Works for me.  I'd take three decent players with character over one highly-skilled, yet potentially disruptive (locker room-wise/financially) figure.

Not shocked by the news, don't mind it at all.

I haven't been blown away by any of the possibilities out there, and am more interested in signing two decent centre backs and getting another forward than I am getting some overaged, overpaid midfielder to clutter things up.

I tend to agree with you about the DP. Mo will be busy wheeling and dealing in the next couple of weeks so once the dust settles he can give the spot more thought. He will have to be careful who he brings in because team chemistry seems to be good and to have some big ego threaten that is just not wise. I could be a real problem on the field. I saw get the backline in order first and worry about a DP after the season gets on.

i agree... looking at toronto's midfield.  i think amado underperformed last year.  but this year i really think he will perform. especially if we get a grass pitch

Hard to argue with your viewpoint Kristian. Though it's disappointing to know a DP is six months away at best: I always worry about disrupting the squad mid-season, even if it is for a (supposedly) good player (i.e. the DP). Though parts of last year were brutal for the team, when TFC had a consistent starting XI, the results came.

We like to think that a DP will always be a class player, but remember that a class player does not necessarily have to be a DP.

Anthony,

BMO won't be getting grass anytime soon. Also, don't forget that Amado had just finished playing in the Honduras league when he came to Toronto. He should be well rested and ready to go this season.

There is a 0% chance we will have a grass pitch in the next couple of years.

Toronto FC is all about the draft and it's the right way to go.

toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/.../kick_about

Gotta love this back pedaling from TFC.

I dont have the quotes but I remember the team saying that a DP was a  guarantee for this season.

I'm not that concerned about the team breaking there promise cause I'm sure they are trying/tried to get a DP player to help with TFC notoriously poor offence.  What concerns me is WHY they haven't been able to lock a DP for this season.

We know that it isn't money cause MLSE has given them the green light to use a large amount of cash to sign someone that MOJO think will help the team.

I think it cause down to......

GRASS.

they are unable to sign anyone of relevance because anybody with half a brian and any respect for his body would never choose to play on that used up crap that thay have installed @ BMO Field.  

What's worst is that as long as the FIELD TURF remains TFC will NEVER be the premiere North American Footballing Club that it should and deserves to be.

PS.  I'm willing to spend 25% more for my tickets "JUST GET SOME GRASS" FFS

This is BS!!

We need a proven natural goal scorer! DP was promised...TFC have had over 2 years find a DP Target...

Paul Bierne is just paying lip service and giving excuses!!

Well, a DP still could come this season, only in July.

Never mind the DP (for now), we got De Ro. Grass would be class!

25% increase in ticket price for grass?

No thanks theyre already jacking the ticket prices every year, dont give them another excuse to reem us.

If it were between dp and grass

the more important and long range choice would be grass

grass also opens up many knew avenues such as more interest from star playres, and a knew training facillity..  

i say keep improvign the clubs infrastructure and the sky is the limit for TFC

well..the caps the limit too..

How I see it ..... MLS is running this team like every other team they run ...on the cheap! We have a good team as long as they all play. The "right DP" will make us a team to be feared.

Forget the stats. If you would put Cuauhtemoc Blanco on TFC this past year we would have been in the playoffs.  

No matter how you look at it the league and TFC needs more DPs.

Lets see what you all say when we start losing

all our good draft picks to Europe (Edu maybe Wayne) and all we get back is more money for MLS and the replacement is Coach Carver himself playing on the field to fill the holes.

Dream Big or Go Home!

Its bad enough paying $10 a beer and having to watch games with half the team missing.  

Don't let MLS get away with excuses. Its time to PONY UP!.

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Adding a DP for the sake of adding a DP doesn't help this franchise move forward.  If our choice is to sign a Claudio Reyna DP now or waiting for July to sign a Blanco DP, I'll happily wait.

The whole MLSE runs their teams on the cheap thing is crap.

The Laffs were one of the highest spending teams in the league prior to the salary cap - they didn't win because they didn't spend the money in the right places, not because they didn't spend the money.

The Raptors spend as much as everyone else - they don't win because they don't have any wings who can play, not because they don't spend.

Show me evidence that MLSE runs their teams on the cheap.

Do it.

