After watching today just go get Larin.
After watching today just go get Larin.
All the talk of DPs is fine and fun, but this offseason has to be about improving the spine of the team, especially if Herdman is married to a 3 at the back system. We are weak at CB, CM and striker. Keeper is okay for now if Johnson wants to stay.
For the needs of our team I don’t think we can justify Laryea. In fact, I would say the issue for most MLS teams is going to be salary is in the awkward TAM low DP range.
Think he’s going to have to stick in Europe to get the best contract.
Last edited by ag futbol; 11-18-2023 at 02:04 PM.
I would be shocked if he isn't playing for us next season, it's a pretty perfect signing in alot of ways with what I suspect were looking for - cheap for a DP, marketable, and a proven MLS performer to boot
Last edited by JoesphNdo; 11-18-2023 at 02:01 PM.
Richie marketable?
Uh...oooooooookkkkkkkkkkk.....someone explain that one for me please?
&
"He's a Canadian MNT" isn't gonna cut it.
How's he get new bums in seats?
Not at all, the CMNT teams players that would grab headlines are Phonzie and Mr. David, get people in the seats at least initially. Not matter who they bring in, the team had to perform, get results to sustain it to keep the interest. This team right not is pretty irrelevant or close to it in the overall sports scene in Toronto. MLSE and more importantly Bill Manning has a lot to figure out here.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Manning will think so. If he signs, guarantee you he's one of the faces you'll see on the meagre marketing material we do put out. Winning puts bums in seats, not passports, but not like our front office has shown the slightest propensity to learn from their mistakes.
I don't agree with it, but this is how Manning thinks. We've put fan sentiment over rational decisions since 2019 and here we are. At least in this case he's a proven, good MLS performer.
Rationally, we need a striker or mid fielder far far far more for that DP slot. But we didn't get into this situation by thinking rational. As far as the "Manning does something stupid because he thinks in the extreme short term fans will like it" decisions go it could, and has, been alot worse. So I expect this to happen and it could be worse I guess
Last edited by JoesphNdo; 11-18-2023 at 05:06 PM.
Thought for years larin would be the perfect dp signing, but even more so now we have a coach he's flourished under.
Proven in mls, decent injury record and good age.
Sure there'd be a transfer fee, but wages won't be near berna or insigne levels.
If we can get one of those gone I really hope they look into it.
No thank you. He’s too up-and-down. You never know whether you’re getting the guy who one year looks like he’s going to dominate La Liga or the next year shows up out of shape and doesn’t contribute.
Do we even have room to buy down Oso? - I thought we were stuck with Oso as third DP
They probably do. It would just leave us very short on GAM for the rest of the squad. As of right now, the only big roster mechanism we have at our disposal is the 3rd u-22 slot (Ayo and Cassius are the others) unless we can offload an Italian or buy out Ayo. Gonna be hard to make any big acquisitions as things stand.
Wouldn't hurt to sign this Charlie Sharp kid. 19 in 19 games now.
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/NCAASoccer/status/1726336172384030814?s=20
Some more Lorenzo to Italy news:
https://football-italia.net/insigne-...move-to-lazio/
Part of me thinks that article has some legitimacy- they’ve added the clear gulf in salary differences and the pay cut he’d need to take, as well as the taxes still owed here from what’s prob the mega upfront signing bonuses.
but I guess that article is just saying lazio is interested… not actually spinning up the mill that he’s willing to go there and play for a lot less. Hopefully it isn’t just his Agent/new marketing firm sending b/s to the papers.
but I still do think Italians on maybe a slight stereotype… are one region or culture where players can have a bias towards the emotional/intangible things and experiences in life vs. The material gains that cause generational wealth and status that many in the west pine for and see as the default path of life. For that I do think there’s some Italians that would absolutely kill their mega contract here for a steady Serie A deal if it meant going back home to food, friends, family and surroundings- Insigne/his family included. especially adding that the work sold to him (his fault in it or not, it has), has completely changed scope and he might just barely see a deep playoff push by the time contract is done.
guess we’ll see. be interesting if we only had 1 DP back for camp, and if that would change the room dynamics from the start.
Last edited by FiveThreeTwo; 11-20-2023 at 11:13 AM.
someone on reddit was at the raptors game yesterday that a bunch of CANMNT players were at.
they noted that the majority of players were in some box...except cyle larin who was courtside.
it looks like he was in the same seats that sean johnson was in at the game last year.
could be nothing (likely is), but not much going on so thought i'd share on here.
Larin is such an interesting one
Ability wise? No question for me
But attitude wise? I'd seriously struggle to believe he'll be motiviated when this singing represents the end of his European dream, and then we'd ask him to goto the worst team in the league, work his ass off and turn chicken shit into chicken salad up front. I just don't see him being that guy,
If we did the anti sell and really sold him how tough this will all be, and really vetted the motivation, and signed a short term contract, it'd be a coup. But I don't trust our current leaders to do that at all.
So most likely turn of events is he turns out to be as toxic as the Italians. I'd be very wary of it all. Nothing in his career says "Step down, be humble, work your ass off and slowly drag a team from the bottom of the table up in a pretty thankless job" is a job description he'll wear well. But ability wise? No question he has the tools to be great
But either way, yeah, nothing concrete yet and probably nothing to read into at all, but it's definitely an interesting observation as he definitely fits the Manning MO, though would be more expensive than I believe they'd be willing to go on a DP unless they shed a contract
i think the difference is larin has MLS experience, and has been in secondary euro leagues before last year (turkey, belgium).
also has been very successful in herdman system and a good age.
if we could ditch either italian and bring in larin it'd likely be cheaper (even with transfer fee) and a huge upgrade.
he has been up and down at higher levels than spain.
he was a very consistent goalscorer in mls and turkey (for the most part, i think).
that's just his level. if he was a consistent goalscorer at la liga level at age 27 he wouldn't have a chance at coming here (might not anyways).
IMO, this persistent Lazio rumour has legs; at the very least, the right confluence of factors. Connects to Lazio with/through Sarri, Immobile and Alberto/You First now. Oddly, fellow Napolitano and good friend Immobile has also not performed that well this season. BTW, SerieA/Lazio cries that it’s poor and yet, IIUC, both Immobile and Alberto are getting 7M+ Euros a season! So…
It’s not about the level of play or skill. It’s about things like showing up in shape and focused.
It’s the only thing that contextualizes some of his club form in Europe. Where he’s underwhelmed in some places and blown the doors for in others. Seemingly without regard for the quality of each respective league.
If he’s willing to show up fat and out of shape after signing a new contact in Spain. How far is his guard going to drop playing at home on good money?
Leaving that aside. I wonder if MLS has him blackballed for blowing a hole in their contract on the way out of Orlando. You normally don’t come back after stuff like that.
When he left Napoli they were offering him €3.5M per season, and no one else came in for him even at that price, with his deal expiring.
His age is really working against him, relative to the type of player he is. You'd need a team that's desperate for an extra spark, willing to take a risk it's a declining player coming from a weaker league, and with money to burn.
That doesn't exactly scream "Serie A".
He's not going anywhere.