The interview with KJ was a reminder of how good Vanney actually is at this stuff.
The team, & TSN, are carrying a LOT of water for this guy to show he's worth it - he might be good but everything I'm seeing tells me he is mercurial, and in the midst of covid, I'm not sure that works.
The recent Davidson article said that Armas was only hired as the coach and not the technical director as well, like Vanney was. Manning has also been quoted as saying that Curtis is solely responsible for player acquisitions now. Of course collaboration will happen, but all players will now be the sole discretion of a man who after a very short playing career worked as a banker before returning to MLS as the technical director for NYRB. Doesn’t mean he can’t do the job but I found his background surprising for the amount of trust and power he’s been given. This is without a doubt all on Curtis now.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Lots of top executives in other sports played a minimal amount at a high level in their sport. At other Toronto teams, Brendan Shannahan is the only to have played at the top league in their sport. Ross Atkins played 5 minor league seasons. Soccer is probably the exception in relying on former players for top roles compared to other sports.
Was that you? I think I bought one of your hot dogs back in 2018.
I maintain that Toronto is a lousy sports town that consistently supports only one team, the Leafs. As for the others, interest fluctuates up and down depending on whether they are perceived as being trendy at the moment. The Raps are the "in" team at the moment but that will fade if they have a losing record. As for TFC, they need a Seba type player to expand interest. However that only lasts for a short period of time while the player is here. It seems that Seba's tenure did not expand the overall fan base, which regrettably remains small.
Let's be real here though - TFC ambition was a lot higher than NYRB. Our luck in landing Seba and Jozy could not have been replicated at NYRB. I think Curtis did ok considering what he had
Question - When TFC made the run to the CCL finals - was Ali in charge of RB at the time? Because they were in the other Semi-finals weren't they?
Kristian Dyer
@KristianRDyer
· 34m
Per multiple sources, hearing that Jason Bent will join Greg Vanney on his staff with the #LAGalaxy.
the funny part is that a new york writer has the story of a canadian leaving tfc to join vanney in LA
That was me, serving hot dogs in my spider man costume (why settle for one side hustle?)
I agree, it’s a leafs town and everyone plays second fiddle. But let’s remember the Leafs got there through history and everyone else has to build it. There is a future I this town for basketball and soccer. Honestly, if not for that terrible strike, baseball would be in a different place today too.
Creating those moments people remember will grow the fan base and keep people coming back. Sure, it’s not the same as time passes. TFC interest today is not the same as it was with Giovonco in his prime but I’d argue it’s also greater than it was pre Giovonco. The size of BMO has thrown off our compass a bit but let’s remember we went from a sometimes full house 18k seater to a now sometimes capacity 30,000 seater.
Stay the right course and things will improve. But we will get there faster and go further if the team tries to inspire rather than simply quietly achieve. This is entertainment as much as it is sport, after all.
I listened to Armas' interview on ExtraTime Radio (MLS) and I came away with a couple of thoughts.
He was asked at one point what he thought about of his tenure at NYRB and if he's different now (something along these lines), his answer came across to me as a bit defensive in that he argued that expectations didn't really line up with the reality of a club having the third lowest payroll. He then went on to talk about his pressing stats which showed NYRB doing quite well in winning the ball back among other things. He also used the excuse of Tyler Adams leaving which created a major hole for them. Personally I prefer people owning up to how they did.
I'm not sure what to think overall. I like many here would have wanted someone with some real pedigree. I do like however that he's well respected by Bradley as I do view Bradley as a great leader. I also really love pressing football so part of me is excited to see a bit of that this year even though we don't have team built for it.
I do think we're going to start seeing some major changes, Jozy may not last long if we're really going to jump full into a press system and I also see Michael becoming an assistant here once he's done. On Michael, Armas stated that he is as hungry as ever to get back onto the field and prove people wrong so I do look forward to that. He did look like he lost a step last year but the man cares more than many, he is full on TFC.
Overall, somewhat disappointed but I'm ready to see what happens next and we have no choice now but to get behind Armas and this team and hope that the leadership team pulls in a quality DP.
There's going to be a lot of changes, as TFC aren't built for a press. The big question mark will be, does Pozuelo buy into the press and does his bit. Nico Lodeiro runs his ass off for press for Seattle, but he's an exceptional case for a playmaker, rather than the norm.
