News Item: : Andrade excited to trial with Toronto FC.
(Category: Misc)
Posted by
Wednesday 27 January 2010 - 15:32:04
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.
This news item is from Julian De Guzman
( http://www.enblanquiazul.org/deguzman/news.php?extend.119 )
(Category: Misc)
Posted by
Wednesday 27 January 2010 - 15:32:04
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.
This news item is from Julian De Guzman
( http://www.enblanquiazul.org/deguzman/news.php?extend.119 )