Whither Canada Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 In today's Globe there's a reference to some infighting after TFC's loss to the Whitecraps, but after the initial reference it doesn't go any further. Can anyone shed any more light on what happened? "As Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson was doing a celebratory flip on the pitch, Toronto FC head coach Chris Cummins was heading back to an explosive losers' locker room. The TFC players, fresh off a 2-0 defeat before a standing-room crowd of 5,688 at Swangard Stadium on Tuesday, began infighting after the crushing loss in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Cummins fanned their flames. “There are players in there calling people out, which is right,” the coach fumed. “I’ve got to question hunger, desire, passion, and the willingness to learn and win. “There were probably four players who had that on the night, and they know who they are,” the coach continued. “I’ve already questioned that, and they’ve questioned it as well.” " Full article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/tfc-under-the-gun-as-whitecaps-stay-alive/article1166080/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 I think it's almost inevitable that there would be some recriminations behind closed doors, shouldn't be a surprise, they're human after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 ^ I heard from one of my contacts that it got a pretty ugly in the dressing room after Tuesday's game. No violent acts but certain team "leaders" (who in my opinion have no right to be calling anyone else out based on their own uninspired play) were having a serious go at some of their teammates. Outside of Nana and Serioux, I think the whole team sucked, as did some of the coach's decisions. If Serioux calls out his teammates, I'll listen. Nana is young and won't say anything. The rest of them are all culpable for Tuesday's failure to meet expectations, some more than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpg75 Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 quote:Originally posted by VPjr ^ I heard from one of my contacts that it got a pretty ugly in the dressing room after Tuesday's game. No violent acts but certain team "leaders" (who in my opinion have no right to be calling anyone else out based on their own uninspired play) were having a serious go at some of their teammates. Hmmm, let me think, would those be Carl Robinson and Jim Brennan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 quote:Originally posted by jpg75 Hmmm, let me think, would those be Carl Robinson and Jim Brennan? Brennan would definitely be my guess... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackTheBlizzard Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 De Rosario and Sutton would be the other prime candidates. Nothing out of the ordinary that it would happen. Not sure what was gained from Chris Cummins' perspective in mentioning it publicly. Maybe just a way of making sure the fanbase know that the players are as upset as they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadasBest Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 Hypothetically Cummins could be letting Mo know that there are certain players on the team that have to go. With all that's going on in the locker room at Toronto the last few months I wouldn't be surprised if there is a struggle happening between the coaching staff/players and management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 quote:Originally posted by VPjr ^ I heard from one of my contacts that it got a pretty ugly in the dressing room after Tuesday's game. No violent acts but certain team "leaders" (who in my opinion have no right to be calling anyone else out based on their own uninspired play) were having a serious go at some of their teammates. Outside of Nana and Serioux, I think the whole team sucked, as did some of the coach's decisions. If Serioux calls out his teammates, I'll listen. Nana is young and won't say anything. The rest of them are all culpable for Tuesday's failure to meet expectations, some more than others. Recriminations began on the field before the final whistle, no surprise they escalated in the changeroom. TFC is a team with plenty of problems still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 ^ a friend of mine with excellent TFC contacts claims that "this is a very divided dressing room". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gian-Luca Posted June 4, 2009 Share Posted June 4, 2009 quote:Originally posted by loyola Brennan would definitely be my guess... He was already doing it on the field, so yeah, that's a safe bet. As a Captain I don't mind him doing so - except when he's actually to blame on the play as much as anybody, which was my view of that first goal he was chastising others about. In any event, an angry dressming room for a club team isn't necessarily a bad thing - if the result of it is that they are fired up for the next game instead of coming out flat & passionless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca In any event, an angry dressing room for a club team isn't necessarily a bad thing - if the result of it is that they are fired up for the next game instead of coming out flat & passionless. Definitely, but it can be a double edged sword, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ag futbol Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 quote:Originally posted by VPjr ^ a friend of mine with excellent TFC contacts claims that "this is a very divided dressing room". I'd very much bet this is along the lines of new guard / old gaurd. Not in terms of age, but when they joined the club. This thing started as a scrappy workman's project. Now we've got half a blue collar style squad, and the other half plays a more skilled game. And i'm not stating this in a Kevin Harmse / Dero type comparison (as in one group is better than the other). It's more like equal value but different style. How do you play possession soccer when half the players on the field aren't possession players? How do you push the pace when the other half doesn't have that mentality? This team is simply built wrong. Mo Johnston has looked at a bunch of parts singularly, as opposed to considering how well the part is going to work within the machine as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whither Canada Posted June 5, 2009 Author Share Posted June 5, 2009 I think Brennan giving it the verbal is understood, not to say expected, but IMO Robinson does a helluva lot of yammering out there for a guy who doesn't often back it up with his play. (Not saying that Brennan is much different in that respect, but he IS the skipper and he is the longest-serving player.) I also wonder if this could be turning into a "Canadian" vs "non-Canadian" thing. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownbear Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Whither Canada I think Brennan giving it the verbal is understood, not to say expected, but IMO Robinson does a helluva lot of yammering out there for a guy who doesn't often back it up with his play. (Not saying that Brennan is much different in that respect, but he IS the skipper and he is the longest-serving player.) I also wonder if this could be turning into a "Canadian" vs "non-Canadian" thing. Just a thought. No, not really, although there is some overlap between that and what is the true cleavage permeating the squad--the division between "Carver's boys" and the rest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 "That's where pride comes in," TFC defender Jim Brennan said of playing Vancouver after the loss in Houston. "That was a big game. I'm not sure a lot of the guys knew how big that game was. They should be hurting." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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