Toronto FC changes for 2013

[narduch]

Also did Toronto pay a transfer fee for Richter as he was under contract to Charlston?

I'm willing to bet he wasn't under contract. USL Pro doesn't seem like the kind of league where a player would sign a long term deal.

The real shame is that TFC isn't loaning out its fringe players to USL Pro like other MLS teams are.

Edit: Nevermind, Larson just tweeted that TFC did indeed pay a small transfer fee for Richter.

[jpg75]

Julio Cesar has been released:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/soccer/2013/03/29/toronto_fc_releases_veteran_brazilian_midfielder_julio_cesar.html

[Mr.Impact]

Yes, the grand declaration I was referring to was that Richter is American. Come on.

As for the USL Pro thing, is that not where MLS' reserves are going to be playing next year? In other words, ALL of the league's depth players are going to be "hiding" in that league in the very near future.

Oh, the horror.

Thats right next year.

This season however, USL pro is still considered to be the third tier.

Richter was a Supplemental Draft pick of the Philadelphia Union back in 2011; he was signed, but didn’t get into an MLS game for the club. We was later loaned to Harrisburg City of the USL, but didn’t get much playing time there, either. He was released by the Union at the end of the season.

The LaSalle University product spent 2012 with the Charleston Battery, and became a regular starter for a team that went on to win the third-division title.

http://the11.ca/2013/03/25/tfc-adds-former-usl-defender-ryan-richter/

On second taught ... TFC should sign as many Richter's as they like :-)

[BuzzAndSting]

Toronto FC lands Argentine duo, expected by end of month

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419776

[narduch]

Toronto FC lands Argentine duo, expected by end of month

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=419776

Its not official yet though. Plus the 2nd player is totally vague.

This is a non-announcement.

Sounds like the kind of story fed to the media to placate fans wanting to know what is going on. This signing was promised weeks ago. And time keeps slipping by.

[RS]

Its not official yet though. Plus the 2nd player is totally vague.

This is a non-announcement.

Sounds like the kind of story fed to the media to placate fans wanting to know what is going on. This signing was promised weeks ago. And time keeps slipping by.

Of course it's a non-announcement. The only time it's an announcement is when it's announced.

At any rate, Neil Davidson's been around for too long to be taken that easily. I'd put the chances that this was fed to him at about five percent, especially when considering that Payne/Nelsen have been straightforward with every other signing up to this point.

[El Hombre]

By the way, the mystery midfielder is supposed to be Matias Laba according to Luke Wileman. Will be in Toronto by the end of April.

[Trillium]

Of course it's a non-announcement. The only time it's an announcement is when it's announced.

A proof is a proof. What kind of a proof? It's a proof. A proof is a proof. And when you have a good proof, it's because it's proven.

Jean Chretien

[narduch]

Interesting that Montreal managed to sign an Argentine player on loan today.

Meanwhile for TFC the supposed signing of 2 players from Argentina drags on and on.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

I noticed that one of the players that TFC is linked to (Laba) is with the same club (Argentinos Juniors) that Montreal's Argentine is on loan from. I wonder how much these are players being scouted by MLS rather than the individual teams.

[TFC07]

Interesting that Montreal managed to sign an Argentine player on loan today.

Meanwhile for TFC the supposed signing of 2 players from Argentina drags on and on.

I think TFC are sorting out their cap and international slot issues before adding them. I wouldn't be surprised if Morgan (English one) gets cut before TFC adds their two Argentine players.

[Grizzly]

I noticed that one of the players that TFC is linked to (Laba) is with the same club (Argentinos Juniors) that Montreal's Argentine is on loan from. I wonder how much these are players being scouted by MLS rather than the individual teams.

Both TFC and the Impact had management staff go to Argentina on scouting trips so they are doing their own scouting. The number of Argentine players has more to do with being a top talent producing nation and having a lot of clubs in financial difficulties as opposed to Brazil for example where the league/clubs are financially healthier.

[elmateo]

Brazilian clubs are getting huge tax breaks to help keep/bring top players ahead of the world cup. TV contracts are also much bigger. But I wouldn't say that they are financially healthier; they are just allowed to carry a bigger debt load and are competing against less teams for a much larger market.

Argentinian clubs are really talented at over-pricing their players to international markets; they do keep useful players in the league and top salaries are very competitive unless a player is of first-division European quality where they can make millions on the sale. Otherwise what gets sold is often snake oil because that is where agents and corrupt club-politicians grease the wheels and wash their cash.

