United Will Be Cautious With Trades, MLS Draft - Goff, W. Post

[Knave]

United Will Be Cautious With Trades, MLS Draft (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011902816.html)

No real news other than ...

United will have the seventh overall pick in today's four-round draft in Philadelphia, but sources around the league say that, other than gauging interest in veteran defender Brandon Prideaux, United has not been very active in trade talks.

[Hedbal]

United Will Be Cautious With Trades, MLS Draft (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011902816.html)

No real news other than ...

Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who played soccer for William and Mary in the early 80's (who knew?), will get an honorary award from the soccer coaches association. Now that's real news!

[CHICO13]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Alecko looks in Bradenton.

[Section106]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Alecko looks in Bradenton.


I hope he'll be wearing Full 90 headgear to protect that noggin of his.

[Th4119]

Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who played soccer for William and Mary in the early 80's (who knew?), will get an honorary award from the soccer coaches association. Now that's real news!

He was a solid player back in the day.

I wonder if he'll be speaking at all or even hanging out around the draft. Definitely would be a great snag for FSC if they could get him on the air for a few minutes.

[ursula]

Well this fits with the MO for Nowak's DCU acquiring of new players:

1) If the team needs an impact player, the team looks abroad. By impact player I mean a starter.

2) On the other hand, the team does not trade with other MLS teams for starters. It's almost like the rest of the league could ignore DCU and vice versa. By far the biggest MLS trade Nowak has been involved in brought United an allocation, not a player, that was used for a foreigner (Erpen). It's almost like Nowak is phobic about the american pro trading games, preferring to Euro method of buying and selling players.

3) The draft is a middle ground between the two above but clearly the caution that Goff/Kaspar are talking about is important to Nowak. Contrast that to earlier teams where Payne was one trading hellraiser. Now, the idea of trading picks or players is not so welcome.


All that said, Kevin Payne has mislead us fans before.


Chico- yes, I can't wait to hear what you have to say about Esky's training camp performances.

[ursula]

Chico- I'll be just as interested to hear your Esky assessment.


Goff's article described perfectly the DC united MO under Nowak in regards to aquiring new players:

1) If the team needs a starter, it will look at the foreign market.

2) The team just does not trade with other MLS teams. The main exception there is if the other team can offer allocation money to enable United ot pick up a foreign player.

3) The main unknown is what Nowak will do with a high draft pick. The only one he's had before was Freddy and he didn't exactly have a choice there. My guess is that he will look for a player who he thinks could fit into the starting lineup this year. The caveat there is who he thinks could fit. You read on BigSoccer the various mock drafts and you see comentary that says that some late round pick "could well fill the needs" of a certain team. I'm sure that Nowak doesn't look at it this way.

[jason1551]

Well, for our sakes, I hope we do something. EJ and Cannon to KC, the Mutts and sCrew rebuilding like crazy, and what has DC done? Re-signed three starters to extensions and declined another. We were decent last year, but I fear that we are going to be on the outside looking in if we don't bulk up our roster soon. We better have some big acquisitions lined up or we could be in a world of hurt.

[JayJay4Pres]

BS problem triple posting everything?

[jason1551]

BS problem triple posting everything?
Nope. They likely kept hitting refresh when the post screen was running so slow.

[monster]

Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who played soccer for William and Mary in the early 80's (who knew?), will get an honorary award from the soccer coaches association. Now that's real news!
I knew! :p One of my brothers was there at the same time.

Jon was actually part of an episode of the Connie Chung show on CNN after the 02 World Cup when they had some guys from the team on.

[dadman]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Alecko looks in Bradenton.**crosses fingers**
You and me both, brother.

Thanks for the link, Knave. Hope the locals going up today make a good impression. ;-)

[JoeW]

Well this fits with the MO for Nowak's DCU acquiring of new players:

1) If the team needs an impact player, the team looks abroad. By impact player I mean a starter.

2) On the other hand, the team does not trade with other MLS teams for starters. It's almost like the rest of the league could ignore DCU and vice versa. By far the biggest MLS trade Nowak has been involved in brought United an allocation, not a player, that was used for a foreigner (Erpen). It's almost like Nowak is phobic about the american pro trading games, preferring to Euro method of buying and selling players.

3) The draft is a middle ground between the two above but clearly the caution that Goff/Kaspar are talking about is important to Nowak. Contrast that to earlier teams where Payne was one trading hellraiser. Now, the idea of trading picks or players is not so welcome.


All that said, Kevin Payne has mislead us fans before.


Chico- yes, I can't wait to hear what you have to say about Esky's training camp performances.

