Martino deal frankly is a steal and savvy business. Could see him sold for 2-3X that in a couple years.
Martino is the coach of Atlanta. I assume you are talking about Martinez or are you talking about another Martino in MLS?
Being a CF97 guy I'm ok with the Schweinie acquisition. Yes Polster, Juninho and Dax already all play the same position and fielding all of them together might feel forced but ownership had the chance to upgrade (if healthy) and actually followed through. For us that's huge as our ownership is the worst. It's only a one year deal (with options) at $4.5 million and honestly it's about time ownership spends money like it actually is a big market team. In a perfect world acquiring BS is part of a larger effort by ownership to make the team look more appealing to perspective new owners and hopefully the Fire will officially be on the market soon. If that's the case and Hauptman does sell it doesn't matter how BS ever does as the fan base would consider that the best $4.5 million ever spent. This move makes Dax and/or Juninho expendable (not a chance I'd trade Polster) and moving either/both should not be difficult. Hopefully Nelson Rodriguez can manage to pull off one or two meaningful trades with those fellas and fill some of our more glaring roster holes but I wouldn't hold my breathe. In the meantime I'd play a 4-3-3 with Niko and Schweinie playing a bit above their respective lines: Niko Accam MDL Schweinie Dax Juninho Vincent Campbell Kap Polster Just to get him on the field I'd play Polster at RB (when healthy in a week or two). He played in the back in college and I don't think it'd be much of a stretch. He couldn't possibly be worse than Harrington.
http://www.univision.com/deportes/f...a-llegar-a-la-mls-proximamente-andres-iniesta Iniesta to NYCFC? james
🚨 NEWS: #CrewSC has acquired 22-year-old forward Kekuta Manneh from @WhitecapsFC.📰 https://t.co/moXw5dfb5Y pic.twitter.com/23IyXBfAfJ— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) March 30, 2017 Tchani and allocation money the other direction.
As a Crew fan, I like it. On the one hand, it seems a lot to be giving up for a guy in the final year of his contract (if he opts to go elsewhere). On the other hand, Tchani is clearly surplus right now though I'm not sold on Abu. I do like Artur. For the short term, at least, I think it's an area where they have needed more production. Meram has been good but they are not getting enough from the wide positions in the last year.
Interesting trade. I think Manneh's development stalled at Vancouver and he gets a new start at Columbus probably better suited for his style. He was getting no service at Vancouver and his one dimensional skills and lack of defensive hustle didn't fit what Robbo wants out of his wingers. I'd imagine Brek Shea is going to be playing more LW along with Marcel de Jong. Caps get a box to box CM in Tchani who adds value to a Caps midfield that's been lacking in quality. If Tchani replicates his 2015 form, it's a good trade for Caps. (And if Caps uses the TAM/GAM money well)
BREAKING: #MNUFC acquire #Rapids96 midfielder S. Cronin, LB M. Burch in blockbuster #MLS trade. https://t.co/HDbWro1KTU— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) March 31, 2017
Hardly a blockbuster trade. But I like Sam Cronin and think he's underrated. Certainly can't solve Demidov's brain farts, but he's a better DM shield than whatever pylon the Loons had before.
Nonsensical trade from the Rapids POV unless they have a major move lined up to use the extra cap space on. Two guys who started pretty much every game last year (and this year) for two bench warmers? The only value Colorado got in this move was getting salary off the books.
Maybe not "blockbuster," but quietly huge for both teams. I think @JasonMa's reaction from the Rapids' perspective sums up the importance of Cronin and Burch. For the parts moving from Minnesota to Colorado, I'm surprised not to see any allocation money (which Minn. is flush with) in the mix. I guess this means Azira and Boateng are Colorado's midfield locks going forward? Good pickups for Minnesota, but sheesh, everybody knew they were in the market for a CB (and defensive reinforcements for generally). You'd think Colorado would try to squeeze them before giving up the goods.
Denver Post article says the Rapids also got an international slot in the deal (makes sense since Saeid is an international and the Rapids were maxed out). http://www.denverpost.com/2017/03/31/sam-cronin-marc-burch-trade-rapids-minnesota/
I'm with @JasonMa and don't understand the trade from Denver's perspective. Saeid was a serviceable DM for Columbus and a decent MLS roster guy, but he hardly seems even with Cronin, in terms of "like for like" in the trade.
Ok, this move was a little different than first reported. Colorado sends Burch to Minnesota in exchange for Gatt, Saeid, and an international slot. Jeff Carlisle is also reporting that Minnesota will be picking up some of Gatt's salary. Colorado then waives Sam Cronin who Minnesota claims immediately off waivers. The latter move is due to the new CBA rules which state that a player who got above the agreed upon salary bump for a player claimed in the re-entry draft can't be traded in the following year, to avoid getting around the re-entry draft rules. Now I'm assuming that the Burch trade was done with the full knowledge of the Cronin move by both sides and the Rapids might have gotten more from Minnesota than they would have without Cronin becoming available.
Janusz Mihaliek (sp) absolutely killed this deal and the Rapids on Sirius today. Then again, he also said there's only three real rivalries in MLS and DC-Metros wasn't one of them. So I don't see why they let someone who really hates MLS comment on it. Thx, Jay!
NY-NJ, Tor-MTL, Sea-Por. He's a joke when he has to talk about MLS. And he's none-too bright talking European soccer, either.