David Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 (edited) It looks like Franco Ibarra's agent didn't explain to him exactly how the trade system in Major League Soccer works. He's being moved from championship-chasing Atlanta to the drizzling shits of Toronto FC, and he's not happy at all: Quote Two days after Atlanta United informed Ibarra he would be loaned to Toronto FC, so ATL could comply with MLS’s Under-22 initiative, which offers clubs salary cap flexibility but limits teams to just three players, the Argentine is still coming to grips with his new reality. “I’m trying to accept all of this,” Ibarra told The Athletic. “I have thousands of questions. But there’s no point in dwelling on this. That’ll make it worse for me… If I’m highly valued then send me to a better team. Don’t send me to the worst team. I understand that this is a business, but send me to another team.” A casualty of Atlanta’s roster mismanagement, Ibarra was the player forced to make way, despite playing an important role for head coach Gonzalo Pineda. Colombian winger Edwin Mosquera returned from his loan at Argentina’s Defensa y Justicia which is what put Atlanta United over the allowance with Mosquera, Ibarra, Santiago Sosa and Erik López all signed as U-22 initiative players. Atlanta sporting director and former USMNT captain Carlos Bocanegra was the one to break the news to Ibarra on Wednesday evening. Ibarra refused to accept the situation. “Carlos told me that he was going to close the deal that same night and that I had to go,” Ibarra said. “I told Carlos that he didn’t have to close that deal. That I wasn’t going to leave Atlanta. I’m not going to that team. “I didn’t know when I had to leave for Toronto, where I’m going to live, what I’ll have to do with my visa. I was completely in the dark. I told Carlos that I understood that there are rules. I get it, but I’m not going to Toronto.” Ibarra turned up at Atlanta’s training ground on Thursday morning for a normal day of work. He was not allowed to participate and told to go home. “I was told that I didn’t need to change because I was already a Toronto player. That Atlanta had closed the deal,” Ibarra told The Athletic. “Carlos told me that he was really sorry. He said he needed to cut the roster down. I reiterated that I wouldn’t go to Toronto. It doesn’t benefit me at all from a football standpoint. It’s obvious where Toronto is at the moment versus Atlanta.” As much as Toronto FC fans don’t want to hear that an incoming player is upset about joining the club, it is easy to understand why the 22-year-old feels that way. The Reds have been a disaster this season, with just three wins from 22 games, despite having the highest payroll in MLS and two of the most marquee names the league has ever had. Ibarra may grow to enjoy the club “I’m hurt and it bothers me how you’ve done this and where you’re sending me,” Ibarra revealed about his conversation with Bocanegra. “You can’t call me out of the blue to tell me that I have to move to another country. If you tell me a week ago that there’s a problem and that I no longer have a U-22 slot, that’s different. But instead I found out last night that (Bocanegra) had to get rid of one of the four U-22 players.” According to Felipe Cárdenas of The Athletic, Ibarra spoke with Toronto FC general manager Jason Hernandez who empathized with the player’s situation. Ibarra was told that Atlanta would work diligently to improve his chances for a European transfer upon the end of his TFC loan. “I mean, are you serious? I still don’t know when I have to be in Toronto,” said Ibarra about his conversation with Bocanegra. “These are things that should be talked through. Is it good for me? Is it a bad move for me? But instead I showed up to train and they didn’t let me train. I had to turn around and go back home. Legally I have to go. I have to show up there. I’m a Toronto FC player now. Even if I wanted to try and stall the deal by saying that I didn’t want to go to Toronto, I couldn’t. The deal was already closed. It bothered me how they did this.” Ibarra bid farewell to Atlanta fans with a heartfelt Instagram post on Friday admitting he was filled with “pain and sadness” and that he had “insisted on staying in Atlanta.”  Edited July 13, 2023 by David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted November 2, 2023 Share Posted November 2, 2023 The Copa Libertadores final between Boca Juniors and Fluminense is live on BBC 3 and Iplayer this Saturday at 8pm. To get you in the mood. 🎵No somos como los puta de River Plate🎵 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members mim731 Posted November 9, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted November 9, 2023 This is a tremendously petty, but very enjoyable bit of shithousery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted December 11, 2023 Share Posted December 11, 2023 They don't mess about in Turkey. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted December 12, 2023 Author Paid Members Share Posted December 12, 2023 Not only that, they literally kicked him when he was down. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted December 20, 2023 Paid Members Share Posted December 20, 2023 Turkish protest: President takes players off pitch over referee decision in Istanbulspor v Trabzonspor - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67767410 Seems like the Turkish league v the Match Officials is still an ongoing fight. At least no one got punched this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 BBC will be showing 10 AFCON games including semi final and final. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67948391 ALL CAMEROON AIN'T WE??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpiritOfTheForest Posted January 11 Paid Members Share Posted January 11 Hopefully it will be better than the last one which featured a quite astonishing 11 consecutive matches with a goal or fewer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 2 minutes ago, SpiritOfTheForest said: Hopefully it will be better than the last one which featured a quite astonishing 11 consecutive matches with a goal or fewer. Yes, here’s hoping for at least 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Lion_of_the_Midlands Posted January 20 Paid Members Share Posted January 20 First it was the African Nations Cup, then it was the African Cup Of Nations, now it is the AFCON but whatever you call it its as bent as a nine bob note. There is no way that the keeper hasn't had a few quid on Bebe to score with how he has tried to save that 40 yard free kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Agreed. You will never join the spreadsheet Harry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted February 1 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 1 Tremendous. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpiritOfTheForest Posted February 2 Paid Members Share Posted February 2 (edited) Arturo Vidal re-signs with boyhood club Colo Colo and, after his arrival to the pitch by helicopter, proceeds to fuck around on horseback while dressed as a medieval King and wielding a sword. Incredible scenes. There aren't enough complete lunatics in modern football. Edited February 2 by SpiritOfTheForest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted February 2 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 2 Fuck Colo Colo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperBacon Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 18 minutes ago, Devon Malcolm said: Fuck Colo Colo. Not their shirts though, let's not get silly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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