No Deal for Morgan

[Scotty]

Scotty how did Toronto get on last season??

last time i checked they were struggling and looking for inspiration from Danny Dichio

On the pitch, they struggled quite badly to be honest but with flashes of nice play that showed the skill is there. The MLS system (draft), and the restrictions on how many of each designation of player you can have make it very difficult for a first year team to succeed but hopefully next season will be better. There were enough glimpses to suggest it could be.

On the playing front, they suffered a huge list of injuries over the season and I think we missed Ronnie O'Brien the most as he is a midfielder who can put his foot on the ball and dictate play. Without him, there was a lot less control in the middle of the park and he was gone for most of the season. TFC also lost first choice keeper Greg Sutton to a concussion that he got while with the Canadian team and he sat out virtually all of the second half of the season because of complications. There were however a few high points ..... first round draft pick Maurice Edu got better and better as the season wore on and won the MLS "Rookie of the Year", Jim Brennan and Carl Robinson were solid the whole season and for me, the best discovery was just how good a defender Mo had picked up in the form of Marvell Wynne. Would not be surprised to see Edu and Wynne plying their trade in the Premiership or in Europe somewhere in the next year or two ... Aston Villa were supposedly looking at Edu. Collin Samuel did OK ... some fans dont like him as he looks lazy, but in the last 4 or 5 games of the season he was definitely up for it and played quite well.

No summary would ever be valid without mentioning Danny Dichio. A bit part player at a "small" club in England but a huge hero for TFC fans. He scored TFC's first ever goal, and its last of this season (in the 91st minute to grab an equaliser). The fans chant his name in the 24th minute of each game as a tribute to the time the first ever goal was scored and basically love him to bits. Danny is a strange one though. He is not a great striker in the traditional sense, but more of a bustling target man that MLS defences dont really know how to handle. He always gives 100% and is just as likely to floor an opponent as put the ball in the net. Unfortunately, he too missed a big part of the season because of injury - a long year for him after playing in England, then coming to Toronto and not having any summer break. The player himself - we are told - loves it in Toronto, and has expressed a desire to become a "permanent resident" if the club give him a coaching role at the end of his playing career .... think that offer is quite likely given his relationship with the fans.

As for the fans .... 20,000+ tickets sold for every single game, a very diverse crowd in terms of age/sex/ethnicity/nationality and its huge fun. Season ticket renewals have recently been done and the word is that there was a 99% renewal rate. I was hoping to buy an extra seat but could not get one in the whole of the supporters section .....

A few people on various message boards outside of MLS slag off fans of MLS because its a "mickey mouse" league. While that may be true to an extent, it is certainly improving, and young talent is definitely coming through to supplement the old fogeys who still come here to retire with a fat pay cheque like Mr Beckham. The fans however are as knowledgeable as you will see in any other league, and in some cases moreso. While TFC may not have been that great on the pitch, the fans have been lauded by MLS as amazing and what they hope to encourage in all stadiums. The fervour, knowledge and noise displayed by TFC fans may also help teams in places like Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal be looked upon favourably if they want to join the league. I thoroughly enjoyed my first full season as part of the "U-Sector" and looking forward to next season with anticipation .......

[SMEE]

Do you miss Inverness Scotty? I reckon Canada would be an EXCELLENT place to stay. I love cold snowy places. You reckon youll ever come back to live in sneck?

[Scotty]

this is going a bit off topic, but to answer briefly,

Yes I do miss Inverness, friends & family, being able to watch ICT in person etc, but there are other things about it that I dont miss.

Canada (or my little part of it) IS an excellent place to stay but I could list all sorts of grumbles that lessen the experience ... we pay a lot of tax (or seem to), house prices are ridiculous, Traffic in Toronto is horrendous, It is hot and humid in summer and cold enough to do the brass monkey stuff for long spells in Winter ... not to mention the foot of snow I had to shovel off my driveway (and "sidewalk") on Sunday.

Living back in sneck ... not sure. You never know what is going to happen and it will always be a possibility but right now, its a remote one. We both have good jobs on good money and a good lifestyle and I think it would be hugely difficult to match that in Inverness .....

