Good question, we did make an offer IIRC so do we keep right of first refusal? Does that get trumped because he is/was a returning USMNT Player? Is it a mute point because he's joining the Cosmos in the NASL? It's MLS, so stay tuned.
Just to fuel the fire, Dom stated yesterday that the Cameron transfer delay is holding up a possible move with a player outside of MLS. He didn't say it was a foreign player, just that it was a player outside of MLS. Maybe Rico? Or maybe Landín heard about all those great BBQ places and wants to come back so he can hit the few places he missed last time.
Good question. I believe we made an offer to him just to keep his rights at the end of 2009. Assuming he would want to come back (and what he wants for salary, IIRC he was like $400k plus in Germany but who knows now), the issue is if he would be put thru the allocation process as a returning USMNT player or just a free agent. When was the last time he played for the nats or was in a camp? The lasting memory unfortunately for him with the nats is being subbed off in the 24th minute vs. Ghana. If we sell Cameron I'd take him back in a minute
If we made an offer we should retain his rights. At least according to the published rules, the allocation draft is used for US Nats coming from overseas, OR Returning US Nats that left on a transfer fee. Since he left on a free, as long as we offered every time his contract was up we should have rights.
I forgot. That was the game only on ESPN 3 in English. Comes back to me now. Based on that, he'd probably have to go thru the allocation process, but not sure if a qualifying offer from 2.5 years ago trumps that.
I know this is all speculation, but assuming we get some allocation money from the Cameron transfer we could use that to bring down Rico's salary in terms of the cap.
According to Dynamo Theory . . . they have confirmed the Dynamo still own Rico's rights for MLS (in comment section) http://www.dynamotheory.com/2012/7/17/3164900/eintracht-frankfurt-splits-from-ricardo-clark
It is interesting to consider . . . you can play the exact same formation as the other night and insert Rico for Cameron . . . bench stays the same.
I was thinking the same thing. And, assuming that Rico's half-year salary is something reasonable, we still probably have some cap space to bring in one more attacking player of some sort, yes?
Well (and I wonder if this is the player Dom was talking about ) it would appear if Cameron is gone, we should have plenty for Rico plus attacking player. If Cameron stays, I assume we have room for only one player.
Did he tweet his percentage cut of Rico's contract when he signs with MLS after a series of articles and blogs he's writing to advocate for the Dynamomsigning him?
Agreed. Also, assuming that Ching retires after this season, his and Cameron's salaries should free up a good chunk of cap space for 2013 for keeping anyone we might sign on a half season deal.
yeah . . I have warned against thinking like that. Only because allocation money makes it difficult to see a player leaving or retiring in the off season as freeing up money. Mid-season once everything is in motion YES but not in the off-season. Example you could lose 500k in salary, but have 100k in raises and 400k LESS allocation money from one year to the next making your salary budget gain a big zero.
I forget that math and MLS math are two totally different subjects. Sort of like algebra vs an improv acting class. On one side "2+2=4", on the other you have "But now...Donovan is a tiger and he doesn't count as a DP for the next 15 minutes if the Galaxy sign someone else!"
We need to manage expectations here, but getting Rico back - assuming the salary fits - would really make old Downside excited about our chances this year.