TFC Notebook: Re-visiting Jozy Altidore's messy exit from Toronto FC and what's been said since
The (possible) return of Jozy Altidore, Kobe Franklin making a case for more minutes, and an interesting stat about Richie Laryea which may or may not surprise you. It’s time for another TFC Notebook.
A new notebook will be released every weekend throughout the course of the 2023 Toronto FC season, featuring news and updates from training during the week, exclusive interviews, tidbits and more. It's supported by BET99 Sportsbook so if you're interested in responsible gaming, please check out their special welcome offer.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
Altidore: Playing for Toronto no longer “as fun as it used to be”
When Toronto FC homegrown defender Kobe Franklin hears the name Jozy Altidore, the first thing that pops to mind is “TFC legend.”
“Someone who has brought a lot of memories to the people of Toronto and the fans of TFC,” the 19-year-old TFC Academy graduate said. “He definitely brought some joy by scoring in the finals for me, my family, and everyone in Toronto.”
Altidore could make his return to his old stomping grounds at BMO Field this weekend when Toronto FC play host to the American’s New England Revolution.
While everyone will surely remember the good times, like in 2017 when Altidore scored the most famous goal in TFC history, Altidore’s seven-year tenure with the club ended on a bitter note last offseason when he was bought out of the remaining two years of his contract, capping off a rather underwhelming three-year spell since re-signing with the Reds in 2019.
Altidore finished second on TFC’s all-time scorers list with 79 goals in 173 appearances in all competitions, four behind good friend Sebastian Giovinco, but scored just seven goals in 34 appearances over his final two seasons.
Injuries, off-field issues, and a sharp decline in his play ultimately led to his tumultuous exit. By the end of his tenure, from the club’s perspective, there were question marks about how bought in and devoted Altidore still was.
One of Bob Bradley's first interviews after being named Head Coach and Sporting Director was with TSN 1050 in November 2021, when he said, "I have to figure out where Jozy's head is. I don't think he’s as committed as he used to be.”
A few months later, Altidore’s buyout was made official.
From Altidore’s perspective, playing in Toronto those two years was no longer “as fun as it used to be,” with the veteran striker citing the challenges that came with the COVID-19 pandemic and different things going on behind the scenes that never came to light.
"There were just some things that happened behind the scenes that, you know, you just can't unsee. When certain ways, how you live, how you see life, how you see going to work, morals, when those things aren't the same any more in a working environment, I think it's time to call it a day. And I think that's what happened in Toronto in some ways, with different instances on a few occasions,” said Altidore in his first media availability with the Revolution last February.
One of those instances came in August 2020 in a match between Toronto FC and CF Montréal.
The night before, the two sides came to an agreement that they would not be taking the pitch in protest in the wake of a shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Wisconsin a few days prior. NBA teams had been protesting their games and so had several MLS teams.
Altidore, specifically, shared a moment with his idol Thierry Henry, then the coach of CF Montréal, where Altidore gave his word to the French icon that the team would not take the field for the match. The two went on to talk about life for about 30 minutes, where at the end of the conversation, Henry told Altidore that he has a ton of respect for him, and that obviously meant a lot to the veteran striker.
However, with the guidance of Justin Morrow, the then-Executive Director or Black Player for Change, Toronto FC changed course and came to the decision that it would be best to play the match.
Altidore disagreed, wanting to stick to his word that he gave Henry and a few others and chose to sit out the game. The team cited “personal reasons,” when asked about the striker’s absence.
In his Revolution media availability last February, Altidore said: “It makes it tough to go out on the field and fight and do those things you want to do when you're no longer aligned … so that was difficult because obviously it was such a great ride there.”
The protest in Montréal was just one instance. Another came in 2021, when Altidore was told to train on his own for the better part of seven weeks after a confrontation with ex-TFC head coach Chris Armas and ex-GM Ali Curtis.
The confrontation came because Altidore took it upon himself to stick up for a few of the younger players on the team. He knew his actions would come with repercussions but he didn’t agree with the way that they were being treated.
It became a dark cloud that hovered over the team, and when Armas was fired a few weeks later, Altidore immediately returned.
He had a few Altidore-esque moments down the stretch upon his return, but it wasn’t the same. Instead of scoring MLS Cup-winning goals, he was netting consolation markers for a team that was one of the worst in the league, and the writing was on the wall for an offseason buyout.
Altidore’s final few seasons with TFC were rocky, to say the least, and the way it ended was disappointing. Yet, he still looks back on his time in Toronto with “a lot of fondness”, “love”, and a little bit of shade.
