Acquired:
Summer, 2007 (MLS Injury Relief)
Biography:
An emergency goalie provided to Toronto by MLS in the wake of the Red’s debilitating injury crisis, David Monsalve is a quick, agile, and athletic goalkeeper who may one day challenge for the starting goalkeeping position with Canada’s national team.
Capable of making excellent saves on both long-range strikes and short-range efforts, Monsalve was handed an opportunity by Mo Johnston and he did his best to impress.
In his MLS debut against the Chicago Fire, Monsalve showed considerable courage-under-fire and did his best to keep the rampant Fire at bay, and he was even more impressive in a friendly against English Premier League side Aston Villa where he made a number of spectacular saves. Johnston has heaped praise upon Monsalve and even though Toronto lost both games in which the Brampton native featured, Johnston never placed any blame on the young goalkeeper.
At the end of the season, Johnston repaid Monsalve for his efforts and provided him with the experience he sorely needed by placing him on the bench for first-team matches, and playing him as the starting goalkeeper in reserve team matches.
Written by Matthew Scianitti |
