Waking The Red: FanPosts

State of Soccer

2013-04-13T01:13:08Z

First and foremost it's important to understand that players develop at different paces. The way the current setup is, the players selected at a younger age to play rep soccer, often are selected because they are better athletes i.e. they may be bigger, faster than their peers, without their actual skills at the time being taken into consideration. Those that aren't chosen early but still have the aspiration to reach that rep level are forced to train themselves in order to get there. These players should not be neglected because as they seek to improve themselves they gain a fresh perspective and skill set those players picked early may not develop. And if they prove themselves able to compete with those already playing competitively, they would also prove to have the mindset to succeed and with hard work and a little training can become good players. Also, it's important that we keep costs down and make it possible for everyone to play competitively not just those that can afford to pay thousands to send their kids to the best academies. So, the LTPD program being proposed for Canada must actively seek to include any players that show the potential - controversially I might add right up to the age of 22 - and the determination to succeed in soccer, at the competitive level.

This brings me to the next problem for any player to develop, the right environment needs to be in place. I have had the experience on being on Rep teams where some players chose not to come to practices and games, ending with the coaches giving up feeling frustrated, and in other circumstance Rep teams where the coaches don’t understand the game as well as they should - I have been yelled at by coaches to run at a player and commit to the tackle when really all the opposing player would to have to do is push the ball to the side to get past me - or even some with no real tactical awareness on how a team should effectively contain or attack opponents. Even worse is when coaches choose players that don’t have the technical skills required to play the level and these players don’t make a strong enough effort to improve. Sometimes this left me with the feeling that Rep soccer is nothing more than a glorified house league system. There needs to be a review of how teams are picked and how coaches are chosen in order to further the skills of those that actually want to improve.

Next, the CSA needs to push for the proper infrastructure today. There are many players out there willing and capable of playing competitively. There needs to exist, a proper tiered system for these players to play in to develop their skills and to be provided with an opportunity to play at the semi-pro and pro levels, a stepping stone to the pro game. If these existed today, the state of soccer would be very different. The MLS and NASL are important, but the D3 league as suggested by the Easton report and provincial leagues D4 similar to the concept of Ontario League 1 - above pre-existing D5 league such as the OSL - in every province will do well toward providing that infrastructure. But this needs to be done today, now and fully implemented within the next 5 years, for the country to even dream of the World Cup within the next 10 years. The OSA moved toward implementing the Ontario League 1 in 2011, as of 2013 this league still hasn’t started play, while one can only hope this will not be the case with the D3 league, we can’t afford waiting around anymore. We must act now.

Canada v USA tickets, and Voyageur membership info.

2013-03-21T02:21:42Z

It's still over a couple of months away, but tickets went on sale this week for Canada's eagerly awaited game against the big bad USA at BMO Field on June 2nd. Billed as 'The Rematch' it is of course a rematch of that Olympics semi final, Sinclair hattrick, Tancredi 'stomp' ,6 seconds, the Norwegian ref, injury time of extra time heartbreak, you know the story.

It was quite simply one of the best games of football I've seen anywhere, and this is the first time the two teams will have played since. Though it's very very doubtful this friendly match will get anywhere near those heights, it's also the first game Big Red has played on Canadian shores since that game, so here's the first chance to show your appreciation by supporting them at an actual game. It's also the unofficial kick off to the road to the 2015 World Cup, with hopefully plenty of games throughout the country between now and then.

Tickets officially go on sale on Friday, and you can get all the details on pricing and such like here. Once again, similar to how they priced the CANMNT World Cup qualifiers, there's some sweet deals to be had, especially on the East side of the stadium, where the most expensive ticket will set you back a mere $35.

Before then though, there is the usual discounted pre-sale going on, click here to access the tickets first and for 10% off, using the password Canada.

The other option of course is to get tickets in the south stand through the Voyageurs, info on which can be found here. Anyone can get tickets to be in sections 115 and further West, which will be considered supporters sections, with standing allowed and all that, but where it's a little less of a chaotic free for all. Those are $20 each and can be purchased here.

If a rowdy free for all (more or less) is what you're looking for then you'll be looking for tickets in sections 112-114, but to get those you ( or at least the person buying the tickets) has to be a member of the Voyageurs.

A member? That sounds remarkably formal, what's up with that? Well there's a lot more to keeping the Voyageurs going than making some banners, turning up on game day to cheer the team on and presenting the Voyageurs Cup to TFC every year, and all that 'a lot more' has grown massively in the last few years as the profile of the sport has increased.

With the U20 Women's World Cup, the Women's World Cup and the Pan Am games all coming up soon, which will lead nicely into the next cycle of qualifying for the Men's World Cup, that's only going to get even bigger. It's all about what they call Mission 2015, to build the largest supporters section in Canadian history at kick off of the Women's World Cup. To properly handle the logistics of that, and take advantage of the opportunity it presents, things will be getting more organised and part of that is paid membership, at $30 for the year, or more if you're so inclined.

What will that be going towards? Click here for that info.

What do you get for your money, aside from a heart that glows just that little bit brighter from knowing you helped out? Can you say 'certificate of personal awesomeness?' Yeah, click here for info on that and much more.

I don't really use their forum and I don't really get that involved in what they do but I have a hell of a lot of respect for those that do put in the time and money to make this work, so I bought myself a membership, I'd strongly advise you to do the same.

