Today’s News, Wednesday , Aug.27

[denime]

TFC's new strike force lands
By DEAN MCNULTY, SUN MEDIA

Coach John Carver was smiling ear to ear after finally getting striker Carlos Ruiz on the pitch with his new Toronto FC teammates.
Even though the trade that brought Ruiz here from Los Angeles -- where he started the season with David Beckham's Galaxy -- was completed a week ago, the trip to Toronto was fraught with obstacles that delayed his meeting up with the squad at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood until yesterday.
First there was the problem of even getting in touch with the 28-year-old native of Guatemala, who was in Central America for a World Cup qualifying match against the U.S. the day the deal was done.
Once Ruiz was notified of the trade a day later, he asked TFC soccer boss Mo Johnston for an extension on his reporting date, which was to have been last Thursday, so he could wrap up some last-minute moving details.
"When he didn't turn up at the weekend, everybody was saying it was because he doesn't want to play on the turf, but that wasn't the case," Carver said.
There was even one erroneous report that claimed Ruiz wanted no part of the trade.
The fact is that Ruiz apparently couldn't get out of the L.A. circus fast enough after having a war of words with since-fired coach Ruud Gullit.

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Carlos Ruiz trains with Reds
Toronto's new striker arrives in town

Carlos Ruiz arrived in Toronto on Tuesday morning, and joined his new team near Collingwood for his first training session. "I'm very happy to be here," said Ruiz. "It is a good team with good coaching staff. Every time I played here, or I have seen Toronto play at home, it is an unbelievable place to play. It is a very special place.

Watch Toronto FC TV on Wednesday at 11 am ET to see the first interview with Ruiz.

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Reds head north for training
Ruiz meets new teammates

FC headed north on Tuesday to train near Collingwood as part of a two day retreat. Coach John Carver has taken the players away as they prepare to face Chivas USA on Saturday (kick off 10:30 p.m. live on Rogers Sportnet). "It's great to be training on a grass pitch," said Carver. "The guys enjoyed themselves and we've got the local community out here as well. They advertised that we were coming up here to do some training, and a lot of people have come out to watch us. We trained for about an hour and a half this morning and then some of the squad spent the afternoon playing golf, and other guys went canoeing."
"It's been great for team bonding. We're not just here for a holiday, the lads worked extremely hard in training this morning and we're working towards Saturday's game at Chivas," Carver explained.

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Montreal Impact set for CONCACAF Champions League debut

The Montreal Impact will begin its quest to qualify for the group stage of the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League when it hosts Nicaraguan club Real Esteli in its first match on Wednesday at Saputo Stadium (8 p.m. ET, CBC-Bold, CBCSports.ca).
In 2006, organizers elected to expand what was formerly known as the CONCACAF Champions' Cup from eight club teams to 24 from a region that includes North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The Impact and Real Esteli are among 16 teams from 13 different nations and territories participating in the preliminary stage of the tournament, which involves a home-and-away series that determines a winner using aggregate goals.

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Edu to make debut in Old Firm derby
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GLASGOW, Scotland -- Former Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu is set to make his Glasgow Rangers debut in Sunday's Old Firm derby against Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.

Edu, 22, completed his US$5-million transfer from the Major League Soccer squad last week after being granted a British work permit. The American is expected to arrive in Scotland by Thursday once visa formalities have been completed at the British Embassy in Toronto.

Rangers manger Walter Smith is eager to deploy him against Celtic. The Glasgow rivals are tied at seven points atop the SPL after three games.

"If we can get him over in good time then I have no doubt that he would be involved on Sunday at some stage," Smith said.

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SUNSHINE

[DOMIN8R]

Thank you, Denime.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Edu in OF derby? Well I guess we know they think he's ready.

[RPB_RED_NATION_RPB]

WOW!!..EDU's first game will be the OLD FIRM GAME!!!.....He's gona shit his pants when he walks onto the pitch!!!...he'll have never witnessed such an atmosphere like he's gona walk into sunday!!!

I couldnt amagin any other game id want to play my first ever euopean game at...CELTIC RANGERS.....is Electric!

I hope he..does well!

I'll have to take this game in somewhere..

[Ron Manager]

WOW!!..EDU's first game will be the OLD FIRM GAME!!!.....He's gona shit his pants when he walks onto the pitch!!!...he'll have never witnessed such an atmosphere like he's gona walk into sunday!!!

I couldnt amagin any other game id want to play my first ever euopean game at...CELTIC RANGERS.....is Electric!

I hope he..does well!

I'll have to take this game in somewhere..

It was nebtioned in another thread it is only live on Setanta Premium, so it's off to a bar or watch online.

[Oldtimer]

Goalkeeper Matt Jordan said it's hard to know what to expect from Real Estelí FC, but adds the key to success against the Nicaraguan champion is for the Impact to continue doing what it does best.
"We know they're going to be very skillful. They're going to be good with the ball and tactically, they will know their system very well," he said. "That's what we've prepared ourselves for.
"We are aware of their strengths because we have to be, but our main focus is what we have to do. We have a lot of momentum going for us right now. Everybody's playing well and we're looking forward to what is a great opportunity."

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...f-bb7a367602b7

MONTREAL - Now, the nervy part of the first CONCACAF Champions League tournament begins for the Montreal Impact.
The lone Canadian entry in the 24-team event faces Real Esteli FC of Nicaragua on Wednesday night at sold out 13,034-seat Saputo Stadium in the first leg of a two-game home and away series.
The second leg on Sept. 2 will be played in Honduras - at Carlos Miranda Stadium in Comayagua - because Nicaragua does not have a stadium that meets FIFA standards.
"If you're not excited about this you have no pulse," Impact coach John Limniatis said. "It's very exciting for everyone.

http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=2...headlines_main

Wish it was TFC in this competition.

[Oldtimer]

From the TFC head north article:

"It's great to be training on a grass pitch," said Carver.

hmmm. I think it's no mistake that both MoJo and Carver defended the FieldTurf vigorously earlier this season, and now openly speak of the advantages of grass. My guess is that the MLSE board has decided to go with grass (probably to keep the Argos out) and have given the green light to TFC staff to talk up the grass option. I think it's no coincidence that both are suddenly speaking about putting in a grass pitch, or how great grass is at this time, just when the Argos are attempting to get a deal with the city. Cathal Kelly's rant aside, I doubt that they are talking grass without having the approval of MLSE's board, as much as both of them would probably have preferred it from the start.

[Shaughno]

Let's hope...

[boban]

Wish it was TFC in this competition.

Not good enough to be there oldtimer.
Hopefully sooner rather than later.

[Dub Narcotic]

WOW!!..EDU's first game will be the OLD FIRM GAME!!!.....He's gona shit his pants when he walks onto the pitch!!!...he'll have never witnessed such an atmosphere like he's gona walk into sunday!!!

I couldnt amagin any other game id want to play my first ever euopean game at...CELTIC RANGERS.....is Electric!

I hope he..does well!

I'll have to take this game in somewhere..

Edu just got back from Guatemala surrounded by 40,000 screaming Central Americans who wanted to kill him. They had to be escorted to and from the stadium by riot police, and onto the pitch by riot police.

[Technorgasm]

FUCK OFF IMPACT! quick exit. . coming up.

EDU FIRST game vs CELTIC!? holy faaack!

ps. Fuck the Impact!

[denime]

Toronto FC puts on a show in Thornbury
Posted By SHAWN GIILCK, SUN MEDIA

With a cornfield beckoning in the background, the soccer pitches at the Tomahawk Recreation Complex in Thornbury turned into a field of dreams Tuesday morning as the Toronto FC team dropped by for a visit. Head coach John Carver could be heard bellowing at his charges throughout the morning practice in front of about 200 spectators, many of them children who were members of the local soccer leagues.
It's doubtful that the town was expecting to play host to a pro soccer team a little more than a year ago when it made the investment to buy the property off of Grey Road 113 to build the pitches. At the same time, it also purchased an adjacent 18-hole executive golf course which it now operates free of charge.
The project has been a tremendous success so far, with 315 children enrolled on teams in the Beaver Valley Soccer Association. Another 1,500 children play soccer in Collingwood.
"We're expanding to an adult program next year," association head coach Peter Hibbard said. "We're the largest sport. There's only 62 in baseball and 124 play hockey."
There's been a tremendous growth spurt in the sport, Hibbard said. It's an inexpensive sport to take up and one that allows all of the players to be on the field participating and getting exercise.
"They're always playing. They're always on the pitch and they're always running," he said.
"The MLS (pro league) has helped us develop the sport, as has the World Cup and the Euros," he said. "And of course David Beckham playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy has been very good for all of us."
The roots of the FC visit were planted earlier this summer.



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