Toronto FC boss Winter decides to change culture with locker room no-go

[Oblio2]

Noth American culture for media to enter the change room and its WRONG. Well played Winter

[Phil]

Thats the thing....when was the last time we saw a post game player interview that had any real substance to it?

I know the whole dero saga was rather public, but dressing room or not that story was there and others will continue to be.

[johnmolinaro]

That is an assumption John that players will circumvent the process and skip out, if players are still available there should not be a problem, maybe allowing someone to gather their thoughts allows for a more thoughtful response...I don 't think somethings a foot...European soccer writers still get the goods....

Totally agree with you. If players don't circumvent the process and skip out, the process should work. And TFC have said they will make everyone available.

But I am leery of accepting their word on good faith, because of what they did last Friday: practice was to be open to media at Cherry Beach. They closed it and moved it to Oakville because they knew we'd be wise to the Dero thing when we showed up and didn't see him there.

John

[Whoop]

Even with locker room access what's to stop a player from taking a quick shower and bolting right afterwards before the reporters get to the locker room?

Or stopping a player from saying, "I have no comments today, sorry" and bolting?

[icecoldbeer]

This implementation will keep Cathal out of the cold bath

[parma]

European soccer writers get the goods through their inside sources. What they get in the post-game interviews are prepared clichés. "We left it all on the pitch" type of stuff.

Quite true..usually other players, trainers, coaches...

[drewski]

Respectfully, I disagree with what Winter has done, and myself and other reporters have filed a complaint with the league.

I get that it may not appear to be a big deal but for me there is a principal involved.

The other 17 teams in MLS abide by this rule. TFC does not. That's not right. Either the rule applies to everybody, or don't bother having it.

The other issue is this.

For now, all players have been made available in the gym after the game, and TFC has said that will continue to be the case.

But what if Nana has a bad game or has a blowup on the sidelines during the game with Winter. What's to stop him from not going to the gym and instead going to the locker-room and quickly getting changed so he can avoid talking to the media?

If we had locker-room access, we could wait for a guy by his locker and he couldn't avoid talking to reporters - because at the end of the day, he still has to get dressed before heading home.

This is how I was able to talk to Dero after the cheque-signing. I waited by his locker for a good 20 minutes after most of the players left. Had I not had locker-room access, he would have been able to avoid talking to the media and wouldn't have had to explain his actions.

This gym/locker-room issue also comes on the heels of Winter's decision to close Thursday's practices to the media, which makes my job harder and in the end means less media coverage of the team.

As i said, I know it may not seem like a big deal. And I know many of you will be rolling your eyes at this - "ah, pity the poor soccer reporter who gets to go to games for free and gets paid to write about poor sports."

I get that. You shouldn't feel sympathy for me or any other reporter. Save your sympathy for people who are genuinely sympathetic.

But as I told Jeff Blair on the Fan 590 today, this is a big deal because it sets a dangerous precedent.

John Molinaro, CBC Sports

what do the rules specifically state now? are they required to answer questions or just let you in to the locker room to ask?

if they aren't required to answer your questions, then I see no diff to them sitting there ignoring you in the locker room and not going to the alternate interview location to allow you to ask.

if they are required to answer your questions, than that same expectation is also there that they will report to alternate interview location as per Winter's letter stating that he expects them to honour their media responsibility.

[JonO]

Even with locker room access what's to stop a player from taking a quick shower and bolting right afterwards before the reporters get to the locker room?

Or stopping a player from saying, "I have no comments today, sorry" and bolting?

Like after NY 5 - TFC 0 for example?

[Brooker]

good stuff winter. now let me fetch the piano wire for wheeler and cathal.

But as I told Jeff Blair on the Fan 590 today, this is a big deal because it sets a dangerous precedent.

John Molinaro, CBC Sports

oh for the love of fuck, get over yourselves.

[Whoop]

Exactly JonO.

[pekduck]

Respectfully, I disagree with what Winter has done, and myself and other reporters have filed a complaint with the league.

