Re: Sak O' Shite slams Jonny Walker I meant that if Walker had a C year on $ 125k, I was more upset about Pope being a D and SGR being and F, both on $ 270k+. I wasn't saying he shouldn't try hard because he wasn't making a lot, just that you look at performance per dollar, and give the player a value. Walker was an ok value this year. The other two were bad values this year. And, yes, it's a bit of a punk move to take a cheap shot at a player. But, it works for Steinbrenner. Except when it doesn't. I am very sure Walker wasn't pleased with himself this year, but he wasn't deserving of an individual call out. It's a team game. The team failed.
Re: Sak O' Shite slams Jonny Walker This whole team pretty much failed. Gaven, Amado and Parke were the only real good players. Leitch did very fine in his role player position. Walker had an okay season. When you're playing in front of several different defensive line ups during the season, that could affect the way you organize it. I'd start the blame else where and then go to Walker because it wasn't his fault that they couldn't score on a wide open header.
Though I'm not sure I'm "allowed" to post on this forum, here you go: http://web.archive.org/web/20040203104656/http://mlsnet.com/content/04/mls0114trade.html traded before the 2004 draft with future considerations to LA for the 11th pick (1st pick of 2nd round). That pick had to be obtained to give it to Chicago (they drafted Leonard Griffin) cause Metrostars owed Chicago at least a top 12 pick in the draft for hiring Coach Bradley (already gave Chicago Rodrigo Faria) http://web.archive.org/web/20021211151310/http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/met1022pc.html Why did Metrostars have to go to such measures to get a top 12 pick? Cause they had traded their first round 2004 pick to LA for the 2003 pick they used to get Eddie Gaven. So in some convoluted way you could say this 2005 1st round pick isn't there cause of the move to get Gaven. http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=562132857
The Sak probabally felt the same way about Moreno Last year. Looks like the Sak has a basic lack of Soccer knowledge.
Re: Sak O' Shite slams Jonny Walker http://www.ussocceruk.com/news/?CatTypeId=2&ContentId=1973 same news i guess, i didn't read the whole thing, its a busy day here at work
Re: GM (maybe) slams Jonny Walker And this adds a new wrinkle to the story: Walker to undergo surgery for rotator cuff tear http://ussoccerplayers.com/latest_soccer_news/455648.html If he was injured since Sept. and getting cortisone shots, you would think the coaching staff/management knew about it..... But i guess by the playoffs it was too late to start giving the back up GK "experience." Bradley is no Andrulis after all
Now with the news of the Walker injury there are two new questions that come to mind. Assuming Bradley knew of the injury, the cortisone injections, and the attempts at self-rehab why did he stay with Walker through the end of the season? A playoff spot was locked up and Wells could have had at least two games to get experience before the playoffs began. If Bradley didn't know then is Walker to be blamed for hiding his injury from the team or is Bradley and/or other members of the coaching staff guilty of inattention that may have contributed to the collapse? When do we get good news?
I think Bradley knew, and that even with the pain he likely asked Walker if he could play through it, Walker said yes, and he went with that. He probably thought 75% of Walker was better than 100% of Wells, who-while pretty good- is still a rookie. Goalkeeping wasn't our problem down the stretch. And if anyone saw the blinder Walker pulled off in robbing Nelsen in the second half of the first game vs. DC before the Earnie offsides Stewart goal, you wouldn't be wondering about Walker either- injured shoulder or not. This does, however, shed a bit of extra light on Nick's comments, specifically: what kind of person calls out an injured player for playing poorly? Did Cashman or Steinbrenner blame Sheff for the Yankees collapse? I'm not going to kill Nick for saying what he said- it's his team, he runs it how he wants- but again, that statement tells you as much about the guy making it as the guy he was making it about.
Why??? taking on Johnny Walker. He wasn't the main factor of our bad season. He had his up and downs like the rest of the team. Nick S. comments show that he doesn't understand soccer at all, just like B Bradley inability to understand that DC was a better team but playing them smart and getting at least one point at the Giant stadium, we had a better chance at RFK (playing counter attack) having DC the obligacion to attack. Playoffs are about tactics that bring positive results. I am sure Nick S. won't understand what I am talking about ( so go ahead blame golkeeping and bring BB back). Suddenly, Nick S knows more than Bruce Arena
Walker had a mediocre year but why pick on him? Let's say Walker stands on his head and shuts DC out for 2 games. What is the result? We're going to PK's because we didn't score!! IS Walker supposed to score goals too?