Everyone has written off Watson based on a slow start to the season last year with his first season with Houston. During Houston's playoff run, he played well. Now I am not saying he is going to have a breakout year or dominate MLS and I am not 100% sold that right mid is his best position.... But man can we give the kid more than a 1/2 a season to integrate into a new team before we right him off or trade him (or allocation money) for someone whose pedigree (vietnamese league) isn't that impressive and just got cut?
Its not "really" funny money. It is real dollars that you can spend for players. It may be traded and handed out like funny money but once you have it; your expense for players is the budget number plus your allocation dollars. You can always make trades for more, but you have to value the player your giving up. I just don't know what the fascination is with the kid who played in a small league and just got cut from a non playoff team. Would I take him at 60k SURE because that is as low as you will find for an on budget player. Would I essentially spend 140k on him; no way. Not when I have two ore spots to fill this year. It isn't even about the Drogba type, it is about handcuffing yourself over the next month or in the summer whereas you don't have money to spend unless you move an existing player. We have been in that boat before (two years ago) and couldn't make any changes to save the ship.
i'm not writing off Watson at all. i believe both him and Weaver to have value/trade value. i just don't valuable him as a starter. call it the Danny Cruz syndrome: i like what he brings to the team as a sub, but if he's starting then you have some problems. i was waiting for this..... who knows why certain players do what they do (Nery Castillo.Ukraine.WTF!). I really don't believe Lee Nguyen leaving to HAGL was a skill/talent issue. are we saying he left to the V-League because he couldn't make any MLS roster? highly, highly doubtful. i mean this kid (and he's still only 25) was in Holland, you just don't show up in Holland because your cute and cuddly. they grow 6' 4" right wingers in between the weed(s) and the tulips over there. why would they take an under-sized USAer (i know you guys beat Italy in a friendly on Wednesday, but come on ) over there? the point is he doesn't count as an international, he fills a positional-need and IMO he's a better talent (quick, aggressive) than our current options at the position (Watson's too erratic & Clark needs to be Bradley's back-up on the left). you have to remember that Vancouver has an excess of offensive players and his current twitter brew-haha. so it may not be a talent issue as to why he was cut. perhaps he was unhappy and asked to be cut? it doesn't sound like his too broken-hearted about it. *so happy we're talking football again and not supporters, the homeless and parking.
I was ready for this....LOL.... On what ground is he a better talent than Watson? Is it based on his time with the youth national teams 5 years ago now? His performance with the US team 5 years ago? He got signed in Holland ..... and made 1 appearance for PSV. I mean by this rational Watson's EPL interest is on the same level as his time in Holland. He then moved to the Danish league and made 22 appearances for Randers. That performance garnered enough attention that he left Europe for the V-league. He spent the last two years in the V-league and in the first year did very well and in the second was released from his contract (per wikipedia)....He has now been cut from Vancouver who do have a plethroa of attacking options.....totally agree, but it's not like they tried to trade him (which does tell you something...namely that they likely tried and failed) He fills a positional need and he may ultimately be better than Watson at that position. However, I liked what I saw at the end of last year from Watson. I think he got his head screwed on right (in Kinnear's system) and his performance was much improved the last couple of months. That tells me more about his qualities next year than a mythical US youth international that has spent the last several years as a nomad bouncing between Holland, Vietnam and the Danish league. Just my .02 and totally agree.....much better to have these discussions than to talk about some of the other issues of late!
Nguyen isn't that good. If he was worth anything why would the Whitecaps cut him when he's only taking 60k salary cap space? The guy must really have lost it since his days in Holland. Rangers is about to make 11 roster cuts to trim down their wages since they are in administration. Could this mean Bocanegra is coming to the USA?
I think it is a distinct possibility that Boca returns to MLS this year due to Rangers financial issues. I would imagine that based on age Edu is sold or retained (as his contract likely isn't huge).
another CB? plus an expensive one at that. not until we unload one of the current batch which i don't see happening. i respect all football opinions that have some basis in (football) reality. we won't have to wait too long to see what happens with this one. ps - the taco thread should be stickied. 11am PST.... does anyone know who else is out there? i couldn't find a list on the MLS site.
Look at Camargo and then come tell me (or some of us) that Watson has not had a long time with the team. Camargo had less than half the season and he already made an impact on the team. Also Camargo is younger than Watson and has better control of the ball. If you want to compare amount of time being spent in MLS in way thne compare those 2
Looks like the Revs picked up Nguyen. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2012/03/revs-add-nguyen-in-waiver-draft.html
And to lighten things up - here's a blast from the past - March 2,3,4,5 2009 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZR7yAq10D4"]Houston Dynamo and Fans at Atlante - YouTube[/ame]
I just don't see the hype for him :/ I can be like that with certain players in any of my favorite clubs. I have that mentality with Andy Carrol at the moment because 1) LFC spent tooo much money on someone who isn't consistent 2) he can't play the LFC system well, but this is all off topic. If they don't convince me at all then I see that player a certain way. I want to see more than just the supposed "improvements" he has made, because every time I see him play he seizes to amaze me. IF (that's a huge "IF") he in fact does show results then I'm all behind him to stay with the team
I see me! Gotta admit, easily my favorite away game destination thus far. I just the result would've been a little better.
Oh, wow, that was fun. And excellent video, I'd forgotten about it. Substitute my trip to Chichen Itzá for Tulum and it's pretty much my week in Cancún. Everywhere I went I ran into Dynamo fans and all the Mexicans wanted to talk about Dynamo with me. Only wish the game itself would have been a little more entertaining, but still the memories are great. I happened to bump into these guys holding up an illegal banner just before they got arrested.....
Don't rain on my parade. I'm going out for target practice with my day-old bagel shooter tomorrow and prepping my "La Doce Norte" banner for games
Watson needs to earn his paycheck. Atlante went on to win the regional title and play Barca iirc, still shocking our guys let that Cup tie slip. It's one thing to lose to the defending champions Pachuca, bit to lose in Cancun the way we did, jeez. I trust you were trying to be funny. Journalists humor.
I'll raise you the epic march to the game [ame="http://vimeo.com/3616484"]Texian Army - Cancun - March to Stadium 03/03/2009 on Vimeo[/ame] My favorite part is the impromptu chant in the parking lot.. I was messing w/ the security guys to get us in the stadium and I'm so glad I caught it on video.