Canada’s Cyle Larin's late-season revival takes strange turn

Cyle Larin’s star-crossed career took another strange turn this week.

A former lock starter for Canada alongside Jonathan David up front, he’d lost his place under head coach Jesse Marsch, who questioned the 31-year-old’s motivation. After miserable stints at Mallorca and Feyenoord in February, he arrived in Southampton, adrift in the middle of England’s Championship, with limited expectations.

Something magical and overdue happened for him there. He scored nine goals in 22 appearances and didn’t lose a game with the Saints outside their narrow defeat to eventual champions Manchester City in their FA Cup semifinal. 

Southampton climbed to fourth in the table, good enough to compete in the four-team playoff for the Premier League’s last open spot, before beating Middlesbrough on aggregate to reach this Saturday’s final against Hull.

But on Tuesday, Larin’s top-flight dreams were dashed when Southampton were punished for spying on opposition training sessions, including Middlesbrough before their opening leg. The Saints were stripped of their place in the final, replaced by Middlesbrough, and will start next season back in the Championship with a four-point deduction.

Southampton appealed. Late Wednesday, the English Football League’s arbitration panel upheld the punishment. Someone else will be going up.

Making matters worse for Larin, his loan agreement included a guarantee of a permanent transfer had the Saints won their promotion. A measure of hard-won certainty, especially weeks before the World Cup, would have shored his confidence.

Instead, Tonda Eckert, his admiring manager, is likely to be banned or sacked, and Southampton’s players are mulling over a lawsuit against their own club. Larin’s entire professional