TFC camp: Top pick Aubrey, youngsters pitted against vets

With close to three dozen players on hand and more coming, Toronto FC has split into two in the early days of training camp.

The veterans form one group. Centre back Brandon Aubrey and the other draft picks are part of a younger gaggle of players that includes trialists and some Toronto FC 2 talent. Call it Toronto FC boot camp.

“The second group we’ve spent a little bit more time going through video and going through how we play and the vision of how we want to play,” head coach Greg Vanney explained. “Whereas the first group of guys was here all of last year. They played a lot of minutes down the stretch. I think they have a sense of that already.”

“We’ll mix them all together as we start to play games,” he added.

The young group numbered 18 Thursday. TFC 2 reinforcements are expected, once the USL camp officially opens Feb. 8.

As far as veterans are concerned, Vanney is just missing captain Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, who remain with the U.S. national team.

Veteran midfielder Benoit Cheyrou, 35, is training despite not having signed a new deal. GM Tim Bezbatchenko says that is imminent.

Vanney expects to take all but one or two players to the West Coast on Saturday for the California leg of camp. TFC will return to Toronto on Feb. 6, leaving a week later for the second warm-weather phase of camp near Orlando. Once there, TFC will play friendlies against Miami FC, the University of Central Florida, Orlando City, Minnesota United and the Chicago Fire.

Aubrey, Toronto’s first-round selection in the MLS SuperDraft, is the only rookie in camp with a contract.

The other four draft picks — goalkeeper Robert Moewes (Duke), defender-midfielder Oyvind Alseth (Syracuse) and defenders Lars Eckenrode (Michigan) and Juan Pablo Saavedra (Virginia Tech) — are in camp but have to earn a first-team or USL contract.