And the Latest Lee News is ??????

Not that I want to defend Burns, but is it possible they want to have a replacement for Lee before getting rid of him?

Once the new guy is here, then Lee can be traded for GAM/TAM which can be used to pay down the new salary. Which is standard Revs move.

 

In a sense. Both teams draw the line at renegotiating contracts with more than a year left on them. It's a good precedent, IMO. Otherwise you'll always have players trying to renegotiate their deals and threatening holdouts. The nature of sports contracts is that new deals will always leapfrog over older ones, so if the management is squeezed into redo'ing deals already negotiated, it's going to cost a lot more in the long run (even if it does create some shorter-term overpayments, like the Gilmore deal: the Pats paid more, but they've maintained consistency that will help them in the long run).

We keep using the word "replace", but IMO Nguyen isn't really a true #10 - and that's been a big problem for the Revs. If they are really looking to spend that kind of $$ on a real #10, then I'm all for it - and I don't see it at all as a replacement.

I don't know if we've had a real #10 since Cancela - and that was quite a while ago.

Nguyen is a very talented player, but kind of an enigma (one of the reasons he's hard to defend at times), because he doesn't fit the classic positions. He's good at creating some chaos, unsettling a defense and then either sculpting a clever shot or creating an opportunity for someone else.

But, a #10 that springs players in on goal, makes that final pass, cleaves a defense - not really LN's game.

Yes, it would bug me - but, that doesn't change the basic fact that we've agreed to perform a service for a set of salary/benefits that we decided was worth it.

If we are peeved about someone making more, then we either negotiated poorly, were cheated in negotiations or are responding emotionally (which may be real, but not really the employer's problem).

 

Why? If the deal falls through, are they going to turn to Lee and say, "We tried to get a $3M player to replace you, but it didn't work out, so now we need you to go out and do your old job?"

Ya, that will go over well...

 

No, they're going to say they have no idea where these rumors about a $3 million player came from and he needs to get his ass in gear unless he likes being third on the depth chart.

 

I could be wrong, but I get the feeling he'd be perfectly happy being third string for a year while collecting his $500K, if it means the Revs won't pick up his option next year.

 

I can't imagine any competitive athlete being happy doing that.

Anyway, he finally speaks:

“I talked with Brad and Mike [Burns, general manager] and I told them I’m going to be professional, going to come back and go about my business like a professional, and see how things go,” Nguyen said.

“I mean, nothing can really be said right now. I just told them what I wanted at the end of the season and right now there’s nothing to be done, so I’m back here and just doing what I’ve got to be doing.”

 

So, the $64K question is, what makes him more unhappy? Being on the bench, or being in New England?

Doesn't sound like a guy who's out to have his best season. Sounds more like a guy who's stuck in a no-win situation, trying to make the best of it.

He's still not happy here, and he's not going to be playing his best, even if he wants to.

 

I'd be willing to offer a free Psychoanalystic assessment of Lee's attitude and motivation but fortunately there are other insightful professional analysts pn this Board who have done that already.. Actually I haven't heard this much diversity of analytic opinions since last years meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Societies annual meeting where we debated how to handle the Opiate Crisis .

 

Am I reading this wrong, @Soccer Doc? Seriously, I'd like to hear your opinion.

He asked to be traded three times. If he has now changed his mind and wants to be here, wouldn't he say that? He would talk about putting the past behind him and looking forward to the season, not about being a professional.

I'm not a psychiatrist, nor do I play one on TV.

 

Potentially relevant...

969744013442994176 is not a valid tweet id

 

We don't know what's included in that $3million rumored figure. It might mean that the player's transfer fee + 4 years salary is $3 million, which would further be paid down by money brought in from Nguyen's trade/sale. Then you have an unproven but potentially quality #10 player for 4 years rather than Nguyen for one year. But the money would make sense.

 

Just trade the guy. He wants away and it makes no sense for the Revs to be burning cap space by stashing him on the bench.

 

So that's what makes you tick!...

 

He's definitely not a 10. Maybe a false 9 who can play deeper and make incisive runs but certainly not a traditional 10. We need that defense splitter.

 

Well, Lee didn't even make the 18 in Philly. For the Revs sake, I hope that means a trade is imminent.

 

Stejskal: Chicago still searching for a No. 10, interested in Lee Nguyen
February 27, 2018, 6:57PM EST
Sam Stejskal
Contributor

Pure speculation here, but I wonder if Turner was being showcased are part of a package deal with Lee?

 

Could be Knighton as well. I don't know their roster well, but the idea of adding Dax is intriguing - IMO an upgrade to Caldwell.

If we could have snagged Accam, we'd be 1-0-0! Just kidding...

 

He said in the off-season he was ready for a change of scenery. I take it he's done with New England and it's not about the money anymore.

 

That's my take as well. The fact that he didn't play one minute in pre-season, and didn't make the 18 in Philly, seems to support that view.

 

If Friedel doesnt rethink this game he's playing this week, another loss should do it.

 

Lee updates:

Lee was absent from #NERevs preseason from 1/22 to 2/9, a little over 2 weeks. He will have made up more than that much time by next weekend. If he’s not in the roster then.... it not fitness holding him out

— NERevs Rumors (@NERevsRumor) March 11, 2018

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Revs are now entertaining offers for Lee Nguyen. Chicago and Montreal are the two front runners for his services. #cf97

— Sziszek (@TrueMartyParty) March 11, 2018

Re Nguyen, also hearing that #cf97 and #IMFC are pursuing with offers now that the Revs are listening. There may be others interested as well. Appears that Montreal has the better offer at the moment but nothing is done yet.

— Guillermo Rivera (@FireConf) March 12, 2018

The Revolution traded Benny Feilhaber to a conference rival.

And Charlie Davies. And the rights to Michael Parkhurst. And a few other, less difference-making but still solid players.

Lee Nguyen is not immune to going to either Chicago or Montreal. #NERevs #MLS

— Julian Cardillo (@JulianCardillo) March 12, 2018

 

If the Revs walk away with Draft pics and TAM it will be one more of a long list of stupid moves. The team needs to upgrade a mediocre at best backline and a less than potent front line. Lovitz, Raitala, Petrasso and Cabrera are the starting back four this season for Montreal. They play with one forward Mancoso. Edwards, Choiniere and Vargas are the only other forwards that saw any time but that was minimal. Not sure what they are willing to part with but we all know Burns is a terrible negotiator.

 

Remember, the main thing the Revs want is not to be paying $500,000 to a guy who isn't playing.