As for the game, of course you're getting tickets, surely I don't have to talk you into that one.

Before then though, there is the usual discounted pre-sale going on, click here to access the tickets first and for 10% off, using the password Canada.

What will that be going towards? Click here for that info.

As for the game, of course you're getting tickets, surely I don't have to talk you into that one.

WTR's MLS Fantasy Soccer League update: Prizes! Good ones.

2013-03-03T23:34:36Z

So a couple of weeks back now, I set up a league for waking the red readers, and so far over 60 of you have entered. Thank you very much to one and all. At the time I vaguely promised good prizes, and am happy to say that my benevolent SB Nation overlords and the fine folks at MLSSoccer.com have come through really quite nicely on that.

With proper prizes come proper rules, which we'll get to in a moment, but for now here's the details of those prizes;

The winners of each league on team blogs will receive a $100 MLS Gear gift certificate and the second and third-place winners will receive a 2014 subscriptions to MLS Live (a $59.99 value). The winner of the SBNation.com league will receive two Category 1 tickets to a 2014 match of the winner's choice (need to determine cash value). The next five highest scores will receive a 2014 MLS Live subscription.

So, to clarify, 1st place, $100 gift certicate to spend on stuff from MLS Gear (here's the link to their TFC stuff), 2nd and 3rd place get free subscriptions to MLS Live for next season. Pretty sweet stuff.

That SBNation.com league it talks about as another way of winning, the code for that league is 15011-2593, so enter that one as well, why not? If you haven't already entered the WTR one, and are now sufficiently tempted to get in on the action, the code is in the link in the first sentence. I'm fairly certain you can still add your team in at this point, though I'm not 100% sure on how that works, any problems, let me know in the comments section here.

Anyway, here's the point where I link to the official rules. Go read them, because by entering the league, you've already accepted them. Mainly your standard legalese, but here's the most important bit.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Contest open only to individual legal residents of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are at least eighteen (18) years of age as of the date of entry into the Contest. This Contest begins at 9 AM ET on March 2, 2013 and ends at 7 PM ET on December7, 2013. For Official Rules, see LINK.

Any questions let me know in the comments section, and as always, don't forget to check out Never Manage Alonefor hints and tips and such like.

With proper prizes come proper rules, which we'll get to in a moment, but for now here's the details of those prizes;

The winners of each league on team blogs will receive a $100 MLS Gear gift certificate and the second and third-place winners will receive a 2014 subscriptions to MLS Live (a $59.99 value). The winner of the SBNation.com league will receive two Category 1 tickets to a 2014 match of the winner's choice (need to determine cash value). The next five highest scores will receive a 2014 MLS Live subscription.

Any questions let me know in the comments section, and as always, don't forget to check out Never Manage Alonefor hints and tips and such like.

MLS fantasy Soccer: Waking the Red league

2013-02-22T21:59:46Z

Let's face it, it's going to be a long and testing season ahead, so you might well need something to keep your interest going once TFC's officially out of the playoffs by the end of March. Fantasy football is great for that, as well as a good way of getting to know players from other teams a bit more, so I'd heartily encourage setting up a team. You can do that by clicking here, registering and following the instructions, and another great resource to help out with setting up a team and managing it throughout the year is Never Manage Alone, SB Nation's fantasy football blog.

Once you've got a team, you can register it in leagues and start competing against whoever you want to compete against really, which brings me to the point of this post, let's all compete against each other.

A Waking the red league has been set up, which you can join via the following steps;

1. Register, and set up your own team, pick the players, team name etc etc.
2. Click 'leagues' in the green bar at the top
3. Click 'join a league', then choose private league, and hit next
4. Enter in the code 6501-1380

and voila, you're now entered into the league, simple as that. For now, bragging rights is as much as I can offer, though there'll probably be a prize of some sort, it might end up being worth competing for, it may end up being a bit of a gag gift similar to the Preki doll given away in last year's smarter than Preki contest, more details to come on that one.

So join us, compete against waking the red writers, readers, commenters, lurkers, twitter followers, whoever really, and may the best man or woman win.

A Waking the red league has been set up, which you can join via the following steps;

So join us, compete against waking the red writers, readers, commenters, lurkers, twitter followers, whoever really, and may the best man or woman win.

Ode to the Red - Down but not quite dead

2012-09-25T21:19:35Z

Thinking back through the last six years
How swiftly they’ve passed by
I close my eyes and bite my lip
Trying so hard not to cry

I remember all those players in red
Yes, there were so many
Passing through TFC’s front door
We barely have kept any

Yet some of them were pretty good
While others were rather stinky
But it made little difference at trading time
To Mo and Aron and Preki

It really is a shame you say
The fans were so supportive
How could things have fallen so far
And become so terribly abortive

Well Mo is gone
and so are Aron and Preki
Each was greeted with high hopes
But the results were less than pretty

Now they’re led by a man I’ll call
The Ancient Mariner
With glittering eye he jumps and shouts
But winning has been deferred

Till when you ask, how long must I wait
Will the playoffs ever be in sight
For this I have no answer
Cause the mix still isn’t right

Thinking back through the last six years
How swiftly they’ve passed by
I close my eyes and bite my lip
Trying so hard not to cry

I remember all those players in red
Yes, there were so many
Passing through TFC’s front door
We barely have kept any

