Well hell. Of all the players that Philly could have took and they selected Le Toux! From his USL days to his US Open cup performances as a MLS Sounder he was class, hustle and determination.
I am guessing that one of the reasons he was allowed to go unprotected was that he was signed by the MLS Sounders before Sigi was hired. Le Toux probably didn't fit into Sigi's system but was already under contract so Sigi had to fit him in where he could. Le Toux had always been a forward for the USL Sounders. Scoring 24 goals in 54 appearances, he was always an opportunistic goal scorer creating many of his goals from sheer hustle. I think many of us remember watching him hassle defenders when he could have easily jogged back up the pitch. Playing midfield this year allowed him even more room to run but it was obvious that it wasn't his position.
The New York Times, commenting about the draft said that "...Although the league prominently featured the selections of striker Alejandro Moreno (Columbus) and defender Shavar Thomas (Chivas USA) in its news release, perhaps the most savvy pick by Union Coach Peter Nowak was Sebastien Le Toux. The French midfielder/forward, who coincidentally was the first player signed by Seattle before it began play in M.L.S. in 2009, is a skillful and tireless runner who played in 28 regular-season matches for the Sounders."
So it seems that others have valued LeToux as much as we (the fans) have. It's too bad that he didn't fit into Sigi's system and I am hoping that he gets a chance to showcase in Philadelphia what he did for the USL Sounders. Lets find out what number Le Toux will be wearing on opening day and offer up our tribute. I suspect that the Brougham End will show their support as well.
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