Brennan Has Unfinished Business
TFC Captain Intends to Carry On Playing
Just over three years later, Brennan is still waiting to see the club make its first appearance in the Major League Soccer Playoffs, and that is one of the main reasons why the Toronto captain isn't ready to retire yet.
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Jim Brennan spoke to the media on Tuesday. |
"I want to play another year," he said at BMO Field as the players cleared out their lockers. "I am disappointed because I haven't achieved what I wanted to with this club. I want to do my part and it hurts a lot that we didn't make the playoffs this year. Next season I want to be part of it and I have got some unfinished business here. The club deserves better, the fans deserve better and we have got to produce more."
Speculation about Brennan's future had been ongoing in the final few weeks of the regular season with some media pundits predicting that 2009 would be his last year as a player, but the 32-year-old feels he will still be able to make a valuable contribution next season. "Regardless of what happened and how the season ended, I think I can do another year. I want to play another season and make the playoffs and do something good with this club."
The Reds collapse in the final game of the regular season at New York Red Bulls on Saturday saw them miss the Playoffs by just one point, but the Captain looks back at failings throughout the season and admits there are issues that need to be addressed in the winter months. "If you look back over the whole year, we dropped too many points when we should have had them," he explained.
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Click for Brennan's Bio. |
"It wasn't good enough this season and maybe we don't have enough desire or urgency. We need to have more grit and be willing to make that tackle, make those final passes, score goals and defend at all costs. I think we have got some good players in here and we just need to get things right. I don't think anybody can put their finger on it right now because if they could we would have been in the playoffs."
When Brennan returns for his fourth preseason with Toronto early next year, he will be working under the team's fourth head coach following the announcement Tuesday that Chris Cummins will not be staying at BMO Field.
"Chris had the respect of the players and he is moving on for obvious reasons," said the captain. "I wish him all the best and I'm sure wherever he goes he will do a great job. When I was in England I was at clubs where I had five managers in five years and throughout my career I have had many different coaches. The main thing is that we prepare ourselves right and have a good preseason."
