Season 10 Preview: Top 10 Players in Toronto FC History

Over the last 10 years, Toronto FC have not enjoyed much success on the pitch. There have been numerous players that have come and gone, wiped from our memories as we look towards another season.

Yet there have been those that will stay a part of this club forever, players that have shaped the history of Toronto Football Club. Over the past decade, only a few have left a positive imprint on the minds of the TFC faithful. Some are displayed on the Wall of Honour, others have moved on with their lives to coaching or other endeavours, some still continue to play the beautiful game. Below is my list of Toronto FC's best ever players.

10. Danny Dichio

Season(s): 2007-2009
Total Club Appearances: 59
Goals: 14

The man whose name is still sung around BMO Field! Danny Dichio is nothing short of a club legend. He will always be remembered for scoring the first goal in club history and becoming part of Toronto FC folklore. Apart from his obvious feats, Dichio was always a threat in the air and really suited to a direct form of football, leading him to score 5 goals from 5 shots at the beginning of the 2009 MLS season. Having made 59 league appearances for the club, the big man would find the net 14 times. As a person, Dichio is beloved by Toronto FC fans and currently holds the position of Head Coach of the TFC Senior Academy team. Dichio also frequently appears as an analyst on Sportsnet's English Premier League coverage.

9. Carl Robinson

Season(s): 2007-2010
Total Club Appearances: 74
Goals: 3

These days Robbo is the Head Coach of a very formidable Vancouver Whitecaps side, but he got his MLS adventure started with Toronto FC. Having signed before the inaugural season, Robbo was the second signing in club history. He brought with him a wealth of experience from England and offered the club a consistent option in the midfield. He will be remembered for scoring Toronto's third goal in a 4-0 win against FC Dallas and proceeding to do a ballerina dance to celebrate. He was also voted as the team's MVP in his first and second seasons. Carl Robinson would represent Wales more than 50 times in his career.

8. Jim Brennan

Season(s): 2007-2010
Total Club Appearances: 84
Goals: 4
As the club's first ever signing, Jim Brennan would also be the first captain in club history. He was a solid defender for the team, being asked to play at both central and full back positions. A notable highlight of Brennan's TFC career is his class free-kick goal against the Columbus Crew in the inaugural season. The goal would lead to a chant being created for Jim and the TFC faithful falling more in love with their captain. Brennan earned a reputation as Toronto FC's "Iron Man" having played much of the 2007 season with a rib injury. The passion and intensity Brennan brought to a weak TFC team bring him in at number 9.

7. Amado Guevara

Season(s): 2008-2009
Total Club Appearances: 46
Goals: 9

Another international that would call Toronto home was Amado Guevara or El Lobo, as he was known. Having made a name for himself in MLS, Amado brought with him vast MLS experience and a lot of character to the squad. El Lobo was a crafty player known for his clever runs and incisive passing. To top it all off, Guevara has exceptional ability from free kicks. His most notable free kick goal came against the Montreal Impact in the "Miracle of Montreal" game, where TFC would win 6-1 on the night. Amado Guevara, however, was often criticized for poor attitude and being a "locker room cancer". Depite all the negatives, Guevara possessed an abundance in talent and it would frequently show at BMO Field.

6. Torsten Frings

Season(s): 2011-2012
Total Club Appearances: 33
Goals: 2

An elite German international and World Cup veteran, Torsten Frings comes in at number 6 on Toronto FC's top ten players list. Frings joined TFC as a designated player in June 2011 to much excitement from the faithful. His deal was announced at the same time as Danny Koevermans. What Frings lacked in ability, considering age, he more than made up for in experience and wisdom. Perhaps this is the reason that he became the permanent club captain so soon after him signing. Known as a long-range striker of the ball, Frings would score his first goal against the Montreal Impact from 22-yards out. Torsten Frings would deal with injury problems of his own, eventually retiring in February 2013. He is currently the assistant manager of Werder Bremen.

5. Danny Koevermans

Season(s): 2011-2013
Total Club Appearances: 30
Goals: 17

Continuing on the theme of injured players, Danny Koevermans comes in at number 5. However, Koevermans was goal machine when fit. Koef, as he is affectionately known, had a bittersweet relationship with the fans, once even saying that Toronto FC "is the worst team in the world". Even still, Koevermans can be remembered for his whopping 17 goals in 30 games and explosive personality on the pitch. He picked up an MLS Player of the Week award after the September 17, 2011 game with Colorado Rapids. Koevermans arrived at Toronto FC from PSV Eidenhoven, along with the signing of, German midfielder, Torsten Frings. Currently, Danny is a coach at Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football.

4. Stefan Frei

Season(s): 2009-2013
Total Club Appearances: 82
Clean Sheets: 28

As it stands now, I would consider Stefan Frei the best keeper in TFC history (Julio Cesar was not here long enough). Goalkeepers don't get much love when doing top players lists, but such was Frei's shot-stopping ability that he definitely warrants a place. Stefan Frei was picked 13th overall, by Toronto FC, in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. Right off the bat, fans were impressed with his ability to make big saves and his vocal organization of the defence. Frei would suffer some injuries later on in his TFC career, which ultimately resulted in him getting traded to the Seattle Sounders in April 2013. I personally believe Toronto FC should have held on to him, but Stefan Frei is currently the first choice keeper for a very strong Seattle team.

3. Steven Caldwell

Season(s): 2013-2015
Total Club Appearances: 40
Goals: 1

Scottish international, Steven Caldwell, makes number 3 on our list. Having moved across the pond in May 2013, Caldwell was a staple in the TFC defence, before he retired. His leadership led him to becoming the 6th TFC captain in history, a role he took on with confidence. In his first season, Caldwell helped improve the team's goals-against average down to 1.0 goal per game. He would go on to lead the back-line for the next two years, retiring from football in the early parts of the 2015 season due to injury. Currently, Caldwell has taken on an ambassador role at Toronto FC.

2. Dwayne De Rosario

Season(s): 2009-2011, 2014
Total Club Appearances: 76
Goals: 28

This Scarborough-born midfielder can be considered one of the MLS greats. Though now retired, DeRo boasts a great career at clubs like San Jose and Houston, before captaining Toronto FC. The midfielder will be remembered for his tenacity and poise when going forward, coupled with his ability to play some fantastic balls into space. What's even better is that De Rosario has scored some fantastic goals for Toronto FC. Most notably, he scored a hat-trick in the "Miracle in Montreal" match, where TFC would go on to defeat Montreal to win the Voyageurs Cup. DeRo can be considered a TFC and CMNT legend for all of his accomplishments on the pitch. De Rosario currently mentors and coaches kids in the east-end of Toronto.

1. Sebastian Giovinco

Season(s): 2015
Total Club Appearances: 33
Goals: 22

There are really no surprises here. Having come from Juventus in 2015, Sebastian Giovinco would go on to become the MLS MVP in his very first season. His total, of 22 goals and 16 assists, was record-breaking for any player in MLS, ever. His performances and movement on the pitch regularly leave the fans at BMO Field in awe, as they can consider themselves lucky to witness such a talent every week. His main highlight (though there are many) came on October 14, 2015 in a game against the Red Bulls. Shortly after getting off of a flight from Rome, after having played in a Euro 2016 qualifier the previous day, Giovinco dribbled past several players and scored with a left-footed strike to put TFC up by two. The result on the day would send Toronto FC to their first-ever post-season appearance.

Honourable Mentions:

1) Joao Plata
2) Ryan Johnson
3) Terry Dunfield
4) Jermaine Defoe
5) Michael Bradley