I get that it may not appear to be a big deal but for me there is a principal involved.

The other 17 teams in MLS abide by this rule. TFC does not. That's not right. Either the rule applies to everybody, or don't bother having it.

The other issue is this.

For now, all players have been made available in the gym after the game, and TFC has said that will continue to be the case.

But what if Nana has a bad game or has a blowup on the sidelines during the game with Winter. What's to stop him from not going to the gym and instead going to the locker-room and quickly getting changed so he can avoid talking to the media?

If we had locker-room access, we could wait for a guy by his locker and he couldn't avoid talking to reporters - because at the end of the day, he still has to get dressed before heading home.

This is how I was able to talk to Dero after the cheque-signing. I waited by his locker for a good 20 minutes after most of the players left. Had I not had locker-room access, he would have been able to avoid talking to the media and wouldn't have had to explain his actions.

This gym/locker-room issue also comes on the heels of Winter's decision to close Thursday's practices to the media, which makes my job harder and in the end means less media coverage of the team.

As i said, I know it may not seem like a big deal. And I know many of you will be rolling your eyes at this - "ah, pity the poor soccer reporter who gets to go to games for free and gets paid to write about poor sports."

I get that. You shouldn't feel sympathy for me or any other reporter. Save your sympathy for people who are genuinely sympathetic.

But as I told Jeff Blair on the Fan 590 today, this is a big deal because it sets a dangerous precedent.

John Molinaro, CBC Sports

Respectfully, I do not agree with your perspective John.

A clarification request would be suffice. A complaint to the league is blowing things out of proportion with hypothetical scenarios. A rule that does not make sense needs to be amended and not blindly followed as media access to the locker room is not an entitlement but a privilege from my perspective. As long as all players are accessible in the gym what difference does it make?

This is a precedent that needs to be set to "right a wrong"

[romburgundy]

Interesting. I must say I always thought it was odd to have the media in the locker room

[dupont]

Cry me a river for the media. All they ever do is try to ignite tensions and problems with the players and cause distractions. Anything to get the scoop. What they are doing is very rarely beneficial to the team or the fans since I feel like they are always trying to plant friction and problems with the players.

I know my stance on this comes off harsh but sometimes I get so angry watching the media try to stir up pointless shit and never let it go when I just want the players focused on the team and their game.

It is in the best interest of the media to have TFC falling apart since that makes for a better story and gets more views online. So I can understand why the reporters want our team to fail because it helps their job but it doesn't mean that I have to like it.

[mmmikey]

As much as we the fans count on media to get a scoop that goes beyond our endless speculation, there is a certain point where the players and team should have the right to prioritize the good of the club above media access.

I would rather the team to have 15 mins to talk about the game, their performances and allow Winter to maybe give a blowdryer treatment if he feels it is necessary rather than get some juicy quote from the media. I'll take the platitudes that are formulated if it means a better direction for the club. Besides.. privacy. It is a right, I don't care whether your a professional athlete or not.

Sidenote: John I understand your questioning this change as setting a dangerous precedence, but I have to question why you automatically reacted with so little faith in Winter's word to make them available. You seem to have little goodwill for TFC now a days.

[CoachGT]

I don't believe this move is without precident in Toronto. I'm pretty sure a similar situation existed with the Blue Jays a few years back. I seem to recall Kelly Gruber having issues (mainly with female reporters in the locker room, a position supported by his wife). And I thought the Leafs did this for a while.

I respect the reporter's need for access and hope the team will make sure access is still available. There have been a few good points made about the comments from the players anyway - most of the time we hear the same tired cliches. I'm sure most writers could paraphrase without ever speaking to a player.

However, after having been involved with junior hockey teams where there have been media present, this has pretty much been the position of clubs that I've been associated with. Media could request specific players and in general, the coaches made sure that the player obliged.