Yet some of them were pretty good
While others were rather stinky
But it made little difference at trading time
To Mo and Aron and Preki

It really is a shame you say
The fans were so supportive
How could things have fallen so far
And become so terribly abortive

Well Mo is gone
and so are Aron and Preki
Each was greeted with high hopes
But the results were less than pretty

Now they’re led by a man I’ll call
The Ancient Mariner
With glittering eye he jumps and shouts
But winning has been deferred

Till when you ask, how long must I wait
Will the playoffs ever be in sight
For this I have no answer
Cause the mix still isn’t right

Part II

Let us turn for a bit
To the family of the Reds
To the man who called the shots
And left us as the dregs

His name is Tom and he’s the one
Who commanded this ship of fools
But maybe he’s not foolish after all
We just don’t understand the rules

It’s all about making money
And at that he is quite good
It’s not about winning on the field
But he’d have done that if he could

So is there anything to learn from this
To leave us with faint comfort
Is there hope for the Reds or is hope quite dead
No optimist among us

It’s hard to see how things will change
Unless they get quite lucky
There is no core, mistakes galore
And it’s still about the money

But maybe if the stands were still
With no fans to be seen
Tom would get the message
And it won’t be what it’s been

What if winning became important
Because the money had stopped flowing
Would TFC still be like the Leafs
At forty-five years and counting

Would MLSE know how to do it
If it really really mattered
What would they do different
So that hope would not be shattered

So this is the end of my little ode
but the saga will go on
I’m sorry to say that it’s hard to pin your hopes
On President Tom

Why the Academy may not be as great for us as expected.

2012-08-02T20:34:22Z

With the recent investment of $20 million towards a new training ground by Toronto FC and the league-wide emphasis of academy building; it is clear that for TFC and MLS they perceive that academies are the future of player development in Canada and the US. Unlike many of my fellow Toronto FC supporters, I believe that academies are not the saviour of Canadian soccer and might not become the primary mode of entry for Canadians into MLS. The main reason for this is that the players may be turned off from signing from the TFC Academy by North American, European, and Soccer factors.

Before I present my arguments I would first like to do a brief summary of the academy players currently signed with TFC:

Doneil Henry: 26 games played with 15 starts, projected to be CB of the future but is now starting RB under Mariner. Paid $45,100 in 2012

Ashtone Morgan: 34 games played with 28 starts, starting LB projected to be future All-Star (with Europe a distant possibility) and has just signed a new 3 year deal with TFC hopefully including a raise. Paid $44,000 in 2012

Matt Stinson: 16 games played with 6 starts, the most mysterious of all Academy graduates seemed to break through under Winter last year but with only 3 appearances this year seems to be doomed. I project him to be a bubble player on a MLS squad, never being spectacular and always in danger of being replaced. Paid $44,000 in 2012

Oscar Cordon: 4 games played with 1 start all in 2011 and has not made the subs bench in 2012, he has not been rated by any coach and his career is doomed (according to all indications given to me) and gave up a potential American college career for next to nothing. Paid $44,000 in 2012

Nicholas Lindsay: 4 games played with 2 starts in 2010 and has been injured all of 2011 and 2012, the what-if of the current academy players, to say he was amazing in those games would be an understatement, 3 assists in 4 game. He was simply spectacular. However fate dealt him a cruel blow, he broke his leg in an accident and probably killed his career. He may come back but probably will never be what those few games promised. Paid $45,100 in 2012

Keith Makubuya: 1 appearance in 2011 and has not made the subs bench in 2012, see Cordon. His soccer career effectively amounts to one half of football. Paid $44,000 in 2012

Quillan Roberts: 0 appearances in 2012 and none are expected anytime soon, he is projected to be... a goalkeeper. Seriously at 17 who knows what might become of him but considering that as a TFC 3rd string goalie he will be contending for all of 10 reserve games a year, his development will be affected. Probably should’ve gone to college and at least started matches then signed with TFC later, instead of unintentionally curbing his own growth. Paid $33,750 in 2012

Before I present my arguments I would first like to do a brief summary of the academy players currently signed with TFC:

Doneil Henry: 26 games played with 15 starts, projected to be CB of the future but is now starting RB under Mariner. Paid $45,100 in 2012

Keith Makubuya: 1 appearance in 2011 and has not made the subs bench in 2012, see Cordon. His soccer career effectively amounts to one half of football. Paid $44,000 in 2012

If you choose to not continue to read my blog at least take note of the above summaries. Basically you have all of One player who has secured his long term future in the game, One player who looks to be a good player in to the future, One player who will probably never play again, and Four players who would have been infinitely better served going to university. All for the amazing chance to earn $44,000, which is what a university grad would probably be earning and would eventually surpass. Now all this may seem incidental to the success of the team because as most sports people will say "2 out of 7 ain’t bad" (or something like that). However it does affect the way the parents and the players will view the opportunity that graduation from TFC academy presents. Basically TFC is offering the slim chance of making very good money for a short time in return for the player sacrificing a free education which would perhaps derail his future in soccer.

The reasons that some Academy players will not/should not sign with TFC can roughly be divided into North American, European, and Soccer Factors.

North American:

· The United States offers full athletic scholarships to certain players (i.e. TFC academy players) to essentially attend university for free in return for playing soccer for the University. This is especially important in the Canadian job market where the lack of a post secondary education essentially means working for or near minimum wage.

