Ibrahim Said has 52 caps for Egypt.

TFC returns to Charleston, South Carolina tonight to take part in its fourth consecutive Carolina Challenge Cup. Toronto has participated in the pre-season tournament every year since its inception, and this little tradition has become much anticipated amongst TFC supporters as it gives us a glimpse into the Reds preparation shortly before the real thing kicks off.

This year, perhaps more than any other since the first, that little glimpse is badly needed. With Preki coming in and cleaning house, TFC heads into Charleston with an alarmingly thin roster, and many more questions than most would feel comfortable with merely two weeks prior to First Kick.

Supporters have heard that help is on the way, with numerous trialists rumoured to be joining the squad tonight. Perhaps the biggest name linking up with Toronto is Egyptian international Ibrahim Said.

A highly-skilled, defensively sound centre back with a penchant to join the attack, Said is exactly the type of player that Toronto sorely needs. The current central defensive corps of (Young) Nana Attakora, perennial back-up Ty Harden, 17-year-old rookie Zac Herold, and everyone’s new favourite whipping boy Nick Garcia is woefully lacking even to the most optimistic of supporters, and Said’s pedigree would give the Reds’ backline an instant shot of stability, not to mention credibility.

(Here’s a primer on Said, showing off his two-way game):

The word “stability” hasn’t always been synonymous with the Egyptian, however. A standout talent good enough to garner over 50 caps for arguably the best African national team of the past decade, Said’s eccentricities have drawn heavy criticism and notoriety in his conservative homeland. He’s also drawn ire in Europe, most notably whilst under contract for Everton, when he allegedly lied to his employers about an ill family member back in Egypt so he could play in his hometown derby. He was summarily dropped from the Merseyside club.

Of course, no player with Said’s skillset comes to MLS unless he is flawed in some way, and to his credit Said has gone public in stating that he wishes to use his opportunity with Toronto to prove his detractors wrong and show himself a new man and consummate professional. Everyone deserves a second chance, and quite frankly TFC is in no position to turn highly-skilled central defenders down.

If Toronto FC is Ibrahim Said’s reclamation project, then we, the supporters, may end up the true winners in the end.

Of course, he still needs to sign a contract. And TFC still needs to find a consistent striker, and some wide midfielders. And the season needs to start.

But we’ll worry about all of that later. Tonight, there is football.

Join us tonight at the Duke of Gloucester for a viewing of the match versus host Charleston Battery at 7:15pm.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

Robbo's unique goal celebration.

And then there was one.

With the news today that Carl Robinson has been released by TFC, there remains only one original roster member on the squad, captain Jim Brennan. And while Brennan will seemingly retire a hometown Red (especially after having just signed a new one-year deal), “Robbo” will need to pursue other opportunities to close out his distinguished career.

Robinson could be considered Toronto’s first ever “big name” signing. Inked to TFC in the inaugural pre-season, Robinson was a then-current member of the Welsh national side, representing his country alongside such names as Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy. Robbo brought with him a bit of Old World legitimacy to a team that was thirsty for any sort of identity. Whether you believe such a thing is necessary is beside the point, Robinson’s signing signalled the direction that TFC was going to take from the get go.

A hard-nosed tackler, Robbo honed his game mostly in the rough-and-tumble English second tier, where physicality and an ability to mix it up are essential traits. Robinson had those qualities in spades, and his arrival at TFC signalled to the rest of the league that they would have to venture to the middle of the park with caution, lest they be on the receiving end of a personalized greeting from the Welshman.

Robinson was much more that a hard tackler, though. Considered by some to be the best ball-winner in the league, Robbo was also a leader on and off the pitch, an invaluable quality on a brand new team.

While he definitely had his short-comings, Robinson was smart enough to play within his own skill set. Within a smart system – the type Preki’s arrival  promises to bring to TFC after three years of decidedly less-than-optimal tactical play – Robinson could thrive. He could even play as a central defender in a pinch, arguably better than one or two of Toronto’s current “specialists” in that position. He’s even been known to chip in a goal at the least expected moment.

Alas, with his relatively large salary and a glut of younger (and some would argue, better) central defenders on the roster, it was not meant to be. Instead of being sad about losing the penultimate member of the TFC Originals, let’s rejoice the quality of player, and person, that Carl Robinson brought to Toronto FC by taking a look back at one of the greatest days at BMO Field thus far (along with Robbo’s then-brand new trademark goal celebration):

Here’s to you, Carl.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

De Guzman, starring for Canada at Gold Cup 2007.

Yesterday the CSA finally announced what every hardcore Canadian soccer supporter had long known, that its men’s national team would be taking on powerhouse Argentina in Buenos Aires on May 25.

Somehow, little Canada got chosen as the opponent for Lionel Messi and company’s final preparatory match prior to jetting off to South Africa for the World Cup. In fact, the match will also headline Argentina’s bicentenary celebration.

