Ryan Nelsen (Unattached FC Coach)

http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-05-04-COL-v-TOR/preview

Game is on in 4 hours

The new player they signed has been cleared to play. Judging by the result the other day, he might need to sign a few defenders as well.

Laba to start. Game about to start - http://88.80.5.80/w00t/20130504/vv5184ec24d3389199373122-573725.html 

0-0 at HT, Rapids probably had the best chance but Earnshaw should have converted his couple chances.

Rapids score in the 86th minute #DejaVu

Hello. Toronto FC supporter here. 

Generally speaking, Nelsen has the support of most of TFC fanbase, despite another terrible form. Only 1 league win and we are about 2  months into the season. But after 7 years of terrible management and constant change in coaches and players, we are all wanting a bit of stability. So Nelsen will get at least a season to prove himself, and show measurable progress.

We finally have a ownership that cares about winning, and money won't be an issue. Maple Leaf Entertainment and Sports is one of the biggest sports company in North America, and owns Toronto Maple Leafs (ice hockey), Toronto Raptors (basketball) and Toronto FC. TFC actually is the minor slice of this company. The parent companies of MLSE are Bell and Rogers, two of the biggest media companies in Canada. MLSE just hired Tim Leiweke formerly of AEG which is another huge US sports/entertainment company, and the man credited with bringing Beckham to MLS and is a soccer savvy guy. 

TFC also has a new president in Kevin Payne who is also the General Manager (technical director), instead of the previous guy who didn't know much about soccer. Payne has won 4 MLS Cups with DC United, though that was in late 90s, early 2000s. But we are glad to have a boss of TFC who knows MLS and what it takes to win.

Ryan Nelsen was hired with ideal of building a team for a long term success, similar to that of many top MLS teams are doing right now. TFC in the past was built for short term success, with unbalanced roster without thought into the future, all for making the playoffs which haven't happened in ages. We know he is young and inexperienced, but we think he can grow with the team which is also young and inexperienced, at least the core parts. We trust in Kevin Payne's judgement that Ryan Nelsen can be a great coach, because frankly, we really have no choice.

We are pretty happy that Nelsen has the team competing most games. TFC got the really bad end of the stick and played some of the best teams in the league for most part. TFC will be playing San Jose, who won the Supporter's Shield (best league record) on Wed night (I dunno the time difference). And TFC haven't been blown out in the league yet, all losses are only by a goal. We are unhappy about late game gaffs, conceding late goals 5 out of 7 games. That has been a problem throughout TFC's existence and hopefully Nelsen can fix that. Certainly as a former stud of a CB, he can't be happy about that. And losing 6-0 in a derby match in the Voyageurs Cup match is not a good thing...

When Kevin Payne and Nelsen got hired, TFC had one shambles of a roster and Kevin Payne had to get rid of a lot of crap to make room for new signings. Nelsen has been bringing in a lot of ex EPL/Championship type players to fill in the roster. Some have done better than others. But we know that a lot of these signings are temporary and to see who will stick or not. 

But future is looking better. TFC is finally building a decent scouting network, the first fruits of that being signing of Argentina U20 DM Matias Laba. TFC has one of best youth academies in MLS (17 mil training facility plus academy) and some of our youngsters have been called up to Canadian senior national team already. 

TFC has been so bad that we are used to failures constantly. Well, we had some success in the Voyageurs Cup (Canada cup competed between 4 teams) and we made it to CONCACAF Champion's League semi finals last year. Although TFC has lost a lot of support, we still get about 17-18k for home games. 47k showed up for CCL game vs Los Angeles last year, though that game had a lot of hype plus Beckham and Robbie Keane. Toronto sent 4k to Montreal early this year, and that's the away support record that won't be broken in MLS for a long time I'd bet. (Toronto is about 6 hrs drive from Montreal)

So, we are very starved for success, but the support is still there. And we are very much hoping that Ryan Nelsen is the guy to do it.

Cheers for the background dude.

Nelsen very much one of our favourite sons and greatest leaders so we hope he can work some magic for you guys.

Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen has tapped into his New Zealand connections and hired Duncan Oughton as an assistant coach.
http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/mls/story/?id=422705

will S.Elliot be join them soon?

you heard it here 1st.

Certainly makes streaming Toronto games more exciting...if anything

San Jose v Toronto at 2:30pm today.

Wheres the best place to stream Toronto games?

www.vipboxsports.me

1-0 Toronto. TFC might actually get a result away against defending Supporter's Shield winners

Wow, how did San Jose miss that goal just before half time. Shocker of a call by the ref to even let play go on, after the assistant flagged for a big offside.

Don't they have air pieces now adays to talk to each other through?

I'm assuming they won today?

Toronto just sitting back, lumping the ball back to San Jose. They just can't keep the ball to take the pressure off.

 Quakes score. 2-1 after 80 mins.

 That was shocking marking.

Jesus, TFC are a lost cause at the moment - how frustrating would it be losing leads late every game ?!

Should've got Dura, not Brockie.

Nelsen gets mad with all those late game gaffs. So he decides to raid QPR for Tal ben Haim on loan to TFC now

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/09/toronto-fc-acquire-israeli-international-defender-tal-ben-haim-loan-queens-p

Seems he is using his QPR connections to pick up players, wonder if he tried to get Hoilett on loan.  He would be a great pick up.

Ryan's record after 11 games: W 1, D 4, L6, Pts 7

Herbert's record after 11 games last season: W 3, D 3, L 5, Pts 12

Hmmm.

Maybe Ryan needs to ring Ricki for a change?

a guy who has maed a powerful and immeadiate impression in the MLS is Obafemi Martins. 

Surprised by how easy it was to replicate Ricki Herbert's coaching record, Ryan Nelsen has turned his attention to imitating Gareth Morgan:

"You guys don't see it because you only take a look at the result. Just like yourself, you're not really educated on how a game can be".

Nelsen feeling the heat in Toronto

To be fair when you continuously concede in the last 3 mins of a game, you deserve to get shit from the media for not fixing that.

I think he's discovering that this whole coaching thing isn't so easy.

To be fair, Toronto was and had been a shambles for a long time when he got there.

Just conceded another late goal after dominating whole game with 10 men.

I would give up if I was a TFC supporter.

He has a roster to use not all of his own picking.  By all accounts they are on the improve. 

They were better - Brockie whipped in a great ball for the assist - but they still have 0 mental strength in those final 5-10 mins. Would drive me mad. Is like the Nix's first season x100.

http://nutjob.eu/njtvx17.html    pretty good link to watch game vs Dc United

Interesting trade by Nelsen today. Shipping Silva to DC for cash because he won't be getting much game time soon due to other signings.

So at the half-way point of the MLS season how does Ryan rate so far?

Here's TFC's record after 17 games for the last 3 seasons:

2011 W 2, D 9, L 6, Pts 15

2012 W 2, D 4, L 11, Pts 10

2013 W 2, D 7, L 8, Pts 13

And by way of comparison here's the Nix' record after 17 games in their 2 worst ever seasons:

07/08 W 4, D 5, L 8, Pts 17

12/13 W 4, D 4, L 9, Pts 16

TFC have had 8 different head coaches in their 7 year history. Ryan currently has the lowest winning percentage of any TFC coach ever at 11.7%, significantly lower than the next worst; Mo Johnston with 20% and Paul Mariner with 21%.

Things look pretty bad for him. If it wasn't for his close relationship with GM Kevin Payne I reckon he'd be out the door, or pretty close to it, by now.