Another season is in the books for Toronto FC with much of the same disappointment on the pitch. Once again TFC finished on the outskirts of the play-off race after another re-building campaign; Number five if you are still counting. It has become frustrating to watch as the dressing room has become a revolving door since day one, terribly mismanaged starting from the top and trickling all the way down.
The loyal fan base has shown tremendous support to the club right from the start and has really embraced the football culture, fully behind the team and deserving of a winner to cheer for. The prices continue to rise yet the quality on the field has become somewhat of an after thought because lets face it the stadium is packed for every match and merchandising is at an all-time high so their is no urgency to produce where it matters most to supporters, and that is on the field.
Aron Winter was installed as the clubs sixth manager arriving from the esteemed Ajax youth academy and promised to bring direct soccer to BMO Field. The Dutch idea of total football was to be implemented across the board, and a strong youth academy was to be constructed from the ground up. Another long season of growing pains was on the horizon.
Looking at the players on the roster at the start of the season it was hard to envision this new style would even work considering the options Winter had at his disposal. Dwayne De Rosario was his only real attacking option and the club captain was on borrowed time after contract disputes with upper management. By far the best player on the roster but not rewarded properly enough to show his true value to the club. The departure of the team’s captain was only one of many changes the manager would make on the season. Trading the Scarborough born striker was a very unpopular decision amongst the supporters, although his hand was forced in the De Rosario deal, Winter needed to clear the decks and bring in the players that could fit into his system.
It all started off miserably losing to their Canadian rivals the Vancouver Whitecaps in that franchises inaugural match in the MLS only emphasized the long road ahead. Winning their home opener in Arctic temperatures in front of a sell-out crowd showed a small glimpse of the attack-minded system Winter had been preaching since his arrival. Unfortunately the feel good factor was short lived as four draws and two loses came between their next victory, followed by a nine match win-less run before finally earning retribution from opening day beating Vancouver at home. Inconsistency was to be expected but the entertainment value was atrocious.
The team struggled to play under the new offensive format because a true leader was missing within the squad for the younger players to rally behind. Welcome to Hollywood North Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans. Both acquisitions brought tremendous amounts of veteran experience to a team in desperate need of guidance on the pitch. Before their arrival the team looked lost without an identity.
Frings was the missing piece to the puzzle at the heart of mid-field even playing centre-back at times to provide cover. He has raised the bar amongst the squad providing the necessary leadership that Winter needed to deploy his methods. In Koevermans the club has found an instinctive striker possessing the poacher’s mentality giving him the awareness to always be in a scoring position. The Dutchman finished with eight goals on seventeen shots in the regular season and another two goals in the CONCACAF Champions League. Consistency has always eluded TFC in the goal scoring department but has improved towards the second half of the season.
By the end of July the playoff dream was only alive mathematically and TFC switched focus with a good run in the Champions League, never having made it past the group stages in their short existence. It came down to the last match away to FC Dallas for a place in the quarter-final stage. Having a horrendous away record overall no one expected the eventual end result. TFC miraculously came out victorious scoring three goals and earning the clean sheet to overrun their opponents. It was the biggest win in franchise history in my opinion, although some might argue that winning three straight Voyageurs Cups should be held in higher regard than this one match that only earned a place in the knockout rounds. The win in Dallas showed for the first time TFC could handle the pressure of a must win game; a major step forward for the club because history has proved the opposite when a result was needed.
For the first time a solid plan is in place to push the team to the next level. The academy is now producing players who have made the step into the first team, with Ashtone Morgan, Matt Stinson and Doneil Henry making the jump to the big show this year. Morgan even made another big step and earned his first call up to the Canadian national becoming the first TFC academy graduate to make that leap. The new complex being constructed at Downsview is first class and will help to breed more homegrown talent to replenish the clubs ranks and hopefully contribute to the national team in the future. TFC are a step ahead of the rest in that regard.
It has been a long journey but finally TFC is showing positive signs of progression. The foundation has been set through a strong academy structure, stability on the bench with Aron Winter in charge, leadership on the pitch with Torsten Frings pulling the strings and Danny Koevermans providing the goals needed to win matches. TFC nation finally has reason to smile.
Two things will need to be addressed in the off-season, the first being the signing of Joao Plata and Richard Eckersley to long term deals after both had a strong season on loan. The little Ecuadorian especially had a breakout year and quickly became a crowd favorite; his pace is an integral part to the teams attack. Eckersley was a welcoming addition to the back line and although TFC allowed the second most goals against in the league, the English defender was a strong performer and a bright spot in a weak position for TFC this season. Eric Avila was another standout performer and was a great late addition to the team in midfield.
The biggest obstacle blocking the clubs playoff ambitions is the inconsistent play of the back four, by far the weakest link of the chain. Winter has proven to be very crafty in making deals to strengthen his team, and I expect all his focus in the off-season will be on bringing in a veteran to command the line. Two centre-backs would be ideal but at least one is necessary. The lack of experience within the squad makes it difficult for the system to work without having a veteran deputizing all three lines. Koevermans is the man up front; Frings has control of the middle leaving only the defensive line without a leader. Expect a change in 2012.
Next season brings much optimism although plenty of work still needs to be done in order to challenge for honors, however finally TFC nation can see progress on the field. Red Patch Boys rejoice in the notion your beloved club has turned the corner and a play-off spot is a possibility next year. Bang your drums and hold your scarves up high. Come on you Reds, the excitement of a cup run is not that far fetched of an idea either, only four games stand in the way of TFC and a spot in the Champions League final. Qu’est-ce que vous chantez? Nous chantons les rouges allez!
Check back next week for a new edition of The Unfit Referee
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