To be honest, I think a lot of people are getting nostalgic for 2016 when they're lamenting the departures of Urruti, Tesho, and Ulloa. The fact is that two seasons came and went since then, and in those two seasons, FCD sputtered, primarily because goalscoring was so problematic both seasons. Actually, scratch "problematic" and replace it with "horribly unreliable." Everybody loved those guys, but at the same time, this is a results-oriented business and the results were a 7th place and a 4th place finish and a grand total of one forgettable playoff game. I like those players and the rest that wear the FCD shirt, but man, I don't like 'em so much that I want to keep them around while watching 34 strugglefcks a year while this team wins zip in the process. This team needs changes, and I'm willing to listen to offers for anyone. No one is untouchable.
We're always wanting them to "play the babies!" Looks like they have no other choice now. Hopefully this season will be fun as we watch them develop and not frustrating as we see them drowning in the deep end.
My bitterness is about Vic, and Vic only. In principle, I agree with Dustin and frankly the rest of you about moving on, making space, etc - but Victor Ulloa is the benchmark of this academy in terms of what we should all hope they consistently produce, no matter the position. Kellyn would have been his twin, but he 1) didn't have to fight his way back into the squad and 2) chose to leave because things had just gotten to hard for him here (both on and off the field) and IMO - took the easy way out. As for "playing the kids" - there's new outside players due to come in - at least if Dan is telling the truth - so it will be fascinating to watch Luchi work thru the same conflicts of interest that plagued Oscar.
I think the reaction is cumulative. Pareja, Urruti, Lamah, Ulloa, Tesho. In my mind I'm still lumping in Kellyn Acosta and Diaz in this group of departures. This massive amount of departures hasn't been offset by any significant arrivals.
If you're going back to Acosta and Diaz then perhaps Mosquera and Arranguiz should be included as arrivals. Certainly Badji should although I'm not convinced he's a starter. The kids aging another year may count as arrivals just as Cannon was last year. I would definitely love for them to get that great high scoring center forward as that would make up for a lot.
This makes sense. Right before the beginning of the season, Oscar declared that the cycle had concluded, and it was time to start a new one If you start from the beginning of the 2018 offseason and into this offseason, you can clearly see what looks like a 2 year rebuilding process. We are practically getting ready to field a completely different team than the 2017 collapse edition.
I admit that I felt very comfortable in the year from 1996 to 2000. Allow me, please, to put on that old leather of conspiracy. The team is offloading salary and piling up allocations. Could it be that these moves are not those of HSG, but of a yet unnamed coach? This coach has seen the younger players, and is pleased. He can do something with this team. He just needs a few more players. One could be picked in the draft, if the team can move up. Another would be a rather pedestrian transfer, the kind of the we are used to. The third player in my Ancient Aliens scenario is one we have not seen, An epic transfer of a 20 goal a year striker. He will not come cheap. He will come with an expensive fee, and demand a high salary, over a million. A player who can create for himself and for others, A player who makes everyone around him better. HSG is cringing at the cost of this player, but they want to win. While this has not been proven, we can assume they want to sell tickets and get people to their museum. The allocation money will help them pay for the new center forward, until the stadium is packing in 16,000 plus, and the revenue streams make this purchase worth it. I understand that I may be channeling The X Files here, extreme realm of possibility. It is a beautiful dream, no? If only dreams came true. Dead but dreaming, Scipio Diabolus, vox fatum. Contra. Forever in horns.
It is an interesting question as they do seem very comfortable selling half to two thirds regularly. Concessions is similar where if they could cut waiting times in line by having professional servers instead of different volunteers each game they'd sell double to triple. Could MLS start putting pressure on the recalcitrant bunch of owners who embarrass the league with empty seats? It's been a long time since they Miami'd or Chivas'd anyone but they have done it before. I do wonder about Scipio's guess at the purchase of a big time scorer. They've needed one since Blas left though and haven't done it but they do have a ton of saved Garber bucks and salary. It is and has been the one real glaring need with none of the kids ready to step up to full time starter in that role.
In February, Bayern Munich II will arrive in Frisco. BM II will train alongside FCD for 16 days, and a couple of scrimmages or preseason matches should be expected. Any player exchange between both teams, should happen around that time.
Somehow, the idea of a Bayern reserve player being FCD's big offseason acquisition would not excite me, and yet, it would be so on-brand.
I don't know enough about their squad but I do know very few players are going to go from their academy straight to the first team. If they want to loan out a future Muller for a year or two before he's ready for future stardom I wouldn't say no. I do kind of doubt that MLS would be the final proving ground though as the kid from Vancouver didn't jump into their starting lineup. I'd guess loans to other Bundesliga clubs > FCD.
Bayern Munich II is currently in the 4th division. Just too far of a jump for their players to make it to the senior team, unless they are first loaned out to a better league. Many BM II players end up joining the 2 Bundesliga, which many consider to be on par with MLS. Keep in mind that many of those players are in that 22 to 24 year old range. So FCD can certainly improve their overall depth through this partnership. The key is getting BM II to loan or sell one of their stockpile of prospects.
Any furthur word on Yeferson Solteldo? I attended a match in April at Estadion Nacional between U de Chile & Racing Club (Argentina) in Copa Libertadores. Solteldo was the most exciting player I've seen in a long time. Technically great, and combined with explosive speed and excellent crossing ability (he is a winger, after all). Takes people on and beats them. Reminds me of Chris Henderson in his prime. As a Rapids fan, I'd rather see him there, but it seems they've gone the route of Scandanavians and dour Brits to keep themselves in the cellar.... Solteldo is the real deal!
Well, we've got a new forward and he's...Polish? Sure. https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2018/12/18/fc-dallas-signs-czech-forward-zdenek-ondrasek "The Cobra"
“The Cobra” doesn’t have to do a lot to be better than Colman. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
What does a 29 year old, coming off an Achilles injury from the Polish 1st tier, playing for a club that can't pay him - and oddly can't find a suitor on his own continent do for you? Oh, but he's got a neat back piece.
I think that he also falls into the category of "does not excite me, but is totally on-brand for this team."
After the achilles injury he's scoring at a rate of more than every other game (11 goals in 19 games). And he has a cool nickname (hopefully he didn't get the nickname Deion Sanders-style by giving it to himself). Strike and strike again, Cobra!
Here's a possible signing that might be more interesting: Bryan Acosta pide al Tenerife evaluar oferta del Dallas FC https://t.co/exFnjKV86hAbout a $4mil buyout of Acosta, I believe this says.— 3rd Degree (@3rdDegreeNet) December 19, 2018
Is this Acosta that good? I actually hope they don't sign him as I see Aranguiz, Pomykol, Hayes and Servania competing for two spots ahead of Gruezo. Unless this guys a 6 and better than Gruezo who would then perhaps leave.
This is the component of the Luchi hiring that most worries me. If the plan was to really give the "play the kids" plan a go, Luchi makes sense - but if Dan lives up to his promise of signing 2-4 inbound vets, that is where the idea goes haywire. Luchi has never coached adult, vet players. Never. Not once. How in the hell is that going to work? Maybe it does over time, but that is going to be a process and if I'm a late 20's international, having a SMU superstar now as my coach just can't be all that interesting. And that then makes me wonder, if I'm a vet player who is willing to play under that setup, what does that say about me?