Are the 2009 playoffs TFC's poisoned cup?

Just because you can do something, doesn't necessarily make it the best option. As Toronto FC head into their last gasp attempt at making this year's playoffs, that conundrum does indeed rise. The enigma that is this season's Reds are quite frankly lucky to even have the chance to qualify for the post-season but that is the reality of MLS parity. Toronto does have a lot of individual talent but as supporters of the club have seen this year they lack structure, positional balance, tactical knowledge and far too often... heart. What, if anything, could an unlikely trip to the playoffs do to the face of the club?

The talents of the individual TFC players are often muted by the lack of positional options on the pitch. A glut of talented central midfielders hampers the club’s natural tendency to look for wing-play while the weak centre back combinations are only spared the goat’s horns by the truly appalling impotency of the forward line. This poor team structure sits at the feet of Director of Football Mo Johnston. In nearly four years of construction, and heavy rotation, Johnston hasn't been able to construct a balanced squad. Yes there is talent, but talent alone doesn't make a good team unit. Would a playoff appearance this year validate Mo's insistence that he is "building something special"? If an extra two matches means Johnston's ego is inflated more (if possible) and he can rest on his far from finished laurels, is it worth it?

There are of course positives that could arise from the post-season. Perhaps the taste of success, albeit minor, could propel the core of the team to move forward to bigger and better things in the future. If the younger members of the team can taste what the veterans already have, even briefly, it may be a benefit in 2010 and beyond. It is one of the veterans however whose attitude it may help the most. Many observers have been alarmed that Dwayne De Rosario has not looked himself in the past month or so. Frustrated, at times upset or on the odd occasion, uninterested - many have feared that the mediocre season has taken the shine off of the star's homecoming. Being in the limelight of the playoffs, where De Ro has always shined, may be just the tonic for the Scarborough superstar and his future in T.O.

The future is in fact the biggest concern as far as playoff residue is concerned. Could an October trip to Columbus or Houston put the brakes on progress that is already slow to begin with? Would a playoff-qualified TFC not feel the need to replace the nice but woefully under-qualified interim manager Chris Cummins? Further, does it mean that off-season player acquisitions are kept to a minimum as the team is called "good enough" or "close to competing" even though they are not? And, perhaps worst of all, does MLSE dine out on a playoff glimpse and use it as a marketing tool for the next 3 or 4 years of mediocre football?

Only time will tell of course, but as a fan, would you want to roll the dice on what could be two humiliating post-season matches in exchange for shaming the management into improving the club long-term? If the CONCACAF Champions League experience taught us anything, just getting there is often enough for TFC.

THE STARTING 11: 2009's worst TFC player excuses

If everything goes as expected in the next two weeks, Toronto FC players will be packing their bags and heading home for 2009 while many of their rivals prepare for the playoffs. What happened this season? There was such promise back in spring but it quickly slid into mediocrity - all that was left was a look ahead to 2010. Lots of reasons and excuses will be trotted out after the last game but we thought we'd get a jump on some of the more curious excuses...

11. "I was mesmerized by De Ro's ever-changing cornrow patterns"

10. "Feeling unnerved since 'Bitchy The Hawk' attacked Johann Smith"

9. "There were strange noises coming from the Food Building"

8. "Adrian Serioux scares us with his creepy 'Predator' impressions"

7. "South End supporters break our concentration with their loud chanting"

6. "The net is too small" (Chad Barrett only)

5. "Chris Cummins makes us watch the ending of 'Marley & Me' at halftime"

4. "Since Rohan Ricketts left, there's no one to Twitter with"

3. "John Carver took our favourite ball with him"

2. "Since Dichio retired, no one brings fresh cupcakes to practice"

1. "Half-price, day-old chip buttys are too hard to resist"

Dawn of the Playoff Dead

With this being Toronto FC's first realistic challenge at the bottom of the MLS playoff picture, Toronto fans are experiencing the frustrating yet forgiving parity that comes with this league. Championship playoffs and football are chalk and cheese as far as we are concerned but that's a complaint for another day - we will play with the hand dealt in MLS. As it stands right now, TFC are somehow still mathematically eligible for the post-season despite a lacklustre campaign in 2009. It is possible, with quite a bit of help from other clubs, and a sudden three game backbone, that The Reds could still challenge for the MLS Cup. Like some kind of footballing zombies, you think they are dead but they still keep coming back and trying to qualify... and eat your brains. Well, if Collin Samuel were still here the eating part could be true.

