So he is standing in the box and turns his arm into it.............................................................
Ryan Nelsen (Unattached FC Coach)
Ridiculous call. Arm in a natural position, hit above elbow turning his body away from impact of the ball, not even looking at it. There is no way it was deliberate. What should concern Nelsen is that you don't want your players in the wall shying away from it at all.
So he is standing in the box and turns his arm into it.............................................................
It would have made no difference if he had arms by the way - the ball still would have struck him in his lats.
We just won our last game of the season against Montreal!! Yeah!! 1-0 win for TFC. Montreal may not make the playoffs now, it all depends on how results go in tomorrow's games. Great win for TFC!! Earnshaw got the goal.
Did Ryan Nelsen retired playing officially?
in a word, yes, forever, his knees are soft whip cheese and glass daggers
Defoe for Toronto?? rumour credibility:
We're hearing about Defoe on a daily basis. There is certainly a lot of money, and the club is prepared to spend it. Having said that, we were told that Diego Forlan was coming, and that it was pretty much a done deal a few months ago.
Saw some footage of the Maori All Blacks beating Canada 40-15 at BMO Field, Toronto FC's home ground, on the weekend.
The sold-out 22,000 crowd was a record for rugby in Canada.
Bet you Ryan was there!
Report and video: http://www.3news.co.nz/VIDEO-All-tries-40-15-Maori-All-Blacks-Vs-Canada/tabid/415/articleID/319974/Default.aspx#.Unk6nvlmiSo
Article examining Ryan's tenure so far on Toronto FC fans' site:
http://www.wakingthered.com/2013/10/31/5051338/toronto-fc-ryan-nelsen-head-coach-keep-fire?
"....Were there signs of improvement over the course of the 2013 season? I would say that there were as the team became more solid defensively, conceded fewer goals (though 47 allowed was still 6th worst in MLS), were stronger against set pieces, and kept most games close.
Was there enough there to believe Nelsen is not about to turn the corner with this squad? You could also make a strong case for that considering the team only won 6 games, finished 17th in the league, had a terrible time scoring goals (30 is tied for 2nd worst in MLS), and they kept games close by barely hanging on and not actually looking like they had a chance of winning.
Depending on how you feel about Nelsen you can probably make a pretty strong case to support those feelings. So here are some numbers to help you make a case one way or the other.
Ryan Nelsen won 6 out of 34 MLS games this season which is good for a win percentage of just 17.6%. When you add in his cup performance (1 win, 1 defeat) that percentage moves up a bit 19.4% but that is the worst winning percentage of any coach Toronto FC have had.
| Coach | Winning % | Points per Game |
| Chris Cummins | 38.7 | 1.42 |
| Preki | 34.4 | 1.34 |
| John Carver | 30.6 | 1.20 |
| Nick Dasovic | 30 | 1.19 |
| Aron Winter | 28.1 | 1.17 |
| Paul Mariner | 21.4 | 0.93 |
| Mo Johnston | 20 | 0.83 |
| Ryan Nelsen | 19.4 | 0.94 |
The 11 draws that the team managed in MLS play under Nelsen this year do drive up his points per game total a bit but he is still only slightly better than Paul Mariner was in that department which is not exactly a good thing. If the only thing that matters is results then Nelsen is among the worst coaches Toronto FC have ever had and that is saying something considering not one of them has ever led the team to a playoff appearance.
The strongest case that can be made for Nelsen seems to be that the team has made defensive improvements under his watch. I look at the validity of the claim back in September but it is worth updating the numbers through to the end of the season to see where things stand.
| Season | Games Played | Goals Allowed | Goals against average |
| 2007 | 30 | 49 | 1.63 |
| 2008 | 30 | 43 | 1.43 |
| 2009 | 30 | 46 | 1.53 |
| 2010 | 30 | 41 | 1.37 |
| 2011 | 34 | 59 | 1.74 |
| 2012 | 34 | 62 | 1.82 |
| 2013 | 34 | 47 | 1.38 |
That 1.38 goals against per game is actually a decent number and is comparable to many of the teams that are competing in the playoffs this year. The best teams in MLS are closer to that 1 goal against range but only 5 teams allowed fewer than 40 goals (1.18 per game) this season. There is certainly a case to be made there for Nelsen and the improvements that he made for the club.
