Tyrese Spicer: 'I have all the respect for Toronto FC'

GM Jason Hernandez was very busy over the summer, making a series of moves to acquire a substantial war chest of general allocation money while also moving players in and out of Toronto FC's roster. 

One of the more notable moves he made was the trade that sent Tyrese Spicer to Orlando City for a guaranteed $500,000 in GAM – $225,000 in 2025 GAM and $275,000 in 2026 GAM – and up to an additional $50,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance-based metrics are met. Additionally, TFC retains a sell-on percentage in the event of a future permanent transfer for Spicer, a 24-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago.

Toronto used the first overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft to select Spicer from Nashville-based Lipscomb University. He had a respectable rookie campaign for the Reds last year, scoring two goals and adding a pair of assists in 19 league matches (13 starts). He could've produced even more had he not dealt with a series of injuries throughout the season, most notably a problem with his toe.

Injury woes also kept him on the sidelines for portions of the current campaign – he had two goals in 21 MLS games (seven starts) for Toronto. In total, Spicer had six goals and two assists in 42 games in all competitions for the Reds since making his debut on March 16, 2024.  

From the sounds of it, TFC traded away Spicer because he wasn't keen on staying unless he received a better deal this summer. Spicer was under contract until the end of the season with club options for 2026 and 2027. Because he was on Toronto's supplemental roster, his modest wages ($83,122 US) didn't count against the team's salary cap.  

“The reality is when you get a phone call from someone on the player's behalf that he needs four or five times his deal by the end of the summer or he would like to be moved, it's just not even a very difficult conversation at that point in time,” Hernandez said. 

He later added: “Maybe there was a world where he would have the final 10 matches of the season to showcase himself and talk about why a raise was due or an extension was due at the end of the season. But that just was not something we were going to entertain nor secure in the middle of the summer. And so, if a player needs a move, we'll find the right valuation, and we facilitate the move. No harm, no problem.” 

Spicer has one goal and two assists in seven appearances (two starts) for his new club and will be keen to add to those tallies when TFC host Orlando on Saturday in his first game back at BMO Field since the trade. 

In this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic, Spicer reflects on his time with Toronto FC, being traded to Orlando City, and much more.  

This Q&A has been lightly edited and trimmed for brevity and clarity. 

TFC notebook: Reds look to end season on a positive note

Saturday’s regular season finale against Orlando gives Toronto FC a chance to record its first win at BMO Field since June 28.

TFC REPUBLICJohn Molinaro

You're coming off this month's international window in which you scored twice for Trinidad and Tobago in a pair of World Cup qualifiers. How did it feel to be involved in your national team? 

It was a good feeling just being back with the Trinidad group, with [manager] Dwight Yorke. I think it gave me a lot of confidence just going in, knowing that we had to win those two games. Unfortunately, we didn't beat Curaçao, but I had a good spell in both games, scoring in both games, and now just coming back to Orlando, it gives me a lot of confidence. 

When you come back from international duty, how difficult is it to transition back into club football? 

I wouldn't say it's difficult. It's just about getting your body right, because normally going there and coming back here is pretty tough with all the traveling and playing. You just have to get your bearings right; just get back in the flow state of the club and the mindset of week in and week out with club.

How have you settled in at Orlando off the pitch?  

I'm enjoying this so far; it just reminds me of Trinidad with the weather and everything. I think the culture here is really nice. I'm loving the coaching staff. They really greeted me with open arms and the players as well. The culture of the club is family based and it helped me grow as an individual. It makes me happy to just be here. 

What about on the pitch? 

On the field, I think their playing style suits me, and I think I got a lot of joy just playing super direct. I think the club as well will help me grow. Everybody from the coaching staff to the GM, everyone talks to me and just keeps encouraging me. And I think that helps me on the field. I want to be able to create as many chances as I can, score as much as I can and contribute as much to the club. 

