Robbo to NYRB

[Shakes McQueen]

So if that's true, we are going to end up paying for one of TFC's most beloved players, to play for one of our most hated rivals.

Now THAT is cap/team management.

- Scott

[ag futbol]

I disagree though, that Carl bringing his family over or laying roots down in Canada should matter at all. It shouldn't. He's a professional athlete, and a well compensated one. This stuff comes with the territory, and he knew what his contract stipulated when he signed it. These aren't exchange students that we need to coddle.

This is a grey area in sports. Just because you're making good money doesn't mean you simply ignore what's happening every other second of your life. In north america they give players less control over this, in europe they have more, but it still matters.

Players definitely take note about their peers are handled by an organization and by this measure TFC and MLS are an abysmal failure.

[Dirk Diggler]

So we are now paying 2/3 of his salary? Outstanding ...

[Shakes McQueen]

This is a grey area in sports. Just because you're making good money doesn't mean you simply ignore what's happening every other second of your life. In north america they give players less control over this, in europe they have more, but it still matters.

Players definitely take note about their peers are handled by an organization and by this measure TFC and MLS are an abysmal failure.

I agree that his departure was badly mishandled. What I disagree with, is that the organization should consider stuff like whether Carl's family has set up roots in Canada, or whether they like it here, when making personnel decisions.

If I'm a GM, and I see a legit move to make my team better, I won't hesitate to make a trade. That's the business. Of course, what I won't do, is handle you the player with the same level of utter disrespect and deception that Mo does.

I will do what I can to make sure you leave on good terms with the club, and give you an opportunity to thank the fans and the city for the support. I won't shuffle you off to a bitter rival in the silence of night, and not let anyone know.

I guess that's what I meant.

- Scott

[ag futbol]

^ Yeah I agree ,you need a pragmatic approach.

I think you use it as a bargaining tool, if you can where necessary, not go around calling yourself a family organization and cover everybody with sunshine, flowers, and bullshit.

Where we've been pretty bad at handling players in the past however, we've probably lost our credibility in the area.

[Shakes McQueen]

^ Yeah I agree ,you need a pragmatic approach.

I think you use it as a bargaining tool, if you can where necessary, not go around calling yourself a family organization and cover everybody with sunshine, flowers, and bullshit.

Where we've been pretty bad at handling players in the past however, we've probably lost our credibility in the area.

If that's the case, the first step to healing that perception, is to turf the GM.

I swear man, if this season looks like another disappointment, we need to make as much noise as humanly possible about removing Mo.

- Scott

[v00d00daddy]

If that's the case, the first step to healing that perception, is to turf the GM.

I swear man, if this season looks like another disappointment, we need to make as much noise as humanly possible about removing Mo.

- Scott

Agreed about Mo.

As for how TFC is handling getting rid of popular players....what else can be done?

Do we really want to be a place where we drum up spots within the organization for every player of significance?

Dichio is a coach now.
What's going to happen with Brennan?
What about DeRo? (eventually)
Add Robbo to this mix and the TFC staff becomes some kind of mockery of a retirement home.

I think the important players need a nice send off (Robbo included) but I don't think the club needs to find a place for them when they're no longer needed.

Treating the players like family is all nice and good but first things first...I want a cohesive, talented, successful team. Once we get that we can start to worry about giving retiring players cushy "ambassador" type jobs.

If we suck again this year (by this year I mean by June/July), Mo has got to go.

[ag futbol]

If that's the case, the first step to healing that perception, is to turf the GM.

I swear man, if this season looks like another disappointment, we need to make as much noise as humanly possible about removing Mo.

- Scott

Honestly I've hated Mo Johnston for the longest time, but i'm just going to wait and see how this plays out. I still vent my bitterness here and there, but generally i just want us to be out on the field playing.

I will derive no satisfaction from us being crappy, so no point in getting upset in advance.

[Chevy]

My dad disliked Carl Robinson's play with a passion.
I actually defended Carl in seasons one and two while my German soccer coach father complained in my ear every time... but it was hard to do in Year 3.
His complaints basically involved Robinson's passing ability and treating the ball like a hot potato when he got it.
I argued that Robinson did this to get things moving, and that his teammates weren't thinking fast enough. But sometimes it was hard to defend that position.

Bring your old man down to 110, and a free beer shall be his. I too have tired of the hot potato routine.

[Shakes McQueen]

I loved Carl's ability to win balls, and I think he added some much needed steel to our defense.

That said, his passing was godawful. If he liked play CB, his skillset was better suited for it.

- Scott

[Jamaicanadian]

When I take emotion outta the equation: I think the peeps that mentioned JDG, Cronin & Sanyang hit the nail on the head!

When I leave emotion in the equation......If he's really gone Imma miss CR in the squad...seemed like a great guy who gave 110 for 90 minutes, and more!

NUFF RESPECT!

[bertal]

i'd rather wait for the 'official' word

[Whoop]

I agree about his playing ability but he seemed like a classy individual. We'll see how it plays out.

[Blazer]

Our gain is NYRB's loss.

[jloome]

It's a significant loss of a class player. At the same time, I wonder whether paying that portion of his salary if he plays for New York nevertheless allows his full salary to be free'd under the cap.

If so, this might be a pure necessity to properly strengthen the team, by allowing room to sign a couple of extra players from the trialists.

