Defoe out also?

[Cashcleaner]

I agree with most people saying that Defoe moving out won't be too big of an issue as long as he is properly replaced - or even Bradley for that matter. But that's really a big "if", isn't it? I could see the brass at MLSE saying that they've spent enough on TFC this season (despite possibly making money from dealing out Defoe and Bradley) and Bez would have to make do with the current roster and maybe a few filler players brought in solely to cover our departed FW and MF. Is it possible the board is giving up on this season with the intention to reset things (AGAIN) for 2015?

[molenshtain]

I posted this in the transfer rumours section but it's applicable here:

Rumours are many people have seen Defoe house hunting in Shephards Bush.

[Jack]

I agree with most people saying that Defoe moving out won't be too big of an issue as long as he is properly replaced - or even Bradley for that matter. But that's really a big "if", isn't it? I could see the brass at MLSE saying that they've spent enough on TFC this season (despite possibly making money from dealing out Defoe and Bradley) and Bez would have to make do with the current roster and maybe a few filler players brought in solely to cover our departed FW and MF. Is it possible the board is giving up on this season with the intention to reset things (AGAIN) for 2015?

I can't see them giving up on the season with us sitting in a playoff spot with games in hand. They might not all be football people, but they must be able to read the standings.

[v00d00daddy]

If we can get 11 million for a 31-year-old with bad hamstrings and groins, it's not a bad thing. I love his goal-scoring, but he had missed a lot of time this season and his injuries will get worse as he gets older, especially with the MLS schedule and playing surfaces. Going with Gilberto up front and bringing back Laba would be alright in my book, as would bringing in someone more creative. That said, we could probably get more out of Oso's creativity. I'd like to see a three-man mid with Osorio and Bradley in front of Warner as the destroyer, Gilberto up top between Moore and Oduro. I hope Bez can turn this situation into something positive.

I have to look at this in a positive perspective because holy fuck.

I love what you're thinking. Maybe spend some cash on a central defender to run that back line. Someone a bit better than Caldwell. Don't hate the guy but he's too slow and too predictable. Can't distribute.

I'd love to see the midfield you brought up. That would be great service for Gilberto, Moore, Dike etc.

[Richard]

I say sell him at that price, that's basically robbery at this point with all the injuries he has.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Kills me that we wait until the end of the transfer window to start looking.

Kills me that the team imploded right now. If some one saw this series of events happening at this time they probably wouldn't be waiting till now to deal.

[brad]

MLS would also prefer Bradley with a US club… you'd think. Tim L was the reason he was here. I'd say both are risks.

I'd be fine with losing Defoe as he's really not here anyways. Bradley would be a bigger loss IMO as there are no immediate replacements.

i wonder who is in the driving seat with regards to Laba's future - us or Vancouver. Based on performances this year, it Bradley out and Laba back would be a solid move

[molenshtain]

i wonder who is in the driving seat with regards to Laba's future - us or Vancouver. Based on performances this year, it Bradley out and Laba back would be a solid move

qoutes all over that Laba is gone for good. significant allocation is what we'll receive in return.

[69Chevy396]

Striker Remy left QPR yesterday. Coincidence they are calling on Defoe now?

[brad]

qoutes all over that Laba is gone for good. significant allocation is what we'll receive in return.

I read those as well, but I am wondering if this all changes the situation. Particularity if there is any smoke about the Bradley rumours.

[Jack]

I love what you're thinking. Maybe spend some cash on a central defender to run that back line. Someone a bit better than Caldwell. Don't hate the guy but he's too slow and too predictable. Can't distribute.

I'd love to see the midfield you brought up. That would be great service for Gilberto, Moore, Dike etc.

I think it would be a more flexible tactic and also use our players better.

[ag futbol]

Agreed more ability on the ball is needed from our backline. I wouldn't expect any moves until next year though.

[NolbertoS]

qoutes all over that Laba is gone for good. significant allocation is what we'll receive in return.

Maybe Van is paying all of Laba's transfer fees to TFC, as MLS doesn't allow cash transfers between clubs. With all rhe money TFC is gettin next season, spend it on a young DP, preferably South American, like Argentinian and Uruguayan. Kevin Payne had the right idea, but he couldn't make the process go faster and smoother. I'm sure TFC will spend and splash next season too.

[DOMIN8R]

ESPN stating that Defoe QPR move may be a loan.

[greatwhitenorf]

As first reported many weeks ago by MOI, Defoe is off.

His family were told when he arrived that he was here to try to earn a spot on England's WC squad. Since he wasn't a starter at Spurs and they wouldn't sell him to a quality PL side, he took this option to try and force Roy Hodgson's hand. Score prolifically in MLS and hope his rivals flounder just enough to book a trip to Rio.

Didn't work and he's totally been on the rag ever since.

Now, Harry Redknapp is hoping he'll accept a long-standing offer to join QPR. By all accounts from family sources here in Toronto, it's virtually a done deal. Crystal Palace would be his fall-back option if something didn't work out with QPR. But highly unlikely. Doubtful that he'll ever play for us again.

I'm a Spurs fan. But I'll never cheer for Defoe again.

[Gazza]

Like sands through the hour glass...

...losing Defoe AND Laba, soooo TFC.

[burlington Red]

MLS would also prefer Bradley with a US club… you'd think. Tim L was the reason he was here. I'd say both are risks.

I'd be fine with losing Defoe as he's really not here anyways. Bradley would be a bigger loss IMO as there are no immediate replacements.