Never mind the fact that the oft-maligned CSA somehow managed to convince a two-time World Cup winner that Canada was a worthy opponent in such an impoirtant match, as this”new” CSA seems to be doing things right more often than wrong these days (that’s not to ignore all that the Association has done wrong over the years, but that’s a much longer tale).

The big story here is that the match – the most glamourous friendly that Canada has been involved in since it hosted Brazil on Edmonton one week prior to the opening of the 1994 World Cup – falls smack dab in the middle of the MLS season, and is not on a FIFA-mandated international date. What this means, of course, is that any club still playing its schedule at the end of May is under no obligation to release its players.

For Argentina this is no problem, as all of its players star in European leagues that will have either ended their seasons or shut down by then for the impending World Cup tournament. For Canada this is a big problem, as many of its key players ply their trade in MLS, which is famous for playing through FIFA international dates and tournaments.

Of course, this game does not fall on a FIFA date, as previously mentioned. But that’s beside the point. Canada doesn’t get invited to such hotbeds of football like El Monumental very often, and some of its MLS players may want the opportunity to play in this match, regardless of the rules.

TFC, for all the criticism its taken from some quarters for fielding players who have skipped the Gold Cup tournament or friendlies to focus on their club, would be well within its rights to refuse Canadian coach Stephen Hart’s request for some of its players, should it come along. But what if star players like Dwayne de Rosario and Julian de Guzman voice their desire to play in Argentina?

Toronto has seven games scheduled for the month of May, including MLS matches versus New England and San Jose on the 22nd and 29th, and what could be the deciding game of the Voyageurs Cup at home against Vancouver on June 2nd. They simply cannot afford to lose even one of JDG or DeRo during such a crucial stretch, let alone any other Canadian players.

Yet, if any of the Canucks in the side quietly asked Preki for permission to play in the Argentina match, would he be able to say “no” so easily? Does Preki want to risk disappointing De Guzman, his highest-priced player and  midfield general, should the star ask to go? Will De Rosario, the club’s leading scorer and main attacking talent, take kindly to not being allowed to represent his own country? Will a young stud like Nana Attakora feel alienated by his coach if Preki was forced to deny a request to fly south for a week in the middle of the worst stretch of the 2010 TFC season?

To me, Preki has to say no, as his job is to give Toronto FC the best chances to win games, and losing anyone during the ridiculous May stretch is just not conducive to that goal. That said, if the players ask to go (because I really think it will be up to the players as Hart has no real ground to stand on requesting players on a non FIFA date) does Preki risk the potential rift denying such a request may cause?

Only time will tell, of course, but how typically Canadian soccer it is that this is even an issue.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

TFC will sport a star for winning the Voyageurs Cup

Apparently, Toronto FC is the biggest  collection of morons in the history of world sport, for (possibly) donning a star above its crest in commemoration of last year’s Nutrilite Canadian Championship win.

So says repeat Canada-baiter Bill Archer, who apparently hates all things Canuck so much that he finds the time to laboriously pore through every piece of available information on us in order to feel better about being a Crew supporter. All supporters of the Columbus Crew are supposed to hate all thing Canadian soccer, especially the stuff emanating from Hades’ lair also known as Southern Ontario, in case you weren’t completely up to speed.

His blog entry this morning has elicited the requisite guffaws and “yeah, Canada is, like, so stupid and stuff” responses from the lemmings other Crew supporters, as well as from the (other) unenlightened folk who incredibly take at face value anything that BigSoccer’s resident Fox News correspondent writes.

Sure, on the surface, a star over the crest for being the champion of a three-team tournament is ridiculous. But as soon as one delves into the Archer-free auspices of context, it soon becomes apparent that the symbolism is far more meaningful than the self-aggrandizing that Archer and ilk are accusing TFC of partaking in.

Firstly, the star was announced at the CSA press conference detailing this year’s NCC. That is a big point, because it shows that it was not simply Toronto FC choosing to award itself in some sort of footballing equivalent of autofellatio. The CSA awarded the trophy to Toronto FC, the CSA awarded the squandered spot in the CONCACAF Champions League to Toronto FC, and the CSA awarded the star to Toronto FC.

Secondly, the Voyageurs Cup, while short on history compared to many similar trophies around the world (including the hundred year-old Lamar Hunt US Open Cup), is actually taken seriously by followers of the game up here. The Voyageurs Cup itself represented a huge step in the evolution of soccer support in this country, as fans threw their own hard-earned money and created a cup and tournament for the top levels of the pro game here when no one else would. Now that the national federation, sponsors, and television has responded in kind, The NCC has quickly become the highest profile of the domestic cup competitions north of Mexico. That point must hurt someone like Archer, whose own team can’t even muster enough support to fill half its stands for the continental championship tournament, let alone the flies it draws for the US Open Cup.

