2020 is mercifully over (CY and RSL-Y): Offseason News and Discussion

Discussion in 'Real Salt Lake' started by goobx1, Nov 2, 2020.

  1. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
    The Palouse
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It isn't just who Austin wants, but who they could then flip to other teams for other assets. So Ochoa would likely be selected, because plenty of other teams would love to have a guy that young who is already getting NT looks.
     
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  2. DrownedElf

    DrownedElf Member+

    Jul 5, 2010
    Ogden
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If we're really sticking with Freddy then we're screwed. How is anyone higher up looking at how we've played since having him as head coach and thought he's worth keeping around?
     
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  3. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The guy making that call also signed Luke Mulholland to a contract through 2020...
     
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  4. Med_Phys

    Med_Phys Member+

    RSL
    United States
    Jun 20, 2019
    Terre Haute, IN
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Remember, Homegrowns born in or before 1995 are automatically protected. Only Toia isn't automatically protected. You may not want to protect many of the guys, but really, you're probably deciding between Putna, MacMath and Rossi. I get the feeling Rossi doesn't want to be around next year (even though I was really hoping it would work out), so I pick Putna over MacMath. If somenone really wants him, we get the GAM back that it took to acquire him plus an open senior roster spot.

    Last year, we filled the supplemental slots 25-30 with HG's and Martinez. We opened up two slots, but Davis and Brody will occupy those. We're bringing back everyone in the 21-24 supplemental slots except Putna, but I imagine they are in negotiations. If he comes back, I bet he's moved to the senior roster to make room for Powder. Again, I don't know why you bring back Portillo and Schmitt, but it's done.

    I really don't understand why we gave Morgan a contract with more than one year. Dumb. Maybe he can be traded or something later.
    We did not sign MacMath to his contract, we simply traded for him. Can't do much about him not having an option this year except try to loan or trade him. Don't mind him being the backup to Ochoa if Putna doesn't want to come back.

    Assuming Kyle doesn't come back, there are 5 senior roster spots available for next year. 4 probably if Putna comes back.
    Everton, Damir, Douglas, Jeizon, Pablo, Marcelo and Ashtone are the internationals. Surely a few of those will get green cards next year.
    So there's maybe 4 spots on the senior roster, potentially several international slots and one DP slot open. Don't expect much to happen with those in the offseason, but maybe in the summer if we get an owner that wants to spend the money.

    In typing this, Greg Vanney stepped down from TFC. Go get him RSL! That'd be a great offseason.
     
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  5. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Given the national election went the way it did, I suppose there is reason to hope that green cards will be "easier" to come by, but I don't think the first people to get through the new setup should be athletes. Some other folks have more pressing situations.
     
  6. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    RSL Show went through the roster decisions. It takes a lot of time (nearly 21 minutes, in fact) to actually get to their "takes". Which, as expected, are pretty soft on Elliot and the Club.

    I'm confused why the club making the decision to cut Arriaga and Vazquez from the first team, but with the speculation that they could sign with the Monarchs, is just an ok thing. This is such a backwards way of functioning as a club. Why are we playing hopscotch with these guys in the club pyramid? Why do we think that they'll want to sign a contract with the developmental team when they had one with the first team before? It's backwards.

    They also mention that Elliot said there are guys coming up that are seen as possibly better candidates. Which, ok. But that this was immediately followed by "what guys are in college?" drove me absolutely insane. ******** this club's inability to develop players from age 18-22. That is bonkers.

    They speculate that Putna will not be back next year given Ochoa and MacMath are here. That's a fair take and one I hope is true. I'm still really confused why we picked up MacMath with a multi-year deal. Could we not have renegotiated that? I thought we picked him up on waivers which allowed a reconstruction of the contract.

    There was mention by Fall that the club has "significant" cap space, as well as TAM resources at our disposal. Which, ok. But if we don't have a scouting department and we don't' have an owner to ok a DP spend, I'm curious what exactly that is for? Are we just going to hit the trading block hard? Pardon me for not being overly excited about that.

    There is also the claim that this team would have been "much" better with a decent striker. No doubt we'd be better, but we also gave up a shit ton of goals and showed zero consistent midfield play to make me think that one player suddenly changes this team. We're not Manchester United missing a Cavani like player. We don't have a Bruno, Martial, Rashford, etc on this team.

    As expected, the show ends with all the blame for any flaws in this roster being on DLH. Which isn't false. But it's also not all the way true. It's a lazy excuse to not look under the hood of the roster. Nobody forced Fall to sign Jones and Morgane last year. Nobody forced him to pick up the options he did.

    Honestly, if I'm Fall, I'd make a skeleton of a roster before the new ownership group comes in so you can make significant moves once that group's direction is known. Who knows. I ended the podcast more perplexed by what this club is doing than when I started
     
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  7. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    That's probably true but I just don't see Ochoa as the answer.

