Buckle seeks roster stability for 2017 season - SacBee, 10/6/16 Buckle wants to keep his younger players, including internationals Kneeshaw, Williams, Trickett-Smith and Rodriguez, working out in Sacramento during the offseason. He wants them to train with some of the most promising players from Republic FC’s U-18 and U-16 academy teams. “If these players want to start going home, they’re not for us,” Buckle said. “This is professional football. You need to put in the hours.” He and Smith also plan to return to England during the offseason to visit English Premier League clubs Liverpool FC and Southampton, plus a few others, in search of talented players they feel will be good fits with Republic FC. Buckle said upgrading is a necessity in the USL, which gets better and deeper every season. “We have to find a way to keep improving the squad while staying under the budget,” Buckle said. “So we’ve got to get things right. We want to come up with another team for which the fans can be proud.” Yeah, I definitely want to keep the youngsters. There is a lot of promise there. Saturday was the first time I'd seen much of Rodriquez, and he looked really solid that night.
That's as good a list as any. It would be too bad about Alvarez - crowd favorite, played some good games for us in 2014 and isn't a bad player. Just doesn't seem to be in Buckle's plans. Jakubek seems to be a good, perhaps inspirational teammate, and is a viable back-up, IMO. dozens of younger guys would make viable backups, too. Even if he's cut it would be nice to keep him in the org. somehow. He strikes me as a good guy to have around. Academy 'keeper coach? I don't know anything about 'keeper technique, so I have no idea if he's got it or not. Maybe wait on Pridham until you have an idea how many forwards to expect back.
Why are they going scouting abroad again? How many English do they want on the team? We're allowed 7 foreigners so it gives you an idea of who will be leaving...
I guess it depends on how they define foreign player. These seem pretty clearly to be foreign players: Williams Cole Tricket-Smith Rodriguez Kneeshaw Foran That's six. Who's seven? Klimenta? He's been here almost 20 years so it wouldn't surprise me if he has duel citizenship. I think the club clearly wants to keep Williams, DTS, Rodriguez and Kneeshaw. I have no idea about Cole. I like to tell myself that he's here because the club told him it will definitely be in MLS by 2018 (ah, the stories we tell ourselves). If the above list is accurate and Foran is out the door, then there's room for two, possibly three more foreign players. Is that what you meant by?: I don't care where they come from as long as they improve the roster.
Klimenta is definitely a US citizen. Several years ago, long before he came to Sacramento, he was talked about in the BigSoccer "Yanks Abroad" board when he had trials overseas, and he actually posted in the thread himself confirming that he was a citizen. He also said at the time that his first choice of country to represent would be the US. My guess is that the seventh foreign player, if we're using all seven slots, is Pridham. He's Canadian and didn't move to the US until high school (so within the last 10 years).
DRAT! I also don't have confirmation on this, but I think it's extremely unlikely that James Kiffe returns to Sacramento in 2017— Evan Ream (@EvanReam) October 18, 2016
Cole leaves Republic FC, returns to UK - SacBee, 10/19/16 "Smith said Republic FC didn’t have to open the vault to bring in Cole – he’s already made his millions in the U.K. – and the buzz his signing garnered in the United States and overseas was priceless. Buckle and Smith continue to mine the U.K. for young talent...and Smith said Cole’s signing helped the club’s international visibility." I suppose this is expected. It was a surprising signing to begin with.
Here's how the boys fared in some conference and league-wide team statistics: All-in-all, good but not great #'s. Goals allowed & +/- explains our high finish. That % of SOG is pretty disappointing, as I think it was last season, too. I don't know if that's because teams tend to bunker at Bonney or if we had a high percentage of attacks come from the wings compared to through the middle. I speculate there would be a higher SOG rate through the middle but I don't really know. I'm curious how these #'s look for just the 2nd half of the season.
What does goals allowed mean? Goals conceded? And 2nd means we have the 2nd worse record? I'm confused...
I wonder how many srfc or ex srfc players preki will sign for st Louis starting with mirkovic and guzman...
It'll be interesting to see if braun does go. Preki stood by him when I for one couldn't stand the sight if him but pure stubbornness from preki kept him on the field
I think it's both. Buckle's emphasized the wings more than Preki did, but we also seemed to play through the middle more often in our away games than at home this season. And that was most likely because opponents were bunkering at Bonney.
First seven signings for 2017: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/mls/article114095763.html http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news/2016/11/10/republic-fc-exercise-options-on-five-players Newton Jakubek Klimenta Rodriguez Cazarez Williams Plus Enrique Montano, defender from Louisville City FC. "Montano appeared in 23 games in 2015 for Louisville City FC, making 20 starts, and played in nine games for the USL Eastern Conference team in 2016. Buckle said Montano was looking to return to California, where he grew up and played at San Jose State. “He knows the area, knows the club and has a very good left foot,” Buckle said." More evidence suggesting Kiffe's departure.
Ding, ding, ding! From the Bee article link in the previous post: Preki lands Mirkovic – Former Republic FC midfielder and team captain Ivan Mirkovic is joining new Saint Louis FC coach Preki. Mirkovic was a key player for Preki during the former Major League Soccer coach’s one and half seasons as Republic FC’s first coach. Both are natives of Serbia. Mirkovic started last year with Sacramento before being sent to the Orange County Blues FC, where he was the team captain and helped the Irvine-based team reach the USL Western Conference semifinals. Mirkovic may not be the last former Republic FC player that winds up with Preki in St. Louis.
Republic sign former UCSB Gaucho-'Quake draft pick,-Irish Premier League "utility-player," Peter McGlynn. I wonder if he can hit from both sides of the plate, too? http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news/2016/11/16/srfc-sign-peter-mcglynn
From the SRFC website... "Video Analyst and Camps and Clinics Coordinator Chris Malaneb is on a football operations trip to Ghana to scout talent and build relationships with new clubs. Malenab will be sharing updates with fans throughout his trip." Malaneb is joined by scouts from several clubs, including RSL and other USL clubs, visiting Ghana. This link is for the day 3 blog. I posted it because it has links to days 1 & 2. The better reading is for days 2 & 3. http://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news/2016/11/16/sacramento-ghana-november-15-2016/ I wonder what other out-of-country scouting trips the club has planned.