Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Marta's Swedish baggage is staying in Sweden this season. I'm no fan of Nogueira but at least she's uninjured and ready to go, unlike Enyeart (who I think Sinclair would appreciate playing with). I'd like Dallstream to come, but I'm sure I can't have my cake and eat it too.
Personally, I'd love Miyama, and to make room get rid of Chapman. Another countrywoman to bring out the best in Arakawa (I still think she is a great player). Noguiera is the best of the college draftees, but I think this team is already very young and experience is needed. Miyama brings that. Don't be surprised to find Bosio in camp as a free agent looking for a team since she played college in the area.
Frisk signed with a Swedish team a while back. LA wouldn't have been able to sign the "new" internationals otherwise. FCGP would have to cut an international in order to sign any of Marta, Rydahl Bukh, Paaske-Sörensen, Scasna, or Miyama. Now, if Arakawa is coming back, it might be of interest to bring Miyama to the team. Although, there will be a great bit of temptation on the part of many to get Marta. But that contract. If Arakawa & Chapman are cut, then you might really consider Rydahl Bukh and Paaske-Sörensen. But more likely at no. 3, you go with Bock or Washington. Do you really think Montoya has the coaching chops to keep a fire lit under Nogueira? Really? If he can't get Weimer on the field... I'm a UNC fan and I'm a fan of hers but I don't know that Montoya has that ability.
It may be that were Nogueira to come to FCGP that Brandi & Gulbrandsen do the motivational part, as would being on the same team w/ another young gun in O'Hara. But I just don't think she fits with your team.
Montoya is aware of Nogueira's motivational problems--I think he intimated as such in the interview--but he probably thinks her talent is too great to pass up.
I'm surprised you guys haven't mentioned them gettin their dane back? They gave LA the rights to Rydahl buk so maybe their going after her. The waiving of Arakawa( a good one by the way) gives more options to one of those free internationals.
Would love to have Rydahl but is she signed? I don't know if a team wants to waste a pick on a player that still has to be signed.
Very interesting. Thanks. Marta? FYI, posters who would know (see rivalry forum) have indicated that Rydahl Bukh and Paaske-Sörenson have always managed to play on the same club team, regardless of which club team.
No, but I mean if she had signed with the Sol, then I think there is a pretty good chance she would play here so i don't think it would be too difficult and who knows maybe they've already had contact with eachother. The waiving of Arakawa to me implies they plan on signing one of them. But if it's like Kool-aide has said with them always playing together maybe they are going for Scasna or Miyama.
Do you think FCGP would go for Marta? Or do you think one of the two teams ahead of FCGP in the dispersal draft would want to sign Marta first?
I can't see the Pride signing her. What hurts them a lot is being wayyyyyy on the west coast and having to travel to the east everytime, that can't be too cheap. Add Marta's salary to that and they would be pushing not to fold just like the Sol. I don't see Philly trying to sign Marta, but Atlanta I am curious about. I think their priority is defense but who knows. I think their backline is pretty weak and that would be my focus, signing Boxx or Cox. Leblanc is also a possibility. I would say Atlanta takes one of those 3 first. I really don't see Marta fitting on any team. LA had the major sponsor. Chicago has Cristiane. They had to get rid of Tarpley to most likely get her back. There is no way they have the money for Marta. If any team takes her I would say it's Atlanta, I just don't see any other possibilities. St. Louis maybe with Barcellos but I don't think they have the money, it would require a lower salary and I don't see Marta doing that.
FreeKicks, that makes sense. I guess there are just a ton of variables and us fans likely know less than a quarter of them
So, a couple new (or at least new to me) bits of information. First, the Sky Blue FC GM is quoted as saying that Marta is not leaving WPS. Second, according to this ESPN article, all three of LA's new international players (Rydahl Bukh, Paaske-Sorensen, Scasna) are actually signed to contracts. If both of the above are true, it means -- by my calculations, at least -- that there will be 15 solid players available in the dispersal draft. Since we pick 3rd and 14th, we should end up with two good players. Here's how I get to 15: From the draft: 1. Nikki Washington 2. Casey Nogueira 3. Kiersten Dallstream 4. Michelle Enyeart International players: 5. Marta 6. Miyama 7. Scasna 8. Rydahl Bukh 9. Paaske-Sorensen Other roster players: 10. Boxx 11. Cox 12. Bock 13. DiMartino 14. LeBlanc 15. Makoski I think it's safe to say that any of the above 15 could easily make our roster if we had their rights. The only thing that could go wrong would be if the newly-signed internationals decided they did not want to come to WPS if they didn't get to play for LA *and* they had something in their respective contracts that allowed them to void the deal. If all 3 of them, or just 2 of the 3, decided not to come to WPS, we'd miss out on a can't miss player with our 14th pick, but otherwise we appear to be in good shape. Whatever happens, the competition for roster spots is going to be unbelievable.
