The instinct will be to look for deeper meaning. Maybe TFC losing -- AGAIN -- in the Voyageurs' Cup means that they lack heart. Perhaps it suggests that the talent gap between USL-1 and MLS isn't as large as thought.
It is sexier to find the non-obvious answers. The truth -- that a plucky underdog did just enough to frustrate and take down a more talented (if snake bitten) team isn't all that pleasing. It's kind of boring, actually.
But, it's the truth. Vancouver had three good scoring chances and scored on two of them. Toronto had, by my rough estimate, seven point blank opportunities to find the net and failed to convert. It's that simple. If you can't score in this game you don't win. Toronto has consistently failed to score in this tournament and has struggled throughout its short existence to deal with teams that throw a lot of players behind the ball. Remember the San Jose game last year? How about the SLC game in '07? That's just two examples of Toronto failing to break down a bunker. The most famous example, of course, was the Impact in '08. That game eliminated the Reds from the V-Cup too.
The talent is there for Toronto in every area except one -- finishing. But in the end that's the most important skill of all.
So what now? Clearly this team isn't good enough as it is constructed. If DP money is ever to be spent (not that I'm convinced that's the answer) it should be spent now, in the window, on a striker. The MLS playoffs are all that is left to rescue this season. TFC is not going to beat the Impact by four goals -- especially if they know that they need to do so.
I'm sure Vancouver readers are beside themselves right now. Not only have they slayed big, bad TFC but they get to go on a little CONCACAF run. Dreams of BC Place in February are dancing in their head. I'll have plenty to say on that as it moves forward. But not tonight. Tonight is too frustrating, too raw, to care about the other team that was on the pitch. I don't believe tonight was a good night for Canadian soccer (and I know that many of you will disagree. That’s your opinion and you are entitled to it, as am I to mine). And I blame TFC for that. It was an opportunity lost. But I will stop myself there before I write something unfairly harsh.
Congratulations to the Whitecaps. You did what you had to do. Toronto didn't. And that's all that matters, isn't it?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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34 comments:
You hit the nail on the head Duane.
We need someone with a killer instinct in front of goal. And we need it now.
It's a great night for Canadian soccer!! The team with the academy and some actual history will go on to the CCL...
TFC and Toronto eternal losers!!! LOL
I couldn't have said it better my self Anonymous. And if you think this is bad wait until the Whitecaps and Montreal get into MLS. Both the Impact and Whitecaps are first class organizations and have been in the soccer business and winning championships for years and I doubt that will change much when they get into MLS. These years are TFC's only good chance at winning the CCC and they are squandering them.
You bought a cigar just in case? Well don't throw it away just yet! Put yourself together, for fuck's sake!!! It IS NOT OVER YET. I repeat, TFC IS STILL ALIVE.
Do NOT throw in the towel!!! 4-0 vs Montreal CAN BE DONE!!! I cannot believe you are giving up on TFC!!! Don't give up! Don't EVER give up! It can be done! It can happen!
The Impact are a shit team. TFC can trounce them 4-0 in front of their fans!!! Come on, man!!!
Please do not give up on TFC in the 2009 NCC!!! Please!!!!
Duane, I could not of said it better myself. A bad night for Toronto and Canada indeed. Vancouver unlike Montreal last year will struggle, and not represent Canada very well. But at the end of the day, they finished 2 out of 3 chances, and TFC went 0 for 7.
Duane is going to have to elaborate on this column in the morning, because right now he just sounds like a bitter TFC fan.
Yeah, pretty much. Vancouver was holding back? TFC didn't have a shot for the first 35 minutes of the game! The corners given were 6 - 1 Whitecaps in the first half. Sure TFC hit a goal post and got a ball cleared off of the line but the Whitecaps were decidedly the better team in the first half. They were going for the win because they had to and TFC had no answer until the Whitecaps finally broke through and got a 1 - 0 lead.
Full disclosure: I'm a Whitecaps fan. I won't swear or gloat or anything.
But the point remains, Duane the soccer journalist, if you're going to say it was a bad night for Canadian soccer just because your side lost, you need to take the phrase "Canadian perspective" out of your nameplate and replace it with "Toronto perspective".
Losing sucks, I get that. However, Canada doesn't mean Toronto. The scoreline proves as much.
You're a massive homer! And despite that, you've given up on your team and have fallen off the wagon!
Let's face it, TFC are dreadful! Chad Barrett is an awful striker who has no finish (see header directly at Nolly)... Pablo Vitti has to be the worst signing/loan move ever. What has he done? Danny Dichio... slow with nothing to offer. Ricketts... stuck on the bench. They're just not a good squad.
And if Toronto outchanced Vancouver 7-3 (that's debatable)... who cares! You think TFC haven't won matches when they were "outchanced?" C'mon! Hold your tears back.
