Toronto FC: Another Expansion Soccer Champ in the Works

In 1998, the Chicago Fire won the MLS Cup in their inaugural season, a challenge which is widely held to be nearly impossible.Typical expansion teams struggle in their first season, assoccer fans witnessed last year as neither Chivas USA nor Real Salt Lake could manage a solidposition in the league standings.

However Toronto FC promises to be a whole new kind of expansion team. This teamhas already started to build its core byrecruitingsome of the best talentin the Canadian Soccer Association.

Toronto's first signing was left defender/midfielder Jim Brennan. Brennan has 43 caps with the Canadian National Team and had a successfulrun in England. While playing in England, Brennan spent time in the English Premier League and English Championship with such clubs as Norwich City and Nottingham Forest. The29 year old brings versalityto the team with the ability to play in the midfield or back. The team will count on him as an experienced leader.

Brennan isn'tthe only Canadian National Team memberTorontohasbrought in fromacross the pond. Chris Pozniak, a defender, hadbeen with FKHaugesund in Norway. The25 year old spent time in Toronto with the Lynx of the United Soccer Leagues but left for Norwaysoon after.Pozniak has spent a considerable amount of time with Canada's National Team earning 16 caps.

The team also signed another Canadianbased in Norway. Marco Reda was in the back line for Sogndal before signing withtheMLS expansion side. Reda is also part of the Canadian National Team and last played with Pozniak in October when Canada fell to Jamaica 2-1.

One other member of the national team defense will join Reda, Pozniak, and Brennan. Adam Braz of the Montreal Impact will also tend the back third of the field for Toronto. Braz has nine fairly recent caps with the Canadian National Team and has experience playing with both Reda and Pozniak.