[Guest McConnachie]

Apologies if this has already been stated somewhere else on the site but i was just reading an article on the BBC Webiste that shows an Alan Morgan moving to St. Johnstone on trial. Is this our Morgan?

BBC WEBSITE

"St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes has brought Senegalese defensive midfielder Papa Niang to the club on trial.

The 24-year-old joins fellow trialists Alan Morgan and Collin Samuel.

Niang has previously trained with Championship side Coventry City and is currently on stand-by for his country's African Nations campaign.

Saints are also continuing negotiations with Celtic in an attempt to bring on-loan midfielder Rocco Quinn to the club on a permanent basis. "

[CaleyP]

he was a flop there last season.

He will prob head back to the central belt as thats where he is from.

My bet hmm.....Raith Rovers

I've heard from very reliable source which i won't be mentioning he will be almost 100% staying in the spl.  Morgs is technically a very capable footballer and just needs to get his head down and should have no problem competing in the spl.

[Alex MacLeod]

My sources say he's been training in Perth for last few weeks and will likely sign so it is possible he could be SPL next season :023:

[CaleyP]

My sources say he's been training in Perth for last few weeks and will likely sign so it is possible he could be SPL next season :023:

yeah he was, however, i think he has a deal with an existing spl club which isn't Gretna..  :014:

[RiG]

My sources say he's been training in Perth for last few weeks and will likely sign so it is possible he could be SPL next season :023:

Not very good sources - he's allegedly signed for Killie on an 18 month deal.

That said, I've not seen anything saying this officially. Just read what Kev said on P & B.

[CaleyD]

I believe he was training with St Johnstone, partly so as they could get a look at him themselves and partly so as he would be more readily available should anyone else have shown any interest.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Kilmarnock, especially if they are a bit light on the left side of the park, and I think he would have been kept on here longer had we not such an abundance of midfielders.

[RiG]

According to JJ this isn't true and they haven't even been in talks. Is this just some kind of smokescreen prior to the signing? It would seem awfully strange for Saint Johnstone to put this story on their own website explaining why they wouldn't be getting Morgan.

[12th Man]

According to JJ this isn't true and they haven't even been in talks. Is this just some kind of smokescreen prior to the signing? It would seem awfully strange for Saint Johnstone to put this story on their own website explaining why they wouldn't be getting Morgan.

Teletext quoted last night that JJ had not been in contact with Morgan, which usually means its a done deal

[Guest macgint71]

My contact, who is never wrong informed me that he has signed for Killie and has doubled his wages. done deal

[RiG]

My contact, who is never wrong informed me that he has signed for Killie and has doubled his wages. done deal

[kencar]

In paper today that he will be joining Kilmarnock in January

[RiG]

It's not really surprising in the end I guess but what was odd that it was Saint Johnstone who released the news first then Killie went on to deny it  :017:

[CaleyD]

They wee probably p!ssed off that Killie had snatched them from under their noses  :015:

[Kingsmills]

A good move for the lad, hope it doesn't come back to haunt us.

[Phill]

Linky Link

Morgan speaking to the beeb:

"I certainly think I can play in the SPL. I've played a few games for Inverness, but circumstances dictated that I was frozen out.

"But there are no hard feelings. Inverness have been a great club for me, but hopefully I can kick-start my career with Kilmarnock."

[CaleyD]

My contact, who is never wrong informed me that he has signed for Killie and has doubled his wages. done deal

He who laughs last  :023:

[Caley Stan]

My contact, who is never wrong informed me that he has signed for Killie and has doubled his wages. done deal

Is this the same contact that told you Lee Bullen would be our new assistant manager and that Blackie would definitely start against St. Mirren?

[RiG]

He who laughs last  :023:

Indeed. It also further emphasises the piss that managers come out with at times.

[CaleyD]

Aye...Grassa taught Jeffries everything he knows about PR  :015:

[The Mantis]

Well I was confined to my bed with the flu- couldn't even sit at the computer to hear ICT on the BBC website. Had already paid for my train ticket too.

Which is why I heard Spicy coming on at half time for Killie and having a decent game by all accounts.

[ymip]

Mantis - hope you've survived the manflu.  I was looking for you yesterday as The Legend, Kevin Mann and the one and only Wilson Robertson were all sitting together in the away section.  Alas, missed photo opportunity....