23 Mar 2009
by Jerrad Peters
Guevara key to Toronto success
Toronto FC outlasted a Kansas City fightback to secure their first three points of the 2009 Major League Soccer campaign on Saturday. Amado Guevara's masterful performance was the highlight of a strong showing from visiting Toronto. The Honduras captain scored twice for the guests in the second half, spinning around Wizards defender Jonathan Leathers and beating goalkeeper Kevin Hartman from 16 yards in the 53rd minute before completing the brace just after the hour-mark.
Guevara looked a decade younger than his 32 years on this night. Given a free role between holding midfielder Carl Robinson and the two-pronged attack of Chad Barrett and Dwayne De Rosario, the 2004 MLS most valuable player made maximum use of the liberty afforded him by head coach John Carver.
Given the off-season addition of De Rosario, Guevara will be under far less pressure than last season, when he was charged with concocting each piece of creative, offensive play. It was a role that weighed heavily on him, and his performances visibly deteriorated as the schedule wore on.
De Rosario's influence is already changing all that. Despite missing a penalty in the 80th minute, the Canadian international made a solid debut for the Reds. Running in and out of space behind Barrett, he combined well with the immaculate Guevara, producing the rebound that the latter converted into his second goal of the match.
Released from the oppressive responsibility of having to do everything by himself, the Honduran is ironically becoming the player he was intended to be when Toronto manager Mo Johnson got him on a song from Chivas USA last April.
Upon arriving in Canada, Guevara was immediately inserted into a squad completely bereft of creative talent. From June 21 to September 27—a stretch of 14 matches—the Reds managed a paltry nine goals. Only the expansion San Jose Earthquakes tallied fewer than Toronto's 34 goals on the season.
The acquisition of De Rosario should see that total increase by at least 15, given the goals he'll score and others he'll make. And if his presence continues to inspire Guevara—as it did in Kansas City—Toronto could conceivably become an offensive powerhouse in the Eastern Conference.
Of course, both playmakers would be helped immensely by a quality centre-forward. And while Barrett has entered the season in considerably better shape than last term, he's certainly not that man. Even Pablo Vitti—the highly-rated 23-year-old marksman on loan from Independiente—is unlikely to be much of an upgrade at the position.
That said, an energized, productive Guevara can take this team a long way on his own. Probably even into the playoffs. At his best, he's every bit to Toronto what Guillermo Barros Schelotto was to Columbus last season. And things turned out rather well for them.
Rijkaard tipped for Chelsea job
That Frank Rijkaard is first in line to succeed Luiz Felipe Scolari as Chelsea manager should come as no surprise. After all, the 46-year-old was shortlisted for the position after Avram Grant was ushered out of Stamford Bridge last summer. In fact, Rijkaard might have been hired instead of Scolari, had he not vocalized his intention to take some time away from football.
Just ten months ago, the Dutchman was the embattled manager of Barcelona. In addition to a third-place finish in La Liga and a Champions' League ouster at the hands of Manchester United, Rijkaard was also faced with a very public rift between striker Samuel Eto'o and two-time World Footballer of the Year, Ronaldinho.
The controversy cost Barcelona dearly, and Rijkaard did not seem entirely disappointed when he got the sack in June. With two league titles and the 2006 Champions' League crown to his name, he had already achieved much at the Nou Camp.
And so, like Jose Mourinho the year before, he took some time away from the game. Unlike the Portuguese, however, he has remained completely out of the spotlight. There was no flying in and out of European capitals while rumors swirled that he would take over a national team, no random comments about the performances of particular clubs. Rijkaard, it seems, has made the most of his break. It also appears as though he's itching to get back to work.
The connections to Chelsea are obvious. Of Europe's big clubs, job openings may only present themselves at Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AS Roma, Lyon, Ajax and Stamford Bridge. Rijkaard is unlikely to take an appointment in Spain so soon after leaving Barcelona, and Lyon doesn't seem at all a good fit. Mourinho will probably stay at Inter, and Roma—while an intriguing option—cannot compete with the finances available at Chelsea. Ajax—currently 12 points off the pace in Holland—are an interesting candidate as well, although they're probably not a big enough club.
Then there is Guus Hiddink. The current caretaker manager has vowed to step down as head coach in the summer in order to devote his full energy to Russia's World Cup qualifying campaign. That said, it's expected he'll return to Chelsea in an official role in November 2009 or August 2010.
He and Rijkaard share similar philosophies on football and would, no doubt, strive to deliver the stylish play that so intrigues club owner Roman Abramovich. Abramovich also seems comfortable with Hiddink, having hired him to coach the Russian national team before asking him to temporarily replace Scolari. The Russian tends to keep a tight inner circle of advisers, and Hiddink's influence cannot be underestimated in selecting Chelsea's next full-time boss.
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