Toronto FC head coach sends out note to keep his players on same page

TORONTO — When Toronto FC substitute Tsubasa Endoh entered the game at Montreal’s Saputo Stadium in the 83rd minute last weekend, he ran on the field clutching a note.

The Japanese rookie ran straight to Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco to show him the contents. Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman, standing next to Giovinco, leaned in to have a look.

After sharing with Giovinco, Tsubasa ran over to give the note to Panamanian teammate Armando Cooper — ignoring referee Jair Marrufo, who reached out to take the paper, as he ran past. Cooper was studying the note when play resumed.

“How often do you see this,” offered the ESPN announcer. “How often do you see a substitute come on the field with a game plan from the coaching staff to show your star player?”

If you follow Toronto FC, you’ve seen it before. Head coach Greg Vanney believes a note can literally keep everyone on the same page when he changes tactics.

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Vanney learned the lesson the hard way during his playing days. As a defender with the Los Angeles Galaxy, he once played in a game where manager Bruce Arena sent in verbal instructions to change tactics via a substitute. The message never made it to Vanney, who continued to toil in the original formation.

Not surprisingly, the game did not go well for the Galaxy.

On Sunday, Vanney’s note showed a tactical change — a formation with names attached to positions. With his team trailing 2-1, he wanted to switch from a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield to a 3-5-2 with Giovinco dropping back into the midfield.

“I was losing my mind at how long it was taking for Tsubasa to get (the note) to the guys. I was going ‘What is taking so long,’” a smiling Vanney recalled Friday.

“It was just to make sure that we had some semblance of a shape and we understood what our roles and positions were so that it wasn’t just 10 guys running all over the place because it was a pretty attack-minded group.”

Endoh was brought on to provide width and crosses, with fullback Justin Morrow doing the same on the other side. Fellow substitute Tosaint Ricketts was pushed up alongside striker Jozy Altidore to provide two big targets.

Moving Giovinco further back allowed the Italian to escape the congestion around the penalty box.

It worked. A Giovinco cross dropped to Altidore and then Ricketts, who put it away for the tying goal.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press