Can't play with 'em.  Can't win with 'em.  Can't do it.

Ok, i don't buy the cheap thing but what i am concerned about is Mo Johnston consistantly being lazy and late signing players.

year 1:  started the season with a half assed roster

year 2: started the season with a half assed roster.

If we blow games this year because Mo Johnston can't get his shit together on time, he should be fired.  No excuses for not being ready at the START!

If the DP isn't hear than fine, but if 95% of the roster isn't set by opening day, i demand blood.

And don't forget as well the DP rule expires at the end of this season.   It was a 3 year initiative that would be reviewed at the end of '09 (that statement itself proves Becks had outs in his contract and is as good as gone this year).

also, I am on the boat that says a DP is not viable in the current MLS structure.  

and i don't know why everyone rips MLSE in regards to TFC.   Aside from the DP salary in excess of $415K MLSE can't spend their own money per se on salaries.   The $2.3M cap is paid by MLS, and the only salary paid above this comes from allocation dollars.   Remember the MLS is a single-entity structure.  It is this structure that makes the MLS an attractive investment for some, since the expenses are fixed.

I think alex (the most recent poster) has a point, Mo seems to spend a bunch of his time chancing after a DP (which I feel would be a useful addition) and not plugging any of the holes on defense.  I think our while our strikeforce may not be stellar it is competent, the same can not be said about the defense.

Guys your killing me...

Don't tell me you’re surprised that MLSE/MOJO did an about-face on this DP deal. One second we have a DP coming the next we don't.  

Even the Fan 590 new a deal was almost done.

A little bird told me Caver is pissed. MLSE nixed the deal for a striker. It seems MLSE/BMO/Carlsberg don't want to pony up the x millions in sponsorship.

I tell you now. We will not see a DP in TFC this year for sure nor will we see a grass field for another 4yrs at best.

Hell we will never see a Beckham in T.O ever and this move by the lot of them solidifies it.

I hate to be a downer but deep down inside know its true!

You all know MLSE can't make a winner they never have......that’s a fact.

P.S I really hope I'm wrong because TFC can't survive MLSE ineptitude for another 2 yrs.  This is a great football town and we deserve better.

As of now we have pretty much all the worst records a club can have for the MLS.

Need I say more!!!!!

MOJO's days are numbered as is Marshalls in my books.

Who hired MOJO anyways ?

I hope we can agree on that at least.

P.S I still can't believe we still have  MLSE LOYALISTS!

Stick it to them Lads if we don't nothing will change.

TFC Redcoat,

No more bloody excuses.

Devon G.  I think that goes against what we have been hearing so far.  The talk has been allowing teams to have a DP with no cap hit or less cap hit or extending it somehow to have 2 spots per team.  

Mike, it's too easy to find evidence that MLSE runs their teams on the cheap.

When the Leafs moved into the ACC the media and public knew of the new oodles of cash coming in, yet the Leafs were under $40M a year.  Teams like the the Wings, Flyers, Start, Rangers, Avalanche were in the 60 and 70 mil range.  Let alone the teams between the Leafs and them.  I remember the press hounding Quinn on the new acquisitions and all he kept saying the board has to give him a budget.  Code speak for purse are controlled and tight.  Only media and public pressure got them to gradually spend more on the team.  It was not their own intuition.  And yes, this business they are in is different than a typical business in the real world where public pressure does factor in the operations on how it is run.

Further to Quinn, he was GM and coach for a few years.  Thats 2-3 million savings a year.  Then for his replacement as GM they cheap on (Ferguson) who damns the team for a few years after he is gone.

Now they hire a 1st rate GM when its all screwed up instead of in the 1st place to avoid the state this team is in now.

The Leafs haven't drafted good for ages.  Well for goos scouts you need quantity and quality - both of which the Leafs lack.  It costs money for scouts.  Even more for good ones.

On the Raptors end they hire Babcock who doesn't have a clue how to run a team.  Only when that gloriously blows up in their face do they spend the money on a real GM.

Don't always look at the cover.  The book inside is quite interesting.

Well said Nickster!

Now there're trying the same with TFC.

I want the darn DP player that we have been promised since last year. All this lip about a DP player not helping us is bull.

Like any player DP or not they may help or fall very short but I'll tell you this without a DP our chances are a lot less.

