Fire ownership: We'd spend Keane money for right DP

Maybe they'll be able to sign by using allocation money to buy down his contract so he doesn't count as a DP.

 

Why even bring this up? Clearly, Chicago would be an unattractive city for any Polish guy looking to move to the US.

 

More likely, they will buy down Omar's contract or the league will help them sign Klose. If you're willing to spend and go after a player like Klose, we'll help you out. If that's how Dollar would use our allocation, nobody would have a problem with it.

 

If Klose signs with MLS and NOT with the Fire, I may truly be done with this team, cancel my season tickets and just give the f*ck up.
It would break my heart, but I think I would do it.

 

Clearly he wouldn't feel comfortable in a city that has the largest population of Polish people in the world outside of Warsaw.
Which is strange seeing Chicago isn't a city Europeans want to come to.

 

Yes, I look mainly Asian or Hispanic but my last name is Gedwill which really throws people off.

 

I hear ya.

but...

Tha L.A. talk may be just a bit of gamesmanship on the part of his agent.

If Klose was openly talking about the sport in the USA, or MLS, etc than yeah, there aren't too many reasons I can see for the Fire not to pursue him.

 

Maybe. But the fact that it is LA that is used as the bait is what is galling. We should be the one's to own the conversation on Central European players coming to MLS.

 

This.

Not to mention, crazy things happen when you actually . . . you know . . . try. Let's say he (or any good player) starts out thinking a Chicago offer would be a pawn in a game. He flies over to check us out and to show the euro team he is really serious about MLS. "Wow. Chicago is actually a great place. I can go to dinner at fantastic restaurants with my family and not get mobbed by hundreds of fans or get chased by cameras. I can play my last few years in a solid league with great stadiums and decent pay. I can lease an apartment for me and my family at Lake Point Tower with a sick view of the city and lake. Hmmmmm."

Much, much, much crazier things have happened. Of course, the "decent pay" thing might be an issue here.

 

Sorry but this is the Chicago Fire message boards where that kind of stuff doesn't exist. You know, nonsense. But we can take that "nonsense" out of context and use it to our advantage when posting about rumors that also have a 35 year old striker linked to Arsenal.

 

Well, in the mind of many (most), LA = MLS and has been since Beckham was courted in 2006.
That conversation is changing a bit with NYRB and, probably, now Toronto.
Whereas Seattle just goes out signs players.

However, I totally agree that we should be in conversation.

 

Darren Bent could be in talks with the MLS....I don't think he's worth the fee of $6.5 mill but we can try and get him. We need a scorer.

 

Chaco Gimenez from Cruz Azul would be a good DP in my opinion, I don't think he is a regular starter any more there, is probably in the 1 to 2 million range.

Not sure how much longer he has on his current contract, but he would be a good CAM.

 

Lets get Del Piero...no chance he comes here and I don't care if he's old....still one of my favorite players of all time, can still score some goals and he knows how to make penalty kicks and free kicks.

 

Supposedly DC has made him an offer. I on the other hand, think that 39 is way to be old to be signing a player for soccer reasons.

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I have no frame of reference for performance in the A League. Del Piero's 10 goals and 9 assists in 1720 minutes this past season was pretty good for a 39 year old, but who knows what that translates to in MLS play?

He played in 23 of 27 games in Sydney's regular season and went the full 90 12 times (plus an additional 90 minutes in their playoff loss). He's reportedly making in the area of 4 million Australian Dollars per year (3.71 million USD aka Keane money).

 

And then he broke his leg the following preseason and was never the same, which is part of the risk with signing an older player.

 

Don't ask for a source, but I read that Sydney was only able to offer a much lower wage due to salary cap issues (sound familiar?). The $3.5 million deal was for 2 years. He's probably depreciated a bit. Big difference between 36-37 and 39-40. I'd expect $2 million max, that is if he doesn't take the Sydney coaching job.

 

While I'd still take Del Piero, it's telling and sad that we're happy with plucking old talent from Australia. We don't have to pull a TFC and get Euro-level talent in their prime but if we're not even going to get the talent before it heads to Australia?

Ouch.

 

Agreed. At this point, I'd rather have a young, promising player (Joya, Shipp, etc.) than someone circling the drain. Even if it is, like in del Piero's case, a pretty impressive drain.

 

Hristo came to the Fire from the J League after playing in Saudi Arabia...of course he was 5 years younger than Del Piero is now...

If I remember the salary structure of the A-League correctly - their salary cap is about $800,000 USD less than MLS, with three exceptions available (one for a domestic player, one for an international player, one for a jr). There are players there (older or otherwise) who could make a difference in MLS....but I don't think Trevor James should be camping out in Perth to see if William Gallas is ready to be our next DP.

 

Funny. I'm at Home Depot right now buying a new toilet that claims to be able to flush a bucket of golf balls in three seconds.