In part one, Okugo talks with Greg and Eli about the upheaval on the team after the departure of forward Sebastien Le Toux and captain, goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon. He also talks about his time recently in the Olympic team training camp and his time touring Europe in the off-season with Generation Addidas.

Eli, Amobi and Greg. (Photo: Aimee Cicero, Philadelphia Union)

In part two, Chris Vito, Union beat writer for the Delaware County Times, talks about his exclusive with Le Toux after the forward’s trade to Vancouver Whitecaps. The candid interview made its way around the Internet, with the Frenchman pulling no punches. Vito provides some insight into the Union’s all-time leading scorer as he leaves town.

In part three, Greg and Eli lament the cancellation of the WPS season. The women’s league was going to attempt a season with just five teams, including the Philadelphia Independence, but legal issues with the owner of magicJack forced the cancellation so that the league can try to regroup for 2013.

Saturday, February 4
7:30am – West Ham United vs Millwall – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
8am – Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers – ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
9am – Cesena vs Catania – RAI Internazionale
9am – Roma vs Internazionale – Fox Soccer Plus, RAI Internazionale, ESPN3 USA
9:30am – Bayer Leverkusen vs Stuttgart – ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
10am – Wigan Athletic vs Everton – FSC, Fox Deportes
10am – Stoke City vs Sunderland – Fox Soccer Plus, FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
10am – Norwich City vs Bolton – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
10am – Queens Park Rangers vs Wolverhampton Wanderers – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
10am – West Bromwich Albion vs Swansea City – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
10am – Cardiff City vs Blackpool – Fox Soccer 2Go
11am – Zambia vs Sudan – Al Jazeera Sports USA
12pm – Mallorca vs Real Betis – DirecTV
12pm – Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol – ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
12:30pm – Manchester City vs Fulham – FSC, Fox Deportes
12:30pm – Birmingham City vs Southampton – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
12:30pm – Hamburger SV vs Bayern München – GolTV
1pm – Ajaccio vs Nice – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
1pm – Dijon vs Valenciennes – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
1pm – Montpellier vs Brest – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
1pm – Nancy vs Stade Rennes – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
1pm – PSG vs Evian TG – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
1pm – Saint-Étienne vs Lorient – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
2pm – Côte d’Ivoire vs Equatorial Guinea – Al Jazeera Sports USA
2pm – Getafe vs Real Madrid – ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
3pm – Bordeaux vs Toulouse – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
4pm – Barcelona vs Real Sociedad – GolTV USA
6pm – Querétaro vs Atlante – Telefutura
6pm – Cruz Azul vs Jaguares – Azteca America
6pm – Monterrey vs San Luis – Galavision
8pm – Guadalajara vs Morelia – Telemundo
8pm – Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM – Telefutura

Sunday, February 5
1am – Sydney FC vs Newcastle Jets – FSC
6:30am – Genoa vs Lazio – Fox Soccer Plus, RAI Internazionale
6:30am – Ajax vs Utrecht – ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
7:15am – Derby County vs Nottingham Forest – FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
8:30am – Newcastle United vs Aston Villa – FSC, Fox Deportes
9am – Juventus vs Siena – Fox Soccer Plus, RAI Internazionale, ESPN3 USA, Fox Soccer 2Go
9am – Palermo vs Atalanta – ESPN3
9:30am – Freiburg vs Werder Bremen – ESPN Deportes, ESPN3
11am – Chelsea vs Manchester United – FOX, Fox Deportes
11am – Sochaux vs Lille – FSC, Fox Soccer 2Go
11am – Caen vs Auxerre – Fox Soccer 2Go
11am – Gabon vs Mali – Al Jazeera Sports USA
12pm – Sevilla vs Villarreal – GolTV
1pm – Toluca vs Pachuca – Univision
1pm – Puebla vs Tijuana – Fox Deportes, Azteca America
1:45pm – Real Zaragoza vs Rayo Vallecano – DirecTV
2pm – Ghana vs Tunisia – Al Jazeera Sports USA
2pm – Santos vs Palmeiras – GolTV USA
2:45pm – Milan vs Napoli – FSC, Fox Deportes, RAI Internazionale
3pm – Olympique Marseille vs Olympique Lyon – Fox Soccer Plus, FoxSoccer.tv, Fox Soccer 2Go
3pm – Almirante Brown vs River Plate – GolTV
3:30pm – Atlético Madrid vs Valencia – ESPN3
5pm – América vs Tigres UANL – Univision

Monday, February 6
3pm – Granada vs Málaga – DirecTV
3pm – Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur – ESPN2, ESPN3

In an interview on MLSsoccer.com’s ExtraTime Radio podcast, Sebastien Le Toux tells Union fans who are angry that he was sold to Vancouver that it is important that they continue to support the Union: “To have you in the stands—it is always great to play in front of you and all of the guys who played with me are wonderful players and they need you…Continue to come and don’t be mad [because] one guy is not in the team. Thanks to you, not to me, but thanks to you, because you are the ones that make the difference…Continue to come and support your team.”

Philadelphia Union

In the first power rankings of the 2012 season at MLSsoccer.com, the Union are ranked at No. 13, falling seven spots from where they finished in 2011. “Maybe Peter Nowak, Nick Sakiewicz & Co. have a master plan,” it says, “But we can’t figure it out.”

Jeremiah Oshen writes at SB Nation, “Nowak has spoken extensively in recent weeks about how he’s building for the future. In MLS, though, the future is usually now. The league is structured in a way that teams allows teams to quickly turnaround their fortunes and rarely calls for long-term rebuilding projects. Maybe Nowak is planning to do something unheard of and keep this team together for 5-10 years…More realistically, though, the best-case scenario involves Nowak being forced to blow up this team again as the various Generation Adidas contracts start to hit the Union’s books and the best players start to draw interest from overseas. Maybe he’ll successfully rebuild the team when that time comes, too. But this was already a team capable of winning now. He appears to have given up that chance.”

Peter Nowak is pleased with how training camp is going. “The first three days they were buzzing, they were very good. The group was excellent. Of course, they’re going to get tired, you know? There’s a lot of work that needs to be done this week from different perspectives.”

How will that work get done? Nowak explains,

“In Florida we’ll try to individualize the training, going over formations, positions – getting down the singular stuff that’s important for them to understand. In the second camp, we’re going to try to glue this together and make it look like a team. I think the forwards, the young strikers especially, we’re going to put an emphasis on that, work on that. The back line is very stable and experienced. Then you go to the midfield line where you have a lot of creativity, and the strikers – we’ll see. We’re going to put a lot of emphasis on working individually with them, be it left wing, right wing, central striker and so on. They’ll know what to do and we’ll get this thing together.”

