Paul Mariner is confident that he's the man to lead TFC.
"Yes, " he said bluntly when asked if he felt he'd be back in 2013. "(I'll be back) because I'm very good at my job."
Mariner was speaking at the year end press conference, which was held today at the Downsview Training facility. All quotes are from that press conference.
TFC fans looking for a contrite Mariner will be disappointed. He confidently stated his intentions and belief in his ability to finally deliver a playoff spot for the Reds.
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"We've known for a while what we need and where we're going to get it" Mariner said, adding that he felt that TFC currently has seven legitimate MLS starters on its roster. He did not indicate who those seven players were.
Aron Winter was front and centre throughout the press conference, with many participants implying that his methods were behind the team's struggles this year.
Richard Eckersley pointed to fitness as a major issue. "If we have a proper pre-season (next year) under (Mariner) maybe things will be different," he said. "I think (back) to the pre-season and we weren't anywhere near the level of fitness (needed)."
Mariner refused to directly speak to the pre-season preparation saying that he was not involved in planning it. He did promise that the Reds 2013 pre-season would be vastly different than it was in 2012.
Winter was criticized diring the pre-season for only scheduling a handfull of friendlies in the lead up. Both Mariner and Eckersley suggested that the early season fixture congestion was a significant factor in the team's 0-9 MLS start.
Mariner agreed that it was "vital" that TFC be in a playoff hunt next season and said that work had already started. Director of Team and Player Operations Earl Cochrane suggested that they would decide within "the next 2-3 weeks" which of the current players will be invited back to camp next year.
Cochrane added that they has "lots" of cap flexibility and suggested that the No 1 SuperDraft pick and No 1 position in the allocation order should produce two valuable assets for next season.
"We're not that far off," Cochrane said.