TFC Roster Dance 2011

[ag futbol]

How many international spots does TFC have to deal with at this point?

It seems like we've got a lot or roster adjustments that hinge on bringing in internationals but limited space to make that happen.

[TheKottonmouthed1555362307]

You guys have 8 to my knowledge, everyone has 8 and, TFC has not traded for any, yet this year.

The ones they traded for have expired.

[MM2]

^Nine, we still have one from a trade, Traded rights to Darren Huckerby to San Jose for IS through 2013 season.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

The word elsewhere is that TFC have signed three Dutch players who were on trial in Turkey:

http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/voetbal/9022684/__Winter_haalt_drie_landgenoten__.html?p=9,1

LONDON - As a trainer-coach of Toronto FC has attracted Aron Winter three compatriots. After a training camp in Turkey deserved Javier Martina and Nick Elbekay Bouchiba Soolsma a contract with the Canadians.

Because Winter like to play with wingers, he looked left and a right winger in the Netherlands. The 24-year-old Martina is from Ajax, Soolsma (23) comes from the Haarlem amateur Young Boys.

Behind Winter sees a role for the 32-year-old playmaker Bouchiba experienced by Toronto FC. He has played for FC Twente, Roda JC, Sparta, AZ and most recently in Qatar.

Javier Martina:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Martina

Nick Soolsma:

http://www.playerhistory.com/Default.aspx?page=player_details&playerID=144815

Elbekay Bouchiba:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbekay_Bouchiba

Hopefully a couple of fullbacks are also very much on the agenda and Winter already has a good feel for the quality of MLS relative to the Dutch game.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Hate to say it, but of the three big Canadian clubs I think I rate the players the Impact have signed as better than this lot and the few trialists Vancouver have brought over thus far. (Of course having never seen of these said players actually play )

[Keegan]

Soolsma smells like a Preki-like signing, he doesn't have much of a resume I can see him being the next Hscanovic/Usanov/

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

The fear is it's a bit like how John Carver was bringing in League Two level players like Martin Brittain on trial before he had a proper feel for the quality of MLS but on deeper reflection part of Paul Mariner's job is clearly to stop something like that from happening. Another interesting angle would be what does bringing in a midfield playmaker with extensive Eredivisie experience who has been playing in Qatar (presumably on good money and also expecting a large salary in an MLS context) say about Winter's opinion of JDG and/or Dwayne DeRosario given there are other positions that badly need to be shored up as well?

[TFCRegina]

Soolsma smells like a Preki-like signing, he doesn't have much of a resume I can see him being the next Hscanovic/Usanov/

Because so many of our players with decent resumés have been awesome for the club.

Mista, Andy Welsh, Ali Gerba, Collin Samuel...

[Keegan]

Because so many of our players with decent resumés have been awesome for the club.

Mista, Andy Welsh, Ali Gerba, Collin Samuel...

So imagine a guy with this on his resume: amateur club in Holland

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Not sure if you realize that "amateur" in Holland is often used to refer to semi-pro clubs that are often able to draw crowds of over 1000 to their games. In some continental European countries anything that isn't fully pro is referred to as amateur, which makes sense in some ways because there is no real difference in approach between an elite competitive amateur team and a semi-pro one just because a small amount of money is involved in one context.

[TFCRegina]

So imagine a guy with this on his resume: amateur club in Holland

So imagine a guy with this on his resumé: Amateur Club in Canada - Nana Attakora.

[Grizzly]

Not sure if you realize that "amateur" in Holland is often used to refer to semi-pro clubs that are often able to draw crowds of over 1000 to their games. In some continental European countries anything that isn't fully pro is referred to as amateur, which makes sense in some ways because there is no real difference in approach between an elite competitive amateur team and a semi-pro one just because a small amount of money is involved in one context.

Yes that is true but it still doesn't disguise the fact that these are lower level leagues. In Germany anything below the 3rd division is considered amateur even though the players are paid and some of the teams have good attendance. Nevertheless, even though it is possible to occassionally find an overlooked talent, I still don't want the Impact to be signing 4th division German players or their Dutch equivalent when they are in NASL let alone next year in MLS.

Bouchiba seems like a good signing but unless the other two are overlooked, undiscovered talents they don't seem to be very impressive signings. At their age they should have established themselves at least at the Dutch 2nd division level.

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

There is no question that Soolsma's signing is one that will raise a few eyebrows. Turns out that Young Boys are third top of their Zaterdag Hoofdklasse section but that would have been more impressive before the new 32 club third tier topklasse started up this season:

http://www.voetbalopzaterdag.com/competitie/a/Competitie_hoofdklasse_A

http://www.voetbalopzaterdag.com/?competitie=a&club=316

[Gian-Luca]

From what I saw of the pre-season footage on TFC TV, Martina looked impressive while Soolsma (assuming it was he) looked incredibly slow for a winger. Not sure if I say any footage of the other guy.

[RS]

Nevertheless, even though it is possible to occassionally find an overlooked talent, I still don't want the Impact to be signing 4th division German players or their Dutch equivalent when they are in NASL let alone next year in MLS.

I'll let Olivier Occean know that he's unwanted by Impact fans.