Danny Califf says of the group in camp, “I think coming in and meeting these guys and seeing their personalities, I’m definitely not nearly as worried as I was coming in. I think the guys we’ve brought in are quality individuals and they’re going to make our team stronger. I’m excited about it.

Jack McInerney is feeling good. “I think really my overall game is better. I’ve gotten some games with the Olympic team and I was playing 90 minutes a lot. I trained all off-season while guys were on vacation. I think I can use it as an advantage in the preseason and into the regular season. I’m excited for the season.”

Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy, noting that while the Union’s young forwards “will buzz around plenty,” says, “Production in front of goal, however, represents another matter entirely.” McCarthy believes  if Peter Nowak “can scrape together the money somehow, he’ll probably want to throw it in the direction of an established goal poacher to offer at least one fixed element in an attack that sees players pop up in all sorts of different spots.”

One veteran forward who has been linked to the Union is Lionard Pajoy. An article on the website of Colombia’s top flight says Pajoy is stuck in that country because of problems securing a visa to the US. You can read a crappy translation here.

The just traded Kyle Nakazawa says of recent Union events, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know there’s a lot of changes, and, you know, I was one of those players going out. But I think the situation worked out well for me.” He says of his move to LA Galaxy, “Happiest couple days of my career so far. You know, I couldn’t be happier — being back home, playing in front of family and friends, and, of course, playing for the defending champs, a great organization. I couldn’t be happier,” adding, “I was happy for what happened in Philadelphia. It was a good two years. But like I say, I couldn’t be happier to be back home playing here.”

Union assistant coach/goalkeeper coach Rob Vartughian explains that the business of scouting young talent is year-round work.

The Brotherly Game wonders who the next free kick taker for the Union will be.

Le Toux

“I’m very peaceful now, I had to say what I had to say because it was important for me to make sure people knew what really happened to me,” Le Toux says in in the ExtraTime Radio interview, which includes discussion about the trial/tryout/visit to Bolton, being told not to come to the pre-training medicals after his return from Bolton, his desire to remain in Philadelphia, the lack of communication from the club when he attempted to secure a new deal, and his appreciation of the fan support in Philadelphia and his teammates.

Shane Evans writes at Goal.com of the Le Toux business, “The reality is, whether popular or otherwise, deals like this are made all the time in the sports world and take time to sink in. Le Toux may be leaving Philadelphia to play in the far away city of Vancouver but the impact he made in the city in two short years will never be forgotten, not for all the allocation money in the world.”

MLS Reserves looks at what is known about the events leading up to the Le Toux transfer and sees several red flags that suggest to the author that there was logic in letting the fan favorite go.

In a report on the Le Toux deal, the Vancouver Sun takes a swipe at Nowak for blowing off a meeting with reporters last season. “We dutifully made the 20-minute drive, waited more than an hour and then discovered he wouldn’t talk to us after all. Nice guy…But Nowak is paid to win games, not make friends, and feels the allocation money in the Le Toux deal – which must be substantial – will help him build a better club.”

Local

Ocean City Nor’easters will be holding their final tryouts for the Super Y-League and Pre-Super Y-League 2012 summer teams on the weekends of March 10th & 11th and March 25th & 26th. Click here for more details.

In more Ocean City news, the club recently gained nonprofit status.

MLS

This DC United blog notes the signing of Albanian goalscorer Hamdi Salihi and concludes, “With the Philadelphia Union offloading their best player, and with the New York Red Bulls being the New York Red Bulls, D.C. just became a major force in the MLS Eastern Conference.”

Goal.com looks at Vancouver’s glut of forwards.

Montreal are not short on experience. “Collectively, there is 86 years of Major League Soccer experience among the 35 players on the Impact’s training-camp roster.”

WPS

Looking at the WPS season cancellation and the league’s troubles with Dan Borislow, this legal writer notes the need to follow your own contracts.

The season suspension from a St. Louis perspective, former home of the Athletica, which folded in 2010.

US

The USMNT will play Canada in Toronto on June 3. It will be the final tune-up match before the start of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying. On June 8 the US is at home against Antigua and Barbuda in Group A, while Canada travels to face Cuba in Group C. The match will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network.

USWNT coach Pia Sundhage has issued a 28 player training camp roster ahead of the friendly in Dallas against New Zealand on Feb. 11. I’d list the players that are connected to the Philadelphia Independence but it’s just make me sad.

The promising, and well-traveled, U-23 defender Gale Agbossoumonde has gone on loan to NASL side Carolina Railhawks.

Elsewhere

The Huffington Post looks at the evidence that the riot in Port Said that left at least 74 dead was part of the ongoing political troubles in that country. Some have suggested that it was an orchestrated attack by pro-Mubarak elements against Al Ahly supporters, whose members were very active in the protests that led to the downfall of the Mubarak regime.

Three Egypt internationals who are also Al-Ahly players have retired from the game following the riot.

Former USMNT coach and now coach of the Egyptian team Bob Bradley joined a protest march in Cairo following the violence in Port Said.

After accusing Sepp Blatter of “dictating” world football, former UEFA president Lennart Johansson says the FIFA president must step down.

Soccer America’s Paul Gardner does not think the proposal to be considered by the International Football Association Board, the games rule making body, to abolish the automatic red card for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity—that is, a red card for doing so in the penalty area—is a good idea. Some consider the resulting triple penalty of a team being reduced to 10 men, penalty kick, and subsequent player suspension is too severe.

A judge in Brazil orders workers who are building a World Cup stadium in Recife back to work after they went on strike one week ago.

The offseason can be crazy in the business that is soccer and sometimes it can be all too easy to forget that in the end, it’s really about the game. If you are looking for some inspiration to help you get your soccer head back on straight, go to the Ritz East tonight to see the Philadelphia premier of Laduma. Showtime is at 7:30pm.

Philadelphia Union

Peter Nowak tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, “I understand why everyone is upset, but please have faith we’re doing what’s best for the club. Sometimes tough decisions need to be made,” tweeting soon after, “I do ask that you please stop sending curses to my Twitter account. My daughters and family read them and it is crossing a line. Thank you”.

Speaking after Wednesday’s practice at YSC, Nowak said when asked to respond to Le Toux’s criticism of how he was transferred to Vancouver, “Why should I respond? He decided to go this route.” Nowak added,

“There is no secret that he was a big part of this team for the past two years. There are two different ways to leave the team and you can get a feeling about who you truly are. I think these guys feel a little bit different now about the whole situation and what has been said.”