You're a passive aggressive blogger who can't accept the better team won.
It was said above, TFC is running out of time to win the Nutrilite Championship. When 2011 comes, Montreal and Vancouver will only be stronger.
PS Chris, great hard-hitting reason as to why Vancouver will struggle!
By the way... how bad is Greg Sutton? Nice stop to direct Knight's shot to Toure.
He's pissed his club and country careers away.
Duane, I like your blog, but I'm still confused as to why you refuse to give the USL sides any credit. Last year it was okay to say it was a fluke, but two years in a row? It's fairly obvious now that the talent gap between the USL and MLS isn't that big, and I'm not sure why this seems to be a nagging issue that you refuse to acknowledge.
As someone who covers both leagues closely I actually believe when you get beyond the top 3-4 guys on a team (DeRo, Guevara and let's say Waynne or Brennen in TFC's case) USL-1 is actually a deeper and stronger league. USL teams particualrly the two in Canada don't have to rely on young development players when injuries strike and generally have more continuty. This having been said TFC is one of the top MLS teams and their loss again demonstrates the percieved gap built up by many in the US who simply don't watch or care about USL is almost totally non existent.
I'm with Duane: I will not give any USL sides any credit. Losing to the Whitecaps or Impact is unacceptable.
Not the most sober of second thoughts. Next time wait until morning.
Take a cue from your coach, who gives credit where credit is due:
"The better team won on the night, no doubt about it", said Cummins. "We didn't play well enough."
Vancouver fans,
You are reacting WAY too defensively to a single line in the story. I don't believe it's a good day for Canadian soccer because, in the end, TFC is far more visible than either the Whitecaps or the Impact and their failure to win a tournament (assuming they don't beat Montreal by four) does nothing but send the message to casual fans in this country that still haven't bought into MLS that it’s not worth supporting - they will remain in their homes on Saturday watching their "home" Euro side and continue to make snide remarks about MLS/domestic soccer. Other than the diehard USL fans no one will pay any attention to the 'Caps in the CCL (no one paid any attention to Montreal, really, until the game in Feb.). If the 'Caps want to practically give tickets away to school kids I'm sure they can fill up BC Place for a one-off game (except, wait, isn't there something else going on in Vancouver this Feb. Never mind).
I don't believe we've won the war in this country when it comes to this sport. I strongly believe that MLS is the answer moving forward. We can debate its strength versus MLS all we want right now, but the bottom line is that it *is* stronger (whether it’s the first 3-4 players, or the starting XI, doesn't matter. It is) and it has a FAR better future.
I have NEVER said that supporting a USL team isn't worthwhile. I really, really haven't. It's just clearly the second tier. It is. Most rational USL fans agree.
As for last night...Vancouver did have a really nice period leading up to its first goal - for about 10 minutes the TFC midfield disappeared. That, combined with Vancouver's hyper direct style resulted in several corners being given away. The 'Caps were full credit for creating the first goal (and for converting the opportunity). The rest of the first half was completely controlled by Toronto (that's the period where Vitti hit the post, DeRo had the ball cleared off the line and Nolly was forced to make the fingertip save on Barrett's chip from the wing.
I don't think anyone can argue that Toronto controlled most of the ball and created most of the chances in the second half. Again, they failed to score. THAT'S THEIR FAULT, something I clearly said above. The 'Caps second goal was a moment of brilliance that came against the run. FULL CREDIT (again, like I said above).
Last night was a brilliant night for Whitecaps fans, an awful night for long suffering Toronto fans and, at best, a mediocre night for neutrals. TFC's failure to have a clinical finisher on the roster has cost Canadian soccer an opportunity to increase its visibility. The 'Caps, already on the fringe and possibly competing with the bloody Olympics, will not provide the sport with the same potential boost.
I'm willing to give Mr. Rollins the benefit of the doubt and say that when he implied that what's bad for Toronto FC is bad for the Canadian game, he was just infuriated and disappointed and possibly slightly drunk.
To the last Anon,
How is what I said any different than Cummins?
"The better team on the night..."
I said above that Vancouver did enough to win. They converted their chances and Toronto didn't. The 'Caps deserved to win based on that.
Anyway...I’m going to check out of the comments now. I have an Ives column to write (which will be a little more balanced towards the ‘Caps win). And I’ve said all I can on this front.
Lord Bob -
Stone cold sober last night.
Maybe you should try drinking then.
Just a thought.
Hey, I know that I would have been liquored up to the gills if I'd been a TFC fan, Tuesday night or no.
Hey Duane: Your subsequent explanation of why it's a bad day for Canadian soccer reads more like why it's a bad day for MLS soccer. That's not the same thing. All it showed was that grassroots development, organization, and tactical coaching are more effective than hype. That's a great story in any sporting contest.
