Ahead of the 2015 SuperDraft, MLSsoccer.com is breaking down each team's needs and potential draft targets. Toronto FC improved in 2014, but it'll be a bloody big deal if they miss the playoffs again this season.
Death, taxes and Toronto FC missing the playoffs. Unfortunately for our friends up on Lake Ontario, that's about all in this life you can count on.
It looks like one of those certainties is going to end. Watch this film, The Immortalists, about two scientists who believe the "cure for death" will be found within a generation or two. Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley luminary, is on board as well.
It's all very exciting.
Toronto FC making the playoffs, though? Well, guarantees have been made before but science, bombast and money have all come up short in the quest to produce a red November. I actually think it'll get done this year, and with three first round picks in Thursday's draft, they'll have some new faces to throw at the eternal problem at BMO Field.
Toronto FC SuperDraft selections: #6, 9 & 11 (1st round), #29 & 37 (2nd round), #50 (3rd round), #70 & 81 (4th round)
Toronto FC Depth Chart: 24 players
Goalkeeper (3): Joe Bendik, Chris Konopka, Quillan Roberts
Left Back (2): Justin Morrow, Ashtone Morgan, Chris Mannella
Center Back (2): Steven Caldwell, Nick Hagglund
Right Back (2): Mark Bloom, Warren Creavalle
Central Midfield (5): Michael Bradley, Collen Warner, Kyle Bekker, Manny Aparicio, Marco Delgado
Left Midfield (2): Jonathan Osorio, Daniel Lovitz
Right Midfield (2): Dominic Oduro, Jackson
Forward (6): Gilberto, Luke Moore, Robbie Findley, Jordan Hamilton, Bright Dike, Jermain Defoe
Primary Need: Central defense
You can see there are only two central defenders on that roster, which is big, fat, honking problem. TFC's machinations (and potential machinations) on the front line have drawn most of the attention this offseason -- I have Jermain Defoe and Bright Dike at the end of the depth chart because I think there's precious little chance they start the season in red, and I'm tempted to add Gilberto and Luke Moore to that list as well -- but it's their back line that has most of the hardcore fans rightly worried.
Caldwell, who turns 35 in September and missed significant time in 2014, looks like an integral piece. Hagglund is a divisive player -- some love him for his physicality and commitment, but I question his skill on the ball and general positional sense. He often looks more like a right back (where he spent a good chunk of his rookie season) than a center back.
TFC's got three first round picks. They'll spend at least one on whoever they think the best central defender on the board is, and they'll bring in overseas reinforcements beyond that.
Targets: Conor Donovan (NC State / GA), Axel Sjoberg (Marquette), Tim Parker (St. John's), Ramon Martin del Campo (UC-Davis), Boyd Okwuonu (North Carolina), Anthony Manning (St. Louis), Aaron Simmons (UCLA), Oumar Ballo (UMBC)
Secondary Need: Defensive midfield
I think Bradley's best as a box-to-box No. 8 playing in front of a No. 6, which I wrote about last week. I think the same is also true of Warner and Bekker. I'm still uncertain of the best role for Aparicio and Delgado, but neither's a d-mid. There really isn't one on this roster.
This is a pretty strong class for d-mids, and TFC will have a chance to answer this need with the sixth pick. Waiting to go with the ninth pick, however, would be a risk.
Target: Nick Besler (Notre Dame), Fatai Alashe (Michigan State), Dan Metzger (Maryland)
SUPERDRAFT TEAM PREVIEWS
- Columbus Crew:Step by step, second time around for CCSC
- Colorado Rapids:Can Mile High Club find a contributor late?
- DC United: One more piece for one more step
- Houston Dynamo:One decade later, a new era begins
- LA Galaxy:Recalibrating a championship machine
- Montreal Impact:Building out after a promising stretch run
- New England Revolution:Suddenly great, but plenty of need
- New York City FC:Feeling kind of blue east of the Hudson
- New York Red Bulls:Another new era in Jersey
- Real Salt Lake: Not quite a rebuild in the high desert
- San Jose Earthquakes: Recapturing that Goonie magic
- Toronto FC: Trying to solve the eternal problem in Ontario
- Vancouver Whitecaps:A full roster for Cascadia kings
- New England Revolution:Suddenly great but plenty of need
- Phildelphia Union: Building around the core
- Seattle Sounders:Nothing glaring for Shield, USOC winners
- Sporting KC:Filling it all out after a mini-rebuild
- Chicago Fire:Endless questions in the Windy City
- Portland Timbers:Draft & stash with T2 up and running
- Orlando City:Is there a trade for No. 1 in the works?