Montreal wore a Nutrilite "scudetto" in 2009.

Thirdly, and here’s the rub, this star wasn’t simply created for TFC to big itself up, as BigSoccer’s Misinformation Minister is alleging. In fact, Montreal wore a similar scudetto-style patch in 2009 (see image left). CSA exec Peter Montopoli mentioned as much immediately prior to the unveiling of the star (which apparently replaces the Nutrilite “scudetto”)  above TFC’s crest on Thursday.

Where was the outrage and snarky, thinly-veiled bigotry on this issue last year? Oh right, Archer was pre-occupied creating “facts” about Canadians pissing in front of weddings that did not actually taking place. He was far too busy conveniently ignoring the number of Ohioans arrested vis a vis Canadians during the aftermath of last year’s infamous opening match between Toronto and Columbus.

My personal feeling on the NCC star is that it’s just another small step in legitimizing a competition born out of little more than the gumption of a few hardy soccer supporters nearly a decade ago. Yes, our tournament is small and limited, but (if the parties involved are to be believed) the plan is to grow it into something grander. Treating it as a “real” competition now rather than waiting for the rest of the country to catch up to the Big Three furthers the professionalism of the tourney, which is all we can ask for.

As long as the star is only worn during the NCC (and maybe the Champions League, because one leads directly to the other), and no more than one team sports it at any given time (ie. only the defending champs wear it, which seems to be the case), than the “spirit” of the symbol – be it a star or a scudetto – is intact and fully justified.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

TFC will look to retain its title in 2010.

The Canadian Soccer Association announced today the schedule for the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship, which kicks off in Toronto on April 28, with The Reds hosting the Montreal Impact at BMO Field.

The rest of the tournament is as follows (home team listed first, all times ET):

• Wednesday, May 5, Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Montreal Impact at 10:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 12, Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC at 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 19, Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Toronto FC at 10:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 26, Montreal Impact vs. Vancouver Whitecaps at 8:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 2, Toronto FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps at 8:00 p.m.

All games will be broadcast on Rogers Sportsnet.

Toronto is of course the defending Voyageurs Cup champion, having won the tournament in the infamous 6-1 match at Montreal last June. TFC will be hoping to not have to rely on such dramatics this time around, which will be the final tournament in which Toronto will be the sole MLS representative. Vancouver joins MLS next season.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

DeRo and TFC open 2010 at Columbus.

The entire MLS 2010 regular season schedule was released at the league’s website today, including Toronto FC’s fourth year fixture list.

We’ve already known for months that The Reds would be opening the 2010 campaign on the road at Columbus, as well as matching up against New England away on April 10, before debuting BMO Field’s brand new grass pitch and north stand against expansion Philadelphia Union on April 15. Today brought the rest of the year’s fixtures to light, allowing us crazies to finally plan our spring, summer and fall accordingly.

Toronto FC’s 2010 MLS schedule is as follows:

03/27 – Saturday	at Columbus	4:00 p.m.
April
04/10 – Saturday	at New England	7:30 p.m.
04/15 – Thursday	Philadelphia	7:00 p.m.
04/18 – Sunday	at Colorado	TBD
04/25 – Sunday	Seattle	2:00 p.m.
May
05/01 – Saturday	at Real Salt Lake	9:00 p.m.
05/08 – Saturday	Chicago	4:00 p.m.
05/15 – Saturday	at LA Galaxy	10:30 p.m.
05/22- Saturday	New England	4:00 p.m.
05/29- Saturday	at San Jose	10:00 p.m.
June
06/05 – Saturday	Kansas City	4:00 p.m.
06/09 – Wednesday	Dallas	7:30 p.m.
06/26 – Wednesday	LA Galaxy	7:30 p.m.
July
07/01 – Thursday	Houston	7:00 p.m.
07/10 – Saturday	Colorado	TBD
07/17 – Saturday	at Philadelphia	3:30 p.m.
07/31 – Saturday	at Kansas City	8:30 p.m.
August
08/07 -Saturday	Chivas USA	4:00 p.m.
08/11 – Wednesday	at New York	7:30 p.m.
08/21 -Saturday	New York	1:00 p.m.
08/28 – Saturday	Real Salt Lake	7:00 p.m.
September
09/04 – Saturday	at Dallas	830 p.m.
09/08 – Wednesday	at Chicago	8:30 p.m.
09/11 – Saturday	D.C. United	4:00 p.m.
09/18 – Saturday	at Houston	8:30 p.m.
09/25 – Saturday	San Jose	4:00 p.m.
October
10/02 – Saturday	at Seattle	3:30 p.m.
10/09 – Saturday	at Chivas USA	10:30 p.m.
10/16 – Saturday	Columbus	4:00 p.m.
10/23 – Saturday	at D.C. United	7:30 p.m.