Nowak also said,

“We all saw the article and we saw what was said after the trade,” Nowak said. “I think the guys in the locker room feel like an even stronger group. I’ve always said that these are the choices we all have. This is about the team, you’re either a part of the team or the team is a part of you. I don’t think this was the case here. Players are going to share what they feel.

“I believe that after yesterday and what came out today, the organization is still standing straight. PPL Park will be still there and the games will still go on and new heroes will be created over 90 minutes for 34 weeks this year. I think that is more important than personal feelings.”

Nowak said further,

“As I said before and I’ll say it again this is about the team,” Nowak said. “And it’s not only me that feels this way, it’s the coaching staff, the board and the owners. We all saw the article and what was said [by Le Toux] after the trade, and I feel either you are a part the team or the team is a part of you, and, at the end, I don’t think this was the case [with Sebastien].”

The Goalkeeper has posted video shot by Marc Narducci of Nowak’s comments.

Jack McInerney says, “I’m only 19 and I’m one of the veterans on the team. I’m not sure of the coaching staff’s plans, or why they’re doing the things they’re doing, but the team’s just getting younger, and hopefully they’re building a core for the future.”

ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle notes that in 2012, “the Union will be on the hook for every cent of Adu’s considerable salary this year”—listed at $594,884 in guaranteed compensation for 2011—instead of the prorated salary-cap hit that took place last year. ” Combine that with the fact that, with him now graduated from Generation adidas, the club are responsible for all of Danny Mwanga’s salary this year ($226,250 in guaranteed compensation last year), and the economic reasoning behind shopping Le Toux becomes clearer.

Taylor Twellman tells Carlisle, “Mwanga’s and Adu’s contracts, I think that’s where the dilemma starts.”

In the same article, Nowak downplays Adu’s recent comments about his desire to return to Europe—”I’m sure, at some point, he would like to come back to Europe like any other youngster who did smell big football out there for quite some time”—before adding, “I will not stay in his way if he gets this opportunity again.”

The departure of Faryd Mondragon (remember that?) meant that there was now a vacancy for the position of team captain. On Wednesday, word came that Danny Califf would again wear the captain’s armband. And he wasted no time showing why he deserves the captaincy when asked to respond to Le Toux’s emotional words.

“I wasn’t shocked that (Le Toux) made those comments. I think, anytime you’re upset about something, that’s one avenue you can take it. He decided to do it that way, and I don’t think any less of Sebastien for doing that.

“I don’t think that it’s great for our team and for our organization, but when people are pissed off, sometimes they find a way to channel that anger. And hopefully he got that out of his system, moved on and can be a great teammate for all those guys in Vancouver.”

Asked to describe how the opening of training camp has been given everything that has happened, Califf said, “Weird would be an understatement.”

Kerith Gabriel reports that Roger Torres says he has always felt part of the “Union family.” Torres says, “I have always felt I had a lot of responsibility, since I have been here. This is no exception; I know I have some work to do, but I am working hard to get better and be the best.”

Gabriel also writes that Zac MacMath, who has known Nowak since he was 11, is prepared to be the Union’s No. 1 goalkeeper. MacMath says,

“Knowing him for a long time, there is a lot of trust there, and he’s trusted me in goal, and now it’s about building on that trust. I am ready and excited. I didn’t necessarily think I’d be a starter this soon, but you try to wiggle your way into the No. 1 spot and [last year] I think I even pushed Faryd for the No. 1. Now I have to be a little bit more of a leader, even as a second-year guy.”

Nowak says of MacMath, “The burden is big, but I think he can handle it without any problems. There isn’t going to be speculation who is No. 1.”

Califf says of MacMath, “Faryd did a great job and was an incredible leader, but Zac is a young kid, and he moves better and he is the future. Mondy has those intangibles you can’t teach, but Zac has that youthful enthusiasm.

More on MacMath on the Union website.

Kyle Nakazawa tweeted his thanks to Union fans after word that he was headed to LA Galaxy was announced, “Thank you to all the amazing fans in Philadelphia! I’m really looking forward to playing in LA where I grew up and my family is!”

The 700 Level reacts to the Le Toux news in this thoughtful piece.

Union Dues reacts to recent events and asks “What now?”.

The Union will be hosting a job fair at PPL Park this Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9am until 2pm The list of available positions includes Housekeeping, Ticket Takers, Ushers, Concessions Cashiers, Catering Servers, Catering Supervisors, Guest Services, Event Security, Warehouse Workers, Cooks and Runners, Bussers and Dishwashers and Concession Supervisors.

Le Toux

Montreal coach Jesse Marsh says the Impact made an offer for Le Toux.

Seattle Sounders coach Sigi Schmid says the Union did not approach them. “He wasn’t offered to us. It was a little bit of a surprise. But then again, you never know what a club’s thinking. They’ve got their plan, and they’re trying to follow their plan. But he wasn’t somebody that Philly called us about.”

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi says, “Truth be known, we had inquired about Sébastien last year – halfway through the season. At that time, there was really no interest on Philadelphia’s part to move him, and obviously by expressing an interest when it came up recently we were, I’m assuming, one of the first calls that they made, and we’ve been chatting back and forth during that time.”

Vancouver coach Martin Rennie says of his plans to pair Eric Hassli and Le Toux up top, “I definitely think they can play together. I think Eric’s best quality is his ability to hold the ball up and play with his back to goal. Sebastien’s best quality is his ability to run in behind and run into channels and run off a striker like that.”

Describing Le Toux as “an addition that has the potential to pay big-time dividends,” this Canadian commentator says, “He’s an ideal fit for the preferred 4-3-3 formation of Whitecaps new Head Coach Martin Rennie, and will provide another physical presence in attack alongside Eric Hassli.” He adds, “Just as important is the fact that he’s a strong character with a relentless work ethic.”

They’ve already coined a nickname for the Hassli-Le Toux tandem: “Call them the French Connection.”

This piece notes that, with the signing of Le Toux, Vancouver is now the only team in MLS that has three players on its roster who had double digit scoring records in 2011.

Local

Penn picked up Player of the Year (Christain Barreiro) and Coach of the Year (Rudy Fuller) awards from the Philly Soccer Six. They shared the Freshman of the Year Award (Duke Lacroix and Oscar Umar) and PSS Championship with Villanova.

WPS

Former magicJack player Ella Masar relates her experience on the team and with Dan Borislow. Incredible stuff.

The issues facing WPS are deeper than Borislow, as this article makes clear.

Monica Gonzalez writes at ESPNW that WPS brought its current troubles on itself.

ESPN’s Scott French looks at the impact of the WPS cancellation on women’s soccer in Southern California.

