TFC 2022 player in-season roster discussion

[Bobo]

Balotelli was a nut case , not anymore, cleaned up his act big time, I take Balo in a NY minute , as the more I watch JJ the more I’m beginning to believe this is another poor decision made by Coach Bradley . I am correct that we are paying JJ close to a million a season?

He punched a teammate last year after getting substituted.

For a clown that’s underperforming he sure fooled Roberto Mancini who called Mario up for the national team this year. Guess Roberto should call on the brilliant minds of some RPB contributors first for their top notch opinions on players.

Mancini called him to a training camp, not for games. Everyone and their brother got an invite to that camp.

Having done an exhaustive review of transfermarkt, as one does, I have concluded that if TFC is bringing in an Italian striker, it's Berardi from Sassuolo.

He is moving this summer. He is just turning 28, and has been a scoring machine over there.

Every major club in Europe is rumoured to be in on him. Sassuolo want 50M euros for him, but the whole deal would be what, 100M euros? Not that much more than Insigne. I mean, what is money for? Are we all in on the Italian Job, or not?

The leaders for him were supposedly Roma but they just signed Dybala… the flaw in my theory would be that it seems he is not a true striker, he plays a lot of winger, we seem full up on expensive Italians with that profile… but so what.

He's available. He's Italian. Shock and awe baby. Lets go.

His wife said they are willing to live anywhere in the world.

https://football-italia.net/berardi-...eave-sassuolo/

Berardi is a right winger. I don't think I've ever seen him play as a striker. It does make his goal-scoring record all the more prolific, though.

EDIT - Transfermarkt actually says he's played 24 career games as a second striker and 14 as a center forward (mainly years ago and probably out of necessity). But 268 on the right.

[ag futbol]

5 star observation here. Bravo. Been waiting to make it, wanted to do something funny, you beat me to it. I absolutely bet Bogers sells sooner than later.

My point is subdidiary to that, more that Larry T is taking advantage of the fact that Bell and Rogers have so many other things to worry about that they have “lost track” of little TFC, and Larry is exploiting the vacuum to get these big signings done.

You’re right, could well be the case re: power Vacuum.

I wonder if they’d ever sell off TFC individually but that just seems unlikely given how tightly everything is glued together now (with marketing and other ops)

[rydermike]

MLS free agents for the end of the season have been released: https://mlsplayers.org/news/2023-fre...t-list-release

On TFC's side of things, Bono and Oso are both out of contract. We have options on Mavinga and Auro. I think this means we have Bradley for another season then.

Auro having a contract option....So he had two option years then, I thought you could only have one, since we picked up an option on his contract for the 2022 season. Also makes the fact that his loan to Santos included a purchase option. I had been confused how there was a purchase option on the loan if his contract was expiring at the end of 2022, now it makes sense with the option.

Also, the fact that Pozuelo is not a free agent (since doesn't have 5 years of MLS experience), makes me feel like we should've been able to squeeze a bit more out of Inter Miami. A team that wants to sign him if he stays in MLS, will have to send over another 50/100k GAM or so to get his rights. So, basically, we traded Poz for 50k GAM.

[reggie]

Like I said earlier, his career is 80% meh. How were his 3 years prior to last season in Turkey?

This is the prototypical big gamble player. Could be okay, could be shit, or could sabaotage your whole dressing room.

last point on this ...he scored 40 n france from 16 to 19 and like 28 the last 3 years in about 60 games.i think he can still score .but is worth the headache prob not

[rydermike]

Is Mario Balotelli a good goalscorer. Yes.
Is Mario Balotelli worth the headache. Probably not.

This isn't Xbox Fifa where you can just look at a player's overall. Same reason why the Brooklyn Nets want to get rid of Kyrie Irving (and why no team really wants him). Amazing talent. Not worth the headache.

[MikeForbes]

Escobar, Tinnerholm or Callens from that FA list would definitely help the backline. Long will be a target for every team in MLS.

[reggie]

Is Mario Balotelli a good goalscorer. Yes.
Is Mario Balotelli worth the headache. Probably not.