· NCAA the ruling body of collegiate sports in the United States prohibits professional players from participating in university sports meaning that players who have ever signed a professional contract lose their eligibility to compete in sports at University and therefore the players cannot receive athletic scholarships.

· Canadian Universities, although they do offer athletic scholarships, the perceived competitive level is lower thus leading most athletes to go for American Schools.

· University Grads continue to have great success in MLS.

· MLS does not offer high enough starting wages to regularly convince athletes to forgo college (to put it in perspective High School athletes regularly command $200,000 and up salaries when they are drafted in the 5th round by MLB).

· Canadian athletes are counted as internationals to American teams in MLS meaning that there are only three teams in the whole world that consider borderline Canadian players an asset.

· It’s MLS or BUST, meaning that in "English Speaking" North America there is really only one league that can offer a living wage consistently.

· The current reserve league has all of ten games a year as opposed to 16 to 20 games played by colleges a year.

· Due to MLS rules Academy players are only really useful as long as they retain their home-grown status (and consequently lower salaries) and are more likely to be cut when they lose that status as seen with Generation Addidas Players.

European:

· Europe has the most renowned academies and the best players tend to go to them as seen by former TFC Academy players Michael Petrasso and Dylan Carreiro signing with Queens Park Rangers and also Kevin Aleman signing with Real Valladolid (which are hardly powerhouses).

· Europe has no athletic scholarships which may be a main reason for the emergence of academies.

· Europe pays good wages.

· European leagues have football pyramids which mean that if a player doesn’t stick around at one level he can just go down.

· Due to the geography and huge amount of clubs in Europe, big clubs spend big money for scouting in Europe, if you’re a young player you will be more easily noticed in Europe.

Soccer:

· Soccer players have about a 10 year span, of top division play, in which they can make their money (around 23-33) so they have to make their money immediately and in large amounts.

· Do to the prevalence of world soccer and the deep player pool a long term stable career is almost impossible to maintain..

· Injuries, essentially everything could be going well, top of the world and then boom your top level career is over.

Basically what I’m saying while the TFC Academy may indeed become a success with time, it essentially relies on TFC selling a bad idea to the players and hoping they take it.

Hey Guys

2012-07-02T07:51:31Z

I'm going to be over in Toronto from England for the next few months and i was wondering where TFC fans gather to watch away games. Are there any dedicated TFC pubs?

Send a kid to Canada v Honduras.

2012-04-24T01:02:31Z

So let's forget for a moment about all the TFC confusion, chaos and disappointment, and instead once again turn to Canada for a little bit of hope and a way to feel good about yourself.

By now, you're presumably aware of all the games Canada will be playing this summer, and have already bought tickets and roped friends and family into coming along with you. You have? Excellent. But if for whatever reason you can't make it, but you still want to do your bit to ensure a pro Canadian crowd, well here's an excellent way to be able to do just that, by, as the title suggests, sending a kid to Canada v Honduras. The Voyageurs have teamed up with Toronto Community Housing who, as part of their youth engagement programme offering sports opportunities to those who'd otherwise be unable to participate, are hoping to use donated tickets to take as many people out to the game as possible.

Even aside from the feel good factor of helping those less fortunate, the more selfish reward is to know you're helping Canada. Last year, the crowd was overwhelmingly backing Canada, but there were still plenty of empty seats. This year, especially in the game against Honduras, those seats will be filled by opposition fans, so not only are you doing a good thing for some random kid, and hopefully creating some lifelong Canada fans who'll come back for game after game, you're actively ensuring one less Honduran there for that game, which is surely something everyone can get behind.

So there you go, even if you're not in Toronto, you can still support the CMNT. Click here, and for $20, send a kid into the south stand to cheer his or her heart out on your behalf. You know it makes sense.

So let's forget for a moment about all the TFC confusion, chaos and disappointment, and instead once again turn to Canada for a little bit of hope and a way to feel good about yourself.

Canada World Cup Qualifying Tickets on Sale!

2012-04-12T20:43:13Z

If you are reading this I am going to assume that you are a fan of soccer. Chances are that since you are reading on a Toronto based blog you are also from the area or have a connection to Toronto. That means that I have a challenge that is aimed at each and every one of you.

Today the pre-sale of tickets for the Canadian Men's National team games this summer started (see below for details and links). The four matches will all take place at BMO Field in Toronto, same as last year, so if you can get to Toronto for one or all of these games then the simple thing is to do so!

This years games are: June 3 (friendly vs. USA), June 12 (WCQ vs. Honduras), September 7 (WCQ vs. Panama) and October 12 (WCQ vs. Cuba). So you have two chances to get out in the spring and then two more in the fall. To me that seems manageable for most people to at least get out to two of the games.

It may seem a bit in your face of me to tell you that you better get yourself to BMO for as many of these games as you can manage but the fact of the matter is that unless you are willing to put the time and effort into supporting the National teams how can you stand back and expect things to get better?

I know that like me many of you reading this post are sick of seeing the visiting countries colours filling up large portions of the stadium. Fact is that we could very well see that taking place again as each of the opposition teams (USA, Honduras, Panama, and Cuba) will be capable of attracting large numbers of their fans. We have seen that song and dance before but now it needs to be a thing of the past. We should not need to beat this same drum every time that Canada plays but the fact of the matter is that the crowds were not good enough last year for Canada's games. There were a lot of very passionate fans filling up some sections of BMO but there were also a lot of empty seats. The challenge is not getting the South Stand full, that will happen, it is to get the casual soccer fans out and turn them into Canadian fans.

