Toronto FC’s 2014 season will end in New England on Saturday.
In January hope was injected into the club, with Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley’s additions signalling a new era for TFC.
The results speak for themselves. An excellent start to the season was mired by injuries to Defoe and other key players, with the World Cup break and a change at the head coach position conspiring to add too many waves to an already turbulent ocean.
At the beginning of this season the stated goal was playoffs. Obviously, this didn’t happen, but the way forward is clearer than it was eight months ago.
TFC head coach Greg Vanney will use the final game of the season to continue building. What the final creation will look like is hopefully something close to the Revolution: a team led by the likes of Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones that looks like they can do serious damage in the MLS playoffs.
“For me this is a character game,” Vanney said after training on Thursday. “In the grand scheme of things there’s nothing for us to play for, but if you’re a true competitor and a winner then you’re going to go out on the field and find a way to get a result."
Saturday's fixture is also about Vanney and his coaching staff continuing to install their system.
"That’s one thing: continuing to wrap our heads around the style of play and the things that we want to do going forward," Vanney continued.
“It’s an opportunity for guys to step in and show something as well, because decisions will have to be made at the end of the year. I don’t think anyone is necessarily playing for their job, but I think guys can make good cases for themselves this season.”
It’s about next season at this point.
Can Gilberto firmly find his footing in MLS and make good on the flashes he showed in 2014?
Can Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio continue to develop in the center of midfield and provide Michael Bradley with a dangerous running mate?
Can Justin Morrow and Mark Bloom continue to form one of the more capable fullback duos in MLS?
Can Steven Caldwell escape injury and be the linchpin of TFC’s defence? Will Nick Hagglund get that much better with his rookie season behind him?
These are a lot of questions that will not be answered by one final game in New England, but it's the process that can no longer be overlooked.
That process continues against the Revolution on Saturday night. Catch the game on TSN 2 at 7:30 ET PM.
