The only interesting takeaway for me was Padraig saying the Rapids were following their second round picks for some time; the team looks on them as long term projects which will most likely spend time in Charlotte.
Exactly. For the last month or so I've been pondering what a three man back line would look like with Sjóberg in the middle and I just don't think he's the optimal player there, or anywhere on the back line. And like M Vann's post, this isn't to say that he's poor a poor center back, but not the best one for the new system.
Smith is an upgrade over Sjoberg. Much more experience at a higher level, even scores goals at a higher rate off of headers / set pieces / corner kicks. Smith is a great pick-up. But, could they both be out on the pitch together? I think they could. While it does seem that Sjoberg holds trade value (one of the few Rapids who might), I do think you could have both of them in a 3 back system (really 5 back when in defensive mode). After all, we all know Sjoberg's greatest strength is winning headers to break up long balls being played over the top to our opponent's forward. He is also decent in possession (though he certainly had some really bad giveaways last season and isn't so precise with the long upfield angled pass - seems to only connect well with the other CB, GK, and CDM). So, I don't see why a back line of Sjoberg, Smith, Ford (or Watts or Miller even) couldn't work out. As long as you have two other faster guys on that back line, should be able to cover. Now, if there are 2 out of 3 slow guys, that's a problem in my mind, but hey - much of 2016 (when our defense was very solid - mostly because of 2 strong CDMs) - we did play with Sjoberg and Burling together with good success even if they are "slower" center backs. Anyway... enough rambling. Smith is a great pick-up. Excellent work, Rapids FO. Now show us a big acquisition at forward, and I think as fans, we need to recognize that major areas of concern have been addressed and we should feel that the leadership of the team is certainly trying to put out a competitive side, even when the upgrades of other teams seem ahead of what we are excited about.
According to the ExtraTimeRadio podcast, the Rapids' offer to the Crew for Ola Kamara was bigger than what the Galaxy offered (which was 400k plus Zardes), but Kamara preferred LA. I sincerely hope we bring another forward in.
Makes me want to kick the GAL's butt even more. I could not imagine driving to Carson every day for practice, but I guess you could live in Huntington Beach and have a pretty good life. rod.
I would rather live in Colorado if I had a normal job, but if I were a soccer player (and couldn't ski, camp, fish, and hike, and I didn't work rush-hour hours), then LA might be nice.
.@tommysmith1990 is ready to get going! https://t.co/g89738GqnU— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) January 23, 2018
Yeah, it looks like the latest acquisitions have been almost exclusively personally known products to Smith and/or Hudson. Trying to rope in players of any merit with few or no contacts in this league may be a tougher task when competing with LAG, LAFC, NYRB, etc.
More on Keseru. Translated, source unknown to me. As stated, it sounds like drama and maybe even public posturing as negotiating tactic. Rapids only MLS team mentioned. " The incredible situation in which the name of Claudiu Keşeru was involved. Claudiu Keşeru has entered the last six months of contract with Ludogoreţ Razgrad, and the Bulgarian striker striker is wanted by several teams from abroad. One of the teams that have shown interest in the Romanian international is also Colorado Rapids. As soon as he was told about Colorado Rapids' interest for Claudiu Keşeru, the name of the Romanian international was involved in a big soap opera. Agent Stephen Obeto contacted reporters FANATIK.RO to tell how he was lied by Emmanuel Wonder and Alicia Nikolas, two people working for Wonder Sport and how they tried to block the transfer of the Romanian striker. Moreover, according to Stephen Obeto, Emmanuel Wonder and Alicia Nikolas were given as Metodi Tomanov, the manager of Ludogoreţ Razgrad, but also spoke on behalf of Claudiu Keşeru, the Romanian striker who is currently in Turkey there where the championship of the Bulgarian champion takes place Stephen Obeto also sent a document by which Ludogoreţ Razgrad would ask for Colorado Rapids 850,000 euros for the transfer of Claudiu Keşeru, on one condition: the money to be credited to the club account one month after signing the contract, and the offer was valid until January 20th. What questions the veracity of the document is that the act asking 850,000 euros for the Romanian striker is sent from the email address of Emmanuel Wonder and not from the Bulgarian team. Keşeru also received the messages from Stephen Obeto Contacting FANATIK.RO, Claudiu Keşeru said: "These messages have also been sent to my Facebook account. The person in charge of my account has announced to me that I know that Stephen Obeto is mandated by Colorado Rapids to negotiate. those there, but nothing more. I do not have much to say on this subject. " This is part of the discussion between Stephen Obeto and Emmanuel Wonder Emmanuel Wonder: Stephen, Claudiu earns 800,000 euros net in Ludogorets now. If he gets € 1,100,000 gross, then he gets to win less than he is winning now. Emmanuel Wonder: You have to explain this to Praidag (no sports director at Colorado). After taxes, he will earn around € 630,000 a year. Emmanuel Wonder: I understand that there was a confusion between you and Alicia about the salary Claudiu will receive. EUR 1,100,000 is the salary Claudiu refused. I do not think the deal will be done unless a better offer is made. Ludogorets wants a better offer." https://www.fanatik.ro/exclusiv-foto-cine-a-blocat-transferul-lui-keseru-la-colorado-17639107
Well.....it could be argued that coming to the Rapids under the old regime was like prison. Let's just hope the new regime is more like a work release program where steps are being made to be a contributing member of society -- aka MLS.
