SoccerToronto FC must wait for real rewards

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Three-and-a-half years into his professional career with more than 100 Major League Soccer appearances under his belt, Barrett's brace in San Jose earned him the MLS player of the week award for Week 17. His first-half volley and second-half breakaway doubled his tally for the season on a night when he could, and perhaps should, have tripled it in the space of 90 minutes.

If I were in one of my more cynical moods, I could argue Barrett scooped the honour by default. Let's be honest. Across the league, it was hardly a thrill-a-minute. Three teams had the weekend off and the six remaining games combined to produce a miserly total of nine goals. Frankly, individual candidates were in somewhat short supply.

However, since I am in one of my more glass-half-full moods, I'm prepared to argue Barrett thoroughly deserved the accolade. His execution on both goals was much improved – a clinical early strike to settle the nerves on the road and a professional finish when faced with a one-on-one situation to close the deal.

He and we all know how those kinds of opportunities have panned out in the past.

Agreed, Toronto FC's second away win of the season was against, arguably, the worst team in MLS but Barrett, rightly, won't be bothered about that. He should, however, be concerned about the chances he failed to convert against the 'Quakes. Right now, he needs all the goals, awards and confidence going before the landscape changes in dramatic fashion.

If it weren't for international duty and injury, Toronto FC's current strike force could look entirely different. Ali Gerba is almost certain to be given a starting role with his new club when his Gold Cup adventure concludes, while O'Brian White is inching closer to his professional debut. General manager Mo Johnston believes the rookie would have likely been the first overall pick in this year's Superdraft had he been fit.

In other words, Barrett has no time to rest on his player of the week laurels. He has to continue scoring on a regular basis merely to retain his place in the team. Coach Chris Cummins has said as much, telling reporters this week: "If he keeps doing that he stays in the team." It is a considerable "if" but

that is the lot of a forward and Barrett knows time is the enemy in this equation.

Unlike Barrett, Dwayne De Rosario has won plenty of awards during his time in MLS. The DeRo residence must be groaning under the weight of decorations he has collected along the way.

Yet another has come his way this week – his almost annual invitation to perform at the MLS all-star game at the end of the month. It is his first accolade as a Toronto FC player and, naturally, he was keen to fly the Canadian flag against FA Cup finalists Everton in Salt Lake City. Not for the first time, however, he has demonstrated he is in Toronto to win.

In the same way he controversially opted out of the Gold Cup, he's decided to skip the all-star festivities for the rather less glamorous and altogether more serious business of CONCACAF Champions League qualification. I, for one, applaud his decision.

De Rosario, and any of us who followed the inaugural competition over last winter, knows the Puerto Rico Islanders are no pushovers. Not only did the USL outfit reach the semifinals, only to be thwarted on a penalty shootout by Cruz Azul, the Islanders are going well again this season. Colin Clarke's team is currently atop the standings and, to put it in context, has already beaten both Vancouver and Montreal along the way.

All fans of Toronto FC will want their team to emulate the remarkable feats of the Montreal Impact last season, and De Rosario clearly shares that ambition.

It is one thing to be Canadian champions in a three horse race, quite another to reinforce a statement about the strength of Canadian club soccer across the region.

Only then does a team, rather than individuals, begin to build its reputation. Recognition from its peers is sure to follow.

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