Toronto FC has endured a rough season under new head coach Aron Winter, but the last-place team in the Eastern Conference still has playoff aspirations and took a step toward trying to realize those dreams with a pair of major signings.
TFC announced the signings of German midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch striker Danny Koevermans today, making the pair the second and third Designated Players on Toronto's roster, along with Julian deGuzman.
Frings, 34, and Koevermans, 32, will be eligible to play for Toronto once the summer transfer window opens on July 15th.
TFC is currently in last place in the Eastern Conference, but with the new MLS playoff format, the club is just four points out of the 10th and final playoff spot.
Frings is an infamous player among U.S. national team fans for being the German national team player who appeared to intentionally handle a goal-bound shot by Gregg Berhalter in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals. Referee Hugh Dallas missed the call on what could have given the United States an equalizing penalty kick.
What do you think of the signings? Think Toronto can still make a playoff push?
Share your thoughts below.
And they’ll still miss the playoffs
Instant villan status for TFC! Love it, league needs people to root against. Damn you for ’02, Frings!!!
Decent players. I hope they perform.
I am not a TFC fan but their fans deserve some good performances.
Wow.
That is some serious signage.
Looking at their schedule from July 20 onward, I don’t see a lot of opportunities for maximum points. But hey, at least we’ve got a new villain to root against in Frings.
Yeah, kind of surprising that the article made no mention of ’02, but I guess they just suppose that everyone reading would remember. Kind of hard to forget…
Holy crap. Seriously?! Not a TFC fan but I like this. Seen good things with Frings.
Keep your hands away from the ball when you play RSL Frings!!
Doesn’t TFC already have decent keepers?
Not bad, I think they are pretty good signings especially if Frings can stay healthy. He plays younger then his age (again if he is healthy) and has an absolute rocket shot. Koevermans isn’t in his class but is a very good solid player who might fit in perfectly in MLS.
Good, another reason to laugh when TFC looses.
*losses
Frings… the man whose Cheating cost the US a chance to play (against South Korea!) for a spot in the World Cup F*cking Final? TFC can DIAF.
*loses/suck/damn english
I think we can now safely give TFC the nickname “The Red Barons”.
+1
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NICE TFC!
Hey Ives, will Toronto play Frings, DeGuzman and Tchani at the same time?
I cannot be held responsible for my actions when this cheating scumbag visits Red Bull Arena.
We all know MLS increased the number of teams that make the playoffs from 8 to 10 just so Toronto could make it and toronto still fails.
try again
I am skeptical b/c European or So. American players generally did not work out well in the MLS (with some notable exceptions). It may come down to their ability to withstand the physicality of MLS play.
Frings signing has got to be courtesy of Klinsman being on the payroll no? I wonder what other irons he has in the fire. DeGuzman wont be a designated player for too much longer..
hahahaha good chirp
Agreed…
Frings == must watch MLS games…brilliant move TFC
Bold moves…we’ll see if it saves the season. Rapids need to do likewise, but won’t spend the $
Frings… we will never forget.
Your right, maybe those bundesliga should start watching MLS for examples of physicality.
They should’ve dumped deGuzman while they were at it. The guy has done nothing to show me that he is a DP quality player. It’s exciting to see more stars in the league but I’m not convinced these two will have much of an impact on this season for Toronto.
maybe he’ll bring some German influence to the team. hopefully
they will win, as we all can with total football. but total football is not just applicable to sports, its also a way of living in general.
Yes, obviously there will be creative fan responses, but Frings is certainly a very gifted player, would love to see him play.
you had it right the first time lol.
ha ha ha lol wow
MLS Cup here we come!
Wow, I’d say these are pretty good signings, and I bet Klinsmann had something to do with it.
For what it’s worth, I blame poor officiating more than I blame Frings for that ’02 incident. There’s some degree of cheating or poor sportsmanship in almost every game, isn’t it the ref’s responsibility to officiate the match??
All the TFC fans would throw their frozen pizza freebies on the field though.
BREAKING NEWS…Hugh Dallas just appointed head MLS referee !
That sounds like a pretty misinformed blanket statement. So from what continent have we seen better imports? Africa? Asia? Antarctica?
Maybe you mean big name flops or something, but there have been plenty of successful from each across the gamut.
I haven’t seen him play much in the last 3 years, but I have always thought Frings would be a perfect player for MLS. MLS needs more players that can distribute from deep in midfield.
No, it was wrong the first time. And the second.
Keep trying; you’ll get there eventually.
*loses
Frings is one of my all time favorite players, but he’s a bit slow. I don’t know how this is going to work out.
On any other team he’d be a major force.
TFC is so bad, I don’t really know if this will really make an impact on their playoff chances.
But we’ll see.
Goalkeeping isnt our issue. Frei has been magnificent. All we need is another starting defender or two and we will be back in it. Regardless these signings were made to strengthen us for next year.
DeGuzmans likely on his way out. Tchani wont have any problems and if anything will benefit from playing along side Frings
Itll happen. Id be shocked if it didnt
WOOOOOOOSH.
Pretty amazing signings that will definitely help the team, but they are signings for next year for sure. We still need a CB leader, a LB and a creative mid.
He’s right.
Toronto’s season IS like an episode of Fringe.
Whoops, sorry, I misread the headline, my bad.
Just a guess, but I’d bet there are many more North American players who did not work out well in MLS than there are European and South American players. Its about the player’s skill and mentality, the team, and the manager, not where the player was born. Get quality players in a good situation and you’ll get quality.
