TFC 2016 In-Season player moves/speculation/rumours/etc.

[Fort York Redcoat]

I don't understand where all this hate for Ricketts. He's called to represent his country and shows up. Floro sees value in him and if he signs than so does TFC. MLS would be a perfect league for him, he can slot in several positions including right back where only cover is Bloom/Hagglund and is fast+strong. Give the guy a chance.

Leftover DeGuz bitter taste of Red n White. Some people will cling to National disappointment for whatever reason.

Value is value. No matter where it comes from.

[Pint]

Leftover DeGuz bitter taste of Red n White. Some people will cling to National disappointment for whatever reason.

Value is value. No matter where it comes from.

Yep, Ricketts on 250k is a bad contract, him on 150k is good value.

The Anti-CMNT bias flows through too many at transfer time.

[MightyDM]

Leave Osorio off the starting 11 and come off the bench, experience on the bench until he proves worthy of starting, my opinion of course

Osorio has played very well this year, particularly when they play him in the middle. I believe he created both goals v Orlando. Excellent touch and creative. Works hard, too. Guess I see something different.

[MightyDM]

Yep, Ricketts on 250k is a bad contract, him on 150k is good value.

The Anti-CMNT bias flows through too many at transfer time.

this thread is a bit bizarre. People talk about our lack of pace then don't want us to get a Player who has pace. Sure he has weaknesses, but this is MLS. They all do. It's how he fits with the rest and we need that kind of player.

[Pint]

this thread is a bit bizarre. People talk about our lack of pace then don't want us to get a Player who has pace. Sure he has weaknesses, but this is MLS. They all do. It's how he fits with the rest and we need that kind of player.

Exactly, if Ricketts had pace, a good 1st touch, a solid cross and could score he wouldn't be coming here for less than DP money... The USMNT starts Zardes and he doesn't have a good 1st touch, solid cross or a good scoring touch.

[Ruffian]

Yep, Ricketts on 250k is a bad contract, him on 150k is good value.

The Anti-CMNT bias flows through too many at transfer time.

Ricketts at 150K is a deal.You will not find a player available to TFC for 150K better than Ricketts for that price. Any player with the talent everyone is wanting is locked up in another contract or would move to a league where they get paid greater than $350K

Osorio has played very well this year, particularly when they play him in the middle. I believe he created both goals v Orlando. Excellent touch and creative. Works hard, too. Guess I see something different.

More Anti-Canada Bias.

[PopePouri]

As long as Edwards gets signed as well, I'm fine with Ricketts. He fulfills a need for a direct player that can stretch defenses and get in behind and he also can play multiple positions along the right side.

He can be decent squad player.

[Ultra & Proud]

Exactly, if Ricketts had pace, a good 1st touch, a solid cross and could score he wouldn't be coming here for less than DP money... The USMNT starts Zardes and he doesn't have a good 1st touch, solid cross or a good scoring touch.

Zardes is a lot better and has a lot higher ceiling than Ricketts to be fair. What you see if what you get with Ricketts. As for goal scoring touch, Zardes has more LA Galaxy goals since 2013 than Ricketts has in his entire club career. That isn't a good comparison.

More Anti-Canada Bias.

This is a two way street because Osorio has been hit and mostly miss all season and I say he gets more credit than he has earned recently because he is Canadian. Even his salary isn't questioned and I think it's a little high for what he has brought to the table so far. This has also been a running theme in our history. Canadians, particularly CMNT players, get a lot more credit and a lot more slack than players from elsewhere.

[Pint]

Zardes is a lot better and has a lot higher ceiling than Ricketts to be fair. What you see if what you get with Ricketts. As for goal scoring touch, Zardes has more LA Galaxy goals since 2013 than Ricketts has in his entire club career. That isn't a good comparison. .

Zardes also makes 472k barely below DP level and I maintain he doesn't have a good 1st touch, his crossing ability is poor and isn't a clinical finisher.

We are bringing in a depth player and hopefully he will be on a depth players salary

[Fort York Redcoat]

This is a two way street because Osorio has been hit and mostly miss all season and I say he gets more credit than he has earned recently because he is Canadian. Even his salary isn't questioned and I think it's a little high for what he has brought to the table so far. This has also been a running theme in our history. Canadians, particularly CMNT players, get a lot more credit and a lot more slack than players from elsewhere.

You and anyone else is free to this opinion but I think the fact you and others raise it proves that overall CMNT players just get TALKED about more

good and bad. Think back to all the DeGuz convos that were full of hyperbole vs this respectful convo

overall I'm thinking I'll take it

[PopePouri]

Zardes is a lot better and has a lot higher ceiling than Ricketts to be fair. What you see if what you get with Ricketts. As for goal scoring touch, Zardes has more LA Galaxy goals since 2013 than Ricketts has in his entire club career. That isn't a good comparison.

Depends where they play. Zardes has now been moved to the wing because of Keane and Dos Santos and he doesn't score. I think Ricketts has been playing wing most of his career.

