LETTERS FROM CAMP: LuluLaba - Reds' DP off to Vancouver Whitecaps on loan

"Me and this giant ball will take care of your boy"

Of all the options available in the Matias Laba 2014 exit strategy, a loan deal within the league wasn't too bad. The fact that it looks as if he is going to a national rival puts a wee bit of a sting into its tail.

According to The Province tonight, The Reds and The Caps have agreed to a loan deal under the new MLS intraleague loan rule that will see the midfield maestro spend the year at BC Place. Whether or not he would be allowed to play against TFC (especially in Canadian Championship matches) is so far unclear. In most parts of the world, a player on loan rarely faces his parent club... but this is MLS so who the eff knows?

Having Laba come back and bite TFC's asses in 2014 would suck. Seeing The Caps, who TFC have built a nice rivalry with, succeed with Laba would suck. Losing Laba permanently would have sucked so much harder.

Under a loan agreement, Laba will presumably return to TFC in 2015 and no longer fall under the DP category. In other words, a year of seasoning under a pretty good ex-defensive mid in the form of Caps' manager Carl Robinson then back as a part of a midfield that will feature a young core of Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio and himself.

It would have been a touch nicer if he could have been loaned to a Chivas or San Jose, deep in the west where we rarely see them, but it is what it is. Between the choice of Laba being sold back to South America, traded within MLS for some crappy draft and allocation stupidity or spending one year sleeping with our yoga pants-wearing neighbour - we'll take it.

See you in a year Matias... pretend you're injured when Vancouver play TFC please.



THE STARTING 11: Rejected Toronto FC taglines for the 2012 season

"Tick-tock, The Reds won't stop"



Over the last few years MLSE has marketed their seasons with cute little taglines, often incorporating the season's numerical value within it. For example - "fOUR Season" and "Season fIVe" have been used over the last few years. Here at The Yorkies we have already branded next season as "SIXual Healing" of course, but that didn't stop the boffins on Bay Street from trying out a few of their own for TFC's sixth kick at the can...
　
11. "Year IV in a V Year Plan"
　
10. "We're Gonna Make You Six"
　
9. "Six Feet Under"
　
8. "Sheashon Shixsh" (Bob de Klerk's idea)
　
7. "The Dirty Half-Dozen"
　
6. "Do You Think We're Sixy?"
　
5. "2012 Angry Men"
　
4. "A Full Order of Frings"
　
3. "We Wanna Six You Up"
　
2. "Soolsma II: Electric Boogaloo"
　
1. "Sixy Times!"



Yes, we know Rod Stewart sang this but Tom Jones doing it is WAY funnier. Plus Tom Jones is Welsh. Carl Robinson is also Welsh. We miss Carl Robinson. Jeez why all the questions?

Hi Carl if you're reading.

Editorial: And Then There Was One...

-------------------Classy player. Classless treatment.

I already miss him.

Carl Robinson was truly the engine who drove the midfield. All stop. His bad games still contained a positive value to the on-pitch performance. If only Guevara's "Polkaroo" act of disappearing and reappearing when no one is paying attention could be that noticeable.

Was the $300 000+ savings of salary cap really worth losing the one consistent outfield player that has shirted up since the game one? I hope so.

Preki has to be given some leeway here. He's the one steering the inherited ship, shifty patchwork, 5 year plans and all, so he needs to impose his imprint. Believing in Preki should be easy with his pedigree behind him so when the new talent shows up, some of those losses should become draws, draws become victories, etc.

One would have to think that it is solely a monetary issue. On a grossly underachieving team, it has to be. TFC, on paper, is good enough for a run in the post-season and to scare the hell out of a random Panamanian team in the Champions League instead of what we have before us. $300k is a solid amount of wiggle room on a team that could use a few capable players who will play 90 minutes a game. Honestly, if we can turn one Carl Robinson into two HALF-Carl Robinsons for the same price, it would be a gross improvement from 2009 on talent and work rate.

So this leaves our very own captain, Wee Jimmy Brennan, as the last of the originals. You have to speculate that the writing is on SOME wall for him with injuries and age taking their toll on the man.

