1:26 pm
Hi Guys And welcome to my blog. I am very excited by doing this blog as it gives you the fan a greater insight as to what is going on in my everyday life and also my thoughts on what might be happening around the world and of course ‘The World of Soccer’. This is not going to be an average sports blog where we are only going to be speaking about myself, but we are going to be talking about goings on at TFC and Canadian soccer in general. Also the state of the MLS league and how it can progress. I am going to be answering lots of different questions and be holding a questionnaire night called ‘ Ask the Big Man ‘ where the best question asked in my opinion will win a signed prize. I am also going to be doing a celebrity questionnaire called ‘ In the Area with Danny’ where i am going to fire 12 random questions at a sports person from around the world that play either soccer, hockey, basketball, football etc , so look out for this it should be quite funny. And as some of you might know i used to DJ on the club scene in London back in the day so i have an avid interest in music of all tastes. So i am going to be giving you my top 5 tunes of the month on ‘ Danny’s Playlist’. If you would like to point out any new music that you think i might be interested or make the playlist then also let me know.. So thats enough of me talking now, i am going to open the first ‘ Ask the Big Man ‘ questionnaire today and close it on friday evening and announce the winner saturday who will win an official signed Danny Dichio jersey sent to them. Good luck and look out for the 1st blog tomorrow Danny
Hey Danny!
Great playlist…hopefully we’ll see some Maiden there soon?
We really enjoy coming out to your soccer school. It’s so great that you give your time to help develop young players. Your soccerfest tournament in September was a great experience for kids and a wonderful community event!
We are all really happy and proud that you have chosen T.O. as your home.
Hi Danny.
You obviously live here with your family. I guess that Jimmy Brennan and maybe Carl Robinson also spend the winter here. Who else braves the Canadian winter?
Thanks.
Danny,
My 6 year ol daughter is threatening to shave her head in support of the song we cheer for you (”he’s got no hair , we dont care…he’s Danny Dichio!”). Can you recommend a good barber? I have tried to expalin that people in grade 1 will actually care!
Seriously though it is reat to have you back - the media gave us a scare towards the end of last seaon.
Can you give us an idea of how much our support (home and away) lifts the team and what you are hearing from other players around the league regarding their trips to “our house”.
Thanks,
JB
Hi Danny
hi just wanted to give a special shout out for your support for soccer in this city and seeing you give back your talent to the youngsters in and around town with your soccer school program and teaching them skills. This is a tremendous program and is priceless to the the juniors getting to learn directly from you. it will only make soccer stronger in this city. Im a TFC supporter since day one and hope to see soccer get stronger around town with the Toronto team, we look forward to seeing you on the pitch again this spring!
only question i ask is ” being in Canada 2 years, have you tried playing hockey yet”?
take care
AD from Toronto
I appreciate that Adrian and it something i love doing. There is lots of great talent out there and i am only glad to be part of helping these kids further their talents . Canada has a good future in Soccer if all this talent can be nurtured in the right way, lets hope that the top people can see this and not just see soccer as an instant money maker and instead invest in the future.
As of the Hockey, my oldest boy plays and Jimmy Brennan got me on the ice at ‘The Ricoh Arena’ last week for a game of shinny! I have a new found respect for those Hockey players now as how they skate round at 100mph then turn , stop , shoot , skate backwards, is incredible so credit to those guys.
In the past, you’ve mentioned that the Red Bulls were TFC’s biggest rival in the league. Now that Year Two is complete, do you still feel that way, or has your opinion changed?
Also…what happened to your very cool YouTube videos? Please bring them back!!
Cheers!
I still think the Red Bulls games has that little bit of edge towards it as we have had some good battles with them over the last 2 seasons. Them and Chicago are definitely the games i think create the most derbie like atmosphere.
As of my away day video’s i had to pull them as they ’stepped over the mark’ a little bit and could of got myself and the club in a bit of trouble. I did not intend to cause any trouble with these video’s , they were just done on a small Flip-cam to show TFC fans what away grounds were like and what great team spirit we have got within the camp.
Plus , i dont think ‘Ricketts TV & TFC TV’ were too happy with the competition!!!!
Having suffered a few concusions (mild ones playing/refereeing sports and more severe as a result of a surgical procedure) I feel for anyone who has “had there bell rung”. Hope all is well with you today.
As far as your blog and talking to other sports figures I have three names for you to consider…
Steve Nash of the NBA (big soccer fan on the Vancouver expansion team)
Eugene Melnyk (owner of the Ottawa Senators, bidding for an MLS franchise and a soccer lover from his days growing up watching footy in Toronto) and
Daniel Alfedsson (Captain of the Ottawa Senators hockey team and apparently a huge soccer fan).
Good luck with TFC and your on-line efforts.
Thanks Mark
I would love to get a quick word in with Mr Nash as i know he has been heavily involved with the vancouver bid and also had trips over to the UK soccer teams. I am also going to be doing an ‘Open Blog’ night when we can all exchange views on everything soccer related and one of my 1st topics is going to be the Ottawa MLS bid and how we think it will work. Thanks again and keep posted
Thanks for everything…so far. You’ll always have a home here in T dot.
Thanks , i appreciate that
Here’s my question:
If you were given the opportunity to be assistant at QPR or Toronto FC at the same time…which would you accept?
Thats a great question and as you know QPR are my hometown club who i grew up supporting since the age of 2 and eventually fulfilled my dream of playing for as well. But i would have to say at this moment in my life and the situation of my family loving life here and the affection i have for the club as we have started from scratch and being part of the early days history of TFC it would have to be here. We are still growing as a club and i would like to be part of that process because i think what we can achieve will blow everyone away in this league.
This is hype….Congrats!
Thanks bro
Thanks for sharing with us Danny! You’re a class act.
Huge news, Danny D!
If you’re into music of ALL forms, I’d suggest taking advantage of your move to our fair continent to check out some contemporary blues! Shemekia Copeland, Jon Nemeth, Shakura S’Aida….it’s all good!
Hope you’ll be back on the field soon scoring for us, or at the very least teaching some young whippersnappers how to seal the deal!
I actually listen to alot of blues music as well, especially BB King who was one of the best!
Hey, not sure where the questions were supposed to be asked so I’ll just post here.
Before you came to Toronto did you have interest from other MLS teams, and if so what was it that made you choose Toronto over the “glamour” of playing in America?
I was invited over to Florida training camp with Chicago Fire during a break in my english season and trained with Chad & co for a few days. They wanted to get something signed before i returned to the UK but there was huge mix-up between chicago & my agent at the time. They thought i had a green card as my wife holds a US passport, so they then said could i hold on for 6-8 months while my green card gets processed!! I said ‘No’ as i was pretty pissed off that i travelled half way round the world and these details were not sorted out before i arrived. On the way home to the UK i sacked my agent and employed a new agent who had many ties in the US and was in contact with Mo Johnston who had asked about my situation. Within 5 days i was on my way to Toronto after pleading with my then current english club to release me and let me start with my new venture.
Danny’s playlist ??? great idea!
how about putting up a dj set? You must have a few old mixtapes kicking.
Thanks Mike, great idea! I might have to dust off a couple of my old mixed CD’s to give away as prizes