NP Blog: MLS - FieldTurf the reason Huckerby turns down TFC

[DOMIN8R]

Toronto FC has agreed to trade the rights to former English Premier League striker Darren Huckerby to the San Jose Earthquakes. Mo Johnston, Toronto FC’s director of soccer, confirmed his club will receive two things from San Jose in return, but not a player.

More here.........

[Sonny Cheeba]

who thinks they'll actually do something about the turf?

do they even care? i guess it doesn't matter that much if TFC are winning games, but when it's affecting player acquisition, it NEEDS to be dealt with.

i always think, if teams like Montreal, Inverness CT, Aberdeen, and any of the Icelandic and Scandanavian and russian teams play on real grass, why can't we?

[Lucky Strike]

Well I was always one to say that the whole turf vs. grass affair was overblown. If turf was so bad, then it wouldn't have been approved. I still think it's ridiculous but what really matters is the players' perceptions on turf. It cost us a player and who knows, it may be why Nuno Gomes turned our deal down (just speculation, I don't have proof).

[Draracle]

Well I was always one to say that the whole turf vs. grass affair was overblown. If turf was so bad, then it wouldn't have been approved. I still think it's ridiculous but what really matters is the players' perceptions on turf. It cost us a player and who knows, it may be why Nuno Gomes turned our deal down (just speculation, I don't have proof).

Field Turf has been mentioned enough by players, including our own, to strongly suggest it is inferior to grass. FIFA is handcuffed however, because many stadiums around the world can not support or can not afford real turf. So if FIFA wants to grow the sport as much as possible they have to approve an artificial turf for play.

I think the city and the MLSE are seriously reconsidering the turf, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see a change in a year or two.

[noochie]

The turf needs to go and everyone knows it... who knows what this team would like if we played on grass... all of the players that we already know we have lost and a few others I am sure we don't know about.

Mo is handcuffed, I am sure he has plastic nightmares every night.

[Sonny Cheeba]

plastic nightmares sounds like a botched boob job.

[Kickit09]

who thinks they'll actually do something about the turf?

do they even care?

NOPE! every player that complains about the turf they trade away.. that should tell you somnething

[Cashcleaner]

^ It tells you that there is no sense in bitching to the club about it because the city has the final say on the playing surface.

[profit89]

it's just an excuse.. fieldturf is better than grass

[Roogsy]

Why are we posting something from the NP? Especially old news?

[Jack]

No links to NP articles please.

[Cadaren]

If they can toss real grass in the Skydome for soccer matches then they sure as hell can do it for BMO. So tired of hearing about this, wish the city would just come forward and decide one way or the other instead of saying "we're weighing the options blah blah blah".

[ricciboy]

does any one know the announcer who says this when they score

" ITS IN THE NET ITS IN THE NET"
LA GOAL BY BECKHAM"

its mostly the in the net part but this announcer is so F*&king anoying

[greatwhitenorf]

I think we're in for a rough ride on getting real grass.

A prominent city official told me this week that the stadium capacity will be dramatically expanded by putting additional seat on an upper tier on the east side. He said it with confidence, like someone who has been in on the deal from the get-go.

When asked "What about getting a proper grass field in?", he just went all wishy-washy. He hemmed and hawwed and danced around the issue, like someone in on this deal from the get-go and knows that the seating expansion is going to happen to serve the incoming needs of the Toronto Argonaut Football. Ohh, nooo!:-O

[LucaGol]

I think we're in for a rough ride on getting real grass.

A prominent city official told me this week that the stadium capacity will be dramatically expanded by putting additional seat on an upper tier on the east side. He said it with confidence, like someone who has been in on the deal from the get-go.

When asked "What about getting a proper grass field in?", he just went all wishy-washy. He hemmed and hawwed and danced around the issue, like someone in on this deal from the get-go and knows that the seating expansion is going to happen to serve the incoming needs of the Toronto Argonaut Football. Ohh, nooo!:-O

This issue is hanging over our heads like the sword of damocles.

I wish it and the Argos would just go the hell away already.

BMO is already a borderline mickey mouse soccer stadium...if the Argos come in it will blow the house of cards down completely.

We need to make the stadium more soccer-friendly, not less.