Altidore angered to hear TFC’S Bradley out four months

TORONTO Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore slammed the organization on Monday after it was announced that team captain Michael Bradley has to undergo surgery on his right ankle on Tuesday.

Bradley, 32, injured the ankle in the MLS Cup final in November and the fact that he is only having surgery this month shows that the injury was “mishandled,” said Altidore.

Bradley is expected to be out of the Toronto FC lineup about four months.

“In my opinion, it was handled poorly,” said Altidore. “This is an injury from two months ago and it’s not the first time this happened in terms of ... we’ve seen our injury rate at this club (climb) since ’18, and we’re obviously trying to get it better, but it hasn’t. Two months have gone by and now he’s having surgery and he’ll be out until June.

“I don’t think it’s good enough. He’s a guy that takes care of himself in an incredible way. Incredible professional, he pushes himself, the group, he holds everybody to a high standard and I think he was let down,” Altidore added.

Bradley injured the ankle in the MLS Cup final against the Seattle Sounders, a 3-1 loss in November. He attempted to recover from the injury via rehab during the off-season, but that ultimately proved to be futile.

TFC general manager Ali Curtis said on Monday that it was decided that the veteran midfielder needed surgery for the “severe and complicated” injury, though Curtis would not go into detail as to what exactly the injury is.

The Reds signed the 32-year-old Bradley to a three-year TAM contract in December, allowing TFC to go out and sign another designated player, though the club has yet to do that.

Bradley was a DP player (along with Altidore and Alejandro Pozuelo) before agreeing to a pay cut and a new TAM deal.

TFC held a media conference in December to announce Bradley’s new TAM deal though, interestingly, the club did not update anyone on his ankle situation at that time.

Curtis said coach Greg Vanney will decide during training camp in Florida and California over the next few weeks how exactly he’ll respond, position-wise, to Bradley’s injury.

Last year, Toronto native Liam Fraser filled in at centre back for Bradley when the native of Princeton, N.J., was out of the lineup and the 21-year-old may be asked to do that again during the early part of the Major League Soccer season.

— Steve Buffery