The attacking side of things is where it all gets ugly for Nelsen and why this team lost so many games this year. His teams 0.88 goals per game this season was not nearly good enough.
| Season | Games Played | Goals Scored | Goals per Game |
| 2007 | 30 | 25 | 0.83 |
| 2008 | 30 | 34 | 1.13 |
| 2009 | 30 | 37 | 1.23 |
| 2010 | 30 | 33 | 1.1 |
| 2011 | 34 | 36 | 1.06 |
| 2012 | 34 | 36 | 1.06 |
| 2013 | 34 | 30 | 0.88 |
It does not look good for Nelsen as his team are the first Toronto FC squad to finish a season averaging under a goal per game since the inaugural season. Considering that the lowest scoring team to make the playoffs this year found the back of the net 41 times while the average was closer to 50 there is a long way for TFC to go in terms of being competitive in the scoring department.
So now you have some numbers to backup your argument but the problem is that in this case the numbers only paint a limited picture. Is it Nelsen's fault that the team could not score goals or was he just getting the best out of what he had to work with? Are the defensive improvements enough to validate keeping Nelsen on as head coach for next season? Even if the club does bring in better forwards will Nelsen have any idea how to get the most out of them?
I am not going to sit here and try to make up anyone's mind about Ryan Nelsen as the head coach at Toronto FC. The fact of the matter is that the numbers are just as split as the opinions seem to be and it remains easy to make a case one way or the other depending on how you feel about Nelsen...."
POLLIs Ryan Nelsen the right man to coach Toronto FC in 2014?
- 60%Yes(198 votes)
- 22%No(71 votes)
- 18%How the heck should I know?(61 votes)
330 votes total
Can we get Ryan back to the All Whites playing squad?
what is the sound of one knee snapping? I'm sorry but it can't happen.
Rumours that Defoe is on his way to TFC.
Now they just need 10 others
Think we already knew this?
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Heads+roll+roll+English+soccer/9347639/story.html
Harry Redknapp, one of England’s most respected coaches who has been with a host of clubs in his time, can attest to player troubles better than most. He provides a frightening snapshot in his autobiography, writing about his troubles after taking on what turned out to be an unsuccessful bid to keep Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League.
He talks with horror about players being habitually late for training, many earning so much they were happier to be fined two weeks wages than to show up to work. He describes how it took him only a week or two to realize that 35-year-old New Zealander Ryan Nelsen was his best player. However, Nelsen was so disgusted with the overall attitude at QPR that he couldn’t wait to leave to take on the Toronto FC coaching job.
Nelsen told Redknapp he didn’t “have a prayer” of keeping the club up, that it was the worst dressing room he had ever been in and he didn’t think there was any way the problem could be solved. Player power personified.
Redknapp admits the stress of it all was so powerful that he couldn’t sleep, his body got the wobbles, his health was obviously suffering, he worried about heart attack or stroke and defeats had him losing perspective on life, “all this over a football match.”
Jermaine Defoe to Toronto by Monday. source: Toronto Sun
Harry Redknapp, one of England’s most respected coaches
Hahaha what a load of absolute bullshit.
Been given an open cheque book it seems, signing Michael Bradley for between 7-10 mil and on a 6.5 mil a year deal.
Now he wont need to sign Brockie during the transfer window.
Now he wont need to sign Brockie during the transfer window.
Is that a good or bad thing?
This is going to be the making or breaking of Nelsen as a coach. The money is being spent and by looking at TFC manager history he needs results quickly otherwise he will be out in a flash.
Been given an open cheque book it seems, signing Michael Bradley for between 7-10 mil and on a 6.5 mil a year deal.