This isn't Xbox Fifa where you can just look at a player's overall. Same reason why the Brooklyn Nets want to get rid of Kyrie Irving (and why no team really wants him). Amazing talent. Not worth the headache.

yes for sure,but i jus wanna be entertained ,i couldnt give a ratz ass on what goes on in the dressing room.last season bad dressing bottom of the league,this season good dressing room bottom of the league,jus entertain me between the white lines

[jloome]

Escobar, Tinnerholm or Callens from that FA list would definitely help the backline. Long will be a target for every team in MLS.

Tinnerholm will either get a better deal or head back to Europe, I imagine, as he’s playing above the league level most of the time. You’d think NYFC would move whatever they had to to keep him.

Long is less consistent than he used to but would still be a great get.

Steres is great one game, shit the next. He’s a weird one to judge.

Moutinho was Bob’s first draft pick in LA’s expansion year. But he was also shipped off quickly to Orlando where he’s become a regular at left back (but apparently has now switched to center back).

Some decent pickups there assuming they aren’t re-signed.

[Bushmancan]

5 star observation here. Bravo. Been waiting to make it, wanted to do something funny, you beat me to it. I absolutely bet Bogers sells sooner than later.

My point is subdidiary to that, more that Larry T is taking advantage of the fact that Bell and Rogers have so many other things to worry about that they have “lost track” of little TFC, and Larry is exploiting the vacuum to get these big signings done.

The Apple deal definitely changes things but a point of clarification... MLSE is a bit of a perfect storm for Bogers (haha), they are more than Telcos, they are also media companies and content providers who have continually made money. The structure of MLSE allows them to keep the teams (Leafs, TFC, Raptors) results off their books, unlike the BlueJays, where Rogers has to directly roll the Blue Jays financials into the overall company... (https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/blue-jay...ofit-1.1631476).

TFC generally still has been a rounding error compared to some individual NBA or NHL salaries.

[bought with blo]

Auro having a contract option....So he had two option years then, I thought you could only have one, since we picked up an option on his contract for the 2022 season. Also makes the fact that his loan to Santos included a purchase option. I had been confused how there was a purchase option on the loan if his contract was expiring at the end of 2022, now it makes sense with the option.

Also, the fact that Pozuelo is not a free agent (since doesn't have 5 years of MLS experience), makes me feel like we should've been able to squeeze a bit more out of Inter Miami. A team that wants to sign him if he stays in MLS, will have to send over another 50/100k GAM or so to get his rights. So, basically, we traded Poz for 50k GAM.

Unlike many MLS free agents, Poz could sign anywhere in the world for free, right now. No money 💰 no return, just hanging around taking up a DP spot not wanting to be here not wanting to get injured.

We might let him go early, in which case we get a small fee that we can't use against the salary cap, which is therefore essentially nothing. 150 k and a DP spot is not nothing. That ability to sign Fede came from our selling Poz.

I think that alone makes the opportunity cost a win. Getting something along with the free DP spot was good business. Especially for a guy with a no trade clause. Finding a willing partner in MLS that Poz was willing to play for. Really good business.

[jloome]

Unlike many MLS free agents, Poz could sign anywhere in the world for free, right now. No money  no return, just hanging around taking up a DP spot not wanting to be here not wanting to get injured.

We might let him go early, in which case we get a small fee that we can't use against the salary cap, which is therefore essentially nothing. 150 k and a DP spot is not nothing. That ability to sign Fede came from our selling Poz.

I think that alone makes the opportunity cost a win. Getting something along with the free DP spot was good business. Especially for a guy with a no trade clause. Finding a willing partner in MLS that Poz was willing to play for. Really good business.

Poz says he initiated it. Did an interview with a paper in Miami where he said he approached management about moving him there because he wanted to be with his girlfriend, in a Spanish community.

Sorta makes his whole “I’ll re-sign for less” interview seem a bit disingenuous, or this one. Maybe some face saving going on.

[portu]

The Poz trade has very little obvious utility. All it looks like is that we got weaker for no money. And I can’t imagine Poz of all people being a toxic presence in the dressing room to have to move right away.

You have to think we could have held out to watch Salcedo unfold.

[Ultra & Proud]

The Poz trade has very little obvious utility. All it looks like is that we got weaker for no money. And I can’t imagine Poz of all people being a toxic presence in the dressing room to have to move right away.

Not toxic but if he requested to go to Miami and only Miami because of his girlfriend and her family then we were at a disadvantage. He would have walked and went there in 14 matches anyway since everyone knows we wouldn't be bringing him back. Those two factors mean we get the shaft on value.

