There’s a view going around some local sports writery circles that Paul Mariner’s played a bit of a chum to the Toronto press, and in doing so has made them their mouthpiece in return for more “access” or whatever so they can pump out the next article on “dressing room chaos” at the club.
It wasn’t a theory I was ready to put money on, but this morning in the wake of Cathal Kelly’s Toronto Star piece on Mariner’s “battle” with Major League Soccer to sign former Aston Villa and Juventus defender Olof Mellberg, it’s kind of hard to ignore.
This was a hack job of the highest order, a major character assassination of Aron Winter (I’m too classy a guy to use the phrase “corpse-pissing”…what?), and a weaker than weak tea apology for Mariner’s dreadful record at the club which culminated in the team’s worst ever season in MLS, and that’s saying a hell of a lot.
Where to begin?
First, Kelly probably isn’t the right guy to be writing about this kind of thing. A “general sports guy,” in the past he’s made exhortations for Toronto FC to “spend more” to get better players, not really seeming to understand the single-entity nature of Major League Soccer, in which players sign contracts with the league.
But that’s neither here nor there I guess.
Anyway, let’s break this article apart, shall we?
Kelly opens with this barn-burner of an assessment:
Only now, as it ends, are we beginning to learn the full scope of how out of his depth Winter was in North America.
That is an incredible lead-in, from which we expect something telling. A cultural barrier? Misunderstanding of MLS’ inherent tactical quirks? Slow learning curve on player acquisition rules with drafts, designated players and the like? No. It’s flip-flops.
Winter’s taste for fussy discipline was already beginning to turn players against him in 2011. On the road, they were often confined to the team hotel during the evening. If they were allowed to leave, they were instructed to go out sporting full Toronto FC kit. In warmer climes, they weren’t allowed to wear flip-flops. Anything but team-issue socks and runners were verboten.
“That’s the way you treat kids in an academy, not grown men,” one source close to the team said.
Clearly, this is why Toronto FC were so terrible; Winter should never have tried to institute an atmosphere of professionalism at the club. And Kelly of course is compelled to rely on unnamed sources, the TFC beat reporter’s favourite flavour of source. Which, for comedic purposes (and for the sake of realism), we should assume is Mariner himself.
Kelly goes on to the real meat of why Winter sucked:
He was repeatedly given scouting reports on overseas upgrades. Though the team desperately required reinforcement, no decision was ever made. Winter hadn’t bothered watching the tapes.
He was too busy worrying about lengthy, pre-game video marathons that left players “looking like zombies” as they headed onto the pitch, according to another source.
“Analysis paralysis” is how an observer summed up Winter’s management style.
The losing streak to start the season got Winter headed in the direction of the plank. Ironically, it was their first league win that tipped him off it.
First, let’s be clear: Winter was clearly not up for the job. But a lot of this is reverse engineering. Many managers after all use video review regularly and to great effect. If anything, this reflects more on the intelligence and technical expertise of his playing staff.
As for the scouting reports, wasn’t this in part Bob De Klerk’s job as technical manager as of the personnel shuffle in May? And, if Winter was indeed overwhelmed with the dual responsibilities of first team coach and technical director, isn’t the overall responsibility for overseeing a smooth front office operation that of Tom Anselmi with MLSE? Did these sources alert him as to the problems? Or just blab, without giving their name, to the nearest reporter?
Anyway, what follows is either lazy or a bit of bad faith reporting on the part of Kelly. He essentially hands over all journalistic responsibility to unnamed sources at TFC (which he relies on exclusively), who paint a picture of a Kafka-esque MLS standing between them and Olof Mellberg’s signature.
But Kelly goes one further and seems to underline Mellberg’s failure to arrive as one of the main reasons Toronto FC shitbagged their way home in the half of the season with Paul Mariner in charge. Kelly writes:
Mariner took over on June 7. A week later, he watched Sweden vs. England at Euro2012. His eye drifted to Olof Mellberg, once one of the best defenders in the world. At 35 years of age, Mellberg was not young, but Mariner was thrilled by the crispness of his game. He also knew Mellberg was available.
An ill-fated courtship began.
“I want to move on from Mellberg,” is all Mariner will say of that deal now, with no small trace of bitterness.
But people with knowledge of the deal point to that saga, rather than the initial losing streak, as the nadir of the Toronto FC season.