You tell Man U that they don't need a superstar to win.

I'm telling ya...no dp ...no real grass....gone draft picks to europe, and higher ticket prices thats the future and until I see MOJO and MLSE walk the walk.

I'll stick to my guns.  If I can't have a winner at least I can watch a great footballer play in Canada!

Redcoat

i agree with my brother KOSTA i ratehr see grass then a dp.... it just makes everything loook more professional.  im sick of watching the ball have an untrue bounce on that piece of shit carpet

Didn't carver say he would only come back if TFC got some DP players?

Couple of other comments i'd like to add:

1)  Bernier's comment about "good character in the lockerroom".  Who cares?  Is that supposed to keep we warm at night if this team continues to stink at it's current rate.  It's a competitive soccer team, not a country club.  

2)  For the sake of discusion about a dp being "worth it" you have to include any player that earns 400k a year or more.  Because, simply put they count exactly the same against the cap which is the number one excuse that seems to come from management.  GBS costs 400k a year, he is having exactly the same impact as any DP.

Flat out a lot of these teams have got their scouting wrong when it comes to players.  That's why it's not working for them.  Looking at two years worth of data and saying "it's not worth it" based on the past results, that's a bunch of crap.  

Salaries:

2000/2001 - 8th highest payroll

01/02 - 6th

02/03 - 6th

03/04 - 6th

after that - salary cap.

Again, they were one of the highest spending teams in the league prior to the salary cap.

content.usatoday.com/.../salaries

There were never any comments saying we were definitely getting a DP, however that being said i am a little disappointed. I do think a proven striker would have made a significant difference. Regardless i still look forward to seeing what trades are made as well as how our team shapes up to be. I do think our mid will perform significantly better with the addition of DeRo as well as a preseason together. Cant Wait for March!!

alex (2nd),

I agree the DP rule will stick around.    The league realizes it is good for business.    And I hope they remove the cap hit entirely, otherwise it's not really a DP, IMO.    I was just pointing out that there is no guarantees around the DP rule for next season.  

also, Columbus didn't take a $400k for GBS.    GBS only counted $250K against the base $2.3M cap last year.    though I read somewhere that he actually made somewhere near $1M somehow (not sure how they pull that off, but C.C. did get lots of allocation dollars a few years ago)

finally, for all the MLSE haters... I'm indifferent to MLSE but tell me how MLSE is acting on the cheap where TFC is concerned?    

...this is a league with a $2.3M cap for 28 players last year.    TFC blew their entire $2.7M wad on only 25 players because they have several expensive MLS'ers.  they ONLY way they can spend more is on a DP.   but the DP is actually a $415K hit.   it's tough to clear that much space.  

DeRo + DP = $815K.  Brennan, Dichio, Robo, Guevara, Sutton, Ricketts,Dunivant = $1.2M against the soft cap last year.   there is $2M right there!  That leaves less than $300K for the remaining 11 players (roster is only 20 in 2009).     $300K will only afford 11 scrubs.

my last point is TFC has a boat load of allocation dollars right now.   so yeah they have a lot of options to spend a lot of money this year -- somewhere in the $800K range after the DeRo trade.     this money can only be used on NEW contracts:  1) new players to MLS, or 2) new contracts for existing players, only with MLS approval.    but it CANNOT be used towards a DP in any way.    

Although a grass surface at BMO would make the place world-class, It won't happen for an other couple of years as too many fingers are in that particular pie.

TFC's priorities should be to fix their back line with one (or two) strong and reliable centerbacks and to find one or two strikers on attack.  Dichio is in his last year as a player and if he stays injury free (please, please, please!!!) he is a good compliment to Chad Barrett, but he will need to be replaced and the empty spot that Mo attempted to fill by signing Ruiz will also have to be filled.  Even though Ibrahim can develop into a very potent striker, he is still only 18 when the next season will start and he still needs alot of development.

And to provide stability, everyone should be signed prior to the start of training camp!

gotta agree with Devon on this one, it has nothing to do with money and prob alot to do with the fact a proper player wont be found. MLSE has put forward money for coaches, trainers, a program that some teams in the EPL dont even have amongst a ton of other things.

Why is it so difficult to understand?

