Not that I've completely given up on this season, but after a late loss on 8/10, my mind started to wonder... I have zero basis for any of this: Getting rid of Serna and Chacon would free up a good chunk of salary. So, for the start of next season, the Revs aquire Joe-Max Moore and Gregg Berhalter. By all accounts, neither player is really in the plans at their current clubs (Berhalter is certainly looking for a new home). The MLS salaries must be similar. Then you have a back line with two World Cup vets in the center and decent (by MLS standards) out side backs. You can use JMM up top, or in the middle of the park with Rooney. Up top, he takes pressure off TT or playing behind the strikers he takes a little of the creative duties away from Ralston, and helps vary the attack. Plus he's such a battler and right now the team could use a bit of attitude. Anyway, just dreaming.
If your "fantasy" comes true, Why is Rooney still there?? I like the idea of dumping Serna and Chacon. Berhalter? Here? OK maybe, but doubtful. Here's a lineup - Twellman Fuller Joe-Max Griffiths Ralston Cullen Franchino Pierce Llamosa Berhalter plus we have good subs off the bench, or if needed because of an >gulp< injury
here's my fantasy... berhalter? yeah, he was pretty good in the world cup... and joe-max, i couldn't agree more... should we add frankie hedjuk...i heard his contract ends this year with bayer leverkusen....
How about this, instead... 1. Sign JMM. (allocation) 2. Draft David Stokes, D, North Carolina (draft pick) 3. Sign a #10 (discovery or allocation) GK: Brown RB: Pierce CD: Llamosa CD: Stokes/Kante LB: Franchino DM: Cullen/Rooney/Cloutier RM: Ralston LM: Griffiths AM: Mystery #10 ST: Moore ST: Twellman
I would take JMM and Berhalter in a heart beat over Chacon and Serna,,,hell lets throw in Wolde and Rooney to close the deal!! Heyduk? Hell lets grab him too, he is a better left back than Franchino, maybe better than Rusty too?(duck) ..........................Brown ......Pierce.....LLamosa....Berhalter.....Heyduk .....Ralston.......Cullen.....Franchino...Griffiths ...............Twellman.......JMM
JMM isn't coming back unless no one will take him in Europe. He went for the money, not the playing time - he makes more on the bench for Everton than he could in MLS. He's a useful little guy for Premier League teams to keep on their bench for a few hundred K (short money to many teams).
FWIW, I've been told there's about an 80% chance that JMM will resign with MLS when his contract with Everton is up at the end of this year. I'm also told he might be back in the States before the end of the Premiership season if David Moyes feels that he is not needed.
Am I the only one a bit worried about the JMM hero-worship as it relates to the future plans for this club? The last thing I'd want to see is a return a la Zenga where his last efforts for the club brought tarnish to his stellar play before it. I can't even begin to fantasize about what the Revs could do in 2003. The Magpie
Was Zenga that bad his last season in Foxboro? He was an abysmal coach, but at least in my mind, I'm under the impression that he could still get the job down between the pipes.
Nope, I'm there too. I'm kind of skeptical that Joe can come back and be the same force in the league he was when he left. The league's better, he's a couple of years older, and he hasn't gotten much playing time for a couple of years.
I don't know, it wasn't too long ago that he was a major contributor to the national team. A few years older or not, he's still on another level than Wolde, Fuller, Rooney etc. Also I think he could be exactly what Nicol is looking for at attacking mid...he seems to want a two-way player who will work on defense, and JMM is certainly that.
Well, as far as JMM's level of play: He still performed well in qualifying. He's certainly as good as your most #2 forwards in the league. He knows the league, so that helps. What I'm most intereseted in is adding the leadership, professionalism and experience that he adds. I won't be surprised if both Moore and Berhalter sign with MLS. I will be surprised if they both go to the same team.
JMM is no savior. Very good MLS player before, and maybe for another year or two or three. This team was a loser with him before. His return guarantees only one good player, not a good team. Zenga was an excellent keeper in 97 and was a shell of himself by the end of 99. His overall behavior wouldn't have been worth it if he had the best goals against that season.
while we are fantasizing, Effenberg is still looking for team. I would take him over gazza or rooney any day. He can still play at a good pace and be very competitive. Ralston...Effenberg....Cullen...Griffiths Hmmm i would take that in a heart beat!
Look who he played with?!?! How could anyone decent work with that team? [/B][/QUOTE]His return guarantees only one good player, not a good team.[/B][/QUOTE] His return would guarantee a good team because he has players to play with. These players also know how to play a lot better than the inaugural years players
I disagree. I think the starters from the 97 team (in their 97 form) as a whole were better than what we have today Zenga Burns Lalas Okaroh Ivy Baba Farias Beto Teddy JMM Galderesi Andy
Actually, we've had decent #10s but they didn't fit the coach's "system" and were subsequently mis- or under utilized. ie: Gorter, Pareja, Cate, Williams
my extreme fantasy... revs winning the mls cup 2002 however, it's still possible, yet it seems plausible ... ...CIAO! ...The SurfDiva
Where are these guys now? The only ones i liked from this team was JMM and Okaroh. If you put this team on the field against our current Revs, I think even Rooney could get a hat-trick.