TFC 2013 general player moves/speculation/etc.

[Canary10]

[QUOTE=mcolvy;1597237]Espinoza was created by them... Where else was he?.. College.....

Common, Bud. You must be trolling. You cant actually believe this crap.....

Bieler was just brought in this year, after they have had success. And common..... do you really think that Bieler is a big name? He is quality... but those are two different things..

Laba has more international pedigree then Bieler. He is also not 30+. He has a few years that he can and will build with the club.

He was brought in at the absolute maximum age. No older. He is soooo different then Frings and Forlan.

Dont do this.. please.[/QUOTE

Yeah, you're right, it's different.

[OgtheDim]

..Will Forlan be playing for Toronto we they have a legit chance of winning the MLS cup?

Is NYRB a contender this year? Cause Henry's two years older then Forlan, and a doable plan is to for TFC to be a contender in 2015.

[ag futbol]

Because Toronto doesn't have an unlimited amount of DP spots and cash to spend. Why not use theses resources on more players like Laba that the team can built around? Will Forlan be playing for Toronto we they have a legit chance of winning the MLS cup?

Agreed. If I could build this team in any way, I'd concentrate on getting as many guys like this as possible. Makes it more about the club too, as opposed to some individual talents.

I don't think this move makes us contenders for anything. The overall roster is still weak and Ryan Nelsen is still an unproven coach.

[19Barrett19]

I get the feeling that nobody want to play for tfc. Not suprised since prior management made an ass out of themselves and thier players. Hope something works out for this club.

[Ivy]

So...ummm... Thomas eh?

[TFCAURORA]

So no Forlan?

[Red I]

So no Forlan?

No for now... but Transfer Window not open. The deal is either A)done, just waiting on the window and the International Transfer Ticket when the window opens, niether side is showing their hand until everything is official B) not done but close, ironing out personal details with the player c) not done and not close, still negotiating with the club on the transfer fee or far away money-wise with the player or d) not coming

Laba and his former team denied everything right up until he arrived at Pearson, so i don't think you can say that the deal won't be completed

[OgtheDim]

So, a few days of "are we there yet?"

[Jack]

Getting Forlan, if it goes through, is absolutely a great move. We have our young core that needs to develop and gain some confidence. Sharing the room with a guy of Forlan's stature will help the young guys. Our young guys are pretty solid, we have a good young DP, we have a back line that could use another solid body and some help on the wing, but Forlan upgrades our team in both skill and stature, which is a good thing. We need to move toward our future, but these kids also need to get a taste of a real star and a pro like Forlan.

[Ivy]

No for now... but Transfer Window not open. The deal is either A)done, just waiting on the window and the International Transfer Ticket when the window opens, niether side is showing their hand until everything is official B) not done but close, ironing out personal details with the player c) not done and not close, still negotiating with the club on the transfer fee or far away money-wise with the player or d) not coming

Laba and his former team denied everything right up until he arrived at Pearson, so i don't think you can say that the deal won't be completed

Lol no kidding... Those are the ONLY possibilities?

[HuTor]

Lol no kidding... Those are the ONLY possibilities?

Lol, I was thinking exactly the same.

[VoxPopuliCosmicum]

I was somewhat on the fence about this until I read back a few pages and saw that the consensus top need on this team is an AM. Can't get much more AM than Forlan.

Ominous aside: I've had "Diego Forlan" autocorrected twice in the past 12 hours. My Samsung phone wants to use "Diego Dormant" while the public terminal in Newark airport preferred (rather politically incorrectly, I thought) "Dago Forlorn".

[mcolvy]

Honestly, this move worries me based on the premise when KP came in he said no old past their prime DPs, that it will only happen if we are a contender and it will drive us over the top. Period. Now all of sudden he talks about we are looking at a big name (could still be young), and the Forlan rumours come out.. after Timmy L arrives.

Timmy L will not stop about his Beckham crap. It is a god send. NOOO. LA is not the most respectable team to those who have watched MLS closely the past few years. They arent that exciting to watch. Look at SKC.. They play with 3 strikers and a very exciting game where their fullbacks are down each wing, yet they were the best defensive team last year.. That right that should be defining our league. Look at Houston. Such a tight, thick, no nonsense all for the great good type team. That is what we need to be. LA Galaxy if we want to call them successful, was not successful based off of one old player in Beckham.

