T-2 Days: Meet the players (read: the rehab center)

By: Sam | April 5th, 2007

Going into the home stretch before the season final-fricking-ly starts on April 7, I’ll be providing a daily look at what the team is looking like coming into the inaugral campaign. Today’s feature: A quick look at Toronto FC’s roster.

As you can read in my very special Offside preview today, Toronto’s first-ever lineup is not star-studded, although I’m sure they’re quite a hit at Toronto General.

With an eighteen-man senior roster, you’d think you’d be ready as hell to seize the day with an array of capable players, even if you take away a few due to injuries. Well, as I am writing this, Chris Pozniak, Ronnie O’Brien, Conor Casey, Paulo Nagamura, Maurice Edu and Marco Reda are on the IR. Reda and Pozniak are core pieces of our already razor-thin defense. O’Brien and Nagamura are experienced midfielders that were expected to lead the team on and off the pitch this season. Casey is one of our prized USA internationals, but he always gets hurt.

Here’s a sentence or two about the players who’ll get the most playing time this season.

Greg Sutton (GK): Has been playing for the Montreal Impact of the USL for the past 5 years. Very solid, with good size, experience and instincts. Not the pick of the litter, but a smart choice roster-wise since he’s Canadian.

Ronnie O’Brien (MF): Once played with Juventus. Never mind the fact that it was said to be one of the most bizzare transfers in the history of football. Very good with the ball, acute passer. Injured. Christ.

Maurice Edu (MF): Our first pick in the SuperDraft. Impressive with the University of Maryland in four years with them. First-team all-american. Give him a few years and he’ll be one of the best.

Alecko Eskandarian (ST): Fear the headgear, bitch! Deadly finisher known for his eccentric behaviour at DC, but a great striker who has a real nose for the ball. A shot that can scare off Buffon. One of, if not the best on the team right now.

Jim Brennan (D/MF): Might have to play on D thanks to all the injuries. Played with Sunderland before joining TFC as the first player. Captain? Probably, if you ask me. All-around pretty good player, but nothing spectacular.

Richard Mulrooney (MF): Defensive midfielder that’s hard to get by. A bit injury-prone, but very wise. Played with the US in the World Cup and with the all-stars in the famous win against Chelsea. Is going to be a core player.

One of these days, I’ll get around to Adam Braz, Andy Welsh, Carl Robinson, Paulo Nagamura, but I’ll leave it at that for now.

Tomorrow: Meet the starting eleven and preview