Rev News, 3/18

[The Magpie]

Revolution consider replacement strategy
By Frank Dell'Apa, The Bostno Globe | March 18, 2005
http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2005/03/18/revolution_consider_replacement_strategy/

[dncm]

From the article: "Brazilian midfielder Cassio has not joined the Revolution yet because of visa problems and will probably not play for the team until the season opener April 3."

This quote from the article will cause 2 new threads to immediately appear:
1. A poll with how long the team will need time to gel after the season starts(drink)
2. How come the Revs can never sort out visa issues in less than 3 months, especially prior to the start of a season

[The Magpie]

2. How come the Revs can never sort out visa issues in less than 3 months, especially prior to the start of a season

Don't forget to ammend the above with, "... and home come almost every other MLS club manages to avoid similar problems when signing foreign players."

The Magpie

[Rodan]

Balderdash!

Everything is right with the world, and all is as it should be!

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/SouthernGrit/Baby/Alfred.jpg

Drink!!!

[HiBall]

Moderately interesting that Khano Smith was playing on the "starters" team with Brillant up front. So does that put him slightly ahead of Edozien and Holmes as far as making the team?

[The Magpie]

Balderdash!

Everything is right with the world, and all is as it should be!

http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/SouthernGrit/Baby/Alfred.jpg

Drink!!!

I know they drafted Jamie Holmes for a reason ;)

[patfan1]

From the article: "Brazilian midfielder Cassio has not joined the Revolution yet because of visa problems and will probably not play for the team until the season opener April 3."

This quote from the article will cause 2 new threads to immediately appear:
1. A poll with how long the team will need time to gel after the season starts(drink)
2. How come the Revs can never sort out visa issues in less than 3 months, especially prior to the start of a season

Actually a third thread needs to be started as well.

3. Why don't the Revs communicate the season opener is now on the 3rd, not the 2nd? They never let the fans know of these things. Why does the schedule keep changing? :D

[mpruitt]

Anyone notice that the Globe sent FDA to Ecuador?

[Soccer Doc]

From the article: "Brazilian midfielder Cassio has not joined the Revolution yet because of visa problems and will probably not play for the team until the season opener April 3."


If they get him in Foxboro and ready to play for the opener in SJ I'll be satisfied. He's a pro who has played soccer for years. He will be on the same page as the rest of the team. It may take some time to get on the same line but I don't see him missing preseason with the team as a disaster. As long as he's fit he'll be fine.

The sky is NOT falling.

[johnh00]

If they get him in Foxboro and ready to play for the opener in SJ I'll be satisfied. He's a pro who has played soccer for years. He will be on the same page as the rest of the team. It may take some time to get on the same line but I don't see him missing preseason with the team as a disaster. As long as he's fit he'll be fine.

The sky is NOT falling.
I have a problem with it. He's not going to be fit - he's missing all the pre-season games(if we have any, that is), and he's not going to jsut "fit right in" with everyone. This isn't just a pick-up league where you say, "Go play left-mid" and the guy just runs up and down the flank. There are defensive responsibilities that need to be learned, set-pieces that have to be practiced, in addition to learning the tendencies of teammates.

I'm not saying the sky is falling, but it is certainly a problem. Instead of Cassio starting at left mid, we will probably be starting someone else there for the first 2-3 games. And this team doesn't really have another left-mid on it. Several people can play there, but none of them very well.

Does anyone know if this problem is on the Revs, or is it on the league? I know in the past all of the visa issues were handled by a league-hired attorney in NYC who was notoriously awful at getting the visas through. This was several years ago though, and perhaps the process has changed? If the league is still using the same people that have reportedly failed to expedite these things so many times in the past, shame on them.

[johnh00]

Anyone notice that the Globe sent FDA to Ecuador?
We would have noticed earlier, but he's been busy acclimitizing to the altitude and wasn't able to type a full length article until yesterday.

[patfan1]

We would have noticed earlier, but he's been busy acclimitizing to the altitude and wasn't able to type a full length article until yesterday.

To be fair, that's not true.

FDA has been down in Ecuador, but took some vacation time.

[rkupp]

From the article: "Brazilian midfielder Cassio has not joined the Revolution yet because of visa problems and will probably not play for the team until the season opener April 3."

This quote from the article will cause 2 new threads to immediately appear:
1. A poll with how long the team will need time to gel after the season starts(drink)
2. How come the Revs can never sort out visa issues in less than 3 months, especially prior to the start of a season
This isn't really "news". The fax machine hasn't started buzzing yet and the games are coming up next week. So, its unlikely that it'll happen in the next few days. The thing about visa applications is that you don't really get any progress reports on them - you're just told, it'll get done when it gets done. It's not as if there is any news. If 2 more weeks go by and no visa, FDA can report it's unlikely he'll be ready for the regular season opener.