This is a two way street because Osorio has been hit and mostly miss all season and I say he gets more credit than he has earned recently because he is Canadian. Even his salary isn't questioned and I think it's a little high for what he has brought to the table so far. This has also been a running theme in our history. Canadians, particularly CMNT players, get a lot more credit and a lot more slack than players from elsewhere.

I've seen recent conversations about Babouli that disproves this. We regularly eat our young.

[Ruffian]

Zardes is a lot better and has a lot higher ceiling than Ricketts to be fair. What you see if what you get with Ricketts. As for goal scoring touch, Zardes has more LA Galaxy goals since 2013 than Ricketts has in his entire club career. That isn't a good comparison.

Ricketts is also the leading active goal scorer for CanMNT. He has 12 goals in 50 caps. Those are good numbers since he is not used as a striker but more as a winger.

[ag futbol]

Come on, there are plenty of Canadian players around the club these days. People have varying opinions for sure but I think saying people have anti CMNT bias is a cop-out.

All you have to do is benchmark Ricketts career to other speedy but generally unskilled players around the league. His track record is worse than a Findley, worse than a Oduro, and I'm sure there are a few other names on that list as well we can add to. We have young kids (and surprise, they're mostly Canadian) on this roster right now who can handle being depth. What we need is quality and there's nothing about Ricketts track record that says he's the answer.

Thinking this will go well is irrational.

[Yohan]

Ricketts is also the leading active goal scorer for CanMNT. He has 12 goals in 50 caps. Those are good numbers since he is not used as a striker but more as a winger.

Ricketts scored against such CONCACAF powerhouses like Belize and Dominica. lol

[Ruffian]

Ricketts scored against such CONCACAF powerhouses like Belize and Dominica. lol

Also Jamaica, T&T and Ecuador. Only mentioning the weakest teams he scored against to make him seem worse is a great example of Bias.

[Ultra & Proud]

Also Jamaica, T&T and Ecuador. Only mentioning the weakest teams he scored against to make him seem worse is a great example of Bias.

Yeah but to be fair, he rings it up when we play in the minnow qualifying brackets.

[Stress]

The reassuring thing about Ricketts is that he's been training with us for so long now. They've had a good chance to assess him and unless they made some sort of gentlemans agreement, they could pull chute if he wasn't looking like a good fit.

[Initial B]

I'd take Ricketts at $125K, no more than that.

[Richard]

Thumbs down to the Ricketts move, give the young kids a chance as they have been doing alright so far.

We don't need another player who cant score, don't we have enough forwards/wingers?

Giovinco
Altidore
Hamilton
Endoh
Mo Babouli
Osorio(Occasionally)
Delgado(Occasionally)

Why are we making this move?

Do they seriously think he can score goals for us?

Hamilton has been doing alright filling in so far.

[Onyx]

I'd take Ricketts at $125K, no more than that.

agree.

[Auzzy]

I won't say anything good or bad about Ricketts. I don't know enough about him, haven't seen him play for previous club teams, and don't know details about his performance in various environments.

I will however say what Ricketts is not. He's not a player unearthed somewhere due to great scouting. He's not the possible hidden bargain that many other MLS teams seem to find. Again nobody from South or Central America, or similar countries around the world. Places where there's lots of talent, but a lack of financial stability and other issues, which seems to make many players interested in giving MLS a try at reasonable salaries. Many of those countries also have a great depth of talent available to their national teams, which also means most MLS-calibre players won't be called up all the time, creating more problems with our MLS salary cap; scheduling & travel issues for international training, friendlies, and games; extra wear & tear; etc.

We also have no idea what Ricketts' salary will be. Could be decent, or could be unreasonable. We seem to often pay big bucks for US & Cdn national team players, relative to other players around the league. Apparently our cap situation is dire, while we're also expecting so much from many young & inexperienced players, so that worries me.

There have been some obvious gaps on the squad for many months now. I was just hoping (with Manning, Bez & everyone else in town): that after all these months they would have scored an amazing find to fill at least one major gap. Sure maybe add somebody like Ricketts as well, if he fills a need at an affordable salary. But is that all our scouting network can come up with? Players that have played international games at BMO and other Canadian stadiums, and whose agents probably have the club on speed dial?

[Red CB Toronto]

Ricketts scored against such CONCACAF powerhouses like Belize and Dominica. lol

Ali Gerba was another example of piling on the goals against CONCACAF minnows.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Come on, there are plenty of Canadian players around the club these days. People have varying opinions for sure but I think saying people have anti CMNT bias is a cop-out.

All you have to do is benchmark Ricketts career to other speedy but generally unskilled players around the league. His track record is worse than a Findley, worse than a Oduro, and I'm sure there are a few other names on that list as well we can add to. We have young kids (and surprise, they're mostly Canadian) on this roster right now who can handle being depth. What we need is quality and there's nothing about Ricketts track record that says he's the answer.

Thinking this will go well is irrational.