[elmateo]

Which is to say, I hope TFC did their research because I wouldn't necessarily go to Argentina to do my purchasing if I had the club's track record in scouting and novice contract deals. You really have to know what you are doing because Argentinians clubs - and more importantly the vampires that hide in the shadows - are really good at doing what they do, which is moving money.

[Joe Keeper]

Which is to say, I hope TFC did their research because I wouldn't necessarily go to Argentina to do my purchasing if I had the club's track record in scouting and novice contract deals. You really have to know what you are doing because Argentinians clubs - and more importantly the vampires that hide in the shadows - are really good at doing what they do, which is moving money.

+1 But, for now I still trust the people behind the rebuild of the club. I am trying to look at these signings as turning out in the club's favour for once.

Whatever else, you have to like speculating on how our line up and formation could look by mid season.

My ideal: 4-3-1-2

------------Earnshaw----------Koevermans---------

------------------------ Urruti--------------------------

---Ephraim---------------Laba--------------Bostock

Eckersley-----O'Dea-----------Califf--------Morgan

--------------------------Frei-----------------------

Subs:

Bendik

Osorio

Bekker

Braun

Silva

Henry

Agboss

Dunfield

Lambe

Russel

[elmateo]

I like Osorio as a second half sub; he has usually brought a new spirit to the team by coming on. Silva - back to fitness- probably can start. Earnshaw is going to need more rest than he is currently getting I think.

[Grizzly]

Brazilian clubs are getting huge tax breaks to help keep/bring top players ahead of the world cup. TV contracts are also much bigger. But I wouldn't say that they are financially healthier; they are just allowed to carry a bigger debt load and are competing against less teams for a much larger market.

Argentinian clubs are really talented at over-pricing their players to international markets; they do keep useful players in the league and top salaries are very competitive unless a player is of first-division European quality where they can make millions on the sale. Otherwise what gets sold is often snake oil because that is where agents and corrupt club-politicians grease the wheels and wash their cash.

Brazilian clubs are doing better than Argentine clubs because the Brazilian economy has been booming recently while Argentina has been in a financial crisis. And about 5 years ago the Argentine league as a whole and particularly the larger clubs had a major debt crisis from which they have not yet recovered. Like in many countries there may be government subsidies and the World Cup is getting a lot of clubs new stadiums but there is also a lot of sponsorship money from private firms in Brazil and a lot of legitimate revenue in general for Brazilian clubs. And while both Brazil and Argentina have usually exported their top talent in the past they are now going in opposite directions in this regard with Brazilian clubs starting to keep or even bring back their top players while the Argentine exporting of talent has accelerated. And that is why Argentina is ripe for the picking for teams looking for good players at reasonable prices. And while you are correct that teams have to have talented scouts to ensure they do not get ripped off by teams/players/agents I don't know of any other soccer talent producing country where this is not true. The salaries have gotten lower in Argentine soccer and there are more teams wanting to sell players so that is why we are seeing more mid-level leagues like MLS signing players from Argentina as opposed to earlier when it was mostly the big clubs signing the players who were either top Argentine players or had the potential to become top players.

Oh yeah, and Brazilian clubs are competing against less teams? Do you know how many teams there are in Brazil? And by teams I mean big teams with large followings.

[elmateo]

Argentinian clubs are rebounding in terms of their financial situation; the outcome of the 2001 financial crisis is still working its way through the economy but growth in Argentina has been near the top or the best in South America in recent years. Per capita income is higher in Argentina than Brazil. There is also a major public television contract that is putting $US200-300 million into AFA each year.

São Paulo, an urban area of 16-20 million people has four major professional teams - three of which reach well into the state without any first division competition. Portuguesa is the size of a medium-small Argentinian club. Buenos Aires an urban population of 12 million supports six teams with equal or higher average attendance as the top clubs; River and Boca can compete if revenues from supporters are the only thing taken into account with São Paulo FC and Corinthians. After that there are a dozen other clubs in the top two tiers of Argentinian football in Buenos Aires. Per capita density of top flight professional football teams means that Brazilian clubs compete against less teams for their fan base and divide larger television contracts amongst less teams; however their ability to draw supporters for gate revenue and membership fees is much less.

The financial situation in both leagues has changed significantly, there are still many problems in Argentina, but how and why Brazil's league may be considered to be 'better' has a lot more to do with the upcoming World Cup as major stadium renovations have been financed through public funding, tax-exemptions from the government to keep players like Neymer at Santos. A lot of the top end player salaries in Brazil are possible not because of club revenues but because of major government subsidies that go far beyond the television contract in Argentina.