And if he asked to go and we said no then you might get a toxic player for the remainder of 2022. This is as much helping the player out as it is clearing a DP spot as was Salcedo's move back to Mexico. I am glad we are doing things this way now and not in the old dickhead way we used to operate during the dark years that gave our FO a bad look throughout MLS.

[OgtheDim]

The Poz trade has very little obvious utility. All it looks like is that we got weaker for no money. And I can’t imagine Poz of all people being a toxic presence in the dressing room to have to move right away.

You have to think we could have held out to watch Salcedo unfold.

I am beginning to wonder if Poz just said "Trade me to Miami if you can because I'm not fitting in here" & Bradley went with it.

[jabbronies]

I am beginning to wonder if Poz just said "Trade me to Miami if you can because I'm not fitting in here" & Bradley went with it.

Well, they could've kept him for 6 months and forced him to play a system that he didn't fit into - or get something for him now and move on.

I would have also picked the later considering the intentions of the club to double down on a system that better suited 2 extremely expensive DPs and a newly acquired CM.

As great as Poz is, it made no sense to completely alter your game plan in order to accomodate his style of play - a style that would potentially have negative effects on the bigger pieces/picture. A style that in 6 months would be obsolete. No point in wasting 6 months of team building for a couple extra wins and a potentially short playoff run.

TFC doesn't care about wins right now. They care about building a foundation. I think TFC supporters have a hard time seeing this.

[leedsandTFC]

looking at the players entering free agency this off season and it becomes clear how much the contracts given out after 2017 hampered the club.

bono is making almost 2X as much as maxime crepeau...

[jloome]

TFC doesn't care about wins right now. They care about building a foundation. I think TFC supporters have a hard time seeing this.

I think literally everyone here knows this, it’s been said over and over. Most of us aren’t really reacting logically a lot of the time, myself included, for a variety of reasons.

What we are, in varying degrees, is impatient with the results. Partly, it’s because many of us have been calling for a rebuild since 2019. Partly, it’s because we all sat through last year’s debacle.

While the team is right to do it at the pace that suits the best acquisitions, the reality is that it feels to a fan like something that should partly be driven by impetus, and therefore have a sense of constant momentum.

That’s not realistic, I realize, because it’s not how football transfers work. But it’s a natural emotional reaction, not aided by apprehension over some of the incredibly stupid decisions the club has made with personnel in the past.

The shell-shock of the last two seasons will probably subside pretty quickly if we start winning with Insigne and Bernadeschi in the lineup, even if kids are still playing too significant a role for their ability levels.

[portu]

I’m not encouraged by our dealings in the last two windows. They come off as really blind and lacking in strategy. The movement of players without any remediation plan or clear direction. The total lack of acquisitions which address critical areas on the pitch.

I think I would be far more forgiving if they were better justifying the activities they do take. Right now, it really just seems like they do not care about what happens on the pitch. (You can find my posts - my expectations this season were 2014-2015 level not contending).

I want to be fair and say this is a large task, because it is, but really they knew this was a large task and had time to prepare. Bob’s ownership of roster questions in the Bernie presser inclines me to put further onus on him for these moves.

[Ultra & Proud]

I think literally everyone here knows this.

Not so sure about this. A lot of people seem to think a rebuild can be 75% done in one winter window and the other 25% in the spring when all the windows are closed.

[jloome]

Not so sure about this. A lot of people seem to think a rebuild can be 75% done in one winter window and the other 25% in the spring when all the windows are closed.

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

[Canary10]

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

It would be nice to see some sort of trajectory toward improvement too, recognizing there will be bumps along the way. I'm not sure I'm seeing real improvement. Feels more like we're just waiting for the DPs to rescue us.

[ag futbol]

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

The most frustrating thing here is we wasted last year. First with Armas and Curtis, then taking too long to find a replacement.

Bob might be great but I don’t think he was worth waiting for and delaying the start of the rebuild.

[bought with blo]

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

Charlotte also has all the expansion AM and zero preexisting contracts. It is harder to rebuild than build. Especially in MLs and especially against expansion teams and all the advantages they are given.

[Mr. Inbetween]

I think literally everyone here knows this, it’s been said over and over. Most of us aren’t really reacting logically a lot of the time, myself included, for a variety of reasons.