There are two necessities that must take place for Toronto to make its playoff debut. 6 points at home against San Jose and Real Salt Lake are absolutely essential and they preferably need to win by as wide a margin as possible to avoid tie-break messes. The kicker though is the final game against New York. Toronto will have to pull off what has been so rare in the last three years - a road win. New York is well and truly out of it this season but perhaps the final MLS match at Giants Stadium may spur on NYRB a bit. TFC will have to man-up to get the 3 points on the final day if they want to play another match in 2009. Unfortunately, because Toronto has floundered for much of the season, they also depend on help from teams around them. There is an astounding seven clubs who can affect TFC's final position and who have all to play for themselves. The other MLS zombies we are running from are...

CHICAGO FIRE
Fire are still aiming for a high ranking in the playoff picture and will be playing hard. TFC isn't aiming for them but their away match against New England and home finale against Chivas USA could do TFC big favours. Chicago should finish strong and use the momentum to propel into the playoffs where they can do some damage.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
The first year club (don't hear any excuses there, do you?) have had a fantastic year and currently sit in 5th overall. With two games left, Sounders need to play fairly well to qualify and could get a potential 47 points on the season. The schedule is friendly to them with an away match to magic-less Wizards and a home season closer to high-scoring FC Dallas. The Qwest experience on the last day should see the Green Wave wash into the playoffs which is a great achievement in year one.

CHIVAS USA
The Goats are likely out of TFC's reach and with a home match against Kansas, should have what it takes to grab a playoff position between 4th and 7th. They end the season away to FC Dallas but should have enough quality to safely see them through to the post season.

COLORADO RAPIDS
Rapids have been as inconsistent as Toronto this year and are definitely one of the clubs TFC is aiming for. Colorado has two away matches to end the season against playoff hopeful Real Salt Lake and the recurring fixture that is FC Dallas away. If Colorado gets 3 points from either match it might be enough to secure their playoff ticket but less than that and they will be in a dogfight for the 8th spot.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Revs are one of the three playoff zombies, along with RSL and TFC, which have three fixtures left to play. A tough home and away with Columbus (gotta love MLS schedules) and a tough visit from Chicago means Steve Nicol's boys have their work ahead of them. New England has the hardest schedule of all the playoff wannabees but if they can get 6 points or more they should be able to secure a spot between 6th and 8th. Anything less than that sees the three teams below them eagerly nipping at their heels.

DC UNITED
The formerly perennial playoff contenders find themselves 2 points out of the playoffs with two games left to play. The reigning champs Columbus visit DC but the always difficult RFK Stadium should help that challenge. Finishing off the season against Kansas City is a good bonus for DC but there is no room for mistakes. United must get 6 points to have any chance of grabbing the last spot.

REAL SALT LAKE
With three games to go and 34 points to show for it, RSL has a challenge ahead. In their favour however is a schedule that sees them face two playoff contention rivals and the usually lame New York at home. 9 points would give RSL a solid shot at 8th in the playoff picture as it would mean them stealing points off of TFC and Colorado. Anything less than a perfect string and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir won't be meeting the team at the airport.

