Toronto FC are currently in the process of inviting a number of players to their upcoming pre-season camp and it's confirmed that the highest profile name on that list is the 31-year-old defender Jorge Andrade.
The former Porto, Deportivo de La Coruña and Juventus defender has accepted an invite from the club that will see him come to the club’s training camp between February 8 and 18 where he will attempt to win a contract with the MLS side.
Andrade, who has over 50 caps for Portugal, is free to sign with any side after becoming a free agent in April when Juventus terminated his contract.
The centre-half has a history of bad injuries to his left knee but still believes he can play at a high level and will use the upcoming trial with TFC to prove his fitness to the staff. The move also reunites him with Toronto’s designated player, Julian De Guzman, who he played with at Deportivo.
"I am very excited to reunite with my former teammate Julian De Guzman. I am hoping to secure a contract with Toronto to play in front of a large Portuguese community and in front of a tremendous atmosphere," Andrade said, speaking exclusively to The Score.
The move by the club’s Director of Soccer Mo Johnston, at least on the surface, appears to be a potential little risk, huge reward for the club as a healthy Andrade could prove to be a player who quite literally could turn around a team who, in three years of existence, have done very little to address major issues in their defence.
In 2009 Toronto conceded 46 goals in their 30 MLS games at an average of 1.53 goals per game. The league average was 39.85 goals conceded at 1.27 goals per game.
In 2008 Toronto conceded 43 goals in their 30 MLS games at an average of 1.43 goals per game. The league average was 42.21 goals conceded at 1.40 goals per game.
In 2007 Toronto conceded 49 goals in their 30 MLS games at an average of 1.63 goals per game. The league average was 38.06 goals conceded at 1.33 goals per game.
From day one (TFC have had 19 clean sheets in 90 MLS games) there has been a clear need for a true leader at the heart of the defence to help provide the medicine to the defensive virus that coaches Johnston, Carver and Cummins couldn’t find a solution to. If he proves to be healthy, in Andrade, Toronto FC may well have stumbled on a gem.
Posted on Wednesday 27 January 2010 - 15:32:04 |
Canada coach Stephen Hart announced an 18-man squad last Thursday that will play against the Reggae Boyz in an international friendly at the National Stadium on Sunday.
Hart has summoned his troops to a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in a bid to get close to the conditions in Jamaica before flying into the island on Friday.
The 18-man squad has an average age of 26 with Sudanese-born Eddy Sidra, who plays for German club FC Energie Cottbus, being the youngest at 20 years old.
However, Hart has recalled goalkeeper Pat Onstad, 42, the oldest player in Major League Soccer (MLS), to add some experience and leadership, as his side prepares for its first international game for the year. Onstad has 56 caps for the Maple Leafs and ironically last represented his country in a World Cup Qualifier in August 2008 against Jamaica.
Like Jamaica, the Canadians face a real challenge in getting international clearance for their top players as the game is not scheduled on a FIFA-sanctioned date.
This opens a window of opportunity for other players whose teams are on winter break or out of season.
Four players in goalkeeper David Monsalve of FC Inter Turku (Finland); defender Nana Attakora of Toronto FC; midfielder Carlo Rivas of Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepcion (Chile), and midfielder Massih Wassey of FC Schalke 04 (Germany) -- have all been called to the senior team for the first time.
Thirty-one year-old Dwayne De Rosario, who has been out of the national set-up since criticising former coach Dale Mitchell, earns a recall as Hart seeks to find a balanced combination capable of putting on a creditable show against the more skilful Jamaicans.
Both sides failed to qualify for this year's FIFA World Cup Finals in South Africa and like Jamaica, the Canadians are looking towards youth with a view of finding the right chemistry that is likely to take them to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
"It's sort of a unique opportunity for us to take a look at quite a few players that we have not seen for quite a while or have never seen at the international senior level... and to blend that in with some of our senior players in an international game," Hart said at a media conference last Thursday.
Hart, who has been acting as head coach in an interim capacity for a while, was named head coach in December 2009 and has indicated that he will be working on strengthening the team's reserves ahead of the 2014 Qualifiers.
"As I said when I was hired, I would like to use 2010 to do a fair amount of experimenting. My first priority is to try and create as much depth as possible in the squad."
Canada, ranked 56th in the world and the 81st-ranked Jamaica, have played each other at the senior level on 16 occasions with the Canadians winning five, losing three and drawing six.
The two last met at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States with the Canadians winning 1-0 courtesy of an Ali Gerba strike.
