Some players around the league don't want to play for TFC - Wondo

[Nuvinho]

Its MLS rumors but Wondo speaks:

On Glenn’s All Access show on Monday he interviewed one of the league’s most in form strikers, Chris Wondolowski on a number of topics including his feelings about being traded by Houston to San Jose.
In it he briefly said something which has become a bit of a hot-button issue north of the border: US players who would rather not play for Toronto FC.
During the interview Wondolowski states:
“I do have to thank Dominic [Kinnear] and Chris Canetti for sending me back to San Jose rather than to Toronto.”

http://www.mls-rumors.net/11358/2010...n-to-mls-move/

[maninb]

If Wondo would have been sent here he would have probably been a big FAIL...Preki wanted no part of attack minded players, and we have nobody to get him the ball in any case....I can just see Wondo and DeRo going in for a 2 on 1 and DeRo blasting the ball over the bar from 25 yards out rather than passing the ball.....

[ArmenJBX]

If I were a player, of course I wouldn't want to go to the team that ships out almost everyone at the end of the season. I want a job that's consistent.

Toronto FC is like reverse Darwinism. We don't weed out the bad, we only weed out what we can. The likes of Serioux and Wynne and Guevara should not be leaving and replaced with Harden and Usanov and Joseph Nane.

[dantdot]

If you listen to the quote, it's because he says his home town is San Jose. Mostly MLS Rumors making shit up.

[ArmenJBX]

But is there any reason he mentions Toronto specifically?

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

Nothing shocking here. I think most American players would prefer to play in the US if possible, can't really blame them.

Just underscores the importance of developing Canadian players and doing a better job scouting international markets.

[Shakes McQueen]

But is there any reason he mentions Toronto specifically?

Maybe we were a team that was interested in him? Does it not seem a bit odd for him to take a swipe out of the blue at Toronto FC, regardless of his opinion of the team?

- Scott

[CretanBull]

How does one guy saying that he's happy he was traded back to where his home is proof that "some players around the league don't want to play for Toronto"?

[Parkdale]

If you listen to the quote, it's because he says his home town is San Jose. Mostly MLS Rumors making shit up.

we should know by now they're 99% full of shit (and spam ads)

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

If you were an American MLS player, particularly in the later stages of your career, wouldn't you prefer to play in the US?

[Roogsy]

If I were a player, of course I wouldn't want to go to the team that ships out almost everyone at the end of the season. I want a job that's consistent.

Toronto FC is like reverse Darwinism. We don't weed out the bad, we only weed out what we can. The likes of Serioux and Wynne and Guevara should not be leaving and replaced with Harden and Usanov and Joseph Nane.

Regardless of why it happens, the plain fact is that it is the current state of things.

So with all due respect Jimmy, I really do wish you'd look at the real situation in the league and recognize that building the "idea" team is not as easy as you made it out to be. So if a player that you yourself pointed to as a good "replacement" for DeRo does not want to come here, why exactly should we ship players that do want to be here...and I mean REALLY want to be here. This article only emphasizes my point about the value of a goal-scorer in this league and whether we should all look back to 2007 and remember what it was like to see our beloved team not score a single solitary goal for nearly 1000 minutes.

[Roogsy]

How does one guy saying that he's happy he was traded back to where his home is proof that "some players around the league don't want to play for Toronto"?

We'd like to think it wasn't the case but the plain fact is that American players don't want to come here and this example is just one public one among many private ones.

I posted an article in the Raptor thread about John Salley and comments he made while he was here about wanting to get out.

I have clients that are athletes on several pro teams and all of them have mentioned similar things to me in the past.

This sentiment they have may not be rational (or it may be) but it does exist, of that there is no doubt.

[ArmenJBX]

My argument was always relative to what players would be brought in.

I would never trade De Rosario for the sake of trading him. It was always a situational case and not a forced one. IF the right players came along for De Rosario, I would say his trading wouldn't be the worst thing.

However, if the player doesn't want to be here, and we have De Rosario who does, and does produce, why trade him?

The more and more this whole FO situation blows up, the more I see that, in the end of the day, beyond the money, De Rosario is the only real player who cares.

[Alixir]

its all cause if he came to Toronto he would not have scored that hattrick against us.

[ag futbol]

We'd like to think it wasn't the case but the plain fact is that American players don't want to come here and this example is just one public one among many private ones.

I posted an article in the Raptor thread about John Salley and comments he made while he was here about wanting to get out.

I have clients that are athletes on several pro teams and all of them have mentioned similar things to me in the past.

This sentiment they have may not be rational (or it may be) but it does exist, of that there is no doubt.

Toronto is definitely outside of some peoples comfort zone but the problems are still relatively with the organization itself. Even in the NBA, the perception Toronto is actually pretty good (the players see it as a huge party spot) but the raptors organization is just looked down on.

I suspect if we didn't have a sociopath running our front office with Timbits soccer Tom as his oversight for four years, things might have turned out a little differently. Remember the days when Eskandarian was "gutted" to be traded from the team, same with a number of other guys ?

I don't think this will ever pose a serious problem, especially given the international nature of the sport and the limited free agency in MLS.

[ArmenJBX]

We need to rebuild our reputation as a team that treats players fairly.

Which is actually counterproductive seeing as we would do well to get rid of players right now.

[DoubleUp]

Thats because our sports teams are always marketed as being some defunct national team. We over forced Mls to put american flags on all the shirts because we had to stick a canadian flag on ours. So for some Americans playing for a Toronto team is like applying for Canadian citizenship, in there Eyes "just not cool". If we Can get passed all the Canadiana, and just be a regular sports franchise that happens to be located in Canada I think we'll do fine in getting top players in the future.

[J .]

If Wondo would have been sent here he would have probably been a big FAIL...Preki wanted no part of attack minded players, and we have nobody to get him the ball in any case....I can just see Wondo and DeRo going in for a 2 on 1 and DeRo blasting the ball over the bar from 25 yards out rather than passing the ball.....

Preki did sign Maicon Santos and ran the offense through DeRo....

[Big Bruva]

[quote=JimmyBaldX;1149302]If I were a player, of course I wouldn't want to go to the team that ships out almost everyone at the end of the season. I want a job that's consistent.

Very good point and its true in regards to MLS players thought process.
I talk to certain players around the league especially at KC on a regular basis and one or two LOVE the city and i joke about coming to TFC but then coz some are friends i tel them not too coz the club is a revolving door and has no stability.

[Section 117]

How about fuck any player that does want to play in our city...

We care more about our team than any other team in this league, I guess they don't want the pressure and expectations of playing infront of people that care

Big Bruva on a side not I agree, but now that the drunk Scot is gone it will be better

[ArmenJBX]

You're telling Kansas City Wizard players not to play for us?! :O

Traitor!

Tell Michael Harrington I already have a jersey with his name and number on it, and that, if he wants to fulfill this dream of mine, he needs to move here.

[Pookie]

I asked Pookie Jr what he would do if he were to get drafted by Columbus. He said he kick the ball in his own net and then get traded to Toronto.

So, I guess this works both ways.

Good news is that the boy has his head screwed on proper.