Mellberg, to me, is the defensive version of Frings. Very similar resume as well.
Mellberg, to me, is the defensive version of Frings. Very similar resume as well.
+1 My thoughts exactly.Originally Posted by Wooster_TFC
I've seen him Phil, he's not the guy to control a back 4 we've been craving. On it's own this might be an upgrade to our 2nd centre back in terms of age etc. with Cann but with everything else tied in, all he's going to do is stifle Doneil's growth
Okay, so Cochrane said it. I stand corrected. Still, though, "liked the guy equally" is a really dumb statement to make. I most certainly do not like this signing as much as I would Mellberg. Not even close. And I don't understand how anyone could. But I guess Cochrane likes Frings and Dunfield equally as well - since his idea of "liking" someone has nothing to do with skill.
You might like him better when comparing cap hits, don't know though. Lets not forget about the limited DP space and salary issues. It adds a different value to players when looking at all aspects.
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This was always my concern with whomever they brought in. It's bad enough we have Doneil playing out of position. For club and Country's sake i would have loved to have seen Doniel and Melberg pairing. How's that for learning on the job? But i'll take a Darren and Doneil pairing at the end of the Dea. However, Emory seems to be the one who will be favoured. yuck.
So TFC is still lacking a 'bossman' at the back. O'Dea doesn't have the experience to be that person.
Age is another aspect. Whether you're starting for your nat team and might not be willing to get out of a callup is another. Lots of sides to look at.
This is a great signing...He is still young and ver aggressive player. I’m a little surprised that he would be coming over so early in his career. Let’s go TFC!!!
Yes, it's correct that there is obviously a huge difference in compensation. But the problem is that we don't know if Darren O'Dea is good enough to fix our defense. Remember, he's known as O'Dear for a reason. I haven't heard anyone rave about his qualities anywhere. He's had big games, yes, but not with overwhelming success - or he'd surely still be at Celtic, Leeds, Reading, whatever. Also, O'Dea is not a veteran (25 years old), so not sure how he can really add much value to the youngsters around him. To me O'Dea is us hoping to patch the problem (as usual). He will likely be an improvement, but probably not a major one. Mellberg would be a fix. See him at the Euro's? He'd likely be the best CB in the MLS right off the bat. Never stopped running, never stopped fighting. The guy is a beast.
Having said that, I'm happy that we're signing a new CB - and I do think that he'll do alright. But he's no Mellberg. Never will be. Not even close. So let's just call a spade a spade and not trick ourselves into believing that they're equal in any shape or form. Just like Weedman is not one of the best finishers in the MLS.
Last edited by Super; 08-03-2012 at 12:57 PM.
I like the fact he's only 25 as well. Sure, he's not Mellberg. But at some point TFC needs to find some decent players who can give us a few years in order build some kind of nucleus of a team. As much as I would love to see Mellberg in a TFC shirt, we cannot rely on parachuting in +30 year old players for a year or two all the time to fill out the roster.
He doesn't take up a DP spot either. Based on that I think this is a good signing on paper. Now we have to wait and see how he performs and adapts to the MLS.
I have read plenty of positive endorsements of him online. Again, not to suggest that he's Mellberg, but that he's a fierce competitor, defensively sound, and that he will leave everything on the pitch for his club.
Makes you wonder why no one wanted him in Prem, SPL, Championship.
The Premier League is on another level entirely, so the comparison is absurd.
As for the SPL and Championship, do you know for certain that nobody wanted him? Do you have insider knowledge?
Or is it a matter of TFC aggressively pursuing him, making him a worthwhile offer, and O'Dea taking a liking to our city?
And no matter what we think of MLSE we have to admit, their cheques don't bounce and there's no danger of them going bankrupt anytime soon.
We don't know. A lot of unknown here, really, and it makes me a little nervous. All we can do is hope for the best. Unfortunately my faith in TFC FO is not the best. Hopefully he's here for all the right reasons, and we will see an improvement to our defense. I've groaned enough on here about this signing, and only because I honestly believed that a big name (equal to Nesta, Mellberg) was on the way. But I'll give him full vocal support once he's on the pitch in TFC jersey. My beef is with TFC FO and how they handled the whole Mellberg fiasco. "Sorry, can't give you Mellberg, but we'll give you someone we like equally: Darren O'Dea". That's my beef.
