Gazza Redux

[Bill Archer]

VERY interesting piece from the Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23780-2002Jul30.html

First mention I've seen of the league backing off and giving the teams more autonomy in personnel decisions.

Also, farther down, Hudson admits that Gascoigne, a recovering alchoholic, was out drinking Saturday night!

But Ray doesn't see this as a problem.

[Eggy]

Yes but I gotta say that Gazza is the fittest I've seen in years.

[hangthadj]

This is an interesting article even aside from the alcohol stuff, which is definately good stuff.
Just specualation and delayed on my part here from being a Crew fan for so long. But this team autonomy is good stuff for us here. Lets face it, if MLS wanted Gazza here, they coulda forced our hand into trading that discovery option and gettin something less than spectacular in return. Signs point to stranger occurances than that through the years in MLS. But perhaps our very own GM Mr. Smith using his new control free of MLS giants whispering in his ear decided that this would not be a good deal for us. Maybe I am reading way too much into this, but after reading it this morning thats the first thought that popped in my mind. Sure all signs point towards the autonomy in decision making that they are talking about is DC's wanting to sign Gazza. But it could also be talking about us refusing that trade as reported, if the trade reported actually was correct. Am I wrong?

[YITBOS]

Originally posted by hangthadj
Lets face it, if MLS wanted Gazza here, they coulda forced our hand into trading that discovery option and gettin something less than spectacular in return.

From the article:
In a shift in Major League Soccer policy, D.C. United will have the final say in whether former English superstar Paul Gascoigne joins the club. And Coach Ray Hudson said yesterday that club officials will make that decision in the next 48 hours.

As can be seen above, DC is reported to have final say. The league will follow the recomendation of DC officials. Somehow, I'm not convinced that Columbus, including Carnie-boy, has much say -- if any -- in this matter at all. I am still anticipating MLS forcing us to tip our hats to DC...

[hangthadj]

YITBOS, fair point, but....if the autonomy granted to teams is consistent across the board Columbus still should have some say in any trade. Yes, United can say we want Gazza, but they still need a way to make it happen. Maybe I'm just puttin too much faith in the Crew and MLS though

[hangthadj]

So at least the crew doesn't have to give up their discovery pick for this....

http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=116373

[Kryptonite]

Originally posted by hangthadj
So at least the crew doesn't have to give up their discovery pick for this....

http://www.dcunited.com/index.cfm?section=main&cont_id=116373

WAHOO!!!!!!!

[ZipSix]

So that's that. Now, what are we doing with Discovery #2?

[DGA57]

In other words, the Crew wouldn't trade a discovery option and DC, after another exciting 0-0 tie, decided that the season was lost. Therefore, they'll use next year's Discovery Option of their own to sign him to a full season.

We know Hudson will still be there; even Rongen got a couple of years with that crap team.

[Flyer Fan]

We will use discovery #2 on a frisbee dog for continuous in-match and half time entertainment. "Money money money money money."

[Bill Archer]

You gotta think that MLS pulled the plug on this.

They were reportedly nervous as hell and wanted to kill it last week but intensive lobbying by Hudson got a tentative OK.

Letting the guy go out drinking Saturday night was a horrible mistake, and I would be willing to bet that it killed this deal. My God, the whole freakin WORLD, literally, is watching his behavior and he just can't help himself.

Enough ink has been spilled analyzing Gascoigne to float the Titanic. There's little more that can be said. He has a self-destructive bent that no one, and certainly not Ray Hudson, can overcome.

[Elizabeth]

The only thing about Gazza that is exciting..is him. MLS is like stale white bread and a little spice would be fun.

i think the Crew would benefit by having him..even if he wouldn fit in better ANYWHERE else in the world. But, think of the fun. Craig Merz needs that kinda stuff. How much more enjoyable would that am sports section be? he'd have the cruisers at half time or something. We can only imagine. Boring around here these days. Controversy would sell tickets at least.

[ZipSix]

Originally posted by Elizabeth
The only thing about Gazza that is exciting..is him. MLS is like stale white bread and a little spice would be fun.

i think the Crew would benefit by having him..even if he wouldn fit in better ANYWHERE else in the world. But, think of the fun. Craig Merz needs that kinda stuff. How much more enjoyable would that am sports section be? he'd have the cruisers at half time or something. We can only imagine. Boring around here these days. Controversy would sell tickets at least.


Blah, I'd rather win games. The guy is Lothar Mattheus with personal problems.

[Eggy]

No that's untrue.

Lothar was cocky, came here on big money and had a totally different personality. He had won alot more than Gazza has and was more keen on becoming a manager than anything else.

Gazza has proven he wants to play. He's taken a pay cut and has lost alot of weight.

His drinking has been excessive at times but I think the problems before more had to do with his fitness and his eating. He was also known for loving a kebab or two.

I think people would be surprised although as many times as this league has been burned before I don't blame fans. But I trust Gazza.

[myshap]

How about that guy from the sports medicine commercial for our second discovery pick. Even with those skills he's better than Rzepa.

[melloyello]

http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/dc0801gazza.html

[Bill Archer]

I agree with Eggy in that I enjoy the Teamtalk/Chris Bergin/etc. stuff. I don't think he makes stuff up out of thin air, but rather reports rumors he hears from connected, or supposedly connected, people.

(I also agree about the Matteus comparison. Oldthar came over here to loaf and pick up an easy paycheck. Say what you will about Gazza, but lack of effort on the pitch has never been his problem Self-destructive behavior maybe, but not sloth)

And I think the people who criticize this approach miss the point. The alternative is for us to sit around like Lotus eaters, knowing nothing and caring less, until MLS delivers us some tablets.

Does it all come to pass? Of course not. That's hardly the point.

Anyway, there's a new summary on ussocceruk.com which says that they've decided to wait until next year on the Gazza thing. Paul is apparently trying to find a spot in Dubai (???) and the whole isue will be revisited next Spring.

The pertinent section:

Not only were United being held to ransom by eight other MLS clubs that had a Discovery pick, but United's Bryan Namoff - the player who was to be cut to make room in the squad for the Englishman - was digging his heels in, as the club started to toy with several options to clear the berth in their squad; To move him to the A-League, to trade him to Columbus, to move him into a Developmental role - thus dropping one player already in the stacked pool - or to even waive him out of the club.