Marcelo Salas Trialing with Chicago Fire

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/soccer_redcard/

Salas for less than 325k is a no brainer. And we don't have to jump through all those hoops to acquire a 2nd DP. So let's pony up the dough for parking at TP, it's time bring some offensive magic back to chi town..

Well geez, if the 19 year old kid doesn't just earn himself a hall of fame nomination in his opening game, then he's a flop. Right?

From Wikipedia
José Marcelo Salas Melinao (born December 24, 1974 in Temuco), better known as Marcelo Salas, is a football player from Chile. He, with Elías Figueroa and Iván Zamorano, have been some of Chile's most recognized football players. Nicknamed El Matador, has a deft touch with his left foot with which has led to some spectacular goals. He recently signed with Chicago Fire, after being released by Universidad de Chile.

[edit] Career

Salas debuted playing for Universidad de Chile in 1993 helping the team to win back to back titles in 1994 and 1995. In 1996, Salas went on to play with River Plate of the Argentine first division. In 1996 and 1997 he won different cups with River Plate. He also helped Chile in the World Cup qualification as the top scorer along Ivan Zamorano in the south American zone. In 1998, he participated with Chile in the World Cup making a strong performance with 4 goals in 4 matches. In the same year he was transferred to S.S. Lazio in Italy for US$18.000.000.

Salas played in Italy for five years, three with S.S. Lazio (1998-2001), winning a Scudetto, an Italian cup, a Cup Winners' Cup and a European Super Cup. In 2001 he was transferred to Juventus where he played until 2003 winning one Scudetto before coming back to River Plate. In 2004, Salas was sold to River Plate for 12 million US dollars (10 million euros).

In late July 2005, it was confirmed that he would return to his original football team, Universidad de Chile, and the never-ending love of the fans of Universidad de Chile for Salas was evident: he was given a warm reception even when he didn't play. Although the press was tough on him for being an injury-prone player (Salas played just 10 games in 2005), he carried Universidad de Chile to the cup finals. The final was decided with a shootout. After the retirement rumors of the summer of 2006, he started another campaign with Universidad de Chile and led the team to the final, but another penalty shootout denied the title. With the Chilean national team, he has scored 35 goals (a national record) in 65 games from 1994 to 2005.

In December of 2006 Salas was released from Universidad de Chile by the law-imposed administration. The move was fiercely criticised by the team supporters, who claim that Salas is the team soul and by far the team's best player and fan favourite.

On May 31, 2007, Salas signed with Chicago Fire.

That's why wikipedia is stupid. Anyone can post or change that. He has not signed with the club.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/soccer_redcard/

This team need a good player like salas badly

No, but In his secon outing Monteiro came in late and could not beat tired defenders to the ball. He doesnt appear to have good touch or finishing. Soumare has the grace and touch of a Sherman tank. Gooch is raw this guy is way beyond that. Besides, im not the one who place him in my fantasy staring eleven. Regardless, we were a club known for producing young talent Wolf, Beasley, Bocanegra, Ralph, Rolfe. Recently weve had more busts Jaqua, Barrett, Gray that Leonard kid and the dude from Notre Dame.

But your the guy that wants to believe the backup quarterback is the savior and every draft pick is an all star.

Salas Update

I know i've said my piece on the matter. BUT after the last few games of watching Barrett and Carr stumble about, I'm ready to accept this guy. ESPECIALLY at that price.

From an $18 million transfer to $12 million transfer fee in 2004 to $22,000 per month with the Fire.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

And, oh would we make him feel welcome.

Club history: 329 games played, 166 goals scored.
Chile history: 65 games played, 35 goals scored.
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Salas

Looks mighty good to me!

If Guppy can convince Salas to sign the contract, how much does that rehabilitate Guppy in the eyes of the fans?

I say if he gets him to sign:

FIRE Sarachan,

KEEP Guppy (for now).

Does anyone else think that the reason our young talent seemed to be better in the past was the veteran role models they had? Who wouldn't have improved their game when playing and practicing every day with passionate, skilled players like Nowak, Kubik, and Stoitchkov?

Ding, ding, ding.

The big question is whether these guys WANT to be mentors to our young players. I think Blanco will. He is one of those gym rat type guys who will do everything he can.

I honestly don't know enough about Salas. I would hope that he would be good to the young players as well, but frankly, if he can just come in and score, I'll be happy.

