Firstly, a hearty Bloggers Union thanks to Tim Bezbatchenko and the gang for re-stocking the pun shelves in the TFC larder. Man cannot live on Lambe alone.
"Shamone!" The MLS trade window had barely creaked open before T-Bez decided he "Wanna Be Startin' Something". As is the annual off-season tradition round these parts, TFC swung a deal with FC Dallas, ("Remember the Time" with Hassli, de Guzman etc?) this time landing Brazilian midfielder/defender Jackson. Crotch grab!
Wanting to disprove to fans early that "They Don't Care About Us", The Reds swapped a conditional 2015 2nd Round SuperDraft Pick and some of that jumbo pile of allocation money they have. It's in the BMO Field closet next to the Elephant Man's bones and Macaulay Culkin. "You Are Not Alone" in thinking this isn't a "Thrilller" of a trade but Jackson is actually a very MLS-competent player with just under 100 appearances to his name in the league. And they got him for peanuts. Moonwalk!
Whether the 25-year old Jackson turns out to be a starter or at worst high-quality depth, it is a positive to see TFC making sober moves so early in the window. Now we must just implore T-Bez and the gang... "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"!
In other non-Jackson news today, unconfirmed word is that Robert Earnshaw has declined TFC's offer to re-sign and plans to "Beat It" to another MLS side. Surely some club is looking for a striker who hibernates between May and September. "Shamone!"
And... We planned to have a little dance but couldn't think of an artist to feature. Oh well, Earnshaw is Welsh and so is this macho piece of rarebit...
I guess when your only other options up front are the Dutch Mr. Glass (aka Danny Koevermans aka "Mishter Glash") and Justin Braun (aka "Fat Braunaldo" aka "The Narcissist" - don't ask) then extending Robert Earnshaw's contract becomes a no-brainer. Being Vikings at "no" and "brainers" it seems as if TFC have done just that according to Toronto Sun's Kurt Larson via the Twitterz.
Nelsen tells me Earnshaw has been extended to end of year. Loan was scheduled to be up on July 1. #TFC
— Kurtis Larson (@KurtLarSUN) June 13, 2013
Yes, the prolific "Prince Zambia" version of Robert Earnshaw from March and early April has been replaced by "That Welsh Guy" Robert Earnshaw but strikers can blow hot and cold. Except Mista - he just blew. Golden Oldie for ya kids! Perhaps if Koef can stay healthy for more than week then the two of them can form a useful "little & large" game and do the unthinkable at BMO Field... score some goals.
It is too early to say what, if anything, Earnshaw's apparent contract extension says about future transfer targets but improved firepower must be on the agenda. Even if Earnshaw can end the season with 10-15 goals, his affinity for long dry spells without a goal (a career habit) causes him to not be one you can confidently count on up front in the long-term. Until that time though we will just have to hope for more Zambian somersaults and less Welsh head shakes.
BC PLACE - SATURDAY 6:30PM ET TV: TSN THE KICKABOUT: Funny roof thingy? Check. Sweaty Lenarduzzi? Check. Smug sense of superiority? Check. Vancouver is ready. Paper-thin roster? Check. Kids thrust into starting line-up? Check. Another new beginning? Check. Toronto is... present. It seems like just a year ago that Aron Winter was set to lead TFC towards their craptacular 0-9 start because it was. SIXual Healing was a season to forget despite peculiarities like Dutch ovens, busted ACL's, shorts, black cats, modern eras and ticket rollbacks - but not to fear, a fresh start is here! Again. TFC's Seventh Deadly Season (it ends with a head in a box) by K-Payne feat. Nelly starts for realz at the home of the BC Lions and expectations could not be more in check for TFC supporters. Mass departures have been met by sparse last minute additions for The Reds all which point to a tough start once again. Perhaps the club will have a better face by mid-season with more moves to undoubtedly come but for now, anything positive by Toronto's men should be taken as gravy. Speaking of man gravy - Joe Cannon should be in goal for Vancouver. Hot. MANUFACTURED DERBY NAME: "The Great Canadian Bagel" PLAYERS TO WATCH: VANCOUVER: Darren Mattocks, Lee Young-Pyo, Nigel Reo-Coker TORONTO: Danny Califf, Darren O'Dea, Luis Silva THE ODDS: A bad start to the new beginning blamed on: - Not enough time to re-build the squad: 2-1 - Not enough time to build team chemistry: 3-1 - Not enough time to build an inukshuk: 10-1 WHO ARE YA? TFC's newish President, Kevin Payne, felt the need to encapsulate the club's new "team-first" philosophy through the medium of the Canadian aboriginal symbol - the inukshuk. While many openly mocked Payne's choice at symbolism, the inukshuk is actually an inspired choice for a football team. While many assume that the rock statues are an ancient tradition, they were actually first used in 1933 when Preston North End's pre-season trip to Sweden got lost in northern waters and the club ended up on Baffin Island. PNE proposed a friendly with a local Inuit tribe but as they only had 10 men in their family, an inukshuk was created and played in goal. Inuit XI 1 (Atanqajurik '34 PK) - Preston North End 2 (Harper '12, Beattie 78') In late breaking inukshuk transfer news - Twitter has been buzzing all day that Kevin Payne is about to send Reggie Lambe to Whitecaps for a warehouse full of leftover Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics inukshuk t-shirts and key chains. POST-MATCH HEADLINE: "RED THREAD FRAYS BEFORE HALFTIME" KIND OF BREAKING NEWS: Just before Press Time (I'm a newsie! You're off your trolley see!) Toronto FC made a couple of official signing announcements just to make our first paragraph look dickish. As reported everywhere over the last few days, Robert Earnshaw is now official (although on a permanent deal) as are young attackers Taylor Morgan, Ashton Bennett (together they are Ashton Morgan!) and Jonathan Osorio. Darel "The Roy G." Russell was officially announced as signed a short time later. Not quite as late as Dan Gargan in a cab but these deals may have been signed on the plane to Vancouver. Tray tables to up Mr. Payne.
