He's So Wondo! The continuing chronicle of Chris Wondolowski's career

That wall has been there all along.

 

Wall to Wall(ondo) is all we ask.

 

.@MLS' all-time leading goal scorer.

Congratulations, @ChrisWondo! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/2i6xswHbPS

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) June 8, 2019

 

Wondo scores again vs. Dallas!


What a stud!

 

Eight goals in four games. This is one hell of a rich vein. Two more to have ten goals or more in ten consecutive seasons!

 

At this point, I'd take Wondo and his $800k salary over any other DP across the league.


San Jose Earthquakes

Vako — $1.5M

Chris Wondolowski – $800K



Portland Timbers

Diego Valeri – $2.4M



Montreal Impact

Ignacio Piatti — $4.7M


Los Angeles FC

Carlos Vela — $6.3M

Andre Horta — $1.2M

Diego Rossi — $1.1M



LA Galaxy

Giovani dos Santos — $6M

Jonathan dos Santos — $2M

Romain Alessandrini — $1.9M

Zlatan Ibrahimovic — $1.5M*



Colorado Rapids

Tim Howard — $2.5M

Shkelzen Gashi – $1.7M



Chicago Fire

Bastian Schweinsteiger — $6.1M


FC Cincinnati

Fanendo Adi — $1.9M

D.C. United

Wayne Rooney — $2.8M

 

Wondo in a Pride-themed training top before the 6 8 19 FC Dallas game, in which he scored his 152nd MLS goal, an all-time record. The training top will become part of the Soccer Legacy Collection at History San Jose.

 

"YOUR GOALS MADE YOU A STAR, YOUR LOYALTY MADE YOU A LEGEND. BAU DAIGH - ALWAYS ONE OF US" pic.twitter.com/ncKcwWo84E

— San Jose Ultras (@SanJoseUltras) June 9, 2019

 

Also, Wondo now slightly better than Ibra in G/90. Behind only Vela.

 

The King is crowned. 👑

Congratulations to @ChrisWondo on winning @MLS Player of the Month!

@EASPORTSFIFA | #VamosSJ

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) June 10, 2019

 

Being Wondo’s Dad: A father's personal story

Chris and John Wondolowski at a professional bull riding event held at the Oakland Coliseum.



Chris Wondolowski with his daughter Emersyn and brother Matt at a San Jose Sharks NHL playoff game.

A 16-year-old Chris Wondolowski poses for a photo with his father and his two brothers, Stephen and Matt, in 1999.

 

A coach's selection to the team, pretty cool.

 

Biggest no-brainer in all-star history. Wondo hadn't scored early in the season and was left off the ballet. He breaks the the record with a career performance in doing so, and is on a streak that made him player of the month. Good on the coach for making the selection rather than leaving it to Garber.

 

Yesterday, @ChrisWondo had no idea he made the #MLSAllStar game.

Before training, @peladoalmeyda & his teammates surprised him with the news. 💙🖤 #VamosSJ pic.twitter.com/ZbZA6A9iil

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) June 24, 2019

 

Picture from last year's Classico. Hoping to see another Wondo goal tomorrow!.

 

No post in this thread for 3 weeks? Wow.

Wondo is as streaky as the next striker so it might be unwise to extrapolate... but he's on pace for 19 goals this season. Let's say he "only" ends up with 12-15...

Even big Wondo fans have been saying his career is winding down. But what does he do, and what does the team do, if he ends up with that many goals, or more?

We've all heard it in pro sports, "It's a business..." but can you really imagine the Quakes letting him go or even trading him to finish his career in like Montreal or some USL team?

It's unreal how he continues to produce, and be a leader praised by his coaches and teammates.

PS If ever I wanted a Wondo goal to not be scored... it might have been the last one because he negated a likely save of the year candidate... Eh, Go Quakes!

 

This is tough one. Right now, while with the Quakes he gets to play his poacher position, I don't know if other teams will allow him that flexibility.

I guess the main question to ask is if we are getting value from him as a DP at 800K. I would say yes, but perhaps there is someone else available that adds some more dimensions.

Personally I would like to see him retire while still playing well. Maybe strike up a coaching position to keep the money flowing in or work with the many Bay Area camps to teach his specific skill set.

 

Pardon my poor math, he is "only" on pace for 14-15. Well 10 is a near-certainty and the sentiment of my original post stands.

If this guy ends up with 14 goals on the season, does the team keep him in 2020?

 

He may be on a pace for 19, after all. He didn't start scoring until mid-May. And how may goals did he have in late July in his original Golden Boot season in 2010? He's been known to score in bunches.

As for whether the team keeps him next year, of course they should. Whether he continues to make the same salary is a different question.

 

One more goal and Wondo will have ten season with ten or more goals. All time scoring records a built to be surpassed. 10+ in 10 is an incredible feat of stamina and consistency, and may never fall. I believe Juan Pablo Angel has the second most in MLS history with five consecutive seasons.

If Wondo is in double digits I cannot the Earthquakes cutting him loose. I think it is more likely that he'll be converted into a player coach when he slows down, and to manage his minutes and effect on the salary cap. He currently leads the team in goals, is tied for 8th in the league, and the only Earthquake All-Star. This is vary apparently not yet the time for that transition.

 

I do not like the way you think. Not at all. Bad bad. =)

 

The Quakes respect Wondo and believe it should be his decision, not theirs, as to whether or not he stays on next year.