Steve Birnbaum makes return as D.C. United wins Capital Cup opener over Alajuelense Is there something new that expedites the green card process? It famously took Jaime Moreno like eight years to receive one. Or were DCU/MLS/Moreno just not that interested in this? Thx, Jay!
Sportico released their 2021 MLS valuations last week. DC United checked in 8th at $630M. For perspective, LAFC is #1 at $860M, and Colorado are last at $370M. For revenues, in 2019 DC was 6th in MLS at $53M. In 2020, they remained in 6th at $22M.
wow, that is quite the increase from 1995 investment....about 100x if IRCC conversations with folks like Tyra and a few of the early partners (or maybe $6m was what a single investor had to put in, which is more likely). No we know why Leviathan is such a donkey.... $53m - must have been all that Flo money. and Rooney shirts.
Are we getting good value for that amount, compared with the rest of the league? I'm truly asking....
Not really, imo. Flores is a DP who can't stay on the field and produced very little when he did. Reyna is the player with the third highest salary and he's been a bust. Birnbaum makes close to the threshold and he's just now getting back on the field. They have success stories like Najar, but too many higher priced players not paying off.
I don't think we're anywhere near 8th in roster spend - maybe 20th? So, at this point, we're just about where we should be, without taking into account being 13 games into a new system with a bunch of new players. I think Reyna and Smith will fall by the wayside, and Asad is balancing on a knife's edge. Robertha's continuing with DC depends on what he learns this year. Flores was our premier chance creator when he was healthy and we were disorganized early in the season. I personally think he comes back and plugs in well, and earns enough of his keep to stick around for another season. I'd say it's been a mixed bag, trending positive. Arriola has been a real positive, Kamara is coming good, and I still have hope Flores will, too. BHI and Najar have been great and Robertha has been decent. It's hard to tell how much of this offseason was better and how much was Losada's influence on the team. I think he's been a force-multiplier. All the players look sharper this year to me.
I haven't seen any actual news sources confirming this. Until then just put it in the "rumor" category. Ábila is making $1.1 million on a year-long loan from Boca Juniors. A 31-year-old striker making over a million a year who has only has one double-digit scoring season with a first division club? (11 in 2016 in Argentina) We can certainly use attacking help but if this is true I sure hope that DCU isn't covering his whole salary. Ramón Ábila is LEAVING #MNUFC and heading east to #DCU. Essentially, Boca agreed to let us find a new club for him, where he will play out the remaining months of his loan. Since all MLS clubs are single-entity (franchises), FIFA rules allow this to happen under the same loan.— Minnesota's Eleven (@sotaseleven) August 6, 2021 EDIT: Never mind. That Twitter account just posted this a few minutes ago: "Update for anyone who hasn’t seen: Looks like there wasn’t enough time for this move to be finished before the window closed."
That report isn’t accurate. DCU says it did not make any trades before the deadline.— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 6, 2021
With our complete lack of spending in this window, I think this team has cemented it's position --and no hyperbole here -- as the cheapest in the league. Lucky to have a coach who can get such great results from this roster, but I don't think it's sustainable this year with so little depth. I've been vocal about wanting us to build toward the playoffs this year and treat this team like it can actually do something in the postseason. But for the majority who view 2020 as more of a prep process for 2021, this has to make even less sense. Losada today: “I made clear to the owners that if something can come during this transfer window, something that can help us and support us and give us more options [the team should pursue it]. Unfortunately, that player didn’t arrive." “I mentioned that to the owners, also knowing how sensitive this group is to injuries ... well, it’s important to have depth, it’s important to have options, and there were certain games when our options were very limited.”
still got a few weeks for free agents..... but have to say, I was given to understand a significant signing was due this window. Have to get back to my pigeon to find out why/what (didnt) happen(ed).
I think they are keeping their powder dry. Any incoming player would have required some kind of roster move and they just didn't have the right player turn up. There is going to be a good number of players moving on in the off season so that allows us more flexibility to splash the cash
We've never had a coach like this, we've never been privy to this world with DC United. A coach cajoling the front office to spend some money? It's so European it's weird. A coach who says straight up we can't win without some more players? He has no problem telling the fans the owners are to blame. Before the season even started he was saying we have a talent deficit and he continues to preach that sermon. He praises the team for their effort, passion, and willingness to improve, but often has to shrug about missed chances and costly errors in judgement, because what can you do, the players are only at a certain level. He is aspirational and resigned at the same time.
He obviously got some sort of commitment from ownership to spend money. Losada knew he needed upgrades going in. I think this season shows his talent as a coach. Can you make something out of nothing and he has certainly done so. I almost believe that these public comments from him are pro wrestling style scripted theater. He already knows that nothing was going to be spent this season but his comments do two things: 1. Motivates players on the roster. They want to be that guy he says they need to go out and buy. 2. Keeps management honest. By creating that narrative in the Fandom it possibly gets him leverage to get the club to spend more on quality instead of bargain basement Ben Era loose parts
That's a good line, but this manager is miles ahead of Olsen as far as the play on the field. Olsen was absolutely shackled, but he had no discernable plan beyond 'play your heart out'.
and maybe 3. Makes clear to other teams' GMs, maybe back in Belgium or other places, that any success at DCU is from coaching rather than an abundance of talent. Just in case Mr. Losada is looking out for #1, ya know.
D.C. United bolsters attacking depth with waiver signing of Ramón Ábila. Details: https://t.co/iGI3KRV1oy #dcu #mls— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 11, 2021 We got another #9. Maybe Losada knows him?
I want to be positive, but the word on Ábila is that he is long term not in good physical shape and doesn't work hard on defense. On it's face, does not seem like a good fit for the current DCUnited. However, faith that this will work out well, for now. At least it seems we don't have to bear all of his hefty salary.
To be fair DC United didn't work as hard as they do in 2021 before 2021, so maybe they are going to tell this guy "this is your last chance to earn another contract, so do your best" and we'll get blood from the stone like we did with other players.
If he scores a couple goals and helps keep Kamara fresh this is a good signing. But, given what I just read about his fitness issues, those seem like a problem for a player in Losada's system. Maybe an Argentine coach can help Abila improve.