What the fuck next? TFC's future.
For the first time since 2007 I am unsure about my feeling about TFC. I am no longer angry, still disappointed. But perhaps 2014 will truly be a new beginning.
I always want to try to support this team with the passion I had for it in 2007-2010. I think I can if we are given even the smallest signs of a new direction. But this may be MLSE last chance.
I can hope that there is a real effort put in by MLSE to turn this thing around, and 2014 season is the last chance.
I think a lot of patience has run thin. People are at a breaking point. January is a big make or break with this club.
If TL and RN can bring in anything of substance during the window I see a lot of people cutting there losses. Now ill still be here and I know all of us will be. It's just up to them to keep the inbetweeners in there seats moving forward.
I feel the same way. I've missed the last two home games. In fairness, the first was because of a death in the family. Last week though, I did a marathon training run in the morning, and just couldn't be bothered going to watch TFC play DC United. Ended up watching it on the couch instead.Originally Posted by trane
I just don't see any real direction. At least under Winter we knew what he was trying to do. I really don't know what we're trying to do now. The team has no identity. It's hard to keep caring.
In one way, it really is a new start because of the cap clearning and contract standings they have with existing players.
I will be very sad to see Frei go, that one hurts.
Danny K just couldn't hold his fitness. Ecks - terrible contract and it seems clear they are going to move him or buy it out.
For those reasons I am very curious to see how they do in the next window and season.
I don't like this bull shit talk with the Argos.
I am unsure if Ryan is the right coach for this team.
I am unsure that the new GM is right.
I am a little scared of all the DP talk - we have been there and done that for 7 years now and throwing out names to somehow satisfy fans has been overdone in this market.
Its time for them to lay proper groundwork on scouts, academy and football operations. Stop worrying about marketing and flash, start working on the team and the product on the field. This upcoming window has way too much hype on it that I fear they will have no hope of ever living up to.
That being said, we're still here.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
The talk is coming from fans and media! I highly doubt Tim Lewieke and TFC FO are thinking about Argos right now.
Tim and co are more concern with signings than anything else.
As for Nelsen, I feel like we need an assistant coach (tactic expert) who has experience managing to guide Nelsen. GM role is limited now, so I am not going to be too concern about hiring a newbie.
Last edited by TFC07; 10-04-2013 at 10:04 AM.
I hope you're right.
Toronto 'til I die - but I think they're trying to kill me.
This is what I got from breakfast and BBQ meets. Tim does have a plan how to build this team.
So far, Tim has done things to fix up TFC FO on time (before season ended) to give new TFC FO a chance to start working beginning of off-season. So I am going to give TFC a chance to follow through their plan in off-season. I don't expect to see DP's playing for us beginning of the season, but at least we should know by then who's coming over after World Cup.
I get a bit worried of the long term vision when I hear that Darrel Russel will probably start this week, possibly instead of Osorio. Although I agree with not starting people who are simply not ready (Bekker), if we are going to look to the future, we can not be starting dudes who will not be here next year just because they had a couple of, for them, good games.
Is the long term vision to be a bunch of plumbers who grab spots?
I can honestly say that if the current regime can't right the ship over the next couple of years, I'll be done as a seasons ticket holder.
I haven't been impressed with Tim Leiweke's influence on TFC thus far, but I will try to give him the benefit of the doubt based on his pedigree as a MLS executive.
That plumber is hot right now. I think this isn't a prove to play between the 2 (Russell and Osorio) but to see if Russell will stay. Osorio will get time.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
There is a lot of talk from the fans and media. But why did Tim L bring it up on the confrence call? MLSE are looking at evaluating the possibility the Argos could share the facility. Tim L is talking about 'mobile seats' for the field to accomodate the larger surface. It doesnt finacially make any sense for the Argos to come in but stranger things have happend. Argos are for sale from what I have read, and the 5 year deal has outs for the Argos at anytime and there is a non renewal on it.
A decision will be made in the next 5 years and the fact that MLSE are talking about it and the idea that the grounds won't be compromised goes way beyond hype from fans and media. It sounds like they are planning on it.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
See, when they hired Klinsmann and subsequently brought in Mariner (ugh), Winter and De Klerk it was with a footballing philosophy in mind.
The hiring (and firing) of Payne and the hiring of Leiwecke has had nothing to do with football and all to do with finances. Clear the decks for a rebuild.
Winter and De Klerk had the plan, but Mariner, Cochrane, Anselmi et al failed to manage the budget properly (Winter probably had a hand in that as well, but Mariner was supposed to be the guy sorting out the befuddling MLS salary structure).
Now we have the money guys who can sort out the finances, but who among them can give us a team to care about ?
