Originally posted on December 19, 2013 on Soccer Newsday
The offseason overhaul of Toronto FC is advancing at full steam, with the club recently making some significant moves to bolster their lineup for the coming season.
MLSE President Tim Leiweke has promised big signings and that major moves would happen this offseason, and the pieces are starting to fall in place for the club. Last week, TFC officially presented its newest designated player in 24-year-old Brazilian striker Gilberto, while this week saw the club bring back the club’s all time leading scoring in Dwayne De Rosario in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft.
Gilberto is a skilled player, can beat defenders with his speed and isn’t afraid to test opposing keepers from long range. As TFC manager Ryan Nelsen noted, “Gilberto is a powerful striker with a great deal of speed and the ability to score all kinds of goals.”
De Rosario was the face of the franchise and their best player when he was traded away in 2011, however no one expects that he is coming back as that same player. While there may be some risks to bringing back the Canadian international (he’s older, he could take up too much space under the cap), the likely rewards far weigh those risks. DeRo won’t be considered a first scoring threat for TFC, and will likely play a third striker option, behind the newly signed Gilberto, and the a likely new DP to be signed.
And that DP is all but confirmed Tottenham forward Jermain Defoe, who is expected to announce his move to Toronto once the transfer window opens in January. All reports seem to indicate that the 31-year-old English international has committed to the club, and he should add the type of scoring presence that TFC have never really been able to field in their history.
With the departure of oft injured Danny Koevermans, and probable exit of Robert Earnshaw, adding Gilberto, De Rosario, and likely Defoe, bolsters a rather weak offence from previous years. The remaining forwards, veteran Bright Dike, youngster Emery Welshman, and Andrew “I always score when it’s raining” Wiedeman, add decent bench quality.
TFC also acquired defender Justin Morrow from San Jose and Brazilian midfielder Jackson from FC Dallas in exchange for allocation money that the team has been acquiring in what seems every trade that they have made in the last year. Both add experience MLS quality to the side, and strengthen two positions for the club.
However, the biggest surprise to most TFC fans, and you can see the reactions in social media, is the effort at which the new front office is moving to solidify this team, and making moves early. The 2013 calendar year is not even completed, and yet most of the squad is set for next season, which is a big change previous years, seeing as last season saw 5 players signed on the day before the first game.
Fans of the team are again talking about the team in a positive light. The jokes are slowly fading, and the talk is about which formations best suit the acquired players and how Ryan Nelsen should best utilize his players. Even the main stream media is writing articles about how well the front office has transformed this team. TFC fans now feel something that they haven’t legitimately been able to feel for a few seasons.
Hope.
Hope that the coming season will not end in disappointment like in previous years. Hope that the season will not be all but over in mid-June. Hope that this team will be in the mix for a playoff spot. Hope that the team will actually make the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s history.
But more importantly, hope that the team they love and cheer for week in and week out, are finally turning the corner into a competitive, respective club that they have always wanted.
So let’s hope that all this can be translated to success on the field.
