Dwayne De Rosario Signs with His Hometown Team
By Aaron Rench
Attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario will return to his hometown this season. He comes back to the Toronto FC with a one-year deal with an option for a second year. Toronto selected him third overall in the second round of the MLS Re-Entry Draft which was held in mid-December.
DeRo spent 2009, 2010, and the first month of 2011 with the Reds. They were some of the best years of his career, especially 2010 when he scored 15 goals during MLS play. The 2011 season earned him an MVP award, even though was traded to the New York Red Bulls and later to the D.C. United.
While with the United, the Canadian national teamer helped the club form two completely opposite seasons, 2012 being a good year when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, and 2013 where the United won three games and set the record for worst MLS season in league history. It was this last season that cause the United brass to decide to rid themselves of De Rosario’s services.
Dwayne De Rosario grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, a district of Toronto. So the streets around BMO Field will be very familiar to him, and not just because he played their before.
What really matters in this deal will be the play of DeRo. He’s 35-years-old, an age when one’s talents can start to deteriorate. DeRo has been a great player during his time in the MLS. Consistent seasons for multiple teams, a sign of a truly great player. He’s had one MVP, one Golden Boot, and also was elected to six different Best XI’s. Can he maintain (or return to) the level of play that he produced in his younger years.
It’s another move for Toronto this offseason, as they try to transition from a rebuilding team to a contending team. They already look like they’ve made several improvements that would move them out of the MLS basement, but field play speaks louder than offseason acquisitions.