THE STARTING 11: Strange moments during TFC's Thanksgiving Team Dinner

Never forget.



With a coaching staff and a number of players far from home, it's always a nice touch to get everyone together for a bonding holiday meal. When Toronto FC sat down for their holiday supper, it was the first taste of a North American Thanksgiving for many of The Reds. The club no doubt wanted a special day for all involved but just like any family gathering, a few things went awry.
　
11. Club announces after dinner that 30 people showed up for the meal even though it was obvious that only 18 were in attendance
　
10. Audible giggling every time Bob de Klerk said "Tankshgivingsh"
　
9. Leftovers quickly rushed to BMO Field - put between buttered bread and readied for sale at next home match
　
8. Turkey out for 6 months with ACL tear in drumstick
　
7. Mysterious giant Tupperware container at end of table with "Property of C. Samuel" written on the lid
　
6. Danny Dichio dressing up in a pilgrim costume - giving Jim Brennan smallpox
　
5. Jacob Peterson going on Twitter from San Jose just to insult Canadian Thanksgiving
　
4. Aron Winter proclaiming dry poultry "a pity"
　
3. Belgian Mikael Yourassowsky offended by "racist" Brussels Sprouts
　
2. Bread rolls being passed down the table - slipping easily between the outstretched hands of Ty Harden and Andy Iro
　
1. Bitchy The Hawk... not seen since morning
　
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
ENJOY YOUR DINNER - HERE'S A SONG ABOUT TURKEY...

Letters from Camp: "Toronto Meet-ros Croatia"

C'mon you Reds... and Blues... and Checkerboards!