    I don't think he currently has the mental makeup to be who people think he can be. I am not knocking his intelligence in any way. I think it's an ego thing.

    My read on him is that he would crack under pressure. He is certainly is a player that gets fired up but I don't think that he would be a player that would recover from getting shellacked early on as a starter. The kind of stuff that happens to young new keepers.

    He certainly has the talent and could be a great keeper but I think there is an Achilles heel there that could be exploited.

    As usual I could be wrong.
     
  8. SenordrummeR2

    SenordrummeR2 Member+

    Jul 21, 2008
    Layton, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't think the RSL Show guys, or RSL for that matter, view the Monarchs as a development team. In last week's episode they talked about how the Monarch's went younger this year and tanked the season and how bad of a decision that was. It seems like they view RSL and the Monarchs as separate identities who should both be chasing championships, rather than the Monarchs being a development focused team.
     
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  9. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    yep
    And its ********ing infuriating
     
  10. irondeepbicycle

    irondeepbicycle Member+

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Jul 31, 2017
    ^ Right, we did not have limited slots. There is 0 reason we could not bring back Vazquez and Arriaga. We made a conscious choice to prioritize Justin Portillo, entering his age-29 season with 9 career MLS appearances. If we released Portillo would any other team in MLS sign him?

    I also want to point out that FC Dallas has started Bryan Reynolds most of the season, a 19 year old who is now getting interest from Juventus (seriously). Reynolds was signed at 15 and spent 2 full seasons on FC Dallas' first team roster before he got his first appearance. Now they're about to cash in.

    This is why I get so frustrated when people say we were always going to lose Soto and Ledezma. It's just 100% not true. We were not willing to invest roster spots in them and we paid the price. Other teams made different trade-offs and reap the benefits.

    Justin Portillo on the roster has real consequences. I'm sure he's a nice guy and I hate beating up on that signing too much, but it makes a difference!
     
  11. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    That's fair, but I also think that, given the amount of praise he's received from various places (youth and full national team, to be specific) warrants the club giving him the reins and letting him learn.

    Again, i cannot say this enough, this situation reminds me of Donnarumma at AC Milan. The kid was in his teens when given the starting spot at one of the most legendary clubs in the world. The knocks on him were/are very similar to what you've said here. He had an ego (as most teenage kids being told they are the next best Italian/USA keeper would have) and made very dumb, young mistakes. But he was also insanely talented. Ochoa is the same way.

    When I look at all the needs this roster has, who currently is on the roster, and where we want to go, finding a GK is way down the list of "chores". Give Ochoa the spot. That we didn't in 2020 should be viewed as one of the most damning things for Freddy. 2021 should be Ochoa's year. Barring some howlers, give him the year to grow. Otherwise, why in the ******** did we pick up his option?
     
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  12. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
     
  13. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The length of time it took Reynolds to break into the first team should be highlighted, as well. We just cut ties with 2 academy kids that we signed in 2019. After 2 seasons, the club was just like "not enough". I do not get what this club thinks these kids have to do.

    We are arguably the worst club in the league at player development in the ages of 16-21. Prove to me otherwise. Who is worse than us? All of these other teams have teenagers not just on their roster, but actually playing. The only teenager that got minutes for RSL in 2020 was Jeizon Ramirez. A kid not even from our academy. And he had a whopping 80 minutes. This club doesn't know how to develop a prospect into a first team player.

    Need more proof? Look at Pablo Ruiz. A guy who was with the first team up until 2018 and most everyone had written him off as a bust. The club then decided to send him to Austria to play in the THIRD DIVISION with Pinzgau for 2019. He comes back in 2020 a changed player. Our biggest surprised (positive) of the season, by a long shot. How did that development happen, again? At a third division Austrian side. Un ********ing believable
     
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  14. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I agree. But wasn't Ochoa injured early in the season and "trapped" by COVID at the Monarchs or something? Look at me kind of defending Freddy. lol

    I'm not against giving Ochoa the spot at all. I am totally on board the youth train for this team. How Jeizon only got 80 minutes last season is beyond perplexing. Hopefully Ochoa will prove me wrong. I would give him the reigns for 2021 and say it's yours come hell or high water. Why not? if you thought 2020 was a throw away season 2021 has some ocean front property for us in Nebraska.

    I do also agree with the RSL Show in the fact that RSL is going to be a terrible team for a very long time so we just better get used to that fact. I can't wait to be "entertained" next season.
     
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  15. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I emailed and cancelled my season tickets when DLH went all public racist rant. I haven't said I will renew yet. I'm not sure what about 2021 makes me think I should
     
  16. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I was going to call and cancel but the DLH stuff came out over the weekend and I didn't call on Monday I was so elated.

