I know there is a thread on Albright already, and how he was traded, and most people gave their feelings about it. But for a guy that went that was a MLS All-star for three years in a row with LA, and pretty much coached the team along with Vage when they one the MLS Cup under Sampson, made the World Cup team with LA, a fan favorite and now 100% healthy, and we thank him by screwing him and not allowing him to negotiate his new contract with a team that wanted him. "Hey Chris, thanks a lot for all the service you've given us, the two MLS Cups, a model professional, great with all of our fans, great locker room guy, just an all around keeper. And you should probably make $200,000 here at least, if not more somewhere else, but we're so grateful of everything you have done for this club, we're gonna screw you out of money you probably deserve." And then, the Galaxy has so much class, that on the website they don't even give him a thank you/sending off article. It's one of the main news topics on the website, but there is nothing more to click on to read further. Is that the kind of organization we are? Lalas is a ****ing joke. And they were supposed to be friends. I'd love to hear people's comments.
This is the type of shit that will actually keep players from coming into the Galaxy. Lalas - ******** you.
Wow that's cutthroat...Lalas is an asshole, but without this move we wouldn't be able to have all the allocation money and enough cap space to really better the team. Ya Lalas is a dick, but kind of smart in an underhanded way, you have to give it to him
Aren't you giving them credit a little before it's been earned? Let's see how they actually improve the team with these funds. Babayaro is not even official yet, and if they are still haggling over a contract, as described by the LA Daily News, that's not a good sign.
Look, I have no problem if people want to call Lalas an asshat. Isn't that what bigsoccer is all about? But we have no idea how this all played out and it's pure conjecture to think that the Galaxy FO negotiated a lower salary contract with Albright in order to make him more attractive in a trade. It could just as easily be possible that they desperately wanted to keep him, so asked him to sign a lower contract to make that possible, hoping instead to trade someone with a higher salary, like Chris Klein. But maybe the only player that NE would accept in exchange for all the $$$$ was Albright. Sucks. But what do we expect the FO to do? Turn down a deal that might really help the team? Sometimes you've got to make tough decisions... I'm not saying that's how it happened. Maybe Lalas and company are asshats and deliberately screwed Albright. But we don't know. But it sure is fun using the word "asshat"....
The timing certainly points massive, intentional asshattery: I mean, how late in the day would they have known the Revs would only take Albright? TrickHog's completely right in that we don't actually know what the details were and perhaps we never will. But it sure smells like shit.
Does anyone think LAG could have simply traded Albright's 'rights'? No one in their right mind would make a deal without some degree of certainty in terms of salary.
Deals DO get made on the day of the draft. It happens, not infrequently. So, I don't think the timing is a strong indicator of chicanery here. Besides, do all the Lalas haters (not you, Crimen) really believe Alexi is smart enough to pull that off? Come on - you can't have it both ways. He is either dumb, or smart enough to be evil. Which is it.
Asshat. You're right, it is fun to say. I for one was extremely disappointed to see Chris get traded. Having met him at the All-Star game and speaking with him in length at the hotel in Denver, I have to say he is a top, top guy. I don't know what the FO's thoughts were here, but hopefully they'll bring in someone equal to if not better. Otherwise it's just a stupid, STUPID move. And a Newcastle reject IS NOT better, in my opinion. Now, if we were bringing in someone like Jaap Stam, then yeah... Asshat. I said it again! FUN FUN!
This is true. I am extremely bummed to see Albright go and that's probably informing my reactions here. I'm really sick of seeing the lack of any consistency in the squad. And I must concur, it is fun to say . . . ASSHAT!!
The asshattedness of Alexi aside (hey, it is fun!), this is the thing that worries me. In a salary-capped league, it's a constant process of getting younger and cheaper. But ideally you want to do a little each year, rather than making constant sweeping changes. But people shouldn't get their hopes up that we're going to bring another right back in. The whole point is to get cheaper in that position.
I guess the question is, if you can get 85% of the player for 25% of the salary, do you do it? Probably, at least if you use the money to plug a different gaping hole. And one thing for sure, if they do start our #1 pick (who has gotten pretty positive reviews across the board) we have to get behind him and not blame him for not being Chris. Whatever happened is not his fault, so don't take it out on the kid.
If i've learned anything in this effed up world that we live in, it's that money comes before any other consideration, and if you don't think so, chances are, you don't have much money yourself
It certainly is going to be fun to watch New England and LA play now. You can tell from his response in the article that he is very upset, but still trying to be professional. I imagine he will be a handful for you guys if he's as motivated as I think he will be.
I have a hard time believing Albright is dumb enough to renegotiate a lower salary out of loyalty to his employer. Who in their right f****** mind does that kind of thing? There's got to be more to the story than lead to believe.
I already know that Albright will become yet another player to be traded from the Galaxy to wreak havoc on us later down the line. Findley, Cannon, the list goes on >_<.
For everybody who may think that another trade scenario is the correct one, LA was trying to shop him around at the MLS Cup, and there were a few takers. Why do you think Albright was so angry in that interview, and said what he said about selling his rights? That's why this deal was shady and so reflective of the kind of organization (or GM) we have. And believe me, I always gave Alexi the benefit of the doubt, even during last season.
It happens all the time. People take a slight pay cut - not out of loyalty - but because they want to stay where they are in their current job. In MLS it happens on every team every year. The dude was living the life. Playing on the most high profile team in the US... Living on the beach... Hanging with Becks socially... and making decent money at the same time. You wouldn't be willing to take a bit less to keep that? Anyway, I agree with those that say he got kinda screwed. I also think that he's been pretty class about it in interviews. Obviously a UVA guy.