What a boring off-season for FCKC so far...all we've gotten is the disheartening news that current ownership is a bunch of jerks and the team is for sale. Also, hometown girl Fran Silva retired and we released Molly Menchel. Interesting that this is our quietest off-season after our lack of play-off qualification for the first time ever! I for one, want more draft picks! Let's go over current roster based on 2016 performance: 1. Lo'eau LaBonta (M) - She was a pleasant surprise. Stepped up quite nicely at dmid considering the big shoes of Scott and Buz she had to fill. 2. Shea Groom (F) - I consider her at least in the pool for the Full National team. Our leading scorer and hometown girl. 3. Desiree Scott (M) - Glad to have her back. Returned to the NWSL to be one of the top dmids in the league. 4. Becky Brunn (D) - Though showed she was human in 2016 but still one of the top defenders in the world 5. Alex Arlitt (D) - Bright spot in 2016 and working on her game in Australia currently. Hampered by injuries but showed lots of potential. 6. Mandy Laddish (M) - Mainstay in central midfield who started off the season strong. Seemed to be hampered by injury later on and the club confirmed she had hip surgery after season. She's a work horse, hometown girl but she is more box-to-box than elite play-maker. 7. Arod (F) - Sat out due to pregnancy. Can she recover successfully like last time? Kind of surprised we haven't used her as trade bait for pick in the college draft...but I digress. Big fan of hers, just don't know if there's room for her, Leroux, AND Groom. 8. HAO (M) - Heart and soul of our team. Hope KC is able to resign her. She may have retired from international play but still has a lot to give at the club level. 9. Yael Averbuch (D) - Played mostly center-defense this season and did reasonable well. I like her, I think she brings a lot to the table on and off the field but...I think this is a starting position that we could upgrade...possibly?? 10. Brittany Taylor (D) - Can play outside or centrally. Important part of our defense. 11. Sydney Leroux (F) - Sat out due to pregnancy. Can she recover and get back her goal-scoring touch? Not sure, I actually prefer Arod / Groom but I think Leroux has more long-term future with the team due to Dwyer and SKC. And she would be more helpful in getting SKC involved in a bigger way. 12. Erika Tymrak (M) - Disappointing season for her. Lost her starting spot several times and contributed little in goals or assists. She was one of my favorites and has seemed to of faded. She is playing in Australia currently so hopefully that ups her game. 13. Barney (GK) - I'm biased but still think she is keeper in the league. Another great season. 14. Cat Parkhill (GK) - Never played, very few had heard of her. Hard to believe we aren't looking for an upgrade here through the draft. 15. Tiffany McCarty (F) - I thought she had her best pro season here in KC. Came up big when the NTers were gone with some assists. Combined well with Groom. She surprised me...but i'm not sure we couldn't get an upgrade in the draft. 16. Katie Bowen (D) - Promising rookie season. I heard some people say she could play AM....Not that she can't, but i'm not convinced that she can at the elite level needed to win in the NWSL. I really liked her at left-back though. Kind of reminded me of a Kallman there but with more attacking instincts. Not quite as solid defensively as Kallman but lots of potential especially in a season not cut short by school or WWC. 17. Brianne Reed (D) - Solid but not spectacular rookie season. Had some really good moments but struggled too. Undersized for a central defender but didn't look extremely comfortable going forward as an outside back. I think we could upgrade here in the draft. 18. Caroline Kastor (F/M) - Probably the speediest player on our roster (without considering Arod). Logged some important minutes for us, she's a hometown girl but we could probably upgrade here in the draft as well. She has exceeded my expectations though. 19. Alexa Newfield (M) - Started out the season strong, but through injury or just falling out of favor didn't see many minutes towards the end of the season. I like her, she has some creative flair but i'm not sure if her history of injuries is helping her cause. Probably could upgrade here through the draft unless she can get healthy. What we need for 2017 : Elite Attacking mid (missing since Holiday retirement), Upgrade at center-back (or right-back and move Taylor central), Goal-scoring wingers, Back-up goalie. Possible targets for college draft: Rose Lavelle (WIS) / Morgan Andrews (USC) / Alexis Shaffer (UVA), Mandy Freeman (USC), Maddie Bauer (Stanford), Christina Gibbons (Duke), Jaycie Johnson (NEB), McKenzie Meehan (BC), Rachel Hill (Uconn), Toni Payne (Duke), Kailen Sheridan (Clemson), Lindsey Harris (NC). I love A LOT of players in this draft so several possible targets are not listed. What do you guys think? I want more draft picks!
I think Taylor is better as an outside back. Averbuch has been decent at center back, I'm not sure who they could get that would be a real substantial upgrade over her. But I do think she'd be better as a DM. If Chicago's really bringing in an international to play CB, maybe they could trade for Sam Johnson? (figuring Katie Naughton is off the table) Not sure how much of an upgrade that would be, though. I think FCKC needs to trade Tymrak. Give her a change of scenery, you know. Maybe Sermanni would still be interested in her.
The management stuff is unseemly and unnerving re the team's future in Kansas City. But as far as roster talent goes, I think the reason for a quiet off-season is FCKC is set up to have a really good team in 2017. Defensively they were fine in 2016, it was the offense that suffered with Holiday and A-Rod missing. Groom did all she could but had no help. If A-Rod and Leroux can recover their old form (in Leroux's case, she hasn't had a good season since 2014, arguably 2013!) and can acquire a good playmaking midfielder, a #10 (to complement Scott's #6 and Laddish's #8) they will be a force to be reckoned with.
