Toronto FC vs. Montreal Impact: Media Gallery

Here are some photos and videos I took of the match between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact on October 26th, 2013. The reason why I went to the match this past Saturday was not to actively support TFC, but rather to observe what was left in terms of who was still supporting this team, and in terms of the current match day experience. The day was cold, rainy, and windy, but that didn't stop me from going to the match.

First, I have a couple of videos on the pre-game TFC supporters march to BMO Field. The numbers were quite small compared to supporters marches in the past, but they still brought noise and colour on their way to the stadium.

Here are also some pictures of that same march to BMO Field.

The next picture is of the visiting Montreal Impact supporters. There were a lot more visiting supporters than the picture shows, and they actually outnumbered the TFC supporters in the south stand corner. From where I sat in the first half, I sat closer to the TFC supporters sections, and the Impact supporters out-sang the TFC supporters for large stretches of the 1st half. The only time the TFC supporters were louder was right after Robert Earnshaw scored the only goal of the game. The Impact supporters were more organized and made their voices heard, which you couldn't say about the TFC supporters. That is actually quite embarrassing.

Here are a couple of photos of some banners that were shown at BMO Field.

Here is a photo of the south stand midway through the first half. It's a bit depressing looking at it, knowing that a few years ago, the entire south stand was packed to the rafters. The only way of that ever happening again is if TFC start consistently winning, and I don't think they are capable of that. Notice that sections 112/113 were somewhat full.

Around the 85th minute, Montreal Impact were losing 1-0. The visiting Impact supporters were getting a bit antsy, so they lit up some smoke bombs and flares in the away section of BMO Field. One guy also brought in what seemed like a firecracker or homemade firework. Stadium security wasn't pleased, and rushed in to apprehend the perpetrators. There wasn't much resistance, but the situation could have gotten much worse.

So there you have it, my photos and videos from the TFC/Impact match on October 26th, 2013. Hope you enjoyed it!

Time to Walk Away from Toronto FC?

Warning: This post contains some rambling. I just want to get all of my current thoughts about Toronto FC in this one post.

Note: I wrote this before I went to the final game of the season against the Montreal Impact. My experience at that match doesn't change my feelings listed here, but I may write a separate blog post about a few things I noticed about that day.

Before setting out to write this, I took a look at a previous blog post I wrote almost two and a half years ago about the club I once loved. Reading that post took me to a time where not only a significant amount of people in the GTA gave a damn about the club, but there was actually a resemblance of atmosphere at BMO Field. At the time, there were problems surrounding the club, but I had the hope that maybe, just maybe, the club could eventually be successful in Major League Soccer.

Fast forward to today. I don't think it will be possible.

I’ll admit, I had a small feeling that Toronto FC could have been in a worse state than it was in previous years, but I was completely shocked that it is now, a reality. To say that Toronto FC is a circus would be a complete understatement. Toronto FC sucks, plain and simple. I look at every aspect of this organization, and I shake my head. How can this club continue to screw it up after 7 seasons of existence? It boggles my mind. There is always constant change in the club, with more people leaving and coming in than I can keep track of. A coach and/or manager come in, talk a bunch of bullshit like how they are going to bring in “top-class talent” on ultimately overinflated contracts, and then fail miserably on the pitch. Lather, rinse, and repeat.

In terms of the players and management, I don’t need to remind you what has happened this year, but I lost interest as the season dragged on. Now TFC have their supposed shining savior, Tim Leiweke, who, like the others that preceded him, talked a big game about the future of the club. Leiweke hired Tim Bezbatchenko as the new General Manager, who is supposed to improve TFC’s management of the salary cap (which is pretty awful) through statistical analysis. It would be pretty interesting to see this fresh approach on managing the contracts of players, but he is inexperienced in a GM role and managing an actual roster. I don’t see much hope for him though, and I think he’ll probably be gone by the end of next year.

Unfortunately, Tim Leiweke still has faith in Coach Ryan Nelsen, a man who was hired by former GM Kevin Payne while he was still under contract at Queens Park Rangers and was arguably their best player for the first half of their relegation-bound season. The hiring reeked of an “old boys club” smell, as Nelsen had no coaching experience, and hasn’t taken any coaching courses. It became pretty evident soon after that he was out of his depth in Major League Soccer and the losing tradition of Toronto FC continued. I find it infuriating that Ryan Nelsen refuses to take the blame for some defeats, or criticize the team for poor performances when talking to the media (I can’t say if he actually does that in the locker room). What he constantly does, and continues to do, is find excuses for poor performances, usually by blaming referees for their performance in a match. I also noticed that Ryan Nelsen like to coddle his players, as he would regularly say that the players played well after defeats. I simply don’t understand why Tim Leiweke will keep faith in Ryan Nelsen when he clearly isn't good enough to coach in Major League Soccer right now. Ryan Nelsen needs to go, and in his place, bring in a coach with actual MLS experience. He makes Toronto FC feel like a “project” than an actual club.

