Calling in the reserves?

By: Chris | May 5th, 2007

4 games and no goals. This shocking statistic is thus far the legacy of Mo Johnston’s ill fated coaching stint in Toronto. As a player who knew how to stick the ball away, if he cant coach goals out of his forwards, god help the rest of his team.

But perhaps the one positive aspect to emerge for Toronto this season has been the arrival of Danny Dichio, a little known journeyman from the English championship, whose swashbuckling performance against KC literally stood head and shoulders over his teammates.

For Toronto, Dichio has clearly been brought in to supply chances for Alecko Eskaradrian (a one time NYRB target), in a similar fashion to the successful Ching- Donovan partnership in San Jose in 2004.

Back at RBNY, The role of target has been thus far performed admirably by Jozy Altidore, but with his stint with the U-20s looming over the summer and Mathis clearly more suited to backup Angel, where will Bruce look for a replacement?

Despite Wynne’s trade, this is unlikely to come in the form of an expensive signing—leaving the bargin basement to supply an effective replacement. As Martha mentioned, the release of the MLS salary list gives us a better grip on what we can afford and listed below (in order of likelihood and cost) are a few possibilities:

1. Jerrod Laventure- With a salary of $12,000, this kid could prove the bargain of the season. While Jozy has continued to ride the spotlight, Laventure has been quietly lighting up the reserves– including a hat trick in the win over FC Dallas. At 6′1, he possesses the height, decent feet and an accurate shot (he is really good at chipping the keeper) . Though Bruce could well opt for experience, Laventure may prove an adidas commercial candidate by next season.

Chris Brown- After the sacking of John Ellinger following a dismal start to the season, incumbent coach Jason Kreis is likely to shake things up in the transfer market. While hardly a spectacular player, Brown is a solid grafter with a decent range of passing. Add this to his versatility as a midfielder and we have a player who can hold up the ball and prove a serviceable options in squad rotation. RSL would sell it’s soul for a decent defender—so Brown could Regan or Parke prove attractive trade bait?

Tore Andre Flo- Managing to score over 70 goals for Rangers and Chelsea, Flo’s impressive track record is allied by his height and ability to play in smaller front runners. With relegation confirmed and administration looming, Leeds United will soon be hosting a fire sale of players picked up to survive Div 1. Although remembered as a 10m flop in Glasgow, Flo currently out of contract and looking for a new challenge. He is unlikely to break the bank after a recent injury and could prove an interesting stopgap solution.

Abe Thompson- As time has proven, it sometimes takes promising players several seasons to realize their potential. This seems to be the case with Thompson. Despite an impressive college career, this guy failed to find the field much for Dallas last season. But a solid record with the reserves plus a sprinkling of senior goals points to a player waiting to make his mark. After a year of MLS action, could a move to Meadowlands kick start his career?

Jamil Walker- I took a particular interest in Walker’s career after his trial with the evil side of the old firm (C**tic). Still remembered as a vital cog in San Jose’s 2005 playoff run, Walker’s career has taken something of a nosedive in recent years after several moves around the league. But this was likely not for lack of talent, but rather new coaches (Kinnear, Nowak) opting for experience. Blessed with blazing speed, Walker could function equally well in harassing defenders in a 4-5-1 or as a provider in a 4-4-2. And with a winless DC also in need of defenders, Bruce’s could be just the man to polish this diamond.