Has anyone considered that a Superstar DP is just not in the cards for us because of the philosophy of this team? What I see, and what has been reported is that this is an all for one and one for all team in which no individual is more important than the whole. If you don't buy into that then there's no space in the locker room for your kit. I think we've seen in a couple of years ago with Landin. Comparing the interaction with our current DP there is a huge difference - Boniek is part of the team, it really didn't seem like Landin ever bought into that. Other players who did not buy into the team concept fairly quickly were given the opportunity to move on.
I think this is a fair point, although should rumors be true we have indeed gone after a few big names and been unable to land them. I think it is harder then people think to get the "big names." If they are ready for MLS, they want NY and LA. If they aren't ready, you have to convince them to come to MLS first, then convince them they don't need NY and LA to make marketing money. tough sell. That is why the mid level DPs are better finds.
I'm not sure that we need another DP or two who are superstars. We just need another player or two of that quality level. We sometimes use the term DP to refer to some big name star. But a DP doesn't have to be a big name, big drama star -- as Boniek demonstrates. We need more quality, which may come at a DP price. But that doesn't automatically require a big name star. I can see Dom just not wanting to deal with the "hurricane", as Lalas describes it, that a mega-name superstar like Beckham necessarily involves. Bruce Arena has managed the various star dramas over at FC Hollywood, but it's probably not something that most people want. I hope Arena writes a book about his adventures after he retires. Should be interesting reading.
^^^ exactly. i feel some in our fanbase need a 'name' to be validated as a football team. i don't need Kaka in order to feel like we're a super club. this team can be dead last in the standings and it would still be a super club to me. i prefer players that want to be here and play their asses off for Dom, their teammates and us the fans.
Agree 100%. I will point out that for some it isn't the validation they want, but the comfort in knowing that should Dom find the player he wants, cost will not be the determining factor in the decision. I am not sure it is, but there is little empirical evidence to prove that ownership will spend what is needed (is the issue I believe).
It would be nice to know that if we found, say, a DP striker, say, just to draw a random name, Carlos Darwin Quintero, and we knew he, Santos and Dom were all down with it, that AEG et al wouldn't shitcan the deal because of money. As of right now, it certainly feels that way, rightly or not.
Absolutely right about this, we love our team no matter what. I do want to add though that I highly doubt we'll ever be dead last in the standings with the coach we have. We've scratched our heads before at some of his decisions but Kinnear is amazing. I hope we never ever lose him and hope that he can stay here until the end of his career.
This is my only real issue and what I don't have confidence in right now. If you read any of the MLS Cup coverage there was an article with Anschultz talking about how they're working on Kaka and have been talking with Lampard because the Galaxy have an open DP spot to be filled. And at the end of the article he says something to the effect of, "oh, and we love the Dynamo too and are glad we didn't sell them." I don't get the feeling he's working the same way to fill either of our DP spots that's been open for the last three seasons.
Agreed. But I am not sure that is AEG (actually I am pretty sure it isn't AEG.) They aren't looking because the other two owners won't agree - perhaps? Fact is, the model we have had for the past few years is likely to stay in place for at least the next two. As others have pointed out, I am fine with that provided we can find another OBG with the money we do have laying around. Imagine some defensive depth and an OBG quality striker up top around this current core. I am not sure I need more than that.
Totally agree, for me it's more them showing the willingness to spend the money rather than a need for a Beckham or Keane. I'd take OBG #2 in a heartbeat.
Yeah and I don't disagree that the willingness to spend 3-5 million is likely not there, or at least very minimal. I just have a different view of who the problem is in that regard. And personally, I don't care all that much if we do other than it may raise our national exposure.
Other than a Mexican star (like Chicharito, Blanco, etc.), no other signable DP is going to move the financial needle to justify the investment payback in this market (Messi ain't coming). So spending big money on a DP is a purely soccer decision in terms of how much cash ownership is willing to blow for the on-field product, knowing the off-field payback isn't there. Which is why I don't see us ever getting the $3-$5M DP here. I'm on board with Boniek-type deals which seem to fit us better. But don't anyone tell me you wouldn't want Robbie Keane up front.
Many have rightly pointed out, and I happen to agree with, that "name," "quality," and "need," don't necessarily go hand in hand. Boniek Garcia isn't a "name," at least from a European perspective, but he checked the "quality" and "need" boxes for the Dynamo and it paid off big time for us. We don't want any "big time Charlie's" here (Lee Carsley quoted as saying that while at Everton) that upset the dressing room or don't fit into what Kinnear is trying to do. But certainly there are some players out there who would fit all three categories and could do the job for us. I'd like to see us use that type of money on an out and out striker to partner with Bruin and Carr.
This was very heavily eluded to me at one time from someone about as high up as you can get. You speak the truth.
KaKa and Lampard with DosSantos as a backup are the DP options that the LA Gals are looking at. If DosSantos ends up a DP for LA it will be proof that AEG won't spend for the Dynamo. Dynamo FO as much as admitted trying to go for him, and if he goes to LA it will be because of money, which means they low-balled him when Houston was interested, and might indicate the reason for the response that we got from the DosSantos camp.
Listen, and I mean this. I don't get too fired up about ownership issues and the like because I know the business. However, if GDS ends up in LA - I had better hear from Dom that he didn't want him any longer else I will be about finished with the league.
Kaká may have gotten tougher to sign recently. He's now the all-time leading Brazilian scorer in the UEFA CL.