TORONTO – A July 20 loss to FC Dallas marked the start of Aron Winter’s new-look Toronto FC lineup, with designated players Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans making their MLS debut.
Dallas returns to BMO Field on Wednesday to play a revitalized Toronto team in a CONCACAF Champions League game.
Frings is Toronto’s now undisputed leader, bossing the midfield. Koevermans has shed his ring rust and cuts an imposing figure in front of goal, with fellow newcomers Ryan Johnson attacking from the flank and Andy Iro shoring up the defence.
“Tomorrow, they should see a different TFC,” a relaxed Winter said Tuesday after his players went through a light session in the gym.
Midfielder Julian de Guzman, Toronto’s other designated player, calls the Dallas matchup “a nice test for the new squad.”
Dallas (12-7-7) is 20 points ahead of Toronto (4-12-11) in the MLS standings but has just one point from its last three league games. And Winter’s squad has gone 4-2-2 in all competitions since losing 1-0 to Dallas a month ago on a long-range rocket by Brek Shea.
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A 2-0 loss to Chicago on Sunday came despite some 60 per cent ball possession and several close calls for Toronto, who clearly missed Dutch target man Koevermans (ankle).
“We created a lot of opportunities, we were unlucky,” Winter said.
Winter is also buoyed by a clean bill of health for his squad, with the exception of players previously ruled out for the season.
“For (Wednesday), everybody’s available,” said Winter.
That includes Koevermans, Canadian midfielder Terry Dunfield and French midfielder Leandre Griffit.
Both teams are 1-0-0 in Group C of the CONCACAF club competition, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean. The group also includes Mexico’s Pumas and Panama’s Tauro FC
The top two teams from each of the four pools advance to the knockout round.
For Winter, the Champions League is a chance to expose his players – 13 of his 30-man squad are 24 or younger – to new challenges outside of MLS. But it comes at a cost, adding games to an already crowded league schedule.
Saturday’s home game against the San Jose Earthquakes will be Toronto’s sixth in three weeks, a stretch that has taken the team to Washington, D.C., Chicago and Panama.
Winter says people don’t realize the travel and scheduling challenges facing his squad.
“It is not easy,” he said. “Especially when you’re rebuilding a team. You need a lot of practice. But the problem is you’re always away or on the road or whatever. You don’t have a lot of time to practise. And even when you’ve got time to practise, then you’re taking care that you keep the whole group fit – not only physically but mentally, it’s very hard for the team.”
Toronto will have two weeks off after the San Jose game and Winter plans to give his players some time off before a Sept 10 visit to Columbus.
NOTES – Dallas defender George John reportedly is headed to Blackburn Rovers in England. … Former Dallas forward Peri Marosevic is eligible to play for Toronto against his old side but ex-Dallas midfielder Eric Avila is cup-tied.
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