So here's to you Mr. Robinson, may New York Harrison Extreme Beverage treat you well, and, if TFC supporters have an iota of class, applaud your return.

Carl Robinson released... no traded... no released...

TFC have released Carl Robinson and he is on trial with NY Red Bulls.
Surplus to requirements with the arrival of Julian de Guzman.
We wish Carl the best of luck and wish our club would have acted with some class towards a humble servant since day one.

Full story here

Week one is a weak one

From the moment Preki was introduced as the new TFC manager most supporters thought that the dawn had finally broke on the gloom that surrounded the team. Forget about the first year expansion mess, the second year building phase, the third year re-building phase - 2010 would be the true start of the real Toronto FC. No more coaching changes, no more locker room drama, a deep solid squad and playoffs - delicious, chewy playoffs! All we had to do was patiently wait through winter like anxious hungry bears for training camp.

KABLOOEY!!! One week into training camp and the steaming pile on the yet to be grassed BMO Field pitch is the smouldering relics of many supporters' dreams for 2010. Fans kept their optimism going on faith alone as the winter months passed and Mo "MLSE Employee of the Month" Johnston didn't manage to sign one player. But not to fear - surely before training camp things would get better - right? No. From the moment the media was allowed to look behind the ex-Wizard's curtain it was clear that the rot hasn't been cleared but has indeed festered.

ADRIAN SERIOUX: The hometown hardman and true heart of the defence is unlikely to be re-signed. Whispers are floating as to whether this is due to the free agent's injury status or penny pinching at the MLSE level. Either way, if The Predator doesn't return, it means a bigger role for Nick "Which one is our goal?" Garcia and that is very bad news. A press release would be nice.

DWAYNE DE ROSARIO: There is something very wrong in Camp De Ro. TFC's first real star (sorry Dichio) was injured in the Canada v. Jamaica friendly but then refused to talk to media at all. The fact that he is gone for 2-4 weeks is completely overshadowed by the rumours that the corn rowed Scarberian is very unhappy with his contract status and the supposed promises he had received from Mo to restructure it. Unhappy De Ro is bad news for TFC's impotent offence.

CARL ROBINSON: If it wasn't insulting enough for the classy Welshman to have his face broken last season by a useless trialist, TFC has done their best to marginalize the midfielder ever since. Despite any opinions on Robinson's skill level, no one can dispute his leadership and steel in TFC's midfield since day one. It is the worst kept secret that Mo is trying to ship him to any taker to solve salary cap mismanagement but the manner in which it has been done is classless. Robinson, unsurprisingly noble, has not spoken publicly about the mess... or at all.

THE SQUAD: Going into training camp, TFC has the least amount of signed players of any MLS club. For a team that has lacked depth for four years this is just unacceptable and blame is squarely on one inept Scot only.

INJURIES: However fun it would be to blame Johnston for injuries, we can't. Chad Barrett can't kick a ball because of a foot injury (goal tally unaffected), De Rosario picked up a knock in the Canada match and there are a host of minor niggles as well. Jacob Peterson however is Mo's, and indeed Preki's, mess. The one, single, solitary player that management signed in an off-season so full of holes - can't even fully train for another 2 months. Poor.

MANAGEMENT: Our feelings here towards Mo Johnston’s management are no secret. From day one his decision making, attitude, vision and execution have been truly poor. Yes there have been a few bright signings and draft picks but after four years on the job TFC has no depth, gaping holes on all areas of the pitch, a noted toxic atmosphere in the dressing room and most of all very little in the way of wins or winning ways. It is too early to pass any judgement on Preki but the wily Serb may need to be a little more forthcoming with the Toronto media. You're not at Chivas anymore Mr. Radosavljevic. Preki may also want to keep a healthy distance from Mo - another "Yes Man" is not what TFC needs.

Overall, after waiting for the breath of fresh air to roll in after the memories of 5-0 at Giants Stadium, the odour has been more of a funk. In no way is this a final indictment on TFC:2010 but somebody has to take hold of this club and pull it up by the bootstraps in a hurry. The quiet from Johnston on all things training camp has been deafening but the one silver lining - if he does allow this club to fail this year, he may not be around to do it again in 2011. As tempting as that may be, it shouldn't be our goal for this season.

