Ex-Toronto FC DP Julian de Guzman calls on Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi to step up
“This is TFC. There will always be drama and some type of fire to put out.”
Julian de Guzman is not wrong, unfortunately.
The last 10 days have ignited one of the biggest fires of all. But things took an upswing on Saturday as Lorenzo Insigne put the team on his back for the first time in 2023, notching a pair of assists in a match-winning, MLS Team of the Matchday-recognized performance to lead the Reds to a vital 2-1 win over D.C. United and quell the blaze that has been raging through the club in the last week-and-a-half.
It was a long-overdue performance from both the team and Insigne. With the club’s other star Italian Designated Player Federico Bernardeschi sidelined by a “coach’s decision” — no need for us to explain again — his compatriot stepped up big time.
De Guzman told Canadian Soccer Daily’s Director of Content Brendan Dunlop on TSN 1050’s Game Play that it’s time for the 31-year-old to show he can do this on a regular basis.
“Insigne steps up finally in one game but it’s a question of him being able to step up in every game, and that’s the same for Bernardeschi,” said the TSN pundit, who spent three years with TFC between 2009 and 2012. “It’s gonna come down to consistency.”
De Guzman is well-placed to comment.
The first Canadian DP in Major League Soccer history, the midfielder knows better than most the pressures of performing with those two letters attached to your name. Insigne and Bernardeschi have both had great careers in Europe, but as one man (albeit, particularly in Insigne’s case, a standout star) in a top-level team.
In MLS, everything is different, from the culture to the travel to the status of players of their stature.
De Guzman believes Insigne and Bernardeschi, the latter of whom will return to the TFC matchday squad this week, are acclimatizing to those changes, but he called upon the former Serie A stars to begin further embracing their roles as on-field leaders.
“The league itself is a brand-new lifestyle or experience that they’re going through, there’s a lot of adjustment,” he told Dunlop. “Being a DP too is another pressure. If the team doesn’t do well, it’s not just the coach but the DPs as well who are the first people who are pointed at. I’ve experienced that myself… everyone looks to you to come up with the answers.
“If they can get over that and get their head around them being just as important as the head coach, as Bob Bradley, and coming together collectively and playing a more important role in that leadership team, then you can start to do well. TFC are definitely one of the best teams on paper, but it comes down to your DPs… These are the new hurdles and obstacles they are learning in their careers.
“Those are the two guys who need to be healthy if TFC want any success. I think they’re finally starting to understand the North American culture of playing, recovering, travelling, time zones, etc… If [Insigne] has the energy he showed against D.C., not just on the ball but off the ball, the entire team will follow that and believe in that.”
In Insigne’s performance last weekend, TFC fans have a glimpse of what is possible if their stars can step up. The season is slipping away, on the cusp of the halfway stage, but given the expanded postseason format, put a run of confidence and better results together, and there’s no reason TFC can’t be in the conversation come September.
Meanwhile, De Guzman also addressed his past comments on Bob and Michael Bradley’s father-son dynamic at the club. A couple of months ago, the former Canadian men’s national team veteran made headlines when he foreshadowed a potential issue with the dynamic created by the presence of both Bradleys.
“I kind of put myself in the shoes of the players when you’re in that environment,” he told Dunlop. “It’s not always going to go well and the best place to vent and open up is always in that locker room. You’re going to have words about the coach or a player but I think players can’t express themselves in that type of environment with that set-up and that father-and-son relationship. It could restrict the entire group from being themselves, and that’s where you’re meant to be yourselves, in that locker room.
“If you’re in a situation where you’re restricted to have those conversations openly, it kinda relays onto the field.”
Whether that purported dynamic has indeed been having an effect on results is something we may never know for sure. What is certain, though, is that TFC need to build on a positive step against D.C.
The games come thick and fast for TFC. They’re back in action on Wednesday night, hosting the Chicago Fire at BMO, before travelling to Minnesota on Saturday night.
Many eyes, of course, will be on the starting XI. Insigne will be there, but will Bernardeschi?
Wednesday is a very winnable game. If our players play to their potential and our coach doesn’t get in the way we should win. Especially since both berna and rosted should be back. As for Julien de Guzman he knows the game and to me he’s by far the most honest and knowledgeable analyst.
Julian is indicting himself with his comments. He was never able to do what he is asking of Fede and Insigne in leading the club out of difficult times.
De Guzman vouched for signing Mista, which was a disaster. Then he teamed up with coach Winter, Koevermans and Frings to produce “the worst team in the world”. A lot of his teams had DeRosario and Stefan Frei on them, as well, so they were pretty good on paper compared to other MLS teams of the time, looking back.
Of course – he was making about 1/4-1/3 of what these guys are (even adjusting for inflation), and he was always more of just a scrappy midfield ball-winner than someone that could really control a game. So he probably never had it in him to turn around a team’s fortunes on his shoulders.
The jury’s still out on Fede & Insigne in the same capacity. They’ve certainly shown flashes of being able to dominate.
What do people actually expect from Insigne & Bernardeschi? I feel like people are expecting them to drop Ronaldo & Messi numbers in this league and that’s not going to happen imo. If they can get double digit assists and goals, I would consider that a good season for them.
Personally I expect them to play ‘well’ as individuals (successful dribbles, key passes, high pass percentage, and between them average a goal contribution [g/a] per game), but the important thing is to lead the team to enough Ws to win the Canadian Championship as well as compete for the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup each year.
If Fede says it’s not possible with the current tactics, we need to boot the coach.
I agree that it’s unrealistic to expect them to be 2015 Giovinco in today’s MLS. Especially considering neither of them is a CF or have a history of prolific scoring.
My expectation is for them to be leaders who help raise the entire teams level of play. If other teams plan by throwing multiple defenders at them, I am hoping they find the open man (when we have Osorio back and even with Sapong and Laryea we should be able put the ball in the net).
We do need more from the midfield and am hoping that Bradley addresses that in the summer window, but for me if our Italian stars score 10-12 goals each and have 15 or more assists I will call it good production.
If TFC is winning and these guys are quarterbacking plays for the players around them, then they will be earning their salaries in my books.
For the midfield to work, what it doesn’t need is a 4 3 3, there just isn’t enough there for that formation to work. We need bob to adjust its more about bob than the players on that front. The coach and the players have to be on the same page if Bob doesn’t adjust disappoint will follow
Julien was great for deportivo la counra who are no where nowhere now, (I know deportivo won la Liga just prior to Julien arriving) at tfc he was on the decline he didn’t play to his potential forsure but at the time a holding midfielder isn’t what tfc needed and there just wasn’t enough good players in the midfield to support him also our front office staff had guys like earl Cochrane who put it kindly was horrendous. (national team had a similar problem for a long long time). Anyhow I still find him incitful and his criticism and opinions are usually on point as an analyst at least that’s how I see it.
“It’s not always going to go well and the best place to vent and open up is always in that locker room. You’re going to have words about the coach or a player but I think players can’t express themselves in that type of environment with that set-up and that father-and-son relationship. It could restrict the entire group from being themselves, and that’s where you’re meant to be yourselves, in that locker room”
Exactly and that’s 100% self-inflicted by the idiots who run the club.