Toronto FC has talent, but little depth. (Getty Images)

Its the very last team in our 2010 Look-in series. First off sorry TFC fans for not posting this sooner. I had ever intention of doing this last week but set backs got in the way.

Lots of changes have taken place in Toronto this winter. From the turf being removed for natural grass at BMO Field, to a new manager in Preki taking cover and re-doing the roster his way. Lots of changes have taken place but have any really done a good enough job of getting this club ready for 2010?

Will this be the year that Toronto finally gets to the playoffs? Is Preki the right guy to lead the way? Let’s take a look now to see where this team is at right now and what places they need to improve on before the new season gets underway.

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It seems like this winter Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids are becoming big trade buddies with one another. Earlier the Rapids sent midfielder Jacob Peterson to Toronto and today the two clubs are dealing again. Toronto has traded for defender Ty Harden in exchange for third round MLS SuperDraft pick in 2011.

Interesting development for both sides. Harden came back last season after a year off but was a bit limited due to injuries. I like Preki going after him here though for TFC who still needs work on their backline. Harden isn’t quite the answer to their problems but he is going to add to their depth in the long run.

I think this deal for the Rapids point of things shows they are set to probably move Pablo Mastroeni to the back four and allow Jeff Larentowicz to control the defensive side of things in the midfield this season. Both are moves I like for them right now.

What do you all make of this deal for each side? Think Preki knows what he is doing with TFC’s defense right now?

Thanks for The 24th Minute for posting this video. For those of you like me that don’t want to wait for the press conference later on to see Preki introduced as Toronto’s next coach, TFCTV has you all covered.

Preki is headed north to Toronto FC. (Getty Images)

Former Chivas USA head coach Preki will be introduced as Toronto FC’s fourth head coach.

Preki led Chivas USA to the playoffs in all three seasons he was head coach, but he will be looking to improve on three first round exits.

With Preki in town you have to believe the Toronto roster may get a little makeover in the winter months. We all know about the history between him and former league MVP Amado Guevara during their time together with Chivas. But he does come in at a time when talent is very good in the midfield with guys like Dwayne De Rosario, Sam Cronin, and DP Julian de Guzman are on the roster.

While I was hoping Preki would take up shop with Bob Bradley and the national team I do think this will be a good fit for him as there is already more talent there in Toronto than when he got started with Chivas. He’s the tough coach this team needs and if he can work that defense into shape like he did with Chivas this year then I have to think Toronto will turn into a playoff team next season.

Now that Toronto is off the coaching search it leaves a coupe clubs without a manager still. New York, DC and Chivas USA all still have manager questions going into next week’s expansion draft. From the sound of things I doubt any of those will make a decision before next week.

What do you all make of Toronto snatching up Preki as their next coach? Wish they had gone a different direction or is he the right fit?

Preki is leaving Chivas USA...so where will he go next? (Getty Images)

Some news that I’d like to say we’ve been calling here for the last couple weeks has finally come down. Chivas USA and Preki have decided to go their own ways as they mutually agree to Preki stepping down as the club’s manager, this according to a press release just sent out by the club.

No word yet on what Preki plans to do next. There’s the obvious talks of going to another MLS club or even the USMNT as an assistant to former Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley. Toronto, DC, New York and according to some even Chicago are likely choices for Preki to land with. I’m still under the impression he will go as an assistant to Bob Bradley with the National team.

Preki posted a career record of 40-29-21 in his three years as manager of Chivas USA. Each year taking the club to the playoffs only to be knocked out in the first round.

“It has been an honor to be a part of the Chivas USA family for the last four years,” said Preki. “In my time here I have grown as a coach, and I am proud of our accomplishments. While I am excited to take the next step in my career, I will always have good memories of my time with Chivas USA.”

Just as mentioned earlier this week thanks to a Goal.com report, long-time Chivas assistant Martin Vasquez is slated as the top choice to replace Preki.

Assistant Coach Carlos Llamos takes over until the club names a new head coach.

A change is coming to Chivas USA as Preki is set to leave the club. (Getty Images)

Don’t say we didn’t tell you so. Preki is not be coming back as Chivas USA’s manager next season as his contract option for 2010 is not being picked up. Goal.com is reporting that with Preki leaving assistant Martin Vasquez is likely to get the top spot as Chivas’ front man.

Vasquez has been an assistant with the club since 2005 and should become the first Mexican-American coach in league history.

Interestingly enough, something I’ve been saying here for a few weeks is that Preki is also likely to join Bob Bradley with the US National team as an assistant now that John Hackworth has left the USMNT to join Peter Nowak in Philadelphia. Remember before Bradley left for the USMNT he had Preki as an assistant at Chivas USA, along with Vasquez.

No official word has come from the team but I’d imagine we will hear something by the end of the week on this. Once we get more details on this we will pass it along to you.

Chivas USA was a surprise early on in 2009, but they faded quickly in the summer months. (Getty Images)

It seems like every season or so we get one club that comes out hot to start the season then to only fade in the summer. In 2009 it was Chivas USA who was just that club as they went 7-2-3 to start the first couple months of the season. Nearly half of the season total 45 points came in that stretch of time. Preki had plenty of issues with injuries but this lineup kept plugging away at wins after wins.

But just like clubs before Chivas, the summer was a rough patch for Preki’s group. June hit and so did the schedule as the AmeriGoats had a super fall in SuperLiga. Stars like Sacha Kljestan never seemed to show up with the club needed them most and scorers like Maykel Galindo never stepped up at the right moments.

After the rough patches in June and July, Chivas saw themselves passed up by a few clubs in the standings and things got a little dicey for their playoff hopes. But some key wins in August and September faded those worries away and this club looked like one that could contend for the Supporter’s Shield again after guys like Galindo, Kljestan and Eduardo Lillingston starting to step up again.

By the playoffs Chivas was once again bounced in the first round, just like they’ve been done in the past couple of seasons. What hurt this time was it was to their Home Depot Center rivals the LA Galaxy.

What Went Right In 2009:
For the most part a lot of things did go well in 2009 for Preki’s side. He looked like a Coach of the Year candidate early on with the way Zach Thornton turned back the clock and became a rived player again in goal. Thornton’s season was stellar too as he won both the Comeback Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year honors this season. Other things that went well was certainly that quick start to the year. Grabbing 24 points in the first couple months really set the pace for the season. We also learned of some new names that we will certainly see for years to come like Gerson Mayen.

What Went Wrong In 2009:
Obviously the summer months caught up to this club. Offensively they were one of the worst in the league even though mid-season moves to get Jesus Padilla in didn’t pan out quick enough. Padilla will be good in a year or so but he wasn’t enough to revive an offense that didn’t have enough punch. Also the whole year was a large disappointment for Kljestan who never looked good after his pre-season trail with Celtic. After not getting a transfer to the Scottish power, Kljestan really fell from grace.

What’s Next:
More than likely we will see Preki leave this team in the coming weeks. I have a feeling now more than ever he will join Bob Bradley with the national team rather than go to another MLS club. Should he actually stay in MLS he will probably do to Toronto. After that will be the likely departure of Jonathan Bornstein and possibly Kljestan. If they lose both of them look for this club to endure a serious make-over in the winter months. This group has talent they just need some offense and a couple younger parts on defense to really become a MLS Cup contender in this league.