Does anyone get a sense of deja vu in reading this thread--a feeling that you've read that post before? As if there is an echo in the air, a repetition of thought?

Does anyone get a sense of deja v.....(this inept attempt at humor stirs even Revelation out of temporary retirement as he asserts the little known but powerful "former jackbooted thug state of emergency powers clause" and deletes the rest of the offending paragraph. We now return you to the rest of the remaining post).

Ursula, I think you're being a bit extreme here. It's not that Nowak doesn't like trading. I think the more accurate sense is one of loyalty. Nowak puts his team through a cauldron. He demands high work levels, intelligence on the field and fidelity to the system or scheme--you execute what you're supposed to do. You do those things and he's in the tank for you. And if you practice well and get some results in games--well, than you're a starter. Thus Brian Carroll, who Ray Hudson felt was a best a left-sided midfielder instead is someone whom Nowak has been singing the praises of since the first preseason. In short, Nowak really doesn't want to trade any of these guys--for him it's not about--can I get a better player than Prideaux or Petke or Kovalenko or whomever. Instead, its: is this guy really committed to this team? Does he fit within what we're trying to do? And if the answers are "yes" than he wants to keep you.

His refrain after season #1 and season #2 was about how he wanted to keep the bulk of the team together. Contrast this to the "blow up the team" approaches of Hankinson and Clavijo after every season.

I also think that Nowak is not someone guilty of thinking the grass is greener on the other side. I remember Bradley trading for Agoos talking about how all his team needed was "leadership." Nah, they needed a change in tactics, a better group of defenders, more outside talent, and some composure under pressure. I think Bradley spent 3 years at Metro trading for Pope, Moreno or Agoos figuring that past champions would somehow magically get the rest of the team to perform like champions.

I'm not big on movement just for the sake of movement. So that other teams are doing things doesn't mean we should do something. Nor were we just "decent" last year: DCU was first in goals scored, second in defense, best road record in the league and the only league team to beat every other team in the league (which is extremely remarkable given how small the league is--it's not likely teams only had 2 cracks at each other to garner a win).

What we did NOT have last year (that teams like: LA, Dallas, Colorado, NE had) and I put us in the same boat with SJ--we didn't have a striker who could steal points against the run of play. I don't just mean a good goal scorer, I mean in a match where we're thoroughly outplayed he can grab a goal or two in 20 seconds and we walk out with a tie. Give us that player and we're still in the USOC and don't lose to Dallas. We steal a point against Chicago in game #1 (and the tactics for game #2 are thus very different). And as I've mentioned in numerous threads, our wing/outside mid play is how people started to attack us (beginning with Catolica). And our backline is okay. Of course we can upgrade our squad. But only if we see a clear opportunity there. Furthermore, I like what Nowak does with youngsters so I'd be very hesitant about trading the pick for an allocation or discovery or even a veteran.

As for who we draft, I said this in another thread. I think there are two things to keep in mind about who we draft (b/c it may provoke a "huh?").

1. Nowak is very good at projecting a player into another position. Many of our picks have been guys who were played one particular position (Gros-F, Adu-F, Ara-F/A-mid, Boswell was a forward or midfield most of his college career, Van Sicklen played many positions at Wisconsin as I remember) and envisioning them at other positions.

2. I think he's less interested in drafting for positions (like going: we need an outside midfielder so let's draft one). It's not even about BAA (best available athlete). Instead, it's critical to Nowak to find someone who will fit into the team--in terms of their approach to the game. So whomever gets picked, expect it to be someone with a real motor and a reputation for effort, a smart player who is a bit cerebral (or has a reputation for taking coaching well), no reputation as a quitter.

Thus, we could see a wing forward or a central defender drafted or a D-mid and go "huh?" b/c the player seems to be at a position we already have bodies at or don't need help at or perhaps there were better players at their college position still on the board. But the key here is that Nowak isn't likely drafted for their college position but some other role he sees that player fullfilling and b/c the player's approach to the game is compatibile with Nowak's.

[GoDC]

Our player acquisition skills the last few years have not been stellar.

We gave Jaime a shot to come back and captured lightning in a bottle.
We got Gomez but Hudson identified him and it just took time for him to get here.
Adu was given to us.

Well we did pick up Boswell but anyone else who has really contributed to us?? Simms, Wilson, and Walker are subs with really only Walker having an impact. Erpen reamins to be seen about.

[jason1551]

Uh, Gros. Plus, Nowak actually had the balls to play Carroll where Hudson wouldn't. Finding talent is good, finding it on your own team is better.

[GoDC]

Uh, Gros. Plus, Nowak actually had the balls to play Carroll where Hudson wouldn't. Finding talent is good, finding it on your own team is better.

