Coaches talk up their fervent fans ahead of MLS Cup final showdown in Toronto

TORONTO — The two MLS Cup coaches talked up their fervent fan bases Thursday, with Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer pointing out on-field similarities between the two rivals.

“They obviously have their big three (designated players), but they’re more than just the big three,” Schmetzer said of Toronto FC. “If you look at that team, (defender) Drew Moor’s inclusion, (midfielder) Will Johnson, some of those types of players have helped them in key moments.”

Schmetzer said when people look at the Sounders’ turnaround since late July, they focus on the mid-season arrival of Uruguayan attacking midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro and Panamanian defender Roman Torres’ return from injury.

“It’s not just them. It’s Ozzie (Alonso), it’s Brad (Evans), it’s Zach Scott, it’s Chad Marshall. There’s a lot of guys there,” he added. “So I think the compliment I could give to (Toronto head coach) Greg (Vanney) and (assistant coach) Robin (Fraser) would be that they’re a team, and that’s why I think this matchup is a good one, on many different layers because we’re a team as well.

“It should be a really entertaining match between two teams that believe they can win, they have stars, they have the everyday guys that put in the hard work.”

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Toronto practised first on a cold windy day at the team’s training centre in the city’s north end. Seattle followed in the afternoon and there was an immediate run by players on gloves and other cold weather gear.

The forecast for kickoff Saturday night is -4 C, but feeling like -10, with a 10 per cent chance of precipitation.

Toronto captain Michael Bradley played down the conditions and Vanney said he expects a torrid reception from the sellout crowd of 36,000 at BMO Field.

“Because this is what all the fans in Toronto have been looking forward to for many, many years and have endured through those years,” he said. “They’re ready, I think, to explode, and get behind our group and help push us over the finish line on Saturday night.”

Schmetzer pointed out that the Sounders are no strangers to playing before big crowds.

“We’re used to that type of atmosphere because at home we play before north of 40,000 people so we play in a really good atmosphere ourselves every game day,” he said.

“I have absolute confidence in the team,” he added, “that whatever obstacle put in their way, they seem to find ways to overcome and compete. They’ve found a way to get results.”

Vanney said he was told that Toronto would erupt if he could help turn the franchise around, adding the city has not disappointed during the run to the championship game in its 10th season.

Schmetzer, who has long been involved with the Sounders and soccer in the region, said the Pacific Northwest is just as appreciative of their team’s playoff success.

“It is a very, very big deal,” he said. “As far as MLS standards are concerned, our fans have been waiting for eight long years for this moment.”

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press