Two keepers, one goal

About half an hour into today's reserve team scrimmage against San Jose, TFC rookie defender Mike Zaher launched the ball downfield hoping one of his strikers, the guy wearing jersey number 28, would sprint underneath the pass, collect the ball and make something happen.

When the ball rolled harmlessly to San Jose's goalkeeper Zaher shook his head in frustration.

"You've gotta make a run," he muttered, half to himself and half to his intended target.

Truthfully, I don't know the guy's name, and watching him play I could tell I'd never need to. The wrinkled face, flabby thighs and belly jiggling beneath a baggy jersey all told me he was a training camp body, on the field only because TFC needed him this week to fill out its reserve roster. The lack of initiative he showed told me he'll be lucky if he's still here when this tournament ends on Saturday.

But he provided some intrigue late in the second half when he suffered a Charley horse.

I'm still not sure TFCs training staff knows what was wrong with him. He limped to the sideline motioning toward his leg, but because he only speaks Spanish he couldn't elaborate. Because TFC's trainers only speak English they couldn't ask him to. And because the club hasn't yet completed a rumoured deal for former MLS MVP and Honduran international Amado Guevara, nobody around could translate.

But quickly it became clear he wouldn't be able to continue.

A classic case of addition by subtraction?

Possibly.

But both teams entered this game with only 11 players, and TFC's coaches didn't want to finish the game with just 10.

All this happened with the team's starters sitting in the bleachers, but after a practice earlier that day, and with a game the next night against New York, none of them was going to step in.

So rookie Brian Edwards did it.

Yes he's a goalkeeper, and no he didn't even bring his shin pads yesterday because he wasn't expecting to play, but he borrowed a pair, jogged along the sidelines a few minutes and, with about 10 minutes remaining, jumped into the game at striker.

And he didn't do badly.

He made safe passes and played solid defense, and though didn't play well enough to make Mo Johnston forget the team still needs an impact forward, he accomplished at least as much as the guy he replaced.

But even with two goalkeepers on the field TFC couldn't keep the ball out of the net.

San Jose won 1-0.

-- Morgan Campbell

In Charleston...a last word on turf

I choose my hotels strategically, and this year when booking my trip to the Carolina Challenge Cup I made a conscious decision to stay in a hotel far away from TFC's.

While they're staying someplace in North Charleston, near the practice field at Charleston Southern University, I'm at the Hampton Inn on Daniel Island.

Selected this place for three reasons.

1. It's right next to Blackbaud Stadium, where the tournament is taking place. Well, not right next door. It's close enough to make driving there pointless, but far enough away to make walking inconvenient. For the record, I drive.

2. Every day at 5 p.m. they have cookies in the lobby. Fresh cookies. Still-warm cookies with chocolate chips still melting. That's hospitality.

3. Random conversations with guys from other teams. Yes, the Star's MLS coverage is TFC-centric by necessity, but you can't really understand a league until you know more about everyone in it. Last year the Houston Dynamo stayed here, and I shared interviews and small talk with guys like Dwayne De Rosario, Ricardo Clark and Dominic Kinnear.

This year it's San Jose, and earlier this afternoon as I sat in the lounge trying to get some work done, I had a short conversation with former TFC midfielder Ronnie O'Brien.

He asked me why I chose this hotel when TFC was staying across town. I explained to him about the cookies.

I asked how his knee was holding up, and he said it was fine now that he was practicing on grass every day. I hate to re-ignite the turf debate, but Ronnie offered the most honest and nuanced opinion on it I've heard yet.

He says the BMO turf contributed to his chronic knee problems, but didn't fault the team or the city for installing the fake grass. He was much more pragmatic. Artificial surface allows the city to make money off the stadium year round and he wouldn't begrudge them a revenue source, especially when the alternative is not to have a stadium at all.

As for the surface itself, he wasn't as ardently anti-turf as I thought he would be. In fact, he said he's got no problem playing on it -- occasionally. But he said training on it every day wore on his knees, prompting him to seek a trade.

And leaving Toronto without a proven playmaker.

Unless Amado Guevara actually does come to town.

Mo Johnston's not talking about it. I'll see if my other sources know anything.

-- Morgan Campbell

TFC's Wild Pitch

Ever since before BMO Field opened a group of people -- crotchety soccer journalists, mostly -- have been complaining about the playing surface there, a modern form of artificial turf designed to look (almost) and play (kind of) like grass.

True football, these guys said, was meant to take place on lush patches of thick natural grass. Guys like that almost never call it "soccer."