What can we say - we'll take any pun too far just to have an excuse to put an old NASL shield up. However, Toronto did indeed meet a Croatian side today - and not just any Croatian side - THE Croatian side in the form of UEFA stalwarts Dinamo Zagreb. Today's friendly marked the end of TFC's Turkish triumvirate versus Balkan opponents and hopes were high after good results against two Serb sides.
　
As with all of the match reports from Turkey, we rely on text info coming down the wire like an Old West morse code operator so details are often few and far between. But, since you're here we thought we'd sprinkle some fun (or not) facts about Croatia into the mix. Enjoy Dinamo Zagreb vs. Toronto FC... and learning about the "Jewel of the Adriatic". If this site is anything - it’s an educational resource! For instance... did you know part of Croatia's Adriatic peninsula is called the "Dalmatian Coast"? Woof!
　
TORONTO FC 1st Half Line-up: Stefan Frei, Demetrius Omphroy, Doneil Henry, Ty Harden, Kevin Westmaas, King Osei Gyan, Elbekay Bouchiba, Oscar Cordon, Javier Martina, Nick Soolsma, Maicon Santos
DINAMO ZAGREB 1st Half Line-up: Sadly, not a Dalmatian in sight
　
1' - Dinamo Zagreb kick-off, wonder if Croat Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor is watching?
2' - GOAL: Who's not watching? TFC's defence. The Harden-Henry connection bumble badly allowing Dinamo to punch home an early goal. DINAMO ZAGREB 1 - TORONTO FC 0
5' - Dinamo joining together passes like when Croatia joined the Hapsburg Empire in 1527 AD!
8' - GOAL: Collapsing much like the aforementioned Empire is TFC's defence. The hard-luck duo in the middle fail to clear and the Dalmatianless Dinamo strike force find their spots... and the net. DINAMO ZAGREB 2 - TORONTO FC 0
10' - Preki leftover/ immobility aficionado Ty Harden being eaten up by Dinamo attackers
15' - Toronto defence covering less of Dinamo than water does over the entire Croatian landscape... 1.09% to be exact
21' - Only signs of offensive output for TFC coming from trialists Soolsma and Martina who are switching wings much like when Croatia switched to a kingdom under King Tomislav in 925 AD
28' - Soolsma making a nuisance of himself and sets up Maicon Santos but the finish is weak
35' - Soolsma is playing hard for a contract and forces a good save with a blast from a distance shorter than Croatia's 56,594 square kilometre land mass
41' - RED CARD: Dinamo gets a bit snappy, like an angry Dalmatian, and gets a random Croat sent-off. Due to friendly rules, they are allowed to replace him and keep 101... we mean 11 men on the pitch
44' - Half ends quietly, not unlike the 9th Century Christianization of the Croats
　
HALF TIME: DINAMO ZABGREB 2 - TORONTO FC 0
　
TORONTO FC 2nd Half Line-up: Stefan Frei, Eddy Sidra, Nana Attakora, Chris Hunter, Kevin Westmaas, Nick LaBrocca, Matt Stinson, Nathan Sturgis, Jacob Peterson, Joao Plata, Gianluca Zavarise
DINAMO ZAGREB 2nd Half Line-up: Still no Dalmatians... nor Hapsburgs
　
46' - TFC try to crowd players in the Dinamo box, similar to Croatia's population density of 81 persons per square km
47' - GOAL: It works! Jacob Peterson zips down the wing and drives in a low cross which Gianluca Zavarise holds and spins on, banging it into the net. Zavarisian Spin-O-Rama! DINAMO ZAGREB 2 - TORONTO FC 1
55' - Dinamo playing a counter attacking game much like they had to counter threats to their language from the Austro-Hungarian 18th Century influence
56' - Zavarise passes nicely to Plata who almost chips one over the Dinamo keeper
59' - RED CARD: Once Dinamo realized that they can't lose a man with red cards they have been throwing around tackles with abandon. Should be down to 9 men. Still at 11
61' - Zavarise free kick blocked, Nick LaBrocca hits rebound over the net... learns something about Croatian tax reforms in the post-Yugoslav era
65' - LaBrocca feeds Peterson who also chips the ball high over the Dinamo cross bar. Rumours of the pair missing Chad Barrett's striking style unproven
70' - Stefan Frei standing strong in goal like the maritime ramparts of Dubrovnik's Old Town
75' - TFC controlling the play but failing to find a through ball. Dinamo holding on like they are defending a draw. Or tie. Croats claim to have invented the necktie via the modern cravat
77' - RED CARD: Toronto's Gianluca Zavarise makes it 2-1 in red cards with a high kung-fu style challenge. He's off and replaced by TFC Academy prospect Keith "Booyah" Makubuya
81' - PENALTY: Matt Stinson brings down a Dinamo attacker like Tito's partisans brought down Nazi occupiers during World War II. GOAL on penalty kick. DINAMO ZAGREB 3 - TORONTO FC 1
89' - Game quietly petering out like the last days of the Croatian-Hungarian Union of the 14th Century.
　
FULL TIME: DINAMO ZAGREB 3 - TORONTO FC 1
　
So there you have it, the end of Toronto's Turkish-based friendlies against their Balkan cousins (not Cousin Balki from Perfect Strangers). TFC will head home Cold Turkey on Saturday with a respectable 1-1-1 record and some quality trialist performances to boot. With many holes still to fill, the next stage of camp may be even more interesting. Much like Croatian history and geography.

Balki opposition.

Letters from Camp: "Red Star in morning... ankle bone's warning"

Del Boy's got loads of TFC clobber back there! Lovely Jubbly!

