Toronto FC's 4-1 loss to D.C. United all but ended any playoff hopes for the first-year MLS side, which means that the Reds can officially start to look ahead to next season.
The first step, as Mo Johnston sees it, is a strong preseason. The Toronto head coach spoke on Tuesday about his plans for giving his club a stronger training camp in preparation for TFC's sophomore year. Given the number of injuries and roster moves that kept Toronto's starting XI in constant flux this year, Johnston's biggest goal is just to get his players a chance to get used to one another.
"This team needs games," Johnston said. "We need to keep playing, we need to keep training."
The build to 2008 will start almost immediately after the conclusion of the 2007 campaign. Johnston confirmed rumors that Toronto FC will play the United Soccer League's Portland Timbers in late October, after TFC's MLS schedule concludes with a home game against New England on Oct. 20.
From there, the Reds might be trotting the globe. Johnston said he is considering joining another MLS team and two foreign clubs in an international tournament sometime in February. The coach is also looking at playing friendlies in such varied locales as Dubai, China and Brazil in order to give his team a break from playing in the regular MLS preseason destinations of Florida and Charleston, South Carolina.
Speaking of Charleston and the annual Carolina Challenge Cup, Johnston said Toronto FC would be participating in the March tournament for the second consecutive year. The CCC is a four-team round-robin tournament hosted by the USL's Charleston Battery that has attracted some of Major League Soccer's top teams in its four-year existence.
In fact, the CCC is noted for being something of a precursor to regular season success. The Columbus Crew and San Jose Earthquakes both won the MLS Supporters' Shield after winning the Charleston tournament in 2004 and 2005, respectively, while Houston Dynamo won the CCC in 2006 and went on to win the MLS Cup. Dynamo also captured the 2007 CCC, and currently stand tied for first place in the MLS Western Conference.
"I wanted the team to go down and play in [Charleston] again because I feel it's a very good tournament," Johnston said. "It's very well organized, it's a beautiful little place, it's a nice little stadium, the field is good. I've got a lot of respect for the people who run that tournament."
Toronto FC went 2-1 in last year's competition, beating Charleston and New York after losing to eventual winners Houston. It was TFC's only taste of MLS competition in the 2007 preseason, as the club played a friendly schedule comprised largely of college teams. Johnston said he composed last year's schedule thusly in order to give his team a chance to gel, rather than be overmatched.
"We were bringing too many guys in and out," Johnston said. "There were too many comings and goings, we're trying to sign guys, we're trying to look at guys. We didn't want to be getting into games with an MLS team, [field] an understrength team and get spanked. Now that we're up and running and have a core group, we can play more competitive games."
Johnston added that his ideal preseason schedule would conclude with a match or two in late March at BMO Field to "give the fans a taste" of the club's makeup. The Reds' home stadium wasn't finished until late April, which meant TFC spent their 2007 preseason either on the road or at training camp in Bradenton, Florida.
There was no definite word from Johnston if Toronto FC will be facing any opponents from north of the border. It has long been speculated by Canadian soccer pundits that the Reds' natural friendly opponents are USL sides Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps, but TFC has yet to face either club.
Johnston said Toronto FC could play a game in Montreal in the preseason, but didn't confirm if the opponents would be the Impact or a different side. The coach said he would welcome a chance to face Toronto's national soccer rivals, and envisioned a tournament between the three teams within a few years that may be a precursor to future MLS expansion into Canada.
"I'd love for it to happen," Johnston said. "I think it'd be great for the fans. We'd get people from Vancouver and Montreal coming down. I think having a good relationship with these guys is vital because they're also looking at getting into [MLS]."
"I think it would be wonderful if another Canadian franchise came in. ... It's important that we keep growing the sport here and we try to make Canada as a whole better in soccer."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
