Toronto FC

Toronto FC is a franchise of North American Professional Football League Major League Soccer ( MLS). The team is based in Toronto, Canada and was founded in 2006. In the 2007 MLS season, the team took part in the game for the first time operation of the MLS.

The team is part of the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.. ( MLSE ), which is headquartered at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

4.1 Name and identity
4.2 fan groups

5.1 owner
5.2 sponsor
5.3 TFC Academy

6.1 Current Senior Squad
6.2 Former Players
6.3 Coaching staff
6.4 Existing trainer

8.1 record this season
8.2 Club Records
8.3 Visitors section

History

The early years 2007-2010

The Toronto FC in 2007 was the 13th team of Major League Soccer and joined the first franchise in Canada. In the first four league games the club's history, the team was able to achieve a single goal. Not until the fifth match day, May 12, 2007 the Englishman Danny Dichio managed in a 3-1 home win against Chicago Fire SC 's first goal for the red - white Canadians. Memorial of this gate sing the fans to this day Dichios name if a goal for their team falls. Despite the sporty failure to Toronto was able to establish a solid team. This was mainly due to the stable structure of the club and to the exceedingly great popularity among fans. In the European-influenced city of Toronto were able for the first season already 14,000 season tickets are sold - a record in the MLS. At the end of the regular season in 2007 the team finished seventh and last place in the Eastern Conference and was also in the overall table the worst team. The play-offs could so not be reached.

The 2008 season was a disappointing one for those of the Italian -born followers " il bianco- rossi " baptized Canadians, again the team landed in the Eastern Conference on the last place. The fans were their Toronto FC still further to the side and the BMO Field was transformed, unique in the MLS, at every home game in a "cauldron ".

To determine the representative of Canada for the CONCACAF Champions League, 2008, the Canadian Championship was introduced. Toronto was here acted as a favorite, but in the end against Montreal Impact had to concede defeat.

On April 25, 2009 coach John Carver announced for personal reasons. Was succeeded by Chris Cummins, the former head of the youth department of Luton Town and Watford FC. Cummins was previously assistant coach of Carver and managed the club for the time being as interim coach.

The 2009 season was crowned, in contrast to the previous two years, of greater success. The team reached in the regular season in fifth place and failed to reach the play-offs by just one point. This season, the " Reds " were able to sign players such as the Canadian National player Dwayne De Rosario and Sam Cronin. De Rosario scored eleven goals in his first season. Other outstanding players were Amado Guevara and the Swiss goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

In the Canadian Championship 2009, the Reds against Montreal and Vancouver Whitecaps prevailed thus qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League 2009/10. There, the team was defeated in the qualifying round against the Puerto Rico Islanders FC.

After 2009 again failed to reach the play-offs, gave the club management of the directive to create this 2010. For this reason, the then manager Mo Johnston undertook the former U.S. National player Preki as their new coach. Under Preki the player squad was almost completely redone. The most prominent was signing the Spaniard Mista. By winning the Canadian Championship in 2010, the team again qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League. In the preliminary round, the Reds won against CD Motagua. On 17 August 2010, the first group match against Cruz Azul could be won. Ultimately, the team took the third place group and did not qualify for the quarter- finals.

Despite a relatively good start to the MLS season in 2010 the team had to deal with injuries and motivation problems, ultimately landed again on the fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Due to the poor performance again Mo Johnston and Preki on 17 September 2010 have been released. As an interim solution Earl Cochrane and Nick Dasovic were appointed as coach. The crew acted under Dasovic Although open and flexible, but the season could not save. Even among fans meanwhile went bad mood wide. In several events of the club's management promises were made about an improvement in the situation.

Recent Developments

On 3 November 2010 the former German national player and coach Jürgen Klinsmann and his company Soccer Solutions were engaged as consultants for the Reds. For a better game system and strong team leadership should be found within the next six months. 6 January 2011 took over as the first episode of the work Klinsmann, the former Dutch international Aron Winter as coach.

After the 2011 season until the summer of similar unsuccessfully ran as the previous ones and qualifying for the playoffs after only three wins already appeared in 19 games out of reach, the club announced on June 29, 2011, the obligation of the multiple German international and former captain of Werder Bremen, Torsten Frings. The Dutch winger Danny Koevermans, who played at PSV Eindhoven, was presented as a new signing. But despite these signings, the team could not qualify for the playoffs and finished the season from second to last place in the Eastern Conference.

For the third consecutive year, Toronto could decide the Canadian Championship on July 2 for themselves. In the final, the team won over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Thus, the Reds again qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League and met in the Preliminary Round ( qualifying round) on the Real Estelí FC from Nicaragua. This could be hit with a total of 4-2. In the ensuing group stage the team took second place and made a place in the quarter-finals. There, Toronto FC hit the Los Angeles Galaxy. In the home game in the Rogers Centre, a new attendance record with 47 658 visitors could be established. The game ended 2-2 .. thanks a victory in Los Angeles the team even reached the semi-finals, where, however, Santos Laguna stopped the triumph.

