People complaining that we have too many quality players on the bench is crazy. That is exactly the problem that champions have because they have enough personnel to solve any situation that comes up. It does seem like Dom really wants to play the 4-3-3 with a Davis-Rico-OBG combination in the middle. I think a true left winger really gives us a lot of options tactically. You can also slide OBG on the right wing until Cummings/Carr are healthy and play Barnes/Camargo into that other central slot.
Oh, no doubt he isn't the same player before the surgeries. His potential was easily on par with anyone at a decent Premier League club. That's not to say he still isn't a good player --- he is. But he's definitely had to tweak his game. Driver's less likely to blaze by two or three defenders to whip in a cross like he used to. However, he still has good speed and has learned to use it more appropriately and put himself in better spots to cross instead of relying on speed, speed, speed. I think he'll do well in MLS especially with the players the Dynamo have.
Yeah, but championship teams in other leagues don't have a 2.8 million dollar budget. That being said, I think what most people are talking about is how you get your best players on the pitch and it appears difficult. They are talking about signing a guy who complained about his manager for not being utilized correctly and he is coming to our team where there is no clear starting spot for him? Seems to be odd. The only way to play him in a natural position would be either in Brad's spot or as a winger in a 4-3-3. Either of those moves someone to the bench.
Btw there's now a report by Lovell on the official MLS site. I'm on my phone, so not sure if this link will work: http://mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/02/19/dynamo-confirm-pursuit-scottish-winger
Hearts obviously has to do something now as his contract is up in June or they get absolutely nothing. There not getting much as it is this close to the end of the season. The video clips look great - reminds me of Brian Mullan; but clips don't tell the whole story. How old are the clips? Pre-injuries? Alot of injuries it seems. I think the Oasis background music helped to catch Dom's attention . He is projected to play as a left, right outside midfielder or an inside left midfielder. You could put him in front of Corey at LM, Move Brad to attacking Mid with Rico / Moffat as DM and Boniek at right mid. If he still has some pace you could pair him with Bruin up high until Cummings is back.
Just a quick question for all you Dynamo faitful. It's been said/mentioned in the thread an internation spot is becoming available. You guys mentioned trade. Ccould it be that one of your internationals is obtaining his green card opening an international spot?? Omar has his, IIRC, and shouldn't count. Edit: Just saw the article linked above. It doesn't say how an international slot would become open but does imply, from my vantage point, a roster move.
Have not heard any rumblings on that at all. It could be one of our I-Spots we traded away are returning (you can trade them date specific if you choose) but cannot confirm that either. I contend we need to free up money as well; so to me moving a player makes more sense.
I'll re-phrase the question. Why would trading Watson require the other team to give up two int'l slots? Why would we trade him for an int'l slot if getting him off the roster opens up an int'l slot for us?
Right. The article says: Hmmm. We should have 6 slots since we traded away 2 of them (that haven't expired). Right now we have Barnes, Camargo, Boniek Garcia, Taylor, and Watson using 5 of them. Cummings and Moffat have green cards. Who else is using a slot? Jason Johnson?
ah yes, misunderstood what was being understood. like troutseth said above you would have to get an low-paid 'mericun back for it to work. BTW in my opinion with current technology, a knee injury is no longer a death knell for a soccer player. even if he's a step slower he had a few to lose to begin with, also look at the feet and the hips.
Or a draft pick, or allocation money. The problem with trading Watson is that there has to be a team that wants him. If he's the least wanted player here then there probably isn't high demand for him from other teams. And if the other teams know we need to trade him to sign a player then they may try to get more from us than they usually could. If Watson isn't guaranteed then I'd rather cut him than trade Camargo or Barnes.
Ok, but that's not any impediment to trading Watson, right? Another team losing two int'l slots would be, but giving up a draft pick or cheap domestic player is standard trade practice. Edit: I agree with DrL's point above about Watson's trade value. If his contract isn't guaranteed, then I'd just cut him. Free up a bit of salary, even if we don't need to free up his int'l spot.
A few things on making this work: 1) It sound like it is a loan thru June then sign to MLS deal once the window opens, so maybe that could provide some flexibility with dollars and how it is characterized for salary budget purposes, which of course this presumes we are using allocation money to buy down the loan. This may just defer the issue on salary a few months. 2) The international slot deal is always weird how they count guys with green cards and since Johnson is GA does that override his international status? 3) For trades I guess you could look at anyone, but realistically the way to look at one of these crowded house deals is: "who isn't on a guaranteed deal?". I would guess Watson, maybe Barnes, maybe Camargo, the young guys. All of them could probably be cut but Watson would seem to be the easiest one, however he actually represents decent value as a roster player (warts and all). 4) I could see Camargo getting dumped if he isn't on a guaranteed deal. I just sense once you've been in Dom's doghouse/nuclear bunker you never make it all the way out.
It's great that we all have Watson leaving in a trade, but I would be hard pressed to find a single team in MLS that may think Watson will help them win this season or next. I would think Camargo or Barnes would be the only options with trade value. Johnson might as well, but you would then be trading away a player that slipped to you in the draft. That doesn't bode well for the player IMHO. Got to love MLS were we all know the rules, but truthfully no one can tell us the number of international slots currently used by the team or when Houston (if ever) gets back the international slots they previously traded.
How is Camargo's deal structured? The issue is not having a player with Camargo's skill in the doghouse and on the bench. The issue is having a $200k player of any caliber in the doghouse and on the bench. The 1 August 2012 numbers had him $192,000 base $202,000 guaranteed. Would a deal that relatively large not be guaranteed?
Depends on his agent and what was negotiated when he was acquired and then any re-negotiations. MLS veterans (a combination of age and years in the league, but generally guys with 3-4 years MLS experience) have guaranteed deals under the collective bargaining agreement. Other higher-profile players (like Boniek) usually have guarantees of some sort. So most of the Dynamo roster is essentially locked-in in terms of salary budget for the year since I assume everyone on the roster has had their options picked up for 2013 (except the trialists). The only guys that don't have guaranteed deals are likely the lower draft picks, young guys, and the foreign signings with less than 3 years' MLS experience. I presume some foreign guys might have a $180K salary but only a $100K guarantee if the team wants to cut them. Not sure on that. Maybe a better way to put it is at some point in dealing with other teams in MLS it becomes a zero-sum game because so many guys have guarantees you can't trade for scrubs and then cut them just to dump salary.
I think if it's guaranteed or not is only based on how long he's been in the league. Also, he restructured his deal this offseason so I'm assuming he's making less.
Westside Cosmo: GA deals can't override Green Card status, by law. If you have a GC, you're a domestic. If not, you're an international. If JJ sticks (good assumption) then we have no I Slots unless we dump/trade someone or they get a greencard.
My dastardly plan is coming to fruition and Dom is taking my advise to go ElChelis on the Dynamo and turn it into a United Kingdom and Former Colonies club to counter that lower left coast club.