Update: Nesta Expected to sign with TFC, signs for Montreal instead

[brad]

I find this ludicrous. Even accepting the durability issue. Do you even watch Serie A games? Nesta had injury problems last year, but when he was healthy, he played. He was Milan's first choice CB.

And quite handily looked after some chap named Messi.

[Huyton]

I think the problem with having an older, slower player who was one of the finest at his position in Europe is that he's surrounded by players (on both sides) that didn't play in Europe.

They don't always do the intelligent, or expected, thing.

For instance, De Guzmans ability to read the game at a high level is very good. His best displays have always been against higher quality opponents, and not so good otherwise.

This is a league full of "otherwise".


So, while I'd love to see someone as cultured as Nesta play for TFC, I have my doubts as to how effective he'd be. He'd be fantastic coaching the Academy graduates, I think, and he'd do wonders for shirt sales, but a guy like him will be more effective in a couple of years as the talent level on this team improves.

In some ways, I'd've preferred Gattuso over Frings for a defensive midfielder. One look from him would terrify most opponents, and one tackle would be enough to convince the others.


Ultimately, I'd love to see Pirlo play for TFC in a couple of years.

[Gazza]

I enjoy their insights and their writings bring attention to the team - which is an important part of Toronto FC. We used to scream for coverage of soccer - now it's here and we should support them as we do our team!
Kurt, Duane - THANK YOU

Wait. We should support opinions based on speculation disguised as facts?

[jabbronies]

As I kind of pointed out in the other thread, don't under estimate the ability of mediocre players to be great mentors. All-world players aren't always the best when it comes to teaching other people. Off the top of my head, I can think of more top players who credit lesser knowns colleages for their success than players of a similar ilk.

I don't think mentoring is the reason we should be using to justify a signing such as this.

It's not always about verbal teaching. Just watching a player of worldly caliber should be enough for a young guy like Henry to learn from.
Being in the right spots, making the right tackles, not committing to bad tackles, keeping the backline organized, hooking up with the midfielders, calling for a switch - these are all things Cann is not doing very well and we are seeing this with the way our backline plays. Having someone who can do at least half of these things should be good enough for the young guys to learn from.

I don't watch SerieA so I can't speak to his current quality - But if he can do at least half of these things right now - I'd rather take him than wait for the perfect guy to come along.

A lot of people keep talking about our striking problem - but our D problem is far, far worse than that. It's very embarrassing at times back there and we need to start addressing that problem.

If we get him we will be (on paper at least) pretty strong up the gut.

[Blizzard]

Wait. We should support opinions based on speculation disguised as facts?

You stating it is speculation is only speculation in and of itself. Do you know who Duane's contacts are? Can you state with definity that Duane is only speculating?

We'll know in a few days if he is right or wrong.

All I can say is that I hope he is right as I would love to see this happen.

[ManUtd4ever]

The plot thickens...

AC Milan DiavoloNews‏@MilanDiavolo

According to different sources including GdS, Toronto FC will be making a contract offer to Alessandro Nesta.

[Auzzy]

Twitter from 26 minutes ago:

John Molinaro ‏@JohnMolinaro
So mariner says club is targeting Nesta. #TFC didn't say how serious or involved talks are.

[Auzzy]

30 minutes ago:

Kurtis Larson ‏@KurtLarSUN
Mariner not talking to Nesta but says he's a target. I stand somewhat corrected. #TFC

So who's eating crow today?

[ManUtd4ever]

Molinaro chimes in...

John Molinaro‏@JohnMolinaro
So mariner says club is targeting Nesta. #TFC didn't say how serious or involved talks are.

[Auzzy]

Molinaro chimes in...

Really? You don't say...

[TOBOR !]

Molinaro chimes in...

Pompey Chimes, that is :

Tom Anselmi !
GTFO !

Tom Anselmi !
GTFO !

[MartinUtd]

Bieber's latest tweet:

Justin Bieber ‏@justinbieber it is about the music. BELIEVE - click here http://smarturl.it/jbmktg

[Blizzard]

Consider that Toronto FC doesn't typically leak things like this and Montreal have always been very, very public/open with their player intentions and the picture becomes a little clearer.

How so? Publically stating your intentions regarding possible player signings is a great way to show your hand and shoot yourself in the foot. A team with brains will keep that to themselves and not tip off any possible opponents of what they're up to. If TFC is after Nesta, they should keep their mouths shut andif Montreal is after him, they should have already shut up about it.

[ManUtd4ever]

Really? You don't say...

LOL

Well, regarding the speculation, at least it's been confirmed that there's genuine interest on TFC's part. Now, the proverbial ball is in Nesta's court.

I think TFC should invite Nesta to Toronto to watch the game tomorrow at BMO, and if he happens to be in town to watch the Euro Final on Sunday, he'll fall in love with the city, especially if Italy wins and he witnesses the massive party in the streets thereafter.

