TFC 2022-2023 player off-season roster discussion

[jloome]

Hence my original quote, which referenced that "they looked, but they're comfortable with him as a fall back". I look at it like this, we're getting multiple puff pieces on Romero throughout camp. Quotes from Bradley saying he's got experience, the full Neil Davidson article focused on Romero. To me, it's like they're slowly preparing us for possibility of Romero being the starter if Johnson doesn't sign.
It went from "we brought him in without the expectation to be the starter", we're now at "We're having discussions, but we know we can count on him". To me, it seems like its slowly preparing us for the possibility that he might end being the starter. I still expect/hope for SJ or similar, but won't be shocked if it winds up being Romero.

More likely A starter, as in they're preparing for the possibility of not getting the keeper they want in this window, or even just before the season kicks off. Either Pozuelo or Vazquez, as I recall, wasn't signed until the last week of February.

So he might just be softballing Romero playing the first few games as a starter, knowing that even that is going to drive us all bonkers.

I don't think they are even conceiving of him being the starter come playoff time, should we make it.

[Canary10]

In fairness, the quote says "...but he's had enough games in MLS and some international experience that we know we can still count on him in different moments.”

To me that sounds like he gets the odd start.

[jloome]

In fairness, the quote says "...but he's had enough games in MLS and some international experience that we know we can still count on him in different moments.”

To me that sounds like he gets the odd start.

With those odd starts possibly including the first few games of the season. It can take two weeks for a transfer certificate to be worked out and has in the past. Even if they sign someone before the window closes, we wouldn't necessarily get them until mid-March.

[leedsandTFC]

does anyone know the rules regarding when we have to be cap compliant?

meaning, do we have to be cap compliant at all times, or just before the first game?

they are probably reliant on the the GAM from sales of nelson / JMR to be cap compliant for some deals and mls transfer window doesn't open for another bit.

[leedsandTFC]

Havn't done anything in a week...

Mind you the whole league has only 10 transactions since the 12th.

yes, it's been oddly quiet as a whole.

i see a ton of fanbases saying the same stuff as us.

the calm before the storm i reckon.

[rydermike]

does anyone know the rules regarding when we have to be cap compliant?

meaning, do we have to be cap compliant at all times, or just before the first game?

they are probably reliant on the the GAM from sales of nelson / JMR to be cap compliant for some deals and mls transfer window doesn't open for another bit.

The roster compliance date last year was February 25 and our first game was February 26. So they have until the day before it seems

[portu]

Officially in the worried stage. Just over two weeks until the Manning stated target (Feb 5th pre-season leg). Next week I’ll call it panic stages (so you guys know to mute me at that point if you haven’t already). If we hit Feb 5th without the roster settled, I’ll be firmly calling for sackings (in case you haven’t muted me at that point either).

[reggie]

if they are reliant for the gam for JMR and JN to sign players this FO has no clue
they have known for a year that they need a roster overhaul, now it late jan and they are still flying by the seat of their pants

[portu]

if they are reliant for the gam for JMR and JN to sign players this FO has no clue

Likely zero clue. I’ve not been making the argument lately because it’ll make itself when they miss their own deadline (which has happened before under Manning).

[Bushmancan]

the puff-piece, at the very least, has some intriguing info about players like Kobe. I'd like to see Kobe on the 1st team.

Saw that as well, fingers crossed.. but wow. CRICKETS.

[leedsandTFC]

if they are reliant for the gam for JMR and JN to sign players this FO has no clue
they have known for a year that they need a roster overhaul, now it late jan and they are still flying by the seat of their pants

planning to use GAM they know is coming is the opposite of flying by the seat of their pants, tho.

also, i reckon it'll be used to bring in depth players, we have enough GAM for starters i reckon.

[jloome]

planning to use GAM they know is coming is the opposite of flying by the seat of their pants, tho..

But they don't know it's coming. A deal would've been announced as soon as the Euro transfer window opened if they knew for sure.

They're TRYING to sell them, in all likelihood, based on prior interest. But everyone knows the guy who obviously needs to sell has no leverage.

As he said, if it's reliant on GAM from those two deals to get a roster together, they have utterly fucked the dog.

Having said that, I don't think they'd plan that way. It's insanely stupid to spend or rely on money you don't know is coming.

[leedsandTFC]

But they don't know it's coming. A deal would've been announced as soon as the Euro transfer window opened if they knew for sure.

They're TRYING to sell them, in all likelihood, based on prior interest. But everyone knows the guy who obviously needs to sell has no leverage.

As he said, if it's reliant on GAM from those two deals to get a roster together, they have utterly fucked the dog.

Having said that, I don't think they'd plan that way. It's insanely stupid to spend or rely on money you don't know is coming.

based on reporting saying nelson is very likely leaving, i think it's likely a deal is in place already. i would imagine that money would be earmarked to bring in a replacement (or multiple replacements) for JN, tho.

[jloome]

based on reporting saying nelson is very likely leaving, i think it's likely a deal is in place already. i would imagine that money would be earmarked to bring in a replacement (or multiple replacements) for JN, tho.

It certainly sounded more likely, as if they had something solid. Apparently Brugge REALLY liked him last year, I was surprised he didn't go then. But like Anderlecht they're a selling club, so maybe they need to move a piece first.