Really? This was the nadir of the Toronto FC season? A season that ended with five wins, eight draws and twenty-one losses? While Mellberg would have been a welcome addition, you don’t need a binder of Opta stats to know it’s absolutely ludicrous to assume a single player would have made the difference, no matter the durability of the “world class centreback” meme at BMO Field.
Kelly’s incredulity at why the deal was killed “by MLS” (no questions asked) is also disingenuous. He explains:
Given the cachet of Mellberg’s name, no one anticipated a problem getting approval from the league. They were stunned when the deal hit a wall at the MLS head office in New York.
“When the league talks with clubs about signing (designated players), about a significant amount of guaranteed money, they want to make sure the long-term health of the team and the league are taken into consideration,” said a league source, trying to summarize a philosophical position that might most charitably be called unusual.
The league is in the unique position of paying all the players operating under each club’s $2.8 million salary cap. Designated players are paid outside that structure. The first $350,000 of DP money is paid by the league and counts against the cap. The remaining salary is paid by clubs and is theoretically unlimited.
What Kelly calls “unusual” is the very reason why MLS was able to whether a very shaky period in its first decade, and arguably why MLS was still around when Toronto FC joined up. Furthering the stereotype of Toronto FC fans as johnny-come-lately know-nothings who simply think we can spend our way to glory, Kelly ignores how single-entity offered a means for the league to control spending within its franchises, and in return as co-investor in its member teams, to take the financial load off the individual club investors.
I’m not Fake Sigi so I’m not going to pithily run this down here, but there is a whack written on how single entity works, and why it’s necessary in MLS.
From this however, Kelly pivots into thinly-veiled conspiracy theories about how MLS head office favours “big teams” like the Red Bulls. He quotes (surprise!) unsourced claims that MLS “asked other clubs” about the Mellberg deal. But the fact of the matter is Kelly and his sources greatly mislead as to the finances involved with signing Mellberg.
First, Kelly neglects to mention that word of the dead deal came after the team took on Eric Hassli in its final DP slot, which at the time Duane Rollins pointed to as one of the likely reasons it fell through.
As Steve Sandor explained on his excellent The 11 blog back in July, Toronto FC therefore had at the time of the Mellberg deal three DPs, the max allowed under MLS roster rules. The argument in favour of Mellberg at the time was that Danny Koevermans was injured, which technically did free up a spot. However, as Sandor explained, Koevermans salary still counted against Toronto FC’s salary cap:
Now, with Koevermans on the DL, TFC would technically be allowed to carry a fourth DP. If a player is out for the season, his roster spot can be replaced (hence why you can swap a DP for another DP) but his salary isn’t wiped clean. The financial hit remains.
So, Koevermans’ cap hit of US$335,000 can’t be taken off the books.
Sandor goes on to explain, quite rightly, that not only would the deal have been bad business, it would have caused an uproar in the league because of Toronto FC finagling their way to a fourth DP via a player injury.
Kelly doesn’t mention any of this of course, but cedes the entire argument to various shadowy sources within Toronto FC, which we should just call ‘Paul Mariner.’
But why is this coming out now? Months after the entire Mellberg affair, and well after we’d heard the last word on it? Why did Kelly not attempt to check the claims of his unnamed sources? Or even do the barest research into MLS’ admittedly complicated single entity structure and salary cap rules?
Why is Mariner given a total pass here? And how do other clubs of similarly limited financial means in relation to big boys manage to win things in this league, if it really is all a NY/LA conspiracy?
And another thing just pointed out to me: Don Garber is, as of writing, the only person in this saga willing to put his name next to his account of what happened with Toronto FC. Why, if this deal was quashed and helped ruin TFC’s season, has no one from the club been willing to do the same?
Is anyone’s opinion changed by Don Garber admitting to espn on the weekend that the league did, in fact, block the Melberg move?
Is there a link I can read?
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/soccerusa/id/1732?cc=5901
Just reread this thing. Nah, I don’t think it changes the substance of anything I wrote here as MLS was still probably right to say no if they did so, which it appears they did.
no reply button on your last post but what I thought this new interview might change is the notion that the original story might be wrong because “Don Garber is, as of writing, the only person in this saga willing to put his name next to his account of what happened with Toronto FC” (which I guess is based on this interview at the all star game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g_cj8sUSfb4
Which seems, now, to be the league simply putting their name on a lie (as he has now stated they did block it).
Richard, non article specific question. How does one contact you directly without using the ‘reply’ format on the page? Not on twitter or anything like that btw. Thanks
With your permission, I could send you an email.
Permission granted.