This is not a plea that I am alone in making. It was a sentiment that was echoed by Canada's head coach Stephen Hart. On a conference call this afternoon the coach made it clear that for him and the players having a loud and supportive Canadian crowd can actually help them get good results.

Just imagine for a moment that you are a player who has just proudly put on your nation's shirt and then you walk out to the field to be greeted by a crowd that seems to be mainly dressed in other colours. You would feel demoralized before the game has even begun and that is not a good way to go about getting the big results that Canada is going to need. The other side is that you walk out on the same field to be greeted by a sea of fans wearing red and making a lot of noise. That is sure to put a spring in your step which might just be enough to push you towards a better performance and a big result.

In the past Canada has had no home field advantage while every country they visit does. On the dates of these matches Canada will have a fairly friendly climate and will be playing on a good pitch. They won't be greeted by the same in Panama, Honduras, or Cuba where it will likely be hot, bumpy, and most importantly hostile. Even if BMO field is a welcoming setting fans can at least make sure the crowd does its part to make it feel slightly hostile. Being outnumbered by traveling fans and expats will not do that!

If you need more convincing to go out and buy tickets, well Squizz makes another good case for you to be at BMO on CSN. The problem is that for every good initiative that is launched there seems to be something that deals a blow to the momentum. There was a lot of positive reaction when the OSA sent out a letter to their members asking them not to schedule games or practices on the nights that Canada plays but it seems that has come to nothing in the end. As Jason DeVos, referenced by Duane Rollins on CSN, points out, the provinces youth soccer leagues decided to ignore that request and have not left those days open.

The CSA, OSA and Umbro Canada are primed to try and work with Toronto area clubs to get the next generation of fans out in the stands for these games but now they are facing an added challenge of some youth teams having to play games. A club like Oakville, where DeVos works, sent large numbers last season and set a good example by keeping their schedule as clear as they could on the nights that Canada is playing. Problem is that even the clubs with the best intentions do not get to control their league schedules so these Ontario leagues have just ruled out many young fans from attending.

If you are a parent of a young player you should be in touch with your club about sending a group and getting involved in the discount tickets and other incentives that are being offered. You should even consider taking the night off from club activities and possibly missing a game if it allows you to get out and support Canada. In the long run being at the game and developing that kind of love for soccer is actually better for a kid than playing in just one more youth soccer game.

That is enough of me trying to convince you to come to these games now you need the info to do just that. So how do you get your hands on tickets then? Well here are the basic options.

You can join the Supporters Groups in the South Stands by buying tickets through the Voyaguers, Red Patch Boys, or U Sector. All of that info can be found here. These sections will offer a variety of viewing experiences, from the full on supporter experience, general admission, flags, capos all that sort of thing, to a family section where you can sit down but still be guaranteed to be among Canadian supporters.

Starting on April 13th you can get tickets through the general sale on ticketmaster. If you want to get your tickets that way I would suggest checking out the CSA's info page first to again make sure you end up with the tickets that are right for you.

Now you know how to buy tickets so if you can afford to come to even just one game now is the time to get tickets. Fans of these other countries will be ready to buy their tickets so there really is no reason to delay if you want to get good seats and be part of what needs to be a pro-Canadian crowd.

On the Toronto FC front Hart did note in his conference call that at least three Reds remain in his plans for this years games. He has his eyes on Julian De Guzman, Terry Dunfield, and Ashtone Morgan to play some role this year but even though he did not mention them in the call Adrian Cann and Matt Stinson will at least be in the back of his mind for potential call ups if they are playing well.

Support World Vision

2012-02-26T20:11:54Z

This site never really asks anything of its readers but on this occasion I do have a request to make of you. On March 9th I will be taking part in a little soccer tournament that is being put together by Kristian Jack of the Score's footy show. This with be the 4th annual rendition of the tournament and it is an event that raises a fair bit of money for World Vision.

That is where you fine folks come in. I may be the one playing in the games but that does not mean that you cannot still help out by supporting such a good cause. If you would like to support me and World Vision you have two options to do so. The first option is to get in touch with me via email at d.a.rowaan@gmail.com and we can set up an email money transfer for any donation you would like to make. The other option is to let me know you want to make a donation and then find me at the pregame events on March 7th to give me the money.

You can also help out by getting in touch with KJ and asking him for more information about the raffle that is involved in the event. He will have some fantastic prizes on offer and the tickets are $5 each so that is another opportunity for you to help out a good cause and maybe even get a bit of a prize for it.

Some of you have already made donations for which I am very grateful but I hope to raise a bit more money over the coming week as this is a fantastic cause.

Thankyou for helping out in any way that you can even if it is just spreading the word,

David

Edit: video from KJ about the event and how to get involved here!

Some of you have already made donations for which I am very grateful but I hope to raise a bit more money over the coming week as this is a fantastic cause.

Thankyou for helping out in any way that you can even if it is just spreading the word,

David

Edit: video from KJ about the event and how to get involved here!

Toronto FC supporters chants. Video and lyrics.

