Stuck firmly in last place in Major League Soccer, Toronto FC is hardly the ideal place for a young player to start all over again.
But Andrew Wiedeman doesn’t see it that way. Wiedeman, 22, became the latest member of TFC on Friday when FC Dallas traded him in exchange for veteran Canadian midfielder Julian de Guzman.
Wiedeman was selected in the second round (21st overall) by FC Dallas in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, but the forward was limited to just eight league appearances for the Texas club the past two seasons. This year, he played in five games, one as a starter.
Even though TFC is sitting in the MLS basement, Wiedeman, a native of Oakland, isn’t the least bit leery about joining the struggling Reds. On the contrary, he’s quite thrilled about his move to Toronto because he sees it as a second chance to finally get his pro career going.
“It was pretty evident that it wasn’t working out for me in Dallas. Toronto is revamping things and they’ve turned it around the last six or seven games, so I’m excited to be able contribute and be a part of it,” Wiedeman told sportsnet.ca.
Wiedeman attributed his lack of playing time in Dallas to the fact his best assets didn’t suit the club’s tactical system.
“Coaches have a certain style they want to play. Dallas is all about the speed and the counter attack and lightning quickness, and that’s really not my game,” Wiedeman stated.
It also didn’t help Wiedeman’s cause that Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman played him out of position.
“I was a forward all throughout college and then when I went to Dallas I played at right back for the first year and half. It’s not my strongest position. My strengths have always been striking the ball and finishing, and it’s pretty hard to utilize those skills back there,” Wiedeman explained.
“The coaching staff saw something that they thought I met work at that position. I gave it a shot but it didn’t work.”
Despite seeing limited action in Dallas, he’s confident that the change of scenery is just what he needs to get his career back on track.
“You need to find a coach who rates you. There are plenty of guys who don’t work out with one team for whatever reason but then they move on and have success elsewhere. That’s just part of the business,” he said.
Toronto FC coach Mariner, a former striker himself during his pro career in England, described Wiedeman as “an intriguing player.”
“He’s young. He’s very, very hungry. He’s one of the best finishers I’ve seen in the modern era. I’m looking for him to really take the bull by the horns and take this opportunity,” Mariner stated.
Mariner also lauded his new player’s versatility, citing the fact he can play either up front or on the right side of midfield.
“I’m comfortable in both of those spots. It’s a little more natural for me up top but I can also play out wide. I’m comfortable with that,” Wiedeman affirmed. “I can strike a clean ball. That’s always been my strength. I like being in and around the box and being opportunistic.”
Fitting shouldn’t be a problem for Wiedeman who is already familiar with some of his new TFC teammates. He was a teammate of Reds goalkeeper Stefan Frei at the University of California, and played alongside Eric Avila and Jeremy Hall in Dallas.
“I’m stepping into a great situation from what I’ve heard from the guys I know,” Wiedeman said. “I’ve heard everything is top notch there. It sounds like they have everything set up for the team to be successful and once all of the pieces are in place this team can take off.”
TFC visits New England on Saturday, and even though Wiedeman trained with the Reds on Friday and is ready to play, he said he wasn’t sure if he’ll see action against the Revolution.