April 15, 2008 MLS Toronto FC flight back to Toronto has emergency landing (from Toronto FC Media Relations)
04/15/2008 1:36PM
After plane scare, TFC back to work
Flight back from Los Angeles required emergency landing
Toronto FC Media Relations
Toronto FC returned to training at BMO Field on Tuesday after surviving a scare on the flight home from Los Angeles on Monday. The plane had to make an emergency landing in Omaha, Nebraska due to a problem with the hydraulics.
Coach John Carver told torontofc.ca about the experience: "I was sitting next to the window on the emergency aisle. I was the main man. They told us there was a problem with the hydraulics so we started to panic a little bit. There was a lady sitting next to me who was crying, she was petrified. As we were coming into land everyone was quiet. We could see ambulances and fire engines on the ground and the police had stopped the traffic. We hit the runway nice and smooth and thankfully everything was ok. But for a few minutes it seemed like hours. We eventually got home three hours late but at least we were safe."
The team arrived home late on Monday night and the players were back at BMO Field on Tuesday morning. Strength and Conditioning coach Paul Winsper took a group of players in the gym and those that didn't start at Los Angeles trained on the pitch. "If we are going to get anywhere we have to do it with a group of players," said Carver. "We got a great result on Sunday, but it's very important that we don't stop there. This is just the start of it."
"We had a good weeks training last week through hard work, attitude and application, and that's got to continue. That was the first chat we had today. It's not just about the starters, it's about the whole squad, because the longer we go this season, everyone is going to be an important part because of injuries and players missing on international duty. We celebrated the win, but it's back to business now," explained Carver.
"They have to learn that once you win you have to continue to win. You have to get straight back to business because it's easy for young players to get carried away with themselves and to start thinking that all they have to do is turn up on the field and they'll win the game, or because they're at home it's an automatic win. We've got to make sure we don't have that mentality. We don't take things for granted, and the only way we will win the game is to keep working hard and prepare well like we did last week," added Carver.
Andy Boyens was waived by TFC on Monday and Carver said: "We're looking to improve the squad and bring players in to take us to the next level. If we're adding players who will raise the standard, changes have to be made because you can only keep so many players. Andrew has been fantastic, great guy, great attitude but we have to keep improving."
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