On Averbuch, I don't think there's an obvious substantial upgrade over her in the draft but I do prefer Taylor as a pure defender. And I really like Mandy Freeman (USC) as a right-back. I think a Freeman - Bowen outside back duo would rival Chicago as the best in the league. And I don't disagree with you on Tymrak, I thought about dealing her closer to home in Orlando but what does Orlando have to give? But it's hard to see Tymrak getting much significant time with Groom, HAO (if she resigns), Leroux, AND Arod. Unless they plan on moving her inside...which I feel like they've tried before without a ton of success.
Interesting, i'm not really of the opinion that KC had a BAD season last year considering all the changes. But even after winning both championships we've had had at least some roster turn-over, but literally NONE this year. This is the first year we've had a first-round pick in the college draft since Kallman! And we HAVE to have an elite play-maker to compete in this league and there are some good options in the draft (Andrews, Lavelle), but i'm not sure they will drop to #5. Perhaps someone like Schaffer (UVA) or Riberio (UCONN) will surprise though.
Mandy Laddish and Morgan Andrews were teammates at Notre Dame and played well together. MA's skill set would fit well with Vlatko's style.
I think at this point, getting a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Tymrak would be a decent return. We're not talking about rookie of the year Tymrak anymore. This is for a bench player. (And I don't mean that in a mean way, I think Tymrak is a much better player than she is showing, you just have to be realistic about the return you can get on a player in her current situation)
Maybe Tymrak can come to Portland? She doesn't need to be a star here, but could be the grease that lubricates the wheels. That would seem to fit her talents.
Vlatko is resistant to international players, the only ones are Scott and Bowen. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe in 2015 there were zero foreign players on the roster. However if they can't get someone like Andrews or Lavelle maybe he breaks down and searches the international market.
Maybe if it were a World Cup or Olympics year. But in an off year she'd just sit on the bench the whole year. I don't think that would be good for her.
They can try and trade up from the 5th pick to say Flash's 2nd and Tymrak can be included in the deal. They could get Andrews or Lavelle with the second pick.
But they wont get a Defender with the second pick either. They can get Mills or Gibbons at #5 and still have Tymrak battle Zerboni for that LM spot
Well, they could, but it probably wouldn't be a prudent pick. They could however trade it for an established defender, if so inclined.
The problem with dealing Tymrak for picks is her style of play doesn't seem to fit most other places. Portland, sure, but she would never see the field there. Orlando/Sky Blue/WNY are known more for speed, Houston/Chicago/Portland have crowded midfields already and who knows what Washington/Seattle/ Boston will look like this year...Too bad we played awful against Boston this year bc I want some of their draft picks. Where would be best case scenario for Tymrak? What about Arod? Would Sky Blue want to rival WNY with the fastest front line in the league? (Arod, Galton, Kerr, Ohara).
I think Tymrak would still fit in with Seattle, but they don't really need her as long as they have Rapinoe (plus Pickett as a backup). Well, unless Harvey wanted to give her a shot to win the #10 role. So she wouldn't get much playing time. She would probably also fit in with Houston, but they also don't need her. That's why I figured Orlando would be the best spot. She'd probably get playing time in Boston too, but I don't think it's what Boston wants/needs to do for their rebuild.
She would get playing time in Boston especially if Haavi goes to the Euro with Norway. Boston probably gives up a draft pick. Orlando seems like a good fit. Sermanni is a big fan of her. What does Orlando give up though? The 22nd pick?
If Orlando wants Tymrak, they're gonna have to pay more than just a mid-round pick. Sam Witteman and a 3rd round pick should do it though, if FCKC was willing to let Tymrak go. That's quite a nice return for Tymrak's current value. It's just insane to think FCKC would be willing to get rid of her for an "ordinary" draft pick, who may or may not cut it in this league, as mid-round picks are a crap-shoot. Tymrak is still worth more than she is showing, at her current market value. Front offices across the league know that about her. Honestly, any front office would trade the #18-#25 pick straight up for her right about now, if they knew that Tymrak wanted to go there, and would give them at least 3 good years of commitment and loyalty. FCKC should not "cave in" on that.
I kind of agree with you here. I know she had a bad season but she's starting and scoring goals for Melbourne City currently working on her game. I think no lower than a 2nd round pick for her, I know this is a talented draft but I haven't seen anyone with Tymrak's uniqueness when she's playing at her best.
Yeah, and teams will have to slightly over-pay in a trade to land Tymrak. FCKC fans have Tymrak as one of their favorite players, and FCKC isn't going to trade her for exact market worth. If you want Tymrak, you have to add in a little interest (with the principle) in your trade proposal.
Yes, this is a deep draft, supposedly deeper than 2015s draft. Let's just look at a few of the 2015 3rd and 4th round picks: Caprice Dydasco, Sabrina D'Angelo, Daphne Corboz, Chioma Ubogagu, Whitney Church. These have all turned into fairly decent players. Sure there were some picks that didn't work out (same could be said about some first round picks in other years though...), but I wouldn't be surprised if there are similar numbers of late round gems in this draft. Sure, but she's not playing at her best sitting on the bench. If FCKC wants too much for her, nobody will take her. They have to be realistic about it. Even if she's playing full time in the W-League that doesn't guarantee her a starting spot in the NWSL. She'll still have to come back and earn it. If they want to wait until after the NWSL season starts and she earns a starting spot back, well then sure, they can then ask more for her. But then why would they trade her at that time?
Yikes just saw that GM Huw Williams is gone. This concerns me way more than management issues. This is a huge loss. Explains a lot about no off-season moves either. Not looking good here in KC folks. Williams is a major reason KC soccer is relevant, FCKC will miss him terribly.