MLS Season Preview: Toronto FC

By: Bob | April 5th, 2007

It is just a matter of hours before the 2007 MLS season kicks off. Our barmy band of bloggers has been getting us excited by previewing the teams. Today we look northward to get a glimpse of the new kids on the block, Toronto FC. Translating from Canadian to English for us is Sam, who mans the Toronto FC Offside as well as the France Offside as well as a site with Wiki haikus. His preview can be found after the jump.

Nuts and bolts

As you probably and damn well should know, Toronto FC is the newest addition to Major League Soccer, and they are starting their inaugural season April 7 when they play Chivas USA at the Home Depot Centre. Last year, however, when all the other MLS sides were winnin’ and losin’, the folks up in Canada were building Canada’s new pride symbol from the ground up. The “Toronto MLS Expansion Club” became Toronto FC on May 11, 2006. TFC, due to play at their very own BMO Field, which is also to serve as the Canadian Men’s National Team home stadium, appointed Mo Johnston, the former Scotland international and Kansas City Wizard as their coach in early August of last year. Shortly thereafter, Canada international Jim Brennan was the first player to sign for the club, becoming a spokesperson and the public image of the club. How have expansion clubs traditionally done in the tacky and franchised world of North American pro sports? Well, Chivas and Real Salt Lake aren’t doing too badly in the MLS. The Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA, on the other hand, have an average attendance of a hell of a lot of not a lot people to go along with their dismal results. The Houston Texans of the NFL have their act more or less together, and seem to be adapting to the system. It looks like Toronto will fit in nicely for the most part.

The stars

We haven’t applied the Beckham rule just yet, but for an upstart club, the boys don’t have a bad handful of players. Edson Buddle, the former Red Bull and, um, Crew member is a big name in the roster, and was looking flossy in the preseason, scoring a pair of hat-tricks. Again, it would be agreed upon that TFC doesn’t have any established stars in their lineup, but solid, experienced names such as Richard Mulrooney, José Cancela, Alecko Eskandarian, and the hometown favourite Jimmy Brennan will have to do for now.

The newcomers

See roster. As for the recent additions (say, not from the expansion draft or the week following it), USA international Richard Mulrooney, acquired from FC Dallas , striker Conor Casey, formerly of FC Mainz in Germany, and Sunderland’s Andy Welsh came in within the last two months to add to the already impressive talent on the team.

Keep an eye on

The two Brits who escaped the Championship. Carl Robinson, Welsh international and former Norwich City starter, was thirty-plus caps for his country. Andy Welsh, the young FLC journeyman is known as a tricky winger that will be looking for a breakthrough with a top-flight club.

We’ll win the league if…

The players can find chemistry together and establish themselves as solid players with a new team. With many players coming in from different leagues, adaptation is the key word.

We’ll be in trouble if…

The exact opposite happens. Although the players are professionals and talented professionals at that, individual skills mean nothing if you can’t play as a team. At this stage, they’ll need to be very coherent and have their communication and intangibles under control.

The Beckham Factor

There is that little thing that says that the first match David Beckham plays in the MLS might be at BMO Field. Aside from the regular Beckhamania that will sweep through the rest of the continent, not much can be said about how Golden Balls will affect this organization, but it is a plus if he kicks it all off in TO.

You might not know

-It was close, but “Toronto FC” beat out other names for the team, such as the Toronto Nationals, Inter Toronto FC and the Toronto Reds.

-The FC doesn’t stand for Football Club. The official name of the club is Toronto FC.

-The Toronto area already has a handful of soccer clubs. The Toronto Lynx, Paul Stalteri’s former employer, play in the PDL. The North York Astros, the Carribean Selects, the Italia Shooters, the Serbian White Eagles, Toronto Croatia and Toronto Supra Portuguese are part of the CSL.

You can follow all the action during the season on the Toronto FC Offside.

Next preview: Chivas USA