Konsolen Treiber » Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen expects Bright Dike

TORONTO -- His Nigerian first name is Chinedu, which means "God guides us." His surname, Dike (pronounced DEE-kay), translates into "strength." But in North America he goes by his English middle name, Bright. Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen expects Bright Dike to live up to his last name, promising the newly acquired forward will cause havoc in front of goal. Its easy to see why. Listed at six foot one and 220 pounds, Dike is a load. Asked to describe his style of play, the 26-year-old Dike pointed to his body. "If you havent seen me play, you can look at me and just tell Im big, strong, athletic, fast," he said matter-of-factly. "(An) aerial threat as well. You can look for me to play a No. 9 role and help this team out. Hopefully Im another weapon he (Nelsen) can use." Dikes voice is as big as his body, with a booming sound that would do well on CNN voiceovers. Dike is ready to see action Wednesday against the visiting Chicago Fire (10-11-5), although Nelsen says he will ease in the new forward given his comeback from February knee surgery and lack of preparation time in Toronto. "Bright brings something that we just dont have, in terms of the pace and the power," Nelsen said Tuesday after practice. Toronto also got a first-round pick in 2015 and allocation money in shipping Argentine striker Maximiliano Urruti and a 2013 international roster spot to the Portland Timbers. Toronto will also get 20 per cent of a future transfer fee if Portland sells Urruti. "Its a really good deal for us," said Nelsen. Nelsen is short on offensive weapons and it has shown in the standings. Toronto FC (4-13-10) has scored 23 goals, which ranks 18th in the 19-team league. The much-injured Danny Koevermans returned to training Tuesday but will likely need more time before he is game-ready. That leaves Robert Earnshaw, Andrew Wiedeman and Justin Braun up front. While Dike trained Tuesday, he may take time to settle in given his surgically repaired knee. "We want to protect him," Nelsen said. "Hes here for the long-term." In Portland, he was an unused substitute twice and played 80 minutes in a reserve game prior to being traded. With Toronto saying it is after two designated player strikers in the January transfer window, Dike will probably play the role of an impact substitute next season. Dike, born to Nigerian parents in Oklahoma City, has been restricted to 23 games (nine starts) in his three MLS seasons due to a ruptured Achilles tendon in 2011 and his knee surgery this year. But healthy last season, he scored five goals in 12 games. His knee injury was a freak one, with two players falling on the same leg from two different directions. Dike was durable during his college days at Notre Dame, where he played 86 games. With the MLS roster freeze looming Friday at 5 p.m. ET, Nelsen says he has been entertaining a lot of calls. "Weve been getting a lot of options for a lot of our players," he said. The plan for two new DP strikers means the writing is on the wall for Koevermans, whose contact expires at the end of the season. Toronto, which also has midfielder Matias Laba as a designated player, is limited to three DPs. Koevermans, a 34-year-old Dutch forward who makes a team-leading US$1.66 million this season, has played just 78 minutes this year. "When hes played for Toronto, hes been incredible," said Nelsen. "His goals-to-games ratio has been really good. And if we had a fully fit Danny Koevermans, we probably wouldnt be standing here, wed be in a really nice position in the league. "But unfortunately we just havent had it. Thats life. But again Dannys got seven games and if he can do really well, theres always a door open for Danny." Koevermans has 17 goals in his 30 games (22 starts) for Toronto. NOTES -- Dike has worn 19 most of his playing career but that belongs to Reggie Lambe in Toronto. So Dike will wear seven. "No. 7s a good number. I dont think anybody cares what number youre wearing as long as youre scoring goals." ... Torontos four Canadian internationals were back at training Tuesday, thanks to the Canadian Soccer Association freeing them up from a second friendly in Spain against Mauritania ... New Raptors GM Masai Ujiri, said to be looking for a practice facility for his NBA team, dropped by TFCs training centre Tuesday to see what his sister team has at its north Toronto HQ. Denver Broncos Drew Lock Jersey .2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadnt been made. Wholesale Denver Broncos Jerseys . Cincinnati has lost back-to-back games in overtime, wasting a chance to take a commanding lead in their division. http://www.cheapbroncos.com/ . