TORONTO – Toronto FC has undergone a facelift in the 2015 offseason, adding Designated Players Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco to its roster, and while all eyes will be on the club’s new stars, a question remains on who the team’s official leader will be at the start of the season.
The question over the club’s captaincy arose after the club signed Michael Bradley last season; the U.S. national team veteran imposed himself both on and off the field as the face of the club and he is, for all intents and purposes, the heart of Toronto FC’s future.
The club’s current captain, Steven Caldwell, was awarded the armband under former manager Ryan Nelsen and has been an exemplary leader ever since. His presence and voice during the tail end of Toronto FC’s 2014 season was just one example of Caldwell’s commitment to the role, one he’s not looking to give up this season.
“I’d be disappointed,” Caldwell said, when asked how he would feel if the captain’s band was re-allocated. “I love being captain of this football club. I’ve captained every team I’ve played for since I was 15. It’s something I relish, I enjoy and I think I’m quite good at it. It’s a great honor to be a captain of any club and I don’t treat it lightly. I love being captain of Toronto so I hope I stay that.”
For Toronto FC head coach Greg Vanney, nothing is decided as of yet.
“First day is about getting everybody together, not everybody’s quite together yet,” Vanney said, referring to Bradley and Altidore’s time at the US national team camp and some visa issues keeping drafted players out of camp. “We want to see all our faces and sit down and give the proper respect to everybody in the group so that they understand how we’re going to be moving forward.”
Bradley and Caldwell are only two of a group of strong leaders in the TFC locker room. With the signing of Damien Perquis, Toronto FC added not only a new veteran in the backline but also took Real Betis’ vice-captain as well; goalkeeper Joe Bendik is a big presence in the locker room, too.
In the end, Vanney says, the captain’s band isn’t as important as getting all his players on the same page and working towards a common goal.
“We’re definitely making strides, so now it’s up to us to make the strides we need to make it through preseason,” Vanney said. “We need to establish our vision for the game and everybody having a clear understanding of what their role is within that. I do believe we have the pieces to start taking those steps.”