Does this really surprise you? Cathal Kelly has been writing dribble for the Toronto Star for the past couple of years now. Most of his “articles” read like self-indulgent acts of sophistry, where one is spun around at the whims of his “rhetoric.” When you arrive at his “conclusions” you realize nothing has really been said and the “argument” he was supposedly advancing is really just a general observation derived from what appears to be a couple of hours of scouring the internet for news reports. If you want a real laugh read some of his articles written about Italian calcio – the guy is clueless.
“Olof Mellberg, once one of the best defenders in the world” is all this clown had to write to make this article total garbage. Kelly is probably the worst sports writer in the city and that’s saying a lot! I never ever read his articles.
Here, fucking, here.
Cathal Kelly is nothing more than a self-important elitist who’s knowledge of the game (especially here in North America) is not nearly what he thinks it is.
I can’t believe The Star had the balls to publish that drivel on the front page of the paper. It was so flimsy and terrible I had to read it through my fingers.
Cathal Kelly has written a lot of head scratchers in his career.
Wow, quite the character assassination of Cathal Kelly!
Which would only be amusing were it not for the hypocrisy and disingenuity of Richard Whittall’s offence at the character assassination of Aaron WInter.
What about the real issue here. MLS blocked TFC making DeRo a DP? Shouldn’t there be outrage about that, rather than rushing to knee cap the competitor?
There’s little in the Kelly story that hasn’t been whispered for a long time. I’m surprised that it’s news to Richard Whittall.
And preaching about journalist responsibility … I assume that Richard Whittall interviewed multiple verifiable sources (K.J and James don’t count) before going to press and accusing a colleague of a lack of journalistic integrity.
I didn’t assassinate his character. I just pointed out some errors in his piece. And I also mentioned the timing, so I’m not sure what particular ax you’re grinding there.
As for De Ro, I should have addressed those claims, as they’re equally unsubstantiated. Why, if the club had indeed gone to the league asking for money to which the league said no, would De Ro make the statements he did about TFC upon leaving the club? What advantage could that possibly serve? And wouldn’t the club have told him the circumstances involved?
Don’t worry Richard, that’s just the ranting of the local cool-aid drinker / management sock puppet.
Nfitz is a TFC puppet. Go look at the RPB boards, where he regularly defends indefensible behavior.
What on earth is a TFC puppet?
I’m sorry I don’t drink the Kool-Aid that the conspiracy theorists that have highjacked the Red Patch Boys (an alleged Supporters group).
However, if you disagree with me say why, rather than just dismissing me simply because you disagree with me.
Richard Whittall’s has essentially accused his colleague of falsifying his sources. That’s a serious allegation – and if he believes that, he should be talking to the Star’s Public Editor – and the Ontario Press Council (a body which ironically TheScore has avoided joining).
I didn’t accuse him of falsifying his sources. I accused him of relying far too heavily on unnamed sources within the club.
I dunno; referring to his work as “a hack job of the highest order”, a piece of major “character assassination” and a weaker than weak tea [apologist's] attempt, then replying to the rhetorical “where to start?” with the opinion that he’s the wrong guy to even address the topic, seems to fall under the category of character assassination.
Personally, I couldn’t care less whether people consider Cathal Kelly a total authority or a total jackass. What bewilders me is why you’d bother writing in such detail about a rival outlet’s opinion on the issue.
If you don’t think Mariner deserves a pass, then just write an article about how he doesn’t deserve a pass instead of wasting time and energy on trying to knock another writer down a peg. It looks like an excerpt from a mail list flame war instead of a meaningful article on the topic at hand.
As Marshall McLuhan famously said after Aldo Morro kidnapping: “You can end the Morro incident any time you want by ceasing to cover it.” Now substitute ‘the Morro incident’ with credibility and ‘it’ with Cathal Kelly, and voilà! Mission accomplished..
SB
Sorry B but if I’m held to my word on this blog for what I write (and so I should be), Kelly should be held to the same standard.
This, you’ll note, is the first time I have ever responded to anything he’s written. Many people do not get the same platform, and they deserve to have their dissents heard.
As an insider on the DeRo saga, I can tell you the Kelly article is about as accurate as Dunfield’s passing skills.
Interesting how the guy with the biggest tinfoil hat in the room is talking about others being “conspiracy theorists”.
That’s right, because “the league meddling” has totally blunted the intellectual firepower of a former failed English lower league coach on his way to a winless streak of 14 games.