On 8 January 2013, the club parted from his former coach Paul Mariner. On the same day the New Zealanders and rookie coach Ryan Nelsen was presented as his successor. As long as Nelsen is still standing as a player at Queens Park Rangers under contract, care assistant coach and Director of Player Recruitment Fran O'Leary, who was signed along with Nelsen, the team as interim coach.

Crest and colors

The official colors of the team are red and white. The coat of arms consists of the city name Toronto, which is laid over in white letters with a red border on the icon. Behind a great t is set, which is flanked by a small F and a C. On the upper edge of the crest there are four pentagons, which reflect the shape of a maple leaf. The leaf symbolizes Canada.

Stadium

BMO Field; Toronto, Ontario (2007 -)

The Toronto FC plays its home games at BMO Field in Toronto from. The stadium, which has a capacity of 20,500 seats, was completed in spring 2007. On 20 September 2006, the naming rights were sold to the Bank of Montreal.

For the first season of the Toronto FC expected the CEO of MLSE Richard Peddie, an average attendance 13000-15000. This expectation was exceeded and reached an average of 20 134 spectators and also in the following season almost every game was sold out. Were for the 2009 season, as last year, all tickets sold out 16,000 years.

In this stadium games of the FIFA U20 World Cup 2007, as well as the MLS All -Star Game 2008 played against West Ham United. 2010, the final of the MLS Cup was held here.

Club Culture

Name and identity

After 2005 it was announced that Toronto gets an MLS expansion team, the team name Toronto FC was announced on May 11, 2006 in the MLSE. In football environment is the FC Football Club, in the case of the Toronto FC, is not written in official documents.

Before the announcement there was an online survey, which name should carry the new MLS franchise. The choice was between the names Toronto Northmen, Inter Toronto FC, Toronto Reds and Toronto FC. Main reasons for the resulting decision of the MLSE were the fact that more than 40 % had voted for the proposal Toronto FC and the fact that the creation of abbreviations would vonstattengehen better for the name. With these abbreviations the fans would be able to identify quickly with the team. In the media and officially nicknamed the TFC or the Reds are preferred.

Fan groups

The Toronto FC is supported since the beginning of a large fan base. But the audience in the first seasons were above the expectations of the owners. This also results in some fan groups. Among the biggest are the North End Elite, which has a place in the north of the stadium, in Section 127,. The Red Patch Boys have their place in the Sections 111 and 112 at BMO Field. This part is also called the bunker. For away games, this group is most strongly represented.

Other groups are the Tribal Rhythm Nation, in the fans with African or Latin American background in the Greater Toronto Area are represented above all things. The U -Sector was once the support group for the Toronto Lynx, and called themselves before Toronto Ultras. Further, the Ultras 114 and GoTFC.

Organization and Finance

Owner

The MLSE has next to Toronto FC, the Toronto Maple Leafs ( National Hockey League), the Toronto Raptors (National Basketball Association ) and the Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League). In addition to these teams, the company is still working in real estate and real estate business. To include the MLSE the Air Canada Centre and the Oshawa Gardens. General manager of the club is Paul Beirne.

Sponsor

Actual jersey sponsor is BMO Financial Group, who also acquired the naming rights to the stadium of the club. Equipped is the association of adidas.

TFC Academy

Since the 2008 season, Toronto FC has with the TFC Academy own training ground for young talent. Here young Canadian player to be formed. The senior team plays in the Canadian Soccer League, the highest Canadian Football League, and carries their games at Lamport Stadium. Director of the Academy is Earl Cochrane. The senior team is led by Jason Bent.

Players and staff

Current Senior Squad

As of January 10, 2014

Former Players

Coaching staff

As of January 8, 2013

New Zealand Ryan Nelsen ( Head Coach )
Ireland Fran O'Leary ( Assistant Coach and Director of Player Recruitment )
Canada Jason Bent (assistant coach )
Canada Jim Brennan ( Assistant Coach )
Scotland Stewart Kerr ( Goalkeeper Coach )
Earl Cochrane Canada ( Director of Team and Player Operations )

Previous coach

Achievements

Canadian Championship Winners (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Statistics

Record this season

Club Records

Most Games: Canada Jim Brennan, 84
Top goals: Canada Dwayne De Rosario, 26

As of October 24, 2010

Visitors section

2007: 20,130 / not qualified
2008: 20,108 / not qualified
2009: 20 344 / not qualified
2010: 20,453 / not qualified
2011: 20 267 / not qualified
2012: 18,681 / not qualified

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