ML$E surrenders to (temporary) German rule

"Ich bin ein Hoser"

Give Toronto FC owners Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment credit on one front - they know how to make headlines. After a week of rampant rumours, the club officially announced that they have signed Jürgen Klinsmann, as part of his company SoccerSolutions, to the ambiguous role of "advisors" while the club "reorganizes its soccer infrastructure".
　
The corporate-speak press release gave few details about Herr Klinsmann's actual job description and will disappoint many who expected a fancy jöb title for the former German International superstar as well as a long-term commitment to TFC. Instead, Klinsmann and his team will "work closely” with (suddenly and worryingly titled) Interim Director of Soccer Earl Cochrane and Assistant GM Jim Brennan. Something tells me that will be a one-way conversation.
　
From a half-empty München beer stein point of view, it is worrying that it isn't a concrete, longer-term role for Klinsmann. In fact, it doesn't sound far different from the brief consultancy he held with LA Galaxy a few years back. The German is unlikely to be too hands-on with 2011 player acquisitions and perhaps gone before any major changes are put into place. It would be very easy for renowned snake oil salesmen ML$E to reap the benefits of the Bavarian PR love-in while slowly allowing Klinsmann's ideas to die a death of a thousand cuts at the board level once he leaves town.
　
On the other side of the Deutschmark (I know... Euros), the German invasion of BMO Field could be the catalyst for long-term stability at TFC. Klinsmann's vast network in world football could give The Reds the front office its fans deserve with top talent running the show rather than falling to a Cochrane/Brennan combo. Hopefully a mandate to build the club's infrastructure, most notably first rate management, a real scouting network and a deeper technical staff, is the paramount legacy for the advisory role. If TFC comes out of this as a more professional club with Klinsmann as a distant friend to call upon in times of need then it won't just be a PR exercise.
　
For Jürgen Klinsmann, this presents a no-lose situation. If his undetermined tenure associated with TFC changes the club for the better, he will be hailed by many as a great football mind. If this exercise turns into nothing more than a way to sell MLS Cup tickets with Cochrane/Brennan eventually running the show in 2011, then it will be perceived as yet another meddling ML$E failure and Klinsmann's hands will be clean. For now it will have to be “wait and see” since the details are not forthcoming.
　
The best analogy for Toronto FC is that of owning a high-end Porsche. ML$E bought the shiny red machine four years ago and drove it at top speed around town. The girls gawked at the car and everyone was happy but ML$E never put any maintenance into it – instead, letting their dumb Scottish friend with no license drive it into the ground. Now, with the wheels falling off and covered in dents they take it to a top German mechanic. He will get the wheels back on and buff the body back to shiny but once he's gone, will ML$E keep checking the oil and get years of top gear out of it? Or, will they let yet more unskilled drivers floor it recklessly until the engine blows for good?

"Don't mention the war... or Nick Garcia!"