Toronto FC trained on Tuesday at BMO Field with only thirteen players in the squad. Coach John Carver is without nine players who are away on international duty, leaving him with big problems ahead of Saturday's home game against Chivas USA.
"I've had some challenges in my life, but I've never had anything like this," said Carver. "We have played games with six or seven players missing, like when we beat L.A. earlier this season, but this time Julius James and Marvell Wynne got call-ups and Jarrod Smith is also away with New Zealand. Whatever team we put out there, we need the fans to get right behind the players, support them, and give them the best possible opportunity to get something out of the game. We will all be fighting for the cause."
"I've hardly been able to work with a consistent team all season because we keep losing players to internationals. To be honest, we played on Saturday with what was probably our strongest team of the season and we were dreadful, but there haven't been many times this season when I have been able to put my strongest team on the field."
Carver is also concerned that some of the players available for Saturday will struggle to last the whole game. "Chad Barrett has not lasted a full game yet. Danny Dichio hasn't played a full game since suffering from concussion and Kevin Harmse has a problem with his knees. We have called up David Monsalve from the MLS emergency pool to be our substitute goalkeeper, but we are only left with one outfield substitute."
The Reds coach also doubts he will be able to strengthen his squad before the game. "If we want to get players from the MLS, nobody in our division is going to do us any favours because they don't want to strengthen the team of a rival. The only chance we would get of bringing anyone in is from the West, because other teams in that division will want us to do well against Chivas. We should be bringing in international players to improve the standard of the team and the league, but if we are going to end up being short on international dates we will have to start signing players who are not internationals; that doesn't help develop the standard of the game."
Toronto will also be without Tyler Hemming. The midfielder has asked to leave the club. "Tyler asked to be released today, so we're now another man down," said Carver. "If he doesn't want to be here, there is no way I'm going to beg him to stay just because we are short of players. It is his request; he wants to go."
