Toronto FC - 2024 Season Thread

[Metro]

On 2/6/2024 at 10:00 AM, Kingston said:

And that some players who are already on contract may see a raise this year.  The teams don't release information on how all the player salaries are covered (salary cap, DP, GAM, TAM, etc.) so we don't have the numbers to see what is left.  Also, here are the rules from last year:

https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations

Even with all the information available, it would take serious effort to figure out the best way to allocate all the different funding types to most efficiently pay all the different players.

Overall, though, it is my impression (supported by tidbits in different published articles) that TFC has very little room to manoeuver this season both in terms of dollars and in terms of roster spots.

I do still hope they can come up with even one good defensive player, however.

FWIW, listening to Molinaro this morning on the 442 podcast and he believes salary cap space is not the issue; they have it but they are likely having difficulty persuading players to come play for Toronto due to their recent track record.

[Shway]

Just imagine, JH works his motivational magic and has TFC go 4-0 to start the season lol....I can see it already 🤪

[BearcatSA]

36 minutes ago, Shway said:

Just imagine, JH works his motivational magic and has TFC go 4-0 to start the season lol....I can see it already 🤪

I understand your tongue and cheek here but I strongly believe what Kristian Jack said about MLS during the One Soccer podcast after Herdman's move:  it is not hard to make the playoffs in this league. 

You make a few key moves with personnel (like maybe Flores at d-mid?), you prepare well with a clear message and buy in from your incumbents, putting them in positions to succeed and build on it, you work hard to be tough to beat, grind out some results, and then you're back in the hunt.

Folks here can have a laugh and disagree with my view and so be it.  And there will be ups and downs while the squad evolves with gradual turnover.  

(And, no:  I am not John Herdman hijacking the BearcatSA account 😉)

 

[Kingston]

37 minutes ago, BearcatSA said:

I understand your tongue and cheek here but I strongly believe what Kristian Jack said about MLS during the One Soccer podcast after Herdman's move:  it is not hard to make the playoffs in this league. 

You make a few key moves with personnel (like maybe Flores at d-mid?), you prepare well with a clear message and buy in from your incumbents, putting them in positions to succeed and build on it, you work hard to be tough to beat, grind out some results, and then you're back in the hunt.

Folks here can have a laugh and disagree with my view and so be it.  And there will be ups and downs while the squad evolves with gradual turnover.  

(And, no:  I am not John Herdman hijacking the BearcatSA account 😉)

 

I agree with your main points.  I think the playoffs are still a stretch but certainly there's no reason this team can't be close.  Maybe more like the first half of last season instead of the 15 L - 1 W second half.

[narduch]

1 hour ago, Shway said:

Just imagine, JH works his motivational magic and has TFC go 4-0 to start the season lol....I can see it already 🤪

I think Cincinnati will spank them in the opening game. After that maybe

[Shway]

1 hour ago, BearcatSA said:

I understand your tongue and cheek here but I strongly believe what Kristian Jack said about MLS during the One Soccer podcast after Herdman's move:  it is not hard to make the playoffs in this league. 

You make a few key moves with personnel (like maybe Flores at d-mid?), you prepare well with a clear message and buy in from your incumbents, putting them in positions to succeed and build on it, you work hard to be tough to beat, grind out some results, and then you're back in the hunt.

Folks here can have a laugh and disagree with my view and so be it.  And there will be ups and downs while the squad evolves with gradual turnover.  

(And, no:  I am not John Herdman hijacking the BearcatSA account 😉)

 

I agree with your main points. But it's very hard to go from wooden spoon to playoffs without any significant roster changes. And that's the reality of TFC. 

I think it's heavily dependent on how well the Italians do from the start of the season. 
The weight is heavy on them, and they couldn't carry it last year so it will be very interesting to see what JH can do. 

[Bison44]

1 hour ago, BearcatSA said:

Folks here can have a laugh and disagree with my view and so be it.  And there will be ups and downs while the squad evolves with gradual turnover.  

They could have contended for a playoff spot if half the team didnt tank even worse when Bradley was fired in June.  We only got 1 win after bradley got canned.  I dont think the players gave Dunfield any respect and having Herdman waiting in the wings just cut him off at the knees.  Maybe if Dunfield got some vets heads turned around (Kaye, Hedges, Italians), but he couldnt and they started dumping the bad apples and it all went to complete shit.  

[costarg]

2 hours ago, Shway said:

Just imagine, JH works his motivational magic and has TFC go 4-0 to start the season lol....I can see it already 🤪

I really don't think it's that crazy, it's a competitive and close league.  There are surprises in both +/- in this league every year.  There are holes in the roster, but there are also some really good pieces.  JH is an x-factor all by himself (including his team).  

The whole team played below expectations last year, even with people playing at expectations this could be a really improved team.

