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TFC2 2017 Discussion


Ruffian

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7 minutes ago, Kent said:

I guess since Hamilton wasn't with TFCII that must mean he'll be back in the 18 tomorrow right? Right?

I hope so......interesting that Endoh seems to have been permanently loaned to TFCII (or at least, loaned longer than the likes of the one-game int'l break loaners like Chapman and Delgado). I understand the logic with Camargo because he missed pre-season - he looks the most first-team ready for anyone for TFC II in the last three games (which is a good thing since he's on a first team contract).

TFC II have scored just 2 goals in four games, both by Canadian players incidentally (perhaps they should play more of them?)

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Result and details from the Friday April 7, 2017 USL game between Toronto FC II
and Rochester Rhinos played at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan at 7:30pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC II.......0......Rochester Rhinos.......0....

Attendance was announced as 523 on this brutally cold and windy evening.
Temperature was only + 3 Celsius. Toronto had an inch of snow fall overnight
and although it had melted by the late afternoon, because they must have shoveled
the turf, there was a border of snow just a few feet from the sideline and each
end zone. I figured about 100 fans or more left at halftime especially the ones with
young kids. Thankfully TFC II head coach Jason Bent gifted me a full length TFC parka
at the TFC II SSH event a week and a half ago so I didn't even mind the aluminum
benches that make up the stands.

Man of the Match (who I assume is always a TFC II player) was named as T&T defender
Jelani Peters. He had a few key stops by diving headers and a magnificent block
at 69 minutes by doing the splits to poke the ball away from RR Ryan James who otherwise
was in alone at 20 yards. He injured himself on that play but returned to the game.

Fellow TFC II T&T forward Aikim Andrews was fed passes but was either checked off the ball
before shooting or rolled softies to the goalie or wide of the net.

Goalies Angelo Cavalluzzo of TFC II and Tomas Gomez of Rhinos earned shutouts
for their teams.

Other best non-scoring chances were at 19 minutes with RR Kennardo Forbes taking
his third cornerkick from the right side within two minutes had RR Wal Fall head at 10 yards
up the middle that the goalie jumped for but the ball hit the top of the bar for a goal kick.

43 minutes had RR Kennardo Forbes take a 35 yard freekick from the right and
RR Darius Madison headed a 7 yarder wide left of the post.

51 minutes had TFC Ben Spencer roll a pass to his left for the charging Ryan Telfer
at the 30 yard line. He rolled a cross from near the end line and the goalie beat
Aikim Andrews to dive on the ball at 3 yards even with the left post.

74 minutes had RR Kenardo Forbes take a cornerkick from the left and RR Ryan Felix
headed a 12 yarder down the middle and TFC Dyvind Alseth headed the ball away
at 3 yards on the right post.

90 minutes had RR Jordan Dover chip a ball from 20 yards on the right that goalie
Angelo Cavalluzzo caught on the left post a split second before RR Rayane Boukemia
got his head to it from 3 yards.


Ryan Telfer had an injury time shot that he rolled down the middle from 20 yards
just wide left of the post.


Referee David Barrie gave out three Yellow cards and all in the second half
in a game that wasn't rough at all. I don't think any players felt like going in for
sliding tackles on the hard turf tonight.


TFC II list 14 Canadians on their roster out of 28 players listed. Sounds good
except that tonight there were only three of them starting (goalie Angelo Cavalluzo,
and midfielders Ryan Telfer and Malik Johnson). Midfielder Sergio Camargo came
in at halftime just as Johnson left.


The Rhinos have two Canadians on their roster and used both for the full 90 minutes.
Jordan Dover played well in defence. I watched him play the last two years with
Durham United in League 1 Ontario. I watched midfielder Ryan James back in 2012
when he played for TFC Academy in the CSL and for TFC in the MLS Reserve League.


TFC Academy kids were paraded to the center circle at halftime. They looked about
age 12. From the MLSE Presidents Breakfast it was mentioned that TFC won't be running
an academy for players under age 14 starting this year (except for the kids already in their
program). Sounded like the last player introduced was Mason(?) Vanney—ohoh probably
the MLS head coach Greg Vanney's son. Greg is the uncle of TFC defender Eric Zavaleta.