Funnily, this was actually rumoured to be a draft trade last year.

[Alonso]

Robo contract must be guaranteed, no team is going to take on 300,000!! So I bet Toronto will eat half!! That and a second round draft choice from Energy Drink!!

My worst nightmare, NYRB win at BMO 1-NIL Sutton gets the clean sheet Robo scores in extra time!!

Sigh, well good luck Robo you where always a true professional.

Are we all in agreement that garuanteed contracts should never be given out by MLSE EVER (and if so, very, VERY, infrequently) again?

How many times do they have to be burned with the Leafs and TFC for them to see this... its just not worth losing your flexibilty for long periods of time!

PULL YOUR HEADS OUT FROM YOUR ASSES MLSE! You look like a bunch of fools...

As for Carl, thanks for the memories...

[CretanBull]

^The portion of his salary that we pay will count against our cap...if it didn't it would be a HUGE loop hole that teams would exploit.

[ManUtd4ever]

If the entirety of Robbo's 300K contract is available cap space than this move can bolster the roster in other areas...

[wzhxvy]

I dont know what to feel or think about this....just hoping there is a plan behind all this and not the usual. Trying to be positive...

[Phil]

A true captain of this team even if unrecognised.

All the best to him.

[RedsYNWA]

WOW I feel a reduction in points this season...and not because of Robinson but because Mo mortgaged the farm last season. We have lost far more than we have gained...oh well at least the World cup is coming

[pepher]

I hate to seem him go... especially to another team in MLS. Good luck Carl... I guess I'll retire my Robbo jersey's. All the best,

[felipe]

This sucks

[Bars92]

I feel like the original TFC lineup is pretty much eroded away now, except for Jimmy B. When I think of this team, Robinson, Dichio, Brennan are what comes to mind. Hopefully this is all giving rise to the new, improved TFC, DeRo, DeGuzman and some striker that is yet to be proven.

[dow117]

I loved Carl's ability to win balls, and I think he added some much needed steel to our defense.

That said, his passing was godawful. If he liked play CB, his skillset was better suited for it.

- Scott

His passing appeared "godawful" but he probably made more passes than anyone on the team as he moved the ball quickly. I bet his passing % was right up there ... Also, this guy gave 110% , fierce and vocal on the pitch. He could have had another year here.... another classy move from the Toronto corporate suits !!!

[CretanBull]

^There was also an issue with chemistry...often he'd make the right pass but the reciever wasn't where he should have been - as a team our off the ball movement was terrible. Also, his job was to break up plays which meant pretty much every pass that he made was under pressure of the attacking team scrambling to regain the ball that he'd just taken from them.

Of course, its a lot harder for people to actually think about the game that they're watching and easier to just comment on what's happening without understanding the context.

[cuecas_red]

Also, what happens if NYRB don't take him after the trial? Does Robbo just go home and we pay him $300K? This seems like a very real, and ugly, possibility.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/sto...crobinson.html

If Robinson, 33, signs with New York, Toronto would still be responsible for paying a portion of his salary, but would receive an undisclosed number of draft picks from the Red Bulls in exchange.

They only pay if he stays with NYRB

[Oldtimer]

I like Robbo a lot, but actually it's not necessarily a bad thing to trade him.

(1) For him personally, he might actually like the chance to spend a year in New York. New York is a great place to live for a year, his family will treasure the experience. Their team is now playing on real grass in a stadium that is much better than BMO Field, and turfed their own bad management last year and now he doesn't have to deal with Mo. He still gets $300K no matter what. I could see him really liking this move.

(2) MLSE has failed in the past by hanging on to "fan favourites" for wayyy to long. So if they get rid of an aging player they should be commended, not condemned (and if Mo didn't have such a bad track record, we'd probably be willing to give him some credit).

(3) The team needed to shed some midfielders (we all knew that last year). Given that JDG can play the holding role 10x better than Robbo, and add some offensive ability as well, it makes tonnes of sense to shed a $300k contract. In fact, its so obvious that Preki should be fired if he didn't request Robbo to be moved, plain and simple.

(4) Giving up $150-$200k in allocation for a couple of draft picks is actually a fair deal. We all know that Mo (if he is still around next year) is a great drafter (even if he's a lousy GM), he can do something great with those picks.

So as much as it pains us to see Robbo go to a hated rival, it looks like a decent move in every way.

[Nuvinho]

is is draft picks or draft picks we are getting? It is probably conditional (don't know if MLS allows that, but they change the rules daily) based on # of minutes played, if NYRB make the playoffs, etc.

So with the $150K saved on Robbo and the $145K we have under the cap so far....without considering any allocation we have.....$295K to sign 5 to 6 players.

[Oldtimer]

is is draft picks or draft picks we are getting? It is probably conditional (don't know if MLS allows that, but they change the rules daily) based on # of minutes played, if NYRB make the playoffs, etc.

Yes, MLS allows conditional draft picks.

So with the $150K saved on Robbo and the $145K we have under the cap so far....without considering any allocation we have.....$295K to sign 5 to 6 players.

That's under the assumption that there is no cap space increase next year, which can't be true.

It's also absurd to not include allocation. According to GOL TV, Mo has $600k in allocation to play with. That's more than enough to sign some good players.