Scouting Mls ?

[Glebeict]

With edu and dorman coming from the MLS and doing so well , I wonder if ICT should start looking over here for

some fresh blood?

[Scotty]

well, there are several ICT fans who go to every TFC game so no harm in any of us mentioning names on here. I am sure Mr Butcher knows one or two people involved over here too.

I knew Edu would do well. He did well for TFC in his 'rookie season' but faded somewhat in his second season but thats more to do with attitude than any lack of skill. At 22 he is going to be some player in the years to come. Dorman was a bit of a surprise to me, not on the radar of players I have seen at BMO but definitely capable.

MLS is a funny league. Because of the way it is made up and the 'roster' rules, most teams have a few ageing stars, a couple of stalwarts, quite a few 'journeymen' and the odd developmental star of the future. Toronto have done well in this close season getting local boys Adrian Serioux and Dwayne De Rosario back to Canada. De Rosario is a great attacking midfielder and Serioux has been a rock at the centre of defence since signing but neither of these players would likely move out of MLS now that they are 'home'.

What will be interesting to watch, and where teams like ICT may be able to pick up the odd player is what happens with the younger lads .... TFC drafted a few good prospects in the close season and two of them have already established themselves in the side Sam Cronin looks good and keeper Stefan Frei has been excellent despite a couple of losses. Add Fuad Ibrahim to that list and potentially O'Brien White who was drafted while injured and the young lads may be looking good this year. This is repeated throughout MLS ......

[Glebeict]

All said and done I think Ottawa 's Council just blew its only chance of getting an MLS team yesterday.

So its still Toronto FC for me

[Guest Muir-Jaggie]

Did Beasley come from MLS team???

[Scotty]

he did play in MLS (for Chicago) but went to PSV and then Man City before Rangers.

[Scarlet Pimple]

This is very interesting--believe it or not I have written to the club on two occasions in the past 8 months suggesting they look at Dwayne di Rosario, once when he was with Houston and was such an outstanding , constantly in the thick of things, always on the go, player and once fairly recently when he was with Toronto.

Not only did I extoll his virtues but stressed the potential future advantages in setting up a link with an MLS club such as those two mentioned here. Houston has a stadium where they can pack in upwards of 36,000 people and Toronto to my best knowledge has a stadium with an over 20,000 capacity so the thought of inter club games, tours (like Celtic and Hearts made in the last few years)and loans of players and so on, to me made perfect sense.

Particularly since it raises the profile of the club (ICT) in the International arena AND raises the club profile at home by showing the local fans that this is a progressive, forward-looking, dynamic entity with fresh ideas and really looking for talented players wherever they may have come from.

The result ? Nothing as far as I know. I did not receive a reply from anyone at the club so I have to conclude that they are not as interested perhaps as I had hoped they might be and do not require suggestions or advice from anyone overseas also perhaps. Being, as always, diplomatic Scarlet Pimple, will only say ...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

[Scotty]

Rosario (31) is on a little under ?300,000 per year so well beyond our range and too old to move anywhere other than 'home'. Adrian Serioux would be a little more affordable as he is on ?90K a year but is also 31 and 'home'.

ICT would be closer to being in the market place for players like Marvell Wynne (22) who earns about ?2K p/week, Fuad Ibrahim (17) or Stefan Frei (23) who both earn about ?1.5K, or maybe Kenny Cooper (24) at Dallas who started his career at Man U and via a couple of loan deals ended up at Dallas where he has scored something like 40 goals in 80+ appearances. His salary - tha same 1.5K p/week. ..... the good thing (?) about MLS is that they actually publish their salaries so we can see if any decent ones are actualy affordable !!!http://www.mlsplayers.org/salary_info.html

[Scotty]

Not only did I extoll his virtues but stressed the potential future advantages in setting up a link with an MLS club such as those two mentioned here. Houston has a stadium where they can pack in upwards of 36,000 people and Toronto to my best knowledge has a stadium with an over 20,000 capacity so the thought of inter club games, tours (like Celtic and Hearts made in the last few years)and loans of players and so on, to me made perfect sense.

Houston have the 4th best average attendance in MLS at around 16,000, LA Galaxy (19,000) are third but have seen a 20% drop in attendances for the first few games of this season (wonder why !), Toronto have the second highest average crowd and sell out every game at just over 20,500 ... but the clear leader in MLS this year are new team the Seattle Sounders who are packing in nearly 30,000 a game !!! Kansas, Dallas and New York bring up the rear with averages of 8K, 9K and 10K respectively although Dallas must be worried as their last two home games drew under 7000.

[Renegade]

Maybe ICT should have a look at that bloke from DC United, Fred. Said by some to be the greatest A League player ever.