TFC brass working ‘to keep the team together right now’
TORONTO — When you’re good, you’re quiet.
Perhaps too quiet.
Bored Toronto FC supporters, it seems are becoming antsy with the lack of offseason roster movement.
They’re concerned the Reds aren’t improving at the same rate as other Eastern Conference foes.
But TFC GM Tim Bezbatchenko says he’s doing more than meets the eye.
“I’m working my tail off to keep this team together right now,” he told the Toronto Sun ahead of Friday’s MLS SuperDraft in Philadelphia. “Players who are out of contract want salary increases and certain players feel like they maybe want to renegotiate.
“We have a quality team that some consider the best ever,” Bezbatchenko reminded the Sun. “If anything we can take a page from the Raptors’ playbook. Just because people see other teams making moves it doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be competitive.”
Some league-wide pundits already have handed Atlanta United this year’s MLS Cup. After trading for Portland’s Darlington Nagbe and looking likely to land Argentine wonder kid Ezequiel Barco, the 2017 expansion side is said to be pushing the league forward.
Or, is all of the Atlanta hype a bit much considering the Five Stripes are yet to win a playoff fixture?
“Pushing the league forward is hopefully about winning championships, winning Trebles, breaking records and being different,” Bezbatchenko answered. “I think we’ve already lived that life. I think we did that with our DPs. Atlanta is taking it maybe a step further, but our DPs are under contract. We couldn’t even do that if we wanted to right now.
“We’re very much OK and comfortable with ourselves and who we are. We’re not really looking to make any headlines other than winning competitions.”
They’ve made almost no headlines since last December.
“I’m trying to take care of our current team,” Bezbatchenko explained.
Free agent Drew Moor was resigned before the new year. Eriq Zavaleta’s new contract should be revealed in the coming days. Bezbatchenko said the Reds fought hard to keep free agent Steven Beitashour but ultimately couldn’t come to terms on a new contract.
Furthermore, Armando Cooper’s lofty demands likely won’t be met due to cap concerns.
“Salary caps go up five per cent a year,” Bezbatchenko said. “And in terms of all the contract options and all increases in every player go up more than five per cent ... When players hit bonuses those numbers are added to their number as well. Sometimes players have escalators where their base salaries will go up higher per the CBA.
“It gets exasperated over two years because players are hitting these thresholds — which they deserve. Then it becomes managing how to keep the team together.”
Although he wouldn’t guarantee a TAM-level foreign signing is imminent, Bezbatchenko did say something could come together within “three or four weeks,” joking he’s accumulated so many air miles he’s likely to “bump up a status this year.”
The Reds have had scouts on the ground in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, the Netherlands, Turkey, France and Denmark this offseason. The club’s wish list includes a rightsided attacking player.
“We’re looking at a few options,” he added. “If things go well and everything checks out it could be sooner rather than later — maybe over the next three or four weeks.
“But if those fall through and we have to go further down on the pecking order than it may take some time. We don’t take shortcuts just to have a player available. We’d prefer to have them available for preseason, but there are a number of factors. We don’t want to take shortcuts.”
As for Friday’s MLS SuperDraft, Bezbatchenko likened picking 23rd overall to picking in the third round a decade ago.
“Not that you can’t find diamonds that low, but it’s very challenging,” he said, adding the club prefers to prioritize TFC II prospects ahead of college players.