"I can't wait to get back there. It's a city that's home for me. No matter what happens, no matter what happens the rest of my career, Toronto will always be home for me ... There'll never be bad blood for me but there's definitely a lot of things that have happened there that just aren't talked about or brought to the surface. And I think it weighed on some guys who have been there for a long time,” said Altidore.
"But in saying that, it's a brilliant club that needs to get back on track and I think will get back on track."
How has Altidore fared since joining the New England Revolution?
If there was one decision that Toronto FC have unequivocally got right over the years, it was the decision to buy out Altidore from the remaining two years of his contract.
There’s even a good argument to be made that the team should’ve done it a year earlier – or not even signed him to a new deal altogether. But Altidore’s pedigree – what he showed in the years leading up to 2020 when he was the most feared striker in the league – had many believing that he still had plenty left in the tank, including the New England Revolution.
After winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2021, the Revs signed him to a three-year maximum TAM contract, believing they could get enough out of the 33-year-old striker to justify adding a year to his remaining two seasons.
They were mistaken.
Life under Bruce Arena has been difficult. Altidore made 19 appearances last season but only managed one goal.
Last July, he was expected to make his return to BMO Field, however, just two days before New England's game in Toronto, Altidore and the Revs reached an agreement that would see the striker join Liga MX's Club Puebla on loan.
The former U.S. international made six brief appearances off the bench in Mexico, scoring twice in just 88 minutes of action, but was benched for the final seven games of Puebla’s season.
This season, he returned to the Revs, but once again, playing time has been difficult to come by. He didn’t feature in any of New England’s first four matches, then made four brief appearances, but hasn’t seen minutes in each of the Revs’ last three games.
Will he make the trip to Toronto? The last three matches suggest he won’t. But if Arena wants to lean into the emotional side of the game, perhaps he’ll see Altidore as an ace up his sleeve and bring him off the bench as a late-game substitute.
The crowd would certainly appreciate it – and we know Altidore has a knack for stepping up in big moments.
“Proud” Kobe Franklin making a case for more minutes
Nobody expected Kobe Franklin to make his first-career MLS start last Saturday in Toronto FC’s 1-0 win over New York City FC, including the young homegrown defender himself.
The 19-year-old fullback was a late addition to Bob Bradley’s starting XI after a late injury in warm-ups forced Raoul Petretta out.
“Towards the end of warm-up, the [coaching staff] was like: ‘you’re in!’” Franklin told Room 4-4-2 earlier this week.
Richie Laryea and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty had both played left-back this season, so it was a bit of a surprise to see Franklin called upon, but the young defender had caught the eye of TFC's coaching staff during training lately.
That recognition “meant a lot” to Franklin, and he rewarded the coaching staff for laying their trust in him by putting in the best shift of his young professional career.
“I was proud, proud of the way I played. Felt I was solid, fit in quite well, and just the main thing was getting the three points and the clean sheet,” said Franklin.
The Canadian youth international showed he belonged. He was defensively solid, winning 50 per cent of his duels (8-for-16), while recording four tackles, two interceptions, one blocked shot, and one clearance.
On the ball, he was even better, completing a team-high 93 per cent of his passes (51-for-55), including three long balls and one key pass. Franklin even had the crowd going with a flashy nutmeg on NYCFC’s Richard Ledezma – a sign of his growing confidence.
“I’ve kind of always been a player with flair, so I would say that was just instinct,” Franklin said, reflecting back on the play.
After the match, Bradley praised the teenager for his performance. He said on a few occasions that Franklin had “real football” in him. On Friday, he elaborated more on that.
“He reads plays around him well. He’s got an ability to step into passing lanes, he intercepts passes really well. His idea of when he has the ball of being able to make certain types of passes – a mix of short passes, long passes – those things are really good. He’s got a starting point where his football ideas and what he can execute are quite good,” said Bradley.
Known to be more of an attacking fullback, Bradley says that Franklin has improved in certain areas defensively as well: straight positioning, closing down quicker, and recovering faster when he’s stepped up the field.
With Cristían Gutiérrez on the mend and Raoul Petretta not out long-term – the Italian was training on his own Friday and is listed as questionable for Saturday’s match – minutes will likely be hard to come by for the native of East York, Ontario.
But he’s certainly done everything that he can to showcase that he deserves more minutes.
“I’m ready for whatever the side’s going to give me, whether it be starting, on the bench, or supporting my teammates from off the roster. I’m ready for whatever,” said Franklin.
If Petretta can’t go on Saturday, look for Franklin to slot in at left-back once again. He’s earned it.
Richie Laryea’s “dribbling” draws fouls like no other
No player in Major League Soccer has drawn more fouls than Toronto FC defender Richie Laryea this season.
