Toronto FC took Tsubasa Endoh with the ninth-overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft Thursday afternoon.
The 22-year-old midfielder spent the last four seasons with the University of Maryland that saw him capture the Big Ten Championship Most Valuable Offensive Player in what was his final year this season. The accolades don’t stop there. Prior to Thursday’s draft, Endoh was named MVP of the 2016 adidas MLS Player Combine.
His coaching staff in Maryland described Endoh as being their most dangerous player when it came down to the final third of the pitch. Despite the praise, the Tokyo-native was still quite surprised to be taken as high as he was.
“I didn’t expect to get drafted quite that high in the first round,” Endoh said during a conference call after his draft-day moment. “I wasn’t ready for it at all. I was expecting second or third round, or maybe I was pretty worried about not getting drafted in the SuperDraft… so I’m pretty happy that I got drafted in the first round.”
Endoh, who’s played within the Japanese program at the U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15 and U-17 level, always dreamed of playing soccer professionally and now that he’s been drafted in the first round, everything has been so surreal for a boy who moved from Tokyo to the United States just a short time ago. The simple resilience of coming to a new country and learning the language speaks volumes of a player’s character, something head coach Greg Vanney learned during the combine’s interviews.
“To go to a completely different culture and to educate yourself (for a new opportunity) and make that transition is something we took notice of,” said Vanney. “He’s looking forward to the next opportunity and he was happy we picked him, we were one of the places he wanted to be at so he fits in well for us.”
Coming from two highly-competitive parents, one a marathoner and the other a highly-rated tennis player, his natural athleticism was something that grabbed Vanney’s attention, as well as his coaching staff.
“For us, he was arguably the top player in the draft in terms of soccer ability, his knowledge of the game, his awareness of spacing and time and he fits into our group quickly,” said the second-year coach, who was hopeful Endoh would still be available come the ninth selection. “He’s a very intelligent player, he’s shifty and crafty, two-footed and he’s excellent at setting up opportunities.”
For the amount of time Vanney and his group spent scouting the Maryland prospect, it was Endoh’s field awareness and his understanding of how to work with players on the pitch that constantly impressed. He continued to impress again at this week’s combine and Vanney strongly suggested his newest player’s skill set was second to none.
There’s a chance for him to move into a middle position as he grows and matures, but for now, the wing is what’s right for the newest member of Toronto FC.
