Per the author of that piece on Twitter, Gashi will not hit our cap this year: Doesn't touch the cap. From that standpoint, it's the same as a buyout.— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) March 1, 2019 Even though he didn't perform under Pablo or Cooke in 2017, and with a different coach and system around him in 2018 still didn't perform. Sorry, this doesn't raise the pressure on Hudson or Smith at all, if anything it lowers it on Smith as it shows he's willing to make big moves and use the rulebook every way we can, unlike many past GMs/TDs.
What may not raise the pressure or focus on Hudson/Smith for you does not preclude this from doing so for me or many other Hudson skeptics. Unless Hudson turns this around soon, this will be the end of the end for patience with this club. Not for you. But others. Edit: Lest you forget the role #11 played in getting the Pids to the playoffs in 2016... and past LA.
Also I had asked the Rapids media team the same question about the cap hit, their answer was to refer me to Stejskal's article on MLSsoccer.com, so I'm going to assume he knows what he's talking about.
I guess my response would be "what have you seen since Gashi's goal in the playoffs 2.5 years ago that makes you think he has the talent and drive to contribute at a DP level?" Because I haven't seen anything that justifies continuing to pay him what he's getting. The idea that he was hurt by a coach or a FO only goes so far when he's played for 3 different coaches and 2 different FO's in that time and never seemed to be on the same page as the organization.
Gashi has always underperformed for expectations... and salary. Even when you count his 2016 contributions. I’m definitely a Hudson skeptic, but dumping Gashi is a move many here have thought made sense. If not for his multi-year contract he probably would have been gone after 2017. IMO this has no bearing on pressure for Smith and Hudson to perform this season. They need to win, with or without Gashi (though we do know it’s without). Hudson has little wiggle room, and without Smith looking over his shoulder I’d say he’d have minimal chance of success. (Edit: Looks like @JasonMa beat me to it, but I’ll leave it up).
I’ve always like Gashi - heck I even have a shirt with his name and number on it. You simply cannot doubt the man had talent, even Don Garber used him as an example of what teams should look for in DP’s - young, talented, smaller names. Sadly, as the years grew with Gashi, so too did his belly. My thought in the matter is that the celebrity status and related salary got to his head, something that happens far too often with athletes. In my opinion, he rested on his laurels and no longer tried to be the best player on the field because in his mind he was. After winning goal of the year, and scoring an even better goal in the playoffs, he went into that offseason with a different mindset, and never recovered as a player. It’s similar to when a player comes a career shifting injury, they’re just not the same. Gashi took a hit to his mind, and sadly never recovered. Nice guy, was always friendly when we met him in Tucson. I’ll be thankful for his help to the club, and thankful to have the opportunity to move on - as it would seem he has done the last year, to year and a half as well.
The operative word in my OP was “real”... as in “real chance” under Hudson. If you look at the chances and opportunities Hudson gave him last year, it’s zero surprise that we didn’t see him do anything last year. As for 2017... yes, he was injured most of year. Acknowledging that his bad off-season fitness that year was responsible for a lot. Nonetheless, we didn’t see him so much in 2017 because he was out for much of it.
I think there’s probably a lot of truth to this take on Gashi’s time here. But if I’m not mistaken, didn’t he ride the bench in the Swiss league the season immediately following his league golden boot performance? I don’t remember injury being a big part of that. Attitude problems before MLS? Could be wrong.
Exactly. It wasn’t a physical injury that hurt him with the rapids per say, but more a mental injury that prevented him from coming back to the Ayer he could be
Well it looks like I got some bad info. BW is now reporting they’ve talked to the team and this is not the team’s free buyout of the offseason. Gashi will count fully against our cap in 2018.
I'm good with cutting Gashi loose. It's better than hearing another verse of "Our Hands Are Tied." This team has been a train wreck for the last two seasons. The old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" has a sequel: "If it's really wrecked, you can't hurt it." The team has needed a complete rebuild. This is one step in that direction. I'm still surprised - pleasantly surprised - that there seems to be a plan and they seem to be on the right path.
And for the individual honors. Lots of SKC flavor. pic.twitter.com/ta5HC4MFaK— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) March 1, 2019
I can. Regardless of salary cap, it opens a roster spot that can be filled with a young gun who is coachable, wants to be here, and may develop into a solid player. I'd rather look to the future than coddle a holdover from the last two years of awfulness.
My point was that so long as we are stuck for his contract/cap hit the FO can and will use it as as a part of the "our hands are tied" narrative. If all we want is a roster spot then off load the very worst player, I don't think that's him despite calling him "surplus to needs" months ago when the new signings began. I guess if he gets a fresh start elsewhere he will either show what he has that our set up(s) couldn't get out of him -- or else continue to languish on the bench or outside the 18.
Interview from last night's C38 party with Padraig Smith (starts about 10 minutes in) https://www.facebook.com/groups/404837689609250/permalink/2126311784128490/
From what I've been told what he recommended and what the team actually did weren't the same thing (contract length).
If Gashi signs with a new side are the Rapids still on the hook for his salary? Obviously to sign a new international they still need to free up a spot, so I am not sure how they can bring on someone new in the summer window without making more moves. At this point, it seems that the waving of Gashi at this point gives them Shinyashiki. It will be interesting to see if the RFO is able to do anything of substance in the summer window.
As I understand it he's going to get paid at least $1.8M this year. If another team pays him $2M, we're off the hook. If they pay him $1.5M, we owe him $300K, if they pay him $1M, we owe him $800K, etc. Certainly that's the case if another MLS team picks him up. I think it also applies to a non-MLS team but I'm not 100% confident on that. I'm also not sure what it means when it comes to a cap hit. Does the cap hit go down if somebody else pays him $1.3M or more? I don't know.
So, no more 4 season contracts for expensive foreign DPs, who (by definition) have no proven MLS track record.
Let's hope so. And given what happened this off season I don't think it will under Pádraig's watch. What I'm trying to figure out is whether or not the Rapids will be able to bring in more talent in the summer window or if any significant signings wont take place until next January. To do so there needs to be international slots and money. I am still predicting that there will be one or more transfers out in July/August.
I predicted a youth DP in the summer. If we have to buy out Blomberg's remaining $120K at that point to free up a slot it won't be the worst thing.
Agree - or perhaps they can sell him back to Sweden? Regardless, I hope they continue to remake the roster and with an upgrade in talent.