There are so many glaring differences between the 2011 TFC training camp and those that were held under the old regime. The current "Oranje Revolution" management are open with information, invite seemingly qualified trialists to camp and schedule challenging friendlies. Under old boss, the dictatorial Hosni Mobollocks (see what I did there? Topical!), it was all completely in reverse, done under a cloak of secrecy with very few, very canned, puff press releases.
　
Since the friendly victory over Partizan this week, the news from Antalya has included, happy players, motivated players, players learning actual tactics, players being selected for Canada and a general sense of optimism. The only minor story which is bubbling under the surface is the limbo-ish status of former interim head coach Nick Dasovic and the rumour that he has been offered, or has already become, the club's head Canadian scout. Either way, it's hardly a distraction to the players.
　
Speaking of players, TFC added a couple of triialists to the Dutch Pot this weekend in defensive midfilder Elbekay Bouchiba and young defender Chris Hunter. Bouchiba is a 32-year-old Dutch journeyman whose career has been spent almost entirely in the Dutch Eredivisie with quality clubs such as AZ, Sparta Rotterdam and FC Twente before moving to Qatar's Al-Wakrah club in 2008. Hunter is a strong 23-year-old centreback from northern England who decided to take the NCAA route with the UCSB "Gauchos" and lesser known junior Yavapai College. Favourite TV show is listed as "Only Fools and Horses" so he's already good in our books! Go on Del Boy!
　
The real reason we got up at 8AM on a Sunday morning of course was to fire up Twitter and various websites to follow The Reds through their second friendly of 2011. Today's match wasn't originally scheduled but added after arriving in Turkey when Aron Winter seemingly said "who can we play who is even meaner than Partizan?" And thus we bring you textual highlights of Toronto FC vs. Europe's angriest team... Red Star Belgrade.
　
TORONTO FC 1st Half Line-up: David Monsalve, Demitrius Omphroy, Adrian Cann, Nana Attakora, Ashtone Morgan, Matt Stinson, Elbekay Bouchiba, Oscar Cordon, Nick Soolsma, Maicon, Javier Martina
RED STAR BELGRADE 1st Half Line-up: 11 very angry looking unshaven Serbs, possibly a lead pipe...
　
1' - Club captain Dwayne De Rosario not with club as he left for Greece to prepare for Canada friendly and learn about Greek currency
9' - Red Star dictate the early play with aggressive wing play. TFC regretting salami, kebab and Turkish Delight breakfast buffet
12' - Maicon looking lively in the box when not having Red Star cleats imprinted into his thighs
15' - TFC Academy captain Matt Stinson brought down hard by Red Star defender. Apparently for "looking at him funny"
25' - Handful of travelling Red Star supporters start a running battle with a flock of seabirds who stupidly had Partizan-coloured feathers
31' - Monsalve makes solid saves on increasingly powerful Red Star shots
35' - Ashtone Morgan impresses with some tough 1-on-1 defending. He better watch his back at the hotel later
39' - Demetrius Omphroy shows off his new tattoo. A Serbian elbow imprint on his cheek
41' GOAL: Matt Stinson showing some Eastern Promise by finding himself on the end of a sweet Maicon Santon-Javier Martina set-up and cross. TORONTO FC 1 - RED STAR BELGRADE 0
44' - Coach Danny Dichio starts roasting the half-time goat

HALF TIME: TORONTO FC 1 - RED STAR BELGRADE 0
　
TORONTO FC 2nd Half Line-up: Milos Kocic, Dan Gargan, Ty Harden, Doneil Henry, Chris Hunter, Matt Gold, King Osei Gyan, Gianluca Zavarise, Bas Ent, Keith Makubuya, Joao Plata
RED STAR BELGRADE 2nd Half Line-up: Even angrier Slav dudes, a mean looking African guy and possibly a German Shepherd
　
48' - Toronto GK Milos Kocic tries to confuse Red Star with his wacky Serbian-Canadian lingo
52' - Bas Ent getting knocked down and right back up numerous times. Like an inflatable 1970's Dutch toy punching bag
60' - 5 foot 2 Joao Plata making a nuisance of himself with darting runs, sweet little passes and running between the legs of giant Red Star defenders
63' - Jim Brennan having hard time keeping up with all the early morning coffee orders back at TFC head office
68' - Plata in 1-on-1 with Red Star keeper but slips on the pitch before getting shot off. Red Star coach with shovel says "yes... pitch very slippery"...
71' - Top-rated trialist, and if signed, best TFC name ever - King Osei Gyan, looking very solid in defensive mid role for second game in a row. Hopefully this isn't a showcase for a bigger European club to grab him first
73' - Chris Hunter not intimidated by aggressive Red Star forwards. He's been in Newcastle's city centre on a Saturday night.
77' - Dan Gargan tries one of his "poor-man's Rory Delap" long throws but it gets lost in Keith "Boo-yah" Makubuya's long name
82' - Ent flattened again like a Dutch pancake. Ishn't that shtrange?
85' - Red Star throwing everything but the kitchen sink now at TFC defence. Wait... they actually threw a kitchen sink.
89' - Doneil Henry with a game-saving double block from a Red Star thrown-in then corner - Oh Henry!
90' - Ref blows whistle for full time - immediately runs to car and is driven to safe house.
　
FULL TIME: TORONTO FC 1 - RED STAR BELGRADE 0
　
So there we have it, a momentum boosting victory for TFC over high-quality opposition. Yes, we all know that these Balkan bad boys are just coming off winter break but it was still another tough yet skilled performance for The Reds. If there is one thing we can say for certain... after drawing Partizan and beating Red Star, Toronto FC are the best team in the Serbian League. On to win the Croat title later this week! Have to run now, there is a Serbian Yorkiesovic website that wants a "friendly" word with us.

