Nothing really that you haven't already heard. Beckham gone, Donovan also possibly gone, Omar might get interest from abroad. Says we are looking primarily for a DP with marketing potential to the Latino market. Which is why although Lampard has expressed interest, last month apparently we made overtures to Ronaldinho before he resigned down in Brazil and that now we are pursuing Kaka. And then mentions in passing that we are also trying to work a deal with Chivas to get Dan Kennedy.
Magee would need some abroad offers to help leverage his negotiating with MLS. He was at about $125K this season, I wouldn't complain if that went up to $175K, especially if we can get Buddle's $225K off the books. Not sure what Chad Barrett's situation is with his contract since his loan is now up, hopefully it was the last year of that contract. I wonder how much Sao Paulo would want permanently for us to take Juninho?
This. Blow the team up. Keep the kids and Robbie. Rebuild. Because it's cool and all to be called the "Yankees of MLS," (Thanks, Alexi!) but we don't really want to be the "Yankees of MLS." Because championships every 8 or 9 years interspersed with lots of underperforming is suck.
Kennedy would be a great upgrade over Saunders, especially if we could squeeze a season, or half a season more out of Omar to help mentor Tommy. I don’t see Meyer as a like for like replacement, but I think he has the potential to be a top quality MLS defender. Having Kennedy in the net would make that transition a little safer.
TWSN contract says we must have 3 DP's at all times... must keep Magee. Tommy meyer/ AJ isnt a bad CB pairing, cause I think Omar is gone... Im hopeful for kaka, but can say with certainty I dont want fat frank. If we retain juni and Magee with Keane and swap meyer for omar in back line of dominance I still love our chances to win again...
I'm a huge AJDLG fan, but I'm not sold on him being able to work as a central defender that doesn't include Gonzilla on it. Omar was just so dominate in the air that it compensated for AJ's big weakness, and AJ's strong positioning and reading of the game helped mask Omar's one weakness (although that weakness is quickly diminishing). But can AJ work when his partner is a good all-around defender (like a Tommy Meyer) but not a dominate aerial presence? I don't know the answer to that - I'm just worried that losing Omar Gonzalez also decreases AJ's effectiveness as a central defender...
Yes, AJ + Meyer is untested and not likely to work day in and day out. They might but I wouldn't want to count on it. If we lose Gonzo we need to sign a good central defender, if only for depth. We saw this year how pitiful we were when Gonzo went down. Bocanegra or someone of that quality would be ideal, dreaming I know. I'm sure Bruce learned from his mistake this year - Buddle was excess on offense, and we really needed another quality CD. Perhaps Leonardo might come out of his two year injury?
If Beckham is the only thing we lose this off season, offer his DP slot to Omar then they might as well put a 5th star on our jersey now. I don't think were out of Omar's future just yet. Also look at all the unproven young talent we have. (walker, garcia, keat, mcbean, villareal) Wonder if the club will decide to go young or try to continue to ride the success of the established players for another year or two. They also serve as trade bait for a player like Dan kennedy Im not ready to write off Budson yet, but he may be the piece to try and get another CB in here. All that young talent and yet no real depth at CB still (as mentioned previously) Also not really sure if Wilhemmson will be given a contract... maybe not a big enough sample size, but for me I dont think he's what we need, especially if Donovan ends up leaving. im just grateful there is no expansion draft this season Anyone here remember Cazumba? part of the Sao Paulo trio... wonder if he could be brought back... thats a player I think could develop into the attacking wide guy we thought Chippen would be
By Kevin Baxter December 2, 2012, 8:05 p.m. The Galaxy celebrated Saturday's MLS Cup victory deep into Sunday morning. But when Coach Bruce Arena and Tim Leiweke, the team's chief executive, awoke later that day, the countless champagne toasts weren't the only things that had their heads spinning. Because after winning consecutive league titles with David Beckham and Landon Donovan, the team must now figure out a way to win without one and possibly both players. "There's little doubt in my mind that we're going to have some transition here," said Leiweke, president of AEG, the global sports and entertainment company that owns the Galaxy. "We'll play it out, see what happens. But you make good decisions by being prepared." Which is why Leiweke and Arena began talking over off-season scenarios even before the Galaxy began its victorious playoff run. They started preparing for Beckham's MLS retirement during the summer, weeks before it was announced publicly. What Donovan will do is less certain; the player, who has a year left on his contract, says he doesn't know whether he'll play next season. That leaves the team with one, maybe two, designated player spots — exemptions to the league's frugal salary cap that allow teams to sign big-name stars to MLS contracts — and Leiweke has been hard at work on filling those. Last month, the Galaxy was in talks with former FIFA world player of the year Ronaldinho, but last week the 32-year-old signed a contract extension with his Brazilian club, Atletico Mineiro. So Leiweke has turned his attention to Kaka, another former world player of the year from Brazil who currently plays for Real Madrid. Chelsea's Frank Lampard has also reached out to the Galaxy, but Leiweke said the team's new contract with Time Warner Cable and its Spanish-language channel make the signing of a Latin American player a priority. "Look, if Wayne Rooney wants to come, we'll make an exception. But the reality for us right now, our thinking, is … iconic players that have a special relationship with the Hispanic community," he said. The Galaxy's third designated player, striker Robbie Keane, is under contract for two more seasons with an option that could keep him here through 2015. But squeezing the rest of the roster within the league's complicated salary budget of roughly $4 million for next season will be tough. Midfielders Mike Magee and Juninho — on loan from Sao Paulo — will be out of contract at the end of the year, as will goalkeeper Josh Saunders, whose future with the team is further clouded by the Galaxy's interest in trading for Chivas USA keeper Dan Kennedy. The entire backline of Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant and Sean Franklin is signed for another year, although the team expects Gonzalez, the MLS Cup most valuable player, to draw loan interest from several European clubs. Midfielder Marcelo Sarvas and forward Edson Buddle are also signed, and midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson has an option for next season that may prove too expensive for the Galaxy to pick up. Unlike other pro leagues, MLS' strict salary rules do not allow teams to pay a tax for violating the payroll cap. "My guess is we're going to have a lot of questions," Arena said. "It's never smooth, although you'd like it to be. There's always another issue that comes along and makes things difficult. And I'm sure we're going to have it again this year." The Galaxy will hold a public victory celebration Monday at 7 p.m. in the Home Depot Center's tennis stadium. The entire roster, including Beckham and Donovan, is expected to participate.
