Good thoughts overall, although I simply don't buy the "we have to overpay" theory; professional athletes go where they get paid, by and large, and if you live in Columbia or Bolivia you really aren't goingt osay "NO" to a good offer from a US side just because it's not Los Angeles. I just don't buy it. Not how it works in real life, and accepting it and repeating it is just buying into the Ives Galarcep school and I'll have none of it. But a DP is simply not the answer, not the silver bullet that makes this team a winner. The Galaxy got David Beckham, the ultimate DP and, before they managed to cripple him, how many games did he help them win? Was it none or one? I'm not even sure you really need a DP at all; what we need is better players all over the place. We have a million midfielders but nobody aside from Guille who is a sure-fire starter on any other team in MLS. We haven't had a left back since 2001, our center defenders are decent but it's painfully thin back there, we apparently need two or even three decent strikers as Sigi seems to feel we have none at all, and, except for defensive midfielders we've got very little in the middle either. A DP isn't going to make all the problems go away. I'd like to see three or four $200,000 players rather than one overblown guy who'll only frustrate you. A team like New England, who seem to come up big in the draft every year, can then go out and find a guy like Shalrie Joseph and it makes a big difference because they drafted Twellman, Parkhurst, Dempsey and Noonan in successive years. Conversely, if you go two, three years without drafting even one starter, then bringing in the last piece of the puzzle doesn't work. This team has way too many holes. We need bettr players, not a bigger name.
They may be convinced but I'm not. Griffin will be sitting on the bench next to Peterson, Pacheco and all the others that are or have been turned into defenders in Sigi's system. RSL just picked up a FORWARD and got an additional YI slot in the trade with KC. They gave up a draft pick, a supplemental and a partial allocation. Guess what that means? KC will use the partial allocation to get better. RSL will be looking for a couple of YI players that can help them in the future. We're picking up another player to release at the end of the season.
I agree with Bill completely here. Many players go to Spanish clubs besides the ones in Barcelona and Madrid. Some are even smaller cities. Not every Italian club is located in Roma or Milan. Schalke is a solid club in Germany and they're based in Gelsenkirchen, population of about 275,000 people. Players go where they get paid what they consider a good wage and where they think they can improve to get to the next level.
I don't disagree with any of this; in fact, I'd say the biggest failure I've seen in Sigi is the complete inability to find even one starter in 2 drafts, picking well up the ladder both years. My contention with the DP is the same as with our unused SI spot, and our open roster spots -- if you aren't using every available resource, then you aren't doing all you can. I'm certainly not going to say that a DP fixes this team, because I agree with Bill -- we need to improve at several positions. Point being, though, is that you find a solid DP, one who could work in partnership with GBS (like a forward who can finish with his head), and then you add the pieces you need to make him successful. The LA example works perfectly here -- yes, LA brought in Becks. But, even if he was 100%, they were going to have difficulties, because they didn't put the pieces in place around him for him to be at his most effective. As for overpaying, the Wanchope deal with Chicago is exactly what I'm talking about. He took less to go to Chicago (although I don't think he would have been terribly useful here anyways). Smaller and/or less successful sides might need to pay more for a guy. If you are Euro player A, and you're thinking about MLS, I see no reasonable criteria where Columbus is your first choice, unless we're the only one talking to you. We might have to pay more for a guy than another club would, because we don't have other things to offer (this is not an invitation to list all the good things about Columbus).
The day that Sigi remembered how to coach was the day that a ref commited highway robbery on this team. Go figure!
Sigi didn't lose the game tonight, and I think that for the first time in a long time, I saw some good coaching strategies. Don't let him go yet.
I can see how this will pan out. Some will , justifiably, blame the ref for this loss. But then some will say, "well if the team hadn't put itself into such positions" i.e. doing things better throughout the season, then it wouldn't have to come to relying on hope and luck and other teams to help us into the playoffs. As much as I want us to be in the playoffs, sopmetimes my slight anger wants this season to be over with. Between the frustrations on the boards, the tease routine this team puts us through, and the dubious officiating (and this isn't the only "dubious" ref that does our games) I've had enough.
It's good to see that most people aren't adding this to the Sigi List of Cockups. I just got done watching it on DVR, and I'm actually so pissed I'm shaking a little.
If the Crew do make the playoffs and get beat in the first round, how much better will we all feel? Unless you win MLS Cup, fans are going to be at least a little disappointed. Making the playoffs would be nice but it is hardly the holy grail we are all seeking. If the Crew outplay their opponents in the next five game but lose every one as apparently only the Crew can, I would take it and build on it for next year. The aren't ready for MLS Cup yet.
Exactly why I haven't exactly been all that worked up that we didn't find that "one guy" to bolster the team going down the stretch. At this point, I'd rather make that move during the winter window, than try to address a short-term need and potentially leave us with a big salary guy that doesn't really fit the long-term goals of the team.
Purse strings anyone? A lot of the resolutions being bandied about here require relatively modest infusions of cash. (Way less than Beckham or Louganis) Has the team been getting commitments on funds or not? Have those commitments been made, and have they been met? Can you sign a real prospect if you don't know if the money will be there?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7003912.stm I say strike while the iron is hot. LA signed Beckham? Big deal: we've got Mourinho.
Where in Columbus could Joe-ZAY possibly buy those suits? CBus has some decent clothiers, but we're a little short on hand-sewn Italian silk.
Franchise record for consecutive games being shut out. That right, even Nee didn't have a bad stretch like this. Perhaps because occasionally, even though he was a fool, he'd play 2 forwards. I know, crazy.
I'm sorry, who's in charge of acquiring players again? Let's not pretend like it's MM. Sigi built this roster exactly how he wants it. If he wanted a 2nd forward, he'd have one. Hell, he got half a bench worth of guys who are listed as forwards (who are all hurt right now, but don't play when they're healthy).
Just because the have an F next to their name in the program doesn't make them a forward. We need a goal scorer and those cost money. HSG will not allow the crew to spend the money unless they carefully consider the move. The problem with this team is not the coach or even MM, it is higher up.
The Crew don't need a forward, they need a midfielder to link the attack and the one that was doing his job (Moffat) is hurt.
Clean the whole mess out. It's become a festering sewer on Velma Ave. The FO lies to the supporters, the coach can't figure out how to arrange a goal, the players are absolutely seething with frustration. This organization is rotting from the head. Cut it off.