Toronto FC kicks off its all-out, head-on campaign to earn an MLS playoff spot tonight in a baseball park in Kansas City, Kansas.
On the railyard/cattleyard side of the Mississippi River, our Reborn Redcoats face a tough initial challenge, in a venue where they utterly embarrassed themselves last fall.
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That soggy 0-2 loss to a half-speed coven of KC Wizards was viewed, by many, as the swamp-slurping low-water mark of Toronto’s lost 2008 campaign. For that reason alone, there couldn’t be a better place for Dwayne DeRosario’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to play their first real gig.
TFC ’09 are an impressively rebuilt side. DeRo is the best and highest-profile Canadian soccer star ever to suit up for Canada’s only (check that – first!) MLS outfit. He drives what should be one of the top midfields in the loop, with Amado Guevara, Carl Robinson, Rohan Ricketts and good-looking rookie Sam Cronin. That’s a group that should give lots of service to Chad Barrett, Pablo Vitti, Danny Dichio and Fuad Ibrahim in the strike force.
Adrian Serioux’s arrival in the back line will either stabilize or aggravate a huge problem back there. I’m very optimistic, because I love the way the huge, physical Canuck can take charge. Also, we’re in a league where leaky defence might not kill you, as the significant majority of MLS sides are desperately dying for help at centre back.
The best thing about today, though, is it’s the point where speculation begins to give way to results.
TFC ’09 could, as all concerned up here hope, romp into the MLS playoffs. But in a packed East Division, they could also miss out. In a funny way, a fifth-place finish might actually be a gift. With the East hugely stronger than the West, finishing fifth on the Atlantic side could easily get you a softer playoff schedule as a wild-card crossover team.
A hugely front-loaded schedule will see the Torontos play nine times in front of their frenzied, faithful fans in April and May – including hotly anticipated Voyaguers Cup tiffs against Vancouver and Montreal. This, to me, is a fine recipe for a hot, soaring start. As loyal as Redcoat Nation has always been, there is zero support amongst the singing, stomping scarf wavers for another lengthy spring and summer of not getting it done.
The most fascinating subplot may be the Toronto bench. They’re young. In Ibrahim’s case (just 17!), incredibly so. It’s by far the least-experienced set up backups in the league – and they’re all going to get a chance to play. Pretty much the only veteran on the sidelines will be whichever defender (Kevin Harmse or Marco Velez) doesn’t start. Goalie Greg Sutton will get some pine time as well, as rookie Stefan Frei continues to impress.
This is a league where you have to have a couple of glaring weak spots. Central defence, as noted, might not hurt because almost everyone’s hurting there. The bench will, eventually, produce some solid pros. But not all of them – and probably not this year. Overall, it’s a very cunning play by GM Mo Johnston to build depth and hide weakness. We’ll know soon whether any of this will work.
So it’s time – between now and late tonight – to stop guessing, quit analyzing, take a deep breath, sing, cheer and hope. It’s opening day, and everything is still possible.
We’ll know a whole lot more – and have SO much to talk about – by midnight.
Go amaze us, lads!
Onward!