Wow! With Defoe now seemingly confirmed, those are huge, expensive signings - both players real class. Bradley is one of the best midfielders the US has ever produced. Toronto played Roma in a friendly in Toronto last year which may have got the ball rolling.
Many fans are questioning where the money is coming from - apparently MLS are now subsidising some big signings to bring higher-profile players to the league and boost its credibility and profile. I know many MLS fans were envious of Del Piero, Ono etc. going to the A-League:
"Bradley’s reported salary would be a huge step up from the wages he garnered at Roma. Paid €800,000 after tax in Italy (roughly $1.1 million), the former Metro Stars midfielder would be making between five- and six-times more money to shift back to Major League Soccer. While they’ll certainly be questions about the motives of a 26-year-old midfielder swapping Serie A for Toronto FC, the pure financial motivation makes it difficult to argue with Bradley’s move.
One lingering question with the deal is who will pay the transfer fee, though if the Clint Dempsey example is any indication, Major League Soccer may have again broken out the checkbook. While it was initially assumed the Seattle Sounders had paid the price of Dempsey’s summer acquisition from Tottenham, reporting by Sports Illustrated later revealed the league had paid the former Spur’s transfer fee. As the 2013 season progressed, it was revealed other teams had benefitted from new policies allowing the league to pay part or all of certain players’ transfer fees.
One remaining snag for Toronto is their Designated Player situation. With the acquisition of Jermain Defoe, Toronto have used up their allotment of DP slots, with the former Spurs striker joining Matias Laba and Gilberto on the Reds’ books. Laba, an Argentine midfielder brought in under Kevin Payne, appears to be the on his way out, with Toronto looking for a home for the 22-year-old former Argentinos Juniors midfielder. If he can’t be traded, Laba’s contract will have to be renegotiated (or, its salary cap hit paid down by allocation money) to make room for Bradley.
...Tim Leiweke – the Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment chief executive who is overseeing the revitalization of TFC.
Today, Leiweke’s taken two huge steps toward replicating the star power he accumulated in Los Angeles, where he served a similar, architect’s role. With the Galaxy, Leiweke was crucial to the acquisitions of David Beckham and Robbie Keane, and while Bradley and Defoe may not carry the same star power, their signings represent an instant credibility boost to a team that’s never made the playoffs."
One remaining snag for Toronto is their Designated Player situation. With the acquisition of Jermain Defoe, Toronto have used up their allotment of DP slots, with the former Spurs striker joining Matias Laba and Gilberto on the Reds’ books. Laba, an Argentine midfielder brought in under Kevin Payne, appears to be the on his way out, with Toronto looking for a home for the 22-year-old former Argentinos Juniors midfielder. If he can’t be traded, Laba’s contract will have to be renegotiated (or, its salary cap hit paid down by allocation money) to make room for Bradley.
They traded a number of players for allocation money this past season, they will probably use that to keep Laba.
Nelly will be on a knifes edge with these signings, if they don't start strong he will be given the boot. Spending that amount of money is a clear indication the owners want success fast.
For my money, Bradley instantly becomes probably the best player in MLS. Sure, there are bigger names, but they are all (mostly) well past their prime. His pedigree, combined with only being 26 , make me think he's going to boss the league for years to come.
Though, hell, TFC could very well have the two best players in the league, as Defoe isn't quite as "past it" as some of the other big names MLS have brought over.
Funny that "Captain America" is with a Canadian club, though. The cynic in me thinks MLS is gonna try to move him to the new NYC team as soon as they start play haha.
Should be fun to see how he and Defoe and Nelson do this year. Would have probably preferred he stay in Europe, but hard to argue with that kind of money per year (especially considering he just had his first kid).
TFC re-signed former crowd favorite Dwayne De Rosario today also. Bit old at 35 but a very impressive career in the MLS.
TFC re-signed former crowd favorite Dwayne De Rosario today also. Bit old at 35 but a very impressive career in the MLS.
