Official: 2018 Rumor and Roster Moves Thread

Discussion in 'LA Galaxy' started by TrickHog, Sep 21, 2017.

  1. TOAzer

    TOAzer Member+

    The Man With No Club
    May 29, 2016
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Klein is the New Burns?
     
  2. L.A. Native

    L.A. Native Member+

    Aug 1, 2013
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I'll make sure to cheer him opening day

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I tend to not subscribe to the idea that competition will "force" players to improve, either. I think competition is important at the youth level up to about U-23. After that, most pros are usually already playing at their level: if they could play at a higher level, the opportunity to earn a better wage and achieve more in the sport already provides the incentive to do that. Exposing Americans to more quality by raising the level around them is no different from sending them abroad.

    In general, I do not believe that you can systematize development. Players have to want to be great and put in the effort to achieve greatness. Minutes aren't given, but seized. In this respect, we should not be anxious about what's happening in the academies at this point. To your point, better wages, prestige and excitement for the sport domestically that will hopefully attract more and better potential athletes into soccer to begin with. But I think it's a delicate balancing act:

    I do think it's important for young Americans to be able to watch the best American players play live for a domestic club in addition to having a good number of Americans on each time.
     
  4. GalaxyKoa

    GalaxyKoa Member+

    Jul 18, 2007
    North County
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just quickly, I should talk a bit about what I mean when I say "competition" because I think we're talking about slightly different things. A lot of the magic Euro pixie dust believers say something akin to "in Europe™, you have to fight for your spot every day and that's the only way you improve. You don't get that in MLS". If a player gets benched in Europe™, it's a good thing because he needs "competition". If a player gets benched in MLS, it's MLS not doing a good job of developing players. So mostly I reject that statement and it's related hypocrisy. It seems you're using "competition" to mean the quality of play, which isn't what I'm talking about. I'm just trying to clear up a disconnect there. Onto the tome I assuredly will write.

    Playing in good leagues can absolutely help you improve, but you actually have to be playing in those leagues. Jose Villarreal would be a better player today if he had gotten Keane's minutes instead of just training with him despite MLS and the Galaxy being worse. Or even a guy like Stefan Ishizaki who was an average MLS starter gets minutes instead giving Jose more minutes. I absolutely believe that there are American players who could step up into starting MLS roles across the league but are kept behind better foreign players. You need opportunities, and for many it will never come. And personally, I want as many Americans to get opportunities as possible, not select a few good prospects to get opportunities and screw the rest in the name of a higher on field quality in MLS.

    Playing in a slightly less good league doesn't mean you won't be improving by the same amount, either; good players will find ways to keep developing in leagues that they're better than. Messi didn't stop improving once he was literally the best player in the world, nor do players who are better than their teammates. Donovan is obviously the ultimate example here but a guy like Geoff Cameron is another good example of a guy who moved seamlessly to the Premier League at 27 from MLS. There are so many guys who come to MLS and continuously raise their game. Those types of guys improve regardless of if they're better than their teammates. Most players will hit their peak regardless of league level, and that peak is just low for most soccer players in the world.

    Similarly, we cannot assume that a more American heavy MLS can't improve on it's own. In fact we've seen in MLS as it is. The level of MLS has long been improving before we heavily relied on foreign players. Players push themselves and each other regardless of level. That's just the nature of life. Players play for their jobs and their livelihoods. The ones that don't shouldn't be near the USMNT anyway.

    It doesn't shift uniformly it because the money available at each level isn't the same. If tomorrow all American players got cut from MLS squads, the USL will only scoop up a small fraction of them (most of them lower quality) because they simply don't have the money to. There isn't any money in D2 and quite likely never will be. Our top resources have to be allocated to our top American players, not to foreign players.

    Even if it did shift uniformly, I'd rather have a worse top tier American league with more American players than a better one with a few.

    I absolutely do trust the American player is capable of pushing to a higher level and I believe we can do it internally rather than importing a ton of foreign players. I believe that we've invested a ton of money in the academies and we're not getting a huge return on investment currently for several reasons, but a big one being that HG players are not being given minutes to develop in MLS. Don't get me wrong, the level you play at is important but in terms of identifying which players can move forward or not, you're being inefficient if you're not maximizing the number of players you're giving opportunities to shine in full fledged league minutes. I find that far more important than trying to distill our talent pool into a handful of hopefuls good enough to play in this massively improved MLS.

