SoccerFull of Eastern promise

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Thirty regular-season games from now those standings should have altered significantly and if indications are correct, Toronto FC will have something more than an empty road to look at in the rearview mirror.

The much-heralded arrivals of players such as Dwayne De Rosario, Adrian Serioux and Pablo Vitti - plus, by and large, the cream of the rookie crop - gives head coach John Carver an appreciably stronger roster with which to work. But neither Carver nor his players need any reminding hard work will be required from first game till last to become contenders in a Conference which, last year, proved to be substantially tougher and more competitive than its Western counterpart.

Columbus romped to victory in the regular season and the Crew’s dominance was rewarded with a franchise-first MLS Cup. The orchestra was led by the vast experience of Guillermo Barros Schelotto, now a Designated Player, but the conductor is now gone.

Can Warzycha fill Schmid’s shoes?

The coaching baton has been passed to Robert Warzycha following the departure of Sigi Schmid, who has moved on to Seattle. The transition needs to be as seamless as possible for Columbus to have a chance of repeating its 2008 success. Warzycha, a former Polish international, served as Schmid’s deputy for three years but whether he can emulate the achievements of his predecessor is a question only time will answer.

If Warzycha needs any tips about how to step up from assistant to head coach, he might pick up the phone and have a chat with Denis Hamlett. In his first season in charge of the Chicago Fire, Hamlett, a long serving assistant, led the team to within a whisker of the MLS Cup.

In 2009 he’ll have veteran striker Brian McBride at his disposal for the full year and though neither McBride nor Mexican star Cuauhtémoc Blanco are getting any younger, the combination of quality and experience should be more than enough to ensure the Fire burns brightly again at the business end of the season.

Gomez returns to DC

Injuries are part and parcel of the professional game – the trick then is to be able to re-arrange the deck chairs in a way which minimizes the absence of key personnel. Tom Soehn will be happy if he never sees another deck chair, so to speak.

The beleaguered coach of DC United spent the majority of 2008 trying to paper over the cracks as the once MLS dominant Black-and-Reds’ stock plummeted from black to red in a wretched campaign highlighted by an injury prone DP Marcelo Gallardo.

The good news for DC is the return of former fan favourite Christian Gomez from Colorado, but defensive frailties could again cost United a place in the post-season.

The Wizards were magic in the West – the same cannot be said of Kansas City’s MLS record since moving to the Eastern Conference four years ago. The team has never finished higher than fourth in the East and missed the playoffs entirely in 2005 and 2006.

Coach Curt Onalfo must make do without winter signing Adam Christman for the first three months of the campaign following foot surgery while another newcomer – Argentine midfielder Santiago Hirsig – has had to endure visa delays and will take time to get accustomed to his new surroundings.

A strong finish to 2008 secured the Wizards’ place in the playoffs, but another slow start this year could well mean an early end to the season.

Revolution not a lock

At first glance New England seems a lock for the playoffs. No current team in MLS can match the Revolution’s record of seven straight post-season appearances – featuring four MLS Cup Finals.

But the Revs’ early exit in last year’s playoffs may prove to be the tip of the iceberg as coach Steve Nicol enters the campaign without the departed Michael Parkhurst – his central defensive rock for four years. On the plus side, a healthy Taylor Twellman will soon become the league’s youngest scoring centurion, but maybe not on opening weekend at San Jose where New England were thumped 4-0 last August.

If any team demonstrated what can be achieved after a so-so regular season in 2008 it was unquestionably New York. After scraping into the playoffs, the Red Bulls rode their luck all the way to L.A. before they were outplayed by Columbus in the MLS showpiece.

Coach Juan Carlos Osorio has been quick to address the deficiencies which he hopes will plug the leaks at the back and give his team different options going forward. Former Barcelona and Real Madrid midfielder Albert Celades will add experience in the engine room and Juan Pablo Angel can be expected to add to his impressive goal scoring tally – by year’s end the Colombian striker should be close to 50 goals in just three seasons of MLS action.

And what of Toronto FC? GM Mo Johnston tells me there’s “no reason” why the team should not be playoff contenders at the end of the franchise’s third year of operation. He firmly believes the re-moulded roster is well equipped to make a concerted challenge and insists the fans’ expectations are matched by the players and coaching staff.

Carver is planning to improve the road form from the outset and says eradicating the “silly mistakes” of 2008 will help him achieve his goal – namely 10 more points and a ticket to the playoffs.

The phoney war is over – let battle commence.

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