Fans, each time a Fire goal keeper gets a green card Aldi will provide everyone in attendance with a free gallon of milk.
Yeah, but since the green card came after the expiration date (international transfer window), the coupon is only good for spoiled milk. Don't cry, be grateful Dandy is giving you ungrateful, unappreciative, hateful bastards even THAT!
At least. We signed Alex less than two months after Tornaghi. Hopefully his GC is next. That would leave just Anangono, Rios, Atouba, and Francis.
Atouba is worth it, since I see him as a prospect. He's not quite 21... Francis only makes sense if we think he is close to breaking through. As in, possibly replacing Sega next year. If we plan on sticking with Sega, it doesn't make sense to have Francis
Well, might as well get started. I'm drunk but still a bit level-headed. Keep: Johnson Berry Larentowicz and/or Rios Magee Amerikwa Probably keep (unless we can find someone better): Anibaba Duka Nyarko Anangono Maybe keep: Tornaghi Kann (although I could not care less either way) Anibaba Lindpere (although I doubt he wants to stay) Paladini (cheap and versatile) Alex (cheap and versatile) Pineda (it would be nice to see if he is worth anything) Keep, but only if we can restructure his contract: Rolfe (I am an old softie) Segares (see Rolfe) Gone, gone, gone Atouba (unless we plan to use him) Francis (see Atouba) Soumare (not good and way too expensive) Kinney (unless he can play) Pause Thompson Videira King Santos
Why did we even even give a contract to Pineda if we were never going to play the kid.... Anyways the only players I want to keep next year are, Magee, Johnson, Berry, Anibaba, Nyarko, Alex(only if he comes off the bench)....i'd love to say Rolfe as well but he just hasn't done much this year.
Keep: Johnson Berry Larentowicz Rios Magee Amerikwa (he's on league minimum right now. And he looks better than Rolfe. That says everything) Anibaba (made into a back up) Duka Nyarko Anangono (thin ice) Tornaghi Alex Atouba (he's cheap and young, why not?) Maybe Keep Lindpere (we don't really need him, so maybe we can get a fullback for him) Kann (3rd keepers are a dime a dozen, I don't care who ours is) Paladini (more trade bait, but if nobody bites, he can stay) Pineda (I don't see what he's worth, but hey, maybe somebody does) Soumare (sure he's not great, but if we don't have to pay his whole salary, continuity might be worth it at least in the short run. Especially since I want two new fullbacks) Jumper (we need to assess now if he is a legit option at either fullback or centerback. if so, keep him) Gone, gone, gone Rolfe (he's one of our highest paid players right now. And he looks worse than Quincy. That says everything) Segares (I could outrun him with one leg tied behind my back) Francis (unless he has a green card coming through, I don't see the point) Kinney (not worth the risk) Pause (I'm sure there's some office chair with his name on it somewhere) Thompson (He's a red card risk even when he's not named to the squad) Videira (who?) King (who?) Santos (why did we sign him?) Bone (why did we re-sign him?) Add Starting LB (Jumper? Francis?) Starting RB Backup CB (to be worked in slowly behind Soumare. Jumper? Anibaba?) Attacking player of some sort (DP)
I still think we need a striker or an improvement in central midfield to help our attack but I'm good with our core. I say that knowing full well that any position could be upgraded as all spots from Leon on down should always be revisited if an opportunity arises.
I am not sure how many more years we will keep Johnson, he does make mistakes so that may be the hope we have that his agent won't be getting too many offers from overseas, I believe he will be up for a new contract this summer or next, we will have to wait and see what are his demands or his offers. Nyarko "inconsistency” is also a bit of a blessing, I doubt there will be tons of interest from him outside some Scandinavian / lower level European leagues, so even when his CAP hit seems high, when Nyarko is on he can be our most dangerous creative player. Hopefully Magee will become our Wondoloski (spell?) Rios is on loan with option to buy, he makes DP money, Depending on the asking price I would like the FIRE to buy him, especially if Pause does not take a pay cut and leaves/retires. He could be our Nyarko on the left side, man if both would always play at their full capabilities, we could be really dangerous. Spend low DP money on a CB? or some beteran cheap CB, I think that competition would be good. IMO let's get a real Right Back (and/or draft one) and move Anibaba back to CB, let the CB's compete and play the best 2, whom ever they happen to be. Segares got a new contract after he cameback and already took a pay cut, we also have nobody else at LB, I would not let go of Segares with out a replacement, we would not want Anibaba part 2 at left back (Jumper is no LB). I would ad Santos to the list, actually I don't even know if he is still with the team. Draft can be good for depth. Maybe and maybe the Francis guy can step up and out play Segares. I wanted to reply here because it was not really optimistic.
Some good news: Jeff Crandall @JefeCrandall1m @DFBJeff Anangono is a DP this year by virtue of his transfer fee, though. He won't be one next year.
I agree with almost everything on your list, Salvatore. Few tweaks: Gone - Alex and JLA Need immediately: #1: New tactics #2: CAM (this should be a big time DP) #3: LB #4: Depth at CB (That Elias Vasquez kid maybe to start with) #5: A good Winger (Another possible DP) While you're out there, can you pick up: #1: Quality RB or someone who can challenge for some starts #2: A CM whos more creative than defensive
It can be more than that. If we are resigned to our status as small market minnow that won't compete for the top players that come here in their early 30s, then the draft has to do more than supply depth. Fellow minnow, SKC, currently has drafted players, Chance Myers (great right back), Matt Besler (great center back and Nats starter), C.J. Sapong (better than the parade of strikers we have had over the same period), Dom Dwyer (promising young striker getting more time and more goals), Graham Zusi (Nats starter and can play that CAM we so desperately need or out wide) and Teal Bunbury (a guy I really like but who has had some injuries). Recently departed SKC draft picks include Roger Espinoza (at Wigan now), Davey Arnaud and Jack Jewsbury. Edit -- Probably should have included Yura Movsisyan who KC took out of Pasadena City College with the 4th overall pick and is now with Spartak Moscow.
For the record, CHV and TFC traded their top 5 picks for the likes of a Farfan and some other rando I cant recall right now. You can still get early first round picks for the equivalent of warm bodies and a smattering of allocation money/intl spots (if you dont think you need them). 2 picks in the top (similar to PHI and VAN this year) would be just what we need....in theory...to work on quality depth. No problem signing top college CB/CM types and the occasional Will Bruin.
This is good. His $100k or so salary is totally reasonable. We had people making twice that sitting on the bench this year. Also, if Frank or his replacement get around to adjusting tactically for games, he presents a big man option that we don't have otherwise.
Lindpere suggests he's not coming back: http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/leagues/mls2.php?article_id=35506
Just had the thought, "well at least we'll have decent draft position" We'll pick 8th in the first round, which will be decent enough. We won't pick at all in the second (Baky trade) or the third (Amarikwa trade) round. We'll pick 8th again in the fourth round....I bet that will get us a real star So much for building through the draft....
Move along and make room for Pineda. I like Lindpere a lot but if he demands 30 games then, well, that can't necessarily happen.