DC's Allocation for Convey

[ignatz]

The story on the DC United and MLS web sites on Convey's going to Tottenham says:

"United are scheduled to receive a replacement player allocation from Major League Soccer. The pool of possible allocation players will be determined by United. "

What do you suppose "determined by United" will mean? Freddy Adu?

[Claymore]

I honestly can't think of a worse scenario for Freddy Adu than to sign with a United team coached by Ray Hudson. Freddy needs a coach who appreciates and can develop young talent, and Hudson simply isn't that guy.

[Richth76]

I think Young Freddy's training next year will come w/ the U-20's. Playing for United will just harden him for the professional game, but all of his nuturing will come from Tommy Rongen. ************ that may be worse ;)

[oscarm]

It probably means that Hudson/Trask get to decide what player to use it on. Don't know why it'd be Adu, more likely someone they can get before rosters are frozen. Is that at the end of this month?

[DutchFootballRulez]

Well I'm sure Adu won't play MLS Footy till next year.

If DC gets Adu, DC will have a player who yes "is bigger than the team" which means if Adu doesn't like Hudson. He's on a boat back to Newcastle. The entire body of Sam's Army will demand DC get a new manager if Ray is harming Adu's growth.

[Knave]

If we're slated to get Adu (as seems to be the case) then we're gonna get him no matter what just because Momma Adu says it's DC United or nothing. So why waste an allocation on him?

If Convey actually does leave (it ain't official about the work permit yet) and Etch retires then we need to rebuild the midfield next year. (Dema is not the answer.) I say we look for a Guevara-type player. Either that or a striker. But I honestly think the allocation would be better spent in midfield because without a midfield we really won't have any use for even the best of strikers.

[superdave]

Originally posted by Knave
If we're slated to get Adu (as seems to be the case) then we're gonna get him no matter what just because Momma Adu says it's DC United or nothing. So why waste an allocation on him?
In the interest of fairness, MLS may force DC to use an allocation on Freddy.

Which would only be fair, esp. because he probably will be worth an allocation when he goes to Europe.

[Sachin]

Perhaps Pavon or Nunez? They would be good players to have.

Sachin

[JRstriker12]

I sort of doubt we would be allocated Adu. For one thing FWIW- It was reported by Grant Wahl that Adu's agent said Adu will not play in MLS during 2003- http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/grant_wahl/news/2003/08/13/wahl_insider/

But of course that all might change with whatever happens between the U-17 tournament and the end of the year. If Adu impresses, I'm betting he's heading overseas not to DCU (though I wouldn't mind having him at DCU - I just don't think Hudson's the righ coach for young talent. Adu would probably do well under Bob Bradley).

I'm sort of worried as far as Convey's allocation. What really scares me is Hudson's recruiting. DCU has seemed to have brought in tons of players into camp since the beginning of the year (Gaza, Danglish, the Romanian, Hairy Chest Bulgarians etc.) looking for that special one and either the prospect hasn't performed or DC hasn't been able to close a deal.

I hope it take DC a lot less time fining Coveys replacement than it's taken to find that striker Ray has talked about for months on end.

[owendylan]

Originally posted by Sachin
Perhaps Pavon or Nunez? They would be good players to have.

Sachin

Pavon is not available he signed with Real Espana in Honduras last week.

I think Batistuta is still available on a free ;)

[dsheon]

Doesn't sound like we need to wait for the work permit stuff to go through before we get the allocation. After all it says that tonight is his last match (if he weren't carded). That means that after tonight we can sign someone....right?

[chayes]

I don't think DC uses the allocation this year.

Save it till next year when we have more cap room to use with Etch and Hristo gone hopefully.

And yes, the allocation MUST be used to find a #10 replacement for Etcheverry. (NOT STEWART)

Unfortunately with the structure of MLS it is hard to replace marquee players like Etch or Convey because of the 3 SI limit. Its tough to find Americans to use the allocation on, so we have to use it on an SI to bring in a #10.

Its doubly difficult when you botch a few drafts. Hudson/Trask have not built upon the draft over the past few years and DC will pay for it soon.

Mapp sure would be nice to plug in on the left side in place of Convey for years to come...

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by owendylan
I think Batistuta is still available on a free ;)
Signed with Al Arabi in Qatar in June.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/2972920.stm

[AndyMead]

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-soccer/00-01roster/s-rammel.jpg

[monster]

Originally posted by ds39heon
Doesn't sound like we need to wait for the work permit stuff to go through before we get the allocation. After all it says that tonight is his last match (if he weren't carded). That means that after tonight we can sign someone....right?

Theoretically.

But if the coaches might be on their way out and there's someone like Freddy Adu possibly available next year, I think there's a snowball's chance in hell that the league would let them burn it this year.

[Lanky134]

Originally posted by ds39heon
Doesn't sound like we need to wait for the work permit stuff to go through before we get the allocation. After all it says that tonight is his last match (if he weren't carded). That means that after tonight we can sign someone....right?

We never couldn't not sign someone. The players who were on trial - Serna, the Nigerian guy, the big Romanian - all would've been available without having to use an allocation (though Serna would've required a trade with NE). As it was pointed out, the allocation is basically an unspecified amount of money used to acquire players.

In the case of Adu, I'm speculating it could possibly be used to give him a little more money that wouldn't count against the cap.

[Jose L. Couso]

Originally posted by chayes
I don't think DC uses the allocation this year.

I am remember reading that Ray Hudson said that (I do not remember exactly where I read that).

I think Lanky's suggestion makes the most sense.

[sch2383]

Could Freddy sign with MLS and be placed with DC United now, but will not compete in any games until next season? That way we get past fixing the draft, we use our allocation now, and we will know for sure Adu will be ours next year.

[JoeW]

Goff wrote (some time ago) that it's more likely Adu won't turn pro until his 15th birthday (June 2004) when he was also scheduled to finish HS. That makes a lot of sense.

Kasper said the team won't use the allocation this season. That also makes a lot of sense. The allocation won't make a lot of impact on the cap this year (by the time a player was eligible to play, most of the season would be over).

As for Adu--what does he get signed for? Can MLS really justify playing a P-40 player who is 14$270K? There are a whole series of issues to be worked out here. The only way they get worked out quickly is if the US goes 3 and out and Adu looks terrible.

Some of the conversation by Motzkin is posturing. Ultimately, his job is to insulate Freddy from contract decisions and get the best possible deal for him. But his mom will ultimately decide what is best for him. I'm going to be shocked if it involves turning pro anytime before his 15th birthday. He's got plenty of soccer to participate in (practice with DCU, other youth and olympic team matches, even full national team camps if he impresses at the youth WC).

[TCompton]

I personnally doubt that Freddy signs a P-40 contract with MLS. That just wouldn't make since for someone who already has roughtly a $1M contract with Nike. I don't really think that the P-40 is meant for someone like him. It seems more likely that he would be used as a "Discovery" slot if any.

As for Freddy coming to DC United, I'd prefer to assume that he's off to Europe (either Spain or Italy) and if he ends up here, then that's great for us. But I won't hold my breath, and I won't put the future of this team or that of the National Team on his shoulders. He's only one player. Albeit, he's got some solid potential, he's still young and would probably have a rough start as a pro.

Now for our Allocation. I'm with the crew that says we should get a new #10. We're going to dying for it next season. No Marco, no Bobby. Earnie's not that roll, and neither is Dema. I like the idea of picking up someone like Guevara, but to be honest, I don't like the thought of having to find someone to be that spot. It's just too big.