Canada soccer notebook: Toronto FC's playoff assignment coming into focus

With the Blue Jays’ season over and the Maple Leafs’ and Raptors’ respective seasons in the fledgling stages, the MLS playoff season fits nicely into that slightly quieter period that is the late fall in Toronto.

Toronto FC wraps up the regular season on Sunday and unless a number of results happen just so, they’ll have to host a knockout-round game next week. But this Sunday being the league’s “Decision Day,” so many things can happen: Toronto could advance right to the conference semi-finals with a win over the moribund Chicago Fire and results going their way, or they’ll go through the knockout round first.

No matter how things play out this weekend, the team wants to take advantage of the opportunity.

“We all want to make this our city right now and give the fans something to wake up for, look forward to and rally around,” said defender Drew Moor after the team trained in rainy and cold conditions on Friday. “I think they’ve been amazing this season but to now have a home playoff game and hopefully multiple home playoff games, we want this city to be red.”

Toronto came back twice in hostile territory in Montreal to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw in the 401 Derby last week and with only its second post-season appearance just around the corner, Toronto needs to finish the regular schedule with three points at home to set itself up for a playoff run.

“We have to approach this weekend like it’s a game that we want to win, first and foremost,” said head coach Greg Vanney. “If can sidestep the midweek game, that would be nice. We don’t control so much of that so we’ll take that into full account. But we have a preparation and a plan for both ways.”

Drogba antics creating a problem on eve of playoffs

The majority of the time, if a player walked out on his team just prior to a game, they would likely be never seen again. But Didier Drogba clearly is no average player and he’s certainly aware of what he can get away with.

Prior to last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Toronto, Drogba’s name wasn’t on the team sheet and it was later revealed that he was unhappy with not being in the starting XI and decided the wiser decision would be to simply turn his back on his teammates and his club.

As a designated player, however, Drogba is afforded liberties not afforded to mere mortals. The Impact has clarified the situation and said that the matter is resolved that he’ll be back involved with the club in time for the playoffs.

Drogba will likely miss this weekend’s game at New England after having a lingering back issue looked at, and Gillette Stadium's artificial turf surface is another reason to skip.

Montreal has qualified for the post-season but it’s quite possible there will be more drama to come around Drogba whenever the season ends for the Impact.

Ottawa’s NASL future in doubt

The wheels of change seem to be in motion again in how professional soccer is structured in North America.

Neil Morris reported earlier this week that the North American Soccer League is preparing to operate with nine teams next season, shedding the clubs in Oklahoma City, Fort Lauderdale and in Ottawa.

The Ottawa situation is particularly interesting as we are getting into the period where details about the proposed Canadian Premier League could well be imminent.

“In terms of timelines, I think in the next three to six months we’re in the process of developing an actual business plan for this entity,” Canadian Soccer Association President Victor Montagliani told Yahoo Canada Sports last winter. “I think our goal was always to be in a position by the end of this year to be able to make some sort of announcement and say this is where we are, and this is where we’re going forward with it."

If everything is coming together as planned and the league is on course for a 2018 debut, the Ottawa Fury FC would need to find a solution for next season if they’re not in NASL. The club could go on hiatus (which isn’t likely) or move to the USL for one season before being an inaugural member in the Canadian league. When rumours surfaced in late August that the Fury was heading out of the league, they issued a statement that settled nothing and certainly left plenty of questions.

Ottawa’s missed the playoffs for this season after reaching last season’s Soccer Bowl Final but it’s going to be an interesting off-season for both the club and the NASL as a whole.