2012-02-12T23:25:26Z

As you know on March 7th Toronto FC will be hosting the L.A Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter finals, first leg, and rather than at BMO Field, it's going to be at the Rogers Centre. With tickets sold reportedly creeping towards the 50,000 mark, there should be plenty of fans there that are new to this TFC supporting thing, and maybe dear reader, that means you.

The Supporters Groups will as always be doing their thing, but in order to ensure that Toronto FC has a strong home field advantage, we are counting on everyone to contribute, so if you fall into that "new supporter" category, a) welcome, have fun, then please come back for more games, and b) here are some things you can do to participate:

Visually.
Wear Red (just not a Man Utd shirt with number 7 and you know who on the back).
Bring your scarf. Make a banner. Bring a flag. Toronto FC, Canada, or your own creation, bring your flags and wave them proudly.
This sort of thing doesn't really happen any more at BMO Field, but for this game, streamers will be back. You can buy them very cheaply at your friendly neighbourhood dollar store, so bring lots of red or white streamers and let loose after the national anthem or after Toronto FC scores.

Verbally.
Speaking of O Canada, despite this being an international competition, the anthem won't get formally played, so it'll be just the supporters going a capella, which is always better anyway. This will commence immediately following the cheesy Concacaf anthem which plays as the players walk out. Look to the south end and when you see the supporters with scarves held up, you'll know they're about to start. You know the words, let's hope we can all go at the same speed
There should be a chant sheet available to you with some of the more popular songs you will hear at a Toronto FC match, join the supporters in singing chants and songs as the game progresses or you can always start your own, no need to be shy. Some of the chants are simple enough to catch on to very quickly (T-F-C, clap-clap-clap, T-F-C, clap-clap-clap), but others are more complicated and by the time you've figured out what it is the supporters are actually saying they might well have moved on. To avoid that and be able to fully get in the spirit of things, after the jump there's lyrics and video of a few chants you will be sure to hear. Feel free to learn and participate.

Some of the videos linked are from TFC games, some are of other clubs doing it to give you an idea of what it should sound like. The last one? well that's something I've seen discussed on supporters groups message boards as something new to try this year, that I really really hope takes off.

The TFC Massive

(usually sung from one section to another)
Call: Qu'est-ce que vous chantez?
Answer: Nous chantons les rouges allez!
x4
la la la la, lalalalalalala,
la la la la, lalalalalalala (with jumping)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MKsRnStFsI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICxSPBO-IKw

TFC Bounce

(usually sung when winning)
They built the house on Lakeshore for the Reds, the Reds
We’ll never stop 'til we won the cup, we said, we said
And when you see us, it’s plain to see
Toronto’s the greatest in history
and the Reds go marching on to victory
(repeat again with La’s and jumping until last line)
...and the Reds go marching on to victory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPv3yX5Ir9w

Just Cant Get Enough
(usually sung after a goal)
When I see Toronto, I go out of my head
I just can’t get enough, I just can’t get enough
All the things you do to me and all the things you said
I just cant get enough, I just cant get enough
We slip and slide when we fall in love
and I just can’t seem to get enough of...
(Repeat with Doo’s and jumping)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUwshjBY3hk&feature=related

Feel our passion

Can you feel our passion
Can you hear us singing
Can you feel our hearts beat
You’re our everything - You’re our everything
Ohhhh Ohhh Ohhh Ohhhhhh
Ohhh Ohh Ohh Ohhhhhhh
Ohhh Ohhh Ohh Ohhh-----Ohh Ohh Ohh Ohhh
We love you T-Ooooh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZZkAobEphE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKfMUQMXzlw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3XgZ6T_IhU

Forever we love you (Sloop TFC)

Forever we love you so (Clap Clap)
Through all of the highs and lows
This is our crest and this, this is our home
We want you to knowwwwwww
We want you to knowww_ooooo_ooooo
Forever we love you
We love you T-O....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpVsbx3x8Mc&feature=related

New Years TFC

You’re in our hearts
You’re in our blood
We love you T--F--C
I’d rather die
than see you lose
Forever T--F--C
(repeat with La’s and jumping)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_OQujPNj-Y

Allez Allez Allez les rouges Allez
Allez Allez Allez les rouges Allez
Allez Allez Allez les rouges Allez
Allez Allez Allez!
Allez Allez Allez!
Allez Allez Allez les rouges Allez
Ooooooh Ooooh Oohh Ooh
Ooooooh Ooooh Oohh Ooh
Ooooh Oooooooh
Ooooh Oooooooh
Ooooooh Ooooh Oohh Ooh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjx-Nh-tfII

Oh When The Reds

(usually done two times very slow, one time fast, followed by call and response)
Oh when the reds
Go marching in
O when the reds go marching in
I wanna beeeeee in that number
Oh when the reds go marching in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3G2pbgk9m4

Stonecutters TFC

Who supports the strong and free?
Who supports the TFC?
We do.....We do....
Who always has the loudest voice?
and always brings the fucking noise?
We do....we do
Who stays standing , rain or shine?
And goes fucking mental,
all the time?
We dooooo..We dooooooooo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSpOjj4YD8c

There's plenty more out there but those are some of the ones you're more likely to hear. So there you go, no excuses for unpreparedness now. For the first time at home we've got a roof, let's make it loud.

