The Toronto FC Sadvent Calendar: Day 18

  

"THE SACRIFICIAL CRONIN"

Selected 2nd overall in the SuperDraft and with a bright future ahead of him, the talented MLS stalwart Sam Cronin had the gall to tell the truth - after TFC had been blown out 5-0 at New York - that The Reds' locker room was a toxic mess. While the team "captain" assured all that everything was just peachy, Cronin was shuffled off to San Jose for our old friend allocation money. Said "captain" is doing just fine by the way.

　

Check back tomorrow and open another Sadvent window!

"Morrow... You're only a trade away..."

 

This is the opening sentence where you expect us to crack wise about the latest Toronto FC transaction. But no. There is nothing negative to say. It is simply the kind of deal that slowly makes MLS sides better. The kind of deal that most MLS clubs make. The kind of deal that TFC has avoided like the plague for eight years. Until now.

That's a positive.

As part of T-Bez's Reds roster re-load, a few more of TFC's magic allocation coins were shuffled off to San Jose for 26-year old defender Justin Morrow. The versatile American can slot in at both centreback and fullback offering Ryan Nelsen some interesting options. With 71 appearances, including 21 starts for San Jose in 2013, Morrow is very much the type of player that should be providing depth on a MLS squad with visions of playoffs dancing in their head.

In no way are we trumpeting this as the second coming of Kreis (MLS Cup gag - relevant) but it is great to see sober maneuvers early in the off-season. Since 2007, the answer to filling in depth, especially on defence, has been a series of international "up n' comers" such as Raivis Hscanovics, Maxim Usanov, Lesly Fellinga or USL "grads" such as Marco Velez or (take your pick). This type of move is the kind that TFC has lacked, and one that is more than welcomed.

Normalcy. We're practically giddy.



The Toronto FC Sadvent Calendar: Day 17

 

"MAICON SANTOS AND/OR MIKE SANDERS"

　

Christmas may come once a year there were always two Maicon Santoses. On the surface was the Brazilian samba magic forward with hinted silky skills and smooth dance rhythms at the corner flag. On the pitch was most often his plumbing North American alter ego Mike Sanders with the touch and vision of the most miserable of USL blunt instruments.

　

Check back tomorrow and open another Sadvent window!



THE STARTING 11: Ways that Drake persuades DP's to sign with Toronto FC

Drake aka "Drizzy"

If there is some kind of Bat-Signal that originates deep from inside infamous Toronto "hood' Forest Hill, someone best light it up. With the kerfuffle going on at Tottenham Hotspur today, there is much local hand-wringing over the potential transfer of Jermain Defoe to TFC. If there were ever a time when MLSE needed their celebrity closer - rapping guy/Degrassi invalid, Drake - to come through, it's now! Gilberto was successfully hugged out but now Drizzy (his legal name) must use all of his tricks to bag the big star striker. But just how does he do it?

11. New signings allowed to refer to midfield as their "entourage"

10. Your goal celebrations come with full phalanx of scantily clad backup dancers

9. He will gladly lend you his prop Degrassi: The Next Generation wheelchair when you inevitably blow out your ACL in New England

8. The name on the back of your shirt is followed by "feat. Drake & L'il Wayne"

7. A very romantic "Welcome to Toronto" dinner for two atop the CN Tower with Raptors' center Jonas Valanciunas

6. You are immediately invited into a feud with Chris Brown

5. "The Zit Remedy" will play live at your birthday party

4. Will allow you to join his crew on their quest to circumnavigate the globe by sea! (CORRECTION: That is "Ways that Sir Francis Drake persuades DP's to sign with Toronto FC")

3. Your Gatorade bottles replaced by Cristal champagne

 

2. Personally re-writes his lyrics to chart your career path into: "Started from the top, now you're here"

1. You are allowed to refer to Ryan Nelsen as "Nizzy"

 

Sir Francis Drake aka "Drizzy"

 

The Toronto FC Sadvent Calendar: Day 16

 

"MAROONED FIVE - THE GOALKEEPERS OF 2007"

　

Thank the sweet baby (deity of your choice here "__________") for names on the back of kits. Through, injury, mediocrity and just plain malarkey, Toronto FC managed to use an incredible five goalkeepers in a single season. Watching the vast array of balls fly past their woolly mittens were Greg Sutton, Kenny Stamatopoulos, Srdjan Djekanovic, (MLS emergency 'keeper) Sam Reynolds and David Monsalve. God bless you merry gentlemen.

　

Check back tomorrow and open another Sadvent window!



The Toronto FC Sadvent Calendar: Day 15

 

"MOST. RELEVANT. ANIMAL. CAMEO. EVER."

　

Sometimes you can't make this stuff up. In the long waning days of the horrid 2012 TFC season, Reds goalkeeper Freddy Hall (!!!) looked up from yet another opposition attack to see a black cat emerge from the bowels of BMO Field and run directly across his goal mouth. And people say cats don't have a sense of humour. (P.S. don't give pets as Christmas gifts. Or Freddy Halls)

　

Check back tomorrow and open another Sadvent window!



THE WORD: "Jermain Defoe is a Red-oh?"

Much to ponder...

 

Well at least the "R" word has little chance of being banned anytime soon.

The ink had barely dried on new striker Gilberto's DP contract before local media started to aggressively hint (Kurt Larson with his version here) that his future partner in shots-on-target is practically locked in. The name being spoken is none other than the hinted "biggest MLS transfer OF ALL TIMEZ!" (TM) - Jermain Defoe.

