Ranjitsingh back as in on trial or as 3rd goalkeeper?
Ranjitsingh back as in on trial or as 3rd goalkeeper?
Herdman is a shrewd guy. I've seen plenty of examples of vesting blowhards with authority and it turns them around.Originally Posted by Smokecell
Gives them a proving ground, which they're always generally looking for as part of the whole oppositional defiance persona.
It certainly doesn't always work, but when it does, it's an effective way of keeping their general imperiousness to productive areas, such as keeping teammates in line.
Where it will break down is if they can't perform themselves or own their own failures. Which given last season is still a big risk.
EDIT: Based on interviews with all and sundry, my vote for captain would be Sean Johnson.
Last edited by jloome; 01-15-2024 at 02:13 PM.
I like this move. I kind of assumed it would be Oso, but SJ is a great pick.
Me too.
As much as it sucks, if we can't get rid of the Italians - and I've always been of the camp that I don't see any path to get rid of them unless they decide they hate money - we probably have to double down on them. Do whatever the hell we can to get them onboard. We could sit them, sure, but a team with no starting DPs wallowing at the bottom of the table with more money sitting on the bench than all but one club has in their starting line up is going to be a hell of a sell to the board. If they're here, I'm not shocked to see them part of the teams leadership, and us going in a direction of doing whatever the hell we can to make it work. Playing the cards our current management team have been dealt, it's probably the least bad option
I thought they were part of last year's dysfunctional leadership group.
That bits all a bit meh for me, to be honest.
SJ as captain would be a statement about on field maturity and an indicator the captaincy is not going to be as big a thing as MB made it.
A far from inspiring quote about incomings here.
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/JohnMolinaro/status/1746971019858882991?s=20
I remain steadfast in my belief there is no reason to think this team will be successful in 2024.
There are various anchors that need to be removed before this ship can even begin to start sailing again. Two of those being DPs, and another one being a guy who has the ability to roundly drive an organization into the dirt repeatedly and somehow remain employed.
Nantes news sites today saying we're Gabriel's "probable" final location and the two teams are talking.
They mention anything about the move being loan or permanent?
Haven't said. I'd be surprised if it was a loan, unless it was a loan to buy.
FWIW
Herdman presser today
https://www.torontofc.ca/video/train...anuary-15-2024
Good stuff in there. Obviously playing wide 343 if he sees Spicer as a wingback and key.
Says they've been working on winning culture, the older players have all bought in. Names Johnson, Osorio, Insigne, Bernardeschi and O'Neill as his leadership group.
Admits they dont' have much cap wiggle room but have a list as things develop of players he wants.
Says Devos coached the Nats' defensive unit in qualifying and he knows what he's getting there.
Says Kerr has been particularly good in pre-season, working on elements of his game and fitness. Also says they're leaving the starting striker job open to be won.
That was remarkably candid, in a Herdman is a uber optimist sort of way.
Addressed the MB in the room thing. Talked about a door which the locker room would be behind. Had answers to discussions about backroom staff - not sure if any other set of journalists in MLS would ask about an analyst but then Gallindo worked with most of them at some point.
The "heroic" thing I roll my eyes at but Herdman going to Herdman - he is who he is.
I think Spicer and Deiby are good additions to bring energy to the club.
I find it interesting he named every striker including NCAA guys except Cash lol.
The fact Herdman didn't seem keen on Ayo and then didn't mention Cash at all isn't promising for two guys we have spent valuable roster spots on. Also, we do still have a u-22 place open that we haven't heard a peep about. Makes me think that will be a summer thing.
I thought he sounded positive about Ayo. He said he recruited him for Canada after the MLS is Back tournament and he was there also when he did his ACL. That he hopes it’s a new beginning for him.
Sounds reasonable to me. Also, that the striker position is open for the taking.
Sounds like Diomande is healthy.
The list is absurdly long so maybe he didn’t get to the end, or it could be that Herdman doesn’t think of Cash as a striker?
It was good to hear how often and how well Herdman has worked with Devos. Sounds very much like he can help.
O’Neil is part of the leadership group (unless I misheard), so you’d think he might be starting, possibly in the middle of the three.
It is hard to come onto this site, hoping for "news"... when we all know there won't be any.
Putting aside the obvious, that this is sports, and anything can happen... the way to bet it is that the season is thrown away, and we will win the wooden spoon again. There's no other rational way to see it.
MLS can wave their cap rule book all they want... the reality is that this season TFC is a hose job being perpetrated on the paying public, and the correct response by a thinking fan is probably just to boycott the season.
“What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.”
It's a little early for that.
Yeah, looks bad right now.
But if we don't get reinforcements, it'll be about seeing whether Herdman gets more and better out of them. At least then we'll know if we have a coach.
The good news is that I won't have to decide to shell out for the Apple TV package this year..
The bar is set at rock bottom, I don't think Herdman can do worse than Bob and Terry.
Sounds like someone’s got SAD. Perhaps time to Amazon for a Light Therapy Lamp? Hang in there, like the rest of us, ensco!
I got that does >Terry and <Bob feeling. Hope, like much of the time, as wifey tells me, I am wrong.
It's hard to imagine that there's a distinct possiblity that a Canadian playing in Serie A might actually have a bigger impact over there than a couple of Italian "stars" have playing in MLS this year ...
Uh we had a signing last week of a starting DM who was introduced yesterday.
More steak... less sizzle.
Let's see what happens the rest of the way. We have other holes to fill.
I'd also much happier support a team of less than the best footballers, but part of a club making an effort to win, than whatever last year was. If Herdman and co can at least get us rowing in the same direction, and start to slowly address the roster hole we were dug into by Bob, it'll be fun even if we're losing. Expectations are low, and I just want to see us making some correct decisions. Hopefully he can either get the Italians to pretend to care, or make them so miserable they'll accept the pay cut next year
Compare that to watching us take a golden ticket opportunity and lighting it on fire and I'll take it any day. Some signs of life is all I expect out of next season, that's the hand we were dealt by previous management. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Frankly I also have my suspicions (Unfounded and happy to be proven wrong!) that our days as a top spender in this league are over. So we may have to embrace the struggle
Another way of putting it, give me 0 points and Bill Manning fired and it'll be in our top 5 for best seasons in history
Last edited by JoesphNdo; 01-16-2024 at 01:52 PM.
I cancelled my MLS Season pass a few days ago.
That said - I still believe there is just no possible way this season can be as bad as last season. That was the worst TFC Season in our entire history. I don't think we will do amazing but no way it can be that bad.
I genuinely think when you factor in roster spend and the fact we had basically a clean slate with which to build a roster with that money, that last season may literally be the worst season for any team in league history. There may be teams who got less points, but when you factor in the advantages we had, I think ours was worse overall
So that's the good news. Hard to imagine you don't improve on maybe worst season any team has had in league history
Is Diomande still here? If so is he healthy? Moreover, if he is still with the team why? He is a 34 year old striker who hadn’t played in ages before last season and on top of that gets injured early in the season last season and doesn’t play at all . They are allowed a one time buyout of a contract right ? It would open much needed cap space am I correct ? So why have they not done this yet with this guy , why is he still here ?
Posting Permissions