    We have to acknowledge just how inefficient talent development is at every level. Even the very best at it have a spectacularly high failure rate. The larger net you cast, the more successes you'll get just based on the sheer number of attempts you're taking. It's why college soccer continues to be relevant despite being incredibly awful at developing players, simply because there are 200+ D1 teams (and hundreds more lower tier teams) doing so.

    I simply don't believe we'll be getting the most out of the pool by allowing the number of foreign players in MLS to increase. Even if we do end up with a handful of players who are better as result, we're going to miss out on a ton of other players who are far worse as a result.

    Guys like GdS are a problem, so are guys like Keane. Well, more specifically the idea that DPs have to be attacking players is a problem. DPs are so heavily concentrated at striker and attacking midfield positions that we have a seriously lopsided amount of players at goalkeeper and defender vs midfield and striker. Young Americans in those positions will never get a proper opportunity to get past those players. It sort of operates everywhere in the world but most leagues don't have the wage disparity. If, say, an average Ligue 1 team has their most expensive guy being pushed by a young player they're far more incentivized to give that young player an opportunity. That team isn't reliant on that player to sell tickets and they'll end up maximizing their potential cash inflow by seeing that young player turn into a wonderkid. Either they can sell that player on for a lot of money or sell their expensive player who just got overtaken and get his wages off the budget. It's a positive for them regardless to have a young player overtake an established player. In MLS that high money DP not playing isn't a positive. Many times that player is someone who puts butts in seats, many times the FO doesn't want to be seen as having wasted money on that player (Garth Lagerwey specifically has been interviewed saying he doesn't want true wages revealed, because the MLSPU ones are relatively inaccurate, or allocation amounts exposed because it would lead to more criticism). Many times, you're paying that DP far more money than he'd be getting elsewhere and thus makes him difficult to move. We were stuck with Gerrard regardless because no one would pay him the ridiculous wages we did. And the decision to sign these players is made not by soccer guys but by FOs in some cases.


    And I appreciate you putting your side out there as well, conversations like this are important and I'm glad that the Galaxy boards and posters are, for the most part, civil and willing to enter into debate without resorting to the sort of shit that bogs down other boards.
     
  5. GalaxyKoa

    GalaxyKoa Member+

    Jul 18, 2007
    North County
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wanted to separate this from the novel I wrote above, but this team is really pushing me if they give Klein a (five year!?) extension. Disgusting.
     
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  6. Berks

    Berks Member+

    Dec 22, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm liking what we're hearing in terms of signings. @skydog mentioned this earlier, but the fact that we aren't after aged slow folks is fantastic. Liking that we're after wingers and fast CBs. Let's see what they can do.

    EDIT: I know we're all bummed at Klein coming back, but gotta be honest, the rumors are making me feel positive. Could it be he learned his lesson?
     
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  7. The Cadaver

    The Cadaver It's very quiet here.

    Oct 24, 2000
    La Cañada, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If, in fact, Sigi has control over personnel (presumably within some budget) what difference does it make if it's Klein or some other suit hob-bobbing with sponsors and VIPs in the luxury boxes? At least for this year. Admittedly if he is guy picking the next coach, that is another matter. But so much can happen between now and then that I don't focus on that.

    I take it that the extension is an indication the club is making money, btw. That's the metric for Klein's longevity.
     
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  8. GalaxyKoa

    GalaxyKoa Member+

    Jul 18, 2007
    North County
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It's (supposedly) all on Sigi this year. We thought that about Bruce too yet under Klein we brought in Gerrard and Gio even though Bruce didn't want either. Klein searched the globe and hired Onalfo. There's more to his job than the money aspect and the Galaxy extending his contract is a sign that his work has been acceptable, nay, exemplary, and from this fan's perspective he has had a hand in some of the worst decisions in this club's history. He and Vagenas presided over the club's worst season ever and neither one got fired. One got re-assigned and the other gets a raise and a 5 year extension. What it shows to me is that AEG just really doesn't care. Not that it's surprising.
     
