So much for Toronto FC's BMO Field having a 'state of the art' artificial soccer pitch.

A Canadian paper is reporting late Tuesday that Mo Johnston is going to try and use some of the fee they got for MF Maurice Edu to get the turf ripped out and a natural grass surface put in. Now I'm not sure if Mo has realised this yet but BMO is a year-round facility - that's how they managed to get government funding to build it. If they put grass in, come winter time it ain't gonna be a year round facility anymore - even if it is in Toronto where they barely get any snow (they put a bubble over the field in winter time so the turf can still be used).

TFC is proposing to build a practice field nearby - but it HAS to be on the land sold for the stadium. If you've been to BMO Field, you know there is NO land nearby for a practice field - unless they're talking about taking over one of the parking lots - and parking is already a nightmare down there. It'll be an interesting development for sure - and who knows where the CFL's Toronto Argonauts fit into this. The football team still thinks they should be able to play at BMO despite the fact it is a SSS. I won't even get started on how stupid that idea is (and TFC/MLS isn't in favor of it - it's a City matter). It's degrading enough for the game to STILL see MLS matches being played on lined football fields.

Back to the grass thing though - this strikes me as just another example of how backwards thinking non-soccer people can be. When footie people heard there was going to be artificial grass in there, the groans were audible from all over. BUT - lets put the fake stuff in there, get the team going and try to find a way to sneak it in later. This after David Beckham refused to play there and players complained about how bad it was - heck, they even lost a transfer deal because of it and NOW Darren Huckerby is doing in San Jose what he SHOULD have been doing in Toronto.

The good news for TFC fans? You only had to sell your best young player to get a grass field.

The club also announced they released Laurent Robert Tuesday. From the three line release: The 33-year old midfielder joined the club April 2, 2008 signing as a free agent. He started in 16 of 17 games logging 1,364 minutes scoring one goal and adding three assists.

Mo Johnston says he's eyeing a player out of contract and a player within MLS to help fill the void left by Robert and Edu's departures. One of those players is said to be LA FW Carlos Ruiz. Soccer By Ives is reporting TFC made the deal for Ruiz this afternoon and that's why Robert was sent out. It's been rumored for weeks that TFC were interested in the Guatemalan - and now he's headed north.

Toronto get a proven goal-scorer - which they need - but I'm not sure Ruiz is the answer.  Not to mention, how will he fit in with Amado Guevara?

The move makes room in LA for the Galaxy to sign Eddie Lewis.

Thoughts?