How dare anyone suggest that perhaps he just can’t manage worth a damn? Totally unfounded!
Article didn’t seem to be about Mariner … article seemed to be about two issues. MLS meddling and Winter’s ineptitude.
The article doesn’t seem to be pro (or against) Mariner. Not sure why that is the focus of many.
I’ve said I have questions and even doubts about Mariner, and I’ve said that if things don’t pick up next spring, then we need to replace him. Not sure why you are trying to create a straw man here.
Article didn’t seem to be about Mariner … article seemed to be about two issues. MLS meddling and Winter’s ineptitude.
The article doesn’t seem to be pro (or against) Mariner. Not sure why that is the focus of many.
I’ve said I have questions and even doubts about Mariner, and I’ve said that if things don’t pick up next spring, then we need to replace him. Not sure why you are trying to create a straw man here.
————————————————————-
I’m not even sure why I bother responding to this… because I mostly suspect you are trolling … but was the part where MLS “meddled” with the Melberg signing and Paul Mariner was “robbed of an impact player” enough of a straight line for you?
Richard,
I guess I have one simple question about this article:
What’s your point?
If it’s that Mariner is getting off the hook, that’s clearly not the case based on the various post-mortems of Canadian footy outlets. PM is very much in the cross hairs. In fact, most outlets I follow (a fair few) have usually started their assessments with “don’t let only half a season and “the Winter effect” fool you…”
That one writer goes another direction doesn’t mean PM is getting a free pass.
If you wish to shed light on the position that Cathal Kelly doesn’t know his ass from his elbow when it comes to MLS and TFC, well, so what? Why do you give a crap if he’s clueless and willing to tell the GTA and beyond? Judging by the comments (all 4) he’s not fooling too many people.
If you see this as championing the people from a misguided corporate apologist, I think most of us can see past Kelly’s squiggly line of reasoning.
We don’t all get the same platform, but we do get *a* platform. It’s the comments section under he article. That’s where you should take him to task.
Judging by (a) the general support for your opinion of Kelly on this forum, and (b) the “quick to call you Kool-Aid drinker” response to a dissenting voice, I’d say you’re preaching to the choir here so, once again, what’s your point?
SB
The point is that some of us don’t think columnists should get a bye to write bad copy just because.
We should let Kelly get a pass just because? He writes in sports for one of widest circulated papers in North America. There’s a responsibility when you have that kind of platform.
And again, I know I dish it, and I expect (and get) no less thoroughness from you guys.
I disagree BV, if anything it’s quite the opposite.
We’ve been fed the idea that Mariner has had his hands tied by this terrible situation he is in no way responsible for and needs next year to get it right. Duane Rollins, Kurt Larson, Paul Attfield, Jason De Vos at times, and obviously the gol tv Crew… all feeding on that same assumption.
Who has prominently skewered the guy for nothing less than going winless in 14 games? A few low-key bloggers and that’s about it. Some MSM reporters have taken vague shots at the management structure but that’s about it.
He’s getting a relatively free ride for doing a crap job.
Going to press? This is a blog.
Anyways, I don’t get the article from Cathal at all…very strange tone and doesn’t sound like him to be honest. The attack on Cathal for this article I get, in general though he is an excellent and well respected writer.
I was always surprised there was not more outrage over the DeRo non dp tag from the league, it was their directive.
Dude,
when you’re part of a multimedia information outlet,
when you advertise your web presence on your TV station,
when you cross-promote people and ideas on all your available media,
When you have an international audience and opportunity to reach them immediately,
(should I mention being owned by Rogers media?)
There’s no such thing as just a blog.
SB
Except this is just a blog.
Is it not completely plausible that the league gave Toronto a choice (or stipulation) along the lines of “You can make De Rosario a DP if_____ ____” and MLSE said “no thanks, we’ll take our chances paying him a quarter of JDG’s salary and see if he eats it?”
In this scenario, MLSE would be the ones directly offending DeRo (as in, why WOULDNT they say ‘YES’ at any costs) but the responsibility and direction came from both?
No? No?
Absolutely, but that’s a far cry from saying the league “denied” him DP status, and therefore TFC shrugged.
Who says TFC shrugged? That fight between TFC and MLS went on for a very long time didn’t it?
We’re also expected to believe they denied it in Toronto but allowed D.C. to pay him a seven-figure salary.
