TORONTO – In a season of roster changes, the signing of Dan Gargan was just another in a list of transactions designed to remake Toronto FC into new coach Preki’s image.
Though many fans had probably not heard of Gargan, the Philadelphia native has, in recent games, emerged as TFC’s most reliable defender next to Nana Attakora. It’s a welcome sign for a club that has committed costly defensive miscues of late after a long stretch of sound play.
Central defender Adrian Cann has been burned twice in the team’s last two MLS games on plays that led to goals. Attakora joined Cann in leaving Amado Guevara unmarked on the CD Motagua captain’s tying goal in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League preliminary-round series. That could have been costly had Toronto not scored twice against the Honduran club to take the series.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old was a steadying force amid difficult conditions in Tegucigalpa. Going in and out of the starting lineup and shifting between defense and midfield the first eight games, Gargan has settled in nicely at left full back, starting the last 10 straight games.
It went unnoticed at first, but the strong play of late has opened eyes.
“I try and bring 100 percent to everything I do in practice," Gargan said. "I’m not the flashiest player; I’m not [Dwayne de Rosario], I’m not [Julian de Guzman]. My touches aren’t going to wow anybody.
"But what I do is support my teammates, and I work day in and day out, and I think that eventually shows and luckily Preki has found a spot for me and is comfortable with me back there.”
He has also contributed on offense, as his long sideline throw-ins have become a weapon on set plays—which has helped fans forget the huge heaves from former fan favorite Adrian Serioux. One found the head of Attakora for the first goal in a 2-1 win over Gargan's former club, Chivas USA, on Saturday. That assist gave Gargan four to complement his one goal.
WATCH: Gargan assists Attakora vs. Chivas USA
While Cann brings size, Attakora positioning smarts and Garcia veteran guile, Gargan has brought an element lacking at the back: athleticism.
At 5-feet-11 and 180 pounds, he’s not afraid to use his agile frame to get in the face of opponents, defend tight and break up plays hard. That aggression cost him a caution against Chivas—his fifth of the season, which will force him to miss Wednesday’s critical match away at New York.
Preki criticized Gargan’s decision-making on the play, but he knows him well from their time together at Chivas in 2008.
“We’re gonna miss him in New York," Preki said. "I thought it was not really a smart play on his part when he got the yellow card. We talked about it and hopefully we go from there. He learns because now we have four guys that have been playing together for a while. You hate changing your back line.”
While this seems like an indictment of Gargan’s focus, it’s also a testament to Gargan’s key role in the team’s defensive organization. After bouncing from the Colorado Rapids to Chivas to the second division Puerto Rico Islanders, Gargan has helped turn Toronto into the team Preki has espoused from the start—one that is difficult to play against.
