While his club struggled mightily in their sixth season in the MLS, Toronto FC’s 2012 campaign was actually a pretty good one for Ashtone Morgan from an individual perspective. The 21 year old left fullback was one of the bright spots for TFC during a dismal year overall and he looks to be one of the core pieces around which the team will be retooled for greater success next season.

RedNation Online recently had a chance to catch up with the 2011 Canadian U-20 Players of the Year to discuss the season that has just recently been completed and his development as a young player over his second year competing in the North American top flight.

“It’s not the season that I wanted to have, with the losing record we had, but that’s football sometimes and hopefully we can all regroup for next season. As for myself, I solidified myself as a left back here and hopefully I can keep my job for next season,” said Morgan.

The Toronto native was also quick to express that he and his teammates must accept their share of the blame for a campaign in which their team finished bottom of the league, winning only five league games.

“It’s our fault definitely and we want to apologize to the fans for the season that we had. Hopefully they will stand by us for next season,” stated Morgan.

One of the main positives that TFC supporters should be able to take from Toronto’s 2012 campaign is the fact that the young Canadian International was one of the few players who acquitted himself quite well playing under both Aron Winter and Paul Mariner and that he was a player who excelled for the most part regardless of whether the team was winning or losing and whether he was playing in a Dutch style 4-3-3 or an English influenced 4-4-2.

“There were a lot of chapters in our season. As players we have to cope with the scenarios that are thrown at us. Unfortunately, this season it wasn’t that positive with all of the stuff that has happened, but we tried to deal with it the best that we could. Now we will have another season to go back at it,” stated the lightning quick left back.

While he certainly hopes that he never has to experience another run of results like he did with Toronto in 2012, Morgan was also pragmatic in stating that he is looking at the season as a valuable learning experience for a young player like himself. He considers every game to have been an instance in which he learned something new and he believes that having been tested in a myriad of different situations both on and off the pitch can only benefit him in the long run as professional athlete.

“Especially with our team now, it kind of feels like I am now one of the senior guys on the team even though it is only my second season. It’s been a long season for myself, but I do think that I learn the best by experience and the games that I play. I have played a lot of games this season, so I think I have learned something in every game that I have played and I have developed over the course of the season,” said Morgan. “The positive side of it is that, as a young pro, I have experienced the lows of the lows at such an early age. I don’t think I will ever have a season like this again. But if I do, I know what to do and how to cope with it and how to stay hungry and fired up for games week in, week out.”

With two years of experience playing at the MLS level now under his belt, Morgan sees performing consistently at a high level every time he steps on the pitch to be the key for him in terms of him being the best that he can be as an individual player and with respect to how he can best help his home town club win games and establish a higher level of excellence.

“I need to solidify that I am a left back and that I can attack and defend at the same time in every game. I need to be perfect and have a high standard and to keep that going in every game.”

As he looks forward to next season, Morgan also admitted that he is not only looking at 2013 as a year in which he is aiming to be a key part of a major turnaround for Toronto FC, but also as a year in which he wants to solidify himself as a key contributor at the International level with the Canadian Men’s National Team.

“I have been patiently waiting for my time with the national team. I feel that a lot of young guys in this dressing room and around the country are waiting for their times. Especially for myself and other guys, we have been waiting for the opportunity to represent our country at a high level tournament,” added Morgan.