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. Authentic Denver Broncos Jerseys . Switzerland faces Belgium or Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals in April. Serbia dropped into the World Group playoffs in September. A confident Chiudinelli and Lammer defeated veteran doubles player Zimonjic and young Krajinovic 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2. Denver Broncos Noah Fant Jersey . Malone will become an unrestricted free-agent and as per the collective bargaining agreement, the Lightning will be responsible for two-thirds of the remainder of his contract over twice the length of the rest of the deal.INDIANAPOLIS - Jadeveon Clowney wants NFL scouts to rethink their draft strategy. Instead of settling for one of those glitzy, franchise quarterbacks, hes urging teams to build a fast, physical defence that can stop all those high-powered offences, and he has the perfect suggestion about where to start. Himself. "Thats one of my goals here, to go No. 1," this years top-rated defensive end said softly Saturday at the NFLs scouting combine. "I came out of high school as the No. 1 player so I want to come out of here as the No. 1 guy." Nobody doubts the former South Carolina star has the physical tools to go No. 1 in May. He measured in Saturday at 6-foot-5 1/4, 266 pounds, with an 83-inch wingspan and hopes to finish the 40-yard dash in the 4.4s, maybe the low 4.5s if hes a little off. With numbers like that, its no wonder Clowney is projected to go in the top five in May. But going ahead of quarterbacks such as Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater will take a lot more than athleticism. The biggest questions Clowney will answer this week focus on his work ethic and desire, and it sure didnt help when he missed Friday nights first round of team interviews because of travel problems. He said he drove from Columbia, S.C., to Charlotte, N.C., to avoid one two-hour delay only to run into another 2 1/2-hour delay. While coaches and team executives may excuse Clowneys tardy arrival, they still need to find out whether theyll be drafting the guy who delivered that helmet-dislodging, highlight-making hit on Michigans Vincent Smith in the 2013 Outback Bowl or the guy critics believe was more concerned with protecting his draft stock than winning games in 2013. Clowney insisted he was the same guy, though he did admit he would have left school after his sophomore season — if NFL rules would have allowed it. "I believe I did work hard. You pull out any practice tape from last year, youll see that," Clowney said. "Ill tell everybody that. I will always be working hard. No matter where I end up I am going to work hard and give a team everything Ive got." The numbers and words seem to tell a different tale. He finished 2012 with 54 tackles and 13 sacks. And despite the lofty expectations from college football fans after that eye-poppiing hit, Clowney finished 2013 with 40 tackles and only three sacks.dddddddddddd What happened is a matter of perception. Some believe Clowney did not go all-out following a public debate about whether it was even worth it for him to play in 2013. Try telling that to those who had to block Clowney. "I dont think he took a play off," Missouri tackle Justin Britt said. "If he did, I didnt see it." But inside the Gamecocks program, there were signs something was amiss. In October, coach Steve Spurrier expressed frustration that the injured Clowney waited too long to tell coaches he couldnt play. Then, this week, on the eve of the combine, Spurrier told NFL Network that Clowneys work ethic was "OK," rekindling talk about Clowneys desire to excel at football. Not surprisingly, it was still a hot topic when Clowney took the podium at Lucas Oil Stadium with a huge crowd of reporters seeking answers to the same questions as team executives. Clowney started the explanation by saying opponents relied on shorter, quicker passes to slow down South Carolinas pass rush and then defended his effort. "There were a lot of ups and downs, but we won eleven games, were 11-2, won our bowl game, finished No. 4 in the country for the first time in South Carolina history so I was pretty excited about the season," Clowney said. "I wasnt really worried about my stats, I just wanted to win." Instead, Clowney contends the bigger problem was the artificially high level of expectations going into the season. But now Clowney must convince coaches, scouts and team executives the guy they watched in 2012 was the same guy they saw on film in 2013 and will continue to be the same guy they can build a defence around. And to jump back up the draft board into position for the top spot, Clowney understands he has to convince teams he means what he says. "I just want to be the best, one of the greatest of all time," he said. "Coming out of high school, I said I wanted to be one of the best in college and I think I proved that. Going to the NFL, I want to be one of the best in the NFL, go down in history as one of the best, so I have another stepping stone in my way and hopefully I can take care of business and accomplish that in the NFL." Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '