Okay, I'd like to clarify something here:
Yes, I was the one who kept bringing up the fact that they hadn't signed Bradley yet after saying they wanted it done in a week, but not because I was worried about it. I wasn't afraid he might leave ... I just found it interesting it was taking so long and thought that might mean something was up. My feelings on it are this: would I prefer to have him back? Yes, but only on TAM, which was what happened. I think he is obviously very important to the club, both on and off the field, though given the fact he's getting older and noticeably slowing down (though maybe a proper off-season this year will reinvigorate him), he's going to have to make way sooner rather than later.
So if he had left, while I would've been slightly bummed, it wouldn't have bothered me that much because I actually think Liam Fraser is ready to move into that role (I know many people disagree with me on that point too, but that's fine). And actually, given MB is staying for another possible 3 years, there are serious concerns we could lose Fraser. That would actually bother me more than if MB left.
I'd rather have Janson back than 33 year old Giovinco. Hopefully neither happens.
Willian or Pedro would be decent options on free transfers. Hoilet on a dp that goes down to a tam deal would be an ok option.
Maybe look in South America or Mexico for a winger/striker in the 5-10 mill price range?
Renato Ibarra on the wing would be awesome. He light TFC up for a goal in CCL.
Last edited by Mikmacdo; 12-11-2019 at 06:34 PM.
Bradley is all class. He should retire here and then be given a role with the organization.
Last edited by ManUtd4ever; 12-11-2019 at 08:16 PM.
Legend.
Good news
I fully expect the 3rd DP to be solid scorer who will come in late January. Likely around 25 to 27. Somebody most of us will never have heard of but who will be a very good fit. This will not be a project.
Why are we so focussed on a winger I wish we would just forget about the 4-3-3 model.
We won a championship with a 4-4-2 and went to a CCL final with it and our players stylistically fit much better in a 4-4-2. I think they are looking at a striker/forward.
Even if we got another elite winger, who plays on the other wing? Endoh? He's good and serviceable but I don't really want him starting. I don't know if Benezet will be back and Poz is better as a CAM at the top of a diamond more so then a false 9. He makes it work as a false 9 because he's great but he's a better CAM number 10 type. The 4-3-3 should be used as a second formation when Altidore or new DP can't go, then you bring in Endoh, Deleon and go 4-3-3 but in our best form I'd like to see a return to a 4-4-2 that we won with. Pozuelo at the top of the diamond in the Victor Vazquez role, Altidore up top and another elite striker DP up front. I don't know who that player would be, maybe a player like Rafael Santos Borre if Toronto would be willing to spend another 8+ million on a transfer fee
This guys demeanour reminds me of young Giovinco start at 0:30 for highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTmh4ULhTlY
Last edited by Defoe; 12-11-2019 at 08:58 PM.
Gallardo is a project with potential, we shouldn't rely on that. shaffleburg is speed with no creativity or finish yet. Endoh you want starting 10-15 games not 30. You don't want any of these guys starting in a championship final until they prove them selves. If you bring in a top forward instead of a winger you maximize everybody's talent and get our best 11.
Altidore----DP
-----Pozuelo
Osorio---Delgado
----Bradley
J-mo-Chris-Omar-Lareya
So basically we can have the lineup similar of our 2017 final but have the depth and ability to revert back to a 4-3-3 at any point with guys like Deleon, Gallardo, Endoh etc on the bench It could be the best TFC team ever, but they really gotta execute on the DP spot
Will be interesting to see ifJayden Nelson of TFC II who was named Canada Soccer's 'Youth International Player of the Year' earlier this week gets a first team look/offer? There is always room for kids like this to prove themselves at the end of the MLS roster. He did see some time with the first team during the pre-season last year.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Are we to assume the major announcement today is regarding Bradley, or are we in for a surprise?
I was having lunch with a client yesterday who has a connection that has close ties to Manning. He told me that Seba really wants to come back, but that the FO has lowballed his agent with offers in the 1.5 - 2 million salary range and that is why it hasn't gotten done. Seba is apparently working out a buyout with Al-Hilal so there would be no transfer fee involved.