All of which leaves the hometown heroes (?) Toronto FC. This Saturday sees San Jose coming to BMO Field followed by the aforementioned RSL visit and capped off with the NYRB trip. A perfect run is necessary and to be honest there is no reason why they can't do that - on paper. Sadly TFC's problems seem to be in the spinal area and as highlighted earlier, it is not an area where they have shown consistency. If the players and staff back-up the confident talk with some solid play then TFC can potentially be the dark-horse of the playoff scheme. That being said, three wins in a row including a road win would be rarefied air for Toronto FC. If they can't be perfect they will go from being the playoff undead to the zombie head chop which is no playoffs... again... brrrr-ains!

Editorial: Time to end kid gloves for TFC

Most parents will tell you that if you coddle a child for too long then they will end up spoiled. Now it's unsure how long "childhood" lasts for your average MLS club but three years seems to be at least "young adult". Why then, is Toronto FC being treated so gingerly by most observers - both on the inside and the outside of the club? The second half of the 2009 season has been truly awful. Yes, there has been the good news of Julian De Guzman's signing and the faint smell of real grass in the air, but on the field, this team's position in the table has only been saved by the mediocrity of the teams around them. The difference between TFC and the other clubs however is that the others are not using tired excuses like being a "young" club but rather calling it like it is - "a bad season".

There are some very glaring weaknesses that The Reds have shown since their first season which most supporters would have expected to be long gone by late season 2009 but have nonetheless remained. Production from TFC strikers is as impotent as it was on day one in 2007 with no signs of improvement, especially with the stubborn inclusion of Chad Barrett and the misuse of Ali Gerba. The other major roadblock to improvement is the shocking lack of production on the road. After last week's loss to Galaxy, the club's recent road tally was 1 point out of a possible 12. It was after that game that the "kid glove" treatment of the team reached maddening new levels. There were absurd comments from manager Chris Cummins that TFC "dominated" the play but were beaten by some bad luck. Apart from the TFC staff, the broadcast team on Rogers Sportsnet called the loss "a good effort" despite the 2-0 scoreline and lack of good Toronto scoring chances. The running corporate line throughout the season from Mo Johnston and MLSE is that they are "building something special" in the long-term, but near the end of three seasons the excuse of being a “young team” surely has to end now.

This mythology was further propelled this week by the team's star Dwayne De Rosario who appeared on SUN TV's "The Grill Room". When asked about the season's lacklustre results the "only a third year team" line was trotted out by the Scarberian. The fact that De Ro said his decision to come to TFC was "the right move at the time" was unfortunately not probed further but his body language of late and the sheepish answers from most other Toronto players seems to illuminate a lack of real answers. The new DP Julian De Guzman has said the right things such as the "playoffs are now" for TFC but surely there must be unhappiness in the dressing room that a playoff struggle is the best this club could achieve. Bluntly put, three years is enough time for any club with the financial prowess of TFC, in any league, to build a winner. It is not too much for Toronto supporters to expect more than a "squeaky bum time" (thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson) win in the Canadian Championship and a humiliating crash out of Champions League. While it is true there are some positive moves for next year, the time for "young club" excuses is over. There should be no fear from inside or outside of the club to call a spade a spade and simply say "this has been a bad season". A bad year is not the end of the world but propelling weak excuses from one year to the next must end before we start hearing about the woes of "only a fourth year club".

With De Guzman comes De Questions...

For once there is a Toronto FC story that has no negative spin attached to it nor the nagging suspicion that there must be something evil lurking behind it. The Designated Player signing of Canada's most talented national team member, Julian De Guzman, is truly great news for the team and supporters alike in a year where good times have been rare. The only negatives being directed towards the signing have been from elements of support who would have liked to see TFC sign an aged star from Europe a la Luis Figo or Christian Vieri. Frankly, these views are entirely ignorant and show a lack of knowledge about football and usually come from casual "soccer" fans who only watch the World Cup or might watch The Reds for one half when they play against Beckham. However, despite all of the positives, a major signing does not come without repercussions and De Guzman's arrival will indeed create some questions that will need to be addressed in the near future.

