The New England Revolution traded team captain Shalrie Joseph to Chivas USA on Wednesday. In exchange, the Revs received midfielder Blair Gavin, a 2013 second round draft pick, and allocation money.
Joseph, 34, moves on from the only organization he has known in 10 years as a MLS player. He was originally drafted by New England in the second round of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft and debuted for the club in the 2003 season.
As the organization's leader in appearances, starts, minutes played, penalty kick goals, and fouls suffered, Joseph's departure will not be easy for anyone, particularly general manager Michael Burns who had been with Joseph in the Revs organization for almost 8 years.
"Trading Shalrie was not a decision we made easily," Burns said in a statement. "Shalrie has been one of the faces of the club for a decade, but we had to take a hard look at our roster and decide where we needed to be as we look toward the future. Shalrie has accomplished so much as a member of the Revs, and we wish him nothing but best wishes as he moves on to the next stage in his career with Chivas USA".
Head coach Jay Heaps found making the move just as tough saying in a statement:
"This was a very difficult decision for us to make. For as long as I can remember, Shalrie has been the Revolution's anchor and one of the team's leaders. Through the years, he helped set the tone every day, gave everything he had for the Revs and was the consummate teammate. As his coach -- and his friend -- we'll miss Shalrie on the field and in the locker room every day, but we have to look ahead and make decisions with the best interest of the club in mind. We wish Shalrie all the beast as he moves on."
Though it will be tough to see Shalrie go, Burns is also excited about what New England is getting in return in the deal.
"With this trade, we gain a significant amount of roster flexibility and add a player in Blair Gavin who has great potential, an additional draft pick next year, plus allocation money -- all of which provides us options to improve the team."
Gavin should be available when the Revs return to action on August 4, when they take on Sporting Kansas City at Gillette Stadium.