Canada team: Goalkeeper: David Monsalve, FC Inter Turku (Finland); Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo); Defenders: Nana Attakora, Toronto FC; Adrian Cann, Esbjerg fB (Denmark); Andre Hainault, Houston Dynamo; Tyler Hemming, Montreal Impact; Eddy Sidra, FC Energie Cottbus (Germany); Midfielders: Dejan Jakovic, DC United; Ante Jazic, Chivas USA; Adrian Serioux, Toronto FC; Julian de Guzman, Toronto FC; Dwayne De Rosario, Toronto FC; Antonio Ribeiro, San Jose Earthquakes; Carlo Rivas, Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepcion (Chile); Massih Wassey, FC Schalke 04 (Germany); Forwards: Stephen Ademolu, FK Ekranas (Lithuania); Ali Gerba, Toronto FC; Will Johnson, Real Salt Lake.
Posted on Wednesday 27 January 2010 - 10:36:20 |
The Canadian Soccer Association announced today the list of nominees for its 2009 player awards. Canadian media and coaches will be asked to select two players - one male and one female - for the Canadian Soccer Association's top prize, the Canadian Players of the Year award. The award will celebrate Canada's top-two soccer players in recognition of their 2009 achievements with both the national team and their respective club teams.
In 2009, Canada's men's national team posted four wins, one draw and three losses. At the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, it reached the quarter-final stage after finishing first in its group. On the women's side, the team posted two wins, one draw and four losses in the first year of a new four-year FIFA Women's World Cup/Olympic cycle. Under new head coach Carolina Morace, the team finished second at the 2009 Cyprus Women's Cup.
Voting for the Canadian Players of the Year will be split evenly by Canadian media and Canadian coaches who have taken the Canadian Soccer Association's national course at the B and A levels (including national-team coaches).
Along with the Canadian Player of the Year award, there are two additional awards that celebrate the top young prospects in Canadian soccer. Coaches from across the country will select four young stars from Canada's World Cup squads. two Canadian U-20 Players of the Year and two Canadian U-17 Players of the Year.
Voting will begin immediately and will conclude on Friday 11 December 2009. Voters will be asked to select three players (first place, second place and third place) in each category. All six winners will be announced during the week of 14-18 December.
Along with the three awards, the Canadian Soccer Association will host an online vote for the two CanadaSoccer.com Fans' Choices. Voting for the CanadaSoccer.com Fans' Choices will begin immediately and will conclude on 20 December 2009. Online voters will be asked to select their favourite male and favourite female Canadian soccer players.
YOU CAN VOTE CLICKING HERE:
De Guzman won the 2008 adidas Canadian Player of the Year award, and he was named CanadaSoccer.com Fan's Choices 2007.
The Canadian Soccer Association provides leadership in the pursuit of excellence in soccer, nationally and internationally, in cooperation with its members and partners. The Canadian Soccer Association strives to lead Canada to victory and Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer.
Male Nominees from the Men's national team
- de Guzman, Julian M Scarborough, ON, CAN CAN / Toronto FC
- De Rosario, Dwayne M Scarborough, ON, CAN CAN / Toronto FC
- Gerba, Ali F Montréal, QC, CAN CAN / Toronto FC
- Hutchinson, Atiba M Brampton, ON, CAN DEN / F.C. København
- Jackson, Simeon M Mississauga, ON, CAN ENG / Gillingham FC
- Johnson, Will F Toronto, ON, CAN USA / Real Salt Lake
- Klukowski, Mike D/M Oshawa, ON, CAN BEL / Club Brugge KV
- McKenna, Kevin D/F Calgary, AB, CAN GER / 1. FC Köln
- Pizzolitto, Nevio D Montréal, QC, CAN CAN / Impact de Montréal
- other selection
Female Nominees from the Winners Women's national team - presented by Teck
- Chapman, Candace D/M Ajax, ON, CAN USA / FC Gold Pride
- Franko, Martina F/D Squamish, BC, CAN USA / Los Angeles Sol
- LeBlanc, Karina G Maple Ridge, BC, CAN USA / Los Angeles Sol
- Matheson, Diana M Oakville, ON, CAN NOR / Team Strømmen FK
- McLeod, Erin G Edmonton, AB, CAN USA / Washington Freedom
- Moscato, Carmelina M Mississauga, ON, CAN ITA / U.P.C Tavagnacco
- Parker, Kelly M Saskatoon, SK, CAN USA / Sky Blue FC
- Sinclair, Christine F Burnaby, BC, CAN USA / FC Gold Pride
- Wilkinson, Rhian M Baie dUrfé, QC, CAN NOR / Team Strømmen FK
- other selection
Posted on Tuesday 01 December 2009 - 12:38:02 |
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