Impact’s Drogba eyes second leg

Toronto FC prepares for terrible turf

Montreal Impact superstarturned-crybaby-turnedteam-player Didier Drogba claims the Quebec side doesn’t need to beat Toronto FC in the first leg of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night at Olympic Stadium.

He certainly has a way of turning heads, doesn’t he? During a post-practice chat this weekend the aging striker explained why the Impact merely need a “good result” to set themselves up for the return leg at BMO Field.

“For me, I always say a ‘good result,’ and people get fed up with it, but 0-0 is a good result, 1-1 is a good result, 1-0 is a good result,” Drogba said, according to the league’s website. “There is a return match and then the opposing team will have to open their game.”

He’s not wrong, of course. The Impact need to ensure two things if they’re to advance: They can’t lose Tuesday night and they most likely can’t concede more than a one goal.

“I think what we need is a lot of concentration, humility, because of course we beat them there (1-0 on Aug. 27), but we have to remember that we drew here (2-2 on Oct. 16) in the last game,” Drogba added.

Strangely — and this is where the “crybaby” moniker arose — Drogba removed himself from that fixture following a spat with head coach Mauro Biello, who elected to bench the 38-yearold Ivorian that night.

But following some front office sweet talk, it appears Drogba is back on board, eager to potentially play a role in an all-Canadian derby.

“Derbies are really difficult games and could end up with no goals,” Drogba said. “We can’t afford to get carried away by the fans and their support. We need to stay focused and make sure we’re there when we have to.”

Around two-dozen Toronto FC supporters stopped by the club’s training ground Sunday morning to show their support as the Reds get set to travel to Montreal.

The group attended the final 10 minutes of training, holding signs and chanting until players and staff — all smiles — eventually made their way over to shake hands.

“It’s obviously great when there’s a relationship between us and the fans,” TFC coach Greg Vanney said.

The Reds spent the first portion of Sunday morning’s training session using a turf field usually reserved for public use.

Word is TFC staff thought the decrepit state of that turf might better replicate the conditions they’ll find when they train at Olympic Stadium Monday afternoon. Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba, left, at practice with teammate Hernan Bernardello in Montreal.