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/soccer_redcard/

-Salas' decision to come today. Will let the Fire know if he accepts the contract.
-Sarachan says that if Salas signs, he won't immediately be in the line-up.

Hrm. I read that and it made me wonder if there's a bargaining process, or if it's a simple yes/no and be done with it.

I read that and it made me realize that DS is a bigger bufoon than I gave him credit for....

1. So....it took the Fire more than four weeks to determine the severity of an ankle injury to their best player, all the while thinking he would be available not only for the Fire but for Copa America?

2. If Salas signs he would not be in the line-up for two weeks while Chad Barrett and Calen Carr continue to botch the minimal scoring opportunities that they generate every week? Why not work the guy in slowly after a week of practice and increase his playing time now. 10 minutes of Salas will absolutely produce more than 90 minutes of the aforementioned forward tandem.

3. So...the head coach will attempt to assert no control over their future star player. Nice to know that your guys can do whatever they want without having to hear anyhting from you Dave!

Did we really develop Ralph? I don't think so. He pretty much came developed. Same with Boca, he came out of college and pretty much into the starting lineup. It's not as if he was a reservist or something.

Nor do I think Gray is really a bust. Journeyman MLS midfielder, yeah, but hardly a bust. And while some people are expecting Barrett to have 54 goals by now, he's hardly a bust.

This may be the one area where Dave doesn't deserve as much criticism as should be heaped on our training staff, strength and conditioning coach and team doctors.

First, and foremost, how many players have we taken on that were supposedly healthy, or that we expected to be healthy very soon?

Sanneh was forever recovering with the Crew, and yet able to pass our physical. Somehow passed a physical.

John Thorrington, permanently injured. Somehow passed a physical.

Pascal Bedrossian, continual injuries.

And Craig Capano. Who the hell did his surgeries or kept sending him out to train and continually reinjure himself.

And this season isn't the first where Rolfe has either reinjured in practice or very soon after coming back. Same with Barrett last season and his broken foot where he eventually got sat for the rest of the season by surgery that should have been done earlier.

Update from the same blog

Ok I see your point. What I meant was even though we didnt develop Ralph or Boca they were good players, hence we drafted well and developed/aquired players like Mapp or Beasley. Any player drafted in the first round who isnt good to very good is a bust ie Gray and if Barrett isnt a bust so far then i dont know who is. Also, i cant help but think that Mapp could be so much better if coached better. Anyway isnt today the day we find out about Salas?

Dead on, except for Boca - Carlos actually followed the high-end of expected development of a first round pick - rookie of the year, back-to-back defender of the year, on to the English premiership, 40 caps.

Agreed. Mapp has yet to fully produce (for the Fire, on a consistent basis) and yet people keep saying to give him time. Look he's got 5 years experience, Barrett has 2, so he's got time to find his game. If we didn't give up on Mapp after 2 years, why haven't we given Barrett the same opportunity. For reference I understand the age difference, but it takes time to adapt. Barrett will work out fine.

In reality, he doesn't. His first season consisted of something like 16 minutes of garbage time and he started in the pre-reserve league era. He's also had season cut short with injury, just when it seems like he's about to break through (Thanks Jaqua)

I agree that Mapp hasnt fullfilled his potential, hell probably need some real coaches overseas. But like Wynalda said of him "you cant make someone want it". However, the rare raw talent was there from the beggining its been a matter of putting it together. Barrret hasnt shown anything special. I cant remeber him scoring a really nice goal or dribbling past 1 much less two defenders. Strikers are born with finishing intuition....he doesnt have it. Has scored due only to his scrappiness with loose balls in the box. First touch is horrible as is his second. Always gives the ball up then turns around throws his arms in the air and complains.

Columbus (75 yard run), Colorado (takes the ball out of the air and pops it past Condoul) just to name a pair, plus beating two defenders to give Carr his only goal.

I guess you should start watching

Maybe because he's getting fouled and our midfield rarely gets him (or any other forward) the ball before the defense collapses on him (and every other forward we've tried)

According to some Chilean news, Salas declined a 1.4 million dollar contract from Chicago Fire. The reason is because he rather retire in the "club he loves" and be close to his daughters. Universidad de Chile are only gonna pay him $600,000 for a year (no where close to the highest paid). He will try to negotiate with U.Chile and is also getting offers from Dubai.

http://www.cooperativa.cl/