Chad Barrett #19 of Toronto FC contains the ball against Chivas USA during an MLS game at BMO Field on August 7, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)Abelimages/Getty Images
Without a Major League Soccer SuperDraft pick until the 26th overall selection - which it used to draft full-back Demitrius Omphroy - Toronto FC still made a splash in the early going at the annual jamboree in Baltimore by dealing forward Chad Barrett to the Los Angeles Galaxy for future considerations.
The move leaves TFC seriously short of options up front - with only Maicon Santos and attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario remaining from the 2010 strike force - but it was more a case of clearing cap space for the upcoming season.
Barrett earned $212,500 (all currency U.S.) last season, but was reportedly due a pay raise which would push him into the $300,000 range for the 2011 campaign, and on a team with so many needs, especially with a new management team with its own ideas on how it wants to operate, Barrett was a little too rich for its tastes.
"We made this move to give us more flexibility in building our squad for the new season," said Toronto FC head coach and technical director Aron Winter. "This creates more cap space which will help us create a team capable of playing the style of soccer we are looking for."
In Omphroy, Winter passed up the opportunity to draft Canadian defender Curtis Ushedo, but seemingly gets a player capable of playing the up-tempo, possession-based game that the Dutchman emphasized during his unveiling last week. The 21-year-old former University of California defender is comfortable on the ball, is more than willing to raid down the wings and has the versatility to switch positions when required.
At 5 foot 10, Omphroy is not overly big, but for the position he plays that is perfectly normal, and he was considered by many the best right-back prospect coming out of last weekend's combine. He will also find himself among familiar faces in Toronto, having played with good friend and TFC goalkeeper Stefan Frei for two seasons before Frei decamped for MLS.
Omphroy also has a good sense of humour, as shown by his lead role in the Cal soccer team's rendition of Chris Brown's For Your Love - he's the one holding the Pimp Cup.
The 25-year-old Barrett leaves Toronto after scoring 16 goals in 65 MLS games, which certainly doesn't qualify as prolific, but his all-round work rate and constant effort will be well remembered by the fans at BMO Field.