^ they have more than one guy, just like they did when they got Giovinco, that's why more than one description.
People are giving opinions that TFC are trying to fool the fans as if that is a fact, but really it's just opinion. Could be true, could be false. There's no real basis to evaluate.
My take is to be calm until the transfer window is open. Obviously nobody is coming until then.
I don't know man, I am usually the first to give the benefit of the doubt, but I get the sense they were really ill prepared for this situation, what a clusterf*CK.Originally Posted by Oldtimer
It is possible that Manning and Curtis are brilliantly devious and allowed KJ to do the "are you going to stay' interview knowing that it would function as an advertisement and that it would smoke out offers for Seba, hoping and planning that he would get an offer that would be good enough for him to leave, already having set up the endgame of negotiations for a suitable replacement.
They don't strike me as that machiavellian, so I think it is more likely that they believed there would be no interest and it would force Seba to come to the table. (that is consistent with all they have said) In that case, they had not set up the endgame of negotiations for a suitable replacement and were more likely talking to them about June or next year. Which means they are in a difficult place because they are negotiating from a place of weakness. In other words - someone will come in, but odds are not to hold our breath that they will have the impact of Seba or VV. its just too unlikely.
Plus they need three or four players at this point. lets not forget that.
Last edited by MightyDM; 02-03-2019 at 09:49 PM.
Yeah but that was actually never said. You're making it what you wanted to hear for your narrative. Manning said "up there with the highest mls transfer fees". There is a big difference.
The line about Seba that I read here a lot is "Seba wanted to be here"...
I feel like even he was using that line to use the fans, as a way to get paid way more than he is worth.
Bottom line is he could have been here, making way more than anyone else was willing to pay him, except for SA.
His choice to leave, he didn't want to be here, he wanted to make money(which is ok).
Get the feeling we are on the verge of this either coming out ok , depending on the signings, or this being a repeat of last year or worse, don't think this will be an in-between type of season , we either regroup or completely suck.
Well you're taking what Seba said & did, and fitting it to your narrative.
That's why I like to stay in the middle: nobody handled this as well as they could have. Fingers crossed management can still make some great signings, despite players & agents knowing that you absolutely need to make those signings.
Except that I'm not making up any narrative because he actually could have been here. That is a fact. He was offered a contract extension, and in fact was even currently WITH a contract that would have kept him here through this coming season - also a fact. I'm not here to defend the Corp, because I don't care much for them one way or another, but this was all Seba's doing. He created the distraction, forced managements hand, and in turn he's playing for a ton of money elsewhere. If he wanted to be here like he said, he could have been, and should have been happy with what he was going to be paid(more than anywhere but where he went). That's the story, but it's not mine.
Let's see what happens in the next couple weeks, if we take MLSE at their word, they're going to spend. I feel like they have to. It wouldn't help Manning/Curtis' case at all if they are just throwing around bold signing statements without actually following through on a new quality dp, and other support players. They would forever be untrusted by the fan base.
Nobody handled this as well as they could have.
There are a zillion players who could come here and be top notch. The problem is that it’s difficult to convince players to leave their intended career behind and get paid here instead of waiting for a transfer for more relevant leagues.
While Atlanta has supposedly done this, Josef was a languishing forward who sucked at Torino. We may be in MLS 3.0, but the Almiron signing is nearly meaningless considering he went to Newcastle when Rafa would quit without signings (and who aren’t doing so well in any case), Barco hasn’t impressed, Piatti is a star on a trash team, etc. Seba was the highest paid Italian in the world until Pellè dunked China and I think even Pirlo (albeit older) was a household name, longstanding member of the Italian national team, a god at Juve, just played in the CL, etc. and was absolutely garbage here.
If you could convince young players to play here on Seba salaries, you could get players like Gnabry, Coman, Nkunku, etc. But young players in Europe aren’t going to give up a career to play in NA, unfortunately.
Bummer, we were starting to talk mostly about possible players, direction to go with the team, etc. But it seems a few folks still want to re-litigate & re-hash. I have no problems pontificating for a couple of paragraphs how things could have been handled better, but it's really starting to get old in here, and who's going to read it anyway. Maybe that should go in a different thread, if at all.
Thanks stego for starting to take it in the right direction again.
Last edited by Auzzy; 02-03-2019 at 11:17 PM.
With only 16 days until their Champions League opener down in Panama I just hope the TFC braintrust does not rush into anything. Now if they have to sign a minimum salary body or two for depth that's fine. That's something you can get out of rather easily down the line ala Mino.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
I agree! It will be hard to tough that out, people will be expecting BIG THINGS or they'll start freaking. However if the right long-term deal isn't there yet, I also think that loans can work out great.
