The Future of Santino Quaranta

[CHICO13]

With todays blurb in The Post, it looks like Tino injured or re-injured himself. I've been pulling for Tino since that hot day in KC when he put two in the net and made all our hearts soar. I can't help but think that this is a major hurdle for him to overcome. I said months ago that he needed to come into camp focused and healthy. With his play in the UAE, he certainly didn't help himself in the eyes of most fans and maybe some coaches. Where is he going from here?

Let me end this post by saying I've always been a huge Santino fan and see the incredible untapped potential the kid has, but are time and cap issues running out on him?

[banbaseball]

what's he...19, 20? settle buddy--kid's got time if anything.

[CHICO13]

I'm settled, but he's been mentioned as trade bait in the past. And we need someone productive in his slot. He hasn't seen much quality time over the last few seasons. Just wondering where other DC fans stand on this.

[Sachin]

15 goals or we sell his ass to Hearts of Oak in Accra to make up for Freddy.

End of story.

Sachin

[GrillMaster]

Originally posted by CHICO13
With todays blurb in The Post, it looks like Tino injured or re-injured himself. [snip] With his play in the UAE, he certainly didn't help himself in the eyes of most fans and maybe some coaches. Where is he going from here?
[snip]
... are time and cap issues running out on him? If this is a recurrence of the abdominal hernia, it could weaken him for some time. I don't know whether training can help prevent such an injury, but if it's a matter of weak abs, it's very unfortunate.

Where is he going from here is the big question. Especially since time and cap issues are ticking time bombs for him. I'm glad a no-nonsense guy like Piotr seems to be, is the right person to make an informed decision.

I don't think we can get anything for Tino that would justify forgoing him realizing his potential, assuming he has somehow managed to rekindle his hunger for excellence. Piotr is in a great position to make the call, since he has studied Quaranta for some time.

If Jaime has rediscovered his hunger, that would, IMO, bode very, very well for Tino. Tino seemed to idolize Jaime in 2002.

GM

[Detective40oz]

Honestly I think when Santino comes back from this current injury he needs to spend some time on loan in Richmond or for some other A League squad. Make him work for a spot on the team by showing something on any level. It's been awhile since Santino has contributed anything...let him sink or swim in the A League..if he flops well there are no excuses...if he gets his head straight and makes an impact bring him back up to DC. Although I understand arrangements between MLS teams and A League aren't as easy as they used to be.

[CHICO13]

Originally posted by GrillMaster


If Jaime has rediscovered his hunger, that would, IMO, bode very, very well for Tino. Tino seemed to idolize Jaime in 2002.

GM You know Tommy, this is a great point. From some of the Bolivian fans I've spoken to including the one who gave Jaime a ride from the airport upon his arrival, they say he wants back here bad. He wants to prove himself all over and make this team. Will it be enough to help Tino at crunch time? I guess time will tell.....

[ursula]

Originally posted by GrillMaster

If Jaime has rediscovered his hunger, that would, IMO, bode very, very well for Tino. Tino seemed to idolize Jaime in 2002.

GM


I also like this point. A serious Moreno would make a huge impact on tino and the other forwards as well. Given Tino's potential though, he'd be the first to benefit.

But I also worry that this new injury will become a constant thing, which Tino just doesn't need right now even though he's still young. My fingers are crossed still but not forever....

[jason1551]

Originally posted by ursula
Given Tino's potential though, he'd be the first to benefit.

But I also worry that this new injury will become a constant thing, which Tino just doesn't need right now even though he's still young.

Potential, potential, potential. That's all I ever hear about him. I've never been a Quaranta fan and it seems that he can stay healthy long enough to ever endear himself to me. It's been one injury after another for the last year or so. He has to be considered tradebait if he has a poor pre-season showing. He's young enough that he can bounce back, but a change of scenery could do wonders for his self-esteem. I don't think he would respond well to a spell in the A-League, but maybe a transfer or trade could work out better.

[McOwen]

Not counting Freddie... I think Tino is potentially the most talented ball handler/skilled young player on this team. He has had momentary plays of brilliance that (to me) were far and above anything I have ever seen any of our young players do... He can also really move with the ball at his feet, unlike the vast majority of American players on the national scene.

--The only thing that seems to really hold Santino back are injuries and attitude... And he seems to have an abundance of both. This most recent injury just continues the trend.

