^ theres still hope for you yet, jay, hahaha
It's going to depend on timing of this match and when the respective players World Cup ends. But I would think that anyone that makes it out of the group stage will be unlikely to be here for a July match.
Fergie did take a beating in the press for the match you mentioned, and flew a number of the first teamers out for the following match as a result. I doubt that he would do that again if he has the option. However, he is most certainly not going to putting someone like Rooney on the pitch for PR purposes after only having 2 - 3 weeks of rest.
Giggs will be there - that's enough for me :-)
I don't really support BMO being pro-opposition at any time (including liverpool). Granted, it would be a nice friendly but it just kind of kills that you already know most of the stadium would be wearing the red of united and not tfc. Anyways, maybe they aren't playing at BMO at all.
I love getting the chance to see world class clubs in person no matter who they are, or who they are playing...
Seeing Real Madrid was magic...
Getting to see ManU or Liverpool or Chelsea etc would be magical too..
Granted, anyone wants to see the team they support more than another - and what they pay would reflect that - but if you love the sport as much as most of us do, seeing one of the best clubs in the world is always something to get excited for...
I know it'll be exspensive, but if I can swing it, I won't miss it...
Carts...
"...Money wasn't tight, but it like, it wasn't right..."
This would be my issue with it, throw in goltv, the teams own tv station, going all googly eyed at united or whichever big club shows up, and talking it up as the biggest game of the season and all that whan it's just a friendly, and it's just a bit depressing.
Hopefully it'll be against another big team, then i can happily ignore it, but i have no interest in seeing TFC play the Washington Generals role in their own stadium.
CNE Cup situation?
This game will definitely be another easy sell-out. Now with grass in place the profits from this game would be a lot higher for MLSE as well.
Uh yeah, I do.
Man U is bigger for many of the reasons you listed. From my personal experience, everyone knows who Man U is. Real Madrid? Not so much. In terms of Toronto soccer fans, it doesn't really matter since both would sell out. But in terms of general public and name recognition, yeah I give the nod to Man U for sure.
edit - it'll be at BMO.
ManU may be the bigger club based on popularity but there is no way they can match the spectacle that was Real Madrid last year.
There isn't one player with ManU that I would want to see live more that Kaka, Raul or Cristiano Ronaldo. Especially considering it was right after all of those signings with Real (Kaka, Ronaldo, Benzema etc.)
I really hope this is true and hope even more that it will be at BMO against TFC.
I am excited by the prospect of this match but I also realize that alot of the "big" players will more than likely not be here, the fact that this preseason tour would fall only a few weeks after the World Cup means all players who were at the tournament will be given time off before joining up with the squad, so players like Rooney, Rio, Evra, Nani, etc will more than likely not have to travel for a few games in the US/Canada, we will still be treated to the likes of Giggs, Scholes, etc.
I find it baffling and (if I am honest) sickening that so many TFC fans would start jizzing all over teams like manure and madrid if and when they come to town. I understand that people who grew up in Canada were starved of a home team to support so they started following "big" teams from afar, and may have done so for a number of years now. But the goalposts have shifted now, by a fucking huge margin. For those people who are TO born and raised and who support TFC (as SSH or otherwise) to start cheering for the other team they followed from afar over and above TFC is just baffling to me. You've got a hometown club and no longer need the plastic association with the "big" foreign team. Yeah, nice to see a good team play and all that, especially if you used to follow that team as a kid - something to get excited about for sure - but TFC should always be number one.
/rant
We are the Angry Mob, we read the papers every day
We like who we like, we hate who we hate
But we're also easily swayed
I'm not saying you're wrong, but the Real Madrid game did have the little extra magic to it because of Ronaldo's move from United to Real, and also the fact that Kaka played his very first game for Real at BMO. These two guys added a whole heck of a lot to the event.
there is no way united is going to play on turf...it'll be at bmo
I don't see the difference to be honest. If you're a TFC fan - live here, support the team, part of an SG, etc - and TFC are playing another team, then you should stay a TFC fan. Otherwise, you're on a slippery slope. It's only a difference of degree, not kind, to then say "well I am a TFC fan now but I was a man utd and beckham fan in 1999, so when TFC play LAG I will support beckham and his team and not TFC". The principle is exactly the same, just extended to a more realistic situation than TFC playing man utd in the final of the FIFA world club cup champs. You're relying on a past affiliation with a far away club to support someone other than TFC.
To me, that's weird.
We are the Angry Mob, we read the papers every day
We like who we like, we hate who we hate
But we're also easily swayed
Well, look at it this way. If you're a TFC and Man Utd supporter, a game like this one is your chance to support your other team that ONE time they're here in Canada. Other than that you have to fly overseas. AND it's a friendly, so it doesn't matter anyway. I don't think that takes away from their love and support of TFC.