TORONTO – As the playoffs draw ever closer, the Reds appear to be rounding into top form, and more importantly, full health.
Following a 4-2 victory over the New York Red Bulls on September 30, Toronto FC have clinched the Supporters’ Shield and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs; an incredible achievement. But the prospect of a fully fit side entering the post-season is an arguably even more important milestone as the Reds look to make their way back to the MLS Cup final.
“It’s a critical time of year, and we want to have as many guys available as possible,” head coach Greg Vanney said after Thursday’s training session. “Our guys are all different, they don’t play the same way, so to have the option to switch things up with different personnel is important.”
Up top, Jozy Altidore showed no rust at all upon returning to the fray after a short injury layoff in the Shield-clinching win, with Sebastian Giovinco not far behind in the recovery process.
Saturday’s win also marked returns for Benoit Cheyrou and Nick Hagglund to 18-man roster from even lengthier injury spells. The Frenchman had been shelved since sustaining a grade-two calf tear against the Colorado Rapids on July 22, while Hagglund had been sidelined with an MCL sprain suffered on August 12 against the Portland Timbers, his second knee injury in quick succession.
The defender believes that this time around, things will be different.
“We were a little bit more cautious this time with me coming back; I feel stronger,” Hagglund told TorontoFC.ca. “We waited a couple of extra weeks before getting me back on the field, now I feel good.”
And even though he didn’t see the field in the win over the Red Bulls, simply being back on the bench marked an important milestone for the centerback, and a reason to celebrate.
“It was great to be back on the bench with the guys,” Hagglund said. “After six weeks of watching from in the stands or at home, it’s just nice to be a part of it again. I’ve been here for four years and I’ve seen how much this club has changed, so that moment we won the Shield felt like the culmination of this team coming together and what we’ve accomplished. It was cool to experience that.”
For the first time in a long time, Vanney could have a full complement of players at his disposal, a luxury not lost on the head coach.
“A guy of Benoit’s experience is huge; we saw that last year, coming in and scoring a pivotal goal to send us to the final,” Vanney said. “Nick’s ability, his sheer competitive drive, his communication, competitive level, it gives us another big boost.
“From a personality and ability standpoint, it’s good to have those options. Their presence alone increases the level in training, so it’s great to have them back.”
Options are good, but it also means competition.
Along the backline, Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta and Chris Mavinga have come together to form a formidable defence in front of goalkeeper Alex Bono. A starter before his injury spell, Hagglund is under no illusions that a spot on the field will be handed to him. In the XI or not, he knows he can still contribute.
“My job is to make the team better, whether that’s on the field or pushing the guys in training,” he explained. “At this point of the season, it’s all about the team. Whichever 11 guys are called upon on any given day, they’re the stars of that given moment. If my number is called, then it’ll be my time to push forward for the team.”
