From The Rink to The Pitch

[bergtaur]

Playing on FM09, with a lot of leagues loaded down to their lowest divisions. We'll see where the story and game take me

“Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the new manager at Toronto FC, Ryan Bergman.” Flash bulbs popped as I walked out onto the podium and shook hands with Mr. Peddie before taking my seat.

“Mr. Bergman, Harry Jones from the Toronto Sun. Is it safe to call this an exciting era in Canadian soccer?”

“Well Harry, I don’t think that I’m one of the usual guys you see here taking on a managerial position, so yeah. I’m very pleased that the chairman singled out my eye for the game and brought me in. I bring a different skill set that I think no one else in MLS has.”

“Mr. Bergman, David Wellington from the Toronto Star. It seems that you seem supremely confident in your ability as a manager, even though you’ve never coached a game of outdoor soccer in your life? Don’t you think it’s a little too early to say that you’re the changing force behind a new Toronto FC?”

Well, that was a question I knew I’d have to face, but something in me snapped. I jumped down from the podium and got in Mr. Wellington’s face and told him, “You look here, don’t ever question me.”

“Well Mr. Bergman, that’s my…”

That was as far as he got before I pulled his shirt over his head and started punching him. I heard the gasps of the crowd as Security ran in to pull me off of the man who I was pummeling.

“This is a new era in Canadian soccer,” I yelled while I was being dragged away by police. “I’m coming to get the MLS and everyone better be ready!”

[ScottleeSV]

Well I errr didn't see that coming lol.

Good luck beating up, I mean beating, some American teams

[Faramir]

Even the enforcers usually know better than to mess with the press

Interesting start

[Carlos de la Fuente]

Nice, I like erratic people!

[bergtaur]

It’s funny when you reach the lowest point in your life that you realize that thinks can help but look up. Here I was, Ryan Bergman, new manager of Toronto FC and instead of celebrating with my family and friends I was sitting in a jail cell on a charge of assault.

Sure, I’m not going to deny what I did, but the jerk had it coming. You can’t go around pushing the buttons of one of the most feared defense men ever to lace them up.

I guess this should be where I try to rationalize this to myself. I grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where I was immediately given a stick and some skates and started playing hockey. Played all throughout my life and in high school I lettered in Hockey, Lacrosse and Soccer. I was never good enough to play professional hockey though, but I prided myself on being the toughest kid out there on the ice. I would always get into fights and usually get thrown out of every game, but that was my job.

After high school, I went into the work force for a while before I went to New York and played college hockey at a Division III school, the Rochester Institute of Technology, or RIT for short. I had an ok career on the 4th line for a decent team, but I was more of a cult hero to the students. I was the guy who would always be ready to deliver the big hit, and I did so.

Funny thing was, part of that reputation was what did my career in. I suffered 3 concussions in the span of one year which led to my premature retirement from hockey at the age of 22, but I was able to walk onto the soccer team at RIT for my senior year. Defense was again my forte, but I led the league in yellow cards for the season.

After college, I was scouted by the Thunder Bay Chill of the USL and made their team when they were formed in 2000. Played in defense there for a while, and never really did much beyond tackle people, get yellows, and become a cult hero again, which led to me being known all over Canada.

Then a funny thing happened in 2007. The Canadian Major Indoor Soccer League had just formed and was looking to run a ‘showcase’ tour to test the markets and see what would work. This led to the creation of Calgary United FC and with it, the first coaching job I ever had. We did ok that season going 2-0-2 in a limited schedule, but it was the toughness that we showed that made me the happiest.

I went back home to Calgary for a while, before I got a call from my new boss, Richard Peddie to come be the new manager at Toronto FC, and I jumped at the chance. Then, well, you know how I got here.

“Mr. Bergman?”

I looked up to see a guard opening my cell, with Mr. Peddie standing behind him. “It’s time to go.”

I stood up and looked at Mr. Peddie and whispered, “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet Ryan, I’ll see you tomorrow in my office.”

[bergtaur]

I sat down in the chair facing Mr. Peddie’s desk half expecting my tenure as Toronto FC manager to be one of the shortest in the history of soccer.

“Now Ryan, I’m sure you understand why I called you in here today. That incident at the press conference has led me to have to make some hard decisions about you and the future of this club.”

“I understand Mr. Peddie.”

Richard looked around before taking a drink from his coffee mug and continued. “Now, I should fire you for those actions taken at the press conference. However, the beating you put on that journalist was covered all throughout the world and really raised the profile of the club as well as generated interest. I can’t fire you for it, but here’s what I’m going to do. You will be fined 100,000 dollars so we can agree out of court with that journalist as well as being banned from coaching any of our friendly matches.”

I sat in my seat dumbfounded. I was going to keep on as manager!

“Mr. Peddie, I know you said I wouldn’t be able to coach, but I feel like some moves need to be made. I can continue on with the business side of the team, correct?”

“Of course you can, I just don’t want the fans to see you down there on the sidelines until the start of the MLS season. Now, I believe you have a team to meet, they’re waiting for you down on the field.”

I stood up and shook Mr. Peddie’s hand before I walked down to the field to see my team for the first time.

[bergtaur]

I walked out onto the pitch and saw what I had to work with; needless to say, everyone was quiet and respectful of me when I spoke. I assume they all knew what a nice left hook I had and they probably didn’t want to mess with me either.

“Gentlemen, welcome to a dawn of a new age. This will be your family for the next few months so I strongly suggest you learn to treat each other as brothers. An attack against one is an attack against all... Do you see that?”

I point over toward the scoreboard as the Canadian Flag flaps in the breeze. “This is what we stand for. We are the only team from this nation in the MLS. Now, I do realize that some of you may not be from Canada, but if there is one thing I know is that when we succeed the people of Canada will treat you as their own. Therefore the slogan for the season is ’brothers above all’.”

Some of the players look on with pride as new winger Xavier Balc snickers.

“What’s funny Xavier? You have a problem with what I’ve said here today?”

“Well yeah man, I can’t stand all this brotherhood stuff, I think it’s pointless. We’re here as athletes to do a job.”

I walk over to Xavier and get in his face before I tell him, “I’m sorry you feel that way, but no one person is above the team here. I’ll be happy to find a team who is willing to take you, but until then I don’t want to see you near my team.”

Xavier walks off to the locker room as I turn to the rest of the team, “Now gentlemen, we play for the name on the crest of the jersey, not the name on the back of it. If any of you feel you are above this, the door is down the hall and to the left.”

Everyone looks around, but they all stay. Good, maybe there’s some hope here yet.

“Now gentlemen, go out there and train while I have a look over the squad. I’ll debrief you in a few hours.”