Replace Bradley with Laba or comparable, Bradley has been poor for us bar first couple of games

[OgtheDim]

Replace Bradley with Laba or comparable, Bradley has been poor for us bar first couple of games

Laba can't pass like Bradley & can't lead like Bradley can.

You can use Laba as an important piece in a team puzzle. You can build a team around Bradley (at MLS level).

Both are good players, but, all other things being equal, teams would pick Bradley over Laba.

[molenshtain]

Replace Bradley with Laba or comparable, Bradley has been poor for us bar first couple of games

he's not been "poor", just not as good as he was. He's had working within a system in which none of the players around him have defined roles and hes being asked to mask all of their deficiencies. couple that not having an actual break since last summer and a mountain of unwarranted hate after the world cup and I don't blame him for his not giving the best performances. We'll see the real Bradley next season.

[Cashcleaner]

I can't see them giving up on the season with us sitting in a playoff spot with games in hand. They might not all be football people, but they must be able to read the standings.

Giving up might not be the best way to say it. But installing Vanney to me suggests that the organization is gonna work with what they have for now and likely won't splash out for any major additions at least for the moment. I think replacements will be made if and when they are needed, but we shouldn't be expecting It's a Bloody Big Deal Version 2.0.

Of course, nothing about any players leaving has been confirmed and we're talking about very finite timespans, so this whole discussion could be moot.

[Jack]

Giving up might not be the best way to say it. But installing Vanney to me suggests that the organization is gonna work with what they have for now and likely won't splash out for any major additions at least for the moment. I think replacements will be made if and when they are needed, but we shouldn't be expecting It's a Bloody Big Deal Version 2.0.

Of course, nothing about any players leaving has been confirmed and we're talking about very finite timespans, so this whole discussion could be moot.

I think we still have a good enough roster to be in the playoffs and we've won without Defoe. Bez can make deals happen inside the league and we do have some assets. Maybe Vanney can get these guys going a bit better. I don't know enough about him to have an opinion.

[Super]

Neil Crawford ‏@Neil1892 11m
SSN reporter "Jermaine Defoe understood to be disillusioned with the [MLS] league" - A big embarassment for #MLS and #TFC

[gate7]

good ridden……never saw him as anything more than a marketing ploy anyway.

[gate7]

sure he's a natural goal scorer……but at 1mil per goal no thank you

[Cashcleaner]

I think we still have a good enough roster to be in the playoffs and we've won without Defoe. Bez can make deals happen inside the league and we do have some assets. Maybe Vanney can get these guys going a bit better. I don't know enough about him to have an opinion.

Oh for sure. Given what we can still put on the pitch despite Defoe or Bradley's possible departure, playoffs is still within reach. Guys like Moore, Oso, Oduro, etc. are more than capable of stepping up if needed. Gilberto already proved to us he can as well.

Honestly, I'm not all that worried. We still have 10 games to go.

[OgtheDim]

Neil Crawford ‏@Neil1892 11m
SSN reporter "Jermaine Defoe understood to be disillusioned with the [MLS] league" - A big embarassment for #MLS and #TFC

Sky Sports News

About as valid a source as a bookie. (i.e. they say whatever they want to say to get eyeballs))

[shwade]

Hopefully the bids were rejected by Jermain or had his approval for rejection and he wants to give this another try.

[jazzy]

he's not been "poor", just not as good as he was. He's had working within a system in which none of the players around him have defined roles and hes being asked to mask all of their deficiencies. couple that not having an actual break since last summer and a mountain of unwarranted hate after the world cup and I don't blame him for his not giving the best performances. We'll see the real Bradley next season.

we'll see the real Bradley next game......or we're really in trouble, but if he is set free and there is any sense to this mish-mash , we'll find out pretty soon if Mr. Bradley comes as advertised .

[jloome]

we'll see the real Bradley next game......or we're really in trouble, but if he is set free and there is any sense to this mish-mash , we'll find out pretty soon if Mr. Bradley comes as advertised .

I think there's a general difference in approach to football, sometimes, between people who've spent a lot of time in Europe, where managing egos is job one a lot of the time because the technique is ingrained, and North America, where work ethic and tenacity are valued over technique. Here, as much as it may break down sometimes, team tactical interplay has to trump individual efforts because of both the cap parity and the lack of a soccer knowledge base from an early age.

The consequence of this is that when a team has a predominant number of players from both cultures, you have a lot of conflict. I think the Canadian player mentality is closer to the British one, because the CSA has allowed them to act for years like they're doing the country a favor.

At the same time, I think the American mentality has taken too long to change and be tactically and developmentally flexible. So both have their ups and downs. To my way of rationalizing it, however, the former is far more expensive than the latter to maintain. If we'd taken the approach of a Ben Olsen or Jay Heaps, and hired a guy like Vanney in the first place (or Carl Robinson, who is far more like the American player than a Brit in approach and humility) we might not be in this mess. Again.

I have no idea yet whether to be optimistic about Vanney. I am, however, a little more optimistic about his background. Maybe Bez has just decided to copy what a lot of other MLS teams have done, which is hire guys with a lot of MLS experience.

[OfficeGuy]

MLS is as MLS does .... teams that do well have former players, execs and veteran coaches that have MLS ingrained in them ...Columbus Coach Berhalter is a great example of this ...... Sigi from Seattle too .... look at Carl Robinson and his tenure at VWC ..... It's time for MLSE to scout proper players from outside of Europe and to empower ppl that understand our league