Goal.com spoke exclusively to director of player development Paul Mariner about the recent changes at TFC.

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In the past 27 days, Toronto FC has added 10 new players to its roster, while in the same span, six players have departed. With all the turnover, a bit of an adjustment period would be understandable, but Paul Mariner, for one, hasn't seen it.“It's been seamless to be honest,” said the TFC director of player development in an exclusive interview with Goal.com. “We made sure they fit into the system first before we signed them, so the integration then is very smooth.”The results thus far haven’t been spectacular, but for a team that was desperately poor most of the season, it has to be considered progress.In its past six matches in all competitions, TFC has posted a 2-2-2 record, including an 0-2-2 mark in MLS matches. The two wins came in CONCACAF Champions League play against Nicaragua’s Real Esteli, but two straight road draws in league play have imbued a sense of optimism in Toronto that hasn’t been seen for some time.Mariner said that the team’s technical staff, led by head coach Aron Winter and second-in-command Bob de Klerk, aimed to give every player on the roster a chance to prove their value at the beginning of the season. After a 3-9-9 start, though, it was clear that a breaking point had been reached.And so, the aforementioned 10 players were introduced rapid-fire a span of just four weeks. Four came in as signings (Torsten Frings, Danny Koevermans, Eddy Viator, Peri Marosevic), and six were acquired via trade (Dasan Robinson, Eric Avila, Andy Iro, Leandre Griffit, Ryan Johnson, Terry Dunfield).In the same period of time, six Toronto players were jettisoned in said trades: Tony Tchani, Nana Attakora, Jacob Peterson, Alan Gordon, Dan Gargan, and Maicon Santos.The highlight of the transactions was undoubtedly the double Designated Player signing of Frings and Koevermans, a pair which Mariner says the club “had been doing a lot of work on” throughout the season.Frings, the former German international has brought a wealth of experience and savvy to the middle of the park, but his signing raised several questions about the team’s third DP, Julian de Guzman, who plays a similar position. Could they both play together in a 4-3-3 system which isn’t heavy on midfielders?“There’s definitely a role (for both players),” Mariner insists,” The nice thing is we've got some competition in the midfield, which is very important.”Both Frings and de Guzman started TFC’s 2-2 draw at Portland on July 30, and de Guzman came off the bench last weekend and scored his first-ever goal for the Reds in a 3-3 draw at DC United, which seems to back up Mariner’s insistence the two DPs can be paired together.Offensively, the team’s new signings have shined, like Ryan Johnson, who's slotted in well at the outside left forward spot with a goal and assist in three games. Or Koevermans, who’s scored three times in just four matches. While the Dutchman’s contributions were far from unexpected, another new face has flown in a bit more under the radar to make his presence felt.FC Dallas released Peri Marosevic July 28, and before the ink dried on the transaction, TFC picked him up. Marosevic, 22, was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 SuperDraft, but had become an afterthought in Texas, playing only four matches his entire MLS career, and none since 2009.Toronto FC took a chance and has been rewarded with two MLS goals in just two appearances from the former University of Michigan and U.S. U-20 midfielder. Mariner was compelled to sign Marosevic, because of his versatility.“We felt he could come in and play the nine position as cover for Danny Koevermans, we felt he could play as a 10 underneath, we felt he could play wide on the right or wide on the left. In MLS terms, that's a valuable commodity,” Mariner said.While the team’s offense has excelled of late, the back-line continues to ship goals at an alarming rate. Currently, the team has allowed 46 goals in 25 matches, by far the worst mark in the league. New acquisition Andy Iro has struggled badly in central defense, as he was at fault for two DC United goals at the weekend.Mariner recognized the team’s defensive inadequacies, saying “It's no secret that we will have to add some more (defenders).”He also revealed the team would attempt to sign Richard Eckersley on a permanent basis. The 22-year-old has made the right back position his own this season, but is currently on loan until January from Burnley of the English Championship.Though the team plans to add defenders, Mariner went out of his way to praise two TFC Academy products on the roster who’ve made their MLS debuts this season at defense: Doneil Henry and Ashtone Morgan.Mariner says 18-year-old Henry is an “incredible player for the future,” while Morgan, 20, has impressed with his speed and looks to be solidifying the left back slot, starting the team’s past two MLS matches. Three other academy products have made league debuts this season: Oscar Cordon, Matt Stinson and Keith Makubuya.For now, the team will continue to integrate new youthful players with experienced veterans like Frings, Koevermans and de Guzman. Unsurprisingly, TFC might not be done making moves just yet.After saying his team is always looking to strengthen its defense, Mariner, when asked if his team would add more players before the summer transfer window closes, responded “I'm not going to say no, because you just don't know in football. Stuff comes across the desk all the time, so it's possible.”Toronto FC fans are used to change by now, and if recent results are any indication, more turnover at BMO Field might just be a welcome sign.