@ 9:36 Anon (I really should change the time stamp...)
All of which matters little if no one is paying attention.
@ Duane you say no one payed attention to Montreal during last years CCL, thats why they were featured in 2 european football magazines?? Trust me lots of people payed attention, just because no one in Toronto did does not mean no one else did...Anyways in 2011 Vancouver will be in MLS and Montreal will be in also (maybe 2012), so those sour grapes comments and excuses will be irrelevant...
Aside from the old NY Cosmos & the LA Galaxy, the Vancouver Whitecaps are the most recognized name in North American football.
i agree with kartik
there might be no real difference between USL-1 and MLS other than the HYPE.
and HYPE can lead to financial risk. remember NASL?
@10:48 -
That's what I want.
I'd say there's some bright spots for Canadian Soccer considering the team with the strongest commitment to developing Canadian talent won with a few players from their academy who will most likely be playing in the MLS in 2 years unless they get picked up by another team before then.
Talk about frustration...
I'm having so much fun reading this blog, please don't stop!
Not a good night for Canadian soccer? What the hell are you talking about? This tournament is the best thing that has happened to Canadian soccer in years!
Nobody followed the Impact last year? How can you say something so obviously wrong? Nobody will follow the Whitecaps in the CCL? Come on... TFC more visible? You have to be living in Toronto to say something like that.
Everybody, even die hard USL fans, agrees that the MLS is more talented than the USL-1. But not enough. Not enough to be declared a sure winner every night. The lack of roster depth imposed by MLS rules is one problem that will have to be resolved eventually.
Anyway, you're right when you say that TFC is missing a golden opportunity here. Next year will be the last time the door will be so wide opened for the only MLS team in the country...
By the way, I watched the whole game yesterday, and I enjoyed it. Way to go, Vancouver!
Guess what? I'm an Impact fan! And I will be at Saputo stadium to see TFC being eliminated for good on June 18! How do you like that?
I can't wait for the day when Montreal will be in the MLS with a better team to kick TFC's butt!!! 0-2-1 against TFC so far is not good.
Go Vancouver Go!
You USL fans are somthing else. Talk about over sensative, or maybe just insecure. Wow!! You clearly missed Duanes point. Good Luck Vancouver, like anyone will notice what happens from here on out, unless of course you get as far as the Impact did. Very, very unlikely. But go ahead and keep over reacting like the children that were never loved by their Mothers.
Duane had no point other than bitterness. He would have said the exact same thing if Vancouver was already in the MLS.
Pathetic.
Hey Duane: FUCK YOU. You have some fuckin' nerve to say that TFC success is good... for the fucking country??? Are you fucking kidding me you fat fuck? Fuck you dude, for real.
Guess what... Whitecaps fans don't give a fuck if TFC gets more media coverage. You're saying Caps fans should have rooted for TFC because they'll bring FOOTBALL more exposure in this country??? You are one demented son of a bitch. Fuck your 2-bit "more exposed" team.
So should EPL teams always lay down for the big 4? Why have West Brom win, no one knows who they are?!!
You are one stupid fuck and don't think you can get away with your bullshit, we will put the word out on what a talentless hack you really are. Have fun being nothing more than a blogger for the rest of your "career". And go eat some more burgers, fat boy.
In closing... VWFC fans don't give a shit if not a single media member hops on board. We care about our team winning trophies, something your piece of shit club will never know anything about. Have all the media attention and exposure you want. We will enjoy that beautiful Voyaguers Cup.
Have fun watching Martin Nash raise the Canadian Championship at Saputo Stadium, while Toronto Fucking Clowns are eliminated once again. Your team is nothing. Your fans are nothing. Plastic to the fucking core.
Above - Couple things.
1) - Insulting someone because you disagree with them does nothing but demonstrate your lack of intelligence.
2) - Doing so without having the balls to sign your name does nothing but demonstrate that you're a coward.
3) - You clearly don't have the ability to read since what you've wrote above demonstrates a staggering lack of comprehension of what I actually wrote.
4) - It's a game. Grow up.
Wow "anonymous" above, that is totally uncalled for. You have a right to disagree with Duane.
Even as a TFC fan I don't think I necessarily buy that it was bad for canadian soccer but I respect his point of view.
You could try and disagree with some class and articulation. You are not representing your team very well and in fact are tarnishing whitecap supporters with that childish, rude rant. There are many words in the english dictionary that don't start with f.
Anyways VWC fans enjoy the victory as it was well-earned, but never get ahead of yourself, nothing is won yet for this years championship, although it would take an act of god for TFC to win.
There would be more interest in TFC advancing than Vancouver? Guess what, nobody outside of Toronto gives a crap about TFC, so if they advance there will be no difference. You TFC guys sure have swollen heads.
Krammerhead,
And you don't?
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