On that point you would get no argument from me. However, do we know that is what happened? Isn't it just as possible that our guys took a look at him and then said 'hmmmmmm Sochaux, he is a bit more physically hampered then we thought he would be (sight unseen). For where he is at and the price negotiated, we can't take him. However, if you throw in "x" concession, we're willing to go thru with the loan.' This is an art, not a science. Teams change their minds all the time or use new "facts" as negotiating tools. Remember, DC is looking at more than just whether he scores a couple of goals against teenagers. They're looking at his movement and endurance as well.
Just for the record, I asked what plan B was about 3 weeks ago. If Davies skates I'll have my answer.
It IS an open bidding war until we have a signed deal with Sochaux AND Davies. Obviously you want to look at the guy before you sign him, but if DCU's FO was competent, there'd already be a deal worked out where they had first refusal BEFORE they had a public trial for CD. That's what everyone implied was going on until Davies scored some goals (against pre-season/weak opposition, absolutely, but how can you not be excited), now it sounds like DCU just is really cheap/broke/dumb (who knows, could be all three). Obviously I have no inside info and can only play Soviet analyst with press announcements and such, but it sure sounds like we're going to find out about Plan B (which, if recent history is any indication rhymes with "wothing"). If you're running the team into the ground & minimizing payroll so you can sell the team to a new ownership group who will move the team to a community with a soccer specific stadium - THEN this makes a certain myopic kind of sense, unfortunately.
They brought him here for a trial and he's shown pretty well against a bunch of U-20 kids so far. How the hell do you conclude that that's going to result in some sort of bidding war?
I still think of Donovan as number 21. But I think retiring numbers is silly. Pretty soon the Boston Celtics will either have to unretire numbers or move into the hundreds.
Morris20, please get a few elemental facts correct before you decide the FO wants to tank the Davies signing so it can move DCU somewhere else. The salary cap set by MLS each year is paid by the single entity. Players actually have a contract with MLS and are "assigned" to teams within the single entity league. Chang can't pay less than league minimum because it does him no good because the money comes from a pool he contributes to. The only player cost on DCU directly is DP money over 350K. As for these negotiations -- maybe Davies raised an issue, maybe DCU did or maybe Sochaux did or perhaps the "Special One" decided Davies would be productive in Madrid. The point is that we don't know and speculation over what is going on is nothing more than that, and poorly informed speculation at that.
So, why is there a total media blackout in regards to the U20 Canada and T&T games? No videos? No pictures?
And you know that a deal like that isn't in place HOW, exactly? Just because DC may try to get him cheaper than otherwise, that is exactly zero evidence that they don't have right of first refusal. I don't know you and I'm sure you are a hell of a guy morris, but a good negotiator I can tell you are not. Jumping at first offer without testing the waters on what you MAY get by downplaying said offer is cardinal sin number 1. You are speaking too much as a fan, and not enough as a sensible person trying to make the best deal for your team.
I have good information from a reliable source that they were wearing the new top secret Baltimore-themed uniforms down there.
Isn't it pretty standard to have no coverage at all of MLS pre-season scrimmages/games? It sounds so much more overly dramatic to call it a "media blackout" than it does to say "no one cares" ... and the U-20 World Cup is coming up this year, maybe those coaches don't want the revolutionary stuff they're trying against United to be seen by the public and their competition .
It just seems odd to me that DC United would document Charlie tying is shoes/picking his nose but there are no photos whatsoever of the actual matches.
DCU's facebook page has a few pics of the Canada U20 game and warmup, nothing with Davies though. Could the lack of pictures and videos also have something to do with a lack of man power? I went to the FIU game and I didn't see any DCU staff that weren't already busy with more important things.
Really? This is being discussed? It's preseason in Florida. Just wait until they're in California, I would guess the number of staffers on site will be even smaller.