Bas Ent back as a trialist with Toronto FC By Steven Sandor Posted on January 30, 2011 Comments Off on Bas Ent back as a trialist with Toronto FC 0 722 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Bas Ent Judging by his status as a trialist at Toronto FC’s training camp in Turkey, Dutch winger Bas Ent will need to start over in his quest to join the Reds. Ent, who came into his own with the Dayton Dutch Lions of the PDL in 2010, earning a trial and a 45-minute appearance with Toronto FC in a friendly against Bolton, revealed to The 11 on Jan. 7 that the Reds had pledged to offer him a three-year contract. The Columbus Crew had also shown some interest in Ent last season. His status as a trialist has to lead to the conclusion that the three-year deal is off the table, for now at least. The club announced Saturday that Ent is one of five more trialists to join the team for its camp in Turkey. Ent, former Ajax Academy prospect Javier Martina, Ghanian midfielder King Osei Gyan, who had a spell in the Fulham side but never got into a game, Uruguayan forward Santiago Gonzalez Areco and 23-year-old Dutch striker Nick Soolsma join the three Canadian trialists named on Friday. It’s hard to blame new TFC technical director Aron Winter for deciding to put Ent through the paces again rather than honouring the promise of a contract made by a previous regime. Ent had trialled for the Preki-Mo Johnston brain trust and was promised the contract by interim GM Earl Cochrane. Like the Dwayne De Rosario contract saga, Winter inherited a series of promises made by people before him. There had been talk that a sale of Ent from DDL to TFC would lead to a partnership between the clubs, even though the Lions had promised not to stand in Ent’s way when it came to raising his level of football. But, while the Dutch connections between the Lions and Winter seem like a natural, remember that DDL is already partnered with FC Twente; meanwhile, it is clear Winter wants to strengthen ties between Ajax and TFC. It wouldn’t quite be like Arsenal trying to strike a deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps, which has close ties to Tottenham, but the point is made — just because organizations share the same birth nation, it doesn’t mean they are going to be pals. Now, Ent has got to start all over. Impress a new coach. And, judging by the youthful charges Winter has brought in to audition for the club, it will be a lot harder for Ent to stick out the second time around.
