Bez's line that he was planning to replace RN after Saturday's game, before he heard that RN threw daggers at him, is a new low in treating fans like imbeciles. If he thinks that this team spent over a $100M in the off season only to replace RN with Vanney as the permanent replacement and that this wasn't a knee jerk reaction - then Bez must think that the city has a collective IQ of 60. Even if Vanney gets us to the finals - and I think that even Mariner or Preki could get us there at this point, none of us should accept this was a well thought out plan. You can put the lipstick away. We can tell a pig when we see one.
In hindsight, maybe TL should have led the press conference yesterday. Bez looks more foolish the day after with 20/20. He pushed the panic button without having a proper plan in place. At least, Vanney - as an insider may be able to step in more smoothly than and a come-from-the-outside replacement. But other than that there is very little upside to Bez taking his anger out on RN.
Good luck Vanney. You have inherited a very sceptical fan base. It won't take long for us to turn on you and the GM.
"Failure simply isn't an option at this stage. TFC pushed its chips to the middle of the table when it splurged on Bradley and Defoe and reinforced its bet by making savvy acquisitions elsewhere. This collection of players is capable of delivering on the promises made during the close season. There are no more excuses available for TFC. Only success will continue the process of atoning for the past and establishing a higher standard for the future." FOX Sports
All of this is swept under by 4 points over the next two games.
What? You've never seen a club confirm interest in a player before they move? It's entirely routine for any club that is considering moving a player (which we obviously were), it leads to competing bids from other teams. And we got multiple bids. We just decided to hold off on the sale due to the timing.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
I was talking about TFC. You can draw a line between GMs and managers if you like, but seeing as MLS is unique in that regard relative to world football, I don't see the logic. Managers confirm interest in players all the time. They also deny interest then sell them the next day just as often. I prefer not being lied to.
Who cares if Vanney is interim or not? It's not like signing managers to long contracts made them last here in the past. Every manager here is interim in reality just not in title.
Besides I am sure it was done in part to make Vanney something more than a lame duck for these 10 matches.
Here is what I see.... the last few weeks as been a screw up.
The big issue though is Nelsen. The Team isn't playing.. Nelsen wasn't happy and the team gave up.. because Nelsen couldn't be a professional and motivate the team to win. Instead of working hard and keeping the players going, and keeping Management Politics out of the locker room. he let it effect him and that effected the players.
He had to go.
The big issue people have right now is Vanney doesn't have the word Interim in front of his title.
He was here and he took over.
I don't give a rats ass how the spin it, we are all smart enough to know it is BS. Defoe isn't happy and that may change with the new coach if he gives a crap.
Toronto should be winning... they aren't... it was the coach... and that is trying to be adjusted in a knee jerk reaction. I think Bez said what he said to lay the ground work for looking for a new coach, maybe hoping the public pressure would actually get Nelsen to do something. It didn't he played worse than ever. Then talked crap.
Nelsen is no fired and the Management had to scramble.
Vanny vs Nelsen. Vanney is the type of guy you give a rookie coaching job too. He at least has some coaching experience.
I still think it is a bad move... but I am willing to give him the rest of the season to disappoint us all.
Last edited by Kaz; 09-01-2014 at 07:37 PM.
The Canadian government would not allow C.C.'s wife and kid to remain here long term so he had to leave after winning the most games in TFC history...
I'm not bothered by Vanney's inexperience. It's just for the rest of the season. He and Nelsen are equal in that regard. Nelsen's team was headed in the wrong direction. Vanney either brings an improvement or the status quo. Willing to get behind them and see it play out.
I'm not bothered by Bez being the GM and making key decisions. It's just until a new President is installed. If he stays, it will be because he earned it. It is what it is and in the void of power he is at least seizing it… in some respects.
I'm extremely bothered by the Defoe situation. Like ER and ensco, this public sale process is ridiculous.
Defoe was in England. Bez says they were taking offers on him. Is there anyone left who actually thinks that Defoe wants to be here?
I don't know if I am more annoyed at the fact that they supposedly turned down an offer(s) to keep an aging, injury prone player who wants to leave...
OR
… the fact that they are trying to sell me on the fact that they kept an aging, injury prone player with a groin injury who will be over a month removed from match fitness… and jet lag apparently… and who wants to leave… for the final games of the regular season and a playoff game that will be played in extremely cold weather… while risking this asset that is supposedly going to be sold in January??
Imagine the Leafs saying that they are mulling over an offer on Dion Phaneuf from LA. Dion flys out to LA. They decide no, I guess not. And expect Dion to come back and play? Actually, I probably could imagine the Leafs doing that… not any other NHL team… but certainly a MLSE owned one.
Absolutely ridiculous. Just come out and say what it is. They kept him to snow the fans through the renewal process. That's it.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Last edited by Pookie; 09-01-2014 at 07:47 PM.
Maybe it's because I spend most of my time in the Leafs thread and most of your analysis has happened in there, but I will say this about you ensco: disregarding your initial excitement about TL's candidacy (and you were the first that I can remember to walk your expectations back) your thoughts about TL and the state of MLSE have always been a bellwether for the actual state of the company, regardless of outside appearance.
He's hit the nail on the head throughout this entire thing guys, and face it; the events of the past few weeks since the TL story broke certainly don't give the impression of a ship on its right course. The cracks were there even before that as details of his departure leaked.
Why are you guys saying Vanney is an interim coach? It might turn out that way, but it's clearly not what Bez said.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Okay sure, but to be a little more detailed here: we never hired someone with experience who doesn't come with a "buyer beware" label slapped on them in huge bold letters. If we had done diligence on Preki we'd have known he loses the room quickly with his hard-ass bullshit. And for once, Mo Johnston did something right when that crazy POS wanted to trade Dero - the only reason we had any points in the first place - he vetoed it. The players at Chivas threw a party when he left they hated him so much.
We're asking for a first class coach, question marks next to their name or other red flags.
We are going to live to regret not taking that QPR offer, even if it was fifty cents on the dollar. He might not play an significant number of games for the rest of the year and be gone in January.
Let's not forget the people who got us into this in the first place include all of Leiweke, Nelsen, and Bez. We are going to take a huge hit on this contract, it's only a matter of when it happens.
But that's what happens when you allow inexperienced managers and an experienced hustler to have free reign over your franchise. Maybe the geniuses who have continually skimped on management can start asking themselves how much they could have saved if they just hired someone experienced to run this club properly in the first place.
Really hoping that Vanney is nothing more than a stopgap for the rest of the season - really, what other realistic options did we have at this point? A possible new manager bounce is the only thing that saves this season - even if we make the playoffs, I hope we go for a real manager for 2015. Would be a nice change, instead of being a training wheels club for rookie managers.
Most clubs would say "Jermaine Defoe is not for sale" Look at Chelsea and Torres, or anyone else in the transfer window. At a minimum, it pushes up the price. You are dead on on this one, Ensco, and despite his troubles on the pitch over the past 6 weeks, I do not think you would catch Nelsen making such a rookie mistake.