So we are over cap like I was thinking: As it stands today, the Rapids' roster is capped with 29 players accounting for the allotted MLS salary budget. And, all six available International slots are also accounted for. Which means, the team will need to create salary space AND either acquire additional International slots via trade, or make a move with the current international players in order to add Henao and Edu. http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/04/how-latest-additions-may-affect-roster
Well you got to like that the Rapids are trying to improve despite constraints. In the past it was like "we're at the cap so we'll just have to live with what we got for the rest of the season".
The roster issues match what I figured out on my blog last night. Interesting note about the salary cap issues though. We can't just trade allocation money or draft picks to get the international slots we need, we need to get some salary off the roster. Janniere, Amarikwa, I'm sorry to tell you you have been eliminated.
interesting stat I just discovered. Tony Cascio has more goals, minutes, shots, and shots on goal in the first 7 games this season than Macoumba Kandji had in his entire Rapids career (counting only league games). Still though, Cascio has a long way to go to achive the club legend status of Kandji.
I am leaning back towards j smith. Both janniere and Q are the lowest paid players as of last year's union salary #s
Yes, since I wrote that I remembered that only the top 20 players count towards the cap, so moving Q and Janniere won't help the salary cap issue. I still think Janniere will be moved/cut to free up his international spot but if we really need salary cap relief players like Smith and Joyce seem the most likely cuts.
Is there any chance JL's new contract gave them any space? I think other sports have done this to create cap room but MLS is pretty secretive, so not sure what odds are
Was reading MLS roster rules and if we go with one or 2 under roster limit then those salaries turn into allocation money to use towards other players. What if we gave JL new contract paying him $170-5K for next four years but dropped him to $150K for this year. Then cut Q and we have cleared about $50-60K* towards salary cap? *cutting a second would add another $40K Salary & Budget: Players occupying roster spots 1-20 count against the club’s 2011 salary budget of $2,675,000, and are referred to collectively as the club’s Salary Budget Players. Roster spots 19 and 20 are not required to be filled, and teams may spread their salary budget across only 18 Salary Budget Players. A minimum salary budget charge will be imputed against a team’s salary budget for each unfilled senior roster slot below 18. Players occupying roster spots 21-30 do not count against the club’s salary budget, and are referred to collectively as the club’s Off-Budget Players (maximum of 10 per team). All Generation adidas players are Off-Budget players. Players occupying roster spots 1-24 will earn at least $42,000 in 2011. Players occupying roster spots 25-30 will earn at least $32,600 in 2011. (read this jumped to $40K for 2012) Clubs may elect to leave up to two of these roster spots (25-30) vacant and use $35,000 for each empty spot as allocation money. Clubs may sign up to two Home Grown Players to Generation adidas contracts.
Considering we're currently 2 over the limit that's going to be difficult. Which 4 would we cut (well 3, since Wallace doesn't count on season-ending IR)?
None of which would open a spot in our top 20 players. I don't think you can start the season counting a player then move him to the 10 spots that don't count.
So you couldn't cut from the bottom, slide the new guys in, and then demote someone out of the top 20? With the international slot and cap considerations, I still place my bet on Smith being on the outs.
I don't think so but even if you can that wasn't Steve's suggestion. He was saying to cut players from the bottom, not replace them, then demote two senior players so they didn't count against the cap. I'm pretty sure the league doesn't allow that king of salary cap twisting.
Actually, I read that differently. Last 2 slots (29-30) do not have to be filled. If team doesn't use these, the salary becomes allocation towards the remaining roster. Sorry, I didn't go pull in his MLS roster rules but it was right there about last 2 slots. Clubs may elect to leave up to two of these roster spots (25-30) vacant and use $35,000* for each empty spot as allocation money. *2011 numbers So with Q (we know from salary last year he was in lower 10 slot)- you save the $40K salary and then (probably prorated) get $35K+ to use as allocation towards someone else.
Ah, I see my confusion. I thought he was referring to the part about not having to fill spots 19 & 20.
One of my favorite soccer blogs (more national then MLS) has interview with Hill. http://theshinguardian.com/2012/05/03/kamani-hill-well-rounding-into-place/
Wow are we lacking in the summer friendly category. Maybe we can get with KC and SL to get someone decent to tour through our 3 cities. If not maybe Colorado Fox's/ Our SG's will agree to freindly against Rapids
Now that Stevenage has made the playoffs and have taken some pressure off Gary Smith, I'm going to go back to half-joking that the Rapids will bring in Stevenage for the Smith-Bravo Football-Futbol grudge match. It will also be a charity event as fans can "bet" money on the Rapids or Smith, with the money being donated to charity in the name of the winner. Ultimately it will fall through when Stevenage asks the Rapids to help cover travel expenses.
Yeah and Pablo will cure himself and play for Boro because Smith is after all a coach that understands adult professionals. I like this game.
Goal actually has a good article on Rapids and their Transition/struggle under OP, comments from several players. http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110...reakdown-colorado-continues-to-adapt-to-a-new The internal struggle between old and new appeared inevitable at the time of Pareja's appointment. The new era dawned with an influx of new players championed by Pareja and no small smattering of holdovers accustomed and suited to a more direct style of play. The two groups have meshed fitfully due in large part to the fact that the combined force still lacks some of the pieces required to implement Pareja's vision in its totality.
On Colfax driving west from Downtown towards Federal, right across from Sports Authority Field, there is a fullsize billboard for the Denver Outlaws of MLL. How come the freaking OUTLAWS can afford such a billboard, but the Rapids can't?