So not enough Canadian players got on the field for my liking. This year there are only
three subs allowed in USL games so that limits their opportunities. TFC is not operating
a PDL team any longer so although PDL rosters are mostly stocked with NCAA players
on summer break, TFC got a lot of minutes for TFC II and TFC Academy players. MLSE president
Bill Manning said he wants to help the proposed new Canadian league as long as it doesn't
operate in Toronto so what would be easier for him than announcing that TFC II is now known
as Winnipeg FC and they can dump the production of entertaining 500 fans expecting the
bumpkins not in the GTA to think this is the big league?

Tsubasa Endoh seems to be the only player from the MLS dump- down remaining with TFC II.
He took all the corners and most of the freekicks tonight with mixed success. Kennardo Forbes
did the same for the Rhinos.

TFC II captain this year is returning defender Mitch Taintor. He was featured on the two-page
match program but was subbed at halftime.

There was no weather advantage for the home team as Rochester is just across Lake Ontario
on the American side. Maybe MLS Atlanta will be at a disadvantage in the city tomorrow
but then they beat Minnesota in a snowstorm a few weeks ago!

TFC II's #1 goalie Mark Pais was recently signed by the MLS team because of the long term
injury to Clint Irwin. TFC didn't let Irwin just sit around. He'd been promoted all week by TFC
as a reason to come to tonight's game. He was in the autograph tent in the south end.
How would he sign a near black picture postcard? With a silver coloured Sharpie! I gave him
a list of game reports I'd written in 2011 when he played for Capital City FC (Ottawa) in their
one season of existence in the CSL. Most interesting will be his game against TFC Academy
when Jordan Hamilton scored on him and the opposing goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo was
Red carded. He was tonight's TFC II goalie.

Rhinos have replaced their forwards this season. Steevan Dos Santos now plays for Ottawa Fury
(oh-oh that's TFC II's next game!) Christian Volesky now plays for Saint Louis FC and last week
was named USL Player of the Week. His teammate includes Wesley Charpie who was a TFC II
defender last season. Mark Pais played for Saint Louis last year (not a trade between clubs).
I wonder if in the back of his mind he thought he'd have the chance of moving up to play
in the MLS by moving to an MLS 'II' team?

Fans were given a soccer ball keychain on the way in and a fridge magnet (comparable to the
one we were given last week at the MLS team's game) on the way out. Home team players
each threw a mini ball into the crowd after the national anthems.

This was the home opener for TFC II. This was freakishly cold but it can't be unexpected at this
time of year. Of course better weather would be certain if the game was played in the
daytime—this weekend as the MLS TFC team is playing Saturday, Sunday afternoon would have
been better.  TFC II opened with three games on the road to start the season—Arizona and
two games in Florida.  They now go on another three game road trip and aren't back until
Saturday May 13th when they play Bethlehem Steel at BMO Field at 6:00pm--right after
the MLS game.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
 

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4 hours ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

Also, I keep reading that Spencer is going to get a first team contract but have yet to see anything from him. 

I thought Spencer looked good in the first game win, but since then has done nothing. He does not have speed to break away from the defender and when he has the ball at his feet on the perimeter of the box he can't come up with any ideas to make a chance. His movement off the ball is good so he ends up open in good positions.

Hundal at least gives the forward position that break away speed. He still needs to work on his off ball movement and needs in game experience to learn how to make that chance for himself.

The Canadian From York U Telfer also looked better than the two strikers up top. He has the speed and the work ethic to make an impact up top. He also has some quick moves to create a chance for himself. His goal in the first game showed he at least has some positional sense.

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4 hours ago, Greatest Cockney Rip Off said:

I thought Camargo looked good again as a substitute.  Would like to see him start for TFC2 and play along side Johnson. 

I think Camargo will end up taking Uccello's spot in the midfield he had most of last year. Maybe Uccello needs to be loaned to TFC3 in L1O to get playing time.

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7 hours ago, RS said:

Fraser, Johnson and Hundal (and possibly more) are currently with TFCIII at the Dallas Cup.

Yes they are and TFCIII beat out Red Bull Brazil 2-1 today in the U19 Super Group at the Dallas Cup today in their opening group play game today. The U19 Super Group has some pretty good pro Academy teams from around the world players born after August 1997 are eligible to play. FC Dallas of the MLS their U19 Academy team beat up on Everton of the Premier League, beating Everton's U19 Academy team 5-0 in their first game of the tournament.