Gros so far is an average MLS player at best. I'll give you Carroll but he was already here. I would just like to see players who are capable of playing the positions that Nowak seems to insist on planning his game around. We have zero players who can play wide in a 3-5-2 and cross the ball and defend.

[Real Mobile]

...I remember Bradley trading for Agoos talking about how all his team needed was "leadership." ...I think Bradley spent 3 years at Metro trading for Pope, Moreno or Agoos figuring that past champions would somehow magically get the rest of the team to perform like champions...
Bradley was looking for PN 2.0. All his team needed was a good coach. :D

[JoeW]

Our player acquisition skills the last few years have not been stellar.

We gave Jaime a shot to come back and captured lightning in a bottle.
We got Gomez but Hudson identified him and it just took time for him to get here.
Adu was given to us.

Well we did pick up Boswell but anyone else who has really contributed to us?? Simms, Wilson, and Walker are subs with really only Walker having an impact. Erpen reamins to be seen about.

You're kidding me right?

The past two years, DCU won an MLS Cup and in a "disappointing year" led the league in goals scored, finished second in least goals allowed, had the league's best road record and was the only team in MLS to beat every other team in the league at least once (again, in a "disappointing" year). So the team was doing something right the last two years. There are, basically, four possible conclusions:

1. We had championship talent before Piotr Nowak got here. Ray Hudson was doing a rope-a-dope and intentionally playing bad soccer, lulling people into believing that our 2002-3 sides were mediocre teams when they were actually one of the most talented teams in the entire MLS. Then Nowak arrived and benefited from the great team Hudson had assembled. Only one problem with that theory--much of the talent Hudson relied on was released or moved to other positions that fit those players better by Nowak. And guys that Hudson didn't see fit to use or acquire became productive under Nowak.

2. Or Nowak is just a mind-blowingly great coach--the best the league has ever seen and a guy who outcoaches the opposition repeatedly which is why we stay in games. Our talent is terrible but b/c he's a brainiac he finds a way to get results. The problem with this is we have 4 guys in the USMNT camp and 2 other guys who were runner-ups for the 2004 and 2005 MLS MVP awards.

3. Or we were lucky. Yep, that's it, we won a championship and then we posted the regular season results we did (first in goals scored, 2nd in defense, road record, etc.) purely b/c the soccer gods favored us and the players all carried their lucky rabbit's feet. Umm...kind of hard to see that kind of luck over nearly two years.

4. Or, maybe the roster got better in 2004 and 2005.

Let's examine hypothesis #4 for just a bit. We basically had no #1 picks (don't count Adu) yet still the team found rookie American talent (Perkins, Gros, Kuykendall, Boswell) and got contributions from these players. The closest thing to a draft "disappointment" is Van Sicklen--and he was recovering from a bad knee and has only had one season.

The foreign talent that came in, Moreno was certainly a fine--one that every other team in the league passed over. Hudson may have seen Gomez but then he chose not to acquire him didn't he. Instead he went after guys like Gazza, Dalglish and did acquire Stewart and Ivanov and Stoichkov.

I that that if Hudson had stayed as coach, he would have traded Eskandarian before the 2004 season and Carroll wouldn't have made the cut for DCU--Ray didn't see possibilities in either player after the 2003 season.

A big part of talent acquisition is using the players you've got intelligently--getting the most out of them (like moving Olsen to holding mid or discovering that Adu is really an A-mid).

Look, unless you think DCU is getting results only with smoke and mirrors, you've either got to conclude Nowak is the reason we get results OR our team has gotten much more talented since 2002-3. And if you conclude the latter, than that means we're doing something right when it comes to spotting and developing talent.

[seahawkdad]

I was reading this post without looking at who wrote it, and thought...got to be JoeW.

Of course.

One side aspect of JoeW's observation about Nowak liking to keep his guys is that we, as fans, can build relationships with team members, rather than each year wondering "who are these guys".

That's unique in American sports.

[onefineesq]

Well, for our sakes, I hope we do something. EJ and Cannon to KC, the Mutts and sCrew rebuilding like crazy, and what has DC done? Re-signed three starters to extensions and declined another. We were decent last year, but I fear that we are going to be on the outside looking in if we don't bulk up our roster soon. We better have some big acquisitions lined up or we could be in a world of hurt. I'm with you on this one. I don't think we can go into this next season, playing the same lineup, and expecting to get better results. I don't think that last years playoffs was an aberration. The other teams in the league (especially in the East) are actually getting better ...... and we are still running out getting skinny and weak dmids. How many do we have now? 5 or 6 on the roster? Oy vey.