[Guest Ed]

I'll let Olivier Occean know that he's unwanted by Impact fans.

He beats the criteria by a whisker. Offenbach is in 3. Liga, '3rd tier', considered professional - the bottom 18 of the 54 'top' teams in Germany.

[RS]

He beats the criteria by a whisker. Offenbach is in 3. Liga, '3rd tier', considered professional - the bottom 18 of the 54 'top' teams in Germany.

Point being that had TFC signed him, Grizzly would slag the move.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Occean plays -and plays very well- at a level roughly equivalent to that of most of Montreal's recent signings, D2 France, which would be significantly higher than D2Holland. Certainly higher than the level of Soulsmaa. You never know, Dunfield has looked really good so far and he spent most of his career in the 4th division, but I would be expecting better trialists at TFC, much less those signed as internationals. Even Bouchiba looks like an average Dutch league player, which may or may not translate to MLS.

[Obinna]

The fear is it's a bit like how John Carver was bringing in League Two level players like Martin Brittain on trial before he had a proper feel for the quality of MLS but on deeper reflection part of Paul Mariner's job is clearly to stop something like that from happening. Another interesting angle would be what does bringing in a midfield playmaker with extensive Eredivisie experience who has been playing in Qatar (presumably on good money and also expecting a large salary in an MLS context) say about Winter's opinion of JDG and/or Dwayne DeRosario given there are other positions that badly need to be shored up as well?

It says that they need help in the middle, last year the movement of players around those two was pathetic. Look for JDG to benefit in particular.

[Havoc88]

I think it also says that Winter can't be overly picky at this stage and it's better to sign players he's comfortable with now then waiting like we did last year 2-3 games into the season before signing the last few to complete the roster. If this team is going to be prepared for the season they need to get the bodies in now, get them acclimatised and in shape.

Not sure what diff the level makes - there were CSL guys who played in the Bolton game last year who didn't look out of place on the pitch. Ryan Smith also should have been playing at a higher level given his pedigree but still had a good year with Kansas City, so if Miranda is anything along those lines I'm ok with that

[Keegan]

So imagine a guy with this on his resumé: Amateur Club in Canada - Nana Attakora.

Come on man thats not even a point Nana signed for TFC at 18, you could literally throw out any name for that

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

It says that they need help in the middle, last year the movement of players around those two was pathetic. Look for JDG to benefit in particular.

I can understand the signing of two wide players on that sort of basis, but not an experienced Eredivisie quality midfield playmaker who has just been playing in Qatar (unlikely to be on middle of the range Jacob Peterson sort of money in other words if he still had options there, he's probably going to be one of the top earners) when there are so many other pressing issues to be addressed in terms of building a balanced roster. After listening to the latest TFC TV clip I think Winter's comments about DeRosario were genuine and on the level so that points more to JDG being seen as an issue. Looks like he wants to make sure that he has a quality holding midfielder sitting just in front of the two central defenders, who can be depended upon to play the style he wants. Understandable but could look like a misallocation of resources a few months from now.

[Grizzly]

I'll let Olivier Occean know that he's unwanted by Impact fans.

1) Maybe you should inform yourself about which leagues the Canadian national team players are playing in. Especially now that you are a soccer journalist!

2) There is a big difference in playing level between the nationwide 3rd division in Germany and the 4th division regional leagues. The better 3rd division teams like the one Occean plays on (do you need me to inform you what team that is too?) are pretty close to 2nd division level.

3) Occean is one of the best players in the 3rd division and probably the best striker not to mention a pretty good history in the Norwegian 1st division.

=

No comparison with Soolsma or Martina.

[Grizzly]

Point being that had TFC signed him, Grizzly would slag the move.

You continue to make the ridiculous claim that I slag anyone TFC signs. You also completely ignore the fact that TFC has made poor signing after poor signing for its whole existence. You completely ignore the fact TFC has been a very poor club for the whole of its existence and has never made the playoffs. You also ignore the fact that of the three signings I praised one of them (depending of course on how much they paid for him). Yes last year at this time I slagged most of Preki's moves. Are you seriously going to tell me I was wrong about that? I think pretty much TFC fans and haterz alike thought Winter would have brought in some more impressive players than he has so far. Now it is possible that he knows a few undiscovered guys that everyone else has missed just like it was possible that Preki or Mo in the past had. It didn't turn out that way in the past and we have to wait for the results this time. Nevertheless it looks awful familiar to the TFC pattern of the past, an inexperienced manager signing a bunch of no-names whose backgrounds don't suggest they are MLS calibre. But hey don't let me make you take your head out of the sand or give up your day job as club lemming!

[BringBackTheBlizzard]

Have been investigating the Qatari League angle where Elbekay Bouchiba is concerned and apparently his last team Al Shamal got relegated and that could explain why he may be readily available without huge amounts of money having to be offered:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009%E2%80%9310_Qatar_Stars_League

Hopefully he will be on Martin Saric sort of money and there are still plenty of funds available to effectively replace Chad Barrett as a goalscoring central striker and add experienced regular starter quality options at left and right fullback to name but three of the more pressing gaps on the roster.