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  9. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    You are of course assuming that Klein was the one who was behind the signing of Gerrard and Gio. It may be true, however, it was my recollection that when Tim Leiweke was the AEG president, he made the statement (paraphrasing) that he controlled the DP signings and contracts not Bruce. I have always assumed that both Gerrard and Gio were brought in for monetary reasons (ticket and jersey sales) more than soccer reasons. I have heard nothing that would lead mean to believe that this positional responsibility vis-à-vis DP contracts has changed.

    As an example of this, the decision to not buy out Gerrard and let Omar and Juninho walk for relatively small sums does not strike me as a Bruce made decision. To me it was more about budget which for me points to AEG President Dan Beckerman with perhaps Klein being the bearer of bad news.

    Again its quite possible that Klein is quite good at carry out the directives of AEG and he that doesn't have the control you believe he does. I rarely heard about budgets when it was the Tim and Bruce show. The closest was when Bruce complained that because of the salary cap they couldn't afford certain players (definitely Franklin and I thought for Rickets's first departure).
     
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  10. LEM-LAG

    LEM-LAG Member+

    May 28, 2011
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    Robin Van Persie will join the Galaxy according to the turkish press... So I won't read too much into this, they announced Sneijder to the Galaxy a few days ago which has been denied multiple times by sources close to MLS.

    Alexi Gomez, a rumoured LA target, is set to sign with Atlas.
     
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  11. mbar

    mbar Member+

    Apr 30, 1999
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    LAFC just sent $500k in allocation money to fc Dallas for Zimmerman. That completes a central pairing of Zimmerman - that Egyptian international which is superior to anything we fielded last year and also what we have so far on paper for this season.
     
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  12. Baysider

    Baysider Member+

    Jul 16, 2004
    Santa Monica
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    i think the trade window opens up just for today. Maybe we'll get some news
     
  13. FlapJack

    FlapJack Member+

    Mar 3, 2006
    Los Angeles
    This assumes that US players players would play and develop in a T3 MLS and T3 USL the same, where in reality the soccer market could saturate some, or some of the intangibles that would be missing in a tier T3 USL vs a tier T3 MLS could make it such that a T3 USL might not be something that could exist. That is, perhaps it would exist as a T4 or T3.5.

    For example hypothetically if the change happened quickly, and it could with MLS changing salary rules, and tomorrow, in the NBA 1/2 of the US players were fired (and replaced with superior android players) would US T2 basketball just absorb those players?
     
  14. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    I agree, he's just what the Galaxy don't need. He's 34 (35 in August) and coming off of a knee injury. He is clearly over the hill; for the last two years he has been mainly a sub with an occasional sport start. I am sure that Fenerbache would love to be rid of his salary. Frankly, I would take Alan Gordon back first.

    However, I am sure someone on the Galaxy has run the numbers on what he might bring in ticket and jersey sales, so who knows.
     
  15. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think even if we can move Gio, the Galaxy will not do so unless we can replace him with a big name. I don't see LA signing a Lodeiro -- a relative unknown from SA -- at that position or forward. We might have to wait until summer after the WC to see a big move in that regard.
     
  16. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    I apologize for not noting in your last sentence in the paragraph above before replying to your other post. I think this whole paragraph is spot on.
    I pretty much agree with your feelings. I believe that MLS's original mission was to help develop talent for the USMNT. I doubt that MLS will take action because its not in the owners interest to do so. However, there are potential solutions that the MLSPU could try to introduce at the next round of collective bargaining. Some examples include:
    • Leave the number of international slots alone but reduce the number of international DPs to 1. This would incentivize MLS to bring USMNT players home from Europe. Interestingly enough neither Toronto nor Seattle would be impacted by this type of rule change. On the other hand the Galaxy would need to make some hard but probably beneficial changes.
    • Make TAM strictly a club discretionary item and reduce the number of international players receiving TAM to be no more than 50% of a clubs total number of TAM players. Again this might incentivize lower level USMNT players to come home.
    • Reducing the number of international player slots from 8 a side to perhaps 4 or 5 phasing this in over the next 3 years. This doesn't solve the all DP forwards being international players solution.
    • Leave the international slots alone, but require clubs to use an international slot for Green card holders who have not resided in the US for at least 2 consecutive years. Alternatively require some number of USMNT eligible players on the pitch at all time. Both of these might cause a discrimination issue with green card holders, but it may not if its part of a union bargaining agreement (like NBA and NFL restrictions on young player signings).
     