We need to rebuild this team's fans and everyones love of the team. Bringing in people to simple watch Forlan's show is not building team spirit. They will come watch him and trash everyone that plays around him. Screw the Forlan fans. We want to build a TFC fan base and right now who cares if the seats are full. Lets make our own star. Lets build a team and watch guys grow and then when they have formed their solid core and confidence then you introduce some stuf players around them to help take it to the next level.

Just look at SKC's story. They were at the bottom of the table in '09. Crappier then us.

Brining in these big names just makes everyone else around him feel awkard and needing to please the superstar. Osorio will hesitate now off the wing, instead of taking on his defender, will just pass it off out of respect. But screw that. You think Zusi would be the player he is today if he was just set off and made that pass. Nope.

I hope our management doesnt have to learn this all over. Timmy L and KP will NOT get along. Timmy came in with a "KP has 'worked for' me before... guys a load of it. He did manage a big time set up over in LA, but I am not a fan of him. I am not a fan of the Galaxy.

If Forlan does sign it is evidence that these guys never learn. After watching that stupid documentary and hearing how much input Cochrane it makes me sick. He sounds even dummer then I thought he was. "If Bruce offers Donovan and their 1st for the pick, they would do it." What is he even saying.....

I was told no more OLD RETIREES AND WHAT NOW. Tim L is not the sports guy, he does budgets and approves crap. He should not come in and right away say we need a big time player blah blah.

I cant believe this is happening. When Forlan is a disaster then what? They will literally be in a hole that they cant crawl out of....

[brad]

^^ the only question I have is why you (or anyone) believes what TFC says anymore? It's been lies upon lies since day one.

[Jack]

If Forlan doesn't pan out, how are they in any worse of a hole than they are now? Our team SUCKS BALLS. We need someone who can generate consistent scoring chances and Forlan fits the bill. You think these young players will defer to him to the detriment of their development, but maybe they do well under his leadership and learn something from him. Montreal seems to be doing just fine with this model, as do the Shite Bulls. I'd love for us to build up a solid team with good MLS players in the style of KC, Salt Lake or Houston, but I don't think that method necessarily precludes signing a guy like Forlan. We aren't going to build a team like that in one or two seasons, so in the interim, bring in a guy like that and see what happens. Di Vaio is tearing this league apart (lol!) and look what Columbus (fuck) did a few years ago with a solid team and an ageing offensive star.

There is more than one model for building a winning club in this league. One of them is quicker and more fragile, because you put all your eggs in one basket, but we could use some success around here. Winning breeds winning and some of our young players could do with the taste of victory every once in a while. Hell, our manager is very inexperienced and could probably benefit from managing someone like that, as Forlan strikes me as very professional. Plus, Forlan is still going strong, if his Uruguay performances tell us anything.

[reggie]

im with you jack...I cant believe some of the stuff coming out of some of the people on this subject..JEEZZZ

[Haddy]

Honestly, this move worries me based on the premise when KP came in he said no old past their prime DPs, that it will only happen if we are a contender and it will drive us over the top. Period. Now all of sudden he talks about we are looking at a big name (could still be young), and the Forlan rumours come out.. after Timmy L arrives.

Timmy L will not stop about his Beckham crap. It is a god send. NOOO. LA is not the most respectable team to those who have watched MLS closely the past few years. They arent that exciting to watch. Look at SKC.. They play with 3 strikers and a very exciting game where their fullbacks are down each wing, yet they were the best defensive team last year.. That right that should be defining our league. Look at Houston. Such a tight, thick, no nonsense all for the great good type team. That is what we need to be. LA Galaxy if we want to call them successful, was not successful based off of one old player in Beckham.

We need to rebuild this team's fans and everyones love of the team. Bringing in people to simple watch Forlan's show is not building team spirit. They will come watch him and trash everyone that plays around him. Screw the Forlan fans. We want to build a TFC fan base and right now who cares if the seats are full. Lets make our own star. Lets build a team and watch guys grow and then when they have formed their solid core and confidence then you introduce some stuf players around them to help take it to the next level.

Just look at SKC's story. They were at the bottom of the table in '09. Crappier then us.

Brining in these big names just makes everyone else around him feel awkard and needing to please the superstar. Osorio will hesitate now off the wing, instead of taking on his defender, will just pass it off out of respect. But screw that. You think Zusi would be the player he is today if he was just set off and made that pass. Nope.

I hope our management doesnt have to learn this all over. Timmy L and KP will NOT get along. Timmy came in with a "KP has 'worked for' me before... guys a load of it. He did manage a big time set up over in LA, but I am not a fan of him. I am not a fan of the Galaxy.