To swerve and protect

--------------"I know, I can't believe I'm protected either Amado!"

You would like to think that tomorrow's MLS Expansion Draft is on the up and up but you can't help but wonder what negotiations and side deals were cut with new boys Philadelphia Union beforehand. TFC and the other existing clubs had to reveal their protected players yesterday and the names on the BMO Field list threw up some curiosities indeed.

On the protected side, the great Chad Barrett mystery continues. Where this Muppet garners his TFC respect from is shocking. What has he shown? Jim Brennan was a slight surprise as well and likely has to do more with "first player in" loyalty than any remaining quality. The only other interesting name was Adrian Serioux. The big Scarborough defender is a free agent and perhaps his protected status speaks to TFC's interest in re-signing "The Predator".

The unprotected list seems to highlight two areas of flux in the TFC line-up. Under-achievers (both mentally and physically) and those making big money. The hinted at attitude issues surrounding Amado Guevara as well as his history with new manager Preki make his status a no-brainer. The fact that he is going to the World Cup and makes a good wage also means he could be an unlikely candidate for Philly.

Patience seems to have run thin with Gabe Gala while the on-field production of Ali Gerba and Pablo Vitti made them available for drafting as well. The inclusion of Carl Robinson is most likely a safe one for TFC as Union won't want to spend 300K plus on a veteran who may very well leave MLS if it meant leaving Toronto.

With remaining choices being "The Human Own-Goal" Nick Garcia and the unproven Lesly Fellinga there is a good chance that Philly ends up looking at The Reds' back-up keeper Brian Edwards. It would be a shame for TFC to lose Edwards as he is a very capable number two to obvious starter Stefan Frei. At a good wage and with a good deal of MLS experience, Edwards may prove tempting.

In the end, it will come down to Philly's approach at team-building. If they go for the slow build (Not a Mo Johnston 20 year slow build) then Edwards may be a good choice for the Blue and Gold. If however, the Union of the Snake wants to replicate a Seattle and aim high, then perhaps former MVP Amado Guevara is the big ticket they seek. Something tends to make us believe that a certain Preki wouldn't shed a tear if the mercurial Honduran was on the first flight to the City of Brotherly Love.

Young Elephant breaks Carl Robinson's face

In Mo Johnston and Toronto FC's quest to build the cheapest team in the world, they invited three unknown youngsters on trial from the African nation of Ivory Coast - or Cote D'Ivoir to its friends. Ivory Coast is a football rich nation which can boast the superstars Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Eboue and Didier Zokora amongst its talented "Les Elephants" national team. Something tells me that the trio that Mo invited over for a Canadian autumn adventure aren't in that calibre. Just a hunch.

There is nothing wrong at all with trialling young internationals - you never know when you may indeed find the diamond in the rough. However, it is surely an unheard practice to train raw athletes with your first-team during the most important part of the season. At a time when the starting 11 should be honing their skills and most importantly their chemistry, why would you be running out three young men who may never wear the shirt? The problem with green young men trying to land a dream job with a big team is that they will do whatever they need to do to catch the manager's eye. Earlier this week, at TFC practice in Oakville, that is exactly what happened.

It is being reported that during one of the scrimmages, one of the young trialists (Ivory Coasters? Cote D'Ivoirians? Elephant Men?) crashed hard into veteran midfielder Carl Robinson, apparently fracturing the Welshman's cheekbone in the process. Medical reports coming out of BMO Field are sketchy at the moment but Robbo is definitely heading to a specialist. Worst case scenarios claim that the defensive midfield stalwart may be gone for the season but the club has yet to confirm that. With Amado Guevara away on international duty, it looks as if Chris Cummins will be forced to put together a rag-tag midfield. This is exactly the kind of news that no one who still holds slim hope of a TFC post-season wants to hear. Well Mo, hopefully these young Elephants develop into valuable players because one of them may have inadvertently cut The Reds' thread of playoff dreams short. That's no bargain... in English or French.