KANSAS CITY

His former right-hand man calls him “The Ultimate Entertainer.”

No, he doesn’t wear a single, diamond-studded glove.

He’s not a performer, either.

“He’s the guy who fired me,” former Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday, three days ahead of MLS Cup in Kansas City.

Lalas, considered Major League Soccer royalty, observed MLSE head honcho Tim Leiweke while working under him during his time with AEG, which owns the club dubbed Hollywood F.C.

“I learned a tremendous amount from Tim Leiweke,” Lalas said of his time with the Galaxy.

Enough to offer a bit of insight into how Toronto FC’s top boss might go about courting promised big-name off-season signings, especially after Leiweke more or less guaranteed the Reds will make the post-season in 2014.

“Tim is incredible at selling what he believes in,” Lalas said. “He recognizes that big, bold moves can have big, bold rewards.

“He believes in entertainment and loves entertainment and wants to entertain. Just because you look at sports as entertainment doesn’t mean that you’re not competitive. It doesn’t mean that you can’t love the game and bring emotion and passion to it and want to win.”

Lalas talks about the process of bringing David Beckham to MLS, a courtship he believes could pave the way for a Leiweke-led MLSE to land a world-class target — someone like a Jermain Defoe or Alberto Gilardino, both rumoured winter targets.

“I think (Leiweke) learned a tremendous amount through that (convincing Beckham to join L.A.).

“I think L.A. had to go through that process and all the challenges and the good and the bad times in order to get to that position where they won multiple championships.”

Leiweke’s been there, done that mantra — the way he refers to past success as a way to comfort exhausted TFC fans — is somewhat refreshing.

But the proclamation Toronto FC will soon land one of the biggest signings in the league’s history is quite a statement, one supporters won’t forget if promises aren’t kept.

“(Leiweke) talks a lot without a doubt,” Lalas said. “But he also more often than not will back it up.

“He also understands that in soccer one player does not suffice. That’s why he’s going after multiple big-name players.”

The rest is up to head coach Ryan Nelsen and new general manager Tim Bezbatchenko, who are tasked with bringing in playoff-calibre talent from within the league.

The harsh, but fair, reality is TFC’s roster is still littered with past losers, players who have been a part of consecutive bottom-three seasons.

While recent implants like Steven Caldwell and Matias Laba have helped the cause, the Reds remain 3-4 role players from being playoff contenders.

“TFC’s success is also going to depend heavily on its ability to manage the salary cap and get the most out of those other players,” Lalas said.

He’s right. Those “other players” are arguably just as important as Leiweke’s advertised DPs.

So far, the Reds have neither — something that could soon change.

“(North America) is still a wide open market for individual players to brand themselves,” Lalas explained.

“Living in North America is different from living in places around the world. The lifestyle for your family, the culture, all of that is very appealing to (Designated Players).

“The ability to give that and more, especially in a cosmopolitan and an exciting environment like Toronto, that can be very appealing. Then you wrap it in a way of speaking — a directness but a comfort that Tim just innately has. You’ve got a really good salesman.”

Prepare to be entertained.

LALAS ON FORD: ‘HE’S A LEGEND’

Embattled Toronto mayor Rob Ford has been called a lot of things since he bizarrely admitted to smoking crack cocaine last month.

“Addict” and “criminal,” to name a few.

As if that wasn’t comedy gold, prominent players throughout the sporting landscape have been more than willing to comment on a Toronto politician who’s quickly becoming a global icon.

“Oh my goodness,” former U.S international-turned ESPN soccer analyst Alexi Lalas said ahead of MLS Cup weekend. “(Ford) is a legend.”

The former MLSer clarified.

“Not in a good way,” Lalas continued. “He is becoming legendary for his actions. We see it all the time. He’s the gift that keeps on giving. There’s always something new that’s going on.”

So, there you have it.

Toronto’s off-kilter, news-making mayor is a topic of conversation among some of Major League Soccer’s most influential men.

“We (in the U.S.) often look up to Canada with mutual respect ... and confusion,” Lalas told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday. “I think Canadians like that.”

Now, however, it seems at least some of that confusion is without a doubt deserved.

“It’s a spectacular fireball crashing down,” Lalas said of the Ford administration.

Add that to the list of phrases used to describe municipal politics in the Big Smoke.