But sometimes even the most ardent field turf hater has to concede that natural isn't always better.

This week, as TFC and three other MLS teams compete in the Texas Pro Soccer Festival, is one of those times.

In less than three hours TFC and DC United will meet at Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas, and kick off on a natural grass field, one that features lumps and loose clumps of dirt. And one that's only 62 yards wide.

TFC coach John Carver said on a field that small, every throw-in in the opposing team's zone is like a corner kick because they land in the 6-yard box.

But the field presents problems, too.

Chivas USA and DC United told us everything we need to know about the field conditions when they each gathered their starters and met at a nearby university for a scrimmage, then sent their subs and scrubs to play in the tournament game on the bumpy field.

Carver didn't complain about it, and said his players didn't either.

"They're not ideal conditions, but you've got to get on with it," he said.

Are you listening, field-turf bashers? You just get on with it.

The City of Toronto sank nearly $10 million into that stadium, and they make that money back by renting the field out to civilians year round. Which means real grass isn't coming any time soon.

Yeah, it's a drag, and maybe the field turf's not perfect, but TFC's players have seen much, much worse.

And they'll see it again tonight against D.C.'s B-team.

The Jury is Still Out

Carver also said he wants to give the team's three trialists (Kiki Musampa, Tony Vairelles and Martin Brittain) more playing time tonight. All three of them scored in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to Houston.

By the time this tournament ends Sunday night Carver says he'll have figured out which, if any, of the three will travel with the team to their final preseason tournament in Charleson, S.C.

-- Morgan Campbell

Back to the rumour Miller

Woke up this morning thinking about TFC and their options.

Seriously, I did. And I'm as suprised as you are. Most winter days I wake up thinking of going back to sleep until the weather warms up.

Anyway, it occurred to me that last week Mo Johnston said that between dumping Ronnie O'Brien's salary and the allocation cash San Jose sent over, TFC had cleared about $450,000 in salary cap room. New acquisition Kevin Harmse earned a little less than $41K last year, which means that if Mo's calculations are correct the team still has about $400,000 to play with. That kind of money can get you a couple of pretty good players in this league. And if my observations are correct the team still has a glaring need for a midfield playmaker, the kind of guy who, like O'Brien, elevates the play of the people around him.

Combine Mo's calculations with my observations and it's easy to conclude that with the season opener a little over three weeks away this team is ready sign someone.

Soon.

But is Liam Miller the guy?

Apparently Sunderland hasn't dumped Miller yet, but they've told him he's free to see other people.

We've all been there, haven't we?

Anyway, at this point the rumours connecting him to TFC are just that -- rumours. I made the perfunctory phone call to TFC, and through their media relations staff I received a perfunctory "no comment" from Johnston. I'm trying to work a couple other sources, but until they tell me otherwise this will remain the latest in a string of unsubstantiated reports about European players allegedly looking to jumpstart stagnant careers in Toronto.

There are a couple of reasons, though, why this move might make a little more sense than the other rumoured signings that never panned out.

1. Complementary Needs Theory

Toronto just lost a midfielder with impressive credentials (O'Brien was a two-time league all star before hurting his knee), and could probably use another midfielder with impressive credentials (Miller's had stints at Celtic and Man U, plus 15 caps with the Irish national team).

Miller, meanwhile, isn't getting much love at Sunderland and probably just wants to be wanted. Maybe TFC is showing him the attention he needs.

2. Miller's issues are correctable ... in theory

I don't know if you guys have noticed this, but the guys from European leagues linked to TFC in transfer rumours usually have an issue or two.

With Joao Pinto it was the calendar. At 36, he's closer in age to Maradona than to Maurice Edu. He may have been a great player once, but there ain't no cure for old.

Darren Huckerby's issue was pills -- the painkillers he was taking for his chronic hip condition. Like Pinto, his stock was headed in only one direction.

In contrast, Miller's biggest problem seems to be that he's the Ray Emery of the EPL.

Huckerby's hip will probably never get better, and Pinto won't get any younger, but Miller can certainly learn to get to practice on time.

Still doesn't mean, though, that TFC is on the verge of signing him. Seems to me that a guy who has shown he can still play on that level (Roy Keane said he had no problems with Miller's performance) can get an overseas gig that pays more than MLS money, so my approach to this one is a combination of "wait and see" and "get to the bottom of this."

Again, until I hear differently I'm treating this one as just another rumour. With Pinto and Huckerby it wasn't hard to tell they weren't coming, but my read on this one is still a little murky.

The only thing that's clear is the TFC needs to make a move.

But is this the one?

-- Morgan Campbell