WHO COULD BE ON THE WAY OUT?
The other shoe has to fall in the wages department. While it is true that only a share of De Guzman's salary goes against the cap, it is still Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment signing the cheques and they will want to trim some fat. With four midfielders making a healthy MLS wage, one of the two veterans Carl Robinson or Amado Guevara seem to be endangered species. With the emergence of Sam Cronin as a useful, and much cheaper, holding midfielder, the hard-working Welshman Robinson could be headed out of town. There would be a lot of steel if TFC played both Robinson and De Guzman together but Robbo's age and large wage seems to work against him.

WHERE DOES DE GUZMAN PLAY?
This question could directly influence or be the result of the above question. If one of the other pricey midfield pieces is moved out then De Guzman will fall into that spot. The Canadian national midfielder has terrific versatility and can play anywhere in the middle of the park. In his years with Deportivo La Coruna, De Guzman was the stalwart holding midfielder responsible for shunting the attacks of such juggernauts as Barcelona and Real Madrid while with the national team he has been an effective attacking midfielder capable of spraying pinpoint passes and getting open in channels. His positioning will likely be a product of someone else's departure but it would be a very strong midfield if all the pieces were kept for at least one more season.

CAN DE GUZMAN LEAD TFC TO THE 2009 PLAYOFFS?
De Guzman alone does not possess the skills to single-handedly transform TFC, but few players in the world do. Toronto is in a logjam of other very capable squads vying for the last playoff spot and The Reds have been inconsistent to say the least. De Guzman will be a great presence in the middle but five games is a short time to integrate into a new system, mesh with teammates' styles and take on the leadership role that his stature demands. His familiarity with Dwayne De Rosario and the other Canadian nationals will accelerate the process but he alone can't solve the often porous defence and the unreliable strikers. Making the playoffs will have more to do with a combined team effort as opposed to De Guzman doing it alone.

HOW DOES A DP CHANGE THE DRESSING ROOM?
For the first time in the club's history, one of the players on the squad is making a lot more money than anyone else. Other DP situations in MLS haven't seemed to be an issue with the rank and file but who knows what happens behind closed doors? It can’t be the easiest situation for De Rosario who arrived in the off-season as the all-conquering hometown boy making good, only to be trumped in the same season as the big star. The truth is De Ro will score more goals than De Guzman which will cement his stardom amongst the supporters but hopefully the chasm between their wages, and the wages of other veterans on the team, won’t make the green-eyed monster raise its ugly head.

WHAT DOES THIS SIGNING HERALD FOR THE OFF-SEASON?
Anyone who watches TFC faithfully realizes there are a few more holes to fill than just a star midfielder. As mentioned previously, there is a need for talent in the back four and the desperate need for a clinical finisher. It will be interesting to see if Mo Johnston rests on his laurels of this signing or if the sudden star power of TFC attracts a few more quality signings. Additional players arriving also depends on the appetite of the MLSE Board to spend further, but not adding to the puzzle would almost negate De Guzman’s worth.

DOES THIS START A CANADIAN MLS ARMS RACE?
With Vancouver set to join MLS and Montreal likely close behind, the pool for quality Canadian talent will shrink in a hurry. It will be very interesting to see if Whitecaps or Olympique du Montreal (we can hope, no?) will go out and immediately try to snap up other top Canucks. There are a couple more players out there worthy of big bucks but De Guzman may be the only one who could demand DP money. Toronto could very well try to corner the market on hosers before Vancouver starts signing.

No matter how you slice the De Guzman signing, it is good for TFC and good for Canadian football. Questions will always arise from such a massive shift in football culture so Toronto supporters can only enjoy the ride with De Gu and hope that one good step leads to another. Oh… and work on growing a Scarbo-Fro for next season.

Workers of the TFC unite!

