March 24, 2008 MLS Toronto FC aim for playoffs in second year (from MLSnet.com)
03/24/2008 4:55PM
Toronto FC eager for fresh start
Second-year Reds have sights set on MLS Cup Playoffs
By Mark Polishuk / MLSnet.com Staff
•Quick Hits: Toronto FC
TORONTO -- Take two. Though Toronto FC is now a year removed from being the new kids on the MLS block, there is still a sense of newness in the air at the team's preseason training camp. The club has a new coach, some new players and an overall sense that after a year where little went right on the field, the Reds are much more stable now than they were in the spring of 2007.
"I think we're going to have a very good season," said team captain Jim Brennan. "We got a taste of MLS last year and now we have our feet on the ground and we're looking to take the next step of getting into the playoffs."
The postseason may seem like a bold goal for a club that finished last in MLS with 25 points, as well as last in goals scored (25) and first in goals allowed (49). But the biggest plus for TFC going into their second season is that the players have simply had more time to train with each other. Last year's lineup was in constant flux thanks to roster moves, international absences and a near-constant stream of injuries that sidelined nearly every player on the club at one time or another.
The result was that Toronto's ideal starting XI was never together all at the same time, and the Reds' play varied wildly not just from game to game, but from 10-minute stretches within games as well.
"Our biggest challenge [will be] to be consistent with our play," said forward Jeff Cunningham. "Last year we had a few games where we played well or at least started well but we couldn't keep it up. We definitely have the ability now to play well for the entire season."
Cunningham was one of those bit by the injury bug. The veteran striker was limited to 16 games for TFC in 2007 due to a sports hernia, but feels refreshed after an offseason of preparation.
"I'm feeling strong, feeling healthy," he said. "I have a fresh opportunity to prove myself again."
Team fitness is a top priority for the Reds in 2008, which is why one of their biggest offseason moves was the hiring of Paul Winsper as the club's strength and conditioning coach. Winsper has a decade of experience working with Newcastle United of the English Premiership and has been putting the Reds through their paces in the spring.
Winsper isn't the only new face on the Toronto sideline. In February, John Carver was hired as the second head coach in TFC's short history. Carver steps in as the field boss in place of Mo Johnston, who will shift his focus to talent acquisition as the club's manager and director of soccer. Carver comes to Toronto after coaching stints with Luton Town, Leeds United and Newcastle United in England. It was at Newcastle that Carver formed a relationship with English soccer legend Sir Bobby Robson, who encouraged Carver to make the move to MLS.
"I had a chat with Sir Bobby and he told me to take it," Carver said. "He did it himself as a young lad playing and coaching all over Europe and North America, and he considered it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"I fancied a different challenge than what I was used to in England. I'm coming into a brand-new situation into what is a new league for me and I'm excited by it. I've liked what I've seen [from TFC] ... the spirit here is wonderful. We have a number of good senior pros in the group, and a number of talented Canadian lads."
The feeling seems mutual among the Reds, as both Brennan and Cunningham had nothing but praise for their new coach.
"Tactically, he knows exactly what he wants to do when it comes to formations, passing, things like that, and so far we've looked great," Brennan said. "The guys have really enjoyed it. We have a lot of respect for him and we're on board with what he brings to the table."
Said Cunningham: "[Carver is] well-respected among the players already. For me personally, I definitely listen to what he says [because] he's coached one of the best forwards ever in Alan Shearer."
Toronto FC has had a quieter offseason than expected in terms of roster moves. Two prominent Reds (Ronnie O'Brien and Chris Pozniak) were sent to San Jose via trade and the expansion draft, respectively. TFC dealt for Canadian international Kevin Harmse from the L.A. Galaxy to help fill O'Brien's role in the midfield, and also signed Puerto Rican international defender Marco Velez and New Zealand striker Jarrod Smith for some added depth. Toronto's two first-round MLS SuperDraft picks, Julius James and Pat Phelan, are also expected to step in and compete for spots in the first XI, and Canadian under-23 national team midfielder Tyler Rosenlund was also added.
Still, more moves are expected up to and beyond TFC's season kickoff in Columbus on March 29. Many of Johnston's biggest acquisitions last season (such as Danny Dichio, Marvell Wynne and Cunningham) occurred well after the Reds' first game. The more players the better for Toronto, as the club will again need depth to combat the expected absences of such stars as Wynne and Maurice Edu to the Olympics.
It promises to be another tumultuous year in Toronto as the Reds look to put their expansion record behind them. If the club can stay healthy and live up to the promise they showed at certain times last season, then Brennan's goal of the MLS Cup Playoffs might not seem so far-fetched. The good news is that the players' ambition seems to match that of their new coach.
" We finished bottom of the league last year so there's nowhere to go but up," Carver said. "As long as we show progress on and off the field, I'll be satisfied. But I'm an ambitious guy. I want to win -- I'm not here to be second-best. I want to get as high in the league as we can."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
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