We would have noticed earlier, but he's been busy acclimitizing to the altitude and wasn't able to type a full length article until yesterday.

It's fun to poke fun at FDA, but what writer wouldn't want to write articles every day and have them published? The problem is that the editor has to decide to publish what he writes, and lately (as EVERY March) the sports pages are thick with other stuff. I'm thinking that we were pretty fortunate to find today's little tidbit tucked in with all the NCAA action, spring training, Celtics revival and steroid hearings on Capitol Hill.

A better target would be the Herald. Anyone notice a little bit in the Globe business section about the Herald trying to get their unions to help them reduce costs? I'm wondering if this has any connection with their total abdication of Revolution/Soccer coverage to A.P. wire reports?

[johnh00]

It's fun to poke fun at FDA, but what writer wouldn't want to write articles every day and have them published? The problem is that the editor has to decide to publish what he writes, and lately (as EVERY March) the sports pages are thick with other stuff. I'm thinking that we were pretty fortunate to find today's little tidbit tucked in with all the NCAA action, spring training, Celtics revival and steroid hearings on Capitol Hill.

A better target would be the Herald. Anyone notice a little bit in the Globe business section about the Herald trying to get their unions to help them reduce costs? I'm wondering if this has any connection with their total abdication of Revolution/Soccer coverage to A.P. wire reports?

Sorry guys, I should have included a smilie. I meant know disrepect to Frank - I was just poking a little fun at the Revs and the reason floated for the cancellation of one of their games. ;)

I am actually impressed that the Globe sent him down there and that he found something to write about. With the first two games cancelled, there hasn't exactly been a lot of great story lines coming out of the camp.

Lee

[Soccer Doc]

I have a problem with it. He's not going to be fit - he's missing all the pre-season games(if we have any, that is), and he's not going to jsut "fit right in" with everyone. This isn't just a pick-up league where you say, "Go play left-mid" and the guy just runs up and down the flank. There are defensive responsibilities that need to be learned, set-pieces that have to be practiced, in addition to learning the tendencies of teammates.
.

I disagree.

No one can say what his fitness level will be--until he shows up.

As far as being able to "fit in" I would suggest that you review what's happened with newly arrived signings of experienced professional to teams all around the league over the leagues history. Most if not all have gotten a run out within days of reporting. Soccer is soccer and these people are experienced professionals and can read other peoples game very quickly. Obviously, to GEL takes time but an experienced player being added to an established system can settle in very quickly.

[johnh00]

I disagree.

No one can say what his fitness level will be--until he shows up.

As far as being able to "fit in" I would suggest that you review what's happened with newly arrived signings of experienced professional to teams all around the league over the leagues history. Most if not all have gotten a run out within days of reporting. Soccer is soccer and these people are experienced professionals and can read other peoples game very quickly. Obviously, to GEL takes time but an experienced player being added to an established system can settle in very quickly.

Really? I can't think of a single example in the league's history of a guy who shows up and starts immediately after having his visa clear. If Cassio can practice with the squad, I'd feel better about his chances of starting opening day, but I don't think he can.

---

As far as fitness goes, you're right, I shouldn't assume he won't be fit. If I had to bet on it though, I'd bet that he won't be as fit as the other players. The one thing he will have going for him is that few of the players will be in mid-season form, so that should help him tremendously.

Again, I don't think it's the end of the world, but I'm going to be disappointed if I see Brillant, Franchino, Leonard or Noonan starting at left-mid for 2 or 3 games, when we are so close to having a (presumably) better option available.

Lee

[ghsdpu]

The fact that it may come down to Steve Nicol having to decide if he wants to throw a guy who's never played with his team into the starting lineup on Opening Night is ridiculous. And furthermore, I would think that the smart thing for Steve to do would be to sit him on the bench - there's no telling if Cassio would know his marking assignments or if he'd continuously give the ball away simply because he wouldn't know his teammates tendancies, let alone the fact that this would likely be his first full speed match in literally months.

It's also the reason why I have no confidence that we'll see any new defender the Revs might sign on the field until June at the earliest.

They better not get off to another crappy start... that's all I'm saying.

[dncm]

Well, there is a difference to being fit, and actually being match-fit.

[BMincali]

Well, there is a difference to being fit, and actually being match-fit.

You can run all day, but unless Casio is actually playing matches it is going to be very difficult for him to come in fit and ready to play a full 90, or even 45 minutes for that matter...

[The Magpie]

A better target would be the Herald. Anyone notice a little bit in the Globe business section about the Herald trying to get their unions to help them reduce costs? I'm wondering if this has any connection with their total abdication of Revolution/Soccer coverage to A.P. wire reports?

Ding... ding.... dign.... ding...