Dealing for Marta If Marta wants to continue in the WPS she has an interest in negotiating a deal with the league. Clearly she is currently the one player that can draw a big crowd. At each game in which she plays the league can measure the difference between the average number of tickets sold and the number sold with Marta. She could be offered a payment (say $10.00) for each the first 500 seats above the average. These are the seats that she has, in effect, sold. Suppose that she averaged 500 sets per game over 21 games. That would yield her a bonus of just over $100,000. (The formula for the home games could be the average of the number of tickets that she has sold at the away games.) This would both incentivize Marta and give the home team an incentive to go over the 500 ticket threshold where thy would be collecting the entire extra revenue. At least that is what I would be demanding as Marta's agent. And if not Marta I would pick Boxx over Mayama but either would be superb. By the way can anyone tell me if the National team players on the Sol will still have a minimum salary of $40,000. At that price not all of them might be worth signing. And what do we know about the salaries that the International players are commanding. Presumably FC Gold Pride had to offer a lot to Abily.
Getting Marta would be great, but I don't see how the owners can pull it off considering all the financial worries the team has said they have. I don't think any of the recent draftees of the SOL will make this team any better than they already are. Too many people think rookies make a difference. History tells otherwise. It's extremely rare that rookies have much of an impact and this team is already depending upon a lot of first year players. I don't think Boxx helps this team either. She is too slow and Gold Pride was killed last year because of lack of team speed. Yes, the new additions have helped that, but not enough for me to take Boxx over Miyami. I'm also not convinced the team has settled it's outside defender issues so Cox might be a good choice. She's also from NorCal which might make her easier to get.
Why do people think she's a free agent and therefore able to freely negotiate w/ any and all comers? Did she not sign a multi-year deal prior to last season? Yes, she did. Said contract should still be in place regardless of which WPS team ends up w/ her on their roster.
I think maybe some of our messaging was not clear. We don't have financial worries. Rather we are trying to create a clear path for growth and success. Doing that requires us to make smart business decisions - when we spend money we want to get a return. SCU was more expensive than the value we received- no training facilities, no access to the field except gameday, and last on the pecking order for scheduling. CSUEB gives us those opportunities plus a location closer to the largest girls clubs in the Bay Area. And although youth soccer is not the only demo we want to go after, we can't ignore it either. I always tell people who want to compare our spending to the WUSA that it doesn't matter how much I cut in expenses, how lean I make the organization, we cannot make it unless people come to the games. Last year was disappointing to us in attendance. We can do better than that, and hope that if anything, the team we are assembling will bring people out. I want the Pride to be the toughest ticket in town and with 5K seats, we may be able to do that - it's really up to soccer fans to decide if we are worth having around. And yes, we did waive Arakawa on Friday. Why? My lips are sealed. Salary cap issues? Int'l signing? LA Sol WNT player...oh the list of possibilities is endless. You'll have to wait, like everyone else. Sorry. Teams have until Monday at 5pm to request Arakawa's rights, otherwise she becomes a free agent. We hope someone picks her up - we would love to have her remain in the WPS.
I think your team is headed in the right direction, I love the lineup you guys have established so far as well as signing two Stanford players which should boost your crowd a little bit. I got the fingers crossed you get one of the Danes.
If we end up drafting one of the Sol's recent draftees, I don't think it will be done with the expectation that the new player will suddenly become our star. All that is required to make the roster is to be better than our 18th-best player. Even with our new signings and our promising draft, I think Nogueira, Washington, Dallstream, and Enyeart are all likely to be better than our 18th-best player.
Let me put my comment a different way.... I don't want Marta if it means the team goes under next year. Not worth it. The WUSA didn't understand this and look what happened.
I disagree with you in this instance. I think that maybe Marta could be the boost this team needs to get people in the seats, even if it comes with a price. Price that none of us know at the moment and maybe even after she gets picked by another team might remain secret due to contractual obligations. We all know that all teams lost money last year. Does that mean that if they loose money this year such team is going to fold? I hope not, and would expect that as in any business, they had budgeted possible loses for a period of time knowing that not every business brings revenue in year one, I'm sure that was part of the business model the ownership had when decided to invest in the team and I'm confident they have a contingency plan. If anything, I would venture to say that even with the disapointing numbers on ticket sales, the Pride is less worried about financial problems now than last year. We've all seen the changes happening on the team, the change on stadium, the more aggressive but willing to work with you sales team; it feels like a different model and I like it. Blue Coat stock is also doing way better than this time last year having gained almost three times its value since last January,so I'm sure that it most help the Pride in someway that their owner, Brian NeSmith is doing better on this day job as CEO of Blue Coat. There is only a limited number of things you can do to excite fans and try to get them invested on your team. Look at what is happening on our microcosmos here in Bigsoccer regarding the supporter's group thread, um, nothing since the latest posts are dedicated to discuss field surface rather than building a supporters group. (now there is no excuse that management is unaccessible since even the GM posted and offered to support the group) If you are the decision maker on the team, what do you do? try to get Marta and help you close that gap on ticket sales? Is it a calculated risk? Is it worth to spend money hoping that she becomes the catalyst that puts this team in the map once and for all? Whoever gets Marta will benefit from the extra media coverage and I wouldn't mind if that team is the Pride. I'm not saying that we need to get her at all costs, but I wouldn't say no to her just because she has this rumored 500K tag attached to her.
