Each team is allowed to buyout (with their own cash) one contract prior to first kick per year with that money spent nor the players salary having any effect on the salary cap. Remember Blaise Nkufo at the flounders?
I think Watson can do well in a different system. Hopefully we end up drafting someone decent with that pick in '15.
Indeed. I hear FCD is implementing the headless chicken formation. Ok, ok, best of luck to him. Sounds like a better situation for everyone.
yup, the homies are being to harsh on J-V Watson. don't get me wrong, he drove me crazy too but he definitely had value as a backup RM and CAM on this team. he performed well as a sub and in CCL. an added bonus is that this is one less potential summer call-up that we have to worry about.
Good luck to Je-Vaughn. He has potential and has always had potential. Hopefully he can finally unleash that potential.
Wait! Woah! We did a deal with FCD? What bizzarro world are we in? The Mayans were right; they just had the date wrong.
Watson salary now was around $100k which i still think is value. I think Watson was solid depth a a good price. He also could quickly cover a ton of ground even in the Houston heat. Guys like that have always been a part of the tie-na-mo grinding out all those games and getting points. You need guys like $100k or less Watson-types to fill out a good roster in MLS. I think getting only that 2015 pick from Dallas hurts the overall value of this signing. I think Watson is worth more than that. Probably tough to find a trading partner for an international player this late in the preseason though.
Value is only what someone is willing to pay. I can't imagine that there was great demand for a 29 year old reserve with potential. Plus Houston had no leverage here. I think the depth is still there, but at a cheaper price. I did like trying to sell Watson as a #10 though. Is that like finding a flawed rock and trying to sell it as a chocolate diamond?
Shoot. Where does this kid go on the field? If we get him, I see Dom using a 4-3-3. I mean if he's really as good as he looks, I don't think he would be spending much time on the bench. If he does, that sucks. We'll just have too good of a team. If he comes to Houston, my best guess is that it's a battle of form between he and Barnes. If Barnes is doing better in practice, he starts in a 4-4-2. If Driver's doing better, he starts as the left forward in a 4-3-3. We already know how versatile the rest of the team is with being able to change formations back and forth. SIDE NOTE: I wonder what Moffat's thinking? In both 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 he's likely absent from starting lineups. But then again, Rico DOES keep getting hurt...
Also interested to see...if Barnes unleashes his potential this season, will he take the #10 jersey? Perhaps he should.
How about this formation if we are in need of goals: Cummings-Bruin -Driver-Barnes Davis----OBG -Rico Ashe-Boswell/Taylor-Sarkodie Makes me want to go grab FIFA and try it out
It does not override his international status. It has more to do with US labor law then any MLS specific goal. You cannot treat green card holders and citizens any differently in terms of employment.
It is tough with international signings. I think some of them are guaranteed by nature of negotiations. You are right in that his contract is not required to be guaranteed.
I pointed out earlier - with this deal your goal is NOT value. Your goal is salary room and and I-Spot. With that in mind getting "anything" is a bonus. They achieved their goal AND got a draft pick. They could have just cut a player. So I actually think it was a great deal.
It's a no brainer. I can't believe they got a 2nd round pick for Watson. Amazing. It's pretty simple honestly. Moffat + Camargo + Rico + Barnes + Davis/OBG out of position = enough cover in central midfield where Watson likely is best suited. With Carr hurt and Colin Clark offloaded in the offseason the depth on the wings consisted solely of Watson who was always so-so as a winger, Ownby, and maybe play an outside back out of position like C. Ashe. So you take Watson out, replace him with Driver and you have better depth on the wings. OBG and Davis may both miss time for national team duty and it's more important to have quality depth there as well. The fact that you got a 2nd round pick for the guy at all is a Christmas miracle as far as I am concerned. Watson is capable of being a better player, but he has never put it all together in two years here. He has had moments, but those moments were too few and too far between. Can he go on and do much better in Dallas? Sure. But let's not pretend were losing a significant piece of the puzzle here or that the benefits don't outweigh the downside.
I know that we didn't think much of Watson, and he couldn't beat out OBG, and Davis for a spot, but he still helped the team get a bunch of results last season. I think that there are teams that need his stamina and hard work.
yup, that's all i'm saying. i'm not saying it was a bad deal, i'm saying he had value. it seems the mob always tries to pin all the Dynamos troubles on 1 scapegoat (see Oduro, Ale Moreno, NYRB play-off game Wade Barrett) while other fan favorites get free passes (Danny Cruz, Kelly Gray). when if you break it down it usually the free passes that are truly hurting the team results.
So back to Driver, which would appear to be the reason for this trade. I cannot fathom this guy coming here to provide depth. He still has hope of playing for Scotland and has been in a public fight with his manager over playing time. Given that, if Dom wants him on the pitch, I think you have to go with a 4-3-3 type formation. Offensive formation but leaves Rico out Driver ----- Bruin ------ Cummings Davis ----- Barnes ------OBG Ashe --- Boswell - Taylor - Sarkodie ---Hall---- Defensive but leaves Barnes out Driver ----- Bruin ------ Cummings Davis ----- Rico------OBG Ashe --- Boswell - Taylor - Sarkodie ---Hall---- I think the second is most likely which leaves Barnes out. Of course, the above we likely won't see right away due to injuries, but come the end of April that looks to be our two best lineups.