about the same in the league.

Home Blogs > Business
May 18 '16 | By miao1234 | 129 Profile Views | support user content | Comments: 0
TORONTO - While Toronto FC has spent the year scouring the globe for talent, its surprise player of the season is a local product acquired before the new management regime took over. Roberto Alomar Jersey . Rookie midfielder Jonathan Osorio, identified as a player to watch early in training camp by first-year manager Ryan Nelsen, has shown an opportune scoring touch in grabbing the spotlight. Osorio, who turned 21 in June, has started eight games and seen action in 10 more with Nelsen playing him both in centre midfield and on the flank. "Hes one of the absolutely top young talents in this league," said Toronto president and GM Kevin Payne. "I put him at the same level as (Gyasi) Zardes and the other forward (Jose Villarreal) from Los Angeles that everybodys making a big deal about. "I think Johnnys actually probably got a better all-round game than either one of them." Nelsen believes Osorio is a legitimate rookie of the year candidate. "For a guy who you could kind of say is coming out of nowhere in a way, its been an absolutely fantastic year," said the former New Zealand international. "But what I love about Jon is that he only wants to get better and wants to improve every day." Thanks in part to Osorio, Toronto snapped a six-game winless streak last weekend with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew. Osorio scored in the 87th minute to pull Toronto into a 1-1 tie that set the stage for Andrew Wiedemans 94th-minute winner in a torrential downpour at BMO Field. While he had been shifted to the wing recently, the arrival of Spanish winger Alvaro Rey is likely to return Osorio to the middle. Osorios four goals are second only to Robert Earnshaws six on a team where goals have been hard to come by. Toronto has just 19 in 21 games. Top strikers Danny Koevermans (calf) and Earnshaw (hamstring) have both been sidelined of late. Osorio says hes always had "a nose for the (penalty) area." "Im one to always attack the box and I think I do it pretty well. So as long as I keep doing that — thats where more than 50 per cent of the goals happen in football." Osorios goals have all come late. And would have meant more had it not been for defensive lapses. Osorio scored in the 78th minute against Los Angeles (the Galaxy replied in stoppage time for a 2-2 tie), in the 66th minute against Philadelphia (the Union scored in stoppage time for a 1-1 tie) and the 83rd minute against New York (the Red Bulls scored in the 89th minute for a 2-1 win). "Its a great story for our other academy kids," said Payne. "When they see kids actually transition from the academy to the first team and get games and have the opportunities to make impacts, that really helps their confidence. They now believe that Wow if I work hard, there really is a pathway. "That kid is very talented. Johnny Osorio. Hes a tough kid ... He looks like a cool, detached sort of player on the field but he actually has a great deal of emotion within him. He plays with a lot of passion." Osorio didnt spent much time with the Toronto academy. He signed in September after impressing with SC Toronto in the Canadian Soccer League. In February, he was at Toronto FCs camp in Florida and was included in Nelsens his first starting 11, against the Columbus Crew. "You knew it right there, he had confidence in me to play and to be ready to play at a professional level," Osorio said. The young Canadian says he is growing in confidence every week. "I feel really good out there," he said. "Im always hungry to score goals or assists or help the team in any way." Said Nelsen: "Nothing fazes him. Not even bad moments in games. He always tries to do things positively. Instead of going into his shell, he tries to keep doing stuff. And I love that because the game and life in general rewards those people." Osorio took the long road to his home-town club, spending two years at Club Nacional in Montevideo, Uruguay, thanks to his talent and the connections of coach Jorge Amura at the Clarkson Sheridan Soccer Club in suburban Mississauga. He spent two years there, starting in the under-19 ranks before making his way into the reserves before deciding to return home at the end of 2011. Drew Hutchison Blue Jays Jersey . -- The Detroit Tigers think Alex Gonzalez is not too old to be a solution to their shortstop problem. Jose Bautista Authentic Jersey . On Sunday, the Thunder just wanted to bask in another comeback win and another historical statistical performance by Kevin Durant.The pressure is on as a retooled Toronto FC kicks off its MLS season today in Seattle against the Sounders. Catch all the action live on TSN and TSN Radio 1050 at 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt.After seven years of on-field failure, new Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke dug deep into a well-stocked corporate pocket to bankroll manager Ryan Nelsen and GM Tim Bezbatchenkos global talent search. Many zeros later, Toronto FC is now home to England striker Jermain Defoe, U.S. international midfielder Michael Bradley, Brazilian international goalie Julio Cesar and forward Gilberto, and veteran Canadian star midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. Toronto stocked up on so many designated players, it had to trade incumbent DP Matias Laba to Vancouver to get down to the league limit of three. The shopping spree has prompted a return to the clubs early days, when season tickets were hard to come by. BMO Field should be full this season, although Leiweke has acknowledged the