Living Support Local Soccer (Football)

2012-01-09T01:22:46Z

A while ago I promised Kristin that I would write this fan post but it got delayed due to the business of the holiday season and then Toronto FC deciding that they wanted to actually give us some news to cover again. Now I have time to sit down and write it though so without further ado this is the post of my fan story.

My story as a fan is not really anything special. I did not grow up in a family that loved soccer but my parents wanted me to be active so they let me play soccer as a child. From the first time that I played I found that I had a great time and was quite good at the sport. I spent my early years in house league since my parents did not want to dedicate the time or money required for rep soccer but that did not bother me as I just loved playing. It became more serious for me around high school as I played at a more competitive level as well as for my school team. I even got in to reffing around grade 10 which was something that I enjoyed for the most part. My playing years got sidetracked by a knee injury but I did manage to play some rec indoor during University while reffing for around 6 years. I gave up the reffing due to a whole lot of reasons, mainly a loss of passion and lack of time, and was no longer playing.

When I finished school at the end of 2010 I was really looking for a good way to stay involved in soccer but with much of my life being a bit up in the air it was tough to commit to a club and work meant I did not have the time to dedicate to coaching. That left me with one real good option for staying involved and that was becoming a soccer blogger and sharing my passion in that way.

That left me with the question of what I should blog about. It was actually a tough question since for years I have been a fan of Manchester United but if I wrote about them I would likely just be lost in the sea of coverage that already exists and that was not my goal. Instead I decided that for the first time I would look closer to home as a soccer fan. Toronto FC had been around for a while but until 2011 came around I never really gave them a fair shake. I actually feel that I might have been a boarderline Euro snob who dismissed the MLS for lacking the quality of my beloved BPL but that was just me being ignorant to how enjoyable that league was actually becoming.

It was out of all those thoughts that my blog was born. I launched "Here We Call it Soccer" to write about my efforts to better support local football and that included a lot of blogging about Toronto FC and the Canadian National teams. The site was enjoyable but it really was not going anywhere so when the latter months of the summer came along and I was working 50 hours most weeks the blog basically stopped being a priority since it did not feel like it was going anywhere. That blog will always be special to me even if it only ever got around 3000 page views since it allowed me to make a lot of connections, recounted my first trip to a CMNT game, and really started the ball rolling on everything else that has taken place.

The blog died in early August but when I was laid off from my job at the end of the summer that writing bug came back stronger then ever. I did not feel like going back to running a blog all by myself so I started to ask around for chances to write elsewhere. That is where Duncan stepped up and gave me the chance to work with him on this site. From there I have not looked back at all and it has been a great time helping to grow this site and getting connected to even more of you fine folks. Working for this site has only made me more of a Toronto FC fan and I realized this fall when Manchester United was crashing out of the Champions League that I actually have a stronger emotional attachment to TFC and CMNT now, that was unthinkable at the start of this year.

I think it is safe to say that my time on Waking the Red has been a success so far so I have to thank all of you for the part you have played in that but mainly Duncan for giving me the chance to join the writing team here and giving me the chance to gain more exposure for doing something I really do enjoy.

The real high point of the past year though was getting the chance to write for Sportsnet. It is hard to describe how flattered I was when John Molinaro got in touch with me and asked me if I would be willing to regularly contribute a blog for the website. It was a chance that I could not turn down and just feels like I am now one big step closer to making this soccer writing thing work out.

I dream of one day reaching the point where I can call myself a professional soccer writer but for now I can call myself a better, more knowledgeable, fan. All the time I have spent writing about TFC and the Canadian National teams has really increased my dedication to them as fans and it has been great going on this journey with all of you. Still blows my mind what has all taken place in less than a year.

All I Want For Christmas Is...

2011-12-21T19:43:02Z

Dear Santa,

This year I’ve been a fairly good boy, having traveled to Edmonton to see TFC in the Canadian Championship match there, and watching games whenever I can. I haven’t been able to spend many pennies going to more games than that, but hey, I’m still a student after all with bills to pay.

But with 2011 now water under the bridge, I do have a few things I’m hoping for in 2012 for TFC, that I hope you can deliver...

...A swift end to the Joao Plata and Richard Eckersley negotiations. These are the players I’m sure most of us will agree has had the most impact on the team besides Danny Koevermans and Torsten Frings – and the sooner that they can be liberated from LDU Quito and Burnley (who is reportedly not even interested in having the latter back), the better.

...A real, honest to goodness Centre-Back. Like the latest toy, we’ve been asking for this one every year for the last five years – and so far you haven’t delivered. Our backline has been renovated more times than a Church Street bar, it’s time we got some stability there. It could be a completely healthy Adrian Cann, but I’d rather see Cann be part of a stable backline complete with a new DP...like Phillip Lahm, perhaps? (I’m sure Torsten can help you on that...)

Dear Santa,

But with 2011 now water under the bridge, I do have a few things I’m hoping for in 2012 for TFC, that I hope you can deliver...

...Some stability in the lineup. I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. The year-in and year-our blowing up of the entire squad has become...frankly, tiresome. I think I don’t want any more of that.

...The end of DP status for Julian de Guzman. I think we can all agree that this was undeserved, and that his salary could be renegotiated. If he doesn't like it -- tough patooties. It's only recently he's started to play like he deserves it...and in my view it's a case of too little, too late. Oh well...off with his DP status, I say, and not a moment too soon! There's too many others that the team can use that DP status on (Philipp Lahm...)