With it being Labour Day (yes, our American friends, we spell it with a "u"), The Yorkies want to celebrate the true workers who have so far worn the Red for Toronto FC. Channelling the proletariat spirit of Karl Marx we offer you a starting line-up of the most blue collar, hard working and enthusiastic lads to run out on our Eastern Bloc era artificial turf. They may not be the most talented group in TFC's short history but this starting 11 would have definitely put in a harder effort this past Saturday night in Colorado. This is a line-up that could have started for SC Karl-Marx-Stadt (yes, they existed).

Manager: John Carver

G: Greg Sutton
D: Marvell Wynne
D: Tyrone Marshall
D: Andrew Boyens
D: Adrian Serioux
M: Jim Brennan
M: Chris Pozniak
M: Carl Robinson
M: Dwayne De Rosario
F: Andrea Lombardo
F: Danny Dichio

Talented, maybe not. Bust their humps for TFC? Yes. They would definitely beat the crap out of the Mo Johnston managed TFC Bourgeoisie squad featuring the likes of Laurent Robert, Rohan Ricketts and Jeff Cunningham.

Happy Labour Day Canada! Happy Labor Day USA! Happy Monday everyone else around the world! Happy Mondays Shaun Ryder and Bez.

Match Preview: Denver - The Last MLS Dinosaur

COLORADO RAPIDS VS. TORONTO FC
Dick's Sporting Goods Park - Saturday 10PM EST
TV - Rogers Sportsnet -- Radio: The Fan 590

It's one of those glorious little quirks of Major League Soccer that helps hold it back in the eyes of Eurosnobs and naysayers here and abroad. A back-to-back fixture against the same club. Nowhere else in the world of football does this occur in regular season. An absurdity that has to be fixed. Also needing a fix - Colorado Rapids. Is there a more tepid, poorly managed team (off the field) in MLS as the Maroons? While it's true they have rarely been world-beaters on the pitch, their image, as controlled by owner Stan Kroenke and his staff is poor. Soccer-mom baiting madness rules in Colorado with thundersticks, "Bring your dog to the match" type promotions and other useless corporate mush straight out of "The Big Book of American Soccer Leagues".

It was thought that building a truly beautiful stadium would change things but The Dick has the same atmosphere as Stan Kroenke's other club - Arsenal. Like a mini-Emirates Stadium, The Dick, on most match days, shares Arsenal's atmosphere that rates slightly higher than a library that is about to close. In a league where many original clubs have taken the baby steps towards acting like world football teams and not roller hockey franchises, Rapids have given no favours to real football supporters in the Denver area and their attendance and atmosphere are the proof. At least this week, TFC supporters can concentrate on the play on the pitch and not about a pissing match about who has the best fans.

COLORADO RAPIDS - 9-6-7 - 33pts 4th in WEST (6th OVERALL)
Rapids have been hovering around mid-table for most of the season and have been quite an enigma lately. Recently they suffered a humiliating 3-2 loss at Chicago after holding a 2-0 lead for much of the match. However, in their next match they answered the previous form with a solid 1-0 win over title favourites Houston Dynamo. Injuries and absences will make this match a challenge for Rapids with leading scorer, and brief Red, Conor Casey on national team duty while midfield talisman Pablo Mastroeni is out on suspension. Playmaking duties will fall to talented Moroccan Mhedi "Don't Call Me John" Ballouchy who will try to aim his pinpoint crosses at Jamaican forward Omar Cummings. Hopefully no Golden Retrievers will get involved in the play.

TORONTO FC - 8-7-8 - 31pts 5th in EAST (11th OVERALL)
The story continues for "The Road Worriers" and their western travels. Failing to get a result against an undermanned Rapids will be a huge blow to the club. With the large amount of clubs within 3 points of TFC in the standings, any combination of Toronto losses and close rival wins can severely damage the playoff hopes. The worry is once again up front where scoring has been a rumour for TFC. Which combo Chris Cummins will go with is anyone's guess these days although if Chad Barrett gets another start after last week at Seattle, many will be scratching their heads. To The Chad's defence though, Gerba, Vitti, Dichio (remember him?) and whoever else is added to the mixture up front has been equally useless or used incorrectly. The one plus out of the Seattle match was the ability shown by rookie Gambian midfielder Amadou Sanyang. Sanyang and his countryman Emmanuel Gomez have shown a great deal of composure and poise despite their age and sudden arrival from Africa. With an ankle injury to Carl Robinson and Amado Guevara away on international duty, Sanyang may very well get the call. Does The Gambia happen to have any strikers waiting around?

