"(Danny Califf is) a proven defender in our league, and a player with a lot of character."
That's how Kevin Payne introduced Califf to the TFC (increasingly less) faithful. It's possible that he forgot to add "in 2005...and if he's somewhere he's happy, preferably Philadelphia."
Regardless, it's pretty clear that he hasn't lived up to the pre-season expectations that were placed on him. He's rooted to the bench (when he's even in the city) of a club that doesn't defend all that well.
The warning signs were there. Califf is 33. He was always a player that relied on smarts and toughness more than speed. That's fine, so long as you have enough speed to allow for the other factors to matter.
The evidence at hand suggests that he no longer does. This is a player that was benched for the final four games of 2012 while playing for the worst defensive club in the west and who can't currently break the line-up of the worst defensive club in the world (caution: statement may contain hyperbole).
Sometimes when the end comes it comes quickly. The end may have came for Califf.
However, this isn't really news. It's been obvious for a while. That it probably should have been obvious to Payne in December is somewhat secondary to the bigger concern right now.
What the hell do you do with him?
Sadly, TFC can't trade with itself, so finding a blind buyer is going to be difficult. Chivas already dropped him - and he isn't Mexican - so the other impossibly bad franchise isn't in the mix here either.
The Philadelphia trade rumours are just that -- rumours. It's likely just nostalgic dreaming by Union fans (or Califf's agent) pushing those ideas.
As stated, the guy is done. No one is going to take him at his salary point.
At least not at the moment. The only way that might change is if Califf proves all of us wrong and shows that he can still be valuable to a team.
He can only do that if he plays. So, at the risk of seeming counterproductive, it might be in TFC's best interest to trot him out a few times over the next 6-weeks.
This is a rare case where playing a veteran might be better for the long term gain of the club than continuing to play the kids. See, If Califf shows that he's fit enough to play he might yield an asset from a team looking for defensive depth.
Otherwise he rots on the bench for the season before being released for nothing.
For most MLS clubs, the latter option wouldn't be the end of the world. However, TFC has another burden to overcome: it's terrible reputation amongst players for treating players poorly.
This isn't Football Manager. If it was the little dots on the screen wouldn't talk to one another. As it is, the players do talk and they will view a year long Califf benching as yet another black mark against the franchise - even if it's merited.
The 6-weeks of karma might be more valuable than any experience Boss or Henry get.
It's probably not ideal, but neither is the mess TFC has created since 2007. They can't afford to play fast and loose with players anymore and that might entail taking some short term hits for a longer gain.