Diego Forlan Could Change the Thinking at Toronto FC

Things haven’t been good for Toronto FC fans throughout their Major League Soccer existence. Al Dannity says Diego Forlan could be the player to change everything.

There are three Canadian teams in Major League Soccer. The youngest, Montreal Impact, are a lock to make the MLS Cup playoffs in only their second season. The Whitecaps, only a year older, managed the same feat last season. The Reds? They are arguably the least successful expansion team in North American sports history. No expansion team has managed to be in a league as long as TFC and failed to make the post-season. The problem for Toronto is that the longer this malaise lasts, the tougher is becomes to break the cycle. Something radical is needed to change the organisation. That something could be Diego Forlan.

The Uruguayan has been a superstar in Europe for over a decade. At 34 he may be near the end of his usefulness but the Impact have shown that the right kind of veteran talent can make a huge difference. This is a man who has thrived when his back is against the wall. At Man United he wilted under the bright lights. With Villarreal he shone in them. Forlan likes to be the man who has to carry the load, be it at club level or with Uruguay. When given that kind of responsibility, the striker brings out his best.

The move to Toronto from Internacional would give Forlan the perfect opportunity. He’d be arriving at a club placed second to last in the Eastern Conference. The Reds have a loyal fan-base but one that hasn’t been given anything to believe in. Forlan has been the difference maker before and it’s a role he thrives in. Toronto’s roster is bad but it’s not so weak as to make them a doormat. Forlan can offer the one thing his predecessors can’t; inspiration.

This is the one thing that’s been sorely lacking within the Reds since they joined the ranks of MLS. Every team that has made a difference in the competition has had a man that could hang their hat on. Toronto FC has enjoyed some good servants but none with the combination of success and grit of Forlan. He’s a unique talent suited to a certain kind of environment. You tell him the odds are against him and the situation is grim and Forlan says “Sounds like fun.”