Gilberto ! Scored again today for Bahia, ( apparently was a golaco, bicycle style ) something like 6 goals in his last 4 games. That guy loved it here.
Last edited by azorean; 02-03-2019 at 11:49 PM.
It’s crucial that they get the next DP(s) right... shouldn’t rush if it is not the right person.
This is more then a transition, this is an entire systemized revamp of the way this franchise operates as a whole. As I've stated before, spending a 100 million on Bradley, Giovinco, Altidore and Defoe is not a sustainable model and our - 10 million in operating income (according to Forbes) and minimal TV growth has probably lead TFC to changing it's direction.
We bought our selves a ring with Maple Leafs and Raptors money (it's true) and we need to develop more talent at the grass roots level. This team has developed one starting calibre player in it's history and they were just embarrassed by a USL squad. The system is flawed. There is no predictable model/system for developing talent.
This team needs to find/develop/acquire Miazga, Osorio, Janson, Alberth Elis, Zimmerman tier players without spending a fortune and they need to do it consistently.
It comes down to developing a top academy and buying lots of players when they are young.
This how I see the model moving forward.
X amount of money into the acedemy to graduate 2 new players per season.
X amount of money into buying top tier young talent (spend big on transfer fees, low on salary, i.e.: De Rossi, Almiron, Kaku)
X amount of money into buying middle tier young talent (Mavinga, Urruti, Laba)
X amount of money into buying lower tier young talent (Auro Jr)
They will likely only spend big on a Giovinco or Carlos Vela type player; when a foundation is set and we are aiming for a championship, which we are not right now.
For those that think we can't operate like a big club (like Chelsea) "buys Miazga, build his values, sells" Toronto will do this on a small scale level, I guarantee it.
How do I know? Because that is literally the next level in MLS evolution. They want to be a top league in the world by 2022 and this is how you do it. The numbers won't be 70 million on transfer fees but we're going to get involved hard in recruiting and competing for top young talent to buy and sell as well as pour money into the academy. We're going to build strategic and long lasting partnerships with top South American clubs.
If anyone is suspecting them to buy 3 players above 26 years old in the prime of there career, you're wrong. Manning said the supposed signing will make sense to those that understand soccer aka the economics behind sustainability.
Last edited by Defoe; 02-04-2019 at 01:34 AM.
TFC is a much tougher sell to new players then it ever was previously for Manning.
Seba was a real competitive weapon in bringing others in.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
This is like saying, "there's always room for improvement"… lol
Am I sad to see Giovinco go, Yes
Am I disappointed that both parties could not negotiate, Yes
Do I think Giovinco was the most exciting player TFC has had so far, Yes
Am I anticipating new signings, Yes
Let's get on with it.
You say that as if it's an established fact, no player has actually said that Seba brought them here. We could have said the same about Defoe.
I'm more concerned about budget. A lot of players are just about the $$$$.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Thanks for participating, mister engagement. lol
I think this is probably right. Take the time to get the right player. The wrong player can set us back a year or two, as we saw with Defoe. Focus on being a stout defensive team in the first half of the season, and hopefully we can get a DP striker in the summer window. Seattle has made it a tradition to have a crap first half of the season then come on strong. We can do that.
That is a tiresome complaint. It’s my opinion, it's hardly controversial, and I stand by it. Everything here is opinion, who is kidding who?
Of course dollars are the most important thing, but they are far from the only thing. Players want to win, and to enjoy the experience. Playing with special players is a major draw. Do you seriously think it didn't matter to VV, Cheyrou, Mavinga, vdW, Aketxe? Had a look at what is going on in the NBA lately?
I don’t know what our message is on any of that that.
Last edited by ensco; 02-04-2019 at 10:10 AM.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
Guys I'm gonna throw out Origi's name one more time. Out of favour at Liverpool. On the cusp of Belgian team. About to run into the last year of his contract. Only 23. And he's the right kind of character. Guy is a baller.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/divo...spieler/148368
Just FYI, I said quite specifically it was my opinion.
It's not as if the cupboard is bare though. I think we can entice a quality AM and a quality winger/striker to play with Altidore and Bradley. Osorio is quality as well.
Playing for one year max with an unhappy player is not a draw. The other two guys are good players but they are pieces of the puzzle (you could throw Mavinga in their too), they don’t really meet the standard I am talking about.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
He could be very good. I'm not sure at his age he's willing to leave Europe. But I'd be happy with that signing.
Nice.
Thank you. Commentator is the DP we need.
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