Friday, February 9, 2007

TRAINING CAMP REPORT FRIDAY..NOT EXACTLY

Toronto FC have concluded the Toronto portion of training camp this morning. I had the good fortune to arrive for the afternoon session - which was cancelled. I would suspect Sir Mo allowed the players the afternoon off to prepare for the the next two months away. Contrary to claims made by some that the Soccer Centre was somehow closed this week (which is simply impossible given the facility houses different offices and other businesses) it was very much open, and in fact I was not the only fan in attendance, there were more than a few curious onlookers who were stopping by throughout the week to watch.

It will be interesting to see who makes it down to Florida, and if indeed Xu Qing our Chinese Mystery Man, gets the opportunity to head stateside, if he is even allowed to enter the United States that is (depends on his visa status of course).

NOTES: Conor Casey's agent was on local radio last night and confirmed that Casey is on the way to Toronto. He also mentioned that Casey has been trying to get back to the USA for a couple of years now. Bob Gansler formerly of the KC Wizards was very close to bringing him into the Kansas City a year or so ago.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here is the list of players going to Florida....
edson buddle
jose cancela
adam braz
jim brennan
ronnie o'brian
marco reda
greg sutton
paulo nagamura
chris pozniak
maurice edu
andrew boyens
richard asante
didier agathe (can he still play?)
abdoulaye ibraham
Hecter hurtado
ricardo jimenez
jerome bonnissell
tyler hemming
joey melo
john paul piques
garfield ried
hunter west
conor casey
alecko eskadarian
andrea lombardo (this would be great news)
tomer chencinski

Anonymous said...

no disrespect - but to someone brand new to MLS I think who the hell are these guys..I bought $2000 worth of tickets thinking I would know some of the players but this list is a total joke to me. I think I made a big mistake. The best player I think is some washed up guy from the Ireland or something. Get me some players please.

Anonymous said...

anrea lombardo? isn't he under contract with rieti? that would be very cool to have him there and a possibility for the team! still need swork but would be fantastic for him and canada! might be able to make a move up to the big squad in a couple of years...

Anonymous said...

so the soccer centre was open i read on one message board that it was closed? if i knew i would have stopped by i live in the area.

TORONTO FC SUPERFAN said...

It was - I mean you have so many people coming and going from business meetings, to OSA staff, truck drivers, teams who book the fields before and after,I don;t think it was possible to lock the doors. Some were wondering how I was getting in, yet I wasn't the only fan in attendance - there were quite a few.

Anonymous said...

before spending $2000 you maybe should have looked over some MLS rosters? Teams have a budget of about $2 million US. That's the entire salary of most EPL starters. You got the back line of the Canadian national team and their backup goalkeeper. Cancela is a talented Uruguyan. Nagamura was with Arsenal reserves and has decent game. Ronnie O'Brien probably should have had a dozen or so Irish national team appearances. Maurice Edu will impress you. Buddle, Eskandarian, and Casey all have some potential at contending for the US national team (Buddle the raw athleticism, Eskandarian the finishing, and Casey has flaws but started several times in Germany and was one of the top scorers in the Bundesliga 2). Boyens may have a future with the New Zealand national team. Ibrahim had some chance at making the last Togo roster for the World Cup and has some great raw quickness. For 2 million and an expansion MLS team it's a good roster. The back line will need to prove itself and the midfield needs more depth. The forwards need 2/3 to deliver on potential for the team to be good in MLS. What were you sold? A league full of Beckhams? EPL washouts?