THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — The shakeup continues in Toronto and Vancouver as the two struggling Canadian MLS teams engage in a Scrabble-like bid to improve their hands.
In the wake of signing designated players Torsten Frings and Danny Koevermans, Toronto FC acquired Canadian international midfielder Terry Dunfield and Jamaican international midfielder-forward Ryan Johnson in separate deals Thursday.
To get Dunfield, Toronto sent allocation money and future considerations to the Vancouver Whitecaps.
For Johnson, Toronto shipped forward Alan Gordon, midfielder Jacob Peterson and Canadian defender Nana Attakora to San Jose. Toronto also got allocation money and an international player slot from the Quakes (until January 2013).
"We are rebuilding the club and this deal was necessary to continue that process," Toronto head coach Aron Winter said in a statement.
Winter and director of player development Paul Mariner are probably not finished wheeling and dealing. A stud defender is on Toronto FC’s wish list.
The departure of Attakora does not help the team’s depth in the backline. But his role at the club had diminished in recent weeks, with injury and a reported contract impasse taking their toll.
The six-foot-three Gordon, acquired in March from Chivas USA for midfielder Nick LaBrocca, had seemed to be the target man Toronto had been looking for.
He was successful when he was on the field, scoring four goals in eight games but was restricted by injury. Koevermans’ arrival also turned Gordon into an available asset.
Peterson has seen action in 13 games for Toronto this season, with Attakora playing in just six.
The most satisfied man on the day may have been San Jose coach Frank Yallop, despite his regret at dealing away a loyal Quake player in Johnson.
"It’s a sad day in that respect, losing Ryan because I like him," said Yallop, a former Canadian national team manager. "He’s a good player, but it was just too good a deal to turn down.
"Because our needs are centre back, right-side midfield and to add Alan Gordon in the mix too, it’s just a terrific bonus on top of that. We felt there’s no way we could not do that deal."
Yallop is familiar with Gordon from their days with the Los Angeles Galazy. And Peterson delivers an excellent dead ball.
"And we don’t have that," Yallop told The Canadian Press. "We’ve got some big, big boys on set plays but we can’t seem to deliver the ball. So I’m expecting him to really whip that thing in there and be dangerous."
All three teams need a boost.
Toronto, in its fifth MLS season, is eighth in the nine-team Eastern Conference with a 3-9-9 record. Vancouver, in its first MLS season, is ninth in the West at 2-10-8. And San Jose is seventh in the West at 5-6-7.
On Tuesday, Vancouver signed Gambian international striker Mustapha Jarju as a second designated player to go with French forward Eric Hassli.
Last week the Whitecaps acquired defender Jordan Harvey from the Philadelphia Union for allocation money.
The 29-year-old Dunfield started 11 of 12 games this season but nine of those were under former Whitecaps coach Teitur Thordarson.
His role has been reduced under new coach Tom Soehn.
Dunfield didn’t start in Vancouver’s loss July 6 loss to the Columbus Crew. When he did get on the field, he missed a penalty kick in the 1-0 loss.
"I felt that was an area we needed to get stronger," Soehn told a conference call. "We needed to acquire assets to do that. That’s what we were able to do."
Dunfield, a Vancouver native, scored against Toronto in the season opener.
"He is a passionate player and he will fit in well," said Winter. "He has played well this season for Vancouver and we have seen first-hand what he is capable of."
Playing left midfield and forward, the 26-year-old Johnson has 17 goals and 13 assists in 99 career games for the Earthquakes. But he has not scored in 14 games this season.
Johnson is making US$131,250 this season. Peterson’s contract calls for $150,775 while Gordon is at $96,504 and Attakora $45,000.
Dunfield makes $65,000.
— With files in Vancouver from Canadian Press reporter Jim Morris.