THE STARTING 11: Parting gifts for released Toronto FC players

"Oooh your manbag is so moody - it must be a Laurent Robert!"



Autumn is a time of transition. Where the once promising blooms of spring must wither and make way for Winter (Lazio 1992-1996) and the eventual dawn of a new re-birth. Oh, the circle of life - love it when this blog goes all Robert Frost. Anyhoo... it's also the time of year when MLS clubs start cutting players. TFC is no different, with Demitrius Omphroy and Matt Gold (As Seen on Twitter) the first go. However, The Reds don't let their former charges leave empty handed - there's always some final parting gifts...
　
11. Left-over gold embossed Maurice Johnston 5-Year Planners
　
10. A lovely hand-written note from management... asking if you'd be willing to take Ty Harden with you
　
9. A leather European manbag from "Laurent Robert Pour Homme"
　
8. Martin Saric comes by to help "clean out" your apartment
　
7. Andrea Lombardo lets you borrow his Metropass so you can get to the airport
　
6. Jim Brennan makes you one last Cafe Latte
　
5. Joao Plata dances around you like a medieval jester as you leave BMO Field for the last time
　
4. A mini Voyageurs' Cup filled with old Halloween candy
　
3. Torsten Frings sings you a few bars of Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen" as you wait for your cab
　
2. A year's supply of "Rice-A-Roda JC... The Eredivisie Treat (TM)"
　
1. A copy of "TFC: The Board Game"

#YoungRedsReleased

"From this day on - we will only play on Twitter"



The post-season tinkering, or SIXual Healing preparation - depending on your view of time and space, is under way at BMO Field. While still awaiting official word from the club, two young Reds, Matt Gold and Demitrius Omphroy, took to their media of choice - Twitter - to announce that their days in Toronto were done.
　
Both players were part of TFC's 2011 SuperDraft crop, a series of player selections which were made in the infancy of the new Winter/Mariner management era. Of the entire draft selection, only Joao Plata emerged as a player with any real value for Aron Winter... and he's not even fully TFC property yet. Whether this is the first step in illuminating Toronto's move away from the Draft while putting all of their development in the Academy basket remains to be seen but the collegiate selection is a very foreign object in the Ajax-esque structure being installed around these parts.
　
Neither Omphroy nor Gold had many opportunities outside of the Reserve League to prove their talents in TFC red. Omphroy, the brave young man who battles MS while pursuing his football dream, seemed to have the technical skills that a Winter team could use but perhaps lacked the physicality needed to survive the rough and tumble MLS world. Matt Gold, "The Ginger Un-Ninja", did see some garbage minutes over 2011 but would have been completely invisible if not for his shock of copper hair and freckles.

Both players may be able to carve NASL careers for themselves with Omphroy still having an outside chance at an MLS stint. If not, there's always the Pro Twitter League, where these two would be Maradona and Pele. #goodlucklads