Goff: Gomez's Moves

[Sundevil9]

Goff's pregame piece is up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/20/AR2006102001502.html

A lot of the article deals with the impact of Gomez:

"He has completely changed our team," Olsen said. "Without a guy like Christian, we don't have even close to the success that we've had the last two or three years. We were really missing that guy for several years, post-Marco."

Umm. Marco played through 2003. Leaving only 7 or so months between Etch and Gomez.

[Bootsy Collins]

The bit about one year remaining on his contract and his representatives looking at a new deal is not at all a surprise, but nonetheless a little disconcerting. With all the other players on the team who are aging, or leaving, or likely to leave to pursue more opportunities than they get here, or hoping to leave the country, it's hard to see how DC won't be a very, very different team in a couple of years.

[onefineesq]

A wonderful little article. The fact that Gomez may be too rich for our blood soon, is quite troubling. Of course, I cannot begrudge him from asking for more money, because quite frankly he is worth more money. The issue is that with Moreno totally ineffective at the end of the last 2 seasons after the long grueling run through the summer, and with Freddy ready to bolt soon after turning 18, United may be in a position where they have to pay Gomez the extra money to be able to help transition the team away from those guys. Again though, he deserves what he gets.

[Talion]

With all the other players on the team who are aging, or leaving, or likely to leave to pursue more opportunities than they get here, or hoping to leave the country, it's hard to see how DC won't be a very, very different team in a couple of years.
I don't really see it that way. We have only a couple aging players: Moreno, Gomez, and Olsen. Moreno may have fallen off from his MVP-quality season in 2004, but he is still effective. Olsen and, especially, Gomez are both still playing at a high level. We've also got Adu who's on the way to bigger and better things.

I think there's no way they let Gomez go. I don't see him as being able to move up to the big time leagues and domestically we can and should match any offers. As for the other veterans, Simms has already ably replaced Olsen, Donnet was clearly (well, to me at least) brought in to replace Adu, and Dyachenko appears to be in line for Moreno's position.

The rest of the starters have plenty of time left and, at least at the moment, don't seem likely candidates to go overseas. I know the thought of having Olsen and Moreno move on seems like a massive change, but honestly I'm not sure it's going to be as severe as the waning of Etch or having to lose Nelsen at the height of his powers. I think the big open questions for next season are questions about backups, like the 4th and 5th defenders and the ever elusive second natural striker for when Eskandarian is hurt or ineffective.

[ionprovisioner]

Christian Gomez is exactly the kind of guy the league needs to drop some coin on. Moreover, we've heard several times indications that his family and their network of relationships are at the heart of United's growing community of South American players.

I trust they'll lock up his services well into his post-playing days. If they don't,

[shepchews]

The thing that struck me was that Jaime's and Christian's kids play on the same youth team. Is this team ripping everybody up?

[RayWhitney]

Goff's pregame piece is up:
Umm. Marco played through 2003. Leaving only 7 or so months between Etch and Gomez.

Yes, but he was a shadow of himself the last two seasons...

[BBBulldog]

The thing that struck me was that Jaime's and Christian's kids play on the same youth team. Is this team ripping everybody up?

well I can tell you lil Gabriel almost took my head off with shot few times, and I think he was aiming for it :D

[Funkfoot]

The thing that struck me was that Jaime's and Christian's kids play on the same youth team. Is this team ripping everybody up?

I don't know, but Tom Soehn's kid's team is pretty awesome. Apparently he helps with the training. They would be one year older, I guess.

[gottaloveit]

The thing that struck me was that Jaime's and Christian's kids play on the same youth team. Is this team ripping everybody up?


Yesterday they beat the loudoun power 8-1 (Jason Thompson used to train that team), And moreno's kid scored 5 goals in the game, if that tells you anything.

[SteveWWJ]

This is just awesome, if they're 9 or 10 now, I wonder when they're going to join DC's U-13 boys team?

[elconejito]

surely Gomez's kids are Argentina born, but what about Moreno's? Any chance of playing for USA?

[dcsundevil2002]

surely Gomez's kids are Argentina born, but what about Moreno's? Any chance of playing for USA?

If I remember reading right, two of Jaime's kids were born in England when he was with Middlesbrough.

http://www.fifa.com/en/WorldLeagues/index/0,4643,122803,00.html?articleid=122803

"Can you talk about your two years at Middlesbrough, where you were the first Bolivian to play in the English top flight?
The experience in England was bad and good for me. The bad part was that I was young and didn't really understand a lot of things. I regret that I was not able to take the opportunity to stay in the Premiership and prove I was good enough to play there. I learned a lot of lessons there the hard way and the experience has made me stronger. That said, much good came out of my Middlesbrough days on a personal level. I met my wife there and my first two children were born there."

[BigKris]

surely Gomez's kids are Argentina born, but what about Moreno's? Any chance of playing for USA?

If the families stay in the States while the kids grow up, they'll be naturalized by the time they get to key playing age. That said, they'll also be eligible to play for another country (perhaps two others in the case of the Morenos) so if they're good we may have to fight for them!

[aueagle1]

If the families stay in the States while the kids grow up, they'll be naturalized by the time they get to key playing age. That said, they'll also be eligible to play for another country (perhaps two others in the case of the Morenos) so if they're good we may have to fight for them!


1) Moreno's children are probably already permanent residents, seeing as how Jaime became one last year. As they are under 18, their path to citizenship is fairly short and relatively less complicated.

2) The path for Christian's children is longer. He and his wife would have to become permanent residents, which as Mibut said could happen in a a year or a few. Then, they would take the path of Jaime's children.

Just don't do what Ramon Nunez has (not) done.

[BBBulldog]

2) The path for Christian's children is longer. He and his wife would have to become permanent residents, which as Mibut said could happen in a a year or a few.

It takes a while after you apply for GC. then once you have it it's 5 years for citizenship. Unless he does it some sporty way :D I came here in '92 and became eligible to apply for citizenship couple weeks ago.

his kids speak regular English btw

[aueagle1]

It takes a while after you apply for GC. then once you have it it's 5 years for citizenship.

Each case takes different amount of time, but theoretically Gomez is eligible to apply for permanent residence in the not too distant future.

[GrillMaster]

I came here in '92 and became eligible to apply for citizenship couple weeks ago.Kool. Let us know when you need those character references. We need time to search the entire Universe! :)

GM

[EdTheRed]

Kool. Let us know when you need those character references. We need time to search the entire Universe! :)

GM
Gotta get the ball rolling so you get sworn in in time for the Toronto road trip! :D

[BBBulldog]

Each case takes different amount of time, but theoretically Gomez is eligible to apply for permanent residence in the not too distant future.

Different time to process not to be eligible, I'd guess DC lawyers started his GC aplication as soon as he was able to apply.

And I can go to Toronto, since half their country are Croatians I doubt we're banned from there yet :p