Perhaps the A-League loan idea would be a good idea. It wouldnt be that unlike major league baseball teams sending star kids back down to the minors to regain their "swing"... He would have nothing to gain but playing time and confidence.

[Sundevil9]

Originally posted by banbaseball
what's he...19, 20? settle buddy--kid's got time if anything.


Yeah, we've been through this argument a couple of thousand times now.

You can't fill a trophy case with potential.

What are we going to do wait until Tino's 23 or so, when the doctors are 99% sure he's stopped growing? Sadly Tino has proven to be injury prone. I don't know if he's just succeptible to them, or if he doesn't train hard enough in the offseason to guard against this kind of thing.

If he doesn't produce, DC will need to make a decision on when to cut him loose, or move him along.

[Jose L. Couso]

Originally posted by McOwen
Not counting Freddie... I think Tino is potentially the most talented ball handler/skilled young player on this team. He has had momentary plays of brilliance that (to me) were far and above anything I have ever seen any of our young players do... He can also really move with the ball at his feet, unlike the vast majority of American players on the national scene.

--The only thing that seems to really hold Santino back are injuries and attitude... And he seems to have an abundance of both. This most recent injury just continues the trend.

Perhaps the A-League loan idea would be a good idea. It wouldnt be that unlike major league baseball teams sending star kids back down to the minors to regain their "swing"... He would have nothing to gain but playing time and confidence.

Ditto.

[Hezbolt]

Originally posted by Jose L. Couso
Ditto.

maybe it will also screw his head on straight and give him an attitude ajustment.

His whole attitude seems to be he doesn't have to earn or work for anything. Loaning him out would in a sense be a slap in the face for him.

It would hopefully show him we don't care what you can do, you don't do it or show it day in and day out, so until you do you can't play with us or even be on our team. When you do what you are capable of day in and day out then we will bring you back, but not until then.

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by Hezbolt
maybe it will also screw his head on straight and give him an attitude ajustment.

His whole attitude seems to be he doesn't have to earn or work for anything. Loaning him out would in a sense be a slap in the face for him.

It would hopefully show him we don't care what you can do, you don't do it or show it day in and day out, so until you do you can't play with us or even be on our team. When you do what you are capable of day in and day out then we will bring you back, but not until then.

While I agree with this in principle, in this specific case though I think a "demotion" to the A-League will do absolutely nothing for Santino.. I think he probably feels very insecure about his health and his play right now and while nominally it would be the ideal situation to get back on track, I just don't think it will work with him..

We've seen Tino now for a couple of seasons and I just don't have any evidence whatsoever that would compel me to think that he will improve by going down to a lower level of play.. What happens if he goes down and stinks there? If that happens, he won't have any trade value and he will in effect be done as a player mentally, and I think we all know that the mental side of Tino isn't exactly bursting with Mensa possibilities..

This is a disastrous turn of events for Tino and this could effectively be the end of Tino on this team and in this league unfortunately.. How said is it that a professional player peaks at the age of 16? I feel terrible for Tino because as mentioned above, he has all the physical tools to be very very good, but it's just not coming to fruition..

[JoeW]

Santino Quaranta is young enough that it is way premature to say he is a failure at his age. Heck, there are guys 2-3 years his age this year in MLS who are being projected as projects. Sigi Schmid (who has an outstanding record drafting American collegians, playing them and getting them to turn into decent pros) was on record as saying there weren't more than 3-4 players in this draft who would have any impact this year. Nowak nicely said the same thing. That is of collegians who are (in many cases) 22-23. And we're writing off Quaranta at 19-20? I don't think so.

The issue with Quaranta is different but simplier: we have a passle of young forwards (and forwards as a whole). Some of them need to go. The young ones (like Eskandarian, Martins, Quaranta, Quintanilla and maybe Adu if he's not a MF this year) need PT to get better. Add in maybe Moreno and probably a polished goal scorer--that's way too many bodies.

Quaranta either needs to show something or he's gone. Not b/c he's no good. But realistically, if look at Stewart, Cerritos, Martins, Eskandarian, Quintanilla, Quaranta and then add Moreno and a goal scorer (I'm just speculating) and consider Gros as a developmental player--that's 9 bodies. And instead we'll likely keep 5 (since Adu could play up front if need be). Assume Stewart stays and Eskandarian shows up fit and in-form. That's 2 spots. Add Gros as a developmental player. Add a proven goal scorer. That means Moreno, Quaranta, Martins, Quintanilla and Cerritos are battling for 1 or maybe 2 slots at most (b/c maybe Quintanilla is moved to midfield or someone has a season-long injury).