While far from the first time that the Tottenham striker's name has been rumoured with TFC, the original whispers seem to be turning into a dull roar. Massive dollar amounts such as a $10 Million Dollar transfer fee to Spurs and a whopping $150,000 Dollars-a-week contract are being floated not too quietly across the Atlantic. It has all become a very open come-hither look to Defoe usually reserved by British Page 3 girls towards the poacher.

However, before we all run-out (Except you, Toronto Arsenal supporters. You're gonna hate this aren't you?) and get TFC # 18 kits, this deal is not finalized and funny things can happen on the way up the Seven Sisters Road. Defoe is still very much a useful part of Spurs who are quite thin up front. The original North London club will want to shore up their striker prospects before letting Defoe jet off into the tundra. This could delay or at worse cease any deal. A possible loan-back to Spurs until March could be one way around this.

The other sticking point is Defoe's desire to play for England this summer at the World Cup. Ignorantly, MLS is still seen as a retirement wilderness to the English press and even the FA and he may fear an "out of sight, out of mind" factor in the crucial lead-up months to Brazil. Perhaps TFC have greased the wheels with old Roy Hodgson or maybe this leads to Defoe's arrival being of the summer variety over March. There are still many variables in this potential deal.

In the end, money could be the makeweight. Defoe is not likely to get a 4-year deal with that kind of compensation from another Premiership club. Deep-pockets QPR could be in with a shout but if they aren't promoted from the Championship, the appeal of a new continent of unsullied glamour models may just bring TFC their biggest name yet. 

 

You're on the clock Degrassi.

The Toronto FC Sadvent Calendar: Day 14

"A VERY SCOTTISH SOJOURN"

  

"Who's what in the where now?" The not direct-quote of TFC's former director of player personnel Earl Cochrane after the whole football world knew that under-contract TFC star Dwayne De Rosario was training with Glasgow giants Celtic. TFC claimed they knew nothing of it; De Ro's reps said the opposite; De Ro did keepie-uppies next to Freddie Ljungberg in a Celtic kit. Auld Lang Syne!

　

Check back tomorrow and open another Sadvent window!

Tim gets a Brazilian

"Canada is this way?"

 

You did it Drake! He started from the bottom (of the Brazilian league) now he's here!

After days of shameless public flirting at Raptors and Leafs games, TFC got a full Brazilian today with the signing of DP forward Gilberto. Or Gilberto Oliveira Souza Jr. when he is dining formally. The 24-year old joins TFC on a multiple year lucrative contract (we assume... MLS) as the club's "B" Option Designated Player with hopes that he will soon be partnered with his "A" game superior: JermainDefoeAlbertoGilardinoGeorgiosSamaras.

The native of Piranhas (PIRANHAS!!!) is coming off his breakout season in Brazil, scoring 13 goals for Portuguesa while on loan from his parent club Internacional. Now before you get your Brazilian thong in a twist as to why he was on loan - he failed to dislodge Leandro Damiao and some dude named Diego Forlan for a starter's role. Nowt to be ashamed of there.

That being said, Gilberto isn't exactly one of Brazil's glamour players and only really has just over a year of top-flight football under his belt. Some would see that as a less than glowing resume to garner a DP contract but The Reds feel they have a potential MLS star in the making.

Scouting reports from his homeland are maybe not as quite bedazzling where he is considered a poacher with some great right-footed power but so far lacks the skills to be a back-to-goal type guy. At 5-foot 10 he will not be much of an aerial threat nor is he tremendously physical which would make a prospective partnership with the likes of Jermain Defoe a bit easy to push around.

But alas, aside from that YouTube goal, few here can claim to watch many Portuguesa fixtures and playing in MLS is a different beast either way. Gilberto will be given more than enough opportunity to sink or swim at TFC and is only 38 minutes away from being more successful than Maxi Urruti. The proof will be on the pitch but off of it, TFC 8.0 is in full swing.

"Reds roll their truckin' Convey, back cross the USA. CONVEY!"

"Get the truck outta here"

We barely had time to perfect our truck horn noise.

In what may be the precursor to a series of oncoming transactions, The Reds have shipped the rights to Bobby Convey along with a 2014 2nd Round SuperDraft pick to New York Red Bulls in exchange for the Metrostars' 2014 1st Round pick (15th overall) and a 2016 3rd Rounder which we will never remember.

While some, including the player himself, thought that a return to TFC in 2014 wasn't out of the question, it would seem as if Tim Bezbatchenko sees a different make-up for his future midfield. Hopefully the "replacements on the way" aren't of the Kevin Payne/Luis Silva variety but it does seem like a decent bit of business on T-Bez's part.

Even if Convey had been willing to come down from his $215K salary perch, his value for money would have been questionable on a team in (another) transition. Convey's style of play, while a valuable Band-Aid in 2013 may also have been a question to TFC management as they look to re-load with "their players".

Previously without a 1st Round pick in the 2014 draft - they would have had the glorious 3rd Overall if not for Paul Mariner's brilliant trade for Eric Hassli - the deal gives the club skin in the game in a draft class that Bezbatchenko is extremely familiar with. Can our favourite wonk find a diamond in the 15th overall rough? Not impossible but in the very least he has given himself more room to buy "his players".

Keep truckin' Tims.