TORONTO FC NOTES & THE WEEK AHEAD

Excellent Breakdown of the Toronto FC roster together with salaries based on 2006 from the Red Patch Boys Supporters Group Fan site. While Jim Brennan's salary looks to be a tad on the high side in my opinion, the article is a thorough breakdown of the current situation. I would suggest Brennan has some sort of personal services arrangement with MLSE from the summer as a spokesman for the team - his true contract is probably in the $150,000 range.
Check it out its a great breakdown: http://domain1172575.sites.fasthosts.com/article-2007-01-19.html

We should expect an announcement about the Toronto FC pre -season training camp schedule and competition this week. A stop in Carolina has already been confirmed for a tournament featuring the Charleston Battery (USL), Houston Dynamo, and New York Red Bulls.

Hopefully a player signing or two will be confirmed this week.

I cannot believe how many fans interested in Toronto FC do not know that MLS has been around since 1996. The folks over at TFC need to do some major work on educating their fan base now that they have one.

On commitment to the local soccer scene alone for the past 20 years I would have to think the folks over at Toronto FC will be smart enough to award Alf De Blasis the opportunity to be the voice of this franchise for their local broadcasting. He is passionate about the local game and has the background required to be a credible voice for this team. Be it television or radio, Alf has to be involved with TFC at some level in my opinion. If you missed it, Alf (who also speaks Italian fluently) called the Hockey Night in Canada game last week on Telelatino (TLN), the first ever NHL game - as far as I know anyway, in a language other than English or French in Canada.

Soccer Central on Sportsnet had a breakdown of season ticket sales for local Toronto Pro Sports teams yesterday showing Toronto FC third on the Toronto sports scene. TFC season tickets as of late last week were hovering around 10,200 a few hundred short of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and ahead of the Toronto Rock of MLL, the Argos of the CFL and the NBA's Toronto Raptors of the NBA.

Although I can't confirm it, there may be a Canadian involved in the MLS Draft(s) this year who may go on trial in Europe (perhaps Belgium) in the near future. I'll keep you posted when I hear more.