Letters from Camp: “My girl likes to Partizan all the time”

Partizan's lone away supporter managed to start a riot

The boys are back in town! Well ok, not this town, a town on Turkey's south coast... but hey - they're back! The new look, oranje-tinted Toronto FC 2.0 took to the field for their first match today, a 1st Round match-up against Partizan Belgrade in the CONCAUEFA Cup... or preseason for those without imaginations. But try telling that to the big Rochester v Banik Ostrava preliminary match!
　
Today marked the first chance for Aron Winter & Co. to see the 2011 Reds perform in match conditions and the new manager fielded two different line-ups (one in each half) to maximize the playing time. Partizan Belgrade, who mark a big step up from TFC's usual preseason opponents of Florida senior citizen's teams, provided stiff competition as they awaken from their winter break. We go to The Yorkies' International Bureau in Antalya, Turkey for the match report. Actually it's a guy named Ali who sells kebabs and carpets to tourists but hey... it beats Twitter!
　
TORONTO FC 1st Half Line-up: Stefan Frei GK, Dan Gargan D, Nana Attakora D, Adrian Cann D, Gianluca Zavarise D, Jacob Peterson M, Dwayne De Rosario M, Nick LaBrocca M, Nick Soolsma F, Javier Martina F, Santiago Gonzalez Acero F
PARTIZAN BELGRADE 1st Half Line-up: 11 Balkan guys, mostly Serbs. Likely a Marko.
　
1' - Aron Winter starts 2011 as he means to go on, with a wide 4-3-3 with pushing wing play
3' - Smell of flatbread and spiced meats fills the air
6' - GOAL: Nana Attakora attempts a cross but ball disagrees and slips past Partizan keeper. TORONTO 1 - PARTIZAN 0
11' - Trilaist Gianluca Zavarise looking very lively and dangerous on the wing
18' - Partizan brought along three away Ultras but they forgot their flares at hotel and wave a cured sausage at Stefan Frei menacingly
25' - Gargan and LaBrocca looking adept at Winter's new wide tactics
26' - Lone Toronto tourist shows up late for match

