The article: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article222657820.html I gotta say I'm fairly surprised.
Good Luck Shelton ... I'd guess Scandinavia? He's not "young" so I doubt he'd be going to even a 2nd division in a top 5 league.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned another reason why I think the season ended the way it did: Russell finally wore down. He was still taking guys on, sure, but he wasn't as killer or as energetic as he was earlier in the season. He went straight from Derby to KC without much of a break, and got called back to the Scotland NT this year. Not to mention learning to deal with the MLS travel and weather. I think it showed in his last few games where he wasn't scoring and couldn't go 90. I fully expect that Johnny is going to be even more of a beast next year after a proper restful offseason. As far as Shelton leaving, I... did not see that coming. I thought we were past the point of mid-level MLS players leaving for Scandinavia. Welp, if he does leave, that makes the #9 decision-making easier. I would like to see Nemeth get more minutes next year to get back into a groove for us, in addition to Rubio.
The 2Bund is full of older players. He's able to bang around in the middle and, well, be kind of tall. His movement is good enough, etc. He could find a lot of options. Maybe Vermes found him a spot. he doesn't sound upset.
agreed. the man deserves his 2-month break. looking forward to him next year. shelton going to europe makes me chuckle. good luck to him, but that seems like a fantasy.
I'm not surprised at all. I thought all along that when SKC shot him an offer and there was no immediate acceptance, that he was all but gone. I really liked Shelton, but I like him better somewhere else than in KC. Good luck to him.
PV went out an reacquired Nemeth and now he has to do his magic and get him back to being a threat. Nemeth never seemed to get in his groove on the 2018 squad. Now he has a chance to make his mark with a full pre-season and a likely come to Jesus meeting with PV about what is expected of him as a #9. He has got to lose that prissy pissed off attitude any time he doesn't get the perfect pass or when he gets knocked off the ball. PV needs a fighter in the #9 spot and Nemeth can be the guy if he gets his attitude right.
The Nemeth we saw last time was the one who became a very hot property in Europe and landed a contract at Liverpool then in Greece. The Nemeth we've seen since his return to MLS is the one who fell from grace. I do think it's a disadvantage to arrive midseason, and I will believe he still has his former self in him, at least unless and until he fails to thrive next spring. BTW, one odd thing about Shelton's departure is that there is not a single rumor anywhere over here about his pending arrival. Now, maybe that's because he falls below the line for what's worth a rumor over here (not a statement on his quality, but his profile). Just find it interesting;
2015 Nemeth was so far removed from his Liverpool prospect years... he had at that point basically fallen off the map at Roda, a weak Dutch side. 2015 Nemeth came to us at the very lowest point in his career. 2018 Nemeth came at the widest point in his career. I think an offseason could make a huge difference for him, really bring him into the side and stuff. But if it doesn't, we are screwed. I personally am a fan of Rubio but he does not have the engine to go all game every game. We need a legit second option. Or a first, if you're one of those fans.
I think what happened is that Shelton was insulted by SKC’s offer and automatically went to the “I want to explore opportunities overseas” statement. His compensation ran about 120K in 2018, so I don’t think SKC was going to give him much more. Compare that salary to what Salloi produced for the team at 81K.
The Nemeth we saw last time was played at the wing, with Dwyer in the middle drawing a lot of attention. He was free to roam and create. The Nemeth we saw this time was always played at center forward and just doesn't look physical enough to handle getting bounced around between two CBs. He was always bottled up and rarely had open looks.
We may see some action tomorrow morning, but I highly doubt it. Half-day Trade Window (Sunday, Dec. 9, until noon CT) Following a three-month roster freeze, MLS clubs can begin making adjustments to their rosters. This is a four-hour window, beginning at 8 a.m. CT, in which clubs can sign and trade players (both non-Re-Entry Draft eligible and Re-Entry Draft eligible players).
Someone probably doesn't like Fontas' salary numbers..... http://www.espn.com/soccer/sporting...r-ike-opara-asks-club-to-consider-trading-him
How does he have any leverage to "negotiate" a new deal if he's traded? I guess he'd be trying for a longer term deal with a new team that could possibly pay him more. I just don't see why anyone wouldn't just trade for him and wait a year before "extending" his current deal. I understand he should get paid while he can ... just not sure his leverage. And you have to assume Fontas is playing a part in this for him.
If you were successfully working some place for several years and then that place hired someone making over twice what you make to do the same thing that you do but then that person only ended up doing very little work...how would that make you feel?
Sporting has shown that it is not afraid to move any player if there is a replacement available and they can get value for the player before the player’s skills suffer the inevitable drop. If Ike really wants a trade because he thinks he is undervalued, Sporting will see if there are any offers worth considering, if not that says volumes about Ike’s worth. Whether this is the right time to trade Ike or not depends on so may factors that it is very difficult for fans, not being privy to all the information available to management/coaches, to make informed judgments. The most successful clubs hit more than they miss on these calls and you can only judge these things on a long term, multiple player basis.
I really like Ike. Great player, big heart, and a team player. But to get mad when SKC brings in a player from the outside at a higher salary is silly. It happens all the time. There are multiple factors that go into what a player makes. Ike is within his rights to ask for more money because he is injury prone and coming to the end of his career. I completely understand why he wants to make as much as he can while he can. I also understand why he thinks he is worth more. But no one is indispensable, especially during the main open window. I will guarantee you if an offer comes in that SKC thinks is good for the club, waive goodbye to Ike.
KC signed Rodney Wallace as a free agent. The announcement first calls him a defender, but he can also play the wing (he had a lot of success there with Portland in 2015 and NYC in 2017). https://www.sportingkc.com/post/201...-and-costa-rican-international-rodney-wallace
I would imagine that Wallace is a 30 year old depth signing when looking at the CCL schedule SKC will have to play.
Based on tweets I’ve seen, he’s this year’s challenge to Sinovic. We also acquired Erin Hurtado from Vancouver for a 2020 2nd round pick and a 2021 1st rounder