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17 hours ago, 1996 said:

Yes they are and TFCIII beat out Red Bull Brazil 2-1 today in the U19 Super Group at the Dallas Cup today in their opening group play game today. The U19 Super Group has some pretty good pro Academy teams from around the world players born after August 1997 are eligible to play. FC Dallas of the MLS their U19 Academy team beat up on Everton of the Premier League, beating Everton's U19 Academy team 5-0 in their first game of the tournament.

Did Everton send it's best u19's? Somehow, I doubt it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Some "reality check" players for the locals to grade themselves against. It's a good thing. Keep their heads from getting too big and focused on bettering their own skills every single day.

Ideally you don't want players comparing themselves to others. They either get very cocky or depressed. Neither is good but it is inevitable. So the big task is to force the locals to not just compare yourself to the other locals. Easy solution is to bring in some very talented foreigners and then tell the locals the truth. "They aren't the best from their country, just the best we could get".

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I dont know if TFC2 CDN guys need reality checks all that much.  Taking the field and having losing seasons in USL should be enough to keep them humble eh?  Wait till those kids see Drogba dribbling at them...(and yes I know its not going to happen, no crossover to the west etc).  

And here we thought Spencer or Johnson might be getting a call to the big club, they were making room for panamanian.  I'd hate to see them give up on Camgaro after only a third of a season, and surely not Chapman??  He seemed to be making some progress last year.  But midfield minutes are going to be hard to come by even at TFC2 now.  

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If this guy is a defensive midfielder as the news release claims then I don't think Chapman or Camargo need to worry too much. Although I still find it annoying that TFC seems to be intent on developing players for the very teams we are in competition for qualifying against at the expense of Canadians.

Six Canucks started for TFC II last night in their third consecutive 0-0 draw - Camargo, Hamilton, Hundaal,Anthony Osorio, Luca Uccello and Cavaluzzo. Cavaluzzo may only be five foot one or something like that but he looks to be a pretty good keeper and one of the few Canadian keepers playing regularly at a decent level in North America.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Result and details of the Saturday May 13, 2017 USL game
between Toronto FC II and Bethlehem Steel FC played
at BMO Field in Toronto at 6:00pm.

7 min...BS Cory Burke turns and rolls pass forward from
50 yard line up right to BS Marcus Epps who receives
it at 25 yards and cuts into top of the box on right.
He slows down at 15 yards when facing TFC Brandon Aubrey
and TFC Mitch Taintor comes up behind him and trips him up.
Referee Pierre-Luc Lauzier awards BS a Penalty kick.

8 min...BS Cory Burke GOAL...Burke rolls Penalty kick
to right side of net as goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo dives
to left.

Final Score:....Toronto FC II......0......Bethlehem Steel FC.....1...

TFC was marketing a shutout streak that had lasted a full
three games until their last game in Pittsburgh where they
lost 1-0. Their goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo had won Save of the
Week and Goalie of the Month during that time. The other
way of looking at it was during the last five games TFC has
not scored! Since losing 3-1 in Orlando (against Orlando City 'B')
on April 4, they played 0-0 against Rochester (TFC's only
home game), Ottawa, and Louisville, before the
Pittsburgh game.

Today was not a clash of powerhouses. TFC had a record
of 1 win, 3 losses, 3 ties for fifteenth (last) place in the East
and Bethlehem were until today 2 wins, 4 losses, 0 ties for
da-da....fourteenth place! They are the affiliate of
Philadelphia Union who are mired in last place in the MLS
league so if their team can't stock move on the big team
who are looking for improvements, the pickings must
be pretty slim.

On the visitor's side I was cheering for Chris Nanco who
I watched as recently as last year playing for League 1
Ontario side Sigma FC. He had a good game which was
running up the wing and getting crosses into the box
but also getting a few shots in.  He also earned the
only Yellow card of the game. 

I didn't realize until I was home but Josh Heard is a Welsh
born Canadian who played for PDL Victoria Highlanders
a few years ago and was subbed on today at 77 minutes.
Nanco wasn't even Sigma's best USL player today
as Richie Laryea scored for Orlando City B in their road win
in front of 19301 in Cincinnati.

TFC II had been reinforced by MLS contract players,
defender Ashtone Morgan, goalie Mark Pais, and forward
Ben Spencer. It wasn't a surprise to followers as they've all
been on the TFC II roster earlier this season. Morgan played
only the first half but he's been recovering from an injury for
what seems like a year. He was playing today as a winger.
Ryan Telfer took his place for the second half and played almost
as a forward. Pais filled in for the MLS team when Clint Irwin
was injured but didn't see any action and he won't get to play
with the Canadian Cavalluzzo playing so well this last month.