Anti-CMNT./He's the answer.

The cop-out is breaking it down to that either/or.

I'm glad you're giving comparisons to make it about straight talent but there's people who've followed his career where teams have let him down, too, be it going bankrupt right out of existence or just not paying players. So yeah I would like to see what he could do in our, his own, league. For the right price.

[Fort York Redcoat]

I won't say anything good or bad about Ricketts. I don't know enough about him, haven't seen him play for previous club teams, and don't know details about his performance in various environments.

I will however say what Ricketts is not. He's not a player unearthed somewhere due to great scouting. He's not the possible hidden bargain that many other MLS teams seem to find. Again nobody from South or Central America, or similar countries around the world. Places where there's lots of talent, but a lack of financial stability and other issues, which seems to make many players interested in giving MLS a try at reasonable salaries. Many of those countries also have a great depth of talent available to their national teams, which also means most MLS-calibre players won't be called up all the time, creating more problems with our MLS salary cap; scheduling & travel issues for international training, friendlies, and games; extra wear & tear; etc.

We also have no idea what Ricketts' salary will be. Could be decent, or could be unreasonable. We seem to often pay big bucks for US & Cdn national team players, relative to other players around the league. Apparently our cap situation is dire, while we're also expecting so much from many young & inexperienced players, so that worries me.

There have been some obvious gaps on the squad for many months now. I was just hoping (with Manning, Bez & everyone else in town): that after all these months they would have scored an amazing find to fill at least one major gap. Sure maybe add somebody like Ricketts as well, if he fills a need at an affordable salary. But is that all our scouting network can come up with? Players that have played international games at BMO and other Canadian stadiums, and whose agents probably have the club on speed dial?

When it comes to the lack of scouting I am entirely on side with this opinion. It shouldn't be we all wait until we face OMG WE FACE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SIDES AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!!

ahem

until we face champions league sides that come to visit and wait to see who wants a move to MLS.

[MightyDM]

Come on, there are plenty of Canadian players around the club these days. People have varying opinions for sure but I think saying people have anti CMNT bias is a cop-out.

All you have to do is benchmark Ricketts career to other speedy but generally unskilled players around the league. His track record is worse than a Findley, worse than a Oduro, and I'm sure there are a few other names on that list as well we can add to. We have young kids (and surprise, they're mostly Canadian) on this roster right now who can handle being depth. What we need is quality and there's nothing about Ricketts track record that says he's the answer.

Thinking this will go well is irrational.

it isn't "Quality" that we need, it is certain skills we don't have. Like pace.

we have lots of quality and the younger players have played well - look ar the first Montreal game. Nice football and total dominance. The issue for us lately is getting our Quality on the pitch, and playing like a team ( rather than a one man show) when we do.

[Auzzy]

When it comes to the lack of scouting I am entirely on side with this opinion. It shouldn't be we all wait until we face OMG WE FACE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SIDES AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!!

ahem

until we face champions league sides that come to visit and wait to see who wants a move to MLS.

I agree. If we didn't already have three DPs, I would be worried about them trying to sign somebody who just happened to do well at the Euro Cup. Another type of in-depth scouting that TFC have employed in the past.

TFC seems to be shying away from international friendlies lately. That used to be one of the few ways players (especially from South & Central America) could find their way onto TFC's radar.

Are there no good bargains available by way of YouTube and Wikipedia these days?

[Fort York Redcoat]

I agree. If we didn't already have three DPs, I would be worried about them trying to sign somebody who just happened to do well at the Euro Cup. Another type of in-depth scouting that TFC have employed in the past.

TFC seems to be shying away from international friendlies lately. That used to be one of the few ways players (especially from South & Central America) could find their way onto TFC's radar.

Are there no good bargains available by way of YouTube and Wikipedia these days?

No friendlies because of the groundshare. It's fine as long as we keep making CCL. I'd rather they scout AS WELL but...

[Auzzy]

No friendlies because of the groundshare. It's fine as long as we keep making CCL. I'd rather they scout AS WELL but...

Yes it was all supposed to be a bad joke. None of that replaces scouting. I'm just "reminiscing" (and not in a good way) about all the methods TFC has used to find players in the past, in apparent absence of decent scouting. (And apparently Barry MacLean is still around as well???!!!)

Then again, maybe they'll find out one of the Argos players, or someone from one of the visiting CFL teams, is good at footy too.

[Bobo]

it isn't "Quality" that we need, it is certain skills we don't have. Like pace.

we have lots of quality and the younger players have played well - look ar the first Montreal game. Nice football and total dominance. The issue for us lately is getting our Quality on the pitch, and playing like a team ( rather than a one man show) when we do.

Quality is overrated. I heard Usain Bolt was looking to start his footballing career.

[Pint]

No friendlies because of the groundshare. It's fine as long as we keep making CCL. I'd rather they scout AS WELL but...

Not exactly, no friendlies because manning doesn't agree with them and because players dislike them.