"Tossed salad and scrambled eggs... we're scoreless again"

Impotence is no laughing matter for a man. It's even less funny when 11 men have it. Toronto FC's anemic finishing was in full effect today as the Reds were held to a 0-0 draw at Seattle's Qwest Field. The rotating cast of characters up front saw Dwayne De Rosario partnered by Chad Barrett (!!!) with the same results as usual - nothin' much. A few close calls including De Ro shooting at an open net only to pass to his other foot and later in the half, the same De Ro sent a pinpoint perfect cross to the other striker, yeah that guy, only for it to glance off his seemingly purposeful head.

Luckily for TFC, Seattle didn't have too much about them today either. The impressive crowd couldn't spur their team on enough today and despite their best efforts, SSFC were as impotent as Toronto. Freddie Ljungberg showed his class as the only DP on the field (hint, hint Mo) and came close to scoring, but the Swedish glamour model's biggest contribution to entertainment was a hissy fit/ near-slapping match with half of TFC in the 2nd half. In the end "Scoreless In Seattle" was a fair result.

If only there was a visual representation of maddening impotent frustration...

Stay connected for the official Yorkies match report later today.

Could De Ro kick MLSE in the grass?

Coming home after a long absence isn't always easy. Tougher still when the weight of thousands of supporters' expectations are riding on your shoulders. When Dwayne De Rosario signed with Toronto FC this past off-season, the club could claim that it had its first true star - no offence Andrea Lombardo. The perennial MLS All-Star and Scarborough native had found his way home for the first time since playing with Toronto Lynx all those years ago. This time was different though, a real pro club in a real stadium with a real big fan-base. The signing was meant to herald the dawn of a new TFC, which would see the club move from strength to strength.

Since De Ro first appeared on the pitch with TFC it has been evident that he is a class above most of his teammates. His skills and determination are ever-present and his hometown pride seems to propel him. Yet, despite good numbers, he does not seem to control the play like he has in past years. What has been the difference? Not De Ro himself, but the very squad that was poorly assembled around him. Toronto as they stand as a squad right now is a team built in reaction and not with action. Mo Johnston and the "brain trust" (make your own joke) pick up bits and pieces around the world that become available from their extraordinarily limited scouting network rather than find the right pieces that fit around their stars. The problem you see, is in order to get the right players, you must spend money. TFC (see MLSE) has yet to actually obtain a player that cost the corporation any fee other than player exchange or draft picks and salary is a curse word. This however is an examination for another day - the pressing issue is how this team and it's future was sold to De Ro when they were courting the midfielder this past winter.

Was De Rosario promised a squad would be built around him that would mimic the solid make-up he was used to at Houston Dynamo? Was he guaranteed that real grass rather than green concrete was a matter of months away? Was the future painted as rosy or was the reality of MLSE's corporate structure made obvious. Did De Ro realize that the only goal at BMO Field is winning Major League Soccer's profit league and not the MLS Cup? In the club’s defence you must also wonder how a player with such strong connections to the city wasn't aware of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment's reputation as a money-first, success-second corporation. No matter how De Rosario came to the decision to join TFC, the shine is apparently coming off the homecoming.