DC doesn’t pay DeRosario a 7-digit salary. The MLS Players union publishes player salaries, and while DeRo did get a rise this year, it’s no where near the 7-digits that TFC allegedly asked MLS to pay him.
keep running in those circles Nfitz, the end of the track is near
Correct. De Rosario makes 600k, and DC used allocation to bring him under 350k or whatever the DP line is. The idea is that TFC were willing to give him 7 digits, however MLS did not want him as a DP and asking TFC to get that much allocation money is extremely unreasonable.
Yeah, that’s essentially what I mean.
“This was a hack job of the highest order, a major character assassination of Aron Winter (I’m too classy a guy to use the phrase “corpse-pissing”…what?), and a weaker than weak tea apology for Mariner’s dreadful record at the club which culminated in the team’s worst ever season in MLS, and that’s saying a hell of a lot.”
Dude, that was cold. You’re not that classy when you actually type out corpse pissing.
Call him out on his facts, but do it professionally. You are part of the same fraternity of reporters. Kelly has people talking about TFC after the worst season in history. Thats only good. He may be too classy to respond to his character assasination on this blog.
Yup, guess we’re all supposed to cover each others asses lest we let quality rise to the surface by mistake.
Your objecting to someone simply saying call out Kelly on his facts but do it professionally.
So basically your reserving the right to be unprofessional?
I’m reserving the right to answer criticisms without resorting to name calling. But I am answering them.
Richard, whether or not you want to hear this (you most likely do not), your articles often reek of a “blogger < journalist inferiority complex". And quite frankly, for me, it takes away from the quality of your work.
Trevor
Fire Mariner and Co. ASAP!
Check our Kelly’s story today on why Mariner just might get it right in 2013. True, maybe Mariner told him that and Kelly’s not telling us. Whatever. Let’s hope Mariner gets it right. He knows what’s needed. I wonder about his assessment of Hassli, who seems too soft for this league; but that’s what makes it interesting.
opinion (Troll) articles written by “sports Writers” and TO is full of them. we need less “sports writers” and more sport specific writers. i don’t need to hear/read someone’s opinion on a sport/team they barely follow, after there last article is about the NFL and the one before that being about the Blue Jays
@ T.O. Sports. Well, Larson is on the TFC and CMNT beat. Seems to me that he gives a balanced opinion. But even he is lumped in above with the dupes. I say the more informed comment the better; but spare me the unceasing negativity.
For an attack piece on another writer, probably should figure out the difference between “whether” and “weather”.
I just think for him to say TFC could’ve a better season if they got mellberg during the transfer window and how MLS basically killed TFC season is complete rubbish..if there’s anyone to blame,it’s themselves.The players need to take the responsibilities for the poor season because they dont generate enough offense and they were horrible in defense.the back office needs to do better scouting because clearly you wasted your three dp spots on players that are not achieving in the team.
i do find it quit strange in how MLS operates tho (not that i believe getting Mellberg would of changed there season for the better)
Thanks for writing this Richard. Keep sharing your honest opinions, I respect your point of view.
My fav part about reading the dissenting comments posted on this thread: is trying to guess the actual names of the print journalists hiding behind nicknames for their posts.
I mean up these guys write in way that makes thier posts stick out pretty obviously from regular dudes like me. I like when they attack your writing style and correct your grammar etc…
Good work, It looks like you pissed off the union of soon to be unemployed newspaper writers. I love the irony of the print guys posting snotty comments on blogs, all the while oblivious to irony that their participation your medium is in fact a sign of their impending unemployment.
When I first read the Kelly piece I had an inkling Mr. Whittall would have a field day with this one – a good ole media take-down of sorts.
It was the latest in an, albeit mild, barrage of platitudes and obfuscations from the front offices.
Worth pointing out that when Mariner loosened those supposedly overly restrictive reins the club shortly thereafter had the Club Escobar disaster – and by shortly thereafter I mean at the first possible chance they got.
When I read that article in the Star I had a good laugh. Two main things jumped out at me.
1:Mariner was responsible for finding talent. Maybe the scouting reports that were getting thrown away were from Mariner, who, let’s face it, was never going to find the type of players Winter wanted. He probably through out scouting reports from half the Bermudian National team
2:While I think signing yet another high salary cap, aged player was a terrible choice in the first place – if that was the approach they wanted take, it’s curious that the sources make no mention that we passed on another, aged, experienced CB – Nesta – who is playing for around 180k to 220k in Montreal. Could have had our old hand at the back for less than the cap hit of the DP, and had no league issues on it. Classic cap mismanagement that this team suffers from time in and time out…