Tsubasa Endoh played almost all the freekicks and cornerkicks.
With the MLS team being so deep, he may not get back on
the main roster. Ben Spencer was just given an MLS contract
within the last two weeks but hasn't seen any action.

There's a group of Ben Spencer critics on-line. They are not
going to be pleased that he won and expresso machine as Man
of the Match (always a TFC II player). Laughable plays included
at 53 minutes when he was given a through ball and rushed up
the middle on the slight left and rolled a 22 yard shot directly
to the goalie. 75 minutes had him take a low 20 yard shot from
the right that was into the outside webbing of the net. 84 minutes
had Spencer knock down a chipped pass at 20 yards but had
a defender check him off the ball without getting away a shot.

TFC had three Canadian starters and three on the bench getting
two of them into the game.

TFC head coach Greg Vanney was watching the game for the
West stands with one of his younger kids.

Bethlehem goalie Jake McGuire earned the shutout. He had
to make some key saves. He was sharp except on one play
at 85 minutes, Shaan Hundal blasted a shot from 15 yards that
he couldn't hang on to and a defender had to boot the rebound
behind the end line. Injury time had Hundal get to a cross and
pop a header from 15 yards on the right that bounced and the
goalie was able to catch it wide left of the post. Hundal only came
in at 59 minutes and he'd have been my 'Man of the Match'.
Last year he was the teams leading scorer and now it's hard for
the Canadian to find playing time.

Angelo Cavalluzzo played goal for TFC II. He didn't have much
to do which is good as having to make the 'save of the week'
means the defence is letting you down! Of course partly it's
on the visitors as #14 in the league tables until today.

Attendance was announced as 3033 which was certainly a season
best for this team although it's only their second home game
of the year and is likely not to be repeated as the team
usually plays at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan just
outside the city limits of Toronto. They were piggybacking
off the MLS game that had finished an hour earlier in which
Toronto FC beat Minnesota United 3-2 in front of 27,249.
Another quarter of the fans who stayed for beginning of the
USL game left by halftime.

The fans were corralled into the East stands except the
supporter groups who were allowed to stay in the South—probably
for the best as they don't mingle well with the families
watching in the East. I wasn't taking anything for granted
as I brought my TFC II ticket today too in case I ended
up out in the parking lot. We had to wait 'upstairs'
at the 200 level while the lower section was cleaned.
TFC alumi Dwayne De Rosario was signing autographs and
a DJ was playing songs. I didn't know that area was accessable
from the lower deck from inside. This extra level
in proportion looks like it has more washrooms than ours.
At about 5:30pm we were allowed back down—general admission
although my row hadn't been cleaned at all. The same beer
sellers who had called last call at 65 minutes of the first
game were back again selling until the end of the first half.

MLSE had really hit promoting this match hard. I heard about
it through e-mail, team websites and twitter, and announcements
today at the beginning, halftime, and end of the MSL game.

Production values were high with the same announcer as the
MLS game, highlights on the video board after the first
half of the game we were watching instead of another replay
of the MLS game.

No excuses of people saying they didn't know about it.
It will be interesting to see how the team uses these figures.
They could say retaining just over 11% of the fans proves
they should move the team to another city filling a roster
of some CanPL team once that gets going. They cover the
salaries of their players but don't have to cover stadium
rental and staffing. Even today's total (if it were true)
is triple last year's crowd in Vaughan for even 'good'
weather days. This game had the first 20 minutes played
in a light rain but fans were sheltered by the roof.

TFC II's next game is Friday May 19 at Ontario Soccer Centre
with a 5:00pm kickoff. This game might start off with very
low as most people are just getting off work at that time.
The Rowdies are second in the East as of last week's
standings and are aiming big trying to get an MLS franchise
and just had their city agree to a stadium proposal.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01
 

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I don't get the plan for this team. If you want to play young Canadians to cut their teeth and end-up loosing games, that's fine. I don't think it's the best way to go but at least that has some direction. 

If you bring in a lot of foreigners to lift the quality, that's also fine. But they seem to have brought a lot of foreigners and they're still lossing. Moreover, quality of play hasn't improved over last year IMO. I just don't get it. With TFC 1 looking so strong right now, TFC2 is just embarrassing. 

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