So how is our old mate doing in Toronto

[AyrshireBob]

I mean the guy who throw his dummy out of his pram, remember him ?
Season so far, Toronto are 12th in league of 15, just sacked their manager / head coach Robin Fraser.
The Ex Norwich guy has played 27 games and scored 10 goals with 4 assists so far this season, not that bad when playing in one of the best leagues in North America
Remember his team mates included players like :

Djordje Mihailovic : American & played 10 times for USA
Benjamín Kuscevic : Chilean / Croatian played 16 times for Chile
Richie Laryea : Canadian played 83 times for Canada & 5 times for Notts Forest
Jonathan Osorio : Canadian played 92 times for Canada & 351 for Toronto FC
Raheem Edwards : Canadian played 5 times for Canada
Markus Cimermancic : Canadian / Slovenian played 20 times for Toronto

 

[morty]

I'm guessing his move was more about relocating than actually progressing his career...

 

[Ricardo]

I'm guessing his move was more about relocating than actually progressing his career...

Yes, that's how it seemed to me. He is a decent striker and I am glad to see him amongst the goals again. However life goes on and we now have a new set of striking heroes.

 

[PukkiParty]

I watched a Toronto game and tbh felt a bit sorry for them, they are a very poor team with a complete absence of creativity (even by MLS standards) and he's pretty isolated up there.

Don't know if they thought they were getting a Messi who could take on 6 players and chip the keeper, but if spending that amount of money they really ought to have bought somebody to feed him the odd chance. Reminded me of the impossible jobs our strikers had in a Chris Hughton team.

I doubt he's regressed as a player, just chose a poor team if he wanted an impressive goals column on his CV.

 

[morty]

I watched a Toronto game and tbh felt a bit sorry for them, they are a very poor team with a complete absence of creativity (even by MLS standards) and he's pretty isolated up there.

Don't know if they thought they were getting a Messi who could take on 6 players and chip the keeper, but if spending that amount of money they really ought to have bought somebody to feed him the odd chance. Reminded me of the impossible jobs our strikers had in a Chris Hughton team.

I doubt he's regressed as a player, just chose a poor team if he wanted an impressive goals column on his CV.

He surely could have got into a lower level Premier league team though?

 

[Ginja]

I'm guessing his move was more about relocating than actually progressing his career...

He surely could have got into a lower level Premier league team though?

I understand he's on something like $5 million a year at Toronto, money a lower PL club I suspect wasn't willing to offer for his ability, so he's progressed in one way and I don't blame him, it's an easy league and easy money for him. Definitely a retirement move, he'll be set for life after a few seasons with them.

Disappointing he chose to try drag our club through the mud to make it happen though and I will of course be petty and enjoy every game he loses

 

[PukkiParty]

I understand he's on something like $5 million a year at Toronto, money a lower PL club I suspect wasn't willing to offer for his ability, so he's progressed in one way and I don't blame him, it's an easy league and easy money for him. Definitely a retirement move, he'll be set for life after a few seasons with them.

Disappointing he chose to try drag our club through the mud to make it happen though and I will of course be petty and enjoy every game he loses

I found it really irritating that he didn't issue any sort of thanks to the fans at all, who would have included kids that looked up to him and don't fully understand the complexities of adult life.

Whatever went behind the scenes in terms of between his employers and him are distinct from his relationship with fans, who backed him and sung his name for four years (and frankly could have given him some stick after that first season).

No excuse for that, even if he threw a grand or two at a PR guy to write it for him, even whack it in ChatGPT, no acknowledgement at all, that soured it for me. He might come out down the line and give a really compelling reason for wanting/having to move back to North America, but no matter what that reason is it won't excuse a failure to bang out a quick message on Instagram, even if comments were turned off to suppress inevitable backlash.

 

[Ricardo]

Hard to disagree with that but none of us are privi to what went on behind the scenes. A simple thank you to the fans would have been sufficient.

 

[AmericanCanary]

I think if Sarge had to do it over again, he would have left more amicably and in a better light for some of the fans.

He wanted to go back closer to home and make more money that is why he pushed for the move so hard, simple.

I don't fully agree with how he left things but that shouldn't take away some of the good times he did have at Norwich when he was on form.

Regardless, I have nothing personal against the dude and if he succeeds great.