What we are, in varying degrees, is impatient with the results. Partly, it’s because many of us have been calling for a rebuild since 2019. Partly, it’s because we all sat through last year’s debacle.

While the team is right to do it at the pace that suits the best acquisitions, the reality is that it feels to a fan like something that should partly be driven by impetus, and therefore have a sense of constant momentum.

That’s not realistic, I realize, because it’s not how football transfers work. But it’s a natural emotional reaction, not aided by apprehension over some of the incredibly stupid decisions the club has made with personnel in the past.

The shell-shock of the last two seasons will probably subside pretty quickly if we start winning with Insigne and Bernadeschi in the lineup, even if kids are still playing too significant a role for their ability levels.

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

An micro example and brief glimpse of the human condition.

[ensco]

100% of TFC fans know about, understand and accept the rebuild.

It's the repeated punting of assets for nothing that is getting on everyone's nerves. Lawrence, Auro, that high Superdraft pick, Poz.

[bought with blo]

Charlotte also has all the expansion AM and zero preexisting contracts. It is harder to rebuild than build. Especially in MLs and especially against expansion teams and all the advantages they are given.

Also Charlotte have blown the budget on INT spots. Given that they are unlikely to get green cards for those players by year's end they will need to get more INT spots just to keep players under contract. They wil likely have spent 1/3 of their AM on INT spots, and will be hitting the expansion wall a year earlier than most due to profligate spending on roster spots not players.

[leedsandTFC]

I’m not encouraged by our dealings in the last two windows. They come off as really blind and lacking in strategy. The movement of players without any remediation plan or clear direction. The total lack of acquisitions which address critical areas on the pitch.

I think I would be far more forgiving if they were better justifying the activities they do take. Right now, it really just seems like they do not care about what happens on the pitch. (You can find my posts - my expectations this season were 2014-2015 level not contending).

I want to be fair and say this is a large task, because it is, but really they knew this was a large task and had time to prepare. Bob’s ownership of roster questions in the Bernie presser inclines me to put further onus on him for these moves.

i disagree, i think the recruitment has been pointed and purposeful, if not as fast as many of us would have liked.

insigne, bernardeschi, MAK, criscito all players that can play ably in a 4-3-3, the team is coming together fairly well imo.

[Bushmancan]

100% of TFC fans know about, understand and accept the rebuild.

It's the repeated punting of assets for nothing that is getting on everyone's nerves. Lawrence, Auro, that high Superdraft pick, Poz.

Exactly, in particular i didn't get the Superdraft... i know its a shot in the dark that we could make the payoffs but we might just take the wooden spoon. If the latter, that pick should have been conditional.

The one good thing that could come out of this is the victory against Montreal in the CCL, we cannot take Vancouver for granted. We will have another window to prepare for next years CCL.

[jloome]

The fact that very little seems to be coming back now probably isn’t helping, it’s true.

If we have something they want, we should try to pry Ryan Hollingshead away from FC Dallas. He’s consistent, can play both wingback and fullback and has two good feet, so can play both sides of the pitch.

He’s an excellent MLS fullback and he’s about to enter free agency. We could trade for him, then sign him to a pre-contract for next year.

[Ultra & Proud]

I mean… my argument was that we say that but we don’t mean it. I’m one of the ones who says it. It’s extrapolating our frustration from the past two years and laying it on one transfer window.

And they COULD do more… but possibly not get the people they want. They’re not willing to compromise to be competitive this year.

Could it have been done faster? Well… yeah, of course. Charlotte just built a team contending for the playoffs in two windows. Would we be a league-leading club at the end of it. NO.

That’s what they’re shooting for. I think, barring a couple of extremists, people know the difference. But it’s pretty hard watching your team take a shit kicking for two years straight, and it would be nice if they would hurry the fuck up.

I think we're falling into the 3 window rebuild due to some existing contracts and probably to assess the kids to see if any could step up.

Winter 2022 - The Exodus
Summer 2022 - Adding attack
Winter 2023 - Adding defense

I get the frustration but we papered over problems for so long that I am more comfortable with doing a full scale rebuild and not compromising for any 2022 results.

That being said I would like to see some better play heading down the stretch. Like chance creation, maybe some goals, some faster play. Anything but the nothing we've been seeing recently.