The announcement that WPS had suspended the 2012 season was generally followed by equal measures of sadness over the decision and anger at a certain gadget marketer from the Sunshine State. Of course there were also the usual “so what” responses that, for certain soccer fans, tend to follow anything having to do with women’s professional soccer. As much as you can tell from the screen names that accompany such responses, the authors are generally men whose take on the subject tends to range from ill-informed economic realism masquerading as hard-assedness to simpleminded misogyny. That is when the author bothers to identify themselves, something which the author of this piece of piffle neglected to do.

US

Dempsey scores again to make it seven goals in six games in 2012.

Elsewhere

All football in Egypt has been suspended after a riot at a match in Port Said between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly left at least 74 people dead and hundreds injured. Many are blaming the Egyptian military. More on this horrific story here, here, and  here. You can view live updates on this story here.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter calls the events in Egypt “a black day for football.”

UPDATE: The Union have officially announced that Kyle Nakazawa has been traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy along with a 2013 natural second-round pick in exchange for an international slot. The Union are now permitted to have nine internationals on their roster.

No details have been released regarding how long the Union can retain the international spot.

The official deal differs from our initial report below that two second-round picks, as well as the international spot, would travel east in exchange for the Southern-California native, Nakazawa. The Galaxy release is here.

The Philadelphia Union are preparing to trade midfielder Kyle Nakazawa to the Los Angeles Galaxy for an international roster spot and two second round draft picks.

A source has confirmed to The Philly Soccer Page that Nakazawa, a UCLA product, is heading back to the west coast as the Union look to make room for their many internationals.

The Galaxy will add an experienced and versatile midfielder with fantastic dead ball skills to their ranks. While Nakazawa never solidified a spot in the Union’s rotating midfield, he was singled out for praise by head coach Peter Nowak on multiple occasions and proved a very capable spot starter.

An international roster spot was always going to be on the Union’s radar as offseason signings from Costa Rica, Panama and Tanzania joined the team.

Nakazawa played in 22 games (14 starts) for Philadelphia last season. He had a goal and three assists.

There are a lot of quotes from Sebastien Le Toux in this article. Many of them come from Chris Vito’s (of the Delco Daily Times and The Times Herald) fantastic interview with Seba. Check it out. Many quotes from Peter Nowak are from his January 31 press conference. I cross-checked my transcription with The Goalkeeper’s, which you can find here. 

Sometimes you don’t want to know the truth.

You hear the reasons; they ring hollow. But you want to believe the simple answers.

The money

Peter Nowak was asked if it was about the money: “Not really. It’s all about, as we always said, that we all believe and we make known to the public as well that we would like to build a club that is all about the future. It’s not about one player, it’s about the future.”

Well, that makes sense, right? A team is never about one player, it has to be bigger than that. But then again, a player can embody a franchise without taking it over. A single player can represent the values of a club without overshadowing his team. Remember Mike Servedio’s 2010 season review: ”After all, I think we all know what to expect from Le Toux in every game: A guy that will go 100% for 90 minutes for as many games as there are in the season.”

Sure, the Philadelphia Union have to build for the future. But with every other striker on the roster eligible for U-23 play, isn’t the future in place? Shouldn’t one guy – a guy who plays multiple positions and who embodies the best in off-the-field conduct – be a “now”?

Chris Vito asked Sebastien Le Toux if it was about the money: “The only thing they wanted is the money,” Le Toux said. “Being with this team and being a guy, not to build around, but to help this team, was what I wanted. … They must have wanted to sell me for money because they needed money.”

The future

Peter Nowak was asked when it became clear that Sebastien Le Toux was not a necessary part of the Philadelphia Union’s future: “You don’t justify it with words like that. I think this is the wrong approach. We have to look at what kinds of commitments we have with other players. We’ll continue to build our franchise, and as I said, it’s not about one player.”

And asked whether the arrival of new players made it easier to sell Le Toux, Nowak continued: “It is not easy for any of us but, as I said, we want to reinvest the resources we have in the players that we believe are going to be with the team for the future. We have a couple of guys on the roster for whom we want to improve their contracts because they still have contracts from past years and they are not financially strong, but they contribute to the team. You can name them. One is Sheanon Williams.”

Ok, right. It’s about the business side of things. In order to pay your up-and-comers what they deserve, you have to jettison the old guard. That philosophy was probably part of the reason the team was able to let Faryd Mondragon go even as the preseason began. But the team kept a player with a $100,000 salary in reserves throughout 2011. They paid mightily to have 70 percent of Freddy Adu for the back half of the sophomore campaign and they signed oodles of foreign talent in the offseason. Isn’t it a bit odd to announce that money can’t be spared for the best player in the history of the franchise – and a player still in the prime of his career – when there was enough loose change lying around to capture prized roster additions?

Sebastien Le Toux said (again to Chris Vito): “‘It had gotten to the point where I said to them, to Nick [Sakiewicz], to Peter [Nowak], to everyone [not me, I would have done it], ‘Just give me a contract and I will sign it,’” said Le Toux, who spoke exclusively with the Daily Times. “I wanted to stay in Philly. I didn’t care about the money.’”

Vito writes, “Le Toux, who does not have agent representation, said he asked Sakiewicz for a pay increase up to the neighborhood of $400,000, putting him just below the league’s designated player status. In the weeks that followed, Le Toux never got an offer from the Union.”

The flipside

Peter Nowak was asked about a connection between Le Toux’s transfer and the signing of Roger Torres: “Of course. That’s why I gave my answer to the first question. We want to invest in the future. We have a very good foundation with our youth pieces, and we believe and have faith in them that they will develop in the right way. Every year, all of these youngsters were very good. They got more time on the field, they understand each other more, and we want to keep the group intact and make them develop even stronger as a team, as a group. That’s true with Roger Torres as well. We want to make sure that whatever resources we have, we reinvest them in youth.”

There we go. Perfect example. Sell the old guy so you can keep the young ones. Roger Torres is a guy who can contribute now and in the future. He showed flashes of brilliance during a 5-game stretch when he started every night and picked up a goal and two assists. But wait, then he didn’t play more than a half in the final four games and recorded a grand total of three shots on goal. I guess 45 minutes over the course of two playoff legs isn’t so bad… hold on, yes it is!

The implication is that the real return for Sebastien Le Toux was Roger Torres. But in that case, why not take the $400+ marked “Adu” and drop it on the doorstep of a proven MLS performer? How many diminutive playmakers do you need when you’re rockin’ Farfan wings and a ’91 Okugo engine?

“I told [the Union] I would consider (Bolton), but I knew it wasn’t good for me,” Le Toux said. “I was out of shape. I hadn’t kicked a ball in five weeks. I didn’t want to go over there and injure myself in cold weather. What good is that for me or (the Union)?”