(crickets…)
Everyone’s going to be talking about Frings, but the really big impact news is the Koevermans signing. The guy scored 134 goals in 253 games with top Dutch teams. Better than one every two games. At 32, he might be one of the best signings in MLS history, assuming he can get some decent service.
He’ll also fit nicely into TFC’s DUtch-style organization.
Hey, bud! Let’s party!
Exactly. See, this is why we need Klinsmann coaching the USMNT – with his connections we could probably sign Klose and Ozil to be our forwards!
canadians have no sense of humor.
a canadian with no sense of humor… now i have seen everything.
Will someone make giant TIFO of Frings’ handball against the US? Seattle, I’m looking at you…
so many things wrong with this ^.. i hope your sarcastic
Yes! the players should do what they have to to win. even if its’t pretty. the ref should be there to call it.
Wow, I already disliked Toronto just because they are stupid, smelly, back-bacon eating Canucks. Now I really hate them!
Frings brings an instant enemy, but also sorely needed quality to the team. Reminds me a lot of Marquez in that sense. At least Frings is with a Canadien team so the home fans don’t have to ignore the handball.
if Frings has an ounce left in the tank it is a great signing for TFC. He is a hell of a player. (who handled the ball in ’02 and we missed out on a PK but let’s face it, it is as much if not more the ref’s fault for not catching the obvious infraction)
The issue is their age and physical condition. And since they are signing with an MLS club, not a Bundesliga club, some might think they are not longer capable of handlign the physicality of that league.
Add to that the travel schedule, which will be a lot heavier in the MLS and weather.
I hope they do well, but I am skeptical of any MLS club trying to improve through signing of aging European players.
someone sign Maradona to coach and MLS will have 3 of the most infamous hands ever!
good for TFC, watching them right now, and they are missing soooo many guys right now.
In recent years, South American signings seem to have done better. And you are focusing on the wrong part of my statement, I am mostly talking about their age and the amount of money TFC will likely have to pay for them.
I wasn’t as clear as I should have been. Age and $$ they will likely cost is more of a concern than the fact they are from Europe.
I have no dog in this fight, I hope they do well.
john o’ brien, handball against mexico in the same world cup, not called ny ref. guess y’all have selective memory…
Amen, brother.
Freudian slip. Doesn’t like to actually use the word. Not like W-I-N-I-N-G!
Yeah, I know.
DeGuzman is persona non grata at TFC and has been for a while.
Interesting speculation. Funny that we haven’t heard word one from Klinsy since the announcement of his consultancy. Maybe this is what he was quietly working on for the secretive Northerners.
Unh-hunh.
I wouldn’t book your ticket just yet.
Euro or So American players havent worked out? When did you start watching MLS, last month? Jeez man learn some history.
What do you mean? Do you want TFC to invade Poland?
John O’Brien isn’t playing anymore – he got his payback in career-ending injuries. Frings is still on the field, all the better to receive the uncivil verbal abuse that he so richly deserves.
At least he won’t get urine showers walking out the tunnel in and out of MLS stadiums.
got some cathartic jeering in my personal future, TFC is circled on the calendar….
Yah but who can jeer Hugh Dallas these days? Frings will be coming to a stadium near you soon…. good move TFC.
whatev…the O’Brien handball wasn’t the factor, the Frings handball was.
It’ll be interesting when he matches up against Henry.
Iy’s too bad the Galaxy will not be playing Toronto FC again this year (unless,of course TFC make the playoffs), a Berhalter-Frings reunion would be pretty interesting!
I am proud of you for being from Canadia AND not knowing your US history.
Just what the league needs…another thug
It does come down to physicality, and these guys can handle it
The South Americans that can handle the physicality…it usually takes at least a half year to adjust
Scorers can score anywhere when given the PT…And he’s physical…Maybe better than Hassli, we shall see
Maybe they could just put Frings in goal, he’s excellent at guarding that line with his hands…
If Toronto does make the playoffs, Henry’s usual tactic of scoring with his hands will be denied by Frings clutch defense with his hands.
Could be that the joke wasnt funny.
Go figure eh?
i might add that having now seen the context of your ‘joke’, that not knowing the history of the american nats hardly qualifies as not knowing american history. Im guessing this was another ‘joke’ you speak of.
dork
+1. We will be booing him in Timbers Green.
I’ll Amen that too!
32? 34? It’s not 2002 and Frings looked old last time I saw him play. He’s gotta prove himself before I’ll call this a good signing. I’ll take Alonso.
Red Bull fans who hate Frings make me laugh…you guys have freakin’ Marquez!!!
The battle for the most hated man in MLS has begun.
Does a team with American influence want to kill Ntaive Americans?
No, you’re still responsible for your actions. Boo all you want, but don’t throw stuff.
Frings still played 32 games last year for Bremen, if guys like Blanco and schelotto could have an impact at their ages I would not rule out Frings doing the same. Especially since physical play probably won’t be an issue in his case.
here is some history…the White House is on fire
I can’t wait for the day when MLS doesn’t need ancient European players to improve teams. Nevertheless, I can’t wait to boo Frings.
why don’t you try reading more carefully? I was talking about their age. And I also said So. American players DO tend to work out better.
I personally have never seen one signee from Antarctica fail yet.
So much hate for TFC! I guess if you get more than 20 fans to a game you become a target!