[ag futbol]

Well there you go, Rollins wasn't full of shit at all... although I doubt some people will give him any credit considering their personal dislike for the guy. Not much a fan of his writing at times, but I never saw a reason to distrust the stories he's broken.

As for Larson: talk about embarrassing. I think everyone with an IQ over 50 knows that you can't just take TFC management at their word when you ask about rumors.

[Darlofletch]

wow, just going through this all now, that was some flimsy flimsy 'evidence' used to somehow show that rollins is full of shit and worthy of so much scorn.

will it happen? don't know, but I'd trust duane just as much as I'd trust one tweet from kurt larson.

edit: by which I mean I'd trust both of them quite a lot, as much as you can any journalist really.

[Chinatownchef]

Wow, this would solidify the back 4. With Cann coming back from injury, Kocic would be able to take it easy for the rest of the season.

[Phil]

I know a few guys that were upset at not being able to break this story. That right there tells me that there was credibility on some level for it.

Anyhow, there is a lot of distance between talk and actually getting a contract done, who knows if it will happen?

Credit to Rollins for getting this out there.

[Oldtimer]

I know a few guys that were upset at not being able to break this story. That right there tells me that there was credibility on some level for it.

Anyhow, there is a lot of distance between talk and actually getting a contract done, who knows if it will happen?

Credit to Rollins for getting this out there.

An advantage of being a blogger is that you don't have to convince an editorial board that your story has merit.

A disadvantage for blog readers relying too much on bloggers is that the blogger doesn't have to convince an editorial board that their story has merit.

Credit is due to him, though, for ferreting out the story.

[Oldtimer]

Wow, this would solidify the back 4. With Cann coming back from injury, Kocic would be able to take it easy for the rest of the season.

If this happens, Nesta will be a valuable replacement for the services of the injured Ty Harden j/k.

[Gazza]

Does Mariner target players the same way Mo did?

[Phil]

An advantage of being a blogger is that you don't have to convince an editorial board that your story has merit.

A disadvantage for blog readers relying too much on bloggers is that the blogger doesn't have to convince an editorial board that their story has merit.

Credit is due to him, though, for ferreting out the story.

Big time. However I tried to post pretty quickly in order to support him as I know other guys couldn't go ahead with the story yet.

[Oldtimer]

Rudi's now published it on Goal:

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/...with-toronto-f

[ArmenJBX]

30 minutes ago:



So who's eating crow today?

I suppose that would be me.
I talked to a couple guys from TFC and their input was that it was unlikely he was a guest of the team.
If he's with us, that's awesome - that makes our back four really strong.

Kudos to Duane who broke the story

[Rudi]

Rudi's now published it on Goal:

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/...with-toronto-f

That was from yesterday.

For the record, I heard rumblings of the Nesta story (independent of Duane) on Wed. night, but didn't have enough to go public with it. Duane chased the story down throughout the night and broke the story, which is why I gave Canadian Soccer News credit in the article. Kudos to him for it.

[moralis]

Someone who actually spoke with Nesta today at a Montreal hotel: Took a pic of himself and Nesta.

https://twitter.com/_EnricoS

http://ow.ly/i/JxBE

[Pookie]

On the plus side, if he graduated next year into a DP contract, that would most assuredly mean that JDG would need to sign a non-DP contract in order for him to stay.

Inking JDG to a non-DP contract is a critical offseason roster move, IMO. This sets the tone nicely for that to happen.

On the downside, given his age and that of DK and TF, we would have a very old (but good) core. We would have about 1 year left on the services of TF and DK and it would be a shakey year from a health perspective. We would absolutely need to funnel money into scouting now in order to build an "injury" buffer roster with depth and a plan to replace them once their contracts expire.

[Technorgasm]

I was at a dinner party 2 weeks ago, and this was a topic of conversation.
so. . . looks like it has some legs to it cuz.the people I dinner with know their shit.

I agree with everyting JABRONIES posted up there.
that kid is goin places.

[Auzzy]

30 minutes ago:


So who's eating crow today?

I suppose that would be me.
I talked to a couple guys from TFC and their input was that it was unlikely he was a guest of the team.
If he's with us, that's awesome - that makes our back four really strong.

Kudos to Duane who broke the story

Actually wasn't really thinking of you, more of Kurtis Larson, because he can be derisive towards people anyway. Plus a few folks on this board were perhaps a bit too dismissive of the original story. That being said, I don't know anything, nothing is definite, we shall see. I'm actually a bit surprised that Mariner even confirmed that they're interested in Nesta at this point, with things still being so unsure. If it doesn't work out now, many people will be pissed. Who knows, we shall see, I learned long ago to try to avoid getting my hopes up about anything.

[KRO]

Kurt Larson's latest article in the Sun

" Earl Cochrane, the team’s director of team and player operations confirmed to me in a short telephone conversation today that although Nesta’s name has bounced around internally, the club hasn’t reached out to the Italian or his agent."

http://blogs.canoe.ca/reds/