Add in the fact that the kids are likely going to get more playtime. Growing pains and allowing them to make mistakes. Well, win now vs developing the kids is probably the hardest thing you can do to run a team.
Bottom line is, I think TFC is going to be maybe a mid table team. Armas didn't get hired to win now. He got hired to set up TFC on a certain trajectory, which requires a lot of changes.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
The hard part to understand is why the FO is lying about it. Do they think that if the team started winning consistently that a lot more people will come to the games and follow the team? If so, that’s seems like a huge underestimation of the Toronto sports environment. Really doesn’t seem like many people are paying attention to TFC since Seba left.
I dunno.
Pre-strike, post-strike there was a 10,000 person drop in attendance in one season. And it’s been a slow death steady decline of sorts ever since.We lost our only other Canadian team after the Expos who were in a good position to break through and win everything were relegated to the sidelines.
Sure the Belgians were cheap. But in the end it’s all a marketing exercise in giving people what they want ... and after that strike a lot of them didn’t want baseball anymore.
I think the sellout language used by the club after year 3-4 or so was dubious. Edit: but I think we can generally agree the club has generally done well attendance wise with the exception of the area immediately pre-Defoe when all just seemed hopeless.
Last edited by ag futbol; 01-16-2021 at 02:32 PM.
agree.
I was a Jays season ticket holder and gave them up at renewal for '94 because they got rid of several excellent players ($$$) and raised the price of beer. it got up my nose, but you are right that others might have lost interest given the absence of baseball during the strike
For me it was the reason for the strike. Using the world series as leverage, tells me that it is not a dream. If the world series is simply a negotiation tactic and not a dream, I will choose to not care about it.
Baseball died for me with that strike.
Talking to a season ticket seller at a show a decade or so ago, he mentioned that he was still hearing a lot that 1994 strike was why people didn't want tickets. I would bet my generation was pretty much lost to baseball with that strike.
I haven't seen anything yet to tell me the opposite. He will never get credit for it, but while he was here he:
- Brought in Omar
- Brought in Piatti
- Drafted Achara (verdict is still out on him, but his initial impression prior to the injury have been good)
- Pozuelo? He had a hand in that - no matter how small - it got done.
- Got enough pieces in for us to an MLS Cup final
I would argue that Pozuelo is the only hiring you listed that has brought true value, and he was supposedly on the radar far before Curtis came. I personally think Omar is very overrated, Piatti was admittedly a stop-gap, and Archara is a crap shoot. That said, I believe Curtis is good for younger players, including Archara.
I thought Piatti was solid business. He proved to be valuable (when he wasn't injured) but he also brought to light the type of DP we need to compliment Pozuelo.
Yes, he was a stop gap. The contract that was signed made It was clear from the start that he was. But we have zero commitments to him and are able to go out and get something better.
For me - I will get a better indication of Curtis' abilities when:
- Our Next DP signing.
- In the long term (2-3 years) I want to see how many academy products are in the starting 11 - or at least on the subs bench as viable options
- Remaining Shield, MLS Cup and CCL contenders through all of this - I expect us to make honest runs at those trophies on the regular. Not expecting finals all the time, but I should never have to question wether or not we are good enough to make those runs.
I felt we should've made runs at the Orlando cup, Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup last year. But i'll give benefit of the doubt. They were away from home and that does take its toll.
I agree with your expectations. I think most of us would agree. Whether Curtis can achieve that still seems like a giant question mark. It’s hard to believe in someone who always seems like he’s full of shit.
I actually like Piatti, but he was a very risky hire and not what was promised. On the other hand, I think Omar was a horrible signing for what he costs. Our defence needed/needs a new Drew Moor, Omar is a far cry from that.
I’m really hoping Curtis will come through and show that he’s just a poor communicator and not a self-serving corporate blowhard. If he does, I’ll be the first to admit I’m wrong.
Good Luck finding a team that will part with a CB the likes of Drew Moor. I'm not sure how we got him, but man, that was a rare steal... Similar to us getting Giovinco on the free.
Deals for these types of players are not everywhere just waiting to be had. I thought Omar was "good enough". His leadership out the back help get us to that 2019 Final. He's no Drew Moor, but he is more than capable to do the job.