One win in seven.
That’s your half-empty look at Paul Mariner’s TFC. Although grinding out four draws (actually two draws, they blew two wins for the other two draws) is better than what we saw under Aron Winter, it’s still hardly reason for much hope.
Toronto FC is a bad football team, much worse than most people thought they would be based on how they finished 2011 and very much in need of help if it’s to be much better in 2013.
Having written this column sine 2008 it’s soul sucking to articulate where that help is needed. See, it’s been the same for four seasons. But, to be clear, here it is:
THEY NEED A DAMN CENTREBACK.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]Richard Eckersley is a poor defender as a fullback. Put him in the middle and your average TFC fan is apt to walk away from games with PTSD. And that’s before the dominos that to fall into place and Jeremy Hall ends up at fullback.
Yesterday afternoon was a nightmare at the back and one that will not end soon without serious help.
Where is that help going to come from? Not Milan, apparently. Whether it was TFC dragging its feet, or Nesta’s desire to play with his friend, makes little difference. The Impact swept in and offered him something TFC could not. That dream is done and the club’s CB curse continues.
That leads us to the world of pure speculation – always dangerous. Many are clamoring for Canadian captain Kevin McKenna to come in to save the day. He’d be good. There is literally no evidence he’s interested, going to be sold, or that Toronto would be the MLS destination he’d end up in.
The other name – and the name that has some merit – is US international Carlos Bocanegra.
Connections to TFC at this point fall under the informed speculation category. He’s at/was at Rangers and has indicated that he will not take a pay cut to stay with the newco Rangers (brief aside: Division 3. Do the right thing SFA and put them in division 3 where EVERYONE, including the club’s fans, wants them start) and, just recently, he has indicated that MLS interests him.
As a US international Bocanegra would be subject to an allocation claim. And, this is where it becomes complicated for Toronto. The Reds sit No 2 on the allocation order behind New England.
That mans Bocanegra is a Revolution if New England wants him. They said today that they do. Toronto’s only hope then is that the Revs are saying such things to drive up the price for a trade.
If they are, Toronto needs to package up every last resource it has to land him. If Bocanegra decides to come to MLS he will be the biggest fish to land in the league this transfer window. He’s a once in an every three or four season type of allocation.
He’ll likely make New England dangerous down the stretch.
On the up note if the Revs do claim him Toronto will move to the top of the allocation pile.
The last time they were there they ended up with Chad Barrett.