Highlights include an extended home stand from June 5th through July 10th, and a weekend away match at Philadelphia’s PPL Park on July 17th. TFC hosts Houston on Canada Day, a game scheduled to broadcast on ESPN2 (and probably CBC). Toronto will end its regular season at DC United October 23.

The Canadian Soccer Association will announce the schedule for the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship tomorrow afternoon, completing Toronto’s competitive schedule for the year (minus potential playoffs and Champions League games, plus friendlies).

Posted by Rudi Schuller

Of course, while there was no action on the field over the past few months, Toronto was busy as always off of it. The biggest offseason acquisition is the field itself, which is in the midst of transition from widely-despised and shockingly overused artificial FieldTurf to a state-of-the-art natural grass surface.

Finally showing something tangible for the Maurice Edu sale of 2008, the new grass will have an impact on the local soccer scene for years to come, as BMO Field finally becomes a fully-acceptable place for players to play. Also, it will finally become a desirable place for our national teams to play, thus fulfilling its original role as the National Soccer Stadium.

The new pitch is without a doubt the biggest story, but it is far from the only one leading up to this pre-season. Toronto welcomes its fourth head coach in as many years, as Preki becomes the first gaffer  to join TFC with previously-gained real MLS experience (Mo Johnston’s cup of coffee at New York doesn’t count). Preki’s no nonsense style and history of tactical smarts seems a perfect fit for a team that had no real identity (aside from that of complete underachievers).

Given the lack of resources Preki had to work with at Chivas, and the relatively wealth he walks into at TFC, logic dictates that he should be able to steer TFC into the upper echelon of MLS (and by upper echelon, I mean the top 50 per cent of the league). Football is a funny game though, and as the old cliché goes, that’s why they play the games.

The team itself is undergoing a typical winter transformation, with the biggest departure being Amado Guevara. The Honduran maestro was undoubtedly impactful on the field for TFC, but with his head and his heart firmly in Honduras ahead of the upcoming World Cup, it ony made sense that his body should follow. Plus, Guevara and Preki weren’t exactly the best of friends, so the writing was on the wall once the new coach was brought in.

Incoming, TFC drafted a 17-year-old US national teamer who likely won’t be MLS ready for years, and traded for a speedy winger with a knee problem. While these moves are not exactly awe-inspiring, it’s not much cause for concern ast this point, as Toronto has a decent established core and lots of pre-season to bring in the various needed puzzle pieces.

Who will those pieces be? Well if you believe the rumours, Toronto will be trialing two extremely talented, but very flawed centre backs over the next few weeks. Ibrahim Said, an Egyptian international with a ton of talent and an equal amount of attitude, will apparently be joining the team in Florida for a training stint. Also joininfg the side should be Jorge Andrade, a world-class centre back from Portugal who would likely be preparing forSouth Africa in one of the Big Four leagues right about now if not for the fact that his knee has been turned into mush.

Should both of those guys be healthy for the duration of the training camp, look for only one to be signed and paired up with Nana Attakora. In that case, my money’s on Andrade, not only because he’s a former teammate of Julian de Guzman’s, but also because I don’t see Preki putting up with a known headcase like Said if given any sort of choice. Of course, if Andrade is deemed unfit, then Said and all of his flaws still looks a great choice over Nick Garcia, doesn’t he?

Posted by Rudi Schuller

Click map for larger image.

All USIL players please be aware that Matchday 9 (Saturday, January 30) will take place at Danforth Collegiate & Technical Institute, located at 800 Greenwood Avenue (on Greenwood Ave north of Danforth Ave, between Donlands and Greenwood TTC stations).

Kick-off times will remain as scheduled.

Zachary Herold was chosen 24th overall by TFC.

With its two picks in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, Toronto FC selected US U-17 defender Zach Herold and Cameroonian Nane Joseph.

Port St. Lucie, FL, native Herold was chosen with the eighth pick in the draft, 24th overall. He played for the US in last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, helping the American side advance to the Round of 16 before they fell to Italy by a 2-1 scoreline.

Following his performance in the U-17 World Cup, Herold received an offer to play for FC Koln in Germany, but the young fullback ultimately decided to sign a Generation adidas contract with MLS late last month. As a member of Generation adidas, he will not count against the salary cap.

Herold was TFC’s first pick in this year’s draft, with Toronto’s natural first round pick having previously been traded to FC Dallas.

Nane Joseph

Nane Joseph was selected by the Toronto in the fourth round, the Reds’ second and final choice in the SuperDraft. The 22-year-old from Yaounde, Cameroon patrolled the Old Dominion University midfield for four years.

Joseph was named to the NSCAA All-American second team for 2009, only the 11th player in his school’s history to be earn All-American honours. The 6-foot-2 holding midfielder talled 28 points over four NCAA seasons, including 10 goals.

Posted by Rudi Schuller

Games resume as usual on January 16th.