In interviews this past week, quotes were attributed to De Ro that heavily hinted at his need to consider his future as a Red due to the ridiculous state of the pitch at BMO Field. The green concrete is without a doubt the most embarrassing turf in MLS apart from Giants' Stadium's NFL marked pitch and surely awful on the knees and back. De Rosario is more than justified in expressing his concerns over the turf's toll on his career, the only surprise is that it took this long for a player to grow a pair of Guevaras and tell MLSE like it is. MLSE will turtle into victim mode and blame mean old rich City of Toronto for not letting them put in real grass but it seems like the Torontonian in De Ro can't help but see the horse-Peddie that the Bay Street boys shovel.

It is that hometown boy realization though which is alarming. De Ro like most of us who live in Toronto and support TFC know very well that grass isn't coming anytime soon. Blame what you want - MLSE's penny-pinching, community use issues, preserving turf for an Argos move to BMO (yeah I said it) - but this story isn't even close to a conclusion. Maybe De Ro sees this and also sees the issue as an escape hatch from a team that has no intention of building a perennial champion - just one with an owner happy to manage expectations like they do with their other "sports and entertainment" products. If he can threaten to leave on an issue that has no chance of quick resolution, he could have a way to jump off of a sinking ship. Every MLS club and a score of smaller European clubs would snatch him up in a second and not one TFC supporter could blame him. If you worked in a place where success was job # 2 and your livelihood was being put at risk, what would you do? Every TFC supporter knows De Ro wants to lift Toronto FC's first MLS Cup in Scarborough, but not more than he simply wants to lift the cup again - anywhere.

Scarborough Is TFC's Favela

Football has always been the sport of the people. Most of the legends of the greatest game have been from poor or working class roots while many of the world's most beloved clubs are based in their city's poorer neighbourhoods. From Pele to Zidane, it has always been boys with little more than a ball and a dream who have shone the brightest. The most famous football factories are the Favelas of Brazil’s biggest cities like Sao Paulo and Rio but as Toronto FC and Canada grows into it's football skins, our own hotbed has risen - Scarborough.

The much-maligned (never on this site!) eastern suburb of Downtown Toronto with such nicknames as Scarberia, Scarlem and The Scronx is not only the home of some of Canada's biggest football stars but has also raised the spine of Toronto FC. Whether you judge the current crop of Reds as a success or not you cannot imagine many wins without Adrian Serioux, Dwayne De Rosario and now rookie O'Brian White drawing a straight line down the middle of the pitch. In addition to TFC's crop of Scarberians you can add the De Guzman brothers to the mix and suddenly Scarborough Town FC is your perennial MLS Cup Champion!

Some would argue that White is Jamaican-born and not a product of Scarborough but that is just proof of the Borough's strength. Like most of Toronto, people are welcomed from all over the world and given the opportunity to excel. It was in Scarborough where White like his TFC teammates developed and were noticed by football scouts. Serioux, De Ro and the De Guzman's took the route of minor league football while White went to the NCAA only to come full circle. The hard work and determination it takes to become a pro footballer was no doubt helped by growing up in the Boro. It isn't always the easiest place to be a young man and you need good strength and toughness to emerge from it’s available pitfalls. Much like other poor hoods dotted around the football world, it instills a confidence and swagger in those who emerge from it's streets. De Ro's flair, Serioux's hardman steel and White's determination are fine examples of this.

Scarborough natives know there is something special about the place. It is an enigma of a town that can leave you shaking your head one moment and proud the next. It can have some ugly, grey urban landscapes while having stunning natural landscapes. It is an old town full of new Canadians - it is hard and tough but full of families striving to give their kids a better future. Mostly, it's a place where only those who have grown up there can understand and who are the only ones who have the right to criticize it. If the players who have come out of the Boro have the make-up of De Ro, Serioux and potentially White then Mo Johnston should forget about looking near Scarborough, England and keep an eye on the pitches of the Scavela.

TFC Supporters -The Biggest Fish?

