Trooper ... can we sticky this. With expanded rosters ... here's where we are at the day after the Great Turkey Slaughter: 1 (SI) Daryl Powell M/D 2 (SI) Alberto Delgado F 3 (SI) Rey Angel Martinez F 4 (SI) Zizi Roberts 5 Scott Vallow GK 6 Jordan Cila F/M 7 Bryon Foss GK 8 Seth Trembly M 9 Kyle Beckerman M 10 Nat Borchers D 11 Joe Cannon GK 12 Mark Chung M 13 Matt Crawford M/D 14 Joey Digiamarino M 15 Chris Henderson M 16 Ritchie Kotschau D 17 Pablo Mastroeni M/D 18 Jean Philippe Peguero F Development Roster 19 Michael Erush D 20 Gary Sullivan D 21 Ricky Lewis D 22 (YI) 23 (YI) 24 (YI) 25 26 27 28
So we have all these forwards RAM, AD, JPP, ZZ, and then our wings, but no attacking midfielder (i.e. a "mom) designated to feed all of these starving mouths? Hmmmm. We could play all four in a 4-2-4 set, eh? Or maybe the new coach and GM will try and balance the roster a bit. It's an old saying, but you need strength up the middle to win in a variety of sports. We need a #10, or at least promote someone on the roster into that spot-someone may be at least serviceable there. R
I like seeing 7 spots for developmental guys. Hopefully when we'll have some fallout with SI retirement or something similar. I want to see two of these guys move on: 1 (SI) Daryl Powell M/D 2 (SI) Alberto Delgado F 3 (SI) Rey Angel Martinez F 4 (SI) Zizi Roberts Open up a couple spots in the full roster to sign someone with talent.
6 Jordan Cila F/M ----------------------- when did he get promoted to full roster ... thought he was dev still..
You'd have to think he'll be offered a senior contract. I'm a little surprised it didn't happen already. But he'll be 22 next year and definitely could be put on DEV. I think DEV is month-to-month contract but I don't think he can negotiate with other teams if the Rapids are unwilling to promote him. Probably could go overseas. I think it's helpful to include ages on the list 6 COL 5 Kyle Beckerman M 1982-04-23 5 COL 9 Nat Borchers M 1981-04-13 2 COL 20 Mark Chung M 1970-06-18 9 COL 28 Jordan Cila F-M 1982-04-11 1 COL 21 Matt Crawford M 1980-08-20 2 COL 26 Alberto Delgado F 1978-03-11 1 COL 11 Joey DiGiamarino M 1977-04-06 5 COL 22 Michael Erush M 1983-01-24 0 COL 19 Chris Henderson M 1970-12-11 9 COL 3 Ritchie Kotschau M 1975-11-22 7 COL 4 Ricky Lewis D 1982-05-29 P-40 2 COL 14 Rey Angel Martinez F 1980-05-13 DISC 1 COL 25 Pablo Mastroeni M-D 1976-08-29 7 COL 10 Jean Philippe Peguero F 1981-09-19 1 COL 6 Daryl Powell M 1971-11-15 DISC 2 COL 30 Zizi Roberts F 1979-06-13 2 COL 2 Gary Sullivan D 1982-06-24 1 COL 8 Seth Trembly M-D 1982-03-21 P-40 5
cause so many sucked more? he was starting in the playoffs as a developmental player, not too many else were
I it is discouraging to me that we are still talking about ZiZi particularly. I don't know another league where you would be seemingly forced to keep someone with a very large salary and who has made minimal minimal contribution since he has been here. I would love it if I ate my words, but even if he was well, he just doesn't fit into a style that seems to fit the other players. I know, we don't really know what that is, but he seems to be a back to the goal kind of player, and I really pray that we aren't going to be playing that kind of soccer. You notice that LA really struggled when they began to make El Pescadito play that way. I am not averse to keeping Powell, but he has never come close to earning the kind of salary he is paid. Tell me the last time he had an assist, a goal, or a game saving tackle? It just has never happened. When he is well, he works hard and has delivered some good balls, but it would be hard to call him one of the better players in the league, yet his salary would seem to say he is. That needs to change!
i feel that powell and roberts will be on the waiver draft which is coming up soon. they probably had a two year quarantee contract which is now up. for as much as they did in the two years that we had them ...we certainly can find better si than them...
4 SIs and not one really excites me. The sad part is that all 4 players are still being evaluated on maybes and potential. Outside of being injury prone you can't really say much about any of their games. Like smudgeyjoe says Zizi feels like the type of player that is a back to the net guy. But who really knows? It is so frustrating to have those positions filled with potential and no results. Of the guys that came in new last year the only one I like is Cila. He is rough still and needs to improve in a lot of ways but he showed he can score and that is rare for our team.
If Zizi gets injured again, can we take him out back and euthanize him? Kind of like a horse. Seriously, I agree with what many have already said, none of the 4 SI's really excite me, and with the off-season always presenting opportunities to sign internationals, the Rapids probably won't be doing too much in the transfer market. They'll have to hope they can get a discovery player or maybe an aging US international coming back from playing overseas: Reyna? - I'm sure the Metrostars have his rights in the bag Keller? - We don't need him... Mathis? - Rumored to be RSC's prize John O