28' - LaBrocca warned by referee for offering tax advice to linesman
35' - PENALTY: Santiago Gonzalez Acero brought down in the box by Partizan defender who thought the TFC striker had too many names
36' - Dwayne De Rosario takes PK but hits the post. No goal. De Ro demands to be made a Turkish millionaire - MLSE immediately agrees.
39' - Bob de Klerk invites some attractive Serbian journalists back to his room for some "shekshy times in der hot tub"
41' - PENALTY: Zavarise pulls down a Partizan player (something --- ovic etc.) in the box. GOAL on PK... TORONTO 1 - PARTIZAN 1
43' - Visiting Toronto tourist runs for the exits before the half to use the washroom, buy a Kebab Butty and a 15 Turkish Lira pint of Efes Pilsen - just like BMO, but more moustaches.
　
HALF TIME: TORONTO FC 1 - PARTIZAN BELGRADE 1
　
TORONTO FC 2nd Half Line-up: Milos Kocic GK, Ty Harden D, Doneil Henry D, Emanuel Gomez D, Ashtone Morgan D, Oscar Cordon M, King Gyan Osei M, Nathan Sturgis M, Bas Ent F, Maicon Santos F, Joao Plata F
PARTIZAN BELGRADE 2nd Half Line-up: Random Serbs, a couple of South Americans
　
49' - Partizan defenders keep putting hands on Joao Plata's 5 foot 2 frame and saying "look at little Mexican" in Serbian
55' - Visiting Toronto tourist returns to seat
58' - Little action on the pitch as both sides feel each other out
62' - Partizan go close to taking lead after player with beard hits the post
65' - TFC reply with close call as Bas Ent goes just wide with shot after sweet pass from King Gyan Osei
71' - Jim Brennan struggles to get hang of making Turkish coffees back at TFC HQ
75' - Academy product Cordon almost gives TFC lead but rattles the post after receiving pass from Joao Plata
79' - Toronto tourist leaves to catch Turkish equivalent of GO Train
81' - Maicon Santos blasts just over the bar from 25 yards out
85' - Cordon off injured - De Ro back in the game as sub
87' - Goat on pitch
88' - Goat on menu for team dinner
90' - RED CARD: Doneil Henry picks up two yellow cards quickly and is sent off
　
FULL TIME: TORONTO FC 1 - PARTIZAN BELGRADE 1
　
And there you have it, a quality start to the 2011 CONCAUEFA Cup live from the Cured Meat Capital of Eurasia. Aron Winter will be pleased that 22 players got a run out and that TFC got their first match experience with TFC (Total Football Club) tactics. Up next is 2nd Round CONCAUEFA Cup (aka preseason for you normos) next week against Dinamo Zagreb with rumours of a Red Star Belgrade match in the middle. Stay tuned for coverage of CONCAUEFA action as Puerto Rico Islanders take on Switzerland's Neuchatel Xamax... but not here... try some Puerto Rican Yorkelitos.

THE STARTING 11: Toronto FC complaints about Turkey

You can take a club to Turkey but can you turkey a club?

It was quite a surprise when word leaked out this past autumn that Toronto FC would be spending its preseason in Turkey. In the previous four years, TFC were more like Quebecois senior citizens who went to Florida for the winter. Their opponents usually resembled Old-Age Home U-90 teams too. But, 2011 is different and The Reds are on the exotic south coast of the big Eurasian nation with some good opponents lined up as well. However, it's an adjustment for the club who have never been so far from home and there are some early complaints about their Turkish delight...
　
11. Dichio wearing large comedy moustache and fez in training
　
10. Club forced to cut ties with Toronto's Greek Town
　
9. Dan Gargan very confused by the whole "Istanbul was Constantinople" thing
　
8. MLSE thought they were buying a turkey club, not sending the club to Turkey
　
7. Aron Winter saddened that "Turkey" puns haven't overshadowed "Winter" puns in media
　
6. De Rosario angry that his interviews referred to as "Instantbull"
　
5. Kebab Buttys
　
4. Locals keep calling the team "Hobo Galatasaray"
　
3. Some guy named "Moammar Johnston" keeps hanging around looking for jobs
　
2. Bob de Klerk always naked in the Turkish baths
　
1. Have to train on finely woven carpets

Letters From Camp: "Trial, trial again" - International trialists join Reds in Turkey