Eh ? Eh ?
a ha ha heh he hoo.. ha
If that's the case, it would be nice for Tim and/or TFC FO to just come out and crush it. One of the reason fans and media keep talking about it is that nobody at MLSE has said anything definitive to dispel the rumours.
I think TFC can't outright say no because BMO field is owned by the City (Mayor being a huge football fan). So they can't say no to end the rumours.
I personally hope Mayor Ford isn't around when times come to decide what to do with Argos and use building permit against MLSE to force them to take Argos with them.
My biggest worry right now is that we have less than a season of experience among our coach and GM. I also worry that we don't have an Arena-type who can be very subtle in implementing but also altering Leiweke's vision to make it viable
That's what got me the most concerned right now too. I'm worried management thinks adding a Beckham-like name (or 2) to the roster is enough to start filling seats again - I think they're right to an extent, but I don't necessarily expect them to get back a lot of ticket holders that left, instead I expect the stands to look like the first few seasons when we hosted LA, and all of a sudden the stands were filled with tourists more interested in seeing Beckham than watching (or supporting) TFC.
It also concerns me that they don't have a good appreciation of the Toronto sports market. Sure, there are enough people in the city that will come out to see a big name - just look at the crowd for the Roma match who were largely indifferent to TFC, or how many more Italians seem to show up (and cheer for) Montreal this season with the Italians they brought into their lineup. But if I look at a team like the Leafs, the players that seem to become fan favourites aren't usually the high-priced stars, but the hard working grinder - haven't been to a Leafs game in a couple years, but every time I've gone I feel like there are as many Domi and Tucker jerseys as there are Sundin and Gilmour, if not more.
I'm worried too about ditching promising young players, like Urutti, because we don't have the time for them to develop. I know there are other politics involved as Laba was seen as "Payne's guy", but it just has me thinking they are again sacrificing long term stability and success for some a slight improvement in the short term.
Last edited by WestStandGeoff; 10-04-2013 at 11:04 AM.
Laba is out due to a broken toe. Hopefully they are keeping him despite being 'Payne's guy'. Urutti to me was part of KP's undoing. Many strings in there though. The DP chase (failure) the smack talk to media around the Roma match and the overall deal for Urutti all were major factors in the firing. Urutti was not really wanted by Nelsen and I think that is where Tim bought into Ryan 100% as he has his own vision as far a 'soccer' is concerned.
I see TL as a little higher than a finance guy. I do think he has a lot invested in the sport and wants it to do well but its obvious he is learning on the job and Toronto is a vastly different market than LA.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
Isn't that not even possible? Russel is out based on accumulation no?
^^ Thanks Phil, yes, I did mean Urutti.
The faith put into Nelson is misguided, I would not comfortable giving him the reigns with what he has shown thus far.
As it stands right now all we have are a bunch of "Yes men", Bezbatchenko is nothing more than a glorified accountant for TL.
It don't understand why TL thinks we the fans would rather have Nelson instead of Payne, in this city we have always begged for experienced coaches and GMs.
Agreed. If Kevin Payne had to go, getting rid of Nelsen is a no-brainer.
Looking at what’s happened over the last couple of weeks I can’t help but be very concerned about the direction TFC is heading. I would say there is a huge risk that we will end up with the wrong choices in our search for designated players.
- Time pressure? Check.
- Inexperienced people at helm? Check.
- No solid scouts of talent? Check.
- Disclosed their approximate budget? Check.
And this gives rise to the biggest problem of them all: once this club spends its money on designated players, flexibility is severely diminished.
ML$E have their heads so far up their own assholes that they have no idea what is coming out of their mouth.
Just sell the team and buy the Bills so you can run them to the ground.
One owner is all I want, One owner with the dream and desire to win... One
What concerns me is that maybe they do. Maybe there is a difference between the hockey market and the soccer market and maybe they still see a big difference between the soccer market and the MLS market.
Can anybody indicate what we had in terms of scouting staff before KP was fired, apart from Onstad and the odd missives from Gueverra?
From what I've heard, the new guy is building that now.
Someone on this board posted a link to a scouting agency a while ago, it showed most of MLS being involved except for TFC. I would interested if TFC managed to sign up with said agency.
Last edited by Richard; 10-04-2013 at 11:51 AM.
You mean this one?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
^
aka Paul Mariner's homepage.
Oh yeah, that was Mariner's, not the one Richard referred to.^
aka Paul Mariner's homepage.
Is it this one?
http://www.designisgrowth.com/santio/people/
I don't think so, it was international with top clubs like Manu, RealM as clients.
Isn't Barry MacLean like Mo's best friend back when he was still around TFC?
Last edited by Richard; 10-04-2013 at 12:20 PM.
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