Rapids name Ena Patel Director of Player Personnel. She is now the highest-ranking female executive with a technical role in the league: https://www.coloradorapids.com/post...s-appoint-ena-patel-director-player-personnel Sounds like from her non-sports background that she won't be making player decisions but she'll handle negotiations, contracts, and all the regulations and rules in assembling a roster.
Try explaining how MLS roster and pay rules work to anybody and you get a sense of how difficult Ms. Patel's job will be!
Going from international tax planning to MLS roster / pay rules. Should be a step up in difficulty for her.
Hi guys, Glasgow Rangers fan here from bonnie Scotland. Our media have been linking one of our central defenders (Danny Wilson) to an MLS side and Colorado Rapids name popped up. Have you guys heard anything about this, as it could just be speculation from the media based on nothing. Next question: How many international roster slots do Rapids have? If you were to sign a Scottish player would you then be required to acquire a new slot from another team? If so does this happen easily? Look forward to hearing from you guys, Cheers.
Yea, this whole report of the Keseru drama (assuming there's at least some truth to it) certainly clouds the picture. Maybe the Keseru pursuit evaporates. As some are now speculating, maybe it was all just a dramatic ploy for payday leverage. Perhaps. However... FWIW... 1. Just two weeks ago (or 10 pages ago on this thread) around the time when Jack Price was announced, the same was being said about strange or conflicting news reports about Tommy Smith. Bizarre Ipswich coach quotes, no acknowledgement of active Rapids pursuit, etc. were leading some here to conclude that the whole Smith story was simply a contract leverage play. Tommy Smith is now on the Rapids. 2. Just days ago, Ludogorets signed a new, younger starting 11-caliber striker that has a similar skillset as Keseru (Swierczok, Polish international). Speculated Keseru replacement. 3. Keseru is obviously not entirely content at Ludogorets (whether it's salary, role, etc.). So, who knows. Obviously it's a "will believe it when I see it" situation. But, I don't think I'd dismiss this possibility quite yet. Really comes down to RFO/KSE willingness to pay the fee, and/or how much competition there is from places like Greece. As the Tommy Smith saga has proven, the media reports of drama, leveraging, and whatnot don't always hold water. Holding out remote hope for Keseru or similar. Again, as long as we're not left with another "Edu" Schmidt signing...
Most of us are thinking our final International slot* would be for the massively needed scoring threat at striker/ CF which ever way you want to call the position. *there are several ways around this of which trading for a slot is just one, we could also just waive or loan out an "international" player.
The only talk we've heard is from your side of the pond. Right now we're already 1 over our international slot allotment (we have 7, we've signed 8 internationals) but there are some options. Our longest serving international, Dominque Badji, is probably close to getting his green card which would make him a domestic player under MLS rules (and US labor law). Also the league rules are that players out on loan don't count towards the total and we signed a young NZ defender (Deklan Wynne) who will likely go to our affiliate in Charlotte on loan. If both of those happen we would have a free spot to sign somebody. Also none of this matters until the roster compliance date the week before the season starts. So we have time to figure it out if we sign another international. international slots can be traded for and it happens a few times each season in the league, so its not unusual.
There is also this, again I don't see his value given all the other signings and the huge need at Striker/ CF Here’s @NERevolution general manager Mike Burns on Lee Nguyen not reporting for the start of #NERevs preseason.The club is taking a zero-tolerance approach. #MLS pic.twitter.com/HYQNQh0x7Q— Jonathan Sigal (@JonathanSigal) January 23, 2018
Yup. What I pulled from that melodramatic sounding article was that Keseru is just as likely to still come here... as not. This weird rumoring and social media posturing that seems to happen around acquisitions for the Rapids is rather par for the course. Unless of course we give away two of our best defenders for a couple of re-tread attackers, then the other side doesn't hesitate
International slots aside, the Rapids certainly are in the hunt for one and possibly two center backs in a three man back line. If Wilson is experienced and mobile we could use him. But it's hard to imagine the Rapids would spend much on a transfer fee with the need for strikers. Hope all is well these days at the Ibrox.