MLSToronto FC vs. Toronto FC

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Joao Plata tweeted goodbye to his Toronto FC fans on Saturday after the team's 1-1 draw with the visiting New York Red Bulls:

 "@JoaoPlata10: It has been a pleasure playin 4 Toronto FC. I want 2 give much thanks n luv 2 the fans 4 all the support during my time here. Love Plata!!"

Usually, that kind of message is considered a classy move, but that sentiment is mitigated when the player fails to inform management of his intentions to walk.

Director of team and player operations Earl Cochrane confirmed on Wednesday that the diminutive Ecuadorian striker was still a member of the club...but they are now working on a loan agreement.

Plata's pre-emptive social media farewell is just the latest self-inflicted black eye, yet another self destructive act where the MLS's basement dwellers have imploded.

In May, star forward Danny Koevermans called Toronto FC "the worst team in the world."  Here he's shown explaining the comment he made about his 0-9-0 club:



A few weeks after that statement, three Toronto players were arrested for public intoxication in Houston, hours before they were set to play the Dynamo.

Miguel Aceval, Nick Soolsma and Luis Silva were sent back to Toronto after they were involved in a scuffle outside a bar and were cited following an argument with police. The real kicker was this little tidbit: "Police say one player tried to flee the scene on foot, but was caught. No one else was arrested."

Needless to say, the jokesters on Twitter had a field day with the fact that a professional soccer player couldn't outrun some of Houston's finest.

But the team's most public instance of self-implosion was Dwayne De Rosario's infamous cheque-signing goal "celebration" in September of 2010. With a flick of his wrist the Canadian striker sealed his fate, and was shipped out of town soon after his jubilant protest:

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