With all the problems on the team level, I did go to a few matches this season. Honestly, going to TFC matches this season almost felt like going to a funeral. The stadium is nowhere near packed and the only people regularly making noise are the 20-30 supporters in section 111/112. This season, the match-day experience at BMO Field has been devoid of any atmosphere. People finally realize that the team is awful, and are simply not going to the matches anymore.

One major thing I noticed when going to TFC matches this season as opposed to 2007/2008, is that there is a lot more marketing. Now, marketing isn’t a bad thing at all. In fact, it is essential for a product to have some of marketing in order to attract customers. Whenever I went to a TFC match this season, I felt overwhelmed by all the promotions and branding going on at BMO Field. There’s the Budweiser King Club, the Purolator delivery of the match ball, Esquire added time, and the Scotts Turf Builder lounge, just to name a few. Another thing I noticed on match-day is that even though there has been a sharp decrease in attendance at BMO Field, I have noticed a rise in families and young children at the matches. I think one of the reasons for this is because of the increased marketing that Toronto FC has done in order to try and attract more fans and replace the ones that have left. I wonder if Toronto FC knows that the ultimate marketing tool in order to attract fans is to build a successful team. Oops, I let the secret out.

I haven’t got to the biggest reason why Toronto FC is what it is. The reason why Toronto FC has been so awful for so long is because their parent organization, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, has run the club into the ground. I’ve expressed my feelings about MLSE on multiple occasions on Twitter and on the blog, so I don’t feel the need to repeat myself (If you want to learn about Tom Anselmi and MLSE’s attitude about TFC, this article sums it up well). When I heard that Tom Anselmi was resigning from his position at MLSE and that Earl Cochrane would no longer be with the club (among others), I thought I would feel overjoyed. I initially had the hope that maybe things would slowly turn around for the club, but I don’t feel that way now. I believe that the higher-ups at TFC and MLSE have permanently damaged the club’s culture and reputation. What is the first thing a person might think of when they hear “Toronto FC”? It will most likely be something negative.

I feel so drained and defeated whenever I think about Toronto FC. This time of year, it seems like the only good thing TFC is good for is spoiling the playoff chances for other teams, rather than be in the playoffs themselves. I hear the same old thing from these new coaches and managers, and I sigh. The club is a mess, the attendance is sparse at best, and a significant number of supporters, including myself, are sick and tired of it all. I can deal with losing seasons, but it is such a constant and the club seems inept and incapable of getting it right and bouncing back. The club is perpetually stuck in quicksand, and I don’t think they will be able to get out of it at all. The new management is too worried about glitz and glamour (DPs) rather than actual substance (building a team) while talking about the Toronto Argos potentially moving to BMO Field and other things to anger supporters. I can’t take it anymore.

I don’t think I can support this team anymore unless I see a team and a club I can be proud of. In fact, a part of me wants this team to fold and go away.

What about the supporters? A number of people stopped going to the matches for various reasons, but there are still many who remain loyal to Toronto FC. I'll give them credit for sticking with the team through thick and thin, but when does it get to the point that the club is so completely inept that the TFC supporters who remain aren't just supporters, but a herd of sheep following the club into a deep, dark abyss of awfulness. I would just like to know why supporters would still support the team considering all the disrespect the club has given them over the years. Even with all this garbage going on, there are people still willing to support this team. I don't quite understand it. Maybe they are still holding hope? I don't know, but it is worth asking.

I’m not forcing you to support or not support the team, but I’ll make a suggestion. If you are a Toronto FC supporter, think long and hard about where this club is right now. If you feel that the club is still worth supporting, whether it is because you are optimistic about Tim Leiweke and company or because you literally have no one else to support, then do so. If, like me, you think this club is hopeless, and will probably fold before the club shows any sort of resemblance of a winner in the City of Toronto, then there are other things to occupy your time. 

I’m just about done with this team. It’s a shame because I thought that this could be a team I could be proud of many years ago. Now, I think it’s about a 0.001% chance that TFC can be a winning club. The only reason why I would want to go to a TFC match in the future is if I received a free ticket. I can't be emotionally attached to this club anymore until I see a club I can be proud of. Unfortunately, I don't see Toronto FC shaking off the stigma that has plagued the club over the years.

It’s a shame of what could have been if the club got it right.