TORONTO – It’s been a whirlwind of a ride for Steven Caldwell over the past few months.
The Scottish defender joined Toronto FC on loan back in May, looking to revitalize his career after falling out of favour with English Championship side Birmingham City.
Caldwell, 32, quickly established himself as a key starter and contributor for TFC, so much so that when his loan deal expired the MLS club quickly signed him to a permanent contract that runs through to the end of the 2015 season.
And then last weekend coach Ryan Nelsen named Caldwell as TFC’s new captain following the shocking departure of Irish defender Darren O’Dea, who signed for Ukrainian outfit Metalurh Donetsk.
Caldwell will make his home debut as team captain on Saturday when TFC hosts the New York Red Bulls at BMO Field.
Replacing O’Dea as captain was bittersweet for Caldwell. The two were close friends before Caldwell came to Toronto – Caldwell’s brother Gary, now captain of Wigan Athletic, previously played alongside O’Dea at Scottish club Celtic.
"I was disappointed for Darren to leave. He’s a friend of mine and a guy that I’ve known (for a long time). Good luck to him and the rest of his career. It’s a great move for him and a great opportunity," Caldwell told reporters after Friday’s team practice.
Caldwell called the appointment an honour, and he’s eager to demonstrate his gratitude to Nelsen.
"I think (Nelsen) felt I was the right man to lead the team forward. I hope I can prove him right. I feel a real debt to him to do that. He’s shown a lot of faith in me, and I sincerely hope to repay him. I’m sure I can. … It’s up to me to go out there and show that Ryan he made the right choice," Caldwell stated,
Nelsen confirmed that he considered only Caldwell to succeed O’Dea as captain.
"He’s such a natural leader out there. He’s very vocal. Even when Darren was here, he offered a leadership-type role. He wants the responsibility and he sees where the clubs is going, and he really wants to take it on his shoulders," Nelsen said.
Caldwell captained teams before in his career, including for Scotland’s national side, and English pro clubs Sunderland, Wigan Athletic, Burnley and Birmingham City.
The key to being an effective captain, according to Caldwell, is striking a balance between taking command like a manager on the field while at the same time taking teammates personalities into consideration and knowing what to say and do at the right time.
"It’s not about speaking down to people or trying to boss people around. It’s about trying to bring the best out of people, and help the young guys become the captains of the future," Caldwell explained.
One of the more interesting one-on-one battles to watch on Saturday will be Caldwell vs. New York’s Thierry Henry. TFC’s central defender played against Henry when the French striker was at the height of his career with Arsenal, and recalled he was a handful to deal with back then.
"I’ve been unfortunate enough to play against him before 10 years ago on two or three occasions. I just hope he’s slowed down a bit since then because in my opinion he was the best player in the world at that time," Caldwell opined.
Nelsen’s bold claim
Toronto FC has made a number of roster moves over the past two weeks in an attempt to free up valuable salary cap room so they can bring in new recruits. Both Nelsen and club general manager Kevin Payne have said the goal is to bring in anywhere from two to four new players, including one or two forwards to bolster the team’s attack.
TFC managed to lose 1-0 away to Chives USA (one of the worst teams in MLS), even though the Reds enjoyed a man advantage for most of the game. The loss in L.A. saw Toronto, with an anemic 2-10-7 record, extend its winless run to five games. Also, TFC has not scored in four of those matches, and has been held without a goal eight times this season.
Despite the lack of offensive production, Nelsen insists the club is not in a panic to sign new players, stressing it has to be a good fit for TFC.
"We’re trying to get into a position where we can build a squad that Toronto can be proud of," Nelsen said. "But I don’t want to be in a situation where we handicap this club by panicking and bringing in someone in who is not right."
The Reds are 16 points out of a playoff berth just over the halfway point of the regular season. Barring a miracle, TFC looks set to miss the playoffs for a seventh consecutive year.
And yet, Nelsen boastfully claimed that once the team resolves its salary cap issues, TFC will be a side that other clubs in MLS will fear.
"I think if you ask anybody in the know, once the cap gets sorted, there’s going to be a few frightened teams around MLS."
NOTES: Forward Robert Earnshaw, Toronto’s top scorer this season with six goals, is doubtful for Saturday’s match with a hamstring injury… Forward Danny Koevermans is still sidelined with a calf tear.