If Forlan does sign it is evidence that these guys never learn. After watching that stupid documentary and hearing how much input Cochrane it makes me sick. He sounds even dummer then I thought he was. "If Bruce offers Donovan and their 1st for the pick, they would do it." What is he even saying.....

I was told no more OLD RETIREES AND WHAT NOW. Tim L is not the sports guy, he does budgets and approves crap. He should not come in and right away say we need a big time player blah blah.

I cant believe this is happening. When Forlan is a disaster then what? They will literally be in a hole that they cant crawl out of....

You are making too many assumptions. As a supporter, unfortunately, you'll have to wait and see.

I like the SKC model too. But winning involves risks. That's why not many teams in any sport are consistent at it.

I don't mind a big name, so long as they contribute to positive results. TFC has a good amount of youth, especially if Urruti comes, so a bit more experience is welcome. And if Forlan, or whoever comes in as the senior DP that KP has been consistent about maybe bringing in, is the ultimate replacement for Koevermans than I think it's a good upgrade.

[ag futbol]

If Forlan doesn't pan out, how are they in any worse of a hole than they are now? Our team SUCKS BALLS. We need someone who can generate consistent scoring chances and Forlan fits the bill. You think these young players will defer to him to the detriment of their development, but maybe they do well under his leadership and learn something from him. Montreal seems to be doing just fine with this model, as do the Shite Bulls. I'd love for us to build up a solid team with good MLS players in the style of KC, Salt Lake or Houston, but I don't think that method necessarily precludes signing a guy like Forlan. We aren't going to build a team like that in one or two seasons, so in the interim, bring in a guy like that and see what happens. Di Vaio is tearing this league apart (lol!) and look what Columbus (fuck) did a few years ago with a solid team and an ageing offensive star.

There is more than one model for building a winning club in this league. One of them is quicker and more fragile, because you put all your eggs in one basket, but we could use some success around here. Winning breeds winning and some of our young players could do with the taste of victory every once in a while. Hell, our manager is very inexperienced and could probably benefit from managing someone like that, as Forlan strikes me as very professional. Plus, Forlan is still going strong, if his Uruguay performances tell us anything.

I'd be careful on this, it's been said a lot on the past and I've never seen any signs of it coming to fruition. There are cheaper / better ways to find leadership than DP slots. In terns of how we'd be worse off: we'd be behind a large contract that would limit our flexibility.

As for what KP originally said... it heavily looking like it's being diluted by what Nelsen wants and now what Leiweke wants. Far from "everyone reading from the same hymn sheet" that we were promised.

Leiweke is starting to scare me as well. I really don't want him anywhere near the team other than to approve a fat budget for the squad.

[Jack]

I'd be careful on this, it's been said a lot on the past and I've never seen any signs of it coming to fruition. There are cheaper / better ways to find leadership than DP slots.

As for what KP originally said... it heavily looking like it's being diluted by what Nelsen wants and now what Leiweke wants. Far from "everyone reading from the same hymn sheet" that we were promised.

Leiweke is starting to scare me as well. I really don't want him anywhere near the team other than to approve a fat budget for the squad.

Leiweke at least knows the game and the league. And I said "maybe". If he doesn't give any leadership and only gives us an offensive shot in the arm, I'll still take it.

[reggie]

yes he Leiweke is a scary guy...I think his clubs have won a few cups...we are lucky to have him,he is a soccer fan and cares about tfc, he was a gm for a indoor soccer team in the past. better him then some bean counter.

[metaxa]

Bringing Forlan is a great move... it will definitely push the players and team forward. C'mon you have a superstar on your team it automatically forces you to up your game... you want that pass or play cause it motivates you to the next level. I think the players would be ecstatic and play even harder.... It an automatic boost to the team. It tells the team this is serious. I Hope it happens. And also with the addition of maximiliano urrutia. A nice spanish flavour.... hopefully more. How can you you not want this guy on your team?

[ag futbol]

Leiweke at least knows the game and the league.

Listening to him talk about LA, I think he knows about giving an organization resources to succeed. But the formula? He gives way too much credit to Beckham (his move) and not enough credit to what Bruce Arena has done (the real reason they win).

[mcolvy]

Listening to him talk about LA, I think he knows about giving an organization resources to succeed. But the formula? He gives way too much credit to Beckham (his move) and not enough credit to what Bruce Arena has done (the real reason they win).

