Duane Rollins

It's fine. Really. Just fine. Toronto shows life against expansion juggernaut

It’s fine. Really.

On #TFCLive at the 2/3 mark of another wasted season. 24thminute.substack.com/p/its-fine-r...

Euro vibes, depressing times, and Canada being Canada Catching up after my European break

Back from holiday and I’m going to blog more, really: 24thminute.substack.com/p/euro-vibes...

It doesn’t appear to me that Pep has fixed all of City’s problems in the…checks notes…25 days since last season.

The last 10 min of this PSG v Atleti game is exactly what I feared games between European teams might look like in this CWC.

You’re going to get some good games when second tier leagues play each other, but until we get deep in it…the sexy match-ups are going to be duds, I think.

Atleti looks…like they are in pre-season.

For a 0-0 the Al Ahly v Messi FC game was fairly entertaining (I just finished watching the replay). I suspect many of the mid-tier games in this tournament will be.

It’s the big club games that will tell us what this thing is though.

….10-nil, you say.

Noonan out at CanPL What does it mean?

And here is yesterday’s reaction to Mark Noonan leaving the CanPL: 24thminute.substack.com/p/noonan-out...

Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! On the CanPL's new CEO

I’m blogging over here like it’s 2008 again.

On the most important factor in James Johnson’s appointment at CanPL CEO: 24thminute.substack.com/p/aussie-aus...

I’ll write on this more soon, but the tl;dr is probably related to the lack of movement on the expansion front

Mark Noonan is stepping down as commissioner of the CanPL. His last day in June 30.

Sources tell me the replacement has been selected and it’s a well regarded and successful executive.

Not in position to put a name out yet, but those close to the league are excited.

Winnipeg followers: my company has an Instagram contest for two tickets to the Canada v Haiti WNT game on the 31st. We are also giving away a Desiree Scott signed strip.

No purchase necessary. Follow & comment.

www.instagram.com/stories/acce...

Performative nonsense Everyone is playing a role. Enough with the nonsense.

Performative nonsense: on TFC, fan “protests” and idiotic open letters: 24thminute.substack.com/p/performati...

TFC is bad this year, but Montreal might be historically terrible.

TFC is bad because they took a big swing and badly missed. Montreal is bad because it’s cheap, shuttered its academy as much as possible and keeps making abrupt coaching changes.

Which team are clowns again

It’s now been 270 of game minutes since a MLS goal was scored at BMO Field. By either team.

TFC under Robin Fraser might be the dullest team in the league to watch right now. That’s not a criticism of his coaching. It’s the only way Toronto can be (modestly) successful until the talent is upgraded

The last few games has been the best Deiby Flores has looked as a 6 for #TFCLive.

It really underlines how spoiled we were by Michael Bradley for so long (and how his exit from the club was so terribly handled).

On behalf of the city of Toronto I apologize for you having to watch that game yesterday. 90 minutes of life you’ll never get back.

Watching the Paris-Roubaix podium ceremony underlines to me how much the @CPLsoccer lost by not making the Canadian Shield an actual piece of the Canadian Shield. That would have, excuse the pun, rocked.

Three games undefeated*

*208 days since their last win.

#TFCLive

City’s struggles this year are very much tied to them sticking with the past about 18 months too long, and no one better represents that past as KdB.

I’m not sure what more he has to give and whether a physical league like MLS is the right fit. La Liga might actually be better.

I would enjoy that, but I’m not sure they can afford him as long as the 120lb Italian anchor is there or that they could keep KdB healthy.

Look, @TorontoFC desperately needs help in the midfield, but Maxime Dominguez is the very definition of journeyman.

Hope it works out. Not typically the type of signing that does in MLS though.

The CanPL salary budget per team in 2025 is $1,282,000 CAN.

International players who have played three seasons in CanPL will now be considered domestic players and will not count towards the 7 player quota and will count towards the requirement to start 6 domestics per game.

Looks like the CanPL is expanding to Quebec City. Playing at PEPS (Laval University)

Bayern Munich takes the low road Phonsie's injury sucks. What's worse is the way it's being reacted to.

Bayern Munich takes the low road—on arrogance and Phonsie’s injury: 24thminute.substack.com/p/bayern-mun...

Cirque du Montréal Another year, another coach for the Team Formally Known as The Impact

Happy Montreal Fired Its Manager Day, for all who celebrate. Some thoughts: 24thminute.substack.com/p/cirque-du-...

How Trump and Fifa are creating the ‘MAGA World Cup’ Gianni Infantino is having his ‘dignity’ questioned, explains Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney, as the Fifa chief cosies up to Trump ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico

Some have felt Infantino has started speaking like Trump

2026 is expected to spark a "football gold rush" in a "new frontier", that could start a truly globalised game (superclubs playing everywhere), ironically driven by the anti-globalist agenda

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

It doesn't matter until it does Canada will need to wait a little longer for its first trophy in 25 years

A sober second thoughts on last night’s #CanMNT loss to Mexico: 24thminute.substack.com/p/it-doesnt-...

Since the completion of the Leagues Cup last year @torontofc.ca has an average of 0.58 points per game in MLS play.

It’s only 12 games, but it’s trending towards the worst stretch in club history - and TFC is one of only two MLS clubs in history to go back to back years with less than 30 pts.

Canada will play Ukraine (June 7) and Côte d’Ivoire (June 10) at BMO Field (New Zealand will also be there, as part of a four team exhibition.

Full schedule:

June 7: Canada vs. Ukraine 3:30p; New Zealand vs. Côte d’Ivoire 7p

June 10: New Zealand vs. Ukraine 5p; Canada vs. Côte d’Ivoire 8:30p

Hearing that a May #CanWNT match in Winnipeg is a possibility. Desiree Scott testimonial.

Finding an opponent is the hold up on announcing.