[GrillMaster]

I know there are many who will disagree (heck this is BS!) but I think Eric Wynalda knows futbol. During a late summer interview/view from the sidelines he was making the point that players who are pros should know the game and pro coaches are not the ones teaching fundamentals. He damned Tino citing him as the prime example of a pro player who didn't know the game when he became a pro.

I think Waldo's comments are on point for futbol in countries other than minnows like the US and Canada. I think coaches in the MLS usually must teach some fundamentals to young players or they risk not being competitive. Nevertheless, I remember a momentary cringe on behalf of Tino when I heard Waldo say this on national tv.

Did anyone else hear it?

GM

[owendylan]

Originally posted by JoeW
Santino Quaranta is young enough that it is way premature to say he is a failure at his age. Heck, there are guys 2-3 years his age this year in MLS who are being projected as projects. Sigi Schmid (who has an outstanding record drafting American collegians, playing them and getting them to turn into decent pros) was on record as saying there weren't more than 3-4 players in this draft who would have any impact this year. Nowak nicely said the same thing. That is of collegians who are (in many cases) 22-23. And we're writing off Quaranta at 19-20? I don't think so.


That and 5 bucks will get you a coffee at Starbucks. Isn't it possible that the Hut is wrong in his predicition? I don't put much stock into what most anyone inside of MLS says about the draft because for the most part they base their opinions on a 3 day combine and maybe some film during the conference and NCAA tournaments. That is no where near enough information to make a quality judgement about a player. Without a proper scouting organization I find it very difficult to believe anything about any player that comes out of the mouth of an MLS coach/exec.

To bring this back to Tino, his problem I think has always been attitude, exacerbated by injuries. When a player that young has made it to the pros they take it 1 of 2 ways. They either think what an opportunity I need to work hard, listen to the vets and learn as much as possible and the playing time will come, or they let it go to their heads and think they don't have anything to learn and expect things to be delivered to them on a silver platter. Convey is an example of the former, Tino of the latter. I'm of the tough love school and I think Tino needs a serious dressing down and a stint in the A-league so he can re-discover the love for the game (as corny as that sounds). Tino has been pretty mollycoddled since he came to the team and except for the pushing incident with Hudson, hasn't really been challenged mentally or emotionally in the right way. I think he needs to be called out and made to realise that things don't come easy and that if he doesn't shape up he'll be done as a pro. Sure he's got lots of potential but at some point that potential has to translate into everyday playing. You can argue that his injuries have stopped him from achieving that but I jjust see it as an enabler that has allowed him to continue his poor habits, attitude and general malaise when it comes to his job.

[gunner_21]

Originally posted by banbaseball
what's he...19, 20? settle buddy--kid's got time if anything.

This has been the argument for a while now. It was, 'what's he...18, 19?' It can't get to 'what's he...23-24?'. His @$$ will be long gone by then. Bottom line is he's making way too much money to do nothing. Also remember the "laughing" incident on the sideline last season. Something tells me Nowak won't put up with that crap either.

[dawgpound2]

PRECURSOR: This is NOT an indictment of Quaranta specifically


I have been around professional sports enought to see a syndrome where athletes who suffer a lot of injuries start to almost look for their next one. They don't REALLY mind staying on the IL a little longer than maybe they should, they aren't THAT upset about niggling injuries costing them field time. After awhile, even when "healthy", the guy just doesn't have the heart to do it. It's a dangerous syndrome, but I believe it exists. I hope the kid isn't falling into this trap.

[grumpydcu]

At the time of the injury, it was said that Tino was to see a doctor and be evaluated. Have we heard any results? Is he going to be out a few days, weeks or months? Hopefully it is only a short term injury and he can get back into camp and prove his worth to Nowak. If it is another long term injury, this could indicate a chronic problem and the team would seriously need to look in "another direction".

Those condemning him seem to be jumping the gun. I would obviously like to see what he could do if healthy and if he can earn a roster spot, but being a headcase and apparently injury prone I am having serious doubts.

This reminds me of the JOB situation at Ajax where they say he can play well but not often and this could jeoparodize his place on the team.