The respect

Asked about Sebastien Le Toux’s impact on the team, Peter Nowak said: “Of course. It’s something that made a change from the field. From the beginning, when he scored three goals, he was associated with our franchise. That was no secret to anybody. The rest, scoring so many goals in the first season, you are always going to be visible. He played in the All-Star Game, so he represented our club in a very good way. That’s not a question at all. For us he was a piece that was always a player who put everything in, especially in the first year. I think he’s a good role model for other players as well.”

True, true and true. Everything Sebastien Le Toux did in Philadelphia oozed class. He took his one shot up top and turned it into an MVP-worthy run. He was a saint in the community, taking his status as a leader to mean he represented the team in everything he did. Le Toux was… wait, does that say “especially in the first year”? Did Le Toux put less into the 2011 campaign? Did he slack? Is he being implicitly blamed for being less productive as a midfielder than he was as a striker? Was there a different dancing Frenchman who put the team on his back and carried it the final leg of the 2011 season?

After finding out he had been sold: “I asked Peter (Monday at YSC) what was going on and he didn’t let me talk,” Le Toux said. “He started to get mad at me, telling me that I was very not respectful to leave Bolton early. I told him, ‘First, I respect myself.’ But I always did everything they asked me to do. I came from vacation in the Dominican Republic for the Bimbo (sponsorship) announcement. I always was respectful. … It was like he was saying, ‘I don’t know if I can trust you on this team.’

The feelings

Peter Nowak said: “Feelings are not really included in my job description. I have to make sure that the team is good; that the team understands the goals we are going to set up; and that the team is going is going to have a future from today until whenever. Whether it’s past me, whatever the future is going to be for this franchise.”

The fans can handle the feelings side of it:

• How about Dan Walsh’s favorite soccer moment of 2010? When he took his daughter to the Toronto FC match: “The game was back-and-forth the rest of the way, with fans (including us) chanting and yelling throughout, till Sebastien Le Toux scored a last minute PK for the win and everyone went nuts. She loved it, and I loved watching her love it.”
• Or the way PSP introduced Le Toux to the Union faithful when he was drafted, when he hat-tricked all over DC United, and when he earned the first ever perfect 10 in our player ratings.
• What about Daniel Gajdamowicz’s shots of Le Toux scoring the first Union goal at PPL Park.
• Or when he became the team’s first ever All-Star. Then PSP named him Men’s Player of the Year, 2010. MLS was so impressed they gave Le Toux the Fair Play award and the Assist of the Year award.
• And how sweet was it when Seba broke his 2011 duck? After Le Toux sealed the 4-4 comeback tie against New England Dan Walsh accurately wrote, “We all know the story. After that terrific 2010 season at forward (14 goals, 11 assists), Union manager Peter Nowak tried to fix something that wasn’t broken — or rather, fixed the wrong thing by bringing in a striker rather than a central attacking midfielder. The Union ceased being Sebastien Le Toux’s team and became Carlos Ruiz’s team.” With Ruiz gone, we all looked to Le Toux again. And he delivered.
• As the Union’s late 2011 resurgence stretched to a 7-game unbeaten streak, Ed Farnsworth wrote that during the streak, “Sebastien Le Toux scored six of the 12 goals and Freddy Adu scored two. Roger Torres, Michael Farfan, Justin Mapp and Brian Carroll each scored one.” Six is half of twelve, by the way. A pretty significant contribution.
• When the Union’s second season was over, Soccer By Ives had Sebastien Le Toux in its MLS Best IX Second Team. No other Union player made it above the third team. The Union used Le Toux as the face of the club’s New Kit Design Contest.

Many talented players will come to Philadelphia, steal our hearts, and leave. But it’s true that your first time only happens once. Sebastien Le Toux will always be our first for a lot of things. First Union goal, first Union hat trick, first Union goal at PPL Park, first All-Star. These accomplishments are reason enough to place someone on a pedestal, but Le Toux runs deeper.  He was both an object of fan affection and an admirer of their enthusiasm.

So it is OK to be upset that Sebastien Le Toux is gone. There was something special about him that we may never see again.

And to those who say it was not time to move him on: No. Not if the on-field product is first and foremost to a club.

That’s why it sounds so disingenuous when Peter Nowak says this wasn’t about money. That’s why the “more-time-for-the-young-guys” and “we-can’t-let-him-go-for-nothing” arguments ring so hollow. For the entire 2010 season and the latter third of the 2011 season, Sebastien Le Toux was the Philadelphia Union offense.

And now he’s gone for good. If there was any question about that, cruise over to Chris Vito’s interview with newest member of the Vancouver Whitecaps:

“I’m sad because of the way I was treated by the staff. I’m disgusted,” Le Toux said. “I’m sorry for the guy who already bought my jersey. Maybe he can get the refund.”

“I would be happy to just retire than play for Peter again.”

In the hours following the Union’s official announcement of their decision to sell Sebastien Le Toux to the Vancouver Whitecaps, the French striker showed the professionalism, character, and emotion that made him such a beloved figure in Philadelphia. Between his first press conference as a member of the Whitecaps and an impromptu sending off at a neighborhood pub, the face of the Union and statistical leader in nearly every offensive category came off as both a devoted pro and a profoundly sentimental and likable man.

Consummate Professional

Mere hours after learning of his sale from assistant coach John Hackworth, Le Toux had refocused and was fully prepared to wave the Whitecaps banner as he took questions for the first time as a member of the second-year Canadian outfit. And while he hit all the right notes, Le Toux’s tone held none of the jocular, magnetizing warmth to which Union fans and members of the media have grown accustomed. As time passes, the Vancouver public will get to see jovial Le Toux, but on Tuesday his tone remained monotonous as he discussed his move back to the Cascadian Mountains.

When it came to Union related questions, Le Toux took the high road, choosing to focus on his future in Vancouver, rather than dwelling on his time in Philadelphia. As one of the players who came up with Seattle when they made the leap from the USL to MLS, Le Toux spoke of fond memories in which he scored critical goals in the tense rivalry between the two sides and how he is looking forward to helping the Whitecaps repay the Sounders now that both have ascended to MLS. He discussed at length how he hoped to be part of turning Vancouver into a playoff contender in 2012 and reuniting with former teammate Jordan Harvey. In their brief existence, Le Toux is now the fourth former Union player to represent Vancouver, joining GK Brad Knighton on the current roster, while winger Shea Salinas has moved on to San Jose following a 2011 season in Vancouver.

