All my work on the Danny Dichio story yesterday ended up here. I also have some opinions, better suited – as always – to some briskly banged-out backroom bloggery.
They certainly tied a neat bow on it. Aging player, concerned about both his fitness and lack of playing time, accepts offer to join coaching staff -- now, instead of at the end of the season.
And as I’ve no concrete proof Danny Dichio is retiring for any other reason, that’s where I’m going to have to leave it.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Just for the record, Dichio did not need to step aside to clear roster room for the possibly imminent Julian DeGuzman. Roster spots are already open.
Mo Johnston said very little yesterday, but noted he feels he can clear salary cap space for “a couple of players we’re talking to” without needing to cut anyone.
Whatever locker room tension the Dichio limbo was or wasn’t causing, presumably no longer exists.
With Dichio gone and six games remaining in a dire-looking playoff hunt, Toronto FC now has exactly no one who can bend defences, hold up the ball and distribute like Danny Dichio. I’m sure, in his new assistant coaching role, he will have some thoughts on the subject to impart on the rest of the TFC strike crew. A shame he can’t give them heart transplants.
This is now a weaker team – for at least as long as it takes to land DeGuzman. Who exactly ends up playing where once that deal goes down is subject for later speculation. Certainly a striker seems a bigger priority than yet another holding midfielder (Robinson, Cronin, Guevara, Sanyang), but landing perhaps the finest Canadian soccer player on the planet isn’t likely to hurt.
To see a warrior like Danny Dichio led away was difficult. The reasons given – though understandable – are not completely satisfying.
We’ll see what happens next.
Onward!