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I always say that things happen for a reason. As someone who had the opportunity to play with two of the best Canadian Soccer Players of my time, I had started writing this piece about Dwayne De Rosario and Julian de Guzman about five months ago. Now that Dwayne is hanging up his boots,
I felt it only made sense to finally get this piece out.
When I think of the stealthiest and most deadly players on the field, they all have similar qualities. They all have will, heart, strength, pizazz, style, smartness and that “I don't care” factor. When I say “I don't care” factor, it just means that you don't think too much about your shot or the move
you are going to do; it kind of just happens because you didn't overthink it and you just did it. Usually that's when greatness occurs.
First, I'm going to talk about Julian. What more can you say about this guy? He played in Germany and Spain. Now when I say he played in Germany, I have specify that he played in the Bundesliga! He was one of the first people I knew of that played in Germany when he played for Hannover 96. Now I'm not
going to reference Wikipedia or any other website, this is just straight knowledge because I follow people who do damage on the field like he did.
I only knew initially that Julian was quick, had some fresh moves, could shoot well and had great vision. Back in the day someone said he was fast but I ended that conversation quickly because I always take that as a challenge and no one is faster than me on that field!
It had to be said, but back to the topic before I get all competitive.
I first met Julian for the first time with the Canadian National Team U23’s at the Olympic Qualifiers in Mexico. Let me tell you, this man was the truth. He was so quick and decisive and he wasn't afraid to get in on tackles. Julian was a little beast. You could tell he had that Toronto arrogance that I love to love. He played really well and I was like, damn, okay, okay I see it.
Julian then went on to play for Deportivo La Coruna and to just say you are playing in La Liga is the greatest accomplishment ever. He played against greatest players and there is no need to even say their names because you already can figure out he played against Real Madrid and Barcelona. He even scored again Real Madrid. You can't talk bad about that player that has achieved all that he has achieved. He played where everybody couldn't due to the fact he played in one of the best leagues in the world and you didn't. So no one should have any bad opinions about him because essentially - what did you do? Exactly.
From there he went on to play for Toronto FC. I really don't know what Toronto expected when they signed him. Did they expect him to win games for them single handedly? Score goals for them? Look at the guy’s resume - he's the one that controls the game and I believe if you have good players around you, life gets easier on that field and I'm sorry but he didn't have that at TFC. He isn't a prolific goalscorer, so again before anyone criticizes this living legend, someone should have looked at his position and his stats and not expected a miracle workers. Julian has played for nine professional teams and he is still currently playing. I wish him luck in his return to Canada with the Ottawa Fury. Essentially, he is one of maybe five blueprints of a Canadian Soccer player that we all should follow.
I must say that when you resume includes the UEFA Intertoto Cup, Teresa Herrera Award, Deportivo De La Crouna Player of the year, Concacaf Gold Cup Most Valuable Player awa , 2007 & 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI and the Canadian Player of the Year award in 2008, you have to be considered the one of
the greatest occer players in Canada's history. Windsor and Ontario Salutes you Julian!
Now to the man himself, the Legend, the Canadian King Of Soccer. Dwayne De Rosario.
I don't know where to start as this man is the blueprint and example for any soccer player from the Greater Toronto Area to Montreal to anywhere in Canada. Dwayne won Canadian player of the Year four times, won four Major League Soccer Championships, two MLS Goals of the Year Awards and won the MLS Most Valuable Player Award. He is a legend in the MLS
for a reason. He simply dominated his competition. When asked upon to score goals and to create, he just did just that and almost made it look easy. I was in Sweden and Norway when he was destroying the competition in MLS and even the Europeans where I was were asking me why he doesn't he come here and score those goals because we would love to have him.
I think he chose to stay in the MLS in my opinion because he watched it start from nothing to become the huge empire it is now. Why leave something you were part of from scratch? Why leave something that that you played a key role in building? If I could have played in the MLS, I would have but every soccer player has a different path.
I was lucky enough to play with Dwayne against Jamaica and Argentina. Simply put, De Ro is a world class player. Even as his legs slowed down a bit, his skills didn't leave him. He deserves to retire with all the accolades accorded to him and more. This man has done so much for Canadian Soccer and I respect him and I thank him so much.
On a personal level, playing with him helped me with my vision of the game. He always saw things four plays ahead. I could just see it and I was in awe of him. To even room with him in Argentina was like rooming with a King or sharing a room your idol. He wasn't only my idol, he just that for so many people back in Canada who followed the MLS who were telling me get a pic with him or tell him to salute Windsor when he scored or on his Facebook. But for me, I quickly came to see him as my colleague who was a master of his craft and a true poet on the field.
Toronto and the years after didn't treat him as well as what came before but, hey, he came in this game knowing that there is no unconditional love in this game and no can ever take away that he made a big name for himself throughout Canada and United States as an all-time great. I wish him luck and nothing but the best on his new path now he has retired.
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