Did Anselmi join the "MO(VE) OUT" campaign?

----------------------------Making Mo squirm?

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Well, the Air Canada Centre lobby more than a forum, but hey. During the worst–secret-ever announcement this week that Toronto will host the first frozen MLS Cup, things took a rather odd turn. Don Garber made lovely statements about Toronto, Canada, TFC, Mounties, Tim Horton's, Eskimos - you name it, but then gave the floor to Mayor David Miller. That's when it got a little interesting.
　
Mayor Miller, The TFC season ticket holder and all-time Mayor of Footy, started by enthusing about the city's hosting ability but then started to go off on a not-too-subtle rant about TFC's inability to win games and/ or score goals. You had to love it, rarely do we see honest opinion from a politician in public but Miller obviously loves the club as a fan and took the chance to say what many of us feel. Miller then handed the mic to Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment VP Tom Anselmi - most in attendance thought the criticism would stop... it didn't.
　
While nowhere near Miller's blunt assessment, Anselmi definitely threw in some sharp barbs about TFC's lack of on-field success and directly aimed a shot across the bow of misDirector of Football Mo Johnston. Mentioning to the crowd that Johnston would be "squirming" over those comments was very pointed. However, was this rare display of internal displeasure genuine or was it another example of MLSE doublespeak?
　
MLSE has a very keen ear to the fans' views despite rarely doing much to address them. They are masters of feel-good media sound bites and may very well be "playing" the role of angry parent against “mean, spiteful” Mo. It's easy to drop the role of frustrated comrade to fans while wrapping it in the glow of a good news event like the Cup announcement. Making a common enemy out of a man whose name is mud in Toronto football would be a wily move that even Johnston himself could accept – especially if it kept him employed into 2011.
　
There is however, the slightest possibility that Anselmi had a strange moment of genuine clarity and frustration. Perhaps as TFC's network of football contacts has expanded, so has their list of capable replacements. Has the boardroom suddenly realized that the toothless club is costing them potential revenue through missed playoff and Champions League dates? Perhaps it hasn't taken MLSE the 10 years to reach their Bryan Colangelo/ Brian Burke moment with TFC and they realize that an amateur like Johnston can only take them so far. Mo is the John Ferguson Jr./ Rob Babcock of football management and those two zeros did very little for brand awareness - which is all MLSE is interested in.
　
It's hard not to lean on the side of pessimism with an ownership group whose ultimate prize is profit and not a trophy but just maybe fans were shown a crack in the surly Scot's armour. Before putting Mo on a donkey out of town, MLSE has to realize that "investing in the team" means the players and staff, not just grass, seats, GOL-TV and a new chip butty maker. TFC has one scout, a rag-tag coaching staff and a line-up that is 4 years behind in development – that is poor. Ridding us of the otherwise unemployable Johnston and replacing him with true football quality management, and maybe looking into the recently announced second DP, would show fans that the stinging words weren't just another vapid MLSE media release.