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TFC acquires Convey from Sporting KC for draft pick

BobbyConveySKC1 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Toronto FC general manager Kevin Payne still isn’t finished improving his squad.

Just days after signing two new players, Payne engineered a move to acquire winger Bobby Convey from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for a 2014 natural third round (first round supplemental draft) MLS SuperDraft selection.

The 29-year-old Philadelphia native had only made three appearances this season for SKC and with Kei Kamara’s return, his playing time opportunities were few and far between. Convey and Payne have history together, with Payne and D.C. United drafting the then 16-year-old Convey in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft.

“This is a good midseason deal for Toronto FC. We are in need of quality MLS players on our team and Bobby fits the bill perfectly,” said Payne in a statement on the club’s website. “I’ve known Bobby since he was a 16-year-old rookie in MLS, and literally living in the basement of my home. He can be a very influential player in MLS and we look forward to him helping us move forward in the league.”

Convey played five seasons for D.C. United before spending four and a half years playing in the England with Reading. He returned to MLS in 2009, first with the Earthquakes for three seasons and then joining Sporting Kansas City before the start of last season. Convey also collected 46 caps in eight years with the U.S. National Team.

What do you make of the deal? What kind of impact do you see Convey having? Do you see him rediscovering his form?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I hope only the best for Convey. If he can stay healthy, he provides a lot of options for Toronto and I think he can contribute. Known quantity to Nelson and Payne and they should be able to get the best from him. Good luck to all on this one.

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  2. If fit Convey can be a great addition for TFC. Unfortunately he has a penchant for injuries during his career. He has been overall good in MLS (when healthy) with San Jose (under utilized and often used out of position, but still made contributions) and SKC.

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  3. TFC seems to be acquiring solid veteran players whose bona fides are implicit to management, that is, the coach or GM knows the acquisition first hand, lived with, played with.

    Although in Convey’s case his health is questionable and might defeat the point, the concept is they are trying to upgrade the talent with trustworthy people they think will “show up” every week.

    What will it do for TFC? I dunno, are they going to have more than Earnshaw effective up top? Lucky to make the playoffs that way. But I think they hope Brockie succeeds and Koevermans comes back, etc. At minimum, they seem to be slowly headed the right direction in terms of roster quality, Winter tore that team down to the frame talentwise, it’s going to be a fixer upper and as mediocre as Ben Haim and Convey and some of these people are, it might be better than the draft picks and castoffs they had crumbled down to.

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    • Injuries aside, Convey has been moved around these last couple of years due to his high salary and- ahem- ‘me-first’, prima donna attitude. he can probably still contribute, but is it enough to justify the wage bill and distractions that come with it?

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  4. he lived in Payne’s basement?!? id say SKC got the better deal draft pick and saving some $$ although if Zusi is out for significant parts of this summer (with USNT) might have been a good idea to keep him for a bit more..

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    • Can’t replace Zusi, but we’ll slide Olum or Feilhaber in and keep Nagamura and Rosell. Peter’s been trotting out different lineups lately and building depth for us. Just like Opara will slide right in for Besler when he’s gone.

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  5. Overpriced 29 year-old, formerly speedy wing with a history of injuries who may no longer have the speed to play wing anymore? No thank you. He’s still a good ball striker, but If KC has given up on him, I’d guess that mean Vermes doesn’t think he has much left. If he still has good wheels, he’s definitely worth a shot, but he’s been pretty beat up in his career, he’s had knee surgeries, and he may be an old 29. Anybody see much of him this season? Can he still run by people?

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    • He set up SKC’s first goal in their season opener against Philly with a pretty fantastic move. He still has it, he just needs to stay fit.

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  6. As an SKC fan, I liked Bobby a lot when he was fit, but that has been fairly rare in his year-plus stint here, and this seems like a pretty neutral move for us–we got him for peanuts (an international roster slot for one year), and we traded him for peanuts (a third-round draft pick…not many of those will ever pan out). Probably the biggest benefit of this is getting Bobby’s salary off the books–with Kei Kamara and Jacob Peterson back, Bobby was making $215,000 to be our third-string left winger, and that’s no way to manage an MLS salary budget.

    Regardless, I wish Bobby well at Toronto. Hopefully he can regain his form that made him an All-Star at San Jose.

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  7. How does Payne make a deal like this one with TFC, when last year, he (or maybe it was GM Kasper) gave away United’s 3rd rd. pick for Mike freakin’ Chabala?

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  8. I’m a fan of this move. Skill wise and position wise, exactly what we need. BUT (of course with TFC there is always a but) big salary cap hit and his fitness is a big question mark. Currently out on injury and only played in 3 games this season.

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  9. Of all the teams I have no connection with, TFC is one that I hope has some success soon, as their fan base is great and isn’t getting what it deserves thus far. If the TFC coaches could get Convey to do his slalom runs again, that would of great benefit to TFC, the league, and perhaps even USMNT.

    A bit off topic, does anyone know if the Ben Haim loan could become permanent or at least last past June?

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    • Ben-Haim deal is off I believe. Ran into snags after TFC prematurely announced it (not the first time that’s happened this season).

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  10. That’s Convey’s third team in MLS since returning from Reading. I’ve always been a fan of his, especially during that season at Reading when he helped them win promotion. Is he not getting along with his coaches? Hopefully TFC reignites his career.

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    • All about injuries. There is just no space for him in SKC’s lineup.

      Check this out:

      Wingers/Strikers:

      Zusi, Kamara, Bieler, Sapong, Peterson, Saad, Convey, Dwyer (loan to Orlando SC)

      Where does Convey fit in?

      Right, thus the trade.

      SKC fans enjoyed his presence, the guy simply always makes the right pass, and at the beginning of the year, we really believed he was on track for a great year, then… injuries.

      Good luck, Bobby!

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  11. Really positive move for almost all parties (indifferent move for SKC)! This makes me happy for Convey, TFC, Payne, TFC fans, MLS, etc. hope Convey makes a comeback!

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