How will TFC's roster be assembled?--------by Section 112 Blizzard
Nov 10th 2006

Since many of the key events that will shape the initial roster for Toronto FC are going to unfold in the next few weeks now is perhaps a good time to run through some of the basics on this. MLS operates somewhat differently to European soccer leagues due to its single entity ownership structure. Players are currently contracted to the league rather than to the individual franchises.

MLS made a conscious decision from the outset to foster homegrown North American talent in the hope of avoiding many of the problems that befell the NASL in the early 1980s. An MLS roster currently comprises 18 senior roster players who count towards the salary cap of $US 1.9 million and 10 development roster players who do not. Each team can usually contain four so called senior internationals who turn 25 or older during the season in question plus three younger youth international players. Typically, then, teams have a minimum of 21 domestic players (either citizens or permanent residents).

In Toronto's case because the team is an expansion franchise five youth internationals will be allowed for the first two seasons with the number then reverting to the standard quota of three. Three additional international players will be allowed who would be categorized as domestic players for an American team to help provide some flexibility to compensate for the fact that Toronto will, at least initially, be the only Canadian franchise in the league. TFC will therefore carry a minimum of 16 Canadian players next summer.

The first major avenue by which players will be acquired will be through an expansion draft on November 17th. Mo Johnston will be able to select up to 10 players from the rosters of the other 12 franchises in the league. Each team can protect 11 of their 28 players from being drafted and only one player from any team can be drafted with only one senior international player, who tend to have the most hefty salaries, allowed to be left unprotected. Toronto FC will also probably have access to the annual 4 round super and supplemental drafts, which are used to allocate the top graduating NCAA players and younger players from the USL.

The acquisition of star players with large salaries by MLS standards is complicated by the single entity structure and is handled through a player allocation system in which teams gain the right to acquire a high paid player based on failure to make the playoffs or the departure or transfer of a key player. The salary cap can be a soft one in regards to certain key star players with only the first $US 300,000 or so counting towards the cap, while some players earn substantially more than that. Toronto FC can probably expect three allocations based on being a startup expansion franchise and one has probably already been used to sign Jim Brennan since he is a Canadian national team starter who has played at a very high level overseas.

Players of lesser stature within the game who get paid closer to the league average of $US 90,000 are termed as being discovery signings. Typically MLS teams can make 6 discovery signings per season to their senior roster, while in the last round of expansion Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA were allowed to sign 10 players in this manner during their first season. This mechanism will probably be used to sign Canadian players from USL-D1 and smaller pro teams in Europe. Rumour has it that four players with Canadian national team experience may already have been signed in this manner. An unlimited number of signings is allowed to fill development roster spots although it should be noted that youth international rules apply.

Mo Johnston therefore has several different mechanisms available to assemble a squad that can win games right from the outset. The ability to sign Canadian players who have not made it into MLS due to the international player restrictions is what should ensure a more successful first season than that experienced by Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA in 2005, although it would obviously be wildly optimistic to expect Toronto FC to match the Chicago Fire's expansion season MLS Cup win in 1998 in the early days of the league.

The bottom line if you are a talented player thinking of attending the open tryouts that Toronto FC are organizing for December via their website (http://www.torontofc.ca) is that the best opportunity to progress through that route will undoubtedly be for younger players eyeing one of the ten development roster spots since there a lot of high profile older Canadian players available for the senior roster spots. Be warned, however, that the development roster typically involves a salary of just $US 11,700 or $US 16,500 a year.

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