Today I asked Grok “Why is TFC so poor this season and are there any plans to bring in new players to improve this season’s squad?” and ended up reflecting on their long departed and immensely talented and successful General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko.
Transcript
Toronto FC’s struggles in the 2025 season so far—evidenced by their 0-4-1 record and a single point from a 0-0 draw against Vancouver—stem from a combination of factors. The team has had a tough start under head coach Robin Fraser, with a noticeable inability to convert chances into goals, having scored just once in five matches. This offensive drought is compounded by a defense that has leaked 10 goals, pointing to issues in both attack and cohesion across the pitch. The early season form suggests a lack of tactical adaptation to the current roster, with key players like Jonathan Osorio and Federico Bernardeschi not yet hitting their stride—Osorio with modest output last year and Bernardeschi’s leadership yet to fully translate into consistent results. Injuries and a reliance on players stepping up (which hasn’t happened) have further hampered TFC, leaving them looking disjointed and unable to build momentum after a promising preseason.
As for plans to bolster the squad, the club is in a rebuilding phase, as outlined by GM Jason Hernandez and Fraser in early 2025. They’ve already made moves in the offseason, adding players like Ola Brynhildsen, Theo Corbeanu, and Zane Monlouis, with a focus on youth and long-term growth. Hernandez has emphasized a three-year project built around Bernardeschi, aiming for playoff contention. The current transfer window (open until April 23, 2025, in MLS) offers a chance to tweak the roster, and Hernandez has hinted at seeking a “proper striker” to address the scoring woes. However, with Lorenzo Insigne’s uncertain future—he’s been told he doesn’t fit Fraser’s plans but remains due to transfer challenges—cap space is tight. Any new signings would likely be strategic, possibly using allocation money or the U22 Initiative slot, though immediate game-changers seem unlikely given the focus on sustainable improvement over quick fixes. For now, TFC’s plan seems to be weathering this rough patch while banking on existing players to gel under Fraser’s high-effort system.
JV:
It does make sense that TFC is in the midst of a rebuild. Is there a team after which TFC could model themselves? It seems that the organization has yet to recover from the loss of General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko.
Toronto FC’s current rebuild does echo some broader challenges, and you’re right to point to Tim Bezbatchenko’s departure in 2019 as a lingering wound. His exit—after orchestrating the 2017 MLS Cup triumph—left a void in strategic vision that TFC has struggled to fill, cycling through GMs like Ali Curtis and Bill Manning before landing on Jason Hernandez. Bezbatchenko’s knack for balancing big-name signings (Bradley, Giovinco, Altidore) with roster depth and scouting gems (Osorio’s growth, Vazquez’s impact) set a high bar that the club hasn’t consistently hit since.
A team TFC could model themselves after is the Columbus Crew—ironically, where Bezbatchenko now works as president and GM. Since he joined them in 2019, the Crew have become a blueprint for sustainable success in MLS. They’ve won two MLS Cups (2020, 2023) and a Leagues Cup (2024), blending smart signings with a clear identity. Under coach Wilfried Nancy, Columbus plays an attacking, possession-based style, built around a spine of players like Darlington Nagbe (veteran stability), Lucas Zelarayán (a creative DP who delivered before moving on), and Cucho Hernández (a dynamic striker). Their rebuild wasn’t about splashing cash but leveraging the league’s mechanisms—traded for Nagbe using allocation money, snagged Cucho for $10 million, and developed academy talents like Aidan Morris, sold for $4 million to Middlesbrough in 2024. The Crew’s front office, led by Bezbatchenko, excels at scouting undervalued talent (e.g., Patrick Schulte as a breakout goalkeeper) and maintaining flexibility within the salary cap, all while sticking to a defined philosophy.
For TFC, this could mean doubling down on Fraser’s high-pressing system and emulating Columbus’s approach: prioritize a marquee striker (like Cucho) to complement Bernardeschi, invest in young CONCACAF talent via the U22 Initiative (akin to Morris), and rebuild depth with savvy, low-cost veterans. Hernandez’s focus on a three-year plan aligns with this, but TFC needs to move past the post-2017 hangover—where big spending didn’t yield structure—and replicate Columbus’s patience and precision. The Crew show that losing a figure like Bezbatchenko doesn’t have to be fatal; it’s about recapturing that mix of ambition and execution he once brought to Toronto.
JV:
Hmm. I had heard that Bezbatchenko had gone across the pond to work for Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.
You’re absolutely right—Tim Bezbatchenko did indeed head across the pond, but his role is a bit broader than just working directly for AFC Bournemouth. In July 2024, he took on the position of president at Black Knight Football Club, a multi-club ownership group led by Bill Foley. Bournemouth is the flagship club in that portfolio, which also includes stakes in FC Lorient (France), Hibernian FC (Scotland), and Auckland FC (New Zealand). So, while he’s tied to Bournemouth through Black Knight, his gig is more about overseeing the whole network, focusing on player development, recruitment coordination, and commercial growth across the clubs. It’s a step up from his MLS days, where he was hands-on as GM for Toronto FC and Columbus Crew, to now steering a global soccer operation. Still, Bournemouth’s success—punching above their weight in the Premier League—is a big part of what he’s working with these days.
