TORONTO – It was deep in the bowels of BMO Field on Saturday night that Nico Halser slumped into a separate room adjacent to the Chicago Fire locker room where a small group of reporters was waiting for him.
“Hey, stranger. Long time, no see,” quipped one media member.
Hasler barely picked up his head to acknowledge the friendly jibe as he put down his travel bag. Toronto FC had just blanked the Fire 3-0, but that’s not why Hasler was so distraught. He was still coming to terms with how his life had drastically changed. Hasler was traded by TFC the previous week (for forward Jon Bakero and $50,000 in general allocation money) and, as it so happened, his first game for Chicago was against the Reds.
Hasler’s time in Toronto was short, but he quickly became well-respected for his work ethic, consistency and ability to play a number of positions. The Lichtenstein international joined Toronto last summer as a free agent, and ended up playing 12 games (including two playoff appearances). This season, he appeared in 14 league games for TFC, 11 as a starter, and recorded three assists. He also featured in the Reds’ run to the CONCACAF Champions League final.
But then TFC sent Hasler to Chicago – not because he didn’t fit it, but because they wanted the extra salary cap space in order to make a future move. Hasler was completely caught off guard when told he was traded, and that’s why the emotional wound still hadn’t completely healed after Saturday’s contest.
“It was like a punch in the face. I wasn’t expecting anything like that. That’s why it’s still hard to understand why it happened. But I have to take it as a professional, and move forward, and do my best in Chicago,” Hasler said.
He later added: “I didn’t see it coming for me, so that makes it very difficult.”
Hasler felt somewhat blindsided by the trade after having a conversation with general manager Tim Bezbatchenko the previous month. He also claimed he never received any kind of explanation as to why he was being shipped off to Chicago.
“I felt [like I was] a part of the city and the club. I even had a conversation with Tim a month before and [he] talked about how much he liked me … and then a month later it changes. That’s hard,” Hasler said.
That being said, Hasler feels no bitterness about being traded, or how it unfolded. On the contrary, he remains thankful to TFC and has nothing but good things to say about the entire organization.
“I came here to MLS and I had a fantastic [2017 season] with Toronto. … I was here [for a year], I won everything, I made some great friends, so that’s an experience for life, when you make friends for life. All the opportunities they gave me here are very big for me,” Hasler said.
After the final whistle on Saturday, Hasler caught up with some of his former teammates on the field, who then took him to the south end of the stadium so he could say a formal goodbye to some of TFC’s most passionate fans, who duly showered him with love.
“It was very emotional for me, especially at the end where some players brought me to the [south end] and they were applauding. It feels like I did a good job here and I’m very proud of the reaction of the fans and players,” Hasler said.
While the former TFC midfielder appreciated the gesture, it was also very difficult for him.
“[It was emotional] because I have to leave this city and this club. I had an amazing time here, an amazing year. You know how it is soccer – you make some friends, maybe you’ll see them, maybe you will never see them again. But they are very good friends to me. That’s why it was so emotional,” Hasler said.
Making the adjustment to life in Chicago hasn’t been easy, but the presence of former TFC teammate Raheem Edwards has helped. The young Canadian himself was dealt to the Fire from the Montreal Impact just three days before Hasler was traded.
Halser has also quickly forged a bond with midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, a former World Cup winner with Germany.
“He’s happy to have me in the team because he can speak German now. That’s what he told me. In Liechtenstein, you learn to speak proper German in school, so I can understand him,” Hasler joked.
“It’s great when a guy like him [who has] won everything. You see how humble he is.”
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