This is where The Cadaver and probably most others will want to murderize me -- and that's entirely appropriate: Because I would actually like to see Omar to go abroad and play at the highest level and dominate. He's helped us lift back to back Cups. He's already an LA legend. But even though this is the LA forum, I'll speak as a US supporter and say publicly that I'm now OK with him going to Europe. I want him to be challenged by the world's best so that he can hoist the US defense on his back and stop the rot. I still want to throw-up every time I think of those g/dam early goals coughed up by the US in South Africa. Obviously he's not there yet. But I think he has the potential and could raise to the level of a Puyol or Kompany or Cannavaro. And now's the time to get that experience. Feel free to engage in full murderization mode.
I don't either. Especially if he's hoping to get called up to the National Team for the hex. Better here and in camp than going off and getting a "learning experience" on some European bench.
I would love to tap Sao Paulo for a couple more high quality youngsters. It worked the first time and would love for Juninho to go down there and campaign for us.
Okay ill go first.. 1.) He is not a LA legend , he is a great talent tho. 2.) Patience is a virtue , just because he is that damn good doesnt mean he will be seeing alot of playing time in Europe, its a make u or break you continent... 3.) We need CCL title now!!!!! Have a good day...
I don't see why you think Landon is most likely gone, I think it's pretty 50/50 right now. Omar I hope stays 1 last year but this is a nice exit time for him and I feel better about it since Meyer looks very promising. As I've said before: The key to 2013 is Juninho, he is VITAL.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Brad Friedel.... he is done at Tottenham and will be a great short term replacement if we can bring Kennedy to learn from him
I'll just say I lived in Naples when Cannavaro came through. Gonzo is good but Cannavaro truly was on another level. In training Maradona used to request Cannavaro mark him because he was so good. Gonzo is good but he has a lot to learn before he can really compete on a top club in a top league. I agree though that for the sake of the USMNT he should probably go. From the Galaxy's perspective we need to keep him. I'm not in favor of offering him DP money though, if we're going to offer a defender a DP contract there are more developed options out there that we might be able to entice if we offer the money.
I doubt Friedel's ego would allow him to take an MLS salary. We've won back to back cups with Josh Saunders, I don't think its a DP worthy position...
Not a fan of the race based selection criteria hinted at by Lieweke. We've certainly been down that road before. Quality of player should be the most important factor. I think losing Omar would be the biggest blow to getting off to a decent start next season. If he has only one year left on his contract (and it seems like a foregone conclusion that he won't sign an extension as he wants to go to Europe) then the team might be forced into selling him sooner rather then later to get some value out of him. Too bad we will be entering the CCL quarterfinals as a shell of the team that made it to that level.
I'm hoping Omar can negotiate a deal to join a Euro side come summer. That way he can finish out the 2011 CCL and get a fresh start with a newly promoted or solid mid-table team in a good league. His winter transfer options are going to be desperate sides trying to avoid relegation since he's not a proven quantity in Europe to go to someone pushing for silverware. I could see Landon just laying out until a summer transfer since he's pretty much got an open invitation from Everton. Not ideal for the Galaxy but sort of my guess of how this is going to play out.
I fully take your point. But he's got to start now. I heart the shit out of Cannavaro. He was 20 when started at Napoli and he was 29 when he was arguably at his peak, when Inter bought him from Parma. Omar's 24. Tick. Tick. Tick. And to esco and others who say he's not an LA legend yet -- I respect your point and simply, and heartily, disagree. We have 4 Cups. He's won 2 of them. Back-to-Back. I will strain civility by obnoxiously quoting my original post: 2009 -- MLS Cup Runner Up 2010 -- Supporters' Shield 2011 -- Cup / Shield Double 2012 -- MLS Cup That just so happens to coincide exactly with Omar's career. Speaking of which: 2009 -- MLS Rookie of the Year 2011 -- MLS Defender of the Year 2010, 2011 -- MLS Best XI of the Year 2012 -- MLS Cup MVP And who here does not know exactly when our shitstorm of a season this year turned around and headed toward glory? Yes, 4 years is a very short time. But, for me, certainly long enough to never be forgotten. Omar's Comin, Yo.....
Some news today on who we've waived (declined to pick up options) on: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...de-guzman-segares-among-re-entry-process-list LA Barrett, Chad Option Declined LA Boyens, Andrew Option Declined LA Jordan, Bryan Option Declined LA Nakazawa, Kyle Option Declined LA Noonan, Pat Option Declined LA Perk, Brian Option Declined No real surprises here. I think Perk may have a future but I seem to recall he had a larger contract then you'd expect so he may have to renegotiate down now that he is no longer GA. As for the available list, is Calif done? I wouldn't mind the depth in central defense if he was even 85% of what he once was.