Good signing. As you say, fan favorite, and a presence like that can only be a positive for a franchise like Toronto.
Ryan on the new signings:
http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2014/01/nelsen-recent-signings
Will have a good experienced strike force with Defoe, De Rosario, Gilberto and Bright Dike added.
Gilberto hasn't attracted the same publicity - but the new Brazilian striker was one of the best in Brazil's top flight last season for Portuguesa (on loan from Internacional). 14 goals in 24 games. 24 years-old. Chased by several European clubs.
Former MLS player & US international Greg Vanney is the new Toronto Academy director (former assistant coach at Chivas USA).
“A great coup for the club,” said Nelsen, whose off-field connections helped cut through the red tape of dealing with Brazil.
It’s also a coup for the North American league, which in the past has had to settle for aging overseas stars.
Gilberto is young, has played at a high level and comes with solid credentials. MLS fans should see him flourish rather than fade....
...In four seasons in the Brazilian Serie A, he has made 109 appearances, with 38 goals and 10 assists."
Ryan has also signed 25 year-old Brazilian midfielder Jackson from FC Dallas (four seasons there), a former Sao Paulo player: http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/12/tfc-acquires-jackson-fc-dallas
Plus US international left back Justin Morrow (age 26) from San Jose: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Morrow
And Nigerian international striker Bright Dike from Portland Timbers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Dike
Dike scored 5 goals in the last 11 games of 2012 for Portland but missed the whole of last year through injury. Six foot one inch tall.
Toronto picked up college players, defender Nick Hagglund and midfielder Daniel Lovitz in the MLS Superdraft last week:
http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2014/01/toronto-selects-hagglund-lovitz
For my money, Bradley instantly becomes probably the best player in MLS. Sure, there are bigger names, but they are all (mostly) well past their prime. His pedigree, combined with only being 26 , make me think he's going to boss the league for years to come.
Though, hell, TFC could very well have the two best players in the league, as Defoe isn't quite as "past it" as some of the other big names MLS have brought over.
Funny that "Captain America" is with a Canadian club, though. The cynic in me thinks MLS is gonna try to move him to the new NYC team as soon as they start play haha.
Bradley is an absolute engine, and as you said, surprising to see him going Toronto way AND, as you said, likely to see him being pushed to another club.
Could be the season Toronto has been waiting for since its inception, can see Nelsen being really under pressure (I'd say the most pressure in the league) to deliver with what he is being given.
there is a lot of comments on here about the pressure that Nelsen is now under, but I am sure if you ask all managers if they would prefer to have good players and pressure, or terrible players and no pressure, I am sure that they would go for the former.
Oh, no doubt - this just makes his sacking certain if he doesn't perform, rather than likely.
Yeah that's true. Then where would he go?
He could buy an A league club ;)
He could buy (into) an A league club ;)
Nix Half-Nelsens.
The Admiral does not do things by halves
The Admiral does not do things by halves
He could buy an A league club ;)
But couldn't be coach or assistant
#nocoachingqualifications
While i obviously hope he has a long and successful career in the MLS, i could see Nelsen coaching at the university-level for a bit in the if the MLS gig doesn't go as planned.
Familiar with the system through his stints at Greensboro and Stanford, and would allow him to hone his coaching chops for a bit before getting back into the professional scene. Caleb Porter did at Akron and is now killing it with the Portland Timbers.
Still only 36 years old, plenty of time left in his coaching career, regardless of how Toronto goes.
if toronto has soo much money to splash out on players, how come they didnt sign a qualified coach? maybe theres something they know about nelsens ability that we dont.
Yeah nah. New boss is ex LA galaxy (didn't sign nelly). He's a splash the cash kind of guy, plus MLS is helping prop up some of the Toronto activity.
Yeah nah. New boss is ex LA galaxy (didn't sign nelly). He's a splash the cash kind of guy, plus MLS is helping prop up some of the Toronto activity.
i see