Couldn't agree more. Loved the fact he was local an wanted him to succeed, but unfortunately he didn't pan out
Mls teams do the exact same thing. They all keep a slot or two open for summer signings. Most likely indy XI will sign another striker maybe two and a second gker before the season starts
I do understand wanting to keep slots open at this point. As MLS clubs go through their preseason, players will become available, either as loanees or after being cut, and you want to have some room on the roster. To that extent, it's almost curious that the midfield has been filled out so completely. I'll still feel better once a more plausible striking option that Wojcik has been signed.
Agreed. We need another striker option, but this time last year I think we only had mike signed as well. Ben signed after preseason. Rugg and jj we relate additions in the season. I just hope we sign a decent striker before the season so we can start on the right foot rather than playing catchup
how could you forget about pedro mendes? remember the "we've got pedro" chants the byb sang against SAS? lol. and i understand wanting room for players midseason, but some of these guys we have can't be making that much. surely they could cut guys like miller, hyland, and wojcik who surely aren't on big contracts if they need to make room. we straight up released a few guys last summer when some of the new guys came in.
"With its stadium proposal out for public consumption Indy Eleven has gotten back into the business of signing players. The club has signed forward Wojiech Wojcik and midfielder Osman Melgares, while inking a permanent deal with 2014 loanee Sergio Pena. Wojcik, 22, is a Chicago Fire Academy who has recently spent time gaining professional experiene in the Finnish lower divisions. Melagres is a left-footed box-to-box midfielder who made over 90 appearances in three seasons for Real Sociedad de Tocoa in the Honduran first division, scoring 14 times. Pena is another midfielder from Real Sociedad, and started 13 of Indy’s final 17 games during his Fall Season loan." http://www.empireofsoccer.com/notebook-nyassi-ramirez-32076/
Peter Wilt has been traveling this week (according to his Twitter account), so I'm not surprised we haven't seen any news this week. Have to say, though, it's going to be an interesting training camp, with no keepers (Nicht on loan) and one forward. Next week and the week in Arizona will have to be just about conditioning, at this rate.
i'm sure they have trialist keepers and players training with them and traveling to AZ. one would think there would at least be enough bodies on the training field to let them go 11 v 11 to get in some sort of shape.
they took 21 to AZ. 12 of the 15 (?) signed players. no nicht, pena, or melgares. mares and dawson are back long with 9 unnamed trialists. mares' deal will be finalized and announced in a few days. http://www.indyeleven.com/news/detail/uuid/v7grhxcnozn61dqytn7uzg0lm/desert-diary-2015#.VOsyCS5y9-w
So the Mares mystery is at least partially solved. I wonder what the delay has been -- the signing was supposed to be announced a couple of weeks ago. The signing of an international forward apparently is imminent, too.
I saw a rumor that Rugg was at camp. If so, I'd be very happy. Signing Rugg and a solid international (I miss Jhulliam already) would make me feel more confident about the attack this season.
I saw the rumor too, and I'd love it to be true, but I have trouble crediting it. Rugg is a Galaxy player; why wouldn't the Galaxy want him in their own camp to assess his progress, even if they were inclined to loan him out again (or, more likely in my opinion, send him back to Galaxy II in USL Pro)? Plus, from the Eleven's perspective, Rugg is a known quantity; there's no need to treat him as an anonymous trialist. The only way I can see this being true is if a new loan is imminent but not quite finalized--and even if that's true, why would the clubs put him in the training camp and risk injury before the deal is closed?
it's not like selling luis suarez. this is about getting experience. galaxy wouldn't be looking to make money off the loan. so if he gets hurt, he goes home to la and rehabs before joining lag2 or indy11 when he recovers.
I have to think there's some money involved (though of course far short of Suarez money). If the Galaxy just want Rugg to get experience, he can get it in USL Pro, where he would remain entirely under the team's control.
Always possible that rugg enjoyed his time in indys and feels the competition is stronger in nasl (debatable) not to mention a longer season. He would also have to compete with lag strikers rehabbing from injury. Indy is pretty much guaranteed pt One reason to keep it hushed is that a deal hasn't been agreed. MLS is notorious for keeping details unofficial until it's official
As there is no news on the roster front, I was wondering how people thought the Eleven might line up in a month. I know the team will still sign at least 2 forwards and keeper, but if the season started today, do you think it might look something like this? Nicht Franco - Norales - Janicki - Frias Pena - Ring Smart - Kleberson - Pineda Wojcik Subs: Miller, Hyland, Ring, Stojkov, Melgares, Mares
It's really hard to say until we get a look at Melgares and Styojkov (we pretty much have to slot Wojcik in at forward at the moment, even though he's unfamiliar--he's all we have). Personally, I'm still not convinced by Frias at left back, despite his improved performance toward the end of last season, and I'd rather see Hyland there. And I'm not sure about Janicki vs. Cory Miller--it was Miller's arrival that really solidified the defense last fall.
So, a 22-year-old Jamaican international on loan from a Jamaican first division club. There looks to be some potential here, but as with Woj he's hardly a proven goal scorer. I do recognize that proven goal scorers are very hard to come by at this level. Nevertheless, I remain concerned that we'll struggle for goals.