...Someone to make us say, "Dwayne de Rosario? Who dat?" I am sick and tired of the endless debate about this guy. I'm sure you're probably sick of people asking for him to come back, or to go away. I say we need someone to stand up in 2012, and once and for all wipe him from our collective memories. Could it be a new DP, or possibly Danny Koevermans? Please...bring us someone who can wipe his memory clean!

...Another shiny trophy. Three Voyageurs’ Cups are nice, but I think we are ready to graduate to a bigger model. The CONCACAF Champions’ League trophy would look real nice in the trophy cabinet, and would look really fantastic next to the Philip Anchultz trophy. Only one team in MLS has ever completed the double in the same year (DC United won the CONCACAF Champions Cup the year after they won the MLS Cup, so that doesn’t count...or does it?) so I'm sure we'd be tickled pink if we would be the first team to complete that double. (A Canadian triple!)

...More moments of pure pwnage. You know that game we had against FC Dallas? The one win that was so bad, that our friends at Big D Soccer named it the worst moment in their team’s season? It’s up there with the Miracle in Montreal, but with the way things are going...I would love to see more moments like these. And hey, if we just get one against those pompous wannabes up in Seattle Sounders next year (like shutting them out of the playoffs)...I’ll be pretty content!

I know it may be asking a lot (besides my other request for a...well, never mind), but for me and my friends it’s all I want this Christmas. So please, come Spring, we hope you can help deliver.

Love,

John

How Twitter Made Me A Better Fan

2011-12-21T18:58:18Z

How Twitter Made Me A Better Fan

I've been a fan of the beautiful game since I was 9 years old. That was when my dad signed me up to play in our local house league in Peterborough. From the first kick I was hooked and played (right back in case you're wondering) at various levels for the next 10 years - only knee issues and a move to a new city (and starting uni) really stopped me from continuing. Well, that and honestly - I was a decent player but at the time had no confidence in my abilities to compete at that level. But that is neither here nor there.

Throughout my life I've watched off & on - mostly EPL, with a side of La Liga & Seria A thrown in for good measure. And of course when it was time for the World Cup & Euro I was entranced & glued to the television. However, through all of this I hadn't paid much attention to the game here in Canada or North America. Then five years ago I got the most amazing Christmas present ever; my parents bought me season's tickets for Toronto's new entry into the MLS; TFC. I can't express how happy this gift made me. A chance to cheer on a team week in and week out; right here in the city I call my home? To go see professional football all the time? Giddy is the best way to express how I felt.

For four years I was faithfully in my seat at BMO - sometimes with a friend in my second seat (or more often as TFC failed to impress - alone) cheering for my team and visiting with my seatmates. I loved every second of it, but after the match was over, that was it, I headed home. I still remained disconnected from the local supporter & footy community. I didn't feel truly part of what was unfolding in front of & around me. That is until this year when my increased participation in social media (thanks twitter!) and a growing desire to learn more about footy culture, both here in Toronto & Canada led me to reach out and participate on a different level.

Due to several blogs (most notably The Yorkies & Waking The Red) and various footy folk on twitter (too many to mention, but you know who you are) I began to ask questions and received actual answers - ones that didn't make me feel like an idiot for asking. I also began to offer my opinions and actually participate in debates about my team, its players, coaching staff and owners. Suddenly, I had an entire group of people who shared my views & my passion, for both my team and the sport. I started reading more, watching more & understanding far more about the beautiful game. I looked forward to each home match with even more enthusiasm as I knew that I had a circle of people with whom I could dissect, lament & celebrate each kick of the ball. Away games meant lengthy discussions on twitter & game threads on blogs.

This led to actually meeting up with several "tweeps" at the TFC/Real Esteli CCL match this past July. From that day forward, home matches meant a beer before to hash out the latest news & offer thoughts on the game ahead. Afterwards often meant heading out to one of the local pubs to celebrate or mourn as the result indicated. What a difference it was to watch with people that shared my passion & joy when things went well and my anger & sorrow when they didn't! This culminated in my seeing my first ever Canadian Men's team WCQ match and watching my home team move on to the next round of the CCL; advancing further than they ever had before. This was made all the sweeter because I was with fellow fans - not sitting on my couch cheering alone or by myself in my seat at BMO. This is what I always thought it should feel like to really support a team; this was what I had wanted from the beginning.

While I don't pretend to know nearly as much as the people I follow, nor the blogs that I read & participate on; I'm learning and in that learning I find that my passion for my team and the sport grows. I'm connected to the football community in my city & country now; I'm a better fan now and all because of 140 characters.

How Twitter Made Me A Better Fan

Ex-TFC draft pick Zac Herold busted for DUI

2011-12-14T23:49:19Z

As we Cantonese like to say in cases like these...Ai-ya!

Courtesy of Tim Drodge at View from the South Stands, we have learned that former TFC draft pick Zac Herold was arrested back in October for DUI in Florida.

I really don't know what to say about this, to be honest. Even if it is DUI, as a coach...what does this say about him? And...oh, you know what? I don't know what to say or make of this. I'm just glad he no longer belongs in the organization.

Good riddance? You decide.

As we Cantonese like to say in cases like these...Ai-ya!

Courtesy of Tim Drodge at View from the South Stands, we have learned that former TFC draft pick Zac Herold was arrested back in October for DUI in Florida.

Good riddance? You decide.