[DOMIN8R]

This is an interesting issue. This league needs more access to/and reporting of players, games and teams, not less - if it hopes to grow the league in prominance.

I can see both sides of the argument. But in the end it will probably be up to the league to decide and we'll have to live with it.

[johnmolinaro]

As much as we the fans count on media to get a scoop that goes beyond our endless speculation, there is a certain point where the players and team should have the right to prioritize the good of the club above media access.

I would rather the team to have 15 mins to talk about the game, their performances and allow Winter to maybe give a blowdryer treatment if he feels it is necessary rather than get some juicy quote from the media. I'll take the platitudes that are formulated if it means a better direction for the club. Besides.. privacy. It is a right, I don't care whether your a professional athlete or not.

Sidenote: John I understand your questioning this change as setting a dangerous precedence, but I have to question why you automatically reacted with so little faith in Winter's word to make them available. You seem to have little goodwill for TFC now a days.

Winter talks to the team before coming to talk to the press, so he is allowed to give them the blowdryer treatment in privacy if he wants. After he talks to the press, then we talk to players.

As for why I have little faith in his words, read my earlier posts about Winter closing Thursday practices to the media (they were always open before) and for what they did last Friday with the closing of practice.

I just see a trend developing here, and it worries me.

John

[Whoop]

I don't believe this move is without precident in Toronto. I'm pretty sure a similar situation existed with the Blue Jays a few years back. I seem to recall Kelly Gruber having issues (mainly with female reporters in the locker room, a position supported by his wife). And I thought the Leafs did this for a while.

I respect the reporter's need for access and hope the team will make sure access is still available. There have been a few good points made about the comments from the players anyway - most of the time we hear the same tired cliches. I'm sure most writers could paraphrase without ever speaking to a player.

However, after having been involved with junior hockey teams where there have been media present, this has pretty much been the position of clubs that I've been associated with. Media could request specific players and in general, the coaches made sure that the player obliged.

That's what I have been accustomed to. Reporters would come down and ask to speak with player x, y, z and the player would come outside the dressing room to speak with the reporter. Same with the coach.

[eustacchio]

Are they required by the league to hold open practices for the media?

[FreekAce]

good stuff winter. now let me fetch the piano wire for wheeler and cathal.




oh for the love of fuck, get over yourselves.

this. talk about making mountains out of molehills.
its quite clear john has issues with the club, but lets not start nit picking over every little ffing thing.

[johnmolinaro]

Are they required by the league to hold open practices for the media?

No, they aren't.

But again, they always were in the past. And the fact they are closed now, coupled with the locker-room/gym issue and what happened last Friday, is leading to a dangerous trend, IMO.

[johnmolinaro]

this. talk about making mountains out of molehills.
its quite clear john has issues with the club, but lets not start nit picking over every little ffing thing.

Nope, I don't have any issues with the club at all. And I quite like Aron, both as a coach and a person.

I just think what they are doing with the locker room, in conjunction with other recent events, is wrong.

[JonO]

As for why I have little faith in his words, read my earlier posts about Winter closing Thursday practices to the media (they were always open before) and for what they did last Friday with the closing of practice.

I appreciate your concern, but are practices required to be open? If not then it's certainly Winter's perogative to close practice to make sure nothing leaks (whether we like it or not). There is nothing to suggest he wouldn't live up to an obligation to make players available after a game.

[eustacchio]

^ that's what I was getting at

[mmmikey]

Winter talks to the team before coming to talk to the press, so he is allowed to give them the blowdryer treatment in privacy if he wants. After he talks to the press, then we talk to players.

As for why I have little faith in his words, read my earlier posts about Winter closing Thursday practices to the media (they were always open before) and for what they did last Friday with the closing of practice.

I just see a trend developing here, and it worries me.

John

Saw that post about practice, and while I understand what you are saying, and sympathize with you that it must be frustrating to you as you try to do your job, it really is not Winter's job to maintain media access if he feels it would be detrimental. The manager must put the best interests of his team above all. Your dealing with a guy who is cultivating a new culture, and even those who deal with the team from the outside looking in like yourself in the media will be affected.

