It’s been another busy off-season for Toronto FC after another season in which they failed to have a winning record, and make the playoffs.
The string of signings made by the Canadian MLS club has easily made it the ‘winner’ of this off-season for the second consecutive year (after signing Jermaine Defoe, Michael Bradley, and Gilberto last off-season). To this point during the MLS break, the Reds have signed some marquee players including Marco Delgadgo, Robbie Findley, Jozy Altidore, Damien Perquis, Benoit Cheyrou, and possibly their most important signing, Italian Sebastian Giovinco.
The termination of Giovinco’s contract at Serie A club Juventus was announced on Monday, meaning Sebastian will be joining Toronto FC for its pre-season. Giovinco is also a member of the Italian national team, with 21 caps and 1 goal.
At 5’5″ he is noticeably one of the shorter players on the pitch, but he’s extremely quick, agile, and technically gifted. His dribbling skills are high quality, and is well known for his playmaking skills, passing ability, and free-kick accuracy. It his attack-minded style and playmaking skills that make him a massive addition to a Toronto FC team that has lacked a creative, ‘number 10’ spear-heading the offence for the entirety of it’s existence.
The addition of Michael Bradley last year improved the midfield greatly last year. The team finally possessed a holding midfielder who could link defensive possession of the ball with the offence. Bradley’s defensive abilities in the midfield were evident the way he stepped up against opponents, dispossessing the ball from them, and exhibiting a leadership style that has garnered many opinions in the Toronto FC community to give him the captaincy from Steven Caldwell.
However, Giovinco’s addition to the TFC fray has given the team something they have never possessed in 9 years. Giovinco will easily slide in the starting XI as the creative mind behind the strikers.
Toronto FC experimented with multiple players at this position, but could never find an individual who could link up with the strikers, leading to struggles for this team to score goals.
What is unique about Sebastian is his ability to play as a ‘number 10’. What this means is that Giovinco is a player who has the ability to control the flow of the team’s offensive play because of his vision, ability to distribute the ball effectively and consistently, and his technical skills.
One of the greatest benefits to Giovinco’s signing is also his age. At 27, Giovinco is merely entering his prime, and has plenty of game to offer to a team that has not made the playoffs in years. This significant for another reason. Not many players will leave Europe, as well as potential contracts from other European clubs in their prime for just anyone. For Sebastian to leave the best club in Italy at the moment, one of the best leagues in Europe, and easily the best continental soccer organization (UEFA), there is merit to his desires to help Toronto FC make the playoffs and become a successful MLS franchise.
Sebastian Giovinco (Claudio Villa/ Getty Images)
Toronto now has two high quality pieces in the midfield, a phenomenon I have never seen from this team in their existence. Bradley’s experience in Italy will provide as a common base for Michael and Sebastian to build off of as they become the centre piece (literally and figuratively) of Toronto FC for the next few years. Having two highly technical and experienced 27 year-olds in the midfield for Toronto FC makes this such a more dangerous team than they were last year. Sure the addition of Defoe made them a goal scoring threat for the first time ever, but they lacked the creative player to link up with the strikers. The departure of Defoe was answered by the signing of Altidore, an equally talented player who can score goals merely using his large stature. But the addition of Giovinco really makes this team that much more of a threat than they were last year.
With Toronto FC training camp under way, players have started to come back to the realization that this year’s expectations are very much the same as last year’s. Winning record, make the playoffs, maybe an MLS Cup, these are all expectations placed upon this crop of players. Nothing less than a winning record will be tolerated.
However, the addition of Giovinco gives Toronto another experienced winner, who expects nothing less than success in Major League Soccer.
Eh Sport 360 