[reggie]

planning to use GAM they know is coming is the opposite of flying by the seat of their pants, tho.

also, i reckon it'll be used to bring in depth players, we have enough GAM for starters i reckon.

it jus seems that BB is changing his story a bit,from 2wks ago to the other day

[jloome]

Well, if we're insanely desperate and stupid, DC released former Beerschott keeper Rafael Romo today. His numbers last year were abysmal, worse than Bono. Also part of a trending decline, it would seem.

[leedsandTFC]

so the USMNT camp that SJ is attending starts in 2 days.

i'd be absolutely shocked if he doesn't have an announcement either tonight or tomorrow, as it's very unlikely he'd go into a camp where he could pick up an injury without a contract or agreement in place.

[Gringo Starr]

I can give Ayo a pass for being a bit pudgy coming off an ACL tear and a heart issue the previous year. Glad to see he is looking leaner as he seemed to lack the explosiveness that made him look brilliant in 2020.

Exactly, it also takes a bit of time to regain trust/confidence in a joint once you have blown one out. He needs to earn that contract this year though

[jloome]

so the USMNT camp that SJ is attending starts in 2 days.

i'd be absolutely shocked if he doesn't have an announcement either tonight or tomorrow, as it's very unlikely he'd go into a camp where he could pick up an injury without a contract or agreement in place.

Good catch, dude. He'd pull out for sure if he didn't know where he was going.

It'll be tomorrow. Corporate PR logic is that you make them happy before the weekend hits so that they're not stewing until the following week.

Now, watch for one of the Twitter Guesstimators to figure this out and tonight claim exlcusive knowledge that a deal for Johnson "could be announced tomorrow". The "could" being their "out" for what is a total guess based on logic.

[leedsandTFC]

Good catch, dude. He'd pull out for sure if he didn't know where he was going.

It'll be tomorrow. Corporate PR logic is that you make them happy before the weekend hits so that they're not stewing until the following week.

Now, watch for one of the Twitter Guesstimators to figure this out and tonight claim exlcusive knowledge that a deal for Johnson "could be announced tomorrow". The "could" being their "out" for what is a total guess based on logic.

yep, we could get a leak by a journalist tonight, but any announcement will be tomorrow.

based on sequence of events, you'd guess he's going to us, but you never know til it's announced. NYCFC could blow away our offer at any time, although the longer this goes on, the more you think they are not going to.

[jloome]

yep, we could get a leak by a journalist tonight, but any announcement will be tomorrow.

based on sequence of events, you'd guess he's going to us, but you never know til it's announced.

I think he's the right keeper if he's not lost a step. The one issue with Johnston is that he's sort of a one-trick pony, maybe the best close-reaction keeper in the league (despite having just a 66% save percentage, he had 14 shutouts, second in the league).

And that one trick is the ONLY one of a keeper's bag that is affected by age.

So we could get him but this could also be the year he loses a split second of reaction time.... and we have Bono, part 2, just older.

That worries me a bit. Not a ton, as his general numbers were similar to prior years.

[Bushmancan]

He still distributes better..

[OgtheDim]

He still distributes better..

And commands the box better.

And doesn't have the depth perception problems.

[ag futbol]

yeah if we don't have a gk, lb and cb in place for feb 5 (second training camp), will be a huge failure.

also, akinola looks a lot slimmer in this pic.

https://twitter.com/TorontoFC/status...91172283891715

I know this goes against “starting the season ready” but I’m okay to settle for “signed in this window” even if it’s late in camp.

I just won’t give much allowance on the back end, lol

[jloome]

And commands the box better.

Highly arguable. Johnson is in the bottom percentile of keepers at handling crosses. Probably controls the defense better, as Bono seemed to say little.

[los sonadores]

Highly arguable. Johnson is in the bottom percentile of keepers at handling crosses. Probably controls the defense better, as Bono seemed to say little.

Bono seemed, remarkably in his last years here, to make every defence worse than they should have been. I don’t see Johnson doing that.

When we played NYFC I was usually glad to see Johnson - he seemed nothing to be terribly worried about overall. I suppose the rep is longevity and spectacular moments. But short of finding a keeper outside of MLS (and that would be likely more than we’re willing to pay) he should be a big upgrade - on Bono at least. Despite my reservations, he should be an upgrade on any keeper we’ve ever had on an actual contract.

[NK Toronto]

Is it possible that with the Hedges and Osorio contracts the club is bumping up near the cap, with only enough cap space for one or two additional signings? It's not that they don't want to sign anymore players, it's that they can't.

[leedsandTFC]

Is it possible that with the Hedges and Osorio contracts the club is bumping up near the cap, with only enough cap space for one or two additional signings? It's not that they don't want to sign anymore players, it's that they can't.

nah they aren't gonna be close, they probably have close to 2 M left before outgoings

[NK Toronto]

nah they aren't gonna be close, they probably have close to 2 M left before outgoings

You seem to have some insider knowledge. What's your rationale for the lack of signings?

[jloome]

You seem to have some insider knowledge. What's your rationale for the lack of signings?

That's not a figure LeedsTFC is getting from the club; Noxx (I believe, sorry if I have the wrong person) is keeping a chart and we have around $2M in GAM left over from the past two seasons, potentially. It's all within the realm of "as far as can be ascertained," as the club says nothing.