an outsider’s perspective, it’s hard to understand the move – unless Gomez simply could not play at this level any longer after losing a full year to injury. Regardless, the move, and lack of signings to fill the empty roster spaces, has some fans feeling distinctly 2010-ish again.

In case you forgot 2010 was when the fans wore green in the stands and forced Tom Anselmi to spend his evenings sucking up to people that paid less for their season tickets than it costs for a roast beef sandwich in the Platinum lounge at the ACC. TFC does not want it to feel 2010-ish. TFC has appealed to have 2010 removed from the history books.

The new colour is, of course, orange. Specifically the great Oranje hope that will lead the Reds to the Promised Land. (Note: The Promised Land does not go through the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.)

Coming from a place where the sport is A Really Big Deal, Aron Winter and Bob de Klerk will be able to handle some of the negative comments that are starting to trickle out. They will instinctively understand that such noise is just part of the gig. Hopefully their bosses will understand that as well because the last thing this club needs now is another change in management. (Note: Mo Johnston was employed for almost four years. They’ll be fine).

Vito from Woodbridge* might not be. Good ole' Vito likely started to plan the protest about 15 minutes after the Orlando USL-Pro-ers captured the bronze medal at the previously mentioned Disney Pro Soccer Classic. Vito is, of course, insane, but is there reason for some concern?

It depends. If your Bottom-Line-Or-I’m-Taking-My-Hard-Earned-Money-Elsewhere is a championship contending season, then probably. If you just want to see some evidence that someone is doing something productive then you should probably chill out a bit longer.

TFC needs warm bodies to play out the season. The club will deserve every bit of criticism it receives if there is a 2011 equivalent of Dan Gargan putting his boots on in the cap from the airport as he races to the season opener. But, the Reds cannot sign players for the sake of it. They have to be the right fit.

Many people, this writer included, have expressed a fear that Winter may not have a full handle on the talent level needed to compete at MLS. That’s why Paul Mariner was brought on board. The evidence from the Disney event seems to suggest that those worries could have merit, however. Still, it’s one tournament and it was a shaky Web feed. So, we’ll see.

We will also see whether the fan base has the stomach to deal with a youth heavy approach to 2011. Every indication has suggested that’s the approach TFC is going for. If the Reds aren’t the youngest team in MLS in 2011 be surprised. Winter and De Klerk are from Ajax after all. There are few clubs in the world that put a greater emphasis on youth development than the Dutch giants. Consider that and consider the $17.5 million academy investment coming down the pipe and you might get an idea of what TFC is thinking.

Winter was brought in to find and mould the 2015 Reds as much as he was to manage the 2011 team. The senior players here now are pawns, really, in a much bigger vision.

And the successful fulfilment of that vision does not put as much emphasis filling out the current roster as does the average fan.

* Vito from Woodbridge (a T.O. suburb with a high percentage of people with Italian heritage living in it) was a fictional creation of Toronto radio station The Fan 590. He was meant to be a parody of a typical, simple Toronto sports fan – one that doesn’t necessarily think long-term.

[menefreghista]

An apologist piece from Duane Rollins? Shocking.

[Walms]

Nice read

[Hamilton_Red]

I'm in full blown panic mode right now after watching the last couple of friendlies. The season starts in two weeks. Our best two players are in contract disputes.... no signings of any significance. Really worried I've wasted 2G's on season tickets!

[Ossington Mental Youth]

the last game was predominantly trailists being played out of position, i wouldnt get too worked up

[Stouffville_RPB]

I'm in full blown panic mode right now after watching the last couple of friendlies. The season starts in two weeks. Our best two players are in contract disputes.... no signings of any significance. Really worried I've wasted 2G's on season tickets!

Cann was not our one of our 2 best players last year. He was an important piece but new was not one of the top 2 or even 3 best players in the squad in my opinion.

What signings of signifcance were you expecting? Significant signings in MLS usually mean DP's. Other signings that turn out to be signifcant often don't seem that way at first in MLS (ie Wondoloski). I'd rather Winter wait a little on the DP's. I'd rather see him come in and evaluate what he has and then go out to find the players that he is missing.

If you really thought that you were buying tickets to a championship team this season I don't know what you were thinking.

Look for success in the smaller places this year like in the maturation of players and development of a real system because if you are looking in the win column, I'm sorry but you will be disappointed.

[Oldtimer]

I'm in full blown panic mode right now after watching the last couple of friendlies. The season starts in two weeks. Our best two players are in contract disputes.... no signings of any significance. Really worried I've wasted 2G's on season tickets!

wow... that took long, didn't it? Pre-season is meaningless. Even a slow start can be overcome by year-end. MLS has numerous examples of just that in the last few years.

[Mark TFC]

^ Agreed!

[Hamilton_Red]

Not at all expecting them to win the championship - I just would like to see some progress. Signing Winter is very promising & I'm happy to give him time to develop a team. But.... he needs some players to develop... we have 14 players listed as on the squad 2 of which are Academy players 17 & 18 years old. 2 others Dero & Cann are in contract disputes. 10 settled players...two weeks before the season starts.

If we had 20 players in the squad and were trialing for five more... I'd be relaxed. Pre-season starts when you have a squad - it gives them time to work together & get to know the system...results don't matter a jot. We will be doing that 5-6 games into the season. They seem to have no interest in winning the first few games - just like last year. Winter needs some support from the MLSE.