When asked about how his two years in Philadelphia had changed him, Le Toux elected to stick to the game on the field, saying simply, ”I was playing in Philadelphia in a position that I didn’t play a lot in with Seattle. I really liked to play forward in Philly. Vancouver hasn’t told me the position they want me to play, but I like to play forward and I think that’s a position where the coaches want me to play.”

Le Toux admitted to being blindsided when he heard the news as he had not received warning from the club that such a deal was imminent. Instead, it was assistant coach John Hackworth—not Peter Nowak—who informed him of his transfer as he prepared for practice Tuesday morning. Still, if there was any animosity in his departure from Philadelphia, Le Toux managed to downplay it in the teleconference, with only vague references to Vancouver as being a better option, as it was a chance to play for a team that truly wanted him.

Not even a question about his return to PPL Park on March 31 drew Le Toux off task as a committed Whitecap, and he was quick to lump future returns to Philadelphia in with matches played for the Union against Seattle, ”I think it’s always a pleasure to come back in a stadium you have played in,” he said. “I was always happy to come back and play in Seattle and I will be happy to come back to Philadelphia. They have great fans. I’m sure it will be great. I just want to win with Vancouver and show that Vancouver is a great team.”

To hear such words from Le Toux is surely a bitter pill for Union supporters to swallow, but they represent the caliber of the man who once wore the No. 9 for the Union. Dedicated and loyal to his team, Le Toux marked the beginning of his career with Vancouver by committing himself 100 percent to the cause.

The man behind the pro…

Less than two hours after that conversation, Le Toux was barraged by friends, supporters and well-wishers at Kildare’s Irish Pub in West Chester. In an insightful interview with Chris Vito of the Daily Times, an emotional Le Toux revealed his affection for Philadelphia and his anguish at being shown the door by the Union front office.

“Just give me a contract and I will sign it,” Le Toux said in the interview. “I wanted to stay in Philly. I didn’t care about the money.”

Hearing Le Toux relay his personal frustration at not being allowed to stay with the team he had propped up, singlehandedly at times, is particularly poignant given that exactly one year ago on this day, Michael Orozco Fiscal spoke glowingly of his own desire to make a career, and a life in Philadelphia.

“I want to stay here permanently,” Orozco had said. “I want to be here. I want to be part of Philadelphia.”

That quote was later curtly dismissed by manager Peter Nowak, “Michael Orozco Fiscal was on a one-year loan with an option to buy,” Nowak explained. “We didn’t exercise the option of his contract, so basically since January 1, he is the property of his former club, not the property of Philadelphia Union or Major League Soccer.”

While two incidents do not define a trend, Le Toux’s revealing statements about his treatment behind closed doors sound a worrying alarm for a fan base still in its nascent years. Peter Nowak’s gruff exterior may occasionally ruffle some feathers, but to hear the greatest player in the Union’s brief history claim, “I would rather to just retire than play for Peter again” is a gut-punch, especially considering its source. Sebastien Le Toux is no preening, posturing diva, but rather the lung-busting, hard-working, fully-committed embodiment of what Philadelphia fans want out of their players.

Now it is up to the Union to move on without their talisman striker, but there is no doubt his final words will echo in the minds of all who call PPL Park home. With the retirement of Veljko Paunovic, and Faryd Mondragon’s decision to return home to Colombia, the Union were already facing a glaring lack of veteran leadership entering 2012. Le Toux’s sale only widens that void, as he was a true leader by example on the pitch and role model for his young teammates at all times. To establish a young core of players around which to develop is one thing. Shedding wise, practiced veterans to leave inexperienced players to fend for themselves is entirely another.

For all that he means to the fans, the loyalty he showed the organization, and the example he set for his teammates, the Union will struggle to replace Sebastien Le Toux’s influence in 2012, regardless of what reinforcements the Union can acquire with the allocation money Vancouver gave for Le Toux.

A day after finding out that the team captain Faryd Mondragon was going back to Colombia, the other shoe dropped—Sebastien LeToux had been sold to the Vancouver Whitecaps. While the Mondragon move was a lot easier to digest, fans were stunned to find out that the beloved Seba was moving to another MLS team. When everyone’s favorite Frenchman broke the news on Twitter, a collective groan could be heard through out the interwebs. As fans tried to grasp what happened, word came from Sons of Ben Travel Coordinator Kelly Delaney and Seba’s longtime girlfriend Kendall Quigley that there would be a farewell party thrown in Seba’s honor.

Fans traveled from all over the region to Kildare’s in West Chester to have one last chance to interact with the Union’s heart and soul. From the moment Sebastien arrived, he did what he does best: interact with the fans. Seba took time with everyone that came up to him to chat, sign autographs and pose for pictures. It wasn’t much different then what he did after every Union game at PPL Park. And it is one of the things that has made him such a huge hit with the fans. For as good as Seba was on the field, he was equally good—if not better—at making sure every man, woman, and child would leave with something more than just an exciting match.

The Sons of Ben were on hand to present Seba with the French flag that hung in the River End for the last two years and the MVP trophy that he wasn’t able to collect at the recent Help Kick Hunger event while he was over at Bolton. SoB VP Corey Furlan expressed what everyone in attendance felt and for Seba, and many in attendance, emotions got the best of them. Seba spoke to everyone as his chant rang out through Kildare’s. He loved playing in Philly, he loved the fans. He let everyone know that he would be there as long as it took to say goodbye to everyone. His dedication, grace, sportmanship, work ethic and passion has left an incredible mark on Philadelphia.

He will always be one of us.

As soon as Seba showed up, he spent time talking to children he is sure to have inspired

Never one to say no to a fan, Seba took time with everyone to chat and sign whatever they wanted

Fans came from all over to show their love for Seba and the Union.

I’m not sure what is going on here, but it sure is entertaining.

Everyone got their chance to have their photo taken with a Philadelphia legend

Kevin L. gets a photo of Seba signed featuring one of the many 2 poles he made.

Kendall Quigley & Kelly Delaney were responsible for making this farewell possible and a debt of gratitude is owed to them.

Seba’s former roommate Kyle Nakazawa came out to show support for his friend

The Corner Creeps came out along with the other Supporters Groups to bid farewell

Seba tries to keep his emotions in check as Corey Furlan shares with him what he meant to all of us

Seba shares his love for the fans and thanks everyone for the great memories in Philadelphia

The Sons of Ben present Seba with his MVP award and French flag that hung for two years in the River End

The SoB leadership stand proud with the heart and soul of the Union

Yours truly gets to stand with a man who inspires me with his class, work ethic and passion. We can all learn a thing or two from the way Sebastian Le Toux conducts himself on and off the field.

Oh Le Toux, Le Toux!
He’s Frencher than me or you
He’ll score us a goal or two (or three)
Oh Le Toux, Le Toux!

