Oh well ..... 2019 Preseason thread :-)

Realistically, China and Saudi Arabia and even Japan can offer players AT LEAST 10 times what MLS teams can offer. If Acosta really wants the money, we can't match it. PERIOD.

It sucks. I think its the wrong decision. And I think he will tank against lesser competition that is allowed to be dirty and physical. And I think it will be horrid on his family life. But if thats what he wants for 2 or 3 years of inflated salary, and then go back home to Argentina and play with a home-town team for another 3-4 years, then so be it. I think its the wrong choice both professionally and personally, but I can see the attraction of $MMM.

 

Well, this is a rumor of a rumor. DC's explicitly said they're reopening negotiations with Lucho. You don't do that to offer the guy the same deal he had, which is what the rumor states. It's pretty obvious he's both critical and one of the best players in the league. They aren't stupid/cash poor enough to let him walk over a few million dollars. Now if the offer's for 10, we negotiate a transfer fee and make it happen for him, if that's what he wants.

 

Lucho thrived here because of Rooney. He can't assume a similar situation elsewhere, But if the offer is for megabucks, he might not care who his teammates are.

 

First, who the ******** is Moises Linares? This has as much factual basis as a Trump tweet. Assuming that it is true, you can't blame Lucho for chasing the bucks. A player's career is short, he's not a product of some US college who can fall back on his degree when his career ends. His ticket for the future is making as much money as possible in the short time available to him as a player. If he can get a better deal, he should go and I wish him well. Given that DCU has his rights for 2019, any departure will involve a transfer payment to DCU, the issue then will be where does that money go? Given that MLS is, at best, a "feeder league" generally, this will happen all the time, if you aren't used to it, become used to it. The reason this is such a big deal now is that for the last decade DCU hasn't had any players the rest of the world wanted to poach -- save for Bill Hamid.

 

Najar?

 

He's the Telemundo DC sports anchor.

 

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018...lected-toronto-fc-stage-1-2018-re-entry-draft

"Three players were selected on Friday in Stage 1 of the 2018 Re-Entry Draft.

The headliner of the group was D.C. United defender Nick DeLeon, who was selected by Toronto FC. DeLeon started his career as a midfielder but has shifted to right back in recent years under Ben Olsen. He made a total of 180 appearances with D.C. since being selected No. 7 overall in 2012 SuperDraft and was a finalist for Rookie of the Year. The 28-year-old has been hampered by injuries over the past couple of seasons but came back to score United's equalizer in the 116th minute of their Knockout Round match against Columbus Crew SC.

Andre Rawls was the first player selected on Friday, as the former New York City FC goalkeeper was picked by the Colorado Rapids. The 26-year-old spent the past three seasons with the Cityzens, but did not make an appearance for the club. He could be in line for a back-up role in Colorado after the Rapids traded away Zac MacMath.

Donny Toia was the third player selected as he returns to Real Salt Lake almost eight years after becoming the club's first Homegrown Player signing. He spent one season with RSL before being released. He returned to MLS with Chivas USA in 2014 and has made 109 appearances over the last five years with Chivas, the Montreal Impact and Orlando City SC. The left back appeared in just four matches in 2018 after he started 30 matches with the Lions in 2017."

 

Goodbye, Nick.

Despite the feelings of many so-called fans, he was a wonderful servant to the club for years. Like Eddie Pope before him, he never scored a lot, but when he did it was always clutch.

He finished his career in DC with the 7th highest minutes-played for the club.

Of course, he's dead to me now.

 

Didn't seem like the FO had much interest in resigning him unless it was at a considerable discount. I've had my issues with Nicky over the years, but it sucks to see him go like this.

 

I suspect Nick will play many more minutes in MLS,, and will occasionally rise to the performance levels he achieved early in his career, but I don't begrudge the FO for letting him go. At his salary we should be able to do better.

 

Bone on bone. I suspect that's the issue. Fro a strictly financial interpretation, DCU has been burned by lingering injuries.

 

He still has dc united tatooed on his body...

 

I'm a Leeds guy and they are about to sell Samu Saiz for about $3.5M to Getafe. Maybe DCU could sneak in and grab him? The guy could step into Acosta's boots very easily. I'm not convinced Acosta's on the way out though.

 

Goff is reporting that DC United are likely to open the 2019 season at home vs Atlanta on either March 2nd or 3rd. Good chance the game winds up on national TV, too, which would almost guarantee it being on the 3rd.

 

I think I'll ask Santa for some electric warming underwear to prepare for an 8pm kickoff on 3/3

 

Good changes except for the 14 teams. 12 was fine. 10 would have been fine.
Home field is actually the advantage it should be for good regular season.

 

I think 14 was done to get in front of continued MLS expansion. The league will be at 26 teams for 2020, after all, and the goal is another two or four more after that.

 

Might not be the end of the world if the MLS ref's went on strike. Its not like anyone is happy with the job PRO does. Imagine a bunch of scab ref's hold down the fort in a manner similar to PRO? At that point who needs Chris Penso, Baldomero Toledo, Silviu Petrescu, Mark Geiger, Jair Marrufo and Ted Unkel?

 

"What's going to be a stupid number of teams to allow in to the 'playoffs' in 2024? John, I need those numbers!!! We have to get ahead of this thing!"

 

I have a whistle, shirt and know the laws of the game.

 

And you don't know how VAR works. I'm satisfied with the shawn12011 solution.