If he starts pulling the Sir Alex stuff, fine you have a point, but I don't think we are anywhere close to that extreme.

[Pigfynn]

John, you are posting on a supporters forum. Most people here are only interested in what might help our team win. If Winter feels that this will help the boys win then I don't care where and when you get to ask them about it.

It's all about success and some managers don't think media in the dressing room helps with the success of the team. That's all that needs saying.

[prizby]

Respectfully, I disagree with what Winter has done, and myself and other reporters have filed a complaint with the league.

I get that it may not appear to be a big deal but for me there is a principal involved.

The other 17 teams in MLS abide by this rule. TFC does not. That's not right. Either the rule applies to everybody, or don't bother having it.

The other issue is this.

For now, all players have been made available in the gym after the game, and TFC has said that will continue to be the case.

But what if Nana has a bad game or has a blowup on the sidelines during the game with Winter. What's to stop him from not going to the gym and instead going to the locker-room and quickly getting changed so he can avoid talking to the media?

If we had locker-room access, we could wait for a guy by his locker and he couldn't avoid talking to reporters - because at the end of the day, he still has to get dressed before heading home.

This is how I was able to talk to Dero after the cheque-signing. I waited by his locker for a good 20 minutes after most of the players left. Had I not had locker-room access, he would have been able to avoid talking to the media and wouldn't have had to explain his actions.

This gym/locker-room issue also comes on the heels of Winter's decision to close Thursday's practices to the media, which makes my job harder and in the end means less media coverage of the team.

As i said, I know it may not seem like a big deal. And I know many of you will be rolling your eyes at this - "ah, pity the poor soccer reporter who gets to go to games for free and gets paid to write about poor sports."

I get that. You shouldn't feel sympathy for me or any other reporter. Save your sympathy for people who are genuinely sympathetic.

But as I told Jeff Blair on the Fan 590 today, this is a big deal because it sets a dangerous precedent.

John Molinaro, CBC Sports

pretty sure fergie has been avoiding the bbc for years

why can't you just wait at the locker room exit?

[johnmolinaro]

I appreciate your concern, but are practices required to be open? If not then it's certainly Winter's perogative to close practice to make sure nothing leaks (whether we like it or not). There is nothing to suggest he wouldn't live up to an obligation to make players available after a game.

Fair enough. I respect you feel that way about the closing of practices, so long as you then don't complain about there being a lack of stories on TFC to read in the media on that day - hard for me to write about the team in a comprehensive way if I can't talk to players or the coach at practice.

John

[pekduck]

Saw that post about practice, and while I understand what you are saying, and sympathize with you that it must be frustrating to you as you try to do your job, it really is not Winter's job to maintain media access if he feels it would be detrimental. The manager must put the best interests of his team above all. Your dealing with a guy who is cultivating a new culture, and even those who deal with the team from the outside looking in like yourself in the media will be affected.

If he starts pulling the Sir Alex stuff, fine you have a point, but I don't think we are anywhere close to that extreme.

There, albeit the drama with the club is always there, but without media amplifying it (timing of release, partial info at time of release, perspective etc), it won't run on itself wild like it has been in the past. I know this is part of the reporting and investigative work and due diligence of journalism and nothing wrong with it. However, it is not in the best interest of the new culture and new coach to continue the 'old way' when the team is 'sick'. Let it heal first, things hopefully would get better.

EDIT: this board is always full of drama with everyone quoting 'sources' lol it doesn't count

[johnmolinaro]

John, you are posting on a supporters forum. Most people here are only interested in what might help our team win. If Winter feels that this will help the boys win then I don't care where and when you get to ask them about it.

It's all about success and some managers don't think media in the dressing room helps with the success of the team. That's all that needs saying.

Fair enough. I respect your view.

The only reason why I am posting here is so that I can explain myself so you know where I am coming from.