Just saw it on twitter. Bye CJ. You work hard and that's always appreciated. Scoring goals is even better though...
Doubtful. We got Fabian, so we aren't going big like a DP. However, the cap space plus the money might see us fill whatever our biggest need is with a TAM signing. I wouldn't hold my breath though since we are most likely just bringing up kids from the Steel. Ngalina is likely to be brought up mid-year unless he regresses since it sounds like Tanner really likes him. The only spots I really see us going outside the organization for this year would be that Jones/Creavalle spot if they don't work out or Haris' spot if he doesn't work out.
(A) draft pick(s)? Edit: Per link below, a 2015 1st round draft pick was what we gave up for CJ https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article4347132.html
So we gave up draft pick for him and got up to 450K of MLSopoly Money for him? He probably had as many good seasons as bad for us, so I think we came out ahead on CJ. Kind of ironic that SKC shipped out CJ and Collin at the same time, and 5 years later we unload one the same time we pick up the other.
There were some really good players in that first round: Larin, Shelton, Alashe. SKC took Connor Hallisey. To the best of my knowledge, he is out of the game. The only decent player taken after him was Christian Roldan. So... the net is a couple of decent years out of CJ, plus 450k for Hallisey? I’d say it’s among the best deals they’ve ever made!
Not that trading away our 4th or 5th best striker for MLS funny money is a bad thing but we are now 6 days from the opener with a roster of 25. Does this mean the top 5 Academy students are going to get contracts? Don't the Union have to pay if the roster is not at 30? By the way, Steel roster is at 8. Gonna fill those with Widner interns?
https://www.mlssoccer.com/league/official-rules/mls-roster-rules-and-regulations I don’t see penalties for not carrying 30. There is this, which you may be conflating: Per the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLS and the MLS Players’ Association, every MLS team needs to sign a minimum of 18 players to their Senior Roster. If a team carries less than 18 players, they will be assessed the Senior minimum ($70,250 for 2019) against their cap as a placeholder for each player less than 18. Roster slots 19 and 20 are not required to be filled, and teams can spread their salary cap charge over just 18 players if they so choose. Also, this dude has a lot of time on his hands https://kennethrussodotcom.files.wo...f-rosters-in-major-league-soccer-09-oct-1.pdf
I was reading some hot takes on Twitter that Accam hasn't been training with the team recently. Coupled with the fact that he supposedly wasn't at the Meet the Team event (I wasn't there, can someone corroborate?), could he be on his way out?
Nope, he wasn't there! In fact, someone placed his name card on the table, and then it was pulled off the table. He was definitely a no-show. However, Curtin sung his praises on the KYW podcast this week, so who knows?
I saw that the Phillies increased their 2019 "to date" ticket sales by 50% just on the signing of Bryce Harper yesterday. Nearly 100,000 tickets sold in less than 24 hours. I would love to see if the Union saw anything similar to that when Fabian was announced.
Harper 25 million/year Union's entire budget (senior+developmental) 10 million/year. Two training updates. Ilsinho was a full go with the starters. David Accam was there, to quash whatever is happening in my mentions— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) February 28, 2019
Biggest question for me is left shuttle... I imagine we'll see a rotating cast of characters, I'd prefer Jones. Santos - Burke Fabian Jones - Bedoya Haris Wagner - McKenzie - Trusty - Gaddis Blake and you'd have a really great selection on the bench to change the game... particularly with Fafa and Ilsinhio as options first off the bench.
We're definitely going to see Ilsinho at LM tomorrow. And Fafa will start as well. I'm still unsure about the defense. Wagner and Gaddis may or may not be selected and McKenzie may or may not be fit yet.
Based on what we've heard, yeah, I think Ilsinho starts a LM tomorrow, but I'm not sure if that's what we'll consistently see game in game out.... think that position particularly will have a platoon of different players starting pending on the situation. I'm struggling with Picault/Santos... the two of them seem very similar, and I like the idea of one of them being paired with Burke.... Picault is the established player, but I have a hard time believing they don't intend to have Santos be a regular starter.... Wing backs I'm guessing... Gaddis and Wagner are my gut.... I sort like the idea of starting with Ray and having Mbaizo come in off the bench for a different look on that right flank.
Jones and Creavalle each told me on Tuesday evening at the Meet the Players event that they intend to play at SKC and/or ATL for Week 2 and Week 3. Curtin also has said that this week in his many interviews. I think it will be Burke and Fafa tomorrow. Fafa seemed pretty confident that he will be a starter. I like your idea about Gaddis starting and Mbaizo replacing him late in a game for a different look, particularly if the Union are down a goal. In such a situation, Wagner plays higher on the left, Mbaizo plays higher on the right and maybe Jones or Creavalle (or even Elliott) come in to replace Medunajnin. The 4-4-2 turns into a more offensive-minded 3-5-2 with a lot of width.
Not Union players. And FWIW, both Jones and Creavalle said they did NOT intend to start tomorrow but do intend to play in the next two away games.
I work with several people from Mexico. They have never shown any interest in MLS or the Union in the past. Today two of them told me they were going to the game tommorow. Phillies 100,000 - Union 2.