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Toronto FC: What Happened In 2009?
A look back on the season that was for TFC.
Dec 10, 2009 10:04:29 AM
Toronto, Canada-- A spectacular 5-0 capitulation at the hands of bottom
club New York Red Bulls in a game that could have cemented a place in
the playoffs for Toronto turned out to be the last act of departing
coach Chris Cummins in an official capacity. Real Salt Lake took the
last playoff spot instead, going on to win the MLS cup and underscoring
the pain of what could have been for the TFC faithful. Despite the
disappointment of providing Dwayne De Rosario his first season bereft
of a playoff spot, Toronto FC managed to win their first silverware in
the shape of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship by steamrolling the
Montreal Impact 6-1 away. However, TFC failed to make the main draw for
the CONCACAF Champions League as the Puerto Rico Islanders upended them
in a tight qualifier.
What Went Wrong?
The season started under coach John Carver and his main concern was to stem the tide of late goals that the team had been prone to conceding. Letting in 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of games this season is a scathing indictment of the theory that putting experienced names on the team sheet would resolve the issue. Carver and later Cummins both failed to fix the leaky defense late in games; their trust in Serioux and Garcia proving to be misguided.
Aside from that the strike force failed to convert chances and were shut out far too many times for a side boasting as much attacking potential. The midfield rarely showed the potential to keep possession effectively for prolonged periods and the defense was often too slow or too ambitious.
There was no consistency to the team and while their road form improved slightly, it came at the expense of some poor results at home. Much was expected of Pablo Vitti and it was telling that he warmed the bench for much of the latter part of the campaign.
What Went Right?
Most of the right moves for TFC took place off the football pitch. The hiring of Preki as the next manager is a great step in the right direction as is the retirement of aging crowd favorite Danny Dichio who joins in a coaching capacity. The recruitment of Julian De Guzman as the club's first designated player bodes well for the future, as does the capture of Canadian International Ali Gerba. Add to that the newly acquired permission for natural grass turf at BMO field and Toronto looks like a promising destination for players and supporters alike. One thing is for sure; the quality of football at BMO field will rise dramatically next season as a consequence of the change in turf many players including De Rosario were vocally demanding.
The team seemed to have paced their playoff charge to perfection but capitulated spectacularly in the final game of the season when needing a win against the league's weakest side. This was a most unexpected defeat as earlier in the season the team had come up trumps in more strenuous circumstances to lift the Canadian cup in Montreal.
Any discussion of the 2009 season would be amiss without mentioning the valuable emergence of Stefan Frei between the sticks. The stopper was many people's favorite for MLS rookie of the season and for good reason. The goalkeeping position is probably the strongest suit for the Canadian franchise and since success is built from the back, there seems promise for a prosperous future.
The home and road support for Toronto was as strong as ever. The insistence of supporters to stand by the team despite its lackluster record says a lot about their character and means TFC have a strong support base that is only likely to grow as more success and riches come their way.
What should the team do differently?
Emmanuel Gomez and Nana Attakora need to be promoted to first choice center backs since Adrian Serioux and Nick Garcia both suffer from a lack of pace and lapses in concentration the team can ill afford from veterans of their ilk. Gomez and Nana possess all the physical attributes required in a solid central defensive pairing and given regular playing time should gel into a formidable unit.
Julian De Guzman must be utilized for his strengths. TFC players seemed to overlook the fact that he made his name in defensive midfield and were guilty of playing the ball to him at every opportunity as if he were a playmaker. Amado Guevara needs to step up and take creative responsibilities.
With a younger starting 11, the team can focus on exploiting the pace of the likes of O'Brian White, De Rosario, Barrett and Marvel Wynne. Due to Wynne's complete lack of positional sense, it may be a good idea to push him into the role of a winger and utilize his pace.
What changes will be made?
With the Philadelphia Union opting not to draft any player from the Toronto FC roster, the team from last year is pretty much in tact. The players will need some time to adapt to the new natural grass field and to the tactics of Coach Preki. De Guzman will get to play in his conventional midfield enforcer role.
Having acquired Lesly Felinga and with Amadou Sanyang continuing to make progress, wholesale changes are unlikely unless Preki wants to assemble a Chivas-centric squad favoring players he has already coached. His approach remains to be seen but his impressive record suggests he may solve Toronto's frailties at the back once and for all.
While Mo Johnston claims he will leave his post as Manager of TFC if they fail to make the playoffs next year, it really is time for him to go already. His on field success has failed to groom him for success in a coaching or management role. TFC owners MLSE will do well to see the back of him and allow Preki the leeway to conduct business as he sees fit. Expect to see more consistency from the Canadian outfit.
Finally, the team is crying out for a regular goal scorer. Despite his industry, Barrett is clearly not clinical in front of goal. Ali Gerba has great size but he lacks mobility and his finishing is erratic. O'Brian White represents the best striker on TFC books and considering he was injured for most of his rookie season, a proven striker needs to be acquired, especially as Pablo Vitti's days at BMO field appear to be numbered.
What will happen next year?
Next year should see Toronto FC finally make the playoffs. With Preki at the helm, the club should successfully root out their late game jitters and evolve into a consistently competitive side. The pressure to deliver in his first season will be immense. In many ways he has to find a way to make the existing squad deliver better results.
The team looks great on paper and actualizing that theoretical potential will take some doing, after all the last two coaches failed in that very task. Since the team has amassed a greater tally of points in every season since its inception, there seems no reason why they won't continue this upward trend.