[SoccMan]

9 minutes ago, Bison44 said:

They could have contended for a playoff spot if half the team didnt tank even worse when Bradley was fired in June.  We only got 1 win after bradley got canned.  I dont think the players gave Dunfield any respect and having Herdman waiting in the wings just cut him off at the knees.  Maybe if Dunfield got some vets heads turned around (Kaye, Hedges, Italians), but he couldnt and they started dumping the bad apples and it all went to complete shit.  

Yes the players are to blame to a certain extent when Dunfield took over , but he has to take some blame too. They went from bad under Bradley to horrendous under Dunfield. It was a shit show under Bradley but Dunfield took it to another level. 

[Bison44]

Well there is no way you through a Dunfield into the deep end.  I dont expect my 9 year old to jump in a fix flat tire eh??  I can just picture it, Bernedeschi sitting there vaping in his underwear snickering with insigne at the academy coach, Kaye sulking because his stepdad is gone, Hedges checking out housing prices back in the states..all the while Herdman is twiddling his thumbs waiting for the right time to take over.  F#ck me, I feel for old Dunfield...he really took one for the team.  

[Corazon]

TFC is going to need a few players to really step up under a new coach and new environment.  MacNaughton was far from the worst defender for Toronto Fc but he wasn’t great either.  Moved to Nashville and looked great when healthy.  Without too many incoming transfers, Toronto is gonna need a few type of situations like this.  Hopefully starting with the Italians but they’ll need a few more as well if they want to even compete for a playoff spot.

[fil]

6 hours ago, Bison44 said:

Well there is no way you through a Dunfield into the deep end.  I dont expect my 9 year old to jump in a fix flat tire eh??  I can just picture it, Bernedeschi sitting there vaping in his underwear snickering with insigne at the academy coach, Kaye sulking because his stepdad is gone, Hedges checking out housing prices back in the states..all the while Herdman is twiddling his thumbs waiting for the right time to take over.  F#ck me, I feel for old Dunfield...he really took one for the team.  

I agree, Dunfield was in a no win situation. The team had no intention in playing for him. In fact they seemed ready to torture him...

 

[narduch]

Lmfao.

 

 

[Gian-Luca]

What was the deal - let us beat you 6-0 and we won’t report the score?

[kacbru]

42 minutes ago, narduch said:

Lmfao.

 

 

This might be the best case scenario if they can keep this going all year. 

TFC had a season, but due to a deal with MLS, we can't say how it went. 

[canuckgbp]

[red card]

 

[An Observer]

The secrecy around TFC is a bit weird. They don’t report injuries between matches and when they have to reveal them, they give vague answers like in hockey. I think they are the only MLS side who doesn’t report the lineup and subs at the bottom of their match reports. I sometimes have to go to the other sides match report to find that.  And now they are not reporting scores. Some weird paranoia has crept in there 

[nolando]

42 minutes ago, An Observer said:

The secrecy around TFC is a bit weird. They don’t report injuries between matches and when they have to reveal them, they give vague answers like in hockey. I think they are the only MLS side who doesn’t report the lineup and subs at the bottom of their match reports. I sometimes have to go to the other sides match report to find that.  And now they are not reporting scores. Some weird paranoia has crept in there 

It isolates and excludes so many of the most committed fans, which is a real downside. And at a time when the club probably needs them more than ever, I'd say.

[Kadenge]

Herdman only wants wins reported 

 

[narduch]

 

 

[Gian-Luca]

21 hours ago, An Observer said:

The secrecy around TFC is a bit weird. They don’t report injuries between matches and when they have to reveal them, they give vague answers like in hockey. I think they are the only MLS side who doesn’t report the lineup and subs at the bottom of their match reports. I sometimes have to go to the other sides match report to find that.  And now they are not reporting scores. Some weird paranoia has crept in there 

Secrecy is one thing, but outright lies are another altogether. Herdman did a post-match presser where he said they limited Columbus to just a couple of inconsequential scoring chances, but then we find out from other sources that Columbus won 4-2. A serious WTF?

[An Observer]

32 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

Secrecy is one thing, but outright lies are another altogether. Herdman did a post-match presser where he said they limited Columbus to just a couple of inconsequential scoring chances, but then we find out from other sources that Columbus won 4-2. A serious WTF?

Maybe they did limit them to a couple of inconsequential scoring changes. It was just the 4 consequential ones he forgot to mention 

[Bison44]

Herdman has to spin everything.   The clear coat is applied at the factory I have to charge you for that!   You were the worst team in the league, now paying a exhibition with the league champs, ummm I think the fans will understand that you lost the game by a couple or three goals.  Its preseason...geesh!  

 

[Metro]

Some further news on the friendlies thanks to John Molinaro’s website

- the match with Columbus was 90 minutes with a starting squad playing for the first 70. THEN, there was a further 30 minute scrimmage with an “experimental” lineup.  So in defence of Herdman, it’s possible those 4 Columbus goals occurred during the scrimmage while the club played relatively well over the regular 90 minutes.

- Tomorrow’s match vs RSL will begin at 2 pm EST. First 60 minutes will be played by the starting squad.