The good news for TFC head coach John Carver, and anyone else hoping to see a big-name player hustling for the home team at BMO Field next season: the MLSE board of directors gave TFC permission to sign a designated player for the 2009 season.
Provided they can find one and convince him to play here.
Now the bad news.
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| REUTERS FILE PHOTO |
| This would be an example of good for Chad Barrett and TFC. |
Just received a press release from TFC announcing that the U.S. men's national team has invited both forward Chad Barrett and goalkeeper Brian Edwards to a five-day training camp in Denver, just ahead of the team's final World Cup qualifier Nov. 19 against Guatemala.
While it's a wonderful development for Barrett and Edwards, and proof of how their games have progressed since joining TFC, Carver can't be too happy to see two more of his young standouts wind up in a national team player pool. Even on the busiest of FIFA match days last season, when international call-ups gutted the roster and forced TFC to field a semi-pro (Ricky Titus) and a team scout (Tim Regan), Carver knew Barrett and Edwards would still be there.
In fairness, today's training camp invite is hardly a guarantee that either man will suit up for the U.S. national team regularly. With his squad already through to the next round of World Cup qualifying, head coach Bob Bradley can afford to tinker with his lineup and evaluate players previously ignored. Bradley might decide next week that he never needs to see Barrett or Edwards again and send them back to Toronto for good.
Still, Carver has to be wondering what he can do -- besides sabotage -- to keep his players off national team call-up lists.
TWO LINKS
One: A great read from the New York Times about Real Salt Lake midfielder (and Toronto native) Andy Williams, his wife, Marcia, and the way the local community has rallied to support her as she battles leukemia.
Two: Landon Donovan is heading back to Germany for a week-long training session with Bayern Munich. Our friend Ives Galarcep relays the news from a German website, and thinks Donovan's trip overseas could turn into something long-term.
This off-season just keeps getting better for the Galaxy, doesn't it?
-- Morgan Campbell
seems strange wynne wouldn't be named to this team - guess they're giving a few other guys a chance. barrett has earned it though - a great second half. edwards has some good potential - not too worried about the day sutton hangs up 'em, TFC has another good one coming up!
Posted by: doug | November 11, 2008 at 06:16 PM
While in the short run having our players missing for games is bad, in the long run I've got to believe we want our players playing at the highest levels they can. I also believe eventually the MLS is going to get on board with FIFA dates, and when they do, the more players we have playing at top levels in Canada, US, and other CONCACAF nations, the better off we'll be.
But what I am really more interested in, is the entire plan talked about in your article. A DP is one thing, but I hope it is not the entire plan, and am assuming it's not. What else was agreed to? Grass? Academy? Please. Really would love to hear more.
Thanks Morgan
Posted by: John Dinner | November 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM
If Donovan goes I won't miss his sulking. But I do hope Beckham sticks around. The league is getting more talented and worldly, and it would be a bad time (US economy tanking) to take anymore bad news.
Posted by: Matt | November 12, 2008 at 11:54 PM
Quick Solution for MO JOHNSON's player international duty issues:
GO TO ARGENTINA and scout for talent!!! Columbus Crew did that and got their MVP Schelotto. Guillermo Barros Schelotto will NEVER get called by the Argentinian national team, and he does not earn insane DP money!
Mo Johnson's Latin America begins and stop in Honduras and Guatemala... he signs 2 of the best players from those countries, Guevara and Ruiz, respectively. Obviously they both get called for international duty.
Mo needs to go further south in America to find the purest football talent who is cheap, and who will never get called by the national teams.
MLSE: forget Sundin, open your wallets and hire a full time qualified soccer scout, who can speak Spanish, make this person TFC's dedicated Latin American regional scout/representative.
Posted by: Ron Cola | November 24, 2008 at 12:34 PM
I agree with Matt. I can't understand why teams from MLS just don't go down in South America and get some young talents from Argentina or Brazil. I know that there is a bunch of really good footballers in the countryside of Brazil who never going to have a chance in a big team but they are really good players, and, for sure, will accept a good opportunity to make a good money if it is offered a reasonable salary in US$ (and I'm not meaning millions of dollars, just a few thousands). At the same time, there are some prestigious players in Brazil who already have 35, 36 years old and can be considered for publicity purpose as well (however, in this case the offer must be of millions of dollars).
Posted by: Paulo | November 28, 2008 at 10:40 AM