You can take his face off of the sides of those milk cartons - Kevin Payne was not missing after all. On the heels of Torsten Frings' almost emotional and extremely classy goodbye to TFC, the club president was finally forced to update his very concerned fan base about the lack of incoming players. With two DP's down and a preseason roster still mostly filled with Academy prospects, draft picks and trialists, Payne attempted to assuage an increasingly angered mob before torches were lit. The "potential" additions to the club include: - Hogan Ephraim: the 24-year-old winger and sometime striker is apparently an "imminent" (you've heard that somewhere before) signing on a loan deal from his parent club Queen's Park Rangers. The Iron Sheik has gone on the record saying "The Hogan has the raisinballs" so Payne may want to re-consider. - John Bostock: Yes, he of the angry father calling TalkSport radio to call out Harry Redknapp, is on trial after failing to garner interest from San Jose Earthquakes. The 21-year-old was once touted as a future England international attacking mid but has seen his career stutter after numerous loan failures and rumours of a shoddy work-ethic and questionable attitude. Potential signing would again be on a loan basis from Tottenham. - Robert Earnshaw: the very experienced 31-year-old Welsh international striker is flying into Toronto tonight to "take a look" at the club and vice-versa. With many years spent in the English Championship at such clubs as Derby County, Nottingham Forest (he's a Welsh Clough) and Norwich City, he could be the kind of goal scorer that would work under Ryan Nelsen's system. Would have to put this one at 50/50 at best for the moment. - Two Hondurans and a microphone: Where's it at? Apologies to Beck but TFC ("I'm a loser baby") apparently have two players from the Central American nation on their radar. The club has been linked with a few Hondurans this spring so take your pick from Alfredo Mejia, Arnold Peralta, Rommel Quioto and numerous other random Tegucigalpans. - An Argentine DP: this was the one that came out of left-field. Payne has dispatched Head Scout Pat Onstad down to work on his tango and take a look at a player who would be a "young DP". Which is apparently not the same thing as Young MC. The yet unnamed striker would be a big addition talent-wise (you would imagine) but as per all of the above moves - would be a loan signing. Bust a move already. - Coming soon: in post-conference interviews Payne lamented the short period of time he has had to re-tool The Reds but told fans to expect a few changes in the first couple of months of the season. While updating the fans on these potential moves is a welcome positive, it will be at the new regime's peril if most of these official "rumours" don't pan out. Yes, deals fall through every day in the world of football but with four days remaining before First Kick, TFC supporter patience, rightly or wrongly, is as thin as the roster.
UPDATE: Our colleague and pal from Waking The Red, Kristin Knowles (@kzknowles on teh twitterz) has been doing yeoman's schmoozing work at the TFC Launch Party tonight and has managed to get word out that The Reds have apparently made a few signings. Supplemental Draft Pick (and our very own Peter Crouch-esque striker) Taylor Morgan, QPR-owned winger Hogan Ephraim and (most likely) Academy product Jonathan Osorio have joined the club.
The Yorkies are a collective of Toronto FC supporters and season ticket holders since day one. Our sole purpose is furthering our beloved club's fervent support with a movement of like-minded fans who want to speak with an independent voice. Our core belief is that supporters should always be able to voice their opinions about the state of the club free from outside influence or compromise. We will always aim to do that while having a laugh at the same time. Have opinion, have passion and support. Be a Yorkie too.
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