With the right application and injection of talent, this team could make waves next season. However, it is usually when there is little expected of them that they deliver and the underdog tag seems to suit them. Expectations may be dampened by their final day thumping which could actually help them mount a serious challenge next season.
Talha Zaheer, Goal.com
Get all the latest Major League Soccer news with Goal.com's MLS page.
What Went Wrong?
The season started under coach John Carver and his main concern was to stem the tide of late goals that the team had been prone to conceding. Letting in 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of games this season is a scathing indictment of the theory that putting experienced names on the team sheet would resolve the issue. Carver and later Cummins both failed to fix the leaky defense late in games; their trust in Serioux and Garcia proving to be misguided.
Aside from that the strike force failed to convert chances and were shut out far too many times for a side boasting as much attacking potential. The midfield rarely showed the potential to keep possession effectively for prolonged periods and the defense was often too slow or too ambitious.
There was no consistency to the team and while their road form improved slightly, it came at the expense of some poor results at home. Much was expected of Pablo Vitti and it was telling that he warmed the bench for much of the latter part of the campaign.
What Went Right?
Most of the right moves for TFC took place off the football pitch. The hiring of Preki as the next manager is a great step in the right direction as is the retirement of aging crowd favorite Danny Dichio who joins in a coaching capacity. The recruitment of Julian De Guzman as the club's first designated player bodes well for the future, as does the capture of Canadian International Ali Gerba. Add to that the newly acquired permission for natural grass turf at BMO field and Toronto looks like a promising destination for players and supporters alike. One thing is for sure; the quality of football at BMO field will rise dramatically next season as a consequence of the change in turf many players including De Rosario were vocally demanding.
The team seemed to have paced their playoff charge to perfection but capitulated spectacularly in the final game of the season when needing a win against the league's weakest side. This was a most unexpected defeat as earlier in the season the team had come up trumps in more strenuous circumstances to lift the Canadian cup in Montreal.
Any discussion of the 2009 season would be amiss without mentioning the valuable emergence of Stefan Frei between the sticks. The stopper was many people's favorite for MLS rookie of the season and for good reason. The goalkeeping position is probably the strongest suit for the Canadian franchise and since success is built from the back, there seems promise for a prosperous future.
The home and road support for Toronto was as strong as ever. The insistence of supporters to stand by the team despite its lackluster record says a lot about their character and means TFC have a strong support base that is only likely to grow as more success and riches come their way.
What should the team do differently?
Emmanuel Gomez and Nana Attakora need to be promoted to first choice center backs since Adrian Serioux and Nick Garcia both suffer from a lack of pace and lapses in concentration the team can ill afford from veterans of their ilk. Gomez and Nana possess all the physical attributes required in a solid central defensive pairing and given regular playing time should gel into a formidable unit.
Julian De Guzman must be utilized for his strengths. TFC players seemed to overlook the fact that he made his name in defensive midfield and were guilty of playing the ball to him at every opportunity as if he were a playmaker. Amado Guevara needs to step up and take creative responsibilities.
With a younger starting 11, the team can focus on exploiting the pace of the likes of O'Brian White, De Rosario, Barrett and Marvel Wynne. Due to Wynne's complete lack of positional sense, it may be a good idea to push him into the role of a winger and utilize his pace.
What changes will be made?
With the Philadelphia Union opting not to draft any player from the Toronto FC roster, the team from last year is pretty much in tact. The players will need some time to adapt to the new natural grass field and to the tactics of Coach Preki. De Guzman will get to play in his conventional midfield enforcer role.
Having acquired Lesly Felinga and with Amadou Sanyang continuing to make progress, wholesale changes are unlikely unless Preki wants to assemble a Chivas-centric squad favoring players he has already coached. His approach remains to be seen but his impressive record suggests he may solve Toronto's frailties at the back once and for all.
While Mo Johnston claims he will leave his post as Manager of TFC if they fail to make the playoffs next year, it really is time for him to go already. His on field success has failed to groom him for success in a coaching or management role. TFC owners MLSE will do well to see the back of him and allow Preki the leeway to conduct business as he sees fit. Expect to see more consistency from the Canadian outfit.
Finally, the team is crying out for a regular goal scorer. Despite his industry, Barrett is clearly not clinical in front of goal. Ali Gerba has great size but he lacks mobility and his finishing is erratic. O'Brian White represents the best striker on TFC books and considering he was injured for most of his rookie season, a proven striker needs to be acquired, especially as Pablo Vitti's days at BMO field appear to be numbered.
What will happen next year?
Next year should see Toronto FC finally make the playoffs. With Preki at the helm, the club should successfully root out their late game jitters and evolve into a consistently competitive side. The pressure to deliver in his first season will be immense. In many ways he has to find a way to make the existing squad deliver better results.
The team looks great on paper and actualizing that theoretical potential will take some doing, after all the last two coaches failed in that very task. Since the team has amassed a greater tally of points in every season since its inception, there seems no reason why they won't continue this upward trend.
With the right application and injection of talent, this team could make waves next season. However, it is usually when there is little expected of them that they deliver and the underdog tag seems to suit them. Expectations may be dampened by their final day thumping which could actually help them mount a serious challenge next season.
Talha Zaheer, Goal.com
Get all the latest Major League Soccer news with Goal.com's MLS page.
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