team will still lose money in 2014 because of the outlay on players. With demand exceeding supply, top football talent is not cheap and MLSE likely had to overpay to convince such elite players to choose MLS over more established leagues.Fullbacks Justin Morrow and Bradley Orr and Brazilian midfielder Jackson have also joined the party, meaning Toronto will likely have eight new faces in its starting lineup when everyone is healthy. And theres the early season rub. Torontos pre-season was hit by injury, particularly at fullback and forward. Defoe, meanwhile was a late arrival due to club and country commitments.Gilberto, troubled by an upper leg injury, was been left out of the travelling party for Seattle. Nelsen hopes to have him back for the home opener March 22 against D.C. United. The Brazilian actually returned to training this week but Nelsen doesnt want to rush him in case he aggravates the injury. The artificial turf at CenturyLink Field was likely a factor in that decision. The good news is Defoe and Bradley are both available for selection. Bradley has been nursing a foot injury while Defoe simply hasnt had much time training with his new team. But Nelsen says the 31-year-old English forward has adapted well. "He feels pretty good, to tell you the truth," Nelsen said. "So well see how he is."Defoe could well come off the bench. Nelsen, in his second year at the Toronto helm, is mindful that this is a marathon, not a sprint.Other clubs kept their stars in cotton wool in Week 1 of the season. New York rested French forward Thierry Henry rather than expose him to the artificial turf at B.C. Place Stadium while Seattle sent in U.S. international striker Clint Dempsey off the bench. As for Bradley, Nelsen said: "Hes come through this week pretty good. I think Michael will be a definite." Thats good news for Toronto, which went 6-17-11 last season. Bradley looks to be the straw that stirs the TFC drink. Most everything will run through the American, a box-to-box midfielder who manages to be both cerebral and driven. Other injured players like Morrow and Orr have also returned to training. Their concern is game fitness rather thann health. Brett Cecil Blue Jays Jersey. Nelsen is taking the long view."This game is not going to define us," he said. "Its going to take a bit of time to get everybody kind of on the same wavelength. Even Seattle, when they brought Clint (Dempsey) over -- just one piece -- were a bit of a different team last year. "Everybody has to kind of get used to each other and weve done it with several big pieces and several other pieces as well. This game is not going to define who we are. The next probably five or six, seven games are going to define who we are." Still, he hopes the progress is rapid, starting Saturday. With the playoffs a stated goal, Toronto cannot wait too long to start making its move up the standings, especially since Bradley, Cesar and possibly Defoe will be away for considerable time this summer on World Cup duty. When Toronto FC does not have possession, Nelsen expects his team to play the same kind of game it did last year -- with players pressing the opposition. The difference should be more noticeable when the team has the ball, given the influx of talent."Your options become a lot more with the quality thats on the field. Last year we had to be a bit more conservative because of the personnel we have," Nelsen said. "But when you have good players, you can start being a bit more expansive." While Toronto had a bye last weekend, a rain-soaked crowd of 39,240 saw Seattle win its season opener 1-0 over defending champion Sporting Kansas City with a stoppage-time goal by former Toronto forward Chad Barrett. Former Toronto keeper Stefan Frei was in goal. And on Thursday Seattle coach Sigi Schmid confirmed Frei as his No. 1 goalie ahead of veteran Marcus Hahnemann. The state of the Seattle turf at CenturyLink Field became an issue in the buildup to the Toronto game after Nelsen said of the surface: "Youve got not just an artificial field -- its a bad artificial field." Schmid took umbrage at the suggestions Seattles turf is bad, saying all the artificial surfaces are about the same in the league."Let me say this first, tell me which turf field is good in this league. There is no good turf field in this league," he told reporters. "I dont disagree, necessarily, with Ryans statement."Id love to have brand-new turf this year, as would everybody else. But I disagree with the point of making it seem like Seattles is worse than the others. I think the others are equally as good or as bad -- however you want to look at it." Scottish defender Steven Caldwell retains the Toronto armband as captain. Cesar starts in goal. To put Torontos woeful league history into perspective, a win Sunday would only be its 15th road victory since the teams debut in 2007. Seattle is one of seven MLS cities where Toronto has yet to win. NOTES: Torontos record in season openers is 1-6. All have been away from home to escape the weather. That record includes a 3-1 loss in Seattle to open the 2012 season. TFCs lone season-opening win was in 2009 when Toronto defeated Sporting Kansas City 3-2 ... MLSE boss Tim Leiweke is expected to take in the Seattle season opener. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '

No comments
You need to sign in to comment

Post

By miao1234
Added May 18 '16

Rate

Your rate:
Total: (0 rates)

Archives

Categories

Most Viewed

Most Discussed

Sponsors

Advertisement

Sponsors

This Page is Sponsored by

Share or Sign In to unlock this!

Please help us sharing this page on facebook to unlock the content.

Google this