Toronto FC: A New Identity
Until this season, Toronto FC had yet to qualify for the MLS Playoffs. Since its inaugural season in 2007, Toronto have found themselves on the wrong side of the expansion team “curse”.
With the exception of the Fire in ’98, Sounders in ’09, and Dynamo in ’06, all other expansion teams have finished near to bottom (if not at the bottom) in their first season. From 2007 to 2014, the Canadian club finished second to last or last in the Eastern Conference overall, five times.
It hasn’t all been bad for Toronto. They have had moments of brilliance and success, but only in short bursts that come in selected competitions. They have won the Canadian Cup four times, ’09, ’10, ’11, and ’12.
They have also appeared in the CONCACAF Champions League, reaching the Semifinals, but it was a very one-dimensional team and style of play throughout those years. They did have superstars, don’t get me wrong, but they didn’t have 11 players of equal to similar strength.
They have housed players such as Dwayne De Rosario, Torsten Frings, and Danny Dichio, but were never able to capture full form and fully take advantage of their situation.
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It’s not just “superstars” that can be blamed. Toronto has been proud to call MLS Veterans Ryan Johnson and Danny Koevermans, as well as their very own Home Grown Player, Doneil Henry, loyal players. It seems, as an expansion team, it took a while to get things rolling in terms of success for Toronto.
With the 2015 season drawing to a close this upcoming weekend, Toronto FC find themselves in the highest finishing position since entering the league. This mean a couple things for the wealthy Canadian franchise. One, supporters and ultras will be excited to finally see their team in the postseason, but wins will be in high demand.
Two, Toronto have built a fantasy team of veteran MLS players, Home Grown Products, MLS All Stars, and international revelations. They have spent hard earned cash and a lot of it to ensure success, but will they be able to claim it?
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Three, based on the regular season standings, Toronto has proven that they should be in the playoffs, but a string of questionable losses during the past few months have said otherwise.
Compared to their early struggles as a franchise, Toronto FC of 2015 is a different team. A team of skill, passion, and abundance. They hold the credentials of a recognized coach and possess some of the world’s most valuable talent.
But, is this year’s playoff run going to be a re-occurring procedure or is Toronto falling into its own spiral of misfortune, winning for a couple years in a row and then fading out of sight?