After four exceptional years with the club, Sebastian Giovinco departed from Toronto FC on an unhappy note this week, registering his frustration with TFC’s leadership in an emotional Instagram post as he completed a transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal FC.
The story is more complicated than the Atomic Ant let on, according to GM Ali Curtis and head coach Greg Vanney.
“I was disappointed when I read the post,” Curtis told TSN, also flatly dismissing Giovinco’s contention that the Reds front office is putting other priorities ahead of the pursuit of trophies. “I’m new to the organization, I’m new to the city, but I know a lot of the people that have worked here for a long time and I believe the club has been really good to Sebastian and Sebastian has been great for the club, great for the fans, scored a lot of goals and won a championship.”
Curtis also stated that Giovinco and his representatives had taken an “our way or the highway” approach to contract negotiations with TFC.
“My understanding is that they presented us with a number and that they didn’t want to negotiate off of it and it was, more or less, take it or leave it,” said the former New York Red Bulls executive, “so that information and that understanding contradicts what was in the post.”
Speaking to Sportsnet from the Reds’ preseason camp in Southern California, Vanney lamented the human costs that accompanied Toronto’s decision on Giovinco, and promised that losing their Italian star will not dramatically change TFC’s style or identity.
“I wasn’t in on the discussions; it’s just unfortunate that a player who has been such a key part of the success of the club departs on what he feels is a sour note. That’s unfortunate,” said Vanney. “But some of that is also business, and it doesn’t always end beautifully. I wish it could have [ended] in a way where we and the fans and everybody could celebrate Sebastian’s achievements with the club a little bit more.”
Asked to address the perception that TFC are “in turmoil” this winter, Vanney also shed light on the departure of playmaker Victor Vazquez and the falling-out with wingback Gregory van der Wiel, who clashed with the technical staff during preseason and is being shopped to other clubs both in MLS and abroad. Read the full interview.
