Toronto FC interviews from Orlando

Alright, all you content starved Toronto FC junkies out there. Not only will we actually have a game to watch on Saturday, there's also a bunch of new interviews up at Torontofc.ca, and let me tell you, the boys are already in mid season form when it comes to batting away Asif's gentle softballs with cliches and platitudes. They're all happy with the 5-1 result, looking forward to more games, taking it one game at a time, but excited about the march 7th game, all the stuff you'd expect really.

One useful bit of information to come out of them was that despite talk of going with a squad of European based players, Julian de Guzman will be joining Canada in Cyprus for February 29th's game against Cyprus. Given that he's suspended for the game at the Skydome, his first real game with TFC won't be until March 14th, so it's a win win really. It's a good way for him to get some minutes in a competitive game as well as helping Canada get a bit more of the first team together for valuable practice time.

Richard Eckersley doesn't really know anything about baseball, though he did watch Moneyball on the plane. Also with all the new defenders, he doesn't think language barriers will be an issue at all. Football's a universal game, so no worries with people understanding his accent.

Anyway, aside from that, it was Caveat Emptor really as I feel like watching them took away 10 minutes of my life I won't get back. So that you don't have to watch them, I've summarised it all below the jump, so get your cliche-o-meter's ready and click on read more for all the exciting details from Stefan Frei, Julian de Guzman, Danny Koevermans, Richard Eckersley, Milos Kocic, and finally Ashtone Morgan and Matt Stinson who got to do their interviews together for some reason.

Frei - (the goalie kits sure aren't getting any easier on the eye this year.) Great to be out there in a real game, opposition doesn't matter, good to see us being clinical, can't ask for more. Need more games under belt to get proper match fitness, mickey mouse cup will be good preparation. Excited for CCL games, good to have returning core, camaraderie, tight group, blah, blah. He's feeling fit, been working hard to mould his body, doing yoga, etc etc.

De Guzman - yeah, yeah, players very happy to get a game, looking to get more matches in. His knee's feeling good, getting his rest etc etc. Actual information surprise, he'll be joining the Canada squad for the Armenia game, now back to the cliches. Good to play friendlies, see the guys again, everyone's fighting for their spots (still talking about canada here), blah blah, blah.

Eckersley - First few games all about fitness and chemistry, good understanding with new players, football's a universal game, language barrier shouldn't be a problem. Looking forward to friendlies, not taking any team, lightly, all about fitness blah, blah, blah. All Eckersley knows about baseball is from watching moneyball on the plane.

Koevermans - Nice to play a game again, not happy with 2nd half team performance, hoping for same overall result in next games. Looking forward to start of the season, first time in Florida, everything's great, facilities amazing, area is nice, we'll see on march 7th if pre season was good.

Kocic - Feels great to be playing again (seriously Asif, new questions please) looking forward to more games. On L.A, they've had a huge off season, lot of experience, but they don't scare us, just have to work hard, he feels great.

Morgan and Stinson - Stinson's feeling good, Morgan's happy to get off grass, great group of guys, blah, blah. Stinson thought the first game went well, tale of two halves. Morgan says awareness and understanding of defence coming together. World's media attention will be on Toronto! says Asif in what might be a slight exagerration, Stinson's trying not to think about it, focusing on preseason, blah, blah blah. Morgan's thinking about it, he's excited to play in front of big crowd, lot of media hype, they'll deal with the pressure.