2017-18 Roster Movement Thread

Accam, Adi, Agudelo, Akindele, Altidore, Armenteros, Berget, Bruin, Bunbury, Danladi, Dempsey, Dwyer, Elis, Gordon, Hoesen, Ibrahimovic, both Kamaras, Mancosu, Manotas, Martinez, Mattocks, Mullins, Nemeth, Nicolic, Quintero, Quioto, Ramirez, Ricketts, Rossi, Sapong, Solignac, Urena, Urruti, Vela, Villa, Wondolowski, Wright-Phillips, and yes even Zardes. Some of those might be slotted as wingers more regularly, can't really keep up with everybody. I also didn't account for age, just if they are better forwards than we currently have.

That's 39. I am counting (argue individuals if you like, all good, I am maybe being generous) 39 strikers or center forwards in the league than are better than what Sporting plays. Some of those are super expensive stars. Some are cheap youngish Americans. Many are affordable and middle range. That's all I'm talking about. I dunno.

I think my big takeaway is how surprisingly useless and lost Rubio seems this year. The kid was really looking alright last year, and I thought healthy and with a full preseason and the likely starting spot he'd be hungry and great. That's our real issue right now. Put his money towards someone better? Awesome. Get our money's worth out of him? Significantly more awesome. Who knows. Now I'm babbling.

 

So SKC now has C level 9s? Bit generous IMO.
Still, when Hoesen moved to Ajax his fee was $2.5m, and a couple years later he moved to SJ for $1m, with a very affordable $500k salary, which is almost certainly a step down for him. He wasn't a dimaond in the rough so much as a diamond that had lost it's value. After a reasonable year to bed in with MLS, he now looks pretty solid (only 5 last year, he's started better this year). But he was a C level striker when he was brought in. .
This is our problem, we find a C-level striker in Nemeth and can't see fit to pay his wages after he's reclaimed his career. If Hoesen keeps up his pace and scores 15 this season he will be worth a lot more. Look at the MLSPA numbers. Adi is on $1.7m. F'ing Yuri M in 2017 was on $1.9m BWP $1.5m.
Shelton last season was on $98k. We, as SKC fans, dream of C level strikers.

 

Just an FTR, Vermes said, when questioned if SKC had interest in Wood or Torres. "I would say probably all of the above, and we'll kind of see where it goes from there," was Vermes exact quote. He then had a little smile, which could be his way of guffawing, but could also be a "I've got a secret" smile.
Also, I know it's normal for SKC and Vermes, but it should be noted that his response about Shelton's miss was pretty much class. So many, many managers (and excellent managers) would have thrown their non-firing striker under the bus, but Vermes stressed the positives and left it at that. Thumbs up on that.

 

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article209365054.html

We've been apparently sniffing around English clubs for forwards recently but have been rebuffed, and apparently Torres at one point was on our discovery list.

I don't know how I feel about the idea of getting a forward from England (I'll fully admit in my mind that immediately goes English which is probably the wrong way to go). For every BWP that is quite successful, there are players like Jay Simpson.

 

I'm not surprised though. Vermes like the British style. Big, strong, works hard, less ego. I mean, that's the classic kind of British player. Doubt that's totally accurate these days.

 

Sounds like our British winger. Wouldn’t mind finding another one of him who plays centrally.

 

I'd be all in favor if we were in England recruiting an Egyptian striker.

 

hmmm....


Monday, 9:30 a.m. ET
The trade market isn’t all that hot, but sources have said that three Western Conference teams have been actively shopping one player each in recent weeks. None of the players have played a big role this year, but all three have some promise and could do well in the right situation. I can’t yet name the players involved, but they include a young Homegrown, a versatile MLS veteran and a recent international signing that could use a change of scenery.
—Sam Stejskal

 

Gerso's name immediately came to my head. But after reading about this on reddit and other places, I lean towards it not being anyone on KC, and instead being someone like Aigner of Colorado.

 

Good God, unless he decided he loathed being here, why would you shuttle Gerso on? He has a unique toolset on our team, a terrific engine, and a reasonable wage.

 

Or Nemeth...
I mean, we have until midnight.

 

Except Nemeth is in the Eastern Conference.

 

That toolset fits perfect as a late game boost of energy as well. Give him 20-30 minutes every game and I think he puts up some stats.

 

I hate good players being relegated to super sub. I think he should start at least a third of the games, to keep Russell and Salloi alive and to tactically adjust to the defensive styles of individual teams. But that might just be me being ridiculous.

 

Oh Felipe.

 

I don't think that's ridiculous at all. I just look at rosters with a "Big Game" feel to it and in a "Big Game", I'd want Gerso coming off the bench. If you look at it in a "Season long marathon" then ofcourse you should be getting Gerso 10-15 starts with Salloi and Russell each getting 22-28 or so.

 

I meant more me being ridiculous in the context of what Vermes will probably actually do.

 

Well, nothing moved for SKC before the window closed so the number 9 position is set with 2 guys that can’t seem to find the net. Now we have to wait until the summer window to see if there will be a change. Let’s hope nothing happens to Russell, especially with Felipe out for up to 3 months.

 

I think we all knew getting a striker in this window was incredibly unlikely when it wasn't announced early when Euro windows were still open, like Russell. For all the talk the Star got from Vermes about still trying to get a forward it was never likely to happen when the team selling the forward would be unable to get a replacement. We all wanted it to happen, but deep down we all knew once we got to mid-Feb/March without a forward that we were going to have Shelton and Rubio be our forwards til the summer.

 

True, none of us held out much hope that a striker would be signed prior to the window closing, but those little comments that were dropped here and there made me think just maybe....

 

I keep seeing bits about Fernando Torres. Am I the only one who does not want to see a 34-year-old brought in? I’m sure he could score some goals but for how long?

 

For me it is less about his age and more about how his style wouldn’t work with our system right now

 

No, everyone who knows much about both the player and our team doesn't want him.