A few years ago when MLSE announced the purchase of an MLS franchise, many football fans in Toronto, myself included, suspended the usual MLSE-bashing due to the sheer excitement of being awarded a real team in a major league. After a few days I thought "well that's great but surely they will screw this up". I envisioned cheerleaders, a big fluffy mascot and a terrible name such as Toronto Strikers, T-Rexx or Ex-Treme! However, as we know, MLSE actually did things right. A real club name, proper kits with a sponsor on the front and an atmosphere at our real football stadium which was cultivated along with the supporters and not forced down our throats with canned cheering and animated clapping hands telling us to "Make Some Noize!!!". They even hired a football man to run the show. Surely the snickers we heard from NY Red Bulls fans about his appointment were just jealousy - right? For those of us who had grown up attending matches abroad in established leagues, we finally had a club of our own. The disbelief continued to be suspended.

The massive waves of excitement surrounding the club's first season did little to quell our appreciation to the previously maligned corporation. Most of us had suppressed that little voice in our head telling us that we were inevitably going to become "Leafs on Turf". Despite the terrible football of the first couple of seasons, the majority of us had a level of forgiveness towards MLSE and knew they wouldn't dare pull the same stunts they had been doing with Leafs and Raptors' fans. Right? It was in the second year though when cracks started to form. Promises of exotic players from South American scouting trips; big investments with the cash we got after selling our most promising player; not-so-subtle hints of a DP in the days leading up to season ticket renewals; and grass - beautiful real green grass to lure great players here. Supporters couldn't help but get excited but these promises disappeared as mysteriously as they appeared - coming and going on the wind depending on that week's results. TFC win: no need to say anything. 3 losses in a row and no goals: rumour has it an International captain/Brazilian wonder kid/World Cup hero is in town on trial and he drove in on a truck with fresh real grass and a construction crew to expand BMO Field. For supporters who were reading between the lines - cracks were emerging.

As Season 3 approached, the purchase of Dwayne DeRosario gave us a whisper of optimism but not long into the campaign, the cracks became larger and more evident. Halfway through the 2009 campaign, it is fair to say that things have gone from glass half-full to grass half-empty quickly. At the time of writing, our tough talking coach, John Carver, abruptly quit under very odd circumstances; the massive holes in our back line are only overshadowed by one of the worst strike forces ever seen in professional football; our pitch looks like a green pair of old man's slacks and now has very visible lacrosse markings on it; our Director of Soccer only appears once a year like a groundhog (except his appearance usually marks 6 weeks until the end of a season without playoffs) and he somehow can't find any suitable players to fit within acres of cap-room; we are all but eliminated from CONCACAF Champions' League by lower division rivals - again; and most obviously, TFC seems to be hitting it's annual mid-season collapse. Sadly, these are not the worst things happening at Exhibition Place.

The most alarming development has been the gradual gap which is widening between the club and its most loyal supporters. The close relationship which was seemingly cultivated for three years has been damaged badly by the Real Madrid friendly-fiasco. The money grabbing move immediately undid MLSE's image as a patron of football and TFC and exposed them as the same group who have been fleecing Raptors' and Leafs' fans for years. The insertion of one-day-only grass has even angered their star player DeRo who feels disrespected by the move. Add to the list a feeling from certain supporters that players aren't as available as they were before; pushing of Marlies' tickets onto ticket packages; hard line security crackdowns at the stadium; blaming the City of Toronto for every ill of the stadium despite having a lucrative lease which no doubt comes with a level of influence; and worst of all, the inevitable fact that in a few short weeks, 2010 ticket packages will be announced with the equally inevitable price increase.

These frustrating facts can only make the loyal supporter ask - was MLSE's good will and football-friendly decision making truly benevolent or are we in the middle of a 3-year marketing plan that has reeled us in to the point where our loyalty to the club is being used against us? Is the real corporate monster about to be unleashed with the supporter's only remaining choice being go to matches and revel in mediocrity or say goodbye to a club you've taken on as your own? It is at MLSE's peril if they take that route because as much as their bottom line would have them believe now, Toronto FC are not "Leafs on Turf"and the casual football supporter will not wait 44 years for a cup.