Post by jenny123 on Nov 29, 2013 22:44:27 GMT -5
TORONTO -- Eric Hasslis MLS journey continues while Toronto FC takes another step towards remaking its roster and simplifying its salary cap situation. Toronto shipped the tattooed French striker to FC Dallas -- his third MLS team in as many seasons -- on Monday for a conditional second-round draft choice in 2014. The deal was not unexpected. In a strange move, FC Dallas tweeted its interest in Hassli on Friday. Dallas, which lost rising young attacker Brek Shea to Englands Stoke City late last week, added forward Kenny Cooper in a separate deal with the New York Red Bulls. Dallas sent allocation money to New York to complete the Cooper deal. There has been speculation that the Hassli tweet from Dallas was the club thumbing its nose at the league selling Shea. The moves Monday give Dallas some firepower up front while Toronto clears the deck for new attacking talent. The trade leaves Toronto thin at forward, at least temporarily. Designated player Danny Koevermans is out until June as he recovers from knee surgery. Other forward options are Justin Braun, Quincy Amarikwa, Andrew Wiedeman and rookie Emery Welshman. Toronto is looking to Central and South America for attacking reinforcements, with president and GM Kevin Payne saying he expects four signings. "Were hoping for some of those dominos to fall pretty soon," Earl Cochrane, Torontos director of team and player operations, said in an interview Monday. Honduran striker Romell Quioto is one Toronto target, according to Honduran newspaper Dario Diez. Toronto has also been linked to Arnold Peralta, a midfielder who is a former captain of the Honduran under-23 team. Hassli was acquired by Paul Mariner, Torontos former head coach and director of player development, and there were reports that the Frenchman wanted out after Mariner was canned. Both the club and player denied those reports. "Eric requested a move for family-related reasons and we committed to him we would make every effort to do so, providing the deal was favourable for the team," Payne said in a release. Hasslis wife is American and apparently feels more at home south of the border. "It really had little to do with Eric not being happy here," said Cochrane. "In fact it was quite the opposite." Hassli, who never made it to TFCs training camp in Florida, tweeted his thanks to Toronto. "Im thankful for my time in Toronto. I wish them all the best for 2013. Im now excited to join my new teammates in Dallas for the preseason," he wrote. The departure of Hassli, whose contract was renewed just prior to the arrival of Payne as president, allows Toronto to sign a new designated player to join Koevermans and veteran midfielder Torsten Frings. As a DP, only a portion (US$368,750) of Hasslis salary would have counted against Torontos salary cap this season. He made US$790,000 last season. Still Toronto has been struggling with the fact that it has five players -- the three designated players and defenders Darren ODea ($436,250) and Richard Eckersley ($390,000) -- who ate up $1,831,250 of the teams $2,810,000 limit in 2012 (although allocation money did stretch the cap). One option Toronto appears to be considering is signing a young designated player. A DP between the age of 21 and 23 last season counted for $200,000 against the salary cap. Toronto also sees a young DP as an asset that can appreciate in value. Cochrane said Toronto will pay a "minimal" amount of Hasslis salary. And the compensation coming back the other way could increase depending on Hasslis performance on the field. Hassli joined Toronto in July 2012 from the Vancouver Whitecaps. Limited by injuries, he scored three goals in eight appearances in Toronto. Hassli had 12 goals in 44 games for Vancouver. "Eric Hassli is a very good player with an incredible resume," FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said in a statement. "He fits our needs. He is a big striker who holds the ball very well and is a great goal scorer. Hassli is also a player who can complement Blas Perez, allowing us to play in a two-striker system." Hassli made headlines when his stunning volley against Toronto for the Whitecaps was in the running for FIFAs goal of the year in 2012. Prior to joining MLS, Hassli played in Europe for FC Metz, Southampton, Valenciennes FC, Neuchatel Xamax, Servette FC, FC St. Gallen and FC Zurich. Cooper made his MLS debut with Dallas in 2006. Toronto sent another designated player to Dallas last season in a deal that saw Canadian international midfielder Julian de Guzman go to Texas. www.newyorkjetsjerseyssale.com/Quinton-Coples-Jersey/ . There is no timetable for Tulowitzkis return, but he is likely to be sidelined for about two months. Tulowitzki was placed on the disabled list on May 31. He is hitting .287 this year with eight home runs and 27 RBI. www.newyorkjetsjerseyssale.com . While Burrell said late in the season that he would contemplate retirement if he couldnt return to full strength, he now says thats probably the direction he is headed this winter -- though he has yet to make a final decision. www.newyorkjetsjerseyssale.com/Kellen-Winslow-Jersey/ . Chiarelli and Thomas confirmed last month that the Stanley Cup-winning netminder was not playing in 2012-13. Thomas has one year left on his current deal, which carries a $5 million cap hit for the 2012-13 season. www.newyorkjetsjerseyssale.com/Mark-Gastineau-Jersey/ . Jackson scored in the 81st minute after he stole the ball from goalkeeper Josh Saunders outside of the goalies box and tapped a shot into the centre of the net. www.newyorkjetsjerseyssale.com/Jeremy-Kerley-Jersey/ . -- Miami Hurricanes centre Julian Gamble learned about his teams latest ranking when he received a flurry of phone messages, including one from his mother in North Carolina. TWICKENHAM, England -- Wales scored the only try of the game with just five minutes left to beat England 19-12 at Twickenham on Saturday and keep its Six Nations Grand Slam campaign on track. Wales trailed 12-6 early in the second half but levelled through Leigh Halfpennys third and fourth successful penalty kicks before Scott Williams created and scored the decisive try. The replacement centre ripped the ball out of Courtney Lawes hands, collected his own chip kick and raced over the line. Halfpenny converted and then protected the lead with a try-saving tackle on David Strettle with the final act of the match. Unable to see whether Strettle had grounded the ball, the referee referred the decision to video review, which took about 90 seconds to rule that the wing had failed to touch down as he rolled out of Halfpennys tackle and across the line under pressure from Jonathan Davies. "I dont know what to say," Williams said. "I thought our defence was superb today. England threw everything at us and it was tough but we stuck in there." Halfpennys tackle atoned for the missed first-half penalty that until then looked like undercutting Wales hopes of building on fourth place at last years Rugby World Cup. The Triple Crown was secured on Saturday and the Grand Slam was in sight. Williams can also be relieved after he threw away the chance of a try just seven minutes before he scored. Wales created a three-on-one overlap but Williams ignored Halfpenny lurking unmarked outside him on the left and was tagged. England flanker Tom Croft was whistled for not releasing in the tackle almost immediately afterward and Halfpenny struck his fourth penalty to make it 12-12 and set the scene for a dramatic finale. While Wales heads into home games against Italy and France in buoyant mood, the losers can take satisfaction from a match in which they enjoyed long periods of domination against a more experienced and hardened opposition. Manu Tuilagis recall for his first appearance since the Rugby World Cup provided England with a genuine linebreaker at outside centre, while Lee Dicksons selection at scrumhalf injected pace into the attack and helped deny Rhys Priestland the time and space to orchestrate Wales attacks. Owen Farrell continued to kick with aplomb, making four of five penalty attempts, the back row looked more balanced than in Englands first two matches and Wales was forced to demonstrate its defensive discipline more than its trademark attacking verve. Wales comprehensively dominnated the first quarter, taking 72 per cent of possession and twice coming close to forcing an opening try.dddddddddddd Strettle saved his side in the second minute with a fingertip tap tackle on George North after the giant wing broke the line. Strettle raced in off his wing to the middle of the park and clipped Norths heels at full stretch. Priestland then tried to find his other wing, Alex Cuthbert, with a crosskick behind the tryline but the ball rolled over the dead ball line to give England a reprieve. The Welsh front row also forced their counterparts into standing up at the scrum but Halfpenny nudged the resulting penalty just wide of the right upright. England responded by playing higher tempo rugby than any it has produced since November 2010s victory over Australia and surged into the Welsh 22 twice in the next 10 minutes -- forcing a penalty each time. Farrell kicked both and added a third for a 9-6 halftime lead. The home teams domination of the second quarter was such that Wales edged possession by just 52-48 at the break and relied upon Halfpennys kicking to take advantage of Englands resurfacing tendency to infringe at the breakdown. Englands only two tries in opening wins over Scotland and Italy came from chargedowns and there was almost another at the start of the second half. Lock Mauritz Botha blocked Priestlands kick with both hands but, although he was hauled down just short of the line, Priestland strayed offside and trudged off to the sin-bin as Farrell kicked for 12-6. With the experience of playing almost all of a World Cup semifinal with just 14 men only four months ago, Wales responded strongly to the setback and played much of the 10 minutes it was a man down in Englands half, Halfpenny trimming the deficit to three points with another penalty. Farrell, Dickson, Tuilagi and Foden were all prominent as England kept moving the ball at pace but unnecessary grubberkicks in promising positions gave away possession on at least three occasions. Farrells run of faultless goal kicking ended with his fifth penalty attempt, a long-range punt from in front of the posts. He limped off soon afterward with what looked to be a pulled hamstring, watching Wales triumph from the touchline. "We got to 12-all despite being down to 14 men," hooker Ken Owens said. "We kept playing and kept believing and got that bit of luck." ------ Wales 19 (Scott Williams try; Leigh Halfpenny 4 penalties, conversion), England 12 (Owen Farrell 4 penalties). HT: 6-9. ' ' '