The churn of rumours and chatter on the soccer forums have escalated lately and this is a wonderful thing. In the off-season all teams are equal in their potential and TFC, despite one more road and one more home game, have reached the future first. This year we fell in love with the reality that we finally had a team. These rumours and talk of 2008 are a clear indication that we fans are itching to move up to the next level. There has to be a clear path from potential to playoffs to keep TFC fans happy, singing and buying merchandise.
The juiciest rumour of the week, that Allesandro Del Piero (Juventus/Italy) was being considered for the Toronto FC Designated Player role for 2008, was music to my ears. (Larry Millson's article in the Globe and Mail in which he quizzed Mo about the rumours moved the story beyond Big Soccer chatter stage) It would be a masterstroke, not because he has worn the Azzuri or Juve shirt, but because of his offensive talent. His potential for scoring goals in MLS is huge.
This is taken from his wiki entry.
"Under Marcello Lippi's reign as Juventus coach, Del Piero's creative abilities were on display whatever the coach's formation was. Del Piero showed his class in the lethal "trident-attack" formation along with veterans Gianluca Vialli and Fabrizio Ravanelli."
If there is a player that Dichio reminds me of, it has to be Ravanelli when he played for Juve. I think that Del Piero is brilliant because he single handedly ends the debate on the striker DP versus the midfield DP. TFC would have offensive options galore whether he played as a link between midfield and two strikers or played as a striker himself.
TFC fans will accept talent. Those who see Del Piero only as a marketing move for the Italian community miss the point. He has every chance of being as strong in the MLS of 2008 as JP Angel was in 2007. If he is not the next piece in the TFC puzzle, he at least has raised the level of Designated Player possibilities.
I am loving the opportunity to dream....
1 comment:
And furthermore..if Del Piero's other options are to play before a sea of empty seats in New York (NY Red Bulls) or play for one of London's lowest profile teams(QPR), then Toronto FC has to have some real advantages. Somebody send his agent a DVD !!
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