But if you consistently make mistakes that cost points in the standings with the players we have, do we really want to keep repeating that?
2020 2016 (once Goossens was injured) 2015 (we did have Harry Shipp 2014 (in 2014 and 2015, but that was about it for "creativity") We could continue, but it is getting depressing.
Yep, both 2014 and 2015 were on my list. Those teams may have more talent than 2021 (Magee, Shipp, Accam, Kennedy, Nyarko, Earnshaw/Gilberto, plus Sean Johnson, Joevin Jones, Polster, Larentowicz, etc.), but man did we suck.
Salaries are out. Full comments tomorrow. First observation: Gimenez is stealing $2.5 million a season, $71,000 per game.
2021 MLS Player Salaries As of April 15th, 2021 fire First Last Name Club Position(s) Base Salary Compensation Ignacio Aliseda Chicago Fire F $600,000.00 $821,501.00 Robert Beric Chicago Fire F $2,274,996.00 $2,703,164.00 Jonathan Bornstein Chicago Fire D $300,000.00 $323,200.00 Chris Brady Chicago Fire GK $66,724.00 $68,624.00 Francisco Calvo Chicago Fire D $830,000.00 $902,600.00 Javier Casas Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 Elliot Collier Chicago Fire F $101,375.00 $101,375.00 Jhon Espinoza Chicago Fire D $162,000.00 $188,500.00 Przemyslaw Frankowski Chicago Fire M $675,000.00 $886,688.00 Gaston Gimenez Chicago Fire M $2,058,000.00 $2,358,667.00 Brian Gutierrez Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 Fabian Herbers Chicago Fire F $230,000.00 $251,250.00 Stanislav Ivanov Chicago Fire M $275,000.00 $334,000.00 Johan Kappelhof Chicago Fire D $462,500.00 $490,333.00 Kenneth Kronholm Chicago Fire GK $569,000.00 $632,000.00 Alvaro Medran Chicago Fire M $1,000,000.00 $1,055,000.00 Alex Monis Chicago Fire F $66,724.00 $68,624.00 Miguel Angel Navarro Chicago Fire D $120,000.00 $167,000.00 Chinonso Offor Chicago Fire F $132,000.00 $181,400.00 Wyatt Omsberg Chicago Fire D $85,444.00 $85,444.00 Mauricio Pineda Chicago Fire M $175,000.00 $198,875.00 Andre Reynolds Chicago Fire D $81,375.00 $89,375.00 Allan Rodriguez Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 Boris Sekulic Chicago Fire D $571,000.00 $643,900.00 Bobby Shuttleworth Chicago Fire GK $110,000.00 $125,750.00 Gabriel Slonina Chicago Fire GK $100,000.00 $104,800.00 Nicholas Slonina Chicago Fire D $66,724.00 $67,974.00 Luka Stojanovic Chicago Fire M $314,000.00 $373,400.00 Carlos Teran Chicago Fire D $150,000.00 $205,440.00 Let's see: Absolute Bargain!, Give that man a raise!: NONE Good value. You get what you pay for: -Miguel Angel Navarro Chicago Fire D $120,000.00 $167,000.00 (hard to tell, but inexpensive) -Chinonso Offor Chicago Fire F $132,000.00 $181,400.00 (let's hope he has more to 'offor') -Mauricio Pineda Chicago Fire M $175,000.00 $198,875.00 (let's see him develop, could be a bargain) -Bobby Shuttleworth Chicago Fire GK $110,000.00 $125,750.00 (solid professional, nothing more) -Luka Stojanovic Chicago Fire M $314,000.00 $373,400.00 (impressive, so far, too bad we missed an entire year of him) High Priced but, mostly worth it: -Robert Beric Chicago Fire F $2,274,996.00 $2,703,164.00 (He's no Nikolic, but plays hard and scores goal, last year it was "goals") -Przemyslaw Frankowski Chicago Fire M $675,000.00 $886,688.00(I don't think the Fire have learned how to properly utilize him.) -Alvaro Medran Chicago Fire M $1,000,000.00 $1,055,000.00 (Shows flashes of being above average, not a seven figure player, though) -Stanislav Ivanov Chicago Fire M $275,000.00 $334,000.00 (we hope) -Boris Sekulic Chicago Fire D $571,000.00 $643,900.00 (best player on the team, so far) High Priced, but mostly not worth it (A bargain at half the price!): -Ignacio Aliseda Chicago Fire F $600,000.00 $821,501.00 (just not sold on him) -Fabian Herbers Chicago Fire F $230,000.00 $251,250.00 (See below) -Johan Kappelhof Chicago