On Friday morning, while we waited inside BMO Field for the unveiling of new Toronto FC GM Tim Bezbatchenko, one reporter turned to another.

"Did you notice they still have pictures of (recently fired TFC director of team and player operations Earl) Cochrane and (departed head scout Pat) Onstad up in the hallway?"

Five minutes later, the same reporter sidled up again. "I think someone heard me. They just took the pictures down."

There's a lot of talk here about a bold new direction going forward. No one wants to mention - or see - the road kill left back at the crash site.

If he's smart, coach Ryan Nelsen is trying to figure out which part he belongs to. If he's really smart - and he is - he already knows.

Nelsen survived the purge that claimed his bosses, but that shouldn't be mistaken for a vote of confidence. What were they going to do? Fire every employee of the club in the middle of the season?

Nelsen was kept on because jettisoning him would have stretched even this club's traditionally hallucinogenic ability to salvage optimism from every failure. It would have stunk of panic.

Nelsen is a shy type at all times. But while Bezbatchenko was being introduced, his body language spoke for him. He sat head down, hands clasped in his lap, staring at his feet. After Bezbatchenko gave his opening remarks, Nelsen was asked to offer some thoughts.

"Well, I think he said it all really ." Nelsen mumbled. The little he did say was edited out of the video posted on the team's website.

Later still, it became clear how the power structure at this club is shaking out.

Asked about the moves going forward, Bezbatchenko said: "I've got to sit down with Tim and Nellie and make those decisions."

Try to imagine Dave Nonis or Masai Ujiri saying that on the subject of rosters - "I've got to sit down with Tim ."

There is only one sensible way this works. For the next four months, Leiweke is Toronto FC's general manager. He's going to be the one on European tour, using the deepest Rolodex in North American hands to find two major players.

While he's recruiting field generals, Bezbatchenko will be tinkering with the infantry.

It's logical to assume that the sort of player Leiweke is targeting - and some of them are huge names - will be involved in next summer's World Cup. If that sort of player signs with Toronto in January, there is little chance they will agree to come to Canada until after the tournament. That would put their landing date somewhere in August.

Even if things go precisely to plan, this team may have to struggle through five months of the 2014 season without any superstars.

Once the heavy lifting is done in January, Leiweke can step back and allow Bezbatchenko to step to the fore. Then Nelsen begins moving toward the buzzsaw.

This can play out two ways.

Given a team that is not markedly better than the current one to start the year, Nelsen wins a bunch of games. Hurray. He gets to keep his job.

Or he loses a bunch of games. Then a Machiavellian opportunity opens up for Bezbatchenko.

Leiweke has gone to great lengths to endorse Nelsen since just before he fired former president Kevin Payne.

"Ryan sees the world exactly as we do," he said. "He will be our coach next year."

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Though Nelsen is not his hire, Leiweke has created the strong public impression that he is his guy.

If Toronto FC pratfalls out of the gate next year, Bezbatchenko can still win a bunch of ways.

He fires Nelsen, brings in his own coach and earns himself a little time on the career clock. Time he hopes lasts until August.

In the bargain, he gets to establish his I'm-my-own-man bona fides by publicly ejecting his boss's choice (a guy who was never really the boss's choice, but you see where this is going).

For Bezbatchenko, it's either win-win or lose-win-win.

The entire Toronto FC experience has been a rotten one for Nelsen, through no fault of his own. They botched his introduction. They gave him a crap team. He's not much of a public speaker, and so his litany of "We're so close"s got old fast.

You got some sense of the frustration on Saturday. He was ejected from another losing game, 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City. Afterward, he was asked if he believes he's been treated fairly during his time here.

Dropping into an uncharacteristically emphatic Kiwi argot, Nelsen rededicated himself to the new regime.

"I honestly couldn't be more happier since when I've tooken this job. When I first took this job, and I saw what had kind of happened - again, I don't like talking about the past - but to where I sit now. Oh my goodness. Trust me on this one. I am so much more happier in terms of everything moving forward with Toronto. It is absolutely night and day."

What, specifically?

"We were handcuffed, and we've taken the handcuffs off. Let's just say that."

Nelsen doesn't help himself with this elliptical talk - it just tends to focus the blame back on himself. And it doesn't belong there.

You can see why he might be happier now. The roster will change (though probably not fast enough). He's been endorsed by the real boss.

But Nelsen is a scarred campaigner. He must see that the professional noose has already been slipped over his head. He will be coach to start next year. When it does, each Game Day will represent a trap door.