Wasn't me that started it - some announcers on Telefutura apparently. If I were going to make a rumor up I'd start with Keane and Donovan for Marquez and Ballouchy.
A no-brainer for both sides. What's that? Of course my club affiliation has ZERO to do with the above analysis. Duh.
Doesn't make any sense anyway. Somehow I think that rumor is utter nonsense. Was that before or after FCD traded for de Guzman? What FCD needs is forward help. After Blas Perez, they're not getting any production. As far as the Cahill signing, we'll just have to wait and see. He hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire at Everton, which is why they dumped him. Sure, they love him.............he just wasn't producing.
I love Cahill as a player, but I'm really trying to see how he fits in. He's more of a false 10 than anything, which would mean that a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1 would suit his capabilities the best, but are they really going to bench Cooper or make Henry play on the left where he would have to work hard defensively? I suppose a 4-3-1-2 could work, but the other 3 midfielders (preferably all central midfielders) would have to be careful when getting forward so as to not make the team too unbalanced.
It's about very short term on the field considerations that will have little effect on the underlying value of the franchise involved. A team from New York should be able to churn a couple Tim Cahill caliber players out of their academy every five years if they would do the work to get it done. Instead they spend money they could have used on such a project on Tim Cahill and give him a spot on the field that could go to a younger player. It's a waste.
But trying to win now is better from a soccer fan perspective than a guy like Ronaldinho who is about pandering to a group and who might not give a crap. This guy is in the Novak character mold - solid citizen who will work his tail off and improve the play on the field. We may be lagging behind countries like Australia in our talent spotting and development, but isn't Cahill an Aussie Dempsey? Not exactly a dime a dozen player. Red Bull does have Academy players contributing but this franchise first and foremost needs to win now, while continuing to improve their youth setup. I'll take guys character guys like Cahill over "stars" like Marquez every day of the week + Sunday. Winning may not solve everything, but it can cure an awful lot.
I think just about every academy in the world save maybe Barca, would be happy to churn out 2 Tim Cahills every 5 years. As Knight says, this is about today. This is the equivalent of buying pitching help in July or August to make a pennant push. If you know of an academy that not only produces Tim Cahills in abundance, but can also time when to spit them out....I'd like to be a part of it.
Yeah, you'd think a more plausible rumor would be Cooper for Shea. The Red Bulls now have an abundance of forwards and Dallas needs one. Cooper had a lot of success in Dallas as well. Meanwhile, the Red Bulls are starting a forward (Le Toux) at RW. From what I've seen of Shea, he usually starts on the left but often switches to the right, so it's a role he could fill. Also the players' ages and salaries line up better than with Lindpere. I'm not advocating for such a trade, mind you. Just saying. The Red Bulls have produced Agudelo and Lade in the past 5 years. May not be much, but it's more than most. And I don't think anyone really thinks the problem with our academy is a lack of resources. They got stellar marks in that area when rated by the USSF. They're also considering starting a residential academy. The Red Bulls just won the U16 DA title, with a team that featured 7 players that have played for US youth national teams. Point is, devoting resources to the academy and signing expensive DPs isn't an "either/or" situation with the Red Bulls. I also think your expectations on what an academy should produce are exceedingly high. Even though I just talked about having a talented class coming up, if they produced 2 Cahill level talents from that I'd be ecstatic. You're basically asking the team to produce national team regulars on a consistent basis.
I think yours are exceedingly low. The Red Bulls should have one of the most productive academies in the world. That should be the goal.
I don't think he was ever quite that good as Dempsey. Even so that type of player might not be a dime a dozen for us, but it is for others. For example, Kevin Davies has one cap for England.
Current expectations will not align with future goals, imo. How long has NYRB (or anyone in MLS) had an academy system in place? What other sports could/would local NY/NJ area kids (future athletes) pursue instead of soccer? The (short-term especially) possibilities of MLS (and its clubs) being able to do anything that ranks among "the most productive ... in the world" seems like a non-contextualized viewpoint.
As a Toffee supporter, I'm going to miss him dearly. But my blood runs TFC red first and foremost, so here's hoping he flounders when he plays against us. Otherwise, Toffee legend.
I guess I wasn't expecting a world superstar to come out of your academy every 2.5 years. Thats even better.
If McCarty replaces Marquez, Lade goes back to fullback with Lindpere in his LM slot, and Cahill and Henry experiment until we find out which one is more useful further forward, then I think you'd have something.
Ronaldinho has Marquez X5 written all over him. He's the virtual poster boy of unmotivated, often injured, often unfit players who demand a king's ransom, money that I for one would much rather the league spend on some good coaches (hey, Brazilian coaches, even) to develop the homegrowns than a player like him. But if the debate is more Ronaldinho vs Tim Cahill (instead of big name DP vs top-notch academy coaching), then I'd vote Tim Cahill every day and twice on Sunday.
Nor am I. But a Tim Cahill? Sure, why not? There's a fair amount of academies that do (Ajax and Boca clear that bar pretty easily) , and most would kill to have a city the size of New York essentially to themselves. I think folks don't realize the raw resources the Red Bulls have at their disposal. Sure getting from point A to point B isn't easy, but half-assing it and blocking playing time openings with past their prime non-superstars and paying a considerable chunk of change for the privilege only impedes that progress.
As would I. But Ronaldinho (like Beckham) would at least have the chance to bring in additional revenue to help justify what he costs. Cahill won't do anything but possibly help the Red Bulls win (and then possibly not). And I think the money (and minutes) spent to that end on Cahill is definitely much better spent on youth development.
IMO, for about a month. I have my doubts that Ronaldinho would be moving the needle all that much. I mean it's not like he's recently over the hill. He's been (prematurely) past it for quite some time now. And the immigrant fans that know Ronaldinho and don't particularly support MLS are well aware of this.