    I did call and tell them I would consider dropping my season tickets if they kept Freddy but I'm a sucker I guess. I've had them since 08 feel bad I didn't get them sooner. I wonder how many still have tickets from 05, 06, and 07.

    Time will tell but I'm sure 2021 and the Freddy Nightmare on State Street could change my mind.
     
  17. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    Dude, this is largely the same group of guys who got us through the first round of the playoffs the previous 2 seasons! They're great!
    I'm not. They are trying to say that we are ********ed without saying it outright.

    We can trade for players, but we aren't going to be able to sign anyone of note to a new contract.

    We are going to be an MLS-also-ran team until an investment group comes in which will try to leverage and resell like Columbus, OR, best case, they invest in the Academy and shoot for something similar to Dallas.
     
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  18. RSL Wonderbra

    RSL Wonderbra Member

    Jan 30, 2013
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    So, a couple of thoughts. Freddy ended 2019 and started out 2020 looking solid. His subs contributed big time the first 6 games or so.

    Petke was passionate but subbed half as much as Freddy. Ellinger blew goats on the weekend. Cassar didn't even hold practices per my friends with Javi. So, by my count, Freddy is our second best coach all time eleven if there is a canyon between him and Jason.

    But frankly Petke and Cassar had A LOT more to work with.

    I don't hold Freddy as the main issue here.
     
  19. RSL Wonderbra

    RSL Wonderbra Member

    Jan 30, 2013
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Regarding assets and flexibility... did you guys know that Giuseppe made over $1,052,000 last year?!?!?! Great signing for $200,000. Total waste for $1 million!!!

    Add in Beckerman's $325k, Nedum's $504k, Sam Johnson's $767k, Luuuuke's $155k, and Ashton Morgan's $132k. By my math that's roughly $2,935,000 between 6 players. The rest of the players cut maybe bring that total to $3.3 million give or take a bit. That's probably about 1/3rd of our total budget from 2020. The team apparently is going to work under the same budget so I am guessing we are looking at around $9 - $10 million is what we plan to spend again.

    Add to that the fact that teams that didn't make the playoffs get extra TAM and a high ish draft pick (for whatever that means), and we frankly do have assets and roster spots.

    But how do you acquire talent in this situation? It's a hard sale.

    I think we may just pick up RSL journeymen a la Crapids last year because DPs are going to be preserved for new management methinks.
     
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  20. RSL Wonderbra

    RSL Wonderbra Member

    Jan 30, 2013
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Sorry, it has been a while since I have been on here and I have lots to say:

    F-DLH... He ruined a great franchise. Surviving him will be a micro version of the US surviving Trump. He spoke a big game and flashed big bucks but ultimately he was a cheap, prideful SOB. Good riddance!

    PLEASE STAY IN UTAH RSL!!! I can't believe that MLS has been so silent about all of this. Frankly it spooks me. Columbus fans would be going balistic at this point. You have to search long and hard for news about our situation. If we get new, Utah ownership... better days are sure to come.
     
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  21. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Look, being better than someone at something doesn't make you good at it. What you just highlighted was that this club really has only had one coach worth a damn in its entire existence. That's... wow.

    Petke had the exact same team to work with and got them to the playoffs. Cassar certainly had more, but he had a group of players past their due date as a team. Not defending him by any means, but it's not that cut and dry.

    The main issue, full-stop, is that we don't have an active owner. But once that gets ironed out, I have a hard time not putting Freddy on the hot seat. At the very least, he's going to have to win over the new owners to keep his job from the word go. Should he do that, he'll have a losing record to rectify.
     
  22. SenordrummeR2

    SenordrummeR2 Member+

    Jul 21, 2008
    Layton, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think that's giving him too much credit. We didn't go into the playoffs on a high with Petke. We backed in because other teams fell on their face at the last minute.
     
  23. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    still more impressive than losing the RMC in epic fashion, at our own stadium, and finishing lower than ever in club history. 2020 was the third worst PPG finish in the club's history. Only beaten by 2005 and 2007.
     
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  24. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I find it interesting that all of the reasons and justifications for keeping Freddy are things like he's in a tough spot, not the best roster, bad owner, COVID everything, can't practice, yada, yada, yada, which are all off the pitch.

    And the reasons to not keep him are the fact that the team sucks on the pitch and he has no idea what he is doing.

    Also, almost all of the teams made the playoffs this year with the off the field BS, our racist owner experience excluded of course, and they all found a way to compete.

    RSL with Freddy found ways to win, once in a great while, in spite of him.

    The only reason he stays is because of the ownership situation. That's it. There are no real justifications to keep him with what he has done on the pitch with RSL. The only reason that he gets to stick around is excuses.
     
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  25. SenordrummeR2

    SenordrummeR2 Member+

    Jul 21, 2008
    Layton, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You're right. 2020 has been bad enough that I'm forgetting we finished 3rd in the west last year. Man we sucked this season.
     
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