THE BASICS: Toronto FC

Eastern Conference

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No team in MLS is more ambitious and grandiose in their desire for greatness than Toronto FC. The first Canadian team in the league has played host to big-name players like Dwayne De Rosario Torsten Frings, Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley. The two newest Designated Players, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco, bring with them renewed hopes for a winning team. However, the chase for glory has brought with it plenty of heartbreak: Toronto has yet to make the MLS playoffs in eight seasons.

Rivals

Toronto FC has two main rivals in the Columbus Crew and the Montreal Impact, but it's the latter that harbors the brunt of the supporter's fury. The Toronto-Montreal rivalry spans across the sporting hemisphere, and while some rivalries are born of mutual respect or admiration, there is no love lost in this one. Simply put, Toronto and Montreal see each other as enemies first and rivals second. The fans wouldn't have it any other way.

2014 Recap

The 2014 season was labeled a "bloody big deal" right from the start for Toronto FC, as the club brought in English striker Defoe and U.S. international Bradley in an effort to finally right the ship and make the playoffs. That didn't happen, as a number of injuries to key players saw the team fall in the standings. In the process, Ryan Nelsen was fired and Defoe ultimately left the team for a desired return to the Premier League.

TRANSACTIONS IN: M Marco Delgado (Dispersal Draft)

M Daniel Lovitz (trade from NYCFC)

F Robbie Findley (Re-Entry Stage 1 Draft)

M Jay Chapman (Homegrown)

GK Alex Bono (SuperDraft)

F Jozy Altidore (transfer from Sunderland)

M/F Sebastian Giovinco (free)

D Damien Perquis (free)

D/F Eriq Zavaleta (traded from Seattle)

M Benoit Cheyrou (free) TRANSACTIONS OUT: F Dwayne De Rosario (option declined)

D Doneil Henry (loan expired)

D Bradley Orr (loan expired)

D Ryan Richter (option declined)

F Andrew Wiedeman (option declined)

M Daniel Lovitz (Expansion Draft to NYCFC)

M Jeremy Hall (traded to New England)

F Jermain Defoe (transfer to Sunderland)

M Kyle Bekker (traded to Dallas)

F Dominic Oduro (traded to Montreal)

F Gilberto (loaned to Vasco da Gama)

2015 Prospectus

Toronto FC quickly moved on from the failings of 2014, bringing in US striker Jozy Altidore in a straight swap with Sunderland, sending Defoe the other way. That alone promised to be a major story for this free-spending team, had it not been for the massive coup of Italian international Sebastian Giovinco, signed from Juventus during preseason. Giovinco and Altidore, alongside French midfielder Benoit Cheyrou, former Real Betis captain Damien Perquis and a number of other new acquistions give Toronto a strong core of veteran players across the field. This is the strongest TFC side ever.

CLUB SOURCE: "I think they are a better team than last year, without question. The issue for them is going to be how they come together as a group and how they deal with the pressure of the expectations."

CLUB SOURCE: "Unless you're from Toronto, or are a supporter of Toronto, they're a relatively easy team to dislike a little bit. Just because of the amount of spending that they do."

PROJECTED LINEUP: Bendik; Morrow-Perquis-Caldwell-Bloom; Cheyrou-Bradley-Giovinco; Osorio-Altidore-Findley Complete roster [torontofc.ca]

FANTASY SOCCER SLEEPER PICKS: Warren Creavalle

Jonathan Osorio

Robbie Findley Jozy Altidore ($9.5m) isn't even double digits. Should you be wary or take a chance? It's a bet that could pay big dividends, and help Michael Bradley's ($10m) production match his price. Might Robbie Findley ($7m) get some time out wide, perhaps on the other side of Jonathan Osorio ($7m)? Both could benefit from the presence of Giovinco ($11m). On the back line, you can get a starting outside back for $6.5m.

Armchair Analyst's Best Case Scenario

This is the first time I've looked at a Toronto roster and said to myself "you know, that kind of makes sense." So any time I did this best case scenario piece in the past I was kind of chuckling to myself.

Now I'm not laughing. Now I legit want to know if this thing is going to work. Bradley, Cheyrou, Giovinco, Altidore, Perquis, Osorio, Morrow... that looks like a winning core to me. And the way the bench is constructed has me convinced that the ceiling hasn't been raised at the expense of the floor – there's legitimate depth here.

TFC should contend. I still think they'll finish behind the Crew, and maybe one or two others in the East because I'm a big believer in continuity. I am by no means guaranteeing that this is one of the best teams in the league.

But if everything goes right... they should be. Chuckle now, while that still sounds funny.