Fire D $462,500.00 $490,333.00 (If he recaptures his form, he moves up the list) Fine Roster selection, probably nothing more: -Elliot Collier Chicago Fire F $101,375.00 $101,375.00 (waste of space, but you have to fill out a roster) -Jhon Espinoza Chicago Fire D $162,000.00 $188,500.00 (let's see what he can do) -Brian Gutierrez Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 (not good enough yet, but very young) -Wyatt Omsberg Chicago Fire D $85,444.00 $85,444.00 (works hard, lacks talent) -Andre Reynolds Chicago Fire D $81,375.00 $89,375.00 (surprised to see he is still on the team) -Carlos Teran Chicago Fire D $150,000.00 $205,440.00 (no clue what he can do) Players stealing and dealing (Let me meet his agent!): -Jonathan Bornstein Chicago Fire D $300,000.00 $323,200.00 -Francisco Calvo Chicago Fire D $830,000.00 $902,600.00 -Gaston Gimenez Chicago Fire M $2,058,000.00 $2,358,667.00 -Kenneth Kronholm Chicago Fire GK $569,000.00 $632,000.00 (see "Comments" below for these guys) Who?: -Chris Brady Chicago Fire GK $66,724.00 $68,624.00 -Javier Casas Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 -Alex Monis Chicago Fire F $66,724.00 $68,624.00 -Allan Rodriguez Chicago Fire M $66,724.00 $68,624.00 (No comments needed) Slonina? SLONINA!!!! Just TWO? We need MORE Slonina!: -Gabriel Slonina Chicago Fire GK $100,000.00 $104,800.00 -Nicholas Slonina Chicago Fire D $66,724.00 $67,974.00 Comments: -Bornstein, it's time to go, old man. -Calvo's salary is borderline criminal. -Gimenez' salary is criminal. -$600,000+ for Kronholm?!? What the hell and why the f*ck did we dump Sean Johnson? -I had Collier at stealing and dealing, but at $100k, whateva'. Wicky, just don't play him when the Fire need a goal. One goal in his MLS career, in his first appearance in 2018. -I was on the fence about Frankowski. I had him in the mostly not worth it, but he has shown his talent. -Herbers is not really "high priced," but not really worth a quarter million. A Quarter Pounder, sure (Hauptman "Dollar Menu" burn)
I was patient with Gimenez, but the guy is a bust through and through. The guy flat out just doesn't care. The guy is robbing the Fire. Unfortunately I knew of Kronholm's salary, chalk that one up to Nelson's stupidity. Then again, it's pretty odd that he was doing well with Kiel, comes here 2 weeks after their season ends, and suddenly becomes shit. Not really sure how to explain that decline. Bornstein is a solid player, yet never should have had his option picked up at that price. He was showing signs of age last season and he inevitably is showing more of it this season. Offer him less for a lesser role, but that price? Nope. Calvo... lol. Medran, I'm iffy. He has his moments of brilliance, but he also has his moments of absolutely disappearing. I feel like there's never a happy middle ground with this guy. Not worth it at that price, but if someone can get his to disappear less, he is probably worth it. Aliseda just flat out sucks. Sekulic has probably been our best player this season, but I seriously question the logic behind paying a fullback that much money.
Put me down for Elliot Colier scoring at least one MLS goal this season. He is what this season needs: Absolute stupidity that tears at the very fabric of the universe.
How about this guy for our defensive woes? https://www.eurosport.com/football/...r-at-end-of-the-season_sto8319422/story.shtml
Frankowski got called up by Poland for the Euros, and I cannot find the dates when teams have to release players by. All I find is it starts on June 11.
He’s been one of our best players every game and last game he was possibly the most involved of anyone.
Just as an update, he may leave after the 22nd. Poland plays a friendly against Russia on June 1st. I'm sure there is some kind of quarantine time for him.