Toronto FC midfielder Carl Robinson, left, made $330,000 last year. (David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

There aren't too many Major League Soccer players who would turn down more lucrative offers from European teams and instead choose to take a pay cut in order to remain with his current club.

But that's exactly what Carl Robinson did.

The Welsh midfielder was named Toronto FC's most valuable player last October following the 2008 Major League Soccer campaign, claiming the award for the second season in a row. His solid performances in MLS didn't go unnoticed across the pond, as a number of clubs in England approached him with contract offers.

Few would have blamed Robinson, who earned $330,000 US last season, had he decided to take the money and run. Robinson bounced between a handful of clubs for over 12 years before joining Toronto FC in 2007, and the Welshman openly talked last season about possibly returning to English soccer one day, so this appeared to be the perfect opportunity.

Instead, he took a pay cut and signed a two-year contract extension with Toronto FC in a deal that was announced Monday as the team began training camp for the 2009 regular season.

Robinson, 32, was tempted by the English offers, but after reflecting on how his time in Toronto has helped him rediscover his love of the game, he decided to stay put.

"When I joined here two years ago I said it wasn't a financial issue for me. I had a two-year contract still at Norwich City. I left that to come here because I wanted to get my enjoyment of the game back. I did that here in Toronto. There were options for me in England to earn more money," Robinson told CBCSports.ca.

"The older you get it doesn't become a financial decision. Obviously you look after your family, but you want to be happy in what you're doing and I'm very happy here. So, the pay cut was no big deal because I'm happy and I'm playing for the team I love."

Robinson, who lives in Mississauga, Ont., with his wife and their two young children, also consulted with his family before deciding to continue to play with Toronto.

"I love it over here. I love the Canadian people. I love the city. I'm enjoying my time here, I'm playing well, so after talking to my family about it they were quite happy to stay. Then it was just a matter of hammering out a deal with the team," Robinson stated.

"My little girl is seven and I spoke to her about it, even though she's still a child she has an opinion, and she told me she actually wants to live in Canada," Robinson added.

Robinson said the determining factor in his decision to stay was that a return to England would probably mean the end of his MLS career, and the Welshman wasn't prepared to say goodbye for good just yet, stating it's his hope to end his playing career in Toronto.

"If I went back to England, I probably wouldn't come back to the MLS or Toronto. I've been here two years, my new deal is for another two years, so I'll be 34. I feel great, I feel like I still have a lot in me, and maybe I can play until I'm 38 or 39," Robinson said.

"I want to play as long as I can, and maybe over here it will be easier to play until I'm 38 than it would be in England."

Toronto FC fans can also expect to see more of Robinson this season.

Last year, the veteran midfielder missed a handful of games while he was away on international duty for the Welsh national team.

Robinson said he's spoken to Wales manager John Toshack and is hopeful he won't have to miss as many MLS games this season due to international commitments.

"I want to balance the two – what's best for Wales and what's best for Toronto," Robinson explained. "Toronto has been good to me to sign me to a new deal, so I want to pay them back."