Le Toux talks

It just won’t stop.

As suggested by the 130 readers’ comments posted on PSP in less then 24 hours since the Le Toux transfer news broke, if the sadness felt by Union fans at the news of Sebastien Le Toux’s transfer to Vancouver wasn’t enough, subsequent comments from Peter Nowak and Le Toux will, for many, see that sadness turn to anger.

Before the official announcement of his transfer, Sebastien Le Toux told Delco Daily Times writer Chris Vito, “For now, all I can say is I’m very sad and disappointed.”

Meanwhile, Union coach Peter Nowak attempted to explain the reasons behind the Le Toux transfer at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s not about one player, it’s about the future,” Nowak said. “We have to look at what kinds of commitments we have with other players. We’ll continue to build our franchise, and as I said, it’s not about one player. It’s about the players we have and foundation we have. We want to keep the group intact as much as we can.”

Nowak continued, “We have to understand that soccer is completely different from other sports in the US…We have to accept that this is a global sport…Soccer is different…there aren’t long-term local heroes and we have never made it a secret our intention to build the franchise around the whole team. We strongly believe a championship team is not when you have the best player; the championship team is when you have the best unit playing together as a team and that’s just the philosophy behind [this decision].”

Nowak also said the traded would enable the club to make new deals with several poorly compensated players such as Sheanon Williams.

Nowak described, “I have to ensure the team is good and they have a goal set up in front of them. It’s my job to make sure that the team will have a future. I have to see the overall picture and how the pieces fall into place.”  But he may have may have hurt his own efforts to foster understanding for the transfer when prefaced those remarks with, “Feelings are not included in my job description.”

After the transfer announcement, Le Toux was much more frank, saying in an interview on Vancouver radio station 1410AM, that he found out about a possible transfer via Twitter and was informed he was leaving Philadelphia on his way to practice on Tuesday morning. Le Toux said, “The fact that I’m leaving, I was sad at the beginning because I’ve had two good years here. But after the fact, the coach of Philadelphia doesn’t really want me anymore in his team. The Whitecaps want me more and believe in me.”

That news was followed by what must be the most brutally frank soccer interview ever published in the Philadelphia-area press. Speaking again to the Delco Times’ Chris Vito, Le Toux made it clear that he wanted to stay in Philadelphia. “It had gotten to the point where I said to them, to Nick, to Peter, to everyone, ‘Just give me a contract and I will sign it,’” said Le Toux, “I wanted to stay in Philly. I didn’t care about the money.”

Le Toux said of the Union’s desire to transfer him, “The only thing they wanted is the money…That’s why they pushed me to Bolton—money.”

The Vito interview simply contains too many devastating quotes from a clearly upset and disappointed Le Toux. Click on the link above and read the interview yourself. For a transcript of the Peter Nowak press conference, click here.

Le Toux said of his time at Bolton, “It was just to visit – it was not really a tryout.”

Reaction

PSP’s Dan Walsh posted his reaction to the Le Toux transfer Monday evening. Later this morning, look for more analysis and opinion from Adam Cann and Eli Pearlman-Storch. Also look for Earl Gardner’s photo essay of Le Toux’s farewell party at Kildare’s in West Chester.

At some point, Union fans will move beyond the sadness and anger felt at the news of Le Toux’s transfer, and the apparent manner in which it went down. Kerith Gabriel lays down the foundation for such reasonable thinking in this piece at the Daily News in which he concludes of the Le Toux transfer, “It’s unfortunate, but, more important, it’s business.”  It is a thoughtful, necessary look at what has happened. For many Union fans, it just may be too soon.

Goal.com takes a deep look at the Le Toux and Mondragon moves, which “look downright disastrous for a side attempting to build upon its first playoff appearance,” and says, “In the case of such high-profile departures, the underlying reasons behind them often prove far more important to the club’s future.”

Soccer America reports on the Le Toux transfer.

Unholy Union is not pleased.

Reaction to the Le Toux transfer from the Whitecaps website.

Vancouver coach Martin Rennie says the club made inquiries about Le Toux last season. This time it was the Union who approached them. “Once it was presented to us, it was a great opportunity that we had to take.”

Rennie said of Le Toux, ““He is a durable, fit and speedy attacker who is capable of playing either up front or wide in midfield. We’re delighted to bring Sebastien back to the Pacific Northwest.”

Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi on Le Toux: “He’s not just a guy that can score goals — he works his ass off as well.”

One Vancouver writer notes that news of Le Toux’s signing caused  “consternation and speculation amongst supporters,” not because he isn’t good, but because “he is yet another striker in a team that now has the potential for more goals than a post-Christmas Weight Watchers meeting.”

Nevertheless, this Whitecaps blogger writes, “I rate this signing up there with the signing of Eric Hassli in terms of quality and excitement.”

Philadelphia Union

Lost in the furor surrounding the Le Toux transfer was the news that the Union have secured the rights to Roger Torres from America de Cali, the Colombian club from which he had been on loan the past two seasons. This is exciting, good news. To the extent that it is connected to Le Toux’s departure, I can’t help but think of the scene in Saving Private Ryan when a dying Tom Hanks says to Matt Damon, “Earn this.”

Also, early this morning, a source told PSP that the Union were preparing to deal Kyle Nakazawa to LA Galaxy in return for an international roster spot and two second round draft picks.

More from the Union website on the departures of Faryd Mondragon and Le Toux here and here.

The 2012 National Soccer hall of Fame ballot has been released. Peter Nowak, in his final year of eligibility, is among the nominees on the player ballot.

Local

Penn State defender Mark Fetrow, taken in the fourth round of the Supplemental Draft, has been released by Vancouver.

WPS

Look for a Borislow update from PSP’s Mike Servedio later this morning.

The cancellation of the 2012 season has huge ramifications for international women’s soccer. Five leading British players are among those affected as the Great Britain team prepares for Olympic qualification with England and Great Britain’s Kelly Smith saying, “We have got qualification for the Euros happening this year. We have got a big game against Holland in June. That will determine whether we go to the Euros in 2013, so I need to be playing regular football. Where that may be, I don’t know yet….You have got to be playing and you have got to be in form going into the tournament.”

Closer to home, former goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Independence and Canadian international Katrina LeBlanc said, “We really needed the league to help us prepare for the Olympics,” LeBlanc said in an interview. “I’m in shock and a lot of us are in that what-do-we-do-now stage, trying to figure out the best possible move. My agent will make some calls about the possibility of playing overseas.”

Canada coach John Herdmen said for some of the players “their world has been tipped upside down,” adding “It’s going to have a huge impact in terms of how we strategize to give these girls the best opportunity to win gold.”

