With the calendar year coming to close, a vision that's been in place for a year was laid out in front of assorted media at KIA Training Ground at Downsview Park.
General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko, head coach Greg Vanney and Vanney’s coaching staff reiterated their plan to achieve sustained success, both in 2015 and beyond.
Bezbatchenko opened the floor with remarks regarding youth player development.
Too often players have been lost in the system because a bridge from the academy to the professional level didn’t exist. With the creation of Toronto FC’s USL Pro team that bridge has been created.
That’s one of many blocks put in place by this regime in order to ensure a formidable foundation at BMO Field.
TFC’s identity will be forged by three key pillars according to Bezbatchenko: 1) Become an internationally recognized club, 2) Develop a player pathway unique to North America and 3) Be on the leading edge of innovative practices.
Jim Liston, the club’s director of sports sciences, and Michael Rabasca, head of cognitive development, spoke at length about the third pillar. From the youngest kids in the academy up to the first team, the players at TFC will benefit from training methods unique to North America.
As Vanney remarked during his portion of the session, the next major phase of development in European soccer is at the cognitive level, which clubs like Manchester City have embraced.
Through Sports Office, a computer program that allows a player to chart physical changes to their body and interact in real-time with their coaches, Liston and his team are able to pinpoint ways to optimize a player’s training methods. A visual example during the presentation showed Liston speaking with midfielder Kyle Bekker throught the video chat function of the program.
This technology, which includes the use of advanced heart rate monitors to determine a player's workload, will be used down the ladder, all the way to the youngest members of the academy.
Vanney discussed eight categories that will be used to assess current and prospective players: Life, Motor G, Motor S, Emotion, Cognitive, Social, Personality and Psyche.
Some are more straightforward than others. Life, social and personality deal with a player’s commitment to self-discipline, ability to work with others and their commitment to self-improvement.
Motor G, a player’s athleticism, and Motor S, which deals with a player’s technical ability, are enhanced by cognitive skills.
Cognitive ability is what separates the Xavis and Pirlos from the rest. While those players are obviously world class, there are methods that can improve a player’s ability to see two to three plays ahead. Situational drills in which a player must find their own answer rather than have one given to them is one of those ways. Combine that with extensive video review and improvements can be made.
Some players don’t have to be taught. Just give them a place to play and get out of the way. Those players are the exception, not the norm. With the systems put in place by Vanney and his coaching staff, TFC aims to give their players every opportunity to enhance their skills in each facet of the game, be it physical or mental.
Thursday’s presentation capped a year defined by change. This vision laid out by the club’s hierarchy aims at growing TFC with purpose, not by chance.
