Constant change in the roster has kept TFC from gaining any momentum By Armen Bedakian Email: armenb@rednationonline.ca Twitter: @ArmenBedakian
TORONTO FC The first half of Toronto FC’s 2013 season can be summed up in one word: change. From top to bottom, Toronto FC has undergone changes that have given the club a new image, a new roster of players and yet another coaching structure. Robert Earnshaw earned a spot up top, Jonathan Osorio emerged, and Ryan Nelsen turned Toronto FC into a competitive roster lacking naught but results. Late game collapses plagued the first half of the season, and many points were robbed from the club after the 90-minute mark, but Ryan Nelsen and Kevin Payne’s plan is in full motion, and the changes made in the first half of the season are a testament to that plan. High Point of the First Half In terms of results, Toronto FC suffered much the same as last season, giving away needless goals and conceding late on to lose or draw winnable games. However, the high point of the first half of the season has to be the 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the Rogers Centre. It was a game that Toronto FC had no business winning, and with a new cast of characters in red, many fans simply didn’t know what to expect from their team. However, Earnshaw stepped up, scored twice, and TFC
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defended well, enough to take all three points from a tough Kansas City side. A close second is the emergence of Jonathan Osorio, the young Torontonian who made his way to the club after spending time in Uruguay. His goals and presence on the field have been a real treat to watch for Toronto FC! Low Point of the First Half There’s only one real low point, and it happened in Montreal. With the Amway Canadian Championship title on the line, and the Montreal Impact flying high in league standings, Toronto FC took a 2-0 advantage from BMO Field to Quebec and ended up blowing it completely. A 6-0 loss to the Impact not only saw Toronto FC lose to their bitter rivals, but it also knocked Toronto FC out of the Canadian Championships and prevented the club from winning the fifth Voyageurs Cup in a row. Montreal went on to win the tournament and will represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League, another blow for Toronto FC supporters. Other notable moments include the slew of last-minute goals Toronto conceded, such as the goal(s) against the Philadelphia Union, as well as the departure of Eric Hassli.
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