The Official 2012 Pre and Regular Season News, Rumors and Speculation Thread

Moreno out for the weekend with a concussion. Should be back next week, but as we witnessed with Angel, the MLS concussion protocol can take a few weeks...

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/16060/chivas-usa-moreno-out-with-concussion

 

********er

********er you beat me to it by 5 mins.

 

I can't believe it! please Vergara and Cue make this happen. RAUL in a CD Chivas LA kit. thats whats up. Two more key players along with Raul and we will have better attendance and more importantly a star above our crest in two years. This would be a real sign of dedication from the fo that they are invested again in this club

 

The most improved team in South America is Venezuela who continues to break records. Ecuador is a side that has lots to proof even thought they have quality players and as to Peru they will continue to get strong as they put together their best players on the pitch.

 

Fake rumors. Maybe for allocation money. Calif is damaged goods imho. Then again, you never know.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/16420/chivas-usa-bid-for-califf-on-the-table

Another former Galaxy that Robin has ties with....say it ain't so

Chivas USA has made two offers to the Philadelphia Union to acquire veteran center back Danny Califf, according to Philly's manager, but Goats head coach Robin Fraser has nothing to say about it.​

Peter Nowak told the Philadelphia Daily News on Sunday that the Union had declined an initial offer from Chivas but are considering a counteroffer for the club's captain's services.

“Danny Califf's status is that we received an offer for him this last week and we informed the player right after it happened,” Nowak told media following the Union's 3-2 loss Sunday against the New York Red Bulls. “I talked to Danny ... but we did not conclude anything, so as of right now he is still with us.”

Nowak would not identify the team making the offers after the game, but reports from multiple outlets said it was Chivas -- later confirmed -- and the name bandied about most of all was Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel's. One report also had Chivas picking up teenage strikerJack McInerney.

Fraser told ESPN Los Angeles he was “shocked to hear” Nowak's comments after part of thePhiladelphia Daily News story was read to him.

“We listen to inquiries every day, we make inquiries every day,” Fraser said. “It's part of the job. It happens all the time. ... Not a day goes by when we don't inquiries or make inquiries.”

Asked whether Nowak's comments were accurate, Fraser said: “Let's just say we've made enquiries. ... It's all speculation at this point.”

The Brotherly Game blog, which covers the Union, said several unidentified sources reported the trade has been completed.

The 32-year-old Califf (Orange/Orange HS), a 2000 Olympian who has made 23 appearances for the U.S. national team, began his pro career with the Galaxy in 2000, making 137 first-team appearances in five seasons with the club and playing a key role on the 2002 MLS Cup-winning side.

He spent a season with San Jose before heading to Denmark for five years, then joined Philadelphia when it joined MLS in 2010. He was a starter the past two seasons but has had an intriguing relationship with Nowak, who held him out of two games this season because of knee injury that Califf said didn't exist. There has been speculation that the Union was looking to deal Califf, a popular player with the club's fans.

Heath Pearce and Rauwshan McKenzie have been Chivas' first-choice center backs this year, and Colombian John Alexander Valencia started last week's loss to Chicago and Sunday's 1-1 draw at San Jose. Pearce is a natural left back and has also played on the right side.

 

Thanks Truhero!
I like getting Jack McInerney, but what are we doing? What or who are we giving up?
We leak goals in the second half (final minutes). I don't like making moves just to make moves.
I like our centerbacks. We could use better depth down the flanks.

 

We keep changing our players and lineup, without consistency we will not have success.

 

We can't keep blaming the defense. The offense needs to step up too.
Danny Califf? Don't we have enough defenders. (Lopes traded)
I would rather take Mwanga or Michael Farfan over Califf.
Chivas USA needs to score more than one goal per game.

 

I say we should just keep what we have so far, we can't constantly keep editing or changing the way things are at this current stage of the season. It's the same mistake Preki made with the line up formations back when he was our coach, and it cost him his job since we lost vital games because of these erratic changes.

just my 2 cents.

 

If you were in the skippers seat and wanted to trade who would u take? Gabriel and Michael Farfan or Danny califf/jack mcierney? One more used up Galaxy player. Why not , this teams ownership ha no pride anyway

 

Peter Novak basically confirmed in his presser that Califf is headed to Chivas. The return sounds like a player + something additional (money, draft pick, etc). He alluded to the fact that the player the Union is getting back would be, paraphrasing, "another option in the back".

Guess we'll find out soon enough.

 

Any scuttlebutt on who's heading our way?
Our tight fisted, tight-assed, tight-lipped "coach" isn't saying anything

 

A few player options from the Goats roster (Heath Pearce would have been the best option given his ability to play LB and CB but I imagine that the new Union player will be more of a platoon starter than a sure-fire starter):

1. John Alexander Valencia - 30 year old big Colombian CB - has just recently gotten into the starting line-up, would continue Union's tapping of the Colombian player market. Philly would likely acquire an international roster spot along with him as Califf essentially takes his spot.

2. Michael Lahoud - a RB/RM/DM jack of all trades, Wake Forest grad - could be a RB platoon option with Gaddis and M. Farfan if Williams is left at CB to provide a little speed there.

3. Ante Jazic - a veteran Canadian LB who can also play CB - not sure that he is any better as a LB option than what we have given his age.

There are a few other defenders (ex-NASL RB/CB - Scott Gordon, ex-KC and RSL CB Raushawn MacKenzie) who would be more depth-type players.

 

Facepalm.

 

Here is an article about the upcoming trade that will be announced "shortly":

http://www.csnphilly.com/soccer-phi...captain-Califf-to-C?blockID=708944&feedID=704

And another about Philly fans saying goodbye:

http://www.brotherlygame.com/2012/5...-califf-of-philadelphia-union-mls-sons-of-ben

 

Philly fans are really bummed to be losing Califf.
I'll be bummed if Lahoud goes.

 

What was with all the "JPA going to philly "rumors? Mike lahoud would be missed. A real caballero and skilled. I hope it's not him