The Nottingham Forest loanee has been fouled 30 times in 9 appearances so far in 2023 or 3.33 times per game.
Considering Laryea is a fullback, the stat is even more eye-opening. No other defender in MLS is in the top 15 of fouls drawn, and no other outside back is in the top 23.
But Bob Bradley says he’s not surprised by the stat.
“Richie tries to dribble out of trouble all the time, and he’s a good dribbler so he gets fouled a lot,” explained the TFC head coach and sporting director. “He would get fouled a little less sometimes if … he passed quickly out of pressure instead of trying to dribble out of pressure, so that part he can still approve upon.”
As Bradley alluded to, Laryea is obviously aggressive and confident on the ball. He leads all defenders in successful dribbles this season (22) – seventh among all players – and he’s elite at progressively carrying the ball (at least 10 yards forward or into an opponent’s penalty area), doing so almost four times per match.
Bradley added: “As a pure dribbler, his ability even when it seems like there’s no room, no space, that part comes so easily and comes natural for him. … Even if it looks like he’s for a second been cornered or in trouble … he usually finds a way to maneuver out and oftentimes that brings fouls.”
Laryea has a knack for keeping possession in tight spaces and has a unique ability to shield the ball. But perhaps more than anything, it speaks to the pacey fullback’s willingness to invite and embrace contact. He certainly doesn’t shy away from the physical side of the game.
Ironically as well, Laryea has made a point of staying more on his feet this season.
Early in his TFC career, he developed a bit of a reputation for going down too easily and looking for fouls, especially in the box. But this season, he’s made an obvious effort to stay on his feet, and perhaps as a result, he’s earning more respect from referees. We saw that play out in Toronto’s opening match against D.C. United when Laryea absorbed a tackle instead of going down before a second blow earned him a penalty.
Laryea’s put together an impressive season so far and has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday a team-high three times. He’s scored or assisted in each of his last three games and is tied for the league lead in goals + assists (4) among defenders.
His loan deal with Forest expires in less than two months, and TFC have yet to say whether he’ll remain with the club beyond the end of June.
READ MORE: Nottingham Forest loanee Richie Laryea discusses his future with Toronto FC
Interestingly enough, teammate Jonathan Osorio – who called Laryea the best right-back in MLS a few weeks back – also finds himself among the league leaders in fouls drawn with 21 in one less appearance, good enough for seventh most in MLS.
In case you’re wondering, the league record in fouls drawn was set back in 2006 by Alejandro Moreno. The Houston Dynamo forward drew 112 fouls in 30 appearances or 3.73 per game.
Added Time: News and Notes
– Toronto FC are surprising favourites (+114) against Eastern Conference-leading New England Revolution this weekend (+233) at BMO Field. The Revs are unbeaten in their last seven matches, while Toronto have yet to drop a game at home this season (2W-0L-3D).
– Bob Bradley was hopeful that Michael Bradley (lower body) would be available this weekend, but the TFC captain hasn’t progressed this week. That being said, he apparently has not suffered a setback, so he shouldn’t be out for too much longer.
– On the other hand, Victor Vazquez underwent a procedure on his foot and is expected to be out “a few months” according to Bob Bradley. The TFC coach says that he heard that it went well.
– There’s still no timeline for the return of Jonathan Osorio (MCL strain).
– Toronto FC have the seventh best attendance numbers in MLS this season, averaging 23,708 fans through five home games. Considering the poor weather – and competing with the Leafs playoff game last weekend – I’d say that’s a pretty strong start for the team. TFC had the fifth best attendance numbers last season, averaging 25,423 per home game.
– Only 27 players have played all 900 minutes this season, and two of them play for Toronto FC: goalkeeper Sean Johnson and defender Sigurd Rosted.
– Toronto FC have taken the third-least number of shots this season but are 16th in the league in shots on target.
– Toronto FC is the 24th most valuable soccer franchise in the world ($705 million) according to a study released by Sportico. That’s a heck of a lot more than the $10 million expansion fee TFC paid MLS back in 2007. According to the study, TFC is more valuable than the likes of RB Leipzig, S.S.C. Napoli, Benfica, and West Ham United.
– LAFC smoked the Philadelphia Union, 4-1 on aggregate, to advance to the Concacaf Champions League Final where they’ll face Club Léon. It’s the second time that LAFC have made the final. Bob Bradley led them to within 20 minutes of capturing their first title only to be spoiled by a two-goal Tigres comeback in 2020.
– Toronto FC II’s Jesús Batiz trained with the first team on Thursday. The 23-year-old pacey winger has been involved in a few training sessions with the senior side already this season and has gotten off to a strong start with the second team, registering two goals and two assists in five matches.
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