Thanks. I think I'm clearly on the back 40 of my playing career (my orthopedist/surgeon pointed out that "I've had a good run ..."). Sounds so final!
Again, maybe learn from experience ... or just ram your head up against a rock repeatedly because no one posted that you shouldn't. Your choice.
Well, they certainly did the right things this off-season so far, with the signings of Sambinha (even if he isn't considered an immediate starter), Kouassi (even if he wasn't going to be here until June, and now he's injured), and reacting to his injury quickly by getting Koffie. Good on them, and credit where it's due. This is the kind of stuff they should have been doing every single off-seaason, regardless of how good they might think our "core" is. The issue of roster spots 26-28 is more about the operational philosophy of the club rather than what a particular player occupying one of those slots could contribute. The idea that they see them as "a waste" and that they can save money by not filling them says a lot. Are there any other MLS clubs who do this? Even if it is a young developmental player who works hard in practice and is willing to learn, maybe next year Mr. 28 will be able to move up the depth chart and challenge for a spot on the 18-man game day roster, sub duty, the occasional start and USOC opportunities. Jeff Larentowicz parlayed his lowly position into a pretty good MLS career that is still going on in LA. All of his early gametime was with the reserves and he would not have developed if he was replaced by an empty roster spot so the club could save money. Put another way, baseball teams have literally hundreds of players in their minor league system, with the vast majority of them washing out. However, almost every major league star came up through that system. Mr. 28 on the Revs probably might not evolve into a star, but if you don't give him a chance to develop, he definitely won't.
Unfortunately, IMHO, the next man up mantra does not hold with the Revs. The Revs just are not built like the other local teams. The Bruins and Red Sox control their own farm clubs and player development. The Patriots are a consistent championship competitor and control their own practice squad. I know less about the Celtics (they do have their own developmental league team), but I see basketball being a little different given the roster size, but also due to the roster size losing a key player can be devastating. The Revs do not have competition for roster spots. The Revs do not have competition for starting spots. The Revs do not have a lot of above average players. The Revs roster size breeds complacency. Every year the end of the roster guys get cut; not developed or invested in. Would they even be here if we were not forced to draft (I guess we could pass in late rounds like some teams did) or have minimum roster size requirements? If the end of the roster guys cannot be developed, then they are the wrong guys or our set up is flawed (and it is). I would rather see the Revs with 25 (heck 20) talented guys pushing each other instead of 15 guys competing and 11 others getting low end paychecks during a temporary soccer career. How great would it be if the Revs drafted two first round picks, but they could not even make the team (because we had so much talent) so they had to play on the Revs developmental team (which does not exist today). It will just take time, but I cannot help but think it will take the Revs longer than other MLS teams. This takes me to a point that I have been thinking about for a while and I would be interested in what others think (this is the wrong thread for this thought). I do not think that the Revs are good at developing players. I do not think that they ever have been (maybe Larentowicz is the best player they ever developed), but I will just look at the Heaps era Revs. I look at Neumann, Diego, Rowe, Farrell, Smith, and Caldwell. In that group I think Caldwell is developing at a good rate. Farrell has changed positions so it is too early to say. Let's see how this year goes. I hope that Diego continues to improve, but seems to go through plateaus. Rowe seems to have plateaued. Smith and Neumann never see the field. Heck, Agudelo is only 23. Is he developing at all? What does he think about his career arc and its possibilities playing for the Revs in a one striker system? How will Herivaux develop in our midfield? How will McCrary fare? At the end of the day, the players have to want it even more then the Revs. The Revs, and MLS as a whole, miss the reserve league or some equivalent that has all teams participating.
Seven of the MLS teams have a "B" team playing in the USL. I agree with you, all of the MLS teams should have a B team playing in that league, just like baseball with the AAA, AA, etc. leagues. I don't consider an affiliate the same thing. They are not practicing with the main team on a regular basis.
An attacking mid out of position, a rookie who's played 90 minutes of professional soccer in his life, an aging journeyman, a younger journeyman, and a guy who was a spot-starter in Div 3 last year. IMO Neumann is actually the best option of this bunch in the #8 role next to Caldwell, but luckily the Revs acted quickly and this is now a moot point with Koffie's acquisition. Larentowicz, Wondolowski (2 appearances his first year), and and Kyle Beckerman (110 minutes of action his first year) all disagree with you...
That was last year. Three more MLS clubs have started their own USL club this year: PHI, ORL and SKC, making it ten of twenty. Revs are in the half of the league still measuring. Also, HOU created a hybrid. They are not the owners of USL expansion team Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, but their partnership is deeper than a normal USL affiliate.