Julie Foudy talks to NPR about the cancellation of the 2012 season.

The former general manager of Boston Breakers offers his memories of the league. Some really good stuff here, both funny and sad.

The Guardian weighs in on the season cancellation.

MLS

MLSsoccer.com runs down the transactions on the final day of the International transfer window.

Edson Buddle is without a club in Europe.

Elsewhere

The ever-fascinating Joey Barton speaks out agaisnt homophobia in soccer.

FIFA says a decision will be reached about goal-line technology in July.

Also in July, John Terry will have his court date over charges of racial abuse.

 ”You just ripped the heart out of your squad. And your fan base.” 

– Martin Longman, Union fan, on the Union web site

“Horrible day, horrible decision. All the guy did was give his heart, soul and sweat to this team for two years and this is how you repay him. Good luck Seba, I hope you have a career season this year and show these fools what they’ve given up.”

– Dan Coleman, Union fan, on the Union web site

““I wanted to stay in Philly. I didn’t care about the money.”

– Sebastien Le Toux, to the Delaware County Times in a must-read interview

This should have been unthinkable.

This should have been where common sense kicked in.

It should have been where the regard for Philadelphia Union fans and players kicked in.

But it didn’t. After all, Peter Nowak was involved.

“Feelings are not really included in my job description,” the Union manager said today during a press conference.

So Sebastien Le Toux is gone.

Sport is a business, as we all know. Union fans and players saw that play out during the Michael Orozco-Fiscal fiasco last year. And we knew, to a degree, that could impact the Le Toux situation. I even wrote about it last week in a post titled “Buy low, sell high: The Sebastien Le Toux story“, in which I explained the merits of a Le Toux sale. But we all thought it was Bolton and the dream of top-flight European soccer.

Little did we know.

Union fans are furious, and rightly so. A Le Toux move to Bolton was one thing: A chance for a player to ascend to a higher level after giving so much to fans for two years. People understood the business side, but it’s clear most felt the move was only justifiable if Le Toux wanted to go. Le Toux went on trial but left Bolton early, choosing to stay in Philadelphia.

Instead, he’s off to Vancouver of all places, sold for an undisclosed fee kept secret due to a dubious league policy, obscuring the deal’s true value. Don’t buy the spin that Le Toux’s sale financed the Roger Torres transfer. It might be more accurate to say it financed the acquisition of Le Toux’s replacement, Josue Martinez (and possibly Lionard Pajoy), filling the budget hole the Martinez purchase left. Le Toux was never meant to return.

Le Toux: “Peter Nowak doesn’t really want me in his team”

Nowak rightly points out the need to avoid losing Le Toux on free transfer after Le Toux’s contract expires in December. MLS has had that happen too often, with players like Stuart Holden, Ricardo Clark, Jonathan Bornstein and others moving abroad for no transfer fees. The Union needed to get something for him or keep him.

But was it really all that implausible that the Union could resign him? Le Toux makes $179,000 a year. The Designated Player rule would have allowed the Union to resign him, but the league would have picked up a sizable chunk of the approximately $400,000 salary Le Toux proposed.

Le Toux said Nowak simply didn’t want him on the team, and when Le Toux learned of the trade, it hit him hard.

“I was sad in the beginning,” Le Toux told Whitecaps FC Daily, a radio show on 1410 AM in Vancouver.* “I got two good years here. But after the fact that, you know, the coach of Philadelphia, Peter Nowak, doesn’t really want me in his team, and the Whitecaps, you know, want me more and really believe in me and want me — want me there — is great.”

Le Toux said he first heard of the possible trade the same way most people did: He read it on Twitter. “A lot of people were talking and just asking questions that I have no clue (about). So I just found out this morning when I was on my way to practice.”

The person to tell him wasn’t his manager. Nowak’s No. 2 man picked up the dirty work, as usual. “Coach John Hackworth just called me in, told me that, you know, I was traded to Vancouver,” Le Toux said.

(*Ed. note: Le Toux’s radio interview begins at the 30-minute mark.) 

Le Toux’s value to fans

Philadelphia’s a tough town. Its fans are notoriously brutal. And Le Toux is French. Americans love to hate the French.

Le Toux took Philadelphia like perhaps no other athlete in recent history. He was the face, engine, heart and soul of the Union. He was responsible for most of the goals, and he is almost universally loved by Union fans. In just two years, he became the Union’s version of Rocky, a guy who achieved far beyond his natural talents due to hard work, hustle, and never giving up. He symbolized everything Philadelphia fans wanted a team to be, in any sport. If he wasn’t a Philly sports icon yet, he was well on his way.

For a two-year-old franchise trying to crack into a saturated pro sports market, that matters. The new car smell doesn’t last forever. A club needs popular players fans can relate to and, quite frankly, love the way they love Le Toux. They also need players who love this area back the way Le Toux does.

Sure, some fans root for the team and say they will follow the team regardless of who wears the jersey. But is that all spectator sports are, simply rooting for a shirt? Or do you care about who’s actually wearing it? Do you celebrate with the shirt, or do you celebrate with the player? Is the player just an automaton who maneuvers the uniform across a pitch for your enjoyment, or is he a human being?

In MLS, where guys like Sheanon Williams and Kyle Nakazawa barely make enough money to raise a family if they choose to, fans build ties with players like in no other sport — or at least they do in Philadelphia. There’s a connection between Union players and fans that is rare and organic, spawned by creative, passionate outreach by the Sons of Ben and other fans and the presence of good, personable guys on the team. Le Toux was known for staying late after games to sign autographs and generally being an eminently approachable, normal, nice guy who played his heart out every game, whether he was marginalized positionally by the misguided Carlos Ruiz signing or scoring goals by the boatload.

Now Nowak has callously discarded him like trash tossed to the curb, without even the decency to man up and tell him face to face. (Sounds a lot like how Danny Califf learned he lost the captain’s armband, doesn’t it?) It’s an insult of massive proportions both to Union fans and players.

Yes, that’s how big-time professional sports sometimes work, but MLS isn’t big-time yet. Around the league, clubs like Seattle and Portland have shown it’s not only possible but also a successful business practice to be open and respectful to your fans and players while still recognizing that, yes, sometimes players need to move on. On the flip side, clubs like Toronto FC have shown that, even if you have a waiting list for season tickets, you can still find yourself with empty seats once the new car smell wears off and the fans decide they hate management more than they love the players.

Nowak may say he’s building a Union roster for the future. Union management should ask themselves whether it’s worth the good will he’s destroying in the process.

NOTE: If you haven’t read Le Toux’s interview with the Delco Times’ Chris Vito, then you should. It’s an absolute must-read.