MLS veteran Alecko Eskandarian spoke with the Canadian paper the Globe and Mail about Toronto FC’s prospects for 2007. Eskandarian, formerly of D.C. United, insists that the expansion team is in a far stronger position in its first season than the MLS first-timers of the past. “Obviously, we’re going to have to prove it with our results and with our play,” Eskandarian said. “But from playing against Chivas and Salt Lake in their expansion seasons to training with these guys day in and day out, I could say we’re definitely ahead of them.”
Toronto fans are certainly hoping so. Chivas USA finished its inaugural 2005 season 4-22-6, while Real Salt Lake ended 5-22-5. Both clubs showed marked improvements in 2006, but the Toronto owners won’t want to have to suffer through a poor opening season-not when season tickets to brand new stadium are already sold out.
Aside from Eskandarian, Toronto’s players to watch are Edson Buddle, a quality striker for most of his MLS career who labored through a poor season last year with New York, Connor Casey, another veteran striker who was hampered by contract problems and niggling injuries in the preseason, defensive midfielder Maurice Edu, the No. 1 SuperDraft pick, and Welsh import Carl Robinson, who still features regularly for his country.