Which is to go back to my point, that no Argentinian clubs are not in fire-sale mode like they were up to five years ago. Top clubs are paying over a million a year in salaries to a few players on their rosters, which is enough to keep important players. Young prospects have not been shipped off to Europe at the first possibility of sale in the past year. Further, Argentinians playing in North America has yet to be a noticeable wave and it has been with very mixed results. I would argue that the type of quality player that MLS could use and afford TODAY from Argentina is the type of player that Argentinian clubs would be less likely to part with because they can easily afford their wages, and if they are young may see a much higher return on a few more years of development.

[Michael Crampton]

Whatever else, you have to like speculating on how our line up and formation could look by mid season.

My ideal: 4-3-1-2

------------Earnshaw----------Koevermans---------

------------------------ Urruti--------------------------

---Ephraim---------------Laba--------------Bostock

Eckersley-----O'Dea-----------Califf--------Morgan

--------------------------Frei-----------------------

Five attack minded players supported by a young (unsigned) defensive mid who's never been tested in MLS and two fullbacks who both like to get forward???? That's Aron Winter start of 2011 territory right there and it's not gonna happen under Nelsen.

If he ever goes 4-3-1-2 (or diamond 4-4-2) to accommodate Silva underneath two forwards I suspect the other three mids will all be more defensively oriented or, at the very least, more capable of being two way players than Bostock and Ephraim. If I'm being honest, I really don't expect one of Bostock or Ephraim, maybe both, to be sticking around into summer.

Edit: For example, I think the following would be far more realistic if your want to try 4-3-1-2:

--------Earnshaw------Koev/Urruti

------------------Silva

------Dunfield-----Hall-------Laba

-Morgan-----O'Dea---Califf-----Eckersley

------------------Frei

[Ivan]

Matias Laba signing is official.

[maccaliam]

TFC have reportedly paid $1.5 million for his services. I have no doubt he is a good player, but is it a good idea to use such a large chunk of budget (bc that 1.5 mill would go against the salary cap, would it not?) and a DP spot on a midfielder who appears to be a "water carrier"?

I hope he is a proper box to box midfielder and he is able to boss the midfield. His ability to play so much in the Argentine First Division would suggest his ability on the ball is likely quite considerably better than anything TFC have got, and his highlights seem to suggest he is quite an industrious player with a lot of energy, but it is a quite a risk for such a player. Here's hoping it works out and he turns out to be a bargain, though.

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

TFC have reportedly paid $1.5 million for his services. I have no doubt he is a good player, but is it a good idea to use such a large chunk of budget (bc that 1.5 mill would go against the salary cap, would it not?) and a DP spot on a midfielder who appears to be a "water carrier"?

It's a 'young DP' spot, so it's only $200K against the cap and all of the transfer fee will fall under that $200K. In terms a real money, they spent almost $4 million last year between the salaries of Frings and Deguzman so I am sure the 1.5 million transfer fee isn't that big of a deal. He was also the captain for his team so I would guess he is more than a "water carrier".

[MM2]

^ TFC has a fair amount of allocation money they can use and if I am not mistaken the salary cap hit (if they need to use any) can be spread over the life of the contract. (Is $1.5 million the salary or the transfer fee? If it is salary only $200,000 goes against the salary cap and the remainder is paid by the club.)

[Yohan]

^ TFC has a fair amount of allocation money they can use and if I am not mistaken the salary cap hit (if they need to use any) can be spread over the life of the contract. (Is $1.5 million the salary or the transfer fee? If it is salary only $200,000 goes against the salary cap and the remainder is paid by the club.)

usually transfer fee is amortized over length of the contract. either way, only thing you should be concerned is that Laba has a 200k cap hit and no allocation money is spent. (MLSE will be paying for the transfer fee)

[maccaliam]

It's a 'young DP' spot, so it's only $200K against the cap and all of the transfer fee will fall under that $200K. In terms a real money, they spent almost $4 million last year between the salaries of Frings and Deguzman so I am sure the 1.5 million transfer fee isn't that big of a deal. He was also the captain for his team so I would guess he is more than a "water carrier".

Was Deschamps not also a captain and deemed a "water carrier"? Or Makelele? I don't see how one prevents the other? Hopefully Lama will be a leader for TFC but his presumed lack of English will mean his ability to lead and inspire vocally in the dressing room will be hindered, if not prevented. Perhaps that's not how he best leads but it may be, and verbal communication is an important aspect for most leaders.

And I realize only $200k will go against the cap this season, but I thought any transfer fee gets added into the cap hit. So based on my understanding of it, a $4 million salary hit last year (exclusively salary) is very different to a $1.5 million (or additional $500k per season over three years on top of salary) transfer fee and cap hit this year. Or does the transfer fee only get added if the salary is below the $200k cap hit?