The Official Toronto FC Thread

[bigp]

We just traded an unproven, injury-prone player for one of the top goal-scorers in the league. Cunningham scored more goals last year than Esky has in his career. The midfield isn't atrocious, but it does need more depth. You can't just bring in anyone, and I read that Cunnignham was having problems with his new manager, since they didn't get along well as teammates either. In this case, Mo got a good player who will help the team. I wouldn't be surprised to see him tinker some more and bring in some MF help.

Cunningham will bring the offence. We did need to tinker with the offence, since we did not have a bona fide goalscorer on the team. Also, Cunningham had 11 assist last year with Real Salt Lake! So you know he can set guys up too.

I'll miss Esky's hard work and his passion, but I will welcome Cunny's skill and goals.

The problem is Esky was just settling in Toronto and guaranteed not to be traded in the first season. All this does is create an unsettled locker room and can damage morale. How can a team play together when players keep getting moved out? Toronto will be the last place any player would want to come to play for.

And there's speculation that Cunningham will be traded to LA for Nate Jaqua, a player we originally had but didn't want to play for Toronto. If that goes down then Mo should be fired.

 

[rony31]

I remember Esky got interviewed like 2 weeks ago and he was talking about how he's starting to settle into Toronto and just got his own place and was finally able to unpack and stop living out of a suitcase... feel bad for the guy, put in a lot of effort for the team. also had his own blog on the official team Website. sucks hard, but welcome Cunningham, that quote up there is ace... I should bring him to Rexdale, make him feel more at home, especially if he's part Indian/Paki/Sri Lankan etc.

 

[CarlosDanger]

I sincerely doubt the validity of the Nate Jaqua rumour, but if it's true, Mo's an idiot.

Also remember that Esky was the one complaining about the artificial pitch, saying it was aggravating his injury etc.

I think there may have been more to this than we know, as far as dressing room stuff. Esky wasn't toeing the manager's line, so he's out. I mean, you can't undermine your manager like that. Mo was defending the pitch and the stadium (which is obviously not going to change!) and Esky was bashing it. So there could have been other issues there.

Also in the first little while, Mo has to make moves as he searches for a team that works. Esky's contribution wasn't very great in 7 matches.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Here's my post from the match thread.

Looks like Cunny's staying. Apparently the rumour about LA was that he was either going there OR coming here. Not that we were going to trade him to LA. (got that from the RPB board, from a guy who always gets good info on the team)

Cunny was at the game last night, sitting on the players' bench.

Apparently, he loved it!


http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSports/2007/05/24/4203990-sun.html

 

[thetrooper37]

OK so this Cunningham guy is supposed to be a pretty solid striker, and that's great and all, but we need to replace Welsh because he's utter ****.

 

[Bobby]

What are you going to do for a keeper when Sutton is at the Gold Cup? That guy you have was on the bench in the USL, he's gonna get massacred.

 

[Hopeunited]

Craig 'The Legend' Forrest will step in and play guest keeper in Sutton's absence.

 

[Awax]

You got a nice team there. I'm looking forward to see them play, I haven't had the chance yet.

You know that Mtl > Tdot, though

 

[thetrooper37]

What are you going to do for a keeper when Sutton is at the Gold Cup? That guy you have was on the bench in the USL, he's gonna get massacred.

Isn't he the Canada U-20 goalie? If it's him, I thought he's pretty decent. I saw him play at the game against Argentina and he had some good reflexes...not very good on goal kicks though

 

[thetrooper37]

^ I hope Montreal gets an MLS team in the near future

 

[thetrooper37]

OK so this Cunningham guy is supposed to be a pretty solid striker, and that's great and all, but we need to replace Welsh because he's utter ****.

I was given negative rep for this? I'm sorry but Welsh does suck, you'd be stupid to think otherwise.

 

[CarlosDanger]

I was given negative rep for this? I'm sorry but Welsh does suck, you'd be stupid to think otherwise.

From who?

Anyway, Welsh has been hot and cold, but mostly cold.

We could do with an upgrade there.

The backup keeper is Srdjan Djekanovic. He seemed ok against Benfica in 26 minutes, but who knows how he'll do in a full match.

 

[Moreira_Benfica]

Canizales is a player i want to see replace Welsh

 

[CarlosDanger]

Canizales is a player i want to see replace Welsh

Well, apparently he has recovered from his ankle injury, so maybe we'll see a bit more of him soon.

 

[Hopeunited]

Question: who did we trade Richard Mulrooney for?

 

[thetrooper37]

From who?

Anyway, Welsh has been hot and cold, but mostly cold.

We could do with an upgrade there.

The backup keeper is Srdjan Djekanovic. He seemed ok against Benfica in 26 minutes, but who knows how he'll do in a full match.

no idea from who...doesn't say.

And I really don't think he's ever been hot...I mean, you could see him trying but most of the time he fails to make the cross and even if he does it's usually in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Moreira_Benfica]

Kevin Goldthwaite and a 2008 first-round pick.

 

[rony31]

Cunningham did well today, could've probably had a hat-trick with all the breakaways he had though, couldn't finish if his life depended on it but his speed is exactly what we needed in attack, him and Dichio are gonna do well together. speaking of Dichio, did well to send in Cunningham a few times but didn't work as hard as we've seen from him before, but still had a good game other than a few bad touches and careless giveaways after holding up the ball.

PS: kill Welsh.

 

[thetrooper37]

^ I think Dichio will be a little more in the background now...it seems like he's gonna hang a little further back and knock the balls down for Cunningham so he can tear through the defence.

And yes, please kill Welsh.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Damn... Dichio and Cunny playing like that in their first time on the field together!

I'm happy.