The Camilo transfer saga took yet another turn yesterday when pictures of him on the Queretaro training pitch appeared online.
The Brazilian trained but didn't take part in any scrimmages or drills, in what could only be viewed as another show of defiance and contempt from both the player and the Mexican club towards the Whitecaps.
It appears that the Mexican side is not willing to back down and with the player's position in Vancouver now untenable, it is clearly time for the Whitecaps to move on and look at replacing their top scorer, but not before getting their lawyers, MLS and FIFA involved in the Camilo transaction in order to bring the financial resolution that the Caps are due and see necessary and deserved punishments handed out to any parties found guilty of breaching regulations.
As instrumental and as popular a player as Camilo is, the Whitecaps need to move on and allow the technical staff to build the team in Carl Robinson’s vision. A vision that will now no longer include the Brazilian striker.
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New Caps coach Carl Robinson spoke about the Camilo situation to some members of the Vancouver media on Thursday afternoon, stating from the off that <i>"The behaviour that he's shown, the unprofessionalism that he's shown is not acceptable from me, being in charge as the head coach, right the way through the club."</i>
While he didn’t come out and say it directly, it was clear by the tone of the rookie coach in the conference call that he wasn’t happy and felt letdown by Camilo, stopping short of saying that the player had no further role to play in Vancouver.
Robinson has spoken with Camilo <i>"three or four times over the last two or three weeks"</i>. He said they'd had a <i>"good conversation"</i> and although he wasn't able to share any of what was discussed, he did say he is <i>"trying to find a solution for the matter that has arose"</i>.
There can be no solution now that doesn't involve the player moving on. There is no way back.
At this point the Whitecaps need to regroup and find another Camilo like they did in 2011 when he was signed after a trial. An unknown quantity going into that season, he only came on to play when Eric Hassli was being suspended regularly and Atiba Harris was injured. His form and production dipped the following season before his most recent career year.
There were no guarantees that Camilo would have been able to duplicate the goals he scored this past season, especially after Robinson said in his initial press conference that one of his top priorities was to get more scoring from the midfield.
While no one player can replace the 22 goals they got from Camilo, with the right additions Robinson can have a more balanced attack and as we covered in a <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?5175-Whitecaps-reliance-on-Camilo-reiterated-by-transfer-rumours" target="_blank"><u>previous article</u></a> here on AFTN, one not so reliant on one player.
This ordeal could very well be drawn out in the courts or with FIFA dwelling on it. Either scenario could hurt the team in succeeding this season. A similar situation in Phillipe Mexes signing with Roma took around six months to be resolved but it worked out for his former club Auxerre, as they got more than what the player was worth.
Since Major League Soccer is a single entity and the contract belongs to the League it is time Don Garber and the MLS head office got more involved. In fact MLS should take some of the blame for the situation getting this far. They should have taken a bigger role when the first stories came out. There have been no indications that they have done.
Maybe they can help the Caps by getting some extra allocation money or a league DP for a replacement. After all, the whole structure of MLS contracts could be under threat with this case and they seem to be able to help teams out when it suits them (see Dempsey in Seattle and whatever the hell is happening in Toronto right now).
If the Whitecaps are true to their motto “Our All, Our Honour” then there should be no way the Brazilian should return, with the player showing little class.
<i>"I want players committed to the club"</i> was Robinson's clear take on the matter. <i>"Vancouver's a fantastic organisation and it's got a history about the club and every time someone puts that in jeopardy you have to ask questions.
"Camilo's behaviour has not been acceptable. I've let him know that. I think it's been unprofessional. He's under contract with the club, are as a number of other players. None of the other contracted players have acted like that.
"We need to find out why that behaviour has popped up. Camilo's a good player, a fantastic player. I want as many good players at the club as I can, but I do not condone that behaviour."</i>
He may have stopped short of saying it directly, but at this point there could be very little doubt that Camilo will not return to the Whitecaps as he has essentially nuked any bridge back.
Putting aside the issues of whether he is worth more money and whether the Whitecaps should have negotiated a new deal sooner, with the contempt he has shown the Whitecaps, Robinson and the fans, he is not welcome back anyway.
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