Javier Martina - Pride of Netherlands Antilles

Team Winter's goal of releasing more reliable information in four days than Mo Johnston did in four years continued today with the promised list of the remaining participating trialists. After the introduction of the three Canadians (Eddy Sidra, Gianluca Zavarise and David Monsalve) yesterday, TFC's "Camp GobbleGobble" in Turkey welcomed the following potential Reds into the happy family. Well, except for Uncle Dwayne... he's a bit miserable. Anyhoo, here's the latest contestants in TurkeyTime...
　
· JAVIER MARTINA: 23-year-old forward from the Netherlands Antilles. That's an island chain, not the Star Wars pilot. Joined the Jong AFC Ajax (Ajax's youth team) from the amazingly named FC Omniworld who are possibly a club from a Dutch theme park. Spent 3 season with Jong Ajax with mixed results culminating in a brief loan to HFC Haarlem before they went bankrupt... not his fault hopefully. Was highly rated for a period which did see him make two minor appearances for the main Ajax team. Big chances on a TFC club with few forward options.
· KING GYAN OSEI: Or possibly King Osei Gyan... or Gyan Osei King... depends where you read it! Either way, the Accra, Ghana born holding midfielder who attended high school in California was once such a prospect that Fulham snatched him up straight out of a Ghanaian academy. While never making it onto the Fulham First Team, the tough midfielder proved to be a useful member during a three-season loan spell at Belgian Pro League club Germinal Beerschot. And hey, who here doesn't want a Beerschot?!
· BAS ENT: Frequent visitors to The Yorkies and other TFC sources will have seen Bas Ent's name for a while now. The technical Dutch winger trained with Toronto last summer including getting some minutes in the friendly vs. Bolton Wanderers. Ent spent his young career toiling through the Dutch Eerste Divisie and lower with clubs such as FC Volendam and VV Katwijk before finding himself at the Dutch-phile Ohio-based club Dayton Dutch Lions in the USL PDL. Dayton isn't far from Columbus and Ent just wants to get away. Isn't it our duty to help an Ohio refugee? Please be generous.
· SANTIAGO GONZALEZ ARECO: While not yet a renowned name in International football circles this lithe 18-year-old Uruguayan striker has made a few waves in his home country. The 5 foot 8 hitman showed enough promise to play for Uruguay's highly regarded U-17 team and he also earned a spot on their U-17 World Cup squad in 2009. Hasn't managed to break free of his last club's (River Plate Montevideo) B-team where despite having an eye for goal has succumbed to criticisms of his fragile physical nature in the box.
· NICK SOOLSMA: The least known of the three Dutch treats in this group, the 23-year-old Soolsma has yet to cement a place up front with a club of any substance. Spent time with Holland's VV Young Boys and HFC Haarlem (the Dutch kind of Harlem, not the cool Hip Hop one). No word if Soolsma had anything to do with Haarlem's bankruptcy either. Despite flirtations with the Dutch U-20 and U-17 set-ups, definitely the dark horse of this group.

Pride of The Rebellion - Wedge Antilles

Letters From Camp: "Trial it... just a little bit..."

"Captain... passenger De Rosario wants to complain about his meal"

