Vancouver Whitecaps returned to training yesterday and immediately got back into business mode releasing midfielder Floyd Franks and trading striker Long Tan to DC United.
With a bye week looming, the players were given a mini break after last weekend's heavy defeat in Los Angeles and are now looking to bounce back in the second match of their five game road trip in Colorado on Wednesday.
The players were looking keen to get back on the pitch, but all that was overtaken by what was happening off it.
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Floyd Franks was not at training and it was soon confirmed by the Caps that he had been released.
No real surprise there. Most of us were expecting it. He just didn't look to be MLS quality in what we saw of him at training, in his two MLS substitute appearances and in his one start in the Voyageurs Cup.
It's been a frustration of mine all season to see Franks get minutes and appear on the bench ahead of Bryce Alderson, especially after how well the Residency product did in pre-season against MLS opposition.
Martin Rennie told the media after training that Franks was a player that was used to starting and as he wasn't in the plans to be a starter with the Caps, it was felt to be in the interest of both parties to let him go.
He did score one goal for the Whitecaps - in a reserve game down in Portland. So did Mustapha Jarju. Must be something in the water down there.
The other player movement yesterday also didn't come as much of a surprise, as Long Tan finally got his wish and left Vancouver.
Tan made 17 appearances in MLS for the Caps, with four this year, the last of which came in a brief substitution appearance against New York Red Bulls last Wednesday.
Traded to DC United for a third-round selection in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, it's not exactly a deal of epic proportions. At least the Caps can use that pick to get a player that wants to be at the Club and bid his time.
Tan hit the headlines a few weeks ago with his tweets asking to get away from Vancouver. Suspended by the club for a week, and rightly falling down the striking pecking order, you knew the writing was on the wall, although Rennie has said that the tweet did not play a part. Make your own minds up.
He was a frustrating player to watch. He struggled in the early stages of the PDL season last year, then found a groove and got some first team minutes. He was quick and caused defences problems. Often that looked to be because he didn't seem to know what he was going to do himself. Then there was that horrible, horrible chipped penalty miss in pre-season down in Orlando.
At training Thursday he was wearing a different bib to the other players, in what I can only liken to throwball training when the quarterback is wearing a different colour so that people know not to hit him.
He threw a strop at one point and stormed off, only to be calmed down by Martin Rennie, and he continued the rest of the session off to the side. It was a mark of both his frustration and immaturity. To those of us watching, you knew he was toast.
Hours later and he was gone to DC, the club where he got his first ever MLS trial - under Tommy Soehn!
He's not likely to have it much easier there and will be well down the pecking order once again. How long before his next outburst?
These departures, along with Michael Boxall's last week, leave the Caps with three open spots on the MLS squad. With Caleb Clarke likely to secure a year long loan with German club Rot-Weiss Erfurt next month, that will made four.
The speculation will now be who will fill them? And will there be any more players heading off to pastures new?
I think we can almost say for certain, yes to that last one.
The Carlos Bocanegra rumours are still hanging around and it is widely expected that Rennie will add at least one more holding midfielder to the squad, and possibly two, with another defender expected as well.
Personally, we're hoping, and expecting, to see top Residency prospect Ben Fisk get rewarded for all of his hard work with a spot with the first team. He can only be signed for the League minimum of $44,004.04 as the club are only allowed to have two Homegrown Players above that and Russell Teibert and Bryce Alderson take those spots. Crazy rules that don't do much to keep our young talent still playing in Canada.
Rennie was <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?2744-Residency-Prospect-Ben-Fisk-Impresses-In-Whitecaps-Training" target="_blank">high on Fisk pre-season</a> and he has continued to impress in PDL and U18 games this year. With the player not looking at going the NCAA route, it could be a case of sign him or lose him.
At training Thursday, Greg Klazura played left back in the scrimmage game, with Jordan Harvey on the other side in left midfield. Klazura is more comfortable on the left, and I feel that he's a better player there too. Could this be signalling the end of Harvey and a trade somewhere? If so, we'll be looking at right back cover too.
As for the training itself yesterday, Hassli, Mattocks and Robson were playing together and looking pretty sharp.
Robson was playing some great balls through to the big Frenchman and Hassli was duly burying them.
Could we see a revitalised Hassli with Robson here now? Could this be the vital spark he has been needing? Or will he be the next name on the chopping block?
Who knows what news the next few days will bring? Speculate away!
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