Sebrango hangs up his cleats, moves to Impact Academy 18 Apr 2011 "It's a very sad moment for me because I felt this day would never come," said Sebrango in a release issued Monday by the Impact. "It's a difficult decision for me because I still have the passion and energy to play and live the life of a pro player. I have been very lucky to have played all these years and to leave my sport with my health and with the respect of my peers. I would like to thank Joey Saputo, his family, and the entire Impact organization who gave me the opportunity to make a career by playing the game I love. I would also like to thank the Whitecaps organization, all my coaches and teammates, my parents, my family, as well as my children Gabriella and Donovan.”
TFC hopes for better start when it faces the Crew 18 Apr 2011 “A few seasons ago it was last five to 10 minutes we were giving up goals and now right when the game starts,” said defender Nana Attakora. “First 10 to 15 minutes, that’s not acceptable. We should start off fired up. Even if you need to kick it out, do what you need to do to not give up a goal. I feel like we’re killing ourselves right now starting off slowly. Even against L.A. we got lucky. All the coaches pointed it out. It’s something we need to fix.”
Rodgers named MLS Player of the Week: The 11 picked Pontius 18 Apr 2011 Luke Rodgers, who scored twice and set up Thierry Henry’s first goal of the season, was named the MLS Player of the Week after the ballots from the North American Soccer Reporters were counted.
D.C. United buries Toronto FC with early goals 17 Apr 2011 Another match, another slow start for Toronto FC. The Reds found themselves down two goals after just 10 minutes on Saturday night against D.C. United, and the deficit proved to be too much for TFC to overcome in an eventual 3-0 loss. "It's not good to start that way," said defender Danleigh Borman. "It's really tough on a team and it's really tough to get back from that. I think the guys tried to fight back but unfortunately it didn't happen for us today."
TFC adds new defender, will announce training-ground plans 15 Apr 2011 The club will hold a press conference Monday where it will unveil plans on a new training facility for the club and TFC Academy. For the past four years, Toronto FC did most of its training at home on at the Opine Glen Soccer Centre in Oakville and at an artificial-turf field at Cherry Beach on Toronto’s east side. As well, Toronto FC announced a loan deal that will bring former Manchester United prospect Richard Eckersley to Canada from Burnley. The deal keeps Eckersley, who has made only three appearances with Burnley since signing with the club in 2003, with Toronto FC until January, 2012.
Change is the only constant for Toronto FC 15 Apr 2011 Five matches into the 2011 season and Toronto FC is still looking to find the right chemistry on the pitch. Perhaps that should not come as a complete surprise considering the club did trade away its captain and the face of the franchise after just the second match of the season. The constant changes to the lineup sure haven’t helped the cause in the short-term as management continues to preach patience to the fans and media who want the team to win now. The players can’t be feeling too secure, since coach Aron Winter has been public in his assertion that he is nowhere near finished making changes to his squad.
Whitecaps date with Man City could come back to haunt them 14 Apr 2011 The right opponent, in this case, is Manchester City. But is it the right date? The Whitecaps announced Thursday that it will play Manchester City on Monday, July 18 at Empire Field. It’s part of the World Football Challenge series. But, how will that game stretch coach Teitur Thordarson’s ranks? A high-profile international is a great PR exercise. But, the Whitecaps are scheduled to play at home to the juggernaut that is Real Salt Lake on July 16, and then travel to San Jose on July 20.
Shorthanded TFC and Galaxy squads struggle to score 14 Apr 2011 In a 0-0 draw with few scoring chances for either side, just about the only flash at BMO Field on Wednesday night was provided by the extra photographers on hand to catch an action shot of David Beckham. Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy each had a few attacking bursts throughout the game, but overall, both sides were lacking on offence — perhaps not surprising, given some of the personnel missing from each team's starting XI.
Good move: RSL to get date change for CCL boost 13 Apr 2011 Major League Soccer has announced that it has moved the Philadelphia Union-Real Salt Lake match originally scheduled for April 23 to Sept. 3. Of course, the move was made to ensure RSL had a full seven days between its two legs of the CONCACAF Champions League Final against Monterrey.
TFC’s 4-3-3 philosophy bleeding into junior ranks 13 Apr 2011 The evidence of Aron Winter’s top-down approach to remaking Toronto FC isn’t only seen in the first team’s adoption to the pass-and-move 4-3-3 system. The effects are being felt all the way down to the junior feeder programs that send talent to TFC Academy. “Basically, the club (TFC) has a philosophy, now,” said Michael Stefano, technical director of the West Toronto United FC program, which is the first within the city’s borders to become an official partner of the TFC Youth Academy Program. “The club now has an identity, and let’s run with it.”