YOUNG TURKS
We still get a little shocked around here with Toronto FC's new-found quality information sharing. For four years we had more misinformation and doublespeak than a George Orwell novel and a director who only appeared when there was good news. Like a moronic little ginger groundhog. Part of Team Winter's "sharing and caring" was a promise to inform supporters of the trialists involved with the 2011 camp. Following are the Canadians invited to Turkey with word that some Europeans will be added in the coming days...
　
· EDDY SIDRA: The Sudanese-born Canadian International had been highly rumoured to be involved with the TFC set-up after appearing at the Team Canada "Ode to all-things Manchester" kit unveiling earlier this week in Toronto. The 5 foot 7-ish, 21 year old defender has spent the majority of his pro career in the youth system of Germany's Energie Cottbus but found himself without a club at the end of 2010. Has 7 U-20 and 3 Full International caps to his name.
· GIANLUCA ZAVARISE: BC-born midfielder with 1 Canadian Full cap. Came out of the West Coast youth leagues and made his way to Italy's Serie D semi-pro divisions where he toiled with glamour clubs such as Calcio Montebellunna (The Monster Balloons) and AC Belluno (The Athletic Balloons). Managed to move up to the German league where he got some solid time playing for Vfl Bochum's Reserve side before leaving them for Greece's Iraklis FC where he failed to make a First Team appearance. At 24 years old could still have the potential to add some stop-gap domestic depth to the midfield.
· DAVID MONSALVE: The 22 year old keeper could be quite the story if he makes the club as he would be the first Red to make a return appearance after leaving TFC. One of the club's many first-year keepers, Monsalve made one start in MLS against Chicago and also got minutes in the first season's friendly vs. Aston Villa. Happy times. Has spent majority of last 3 years at Finnish club Inter Turku FC (The International Turkeys) where he made 14 First Team appearances. At 6 foot 2 and hailing from North York, Monsalve could well be in goal for the TFC Reserves at least in 2011.
　
For now, these are the only three confirmed trialist names in camp but with so many available roster spots and being so deep into Europe it will be surprising if they are the last. More to follow here if added trialists appear.
　
　
NO TURKEY FOR YOU!
It emerged this afternoon that former TFC assistant coach, then interim head coach, then in-limbo staff member Nick Dasovic is no longer with the club. Dasovic and the Reds parted ways before the team left for Turkey and without word if the decision was based on Dasovic's dislike for kebabs. The decision would surprise few as having a former head coach as an assistant could undermine Aron Winter's authority and would never really work. There were expectations that Dasovic may coach the Reserve Team but a coaching role at either Vancouver or Montreal now looks more likely for the ex-Canadian International.
　
　
WHO'S NAFTA NOW?
While not exactly news from TFC camp, Major League Soccer made a big change to league roster rules which will affect Canadian clubs. Starting this year, American players will be considered as "domestic" status on Vancouver, Toronto and next year in Montreal. The aim is to even the competitive playing field for Canada's clubs. In order to protect the "Canadiana" of those clubs, they will have to have at least 3 Canadians on the roster at all times.
　
The league has also set-up a "task force" alongside the CSA to find ways of improving Canadian player growth and development. Here's an idea MLS... Step 1) Buy sledgehammer. Step 2) Take sledgehammer to CSA. Step 3) Smash.
　
The genius brigade at MLS also announced conference realignment for 2011 with Vancouver and Portland joining the West and those Atlantic seaboard faves Houston Dynamo joining the East. That audible banging you hear are the combined heads of North American football fans hitting walls as we face yet another year without a single table.

THE WORD: First day back Maltesers

Red with a honeycomb centre. Like TFC's 2010 defence!

The stories out of TFC training camp's first day started leaking before the ink was dry on the medical needles. At least that's my understanding of needles. Might explain my scurvy. Anyhoo... with roster spots galore and a plane warming up on the tarmac for a flight to Turkey, names have begun to pop up on the potential passenger list aboard AeroWinter - direct flight, non-stop to Antalya... On-board meal: butty; In-flight film: "How Not to Play Football: TFC 2010 Season Highlights".
　
Apart from the expected inclusion of The Reds' eight recent draft picks, word is that TFC will give a fair shake to four current TFC Academy products: Ashtone "Loc" Morgan, Oscar "Meyer" Cordon, Keith "Booyah" Makubuya and Matt "Don't Call me Matthew" Stinson. The homegrown youngsters will by all accounts get as much opportunity, if not more, than their NCAA-bred counterparts. TFC's recent announcement of creating even younger Academy teams shows that the homeslice plan is the route they will follow in future. The new U-1 TFC Toddler team will really pay dividends in the 2029 season.
　
Rumours from outside of the club include whispers that Andrew Ornoch may no longer be in The BMO Field mix while Canadian international Eddy Sidra (in town to show off the national team's new "Ode to Man United" kit") could be interested in joining the team. Sidra has been without a club since his contract with Germany's Energie Cottbus (so fun to say!) ended in 2010.
　
The wackiest rumour floating around came out of footballing hotbed Malta where media reports linked 22 year old Brazilian striker Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo (aka Camilo) with TFC. The 5 foot 7 forward scored a massive 22 goals in 24 Maltese Premier League matches with the great Qormi team (apparently the Aston Villa of Malta) before venturing off to a less than inspiring stretch with South Korea's Gyeongnam (apparently South Korea’s Blackburn Rovers) where he failed to score. Before getting too excited about 22 goals in 24 matches, remember... it's the Maltese League. Word is that the reigning champs played a mule in net for half the season.
　
One day in and it's already fun! Welcome back footballs!
　
WORD FACTOR (TFC Academy call-ups): 9 / 10
WORD FACTOR (Ornoch & Sidra): 5 / 10
WORD FACTOR (Camilo): 3 / 10