  17. GalaxyOne

    GalaxyOne Member+

    Dec 6, 2005
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Do you really think that, in which case perhaps your recollection is off, or are you just trying to be argumentative? First half of the season is when we had the most injuries and yet the Galaxy were very much in contention for the playoffs when Sigi took over. With new manager, key players coming back from injury and playoffs on the line, one would think there would be plenty of motivation. There is no excusing Sigi's failure to make a decent run for the playoffs.
     
  18. GalaxyOne

    GalaxyOne Member+

    Dec 6, 2005
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed. I'm writing off the Galaxy until they move beyond the Dos Santos era. He's not the leader we need. I'll jump on the bandwagon if they make a deep run into the playoffs, and eat my words, but really have my doubts that will happen. And I still think Sigi is a has-been which is another major problem with this team.
     
  19. TrickHog

    TrickHog Moderator
    Staff Member

    Oct 14, 2002
    Los Angeles, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Expansion Draft info. is now out:

    UNPROTECTED
    Ciani, Michael (INT'L)
    Diallo, Bradley (INT'L)
    Diop, Clement
    Garcia, Rafael
    Jones, Jermaine
    Kempin, Jon
    Lassiter, Ariel
    McInerney, Jack
    Rowe, Brian
    Van Anholt, Pele (INT'L)

    PROTECTED
    Alessandrini, Romain (INT'L)
    Joao Pedro (INT'L)
    Boateng, Emmanuel
    Cole, Ashley (INT'L)
    dos Santos, Giovani (INT'L)
    dos Santos, Jonathan (INT'L)
    Husidic, Baggio
    Lletget, Sebastian
    Romney, David
    Steres, Daniel
    Zardes, Gyasi

    Automatically Protected:
    Rogers, Robbie (Retired)
    Arellano, Hugo (HG)
    Villarreal, Jose (HG)
    Mendiola, Raul (HG/INT'L) Villarreal, Jaime (HG)
    Smith, Nathan (HG)
    Jamieson, Bradford (HG)
    McBean, Jack (HG)

    Nothing real stands out for me either way. Seems reasonable.
     
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  20. hav77

    hav77 Member+

    May 31, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Why are McBean and the other players released still on the Gs list?
     
  21. Geneva

    Geneva LA for Life

    Feb 5, 2003
    Southern Cal
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We could possibly lose Ariel Lassiter from that list, but I doubt it. Interesting that Ciani isn't protected - but no one would take that salary. But I wonder if it means we are trying to move him?
     
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  22. GalaxyKoa

    GalaxyKoa Member+

    Jul 18, 2007
    North County
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Basically because they're due to go into the waiver draft/re-entry drafts (free agents/ out of contract players can also be selected in the expansion draft as well), which are after the expansion draft. You have to play the protect/unprotected game with your entire roster (and players are still on your roster until their contracts expire on 12/31 or they're selected in one of the drafts/traded)¹ because it could impact the later drafts. For instance, LAFC could select Pele and exercise his option, preventing him from going into the waiver draft. For McBean, it doesn't matter because he's already protected but the list still has to be complete.

    ¹Basically irrelevant, but it bugs me that people on wikipedia change the rosters to get rid of players as soon as the exercised/declined options are released. It's a losing battle though, so no use getting worked up over it.
     
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  23. 73Bruin

    73Bruin Member+

    Jul 12, 2008
    Torrance, California
    Here's hoping that LAFC takes Ciani. I would rather the Galaxy had protected Lassiter and left Joao Pedro unprotected (or is there some special rule given Pedro being a special discovery player).
     
  24. Baysider

    Baysider Member+

    Jul 16, 2004
    Santa Monica
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I guess this means it's likely that cole and husidic re-sign. The Ciani situation is such a joke. He seems to sum up our player process.

    I would miss Lassiter though. Forward depth is weak as it is.
     
  25. LEM-LAG

    LEM-LAG Member+

    May 28, 2011
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais


    I agree on Ciani but I don't understand how it could be a big risk to take Lassiter.

    I don't know if a 37 years old Cole is valued anywhere in MLS except by the Galaxy. There's almost zero risk he will be taken so I would have protected Lassiter over him.
     
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