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Toronto FC Tickets - Dichio Surprises With Early Retirement
Toronto FC has had a great relationship with veteran English forward Danny Dichio, but many assumed that Dichio would announce his retirement at the end of the season. He surprised more than a few when he decided to retire with just over a handful of games left in the season. In a statement reported by MLSnet.com, Dichio hinted at the reasons that he is bowing out a little early. He said, "It's a bittersweet kind of feeling for me, but I'm very honored to get the job that TFC offered me... It's the right time, I think. My body is going to thank me about it tomorrow morning. There is a bit of relief I think coming from the physical side of it. There's some relief that I won't put myself through as much pain as I've been in."
The position that Dichio is talking about is the Toronto FC Team Ambassador and Academy Coach. The team's director of soccer, Mo Johnston, made statements at the same time about Dichio being an irreplaceable part of the organization, which is why they gave him the coaching position. Dichio must feel the same way about both Toronto FC and the city of Toronto, as he applied to become a Canadian citizen earlier in the year. Fans may still be able to catch a glimpse of him at Toronto FC games, but it just won't be as a player. Those fans can get Toronto FC tickets online.
Dichio hails from a country that knows great soccer: England. He was born there in 1974 and took up soccer as a youngster. He was a standout on about every team he played on as a youth, and even went up against David Beckham when both were in youth soccer. In 1993, he started his professional career in England's Premier League with QPR, where he stayed until 1997. After that, he spent the next two seasons playing in Italy before returning to England to play with Sunderland from 1998 to 2002. In 2002, he went to another English club, West Bromwich Albion. Over the next few years, he also spent time with Derby County, Millwall and Preston North End.
He joined Toronto FC in 2007 and became a contributor right away with the newly-minted club. That year, he started 14 out of the 17 games he played in, but his season was cut short when he had a muscle tear in his foot. That didn't stop him from being named to the 2007 MLS All-Star inactive roster that season. He also holds the distinction of scoring the first ever goal in Toronto FC history in their game against the Chicago Fire on May 12 of that year. Last season, he started 17 of the 23 games he played in, scoring five goals and three assists. He suffered a concussion partway through the season that held him out of some games that year. This year, he fought through injuries but still managed to tally three goals and two assists.
About the Author This article was sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub sells tickets to sporting events, concerts and theater productions. Go to StubHub.com for Toronto FC tickets.
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