Revolution at Philadelphia Union, 7.29.12: Shalrie Joseph's Last Game for New England

The New England Revolution traded Shalrie Joseph to Chivas USA today for 23-year-old midfielder Blair Gavin, a draft pick in 2013, and an unspecified amount of allocation money. That seems not a lot for Chivas to give for an eight-time all-star with a sterling reputation. I’ve written in praise of Joseph many times, including a piece last December after New England re-signed him to a generous contract. I won’t repeat myself here except to say that I believe he has a lot of good soccer left in him and that, notwithstanding club and fan votes, Joseph was last year’s team MVP. (Admittedly, it was a bad team.)

Of course, team sports are as cutthroat as any other business. And company and employee loyalty in any area of our economy are increasingly rare. All of which is to say that I’m not surprised about the trade. At 34, Joseph is old for a pro athlete, and New England is rebuilding and stocking its roster with young players. Some fans and commentators are no doubt already saying Joseph’s time was up with the Revs and that his departure will benefit the club. But I think less of New England as an organization for getting rid of Joseph, and I’ll root for the team a little less heartily now that he’s gone. He was economical, composed, and strong when patrolling the midfield, the kind of player respected and liked by fans, coaches, and teammates alike. He was also versatile and could drop into the defense effectively, particularly important to a team so thin along the back line. I believe he had a couple of more solid years to give a team that, after a decade of stellar service and years wearing the captain's armband, most MLS fans thought of as his.

Joseph’s last game (presumably) in a Revolution uniform was not one that he’ll recall fondly, a 2-1 loss to the Union in Philadelphia. He didn’t start due to a coach’s decision, came on in the 60^th minute immediately after Philly scored off a penalty kick, missed a chip shot on a breakaway in the 79^th minute, and watched helplessly in the 90^th minute as Kevin Alston lost his mark, allowing Jack McInerney to head a Sheanon Williams cross down into the turf and past Matt Reis for the game-winner.

McInerney’s goal extended New England’s winless streak to four games and allowed Philadelphia to pull level with the Revolution in the standings (and Philadelphia has two games in hand). Moreover, New England is now just four points ahead of last-place Toronto, a team that began the season with nine straight defeats. Given last year, and the way this year is going, Joseph may actually be happy about the trade to Chivas. Thinking Revolution fans will wish him and his new team success, even as they miss watching him in a New England shirt.