Imagine a world where we have Seba and Bradley on TAM deals.
THAT would be interesting if true. And, to be honest, sort of appropriate, though really, really hardball.
"You could have stayed for only slightly less than before, but instead you ran, so now if you want to come back, you have to take way less."
But, as someone else has mentioned in this thread, it really doesn't make sense to re-sign him now as a DP. We can get somebody much younger for that kind of money. Not that age is necessarily an indicator of talent, but it sets us up better for the next five years then re-signing Giovinco as a DP for two years would.
We need to find another guy like pozuelo who has a buyout clause under ten mill. Liverpool is about to sign minamino from Salzburg for 7.5 mill. I wonder if we could get Shaqiri in June.
i honestly thought the bradley at TAM was a bit of a pipe dream - that it was lip service, but kudos to him for being genuine at the time. This is a great signing for the club. such a contrast to the recent maple leafs contract negotiations and to a lesser extent the recent kyle lowry extension.
Can't wait to see who the next DP will be. exciting times for TFC!
I don't understand this bolded comment. First of all, Bradley was never fast. He hasn't to my eyes slowed from that low bar - he's a slow as he ever was. His major asset physically is that he has an engine and his endurance level is high (remember he ran more per game than any other player at the 2014 World Cup). He's not fast but he covers more ground than anyone else. You do NOT lose that in your thirties, in fact it often continues to grow in your 30s. So his major physical asset won't deteriorate over this contract. Add to that he's smart and positionally aware. That's why he's been successful.
With Seba and a lowball offer, would it be possible under MLS rules to manipulate the salary and term. Say he wants to come for 3-4, while we want to offer 1.5. Could we do a 3 year deal at 5-1.5-1.5. Meet in the middle on total dollars, but instead of 3 year DP its 1 year DP plus 2 years TAM. Like others have said, a multi-year DP deal for Seba isn't a great idea given his age, but I could be okay with him as a DP for one year
I would be ok bringing Seba back on a 1-2 year deal as a DP, but I'm not sure how we would fit in to our formation unless we revert to a 2 striker format with him and Jozy up front.
We are in love with the memories, but times take their toll.
Instead of going after Seba, go after someone to the same degree as we did when we acquired Seba. Shock the world (again). Young(ish), national team player, cost big money. Seba v2, but not actually Seba.
Yes it's possible. That is what ATL United and la galaxy have been doing to stock pile their teams.
Imo we lost two good years of giovinco- 2018 which was a bad season and 2019 while in Saudi Arabia. He's definitely not worth the 5 or 6 million he was looking for right now, at time of renewal probably worth it.
If the reported 1.5 to 2 million offer is true I kind of believe it. We could settle at 2 million and buy down his dp contract to TAM level at 1.5 which would still keep a dp spot open.
I'd rather use the DP on someone younger or of similar stature when Seba came.
Seba made 11 million tax free in one year in Saudi.
If hypothetically he accepted a 3 year 6million deal here that would give him 18 millions. Minus 50 percent for taxes or whatever the accurate amount is that would have left him with 9 million. So right now he's at a profit so a 1.5 to 2 million deal isn't unrealistic.
Last edited by DinamoTFC; 12-12-2019 at 10:38 AM.
Yeah but on the Whitecaps who are generally cheap and also trash with little to no ambition to win anything. Young guys can easily pop in a squad like that because it's filled with junk and winning wasn't important in the Lenarduzzi era. Here we have ambition and it's difficult to bleed in young players because you are expected to win. For example, there were complaints on here about some points we dropped costing us home playoff dates. If you pop in a young guy then even if he is great, a few bone headed moves can cost you a few points and sometimes that's enough to fall from seed 2 to 5. All the best and most ambitious teams in the world have young players who have trouble forcing their way into the squads when they're young because teams can't afford that risk when competitions are tight.
Last edited by Ultra & Proud; 12-12-2019 at 10:47 AM.