DC United's Top Assets Who do you consider as the players with the most value in the franchise? Here you rank the players on how valuable/ how big of an asset they are. (This works best in baseball, where there is a huge emphasis on prospects- a 20 year old not yet in the majors could be worth more than a starter currently on the team) So based on performance, age, potential, etc how would you rank the United's players as assets for the future? All current players, prospects, youth academy players, etc are eligible.
I would have to say Najar, Hamid, Pontius, Wallace, Simms, and Jakovic. However, Santino and Graye might be in this category as the season wears on.
Andy Najar is probably the only asset that could be sold internationally for a significant transfer fee. Possibly Jakovic, and Perkins if he regains his form. Maybe Hamid down the road. He's the only one I see with "potential" right now. Everyone else has some value within MLS and little elsewhere. Thx, Jay!
Hamid will be sold for more than all the others combined. Najar is a bit of a wild card. Maybe, maybe not. You didn't even mention Jordan Graye, excellent prospect, a smart scout would come get him next year. The best asset of DC United is the core of young players they have assembled (while no one was looking.) Not just the academy guys, add in Perkins, Quaranta, Pontius, Wallace, Jakovic (looking very good since his return from injury), Simms, Maybe King, and the unstylish Cristman. These guys win games.
With all due respect, GKs traditionally go for a lower transfer fee than any outfield players, especially lower than forwards and creative midfielders. Think of how much was paid for Altidore, versus Perkins, for example. I would say that if Andy Najar continues to grow in confidence, he will garner the highest transfer fee by far. I think European teams will come knocking for Hamid, but they just won't bring as much cash.
My guess for value on the international market; Buskovic Jakovic Perkins Pontius Quaranta Najar Wallace Hamid Graye How easy is it to forget that Tino is only a year older than Jakovic and 2 years older than Pontius and Graye?
I just like the fact that we are getting a great return on the $40k we pay Cristman, King, Graye, Morsink, Barklage (when healthy) and even Rice. If we can sell one or more of our "assets" for a tidy sum and continue getting serviceable players for the minimum salary, we're good to go.
Yeah, that's the trick isn't it. Tough to find those values though. I would rather have a decent base of "value" players with a couple over the top talents to stir the drink, than I would have a team of overachievers, though. No question Najar is the greatest asset at the moment, but asset values change almost weekly so this is a tough thread. I remember when Gros and Boswell impressed the crap out of the Celtic coaches. They said they could start in Scotland easily, but that didn't turn out so well did it. Then Edu was OK for Toronto, but parlayed that into light's out in Glasgow, same with Herculez Gomez in Mexico after a desultory MLS lifetime. Long way to go before value can really be established.
Well I'd agree he has the most potential...but as for best current value? Teams are more likely to pay for player who have proven they can do it at the professional level.
Top assets (in order): Jakovic Najar Hamid Pontius Wallace Graye Perkins Simms Quaranta Players that are at or entering their prime will always be your top asset, as will players that are on the verge of a breakthrough. After that comes experience and technical ability.
And they'd be wrong, too. Look at what Juve paid for Buffon in 2001 (32.6M pounds - a record fee for a keeper) versus what Madrid paid for Zidane (46M pounds) in the same year, or what ManU paid for Barthez (7.8M pounds) compared to what Crespo or Figo cost in the same year (35.5M pounds, 37M pounds, respectively). Facts really support an argument.
These guys win games? Literally, I suppose you are correct. Having won three league games. Yeah, the youth players and the younger players are probably DC's best asset. That doesn't make me too hopeful. I mean, assuming Hamid and Najar are the "academy guys," that's ten players (eight field players) that "win games." Yet, United is horrible this year. Tied for last and Philadelphia has two games in hand (that's four games in the bush, for those of you using the metric system). I think some of those players need to come off the "top asset" list.
This and OTC. As someone else mentioned before, Najar will likely end up with a world class club. Pontious I think has the quality to have a nice career and a shot at the WC squad. Wallace has the speed, but his technicality is not very good. Hamid is good technically, but his speed is barely average.
Assuming he continues to progress and doesn't plateau. See Pontius and Wallace for examples. Najar has time to grow, though. With you on everything, but that last sentence. Since when do we judge goalkeepers on their speed? He's an excellent shot stopper, which tells me he has excellent quickness. I don't care if he can beat Wallace in a footrace.
With the additions of Boskovic and Hernandez, how do they fit in? They seen to most likely be starters for DCU. How do they stack up with some of the other players on the team?