We neeed/want an attacker and 2 defenders.

We get DeRo, but still would like the 3 above mentioned players.

DeRo asks for more money, thus eating into our allocation monies.

Now there's less to go around for the 3 players, so clearly you'd have to eliminate the most expensive option first.  

Hmmmmm...

Mike - Thanks for coming out and supporting my point.

6th in the league is 20%.  Hardly in the top of the league.  What you fail to factor in in revenue where the Leafs are number one through all those years, at the very least number 2.  And thats without too many good playoff runs.   The team has the money.  They only spend enough to fend off the media pressure and to fool fans, like they have you, that they are willing to spend to bring players here.  Fact is, name a serious fist liner outside of Sundin in those years who has played for the Leafs?  And not since Ballard have we had a true blue chip defenceman (Salming).  Those players cost real money.  Something this organization hoards.

Again, open the book, don't be scared.

Devon - You forgot about the national stadium?  It's leggo blocks for crying out loud.

DP delay makes some sense. The right DP means success, credibility and shirt sales. Why should TFC/MLSE rain on their own parade ?? DeRo might bring all three of those things. Delay the DP and find out.

As for the position that DPs in MLS are a mixed bag, what about learning from the mistakes of others ?? All along there has been talk of signing someone with a future, someone with gas in the tank (which is why some have complained about the prospect of Gomes or Fowler).

I think the MLSE = cheap only works for hockey fans.

Raptors = Jermaine O'Neal - try to find the cheap in that trade.

I think when the DP rule expires and the MLS players are negotiating a new agreement - MLSE will be an influence on a sane salary cap...say between 5 and 7 million. Their view will be that they cannot bring back Canadians from Europe (which is critical for long term success) and sign Internationals not close to the retirement home for less.

Nickster,

this is pointless.  to compare the business model of the Leafs vs TFC is ludicrous.  

besides MLSE doesn't even technically "own" the team.   MLS does.   MLSE is officially an "investor-operator".   Remember MLS is a league where only a few short years ago  all the teams were "owned" by only a few guys.   Today Hunt and AEG only "own" two teams each.    In any other league this would be a conflict of interest.   But not in the model of the MLS.    So please stop comparing TFC to TML.  

nickster

Again, there is a difference between pathetic management (no good first-liners on the leafs) and not spending money.

Top six in the league means they are amongst the highest spenders.

If you were a Blackhawks fan (huge market, great fans, were totally screwed by cheap ownership over decades) or a Bruins fan (same again) I could see the complaint, but all of the MLSE IS EVIL, THEY DON'T SPEND MONEY stuff is total garbage.

Total garbage.

Quick, name a player who was traded out of Toronto because his salary demands were too high.

waiting...

waiting.

Now name five in Boston.

Pretty easy.

What I find strange is how people can think that El Lobo and Robbo can play together in the mid.  We all saw how badly that experiment failed mid-season.  I think it took Carver 3 games to realize that the team looked terribly imbalanced and the reason for that is Guevara is not your prototypical centre-mid.  He is an attacking mid, big difference.  

When they are paired up Robinson is often isolated and over worked because he's solely responsible for all the defensive marking because Guevara doesn't know how to mark and his "tackling" is novice at best.  That leads to countless odd-man breaks and mis matches for our D & Robbo to worry about while Guevara floats in and out of games.

Playing two defensive stoppers is very old school.  Barely any team in MLS does it and outside of the premier league it's not that common.  

On the flip side you could say Guevara has a lot of extra work as well because Carl Robinson passes to the first person he sees without thinking ... not exactly what you want from a guy playing central mid, especially in the holding role

Well said Michael,

I can see it now De Ro, Guevara falling over each other trying to score goals with Robbo running like a mad man trying to cover half the pitch.  

I have faith Carver will make it work.

Lads it’s long over do that T.O gets a super star! Don't you see T.O has never had a true super star. You know the kind of winner who wins all kinds of awards and accolades. The one who everyone and their Grandma knows by name.  Ya one of those guys....

The fact is we have two DP spots open and yet we can't find on striker to fill it. Why have the dp spots if you don't use at least one.

Heck then trade the darn picks for drafts.

Look we love football thats why we watch TFC but for TFC and MLS to be successful we need the names pour and simple.