Yes thank you. So true.

And as for the Montreal and NYRB doing well with the old timers. Fine. Montreal is doing well, but I ask you this. If we could swap squads would you be in favour of that? I want to get ahold of Felipe Martins as much as the next guy (which by the way, he is the type of player I want as our number 10. I would do anything, and pay anything for him to be a TFC player.), but I would not make that swap. Di Vaio has nothing left in the tank. He is an injury from that team falling apart and frankly they are terrible to watch.

Montreal WILL NOT hold down a top spot in the east. Where will that squad be in two years? Screw that model. We tried it and it failed.

Next plan SKC......

[Ivy]

Happy transfer window opener everybody!

[Phil]

I can say from watching the RSL games second half with Tim Leiweke, he is very observant and passionate about this sport. It was a bit surpiesing considering the scope of his job, but he was analyzing Berckermans play, our inability to play the ball up front past their defenders, and had a ton of analysis about all kinds of players in the league.

He knows Kevin Payne well, and seems to be very happy with Nelly. Very bold guy, came right into 112 and asked if he could have a chat and watch the game. I am looking forward to seeing what can be done to turn this team around, but they need to prove it now, hopefully this Forlan move gets done soon and we start to see some positive impact. I am just as jadded as everyone else, but I am choosing to have a bit of hope at this point.

[Jack]

Well, considering LA was in three of the last five MLS Cup finals, I'd consider what was done there a success. If we make 3 of the next 10 MLS Cup finals, it would be nice. And again, I agree that the model in Montreal is precarious, but I still think you can go with a hybrid model while you build the organization. Our core of good youngsters is still going to be here in two years when an older DP retires, but they will be more ready to step into prime roles. Then they can help the newer players. Anyway, let's see what happens. Either way, I'll take some MLS success for this team...it's long overdue.

[mastermixer]

Everyone can have a strategy on how to win but in reality this is MLS...

[reggie]

Yes thank you. So true.

And as for the Montreal and NYRB doing well with the old timers. Fine. Montreal is doing well, but I ask you this. If we could swap squads would you be in favour of that? I want to get ahold of Felipe Martins as much as the next guy (which by the way, he is the type of player I want as our number 10. I would do anything, and pay anything for him to be a TFC player.), but I would not make that swap. Di Vaio has nothing left in the tank. He is an injury from that team falling apart and frankly they are terrible to watch.

Montreal WILL NOT hold down a top spot in the east. Where will that squad be in two years? Screw that model. We tried it and it failed.

Next plan SKC......

plan splan....jus win is the only plan I want....come on TIM go for it...

[Oldtimer]

Tim L is not the sports guy, he does budgets and approves crap. He should not come in and right away say we need a big time player blah blah.

Tim L. knows an incredible amount about football, he's no Tom Anselmi.

I agree that the SKC model, or my favourite model RSL of a couple of years ago produce really good football (for MLS). There is merit, however, in what Tim is doing to reboot the franchise and get some excitement going. Maybe some of the people here will see it as next best, but for the general public which can fill 90% of BMO, having an exciting "star" player does help change the story. There are also mentoring opportunities for younger players... it means a lot for them to have at least one great player on the team.

I don't think that you need to worry that KP will change the strategy that much. He's very focused, and knows how to play the game politically speaking. He'll work with Tim to bring in one star player, but any other DP he brings in will be a long term building block. It's just like everyone worried when he used Nelsen's contacts to bring in some British players that he was abandoning his South American preference. Now we see that it isn't the case.

Don't worry, in the long run you will see that he will have a very logical build to the team.

[Canary10]

My two cents: Forlan won't hamstring the finances. Koevermans is in his final DP year. That's a big contract and DP space freed up for next year. We'll have the room this off season to bring more players in.

I think we're a little over-glorifying SKC. Yeah they play a 4-3-3, but not the kind I'd want us playing. They are more a physical team that happens to play that formation. And they have nothing to show for it as of yet. If you want to watch real fluid football in MLS, look at Portland. (If TFC had any foresight when they were contemplating Winter's firing, they should have been trying to get Caleb Porter back then and kept a consistent vision for the team instead of that idiot Mariner). At any rate, there really isn't one proven way to find success in MLS. Or if there is, LA is probably the one example.

I share many of the concerns everyone else does, but on the whole it's hard to see how bringing an excellent footballer in will be bad for your team. That's what every club in the world wants to do.