From 2011-2016, Tony Tchani was a powerful presence in the center of the Crew’s midfield. Or as my friend Scot always refers to him, “Midfield Boss Tony Tchani.” He had his best year in Columbus in 2015, when he not only physically dominated opponents, but also scored five goals and dished six assists for the 2015 Eastern Conference champions. Another skillset of Tony’s is that he has eyesight functional enough to notice when a soccer ball is a clear two feet out of bounds. Unfortunately, not everyone is so blessed.

I recently caught up with Tchani via email about the Crew being saved. Here’s what he had to say…

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On the Crew being 100% officially saved:

I was obviously happy for the fans and the city, especially because I think the city of Columbus deserved it. I think being part of the history of the league since the beginning, it only make sense to keep team where it belongs.

On Dr. Pete being part of the ownership group:

Dr. Pete is one of the nicest people and I think he would be a great owner. He knows most of the players personally since he has seen most of the players at his office, including myself. He has a better insight of what the club needs and what the ambitions are after being part of the club for that long.

On the success of the #SaveTheCrew movement:

I’m very proud of the fans who came out with that movement and showed so much strength during that period. It will definitely be an example for some others not to give up, but keep fighting for what you think they deserve. I hope #SaveTheCrew gets recognized at some point for what they really did. Why not give them free tickets for a whole season? LOL

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A MASSIVE SEASON is now available as an ebook.