More contract trouble at Toronto FC as team MVP walks out

More contract trouble at Toronto FC as team MVP walks out

Um, what the hell is going on over at Toronto FC? First, Dwayne De Rosario (who we love) makes a public stink over his contract, then flies to Scotland to try out with another club. Then, yesterday, Adrian Cann, the team’s best defender and last year’s most valuable player, walks away from training camp, also in something of a tizzy over a contract dispute.

In a terse news release earlier this week, TFC said Cann—the national team star and former model—did not travel with the squad from Florida to the U.S. for the Carolina Challenge Cup, which opens tomorrow. Cann reportedly turned down TFC’s latest contract offer and went home in a fuss. Word is he wants to negotiate, but for now, the two sides are at an impasse.

The Star has the details:

Cann, a native of Thornhill, signed with TFC early in the 2010 season. He played 26 of the club’s 30 games, all starts, and was an anchor on the back line until his season ended early due to a broken nose suffered in an October game against Chivas USA.

Cann, who was selected TFC’s player of the year, had a guaranteed salary in 2010 of $65,342 (all figures U.S.) in a league with a minimum of $40,000.

Cann was slated to get a substantial raise in 2011, taking him above the $100,000 a year mark.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that in Major League Soccer, all player contracts are held with the league rather than the individual clubs. Cann has yet to comment on the situation, so it’s difficult to tell what exactly has his knickers in a knot. We’re guessing it’s money—most likely, that he wants a lot more of it.

Cann walks out on Toronto FC in dispute over contract [Toronto Star]
• TFC MVP Cann leaves training camp [Globe and Mail]
• TFC’s Cann leaves camp [Toronto Sun]