If the Revs were, um, more aggressive, they would have purchased Rochester when the Rhinos were up for sale last year, and saved themselves the startup costs. But someone swooped in before they had a chance to measure. Owning your own USL club is the future of MLS. Look at NYRB, they signed 7 Homegrown players this winter. They can do that, because they can easily loan them to their USL club. Unfortunately, the Revs will likely be one of the last to board that train.
This part I am not buying at all. Players move all the time and have to leave their team (even if in the middle of Europa league, FA Cup, etc). When you transfer to buy a player - that player should be pumped to play for you because you came, you scouted, and you offered the $$ to that player to advance their bank account and their career regardless of what competitions they were still playing in. The idea is Kouassi is now ready to make Revs the best in MLS. Of course the selling club would try to negotiate what is best for them - keep Kouassi and now have time to plan or get the $$ they need to backfill. For Sion, this was the perfect deal. Was it the perfect deal for the Revs? Until we see what the transfer price was in January as opposed to simply waiting till the summer anyway, very difficult to say, but looks like a risky, savvy gamble that back-fired (not matter how much the Revs try to pass off they were being the nice guys). This is right on the money 100%
Not sure if this is any new news, but I saw this on twitter today: Heaps also said Kouassi's surgery was success, but timeline for return still TBA. He'll be in Foxboro in 3-4 months. #NERevs— Brian O'Connell (@BrianOConnell21) March 9, 2016 Kouassi to be in Foxboro in 3-4 months.
Can't wait to see him play. Sounds like our French speaking players (and Remy Roy) will have to do some translating for him.
His pro-rated salary hits the cap in July. Also in July, he will be our third DP (unless they use TAM to buy down JoGo before then).
Does MLS not have an injury reserved type rule where a hurt player who is not expected to play during the season can be removed from the cap?
If he is placed on the season-ending injury list we can sign an additional domestic or international player but under most cases his salary will count against the cap. Based on how ridiculous the roster rules are, I have no idea if we could still add someone to the senior roster without placing him on the season-ended list. We currently have 26 of 28 total spots filled (most teams are at this level). http://www.mlssoccer.com/rosters/2016 Sidenotes: -interesting that Jogo is not listed as a DP here. -DC has 29 of 28 spots filled. hmm -RSL and CLB have the fewest spots filled - 25 of 28. From rules and regs: Budget Charge for Season-ending Injuries The club will remain responsible for the injured player’s full Salary Budget Charge. Clubs may execute a trade to create budget space in order to sign a Season-ending Injury Replacement Player. This is the only circumstance in which a club may trade for Salary Budget space. MLS clubs are only able to receive budget relief (paid out of the club’s own pocket) for a season-ending injury under the following parameters: The injured player must be earning at least $100,000 per annum but not greater than $250,000 per annum. The injured player must have suffered the season ending injury prior to the close the Primary Transfer Window and the new player must be signed as of such date. The club is ultimately responsible for the payment of the replacement player’s salary (which will not be charged to the club’s budget). MLS clubs will only be allowed to sign one such Season-ending Injury Replacement Player a year.
MLS does a horrible job updating the DP list. The last time they formally updated it was at the end of February in which Jogo is still listed as a DP http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/content/designated-players I have seen no word that his status has changed but it certainly may have. Wiki is sadly MUCH more accurate that MLSsoccer tends to be with this stuff. Jose is still listed as a DP in Wiki. But wiki depends on news to make changes and none of us have heard that Jogo is no longer a DP in an official way I think. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated_Player_Rule Has anyone seen anything from the team that they changed Jogo's classification? Jeff tweeted this back on March 15th. Maybe I will ask him if anything has changed Jeff Lemieux @jeff_lemieux Already been confirmed, but to confirm the confirmation - Jose Goncalves does now occupy a Designated Player spot on the #NERevs roster.
I just saw this in another thread (originally posted by Monty). Sounds like this maybe occured if the MLS link is correct. Jeff has not yet answered my question on twitter Spoke with our COO last night at the tailgate and asked him specifically about the DP signing that was mentioned earlier this year. I asked him if it was just coincidence that JoGo was made a DP just after that or if he was the DP that had been mentioned. Brian said no, that was just coincidence. The Revs are still working on a DP signing for the summer (didn't ask him what position) as well as another $200k+ player for the summer. If they need to, they might move JoGo back out of a DP spot using TAM (man, I love MLS salary talk).
It makes it much easier to play fast and loose with the rules if there isn't solid information to go on.
He's not even going to be eligible to play for close to two months. But, yeah - with Koffee's injury we have a hole.
I wonder if Farrell could play at dm for the short term? He's a versatile player and could partner Caldwell to read the game and break up passes, win challenges etc.
Unless JoGo is healthy, that leaves our central defenders as two of Watson, Barnes, Samba, Woodberry; with one of those also needed to play right back. I think the best thing is to put in Herivaux. He's got to get playing time sometime. Throw him in, and see if he swims.