We play a transitional game that Orlando really thrives in. [Martín] Ojeda and [Marco] Pašalić, I think they are very direct, and my boy [Alex] Freeman as well. Going down the flanks, we go very direct. And I think that's my game, that suits me. I'm very direct. I want to take people on, get a cross in and shoot. So, I think it suits me. 

Marco is very good on the ball and off the ball. I think his IQ is very high. Just playing with him, you just have to understand when to feed him, or when to go in behind, because he likes to cut in and play wide, so I'll just be reading off of his play. I have good chemistry with Duncan [McGuire]. I think it's good to play with different players just to get an understanding for how they play and their playing styles and just have to play to their strengths and understand them. 

What's it like playing under Orlando coach Óscar Pareja? 

He has a really good reputation. He talks to you. He wants to get to know you personally. And besides personally, he wants to make sure that you get your tasks done. He's very demanding, which is good. And I think that brings out more in me, because I want to be able to prove to him that if he puts me on that he can trust me, and can deliver. So, that's what I've been doing. And he's very excited with me.  

I definitely got some positive feedback from the coaching staff and Oscar. They're really delighted with me. They like how I've been performing and delivering in big moments.  

How do you feel about your game overall right now?  

It's been really good. I've adapted into the team – the playing style is very physically demanding. I think my raw talent and speed helps me adapt to any team I'm playing against. I just think I just need to keep pushing myself and just keep evolving as a player. I just want to be able to strive for greatness. The sky's the limit for me. I strive to go to Europe or play in a World Cup sometime. So, that's my mindset right now. 

[Going to Europe] would be a dream; to go there and play at the highest level in Europe, and in those leagues, you just watch on TV. You dream of playing in a prestigious league. That's what I would love. But right now, I'm focused on playing with Orlando and doing my best here.  

Was the trade a fresh start for you?  

I view it as a fresh start. I just have to move on and just develop. I wanted to come here to develop. I think that's what I'm getting right now.  

How do you feel about Saturday's game? You'll be back at BMO field for the first time in the trade. What are your thoughts about coming back here? 

Honestly, I'm excited about being back there. I have a lot of respect for the club, respect for the players and the coaches. And I know the fans really liked me. They gave me my nickname, "Spicy T." I really enjoy playing in that stadium, so it'll be really nice to go back there and experience the atmosphere and just live in the moment. 

Do you still talk to any Toronto FC players? 

I still keep in touch with guys like Nicks [Nicksoen Gomis], Nate [Edwards] and Zane [Monlouis]. A lot of players reached out to me after the trade, like [Matty] Longstaff and Theo [Corbeanu]. I've made a lot of friendships in Toronto. 

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Can you talk about the trade and how it came about from your perspective? From what GM Jason Hernandez said, this was something that came about after an impasse over your contract. 

I wouldn't really like to go on and speak about the trade. I think it's past that point right now. I think it was a mutual agreement between me and the team, and I think at the end of the day it's been a good trade. It's benefiting me and it's benefiting Toronto.  

So, there's no bitterness towards the club on your part? 

I really enjoyed it there. They opened me up to the MLS market and gave me my start. I jumpstarted my career there. And I respect the club. I think the club is a very massive and big club in MLS and I have all the respect for Toronto FC.  

How did you find playing under Robin Frasier this year? 

Robin was a very good coach. I just think he was just making sure that I build on my confidence and playing to the best of my ability. He was just like, "If you were confident all the time, bro, you'd play every single minute." I just think I was just lacking in that aspect of it. It wasn't ability wise or anything. It was just more due to confidence, and I just think he really helped me understand my role and function on the team. Unfortunately I just wasn't playing as much, but he was good.  

Did you think you were given enough of an opportunity to prove yourself in Toronto? 

I think I got enough chances to prove myself. I just had to show what I can do when I got my minutes. I'm never a picky guy. Whenever I get thrown out, I would try to do my best, of course. I got that there because of the minutes I played in Toronto, and how I've played with Orlando City. 

(Top photo by Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)

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