Haha. Never thought of it that way. I guess after playing in the SPL and for Leeds, you're happy knowing that you'll receive the contract money you signed for. Unless you shake hands like DeRo and Mo.
LOL, good point.
But can he play 4-3-3 possession when the "temporary tweak" is over, and we have a team full of academy grads who can play the possession game?
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Is this the first former Leeds player in Toronto since Peter Lorimer? That man had a cannon for a foot.
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Can't really argue the fact TFC's FO has a poor track record. But let's cut the player some slack and not misplace put lack of faith in the FO on the player. (not saying you're not willing to give the player a chance)
Lot's of reasons a player might want to come to the MLS. Sometimes they feel they need a new start.
100% agreed!!! He deserves all of our support once he puts on that jersey.
I think I might drink lot's of Guinness this weekend as way of welcoming him to Toronto.
I understand your frustration with the FO, but perhaps they like him equally for different reasons. He is young, he still might have upside, and he doesn't take up a DP slot.
You also have to recognize that the FO has to make public statements of that nature, if for no other reason than to instill confidence in the player that has been acquired. O'Dea must know about the Mellberg controversy.
How would he feel if the press release stated, "MLS didn't approve the deal for Mellberg, so we had to settle for O'Dea"?
I don't know, but anyone who supports the signing of O'Dea must be from the UK, right OT?
I still don't understand the love for Mellberg at the price we would have to commit to. I may even go as far to say I prefer a non-DP O'dea to him.
A non-DP Nesta is still in my mind an opportunity missed.
I know nothing about this player but I hope he's better than what we've got. I'm going to assume that he is.
The thing that many people are happy about is the thing that worries me most. His age.
Yes, it's positive to bring in young players who may want to stay with the club for several years BUT....young players often need guidance and are rarely leaders on the pitch. Add to this that he's a CB and supposedly going to be our general on the back line and I get worried.
Players like Eckersley, Henry, Morgan, Cann and even Emory would benefit most from a player who has experience and knows his role as the CB leader inside and out. I just don't see a 25 year old knowing this.
He sounds like he's got the pedigree of an Eckersley and, while he tries hard, that type of guy is the last person that should be taking anyone under their wing.
I'd have much preferred Mellberg or, heaven forbid, Nesta.
I know that a lot of people here don't like that idea because they think they're too old but there is no way they wouldn't have had a positive effect on our entire defense core. A guy like Nesta would have inspired and shown dozens of young TFC players what it takes to be a great defender.
While O'Dea will likely make our back line better, it will only be based on his individual contributions. I doubt his play or expertise will make the young guys around him better.
Who the fuck knows any more with this team. LOL
Not if Paul has anything to do with it. Thump thump thuuummpp.
He'll be retired by then. We all will be.
His age is definitely an upside, but is he the guy that we need right now? That's the issue. We have a very young defense, and no doubt routine and experience is needed, so this is where his age may not be an upside. Mellberg would have 2 years to give us - but that's more than enough to help shape our young defenders, and pull them through some tough games. That's the sort of guy we need - or at least that's what I think.
I recognize that FO has to make statements that are positive in nature, but you have to admit that a lot of people read into it as though we were getting someone equal in skill as Mellberg. How else can you read into it? He's equal when you factor in his younger age? Doesn't make much sense when you look at what our young defense needs. Also, when you go after Nesta (although not officially) and Mellberg, and come up with O'Dea, and then say that you like the deal equally to Mellberg, you big up O'Dea to the point where the expectations will be sky high right off the bat. REALLY high. How will that fly if he disappoints? I think it would be better to simply say that Mellberg didn't work out, have enough respect for the starved supporters to tell us the truth, and then move ahead and say that we're still looking to strengthen the defense ... and then a few days later simply say: "we signed O'Dea. He's a different type of player, but we're confident that he'll be able to help our defense right away." None of this "big announcement coming. the fans will be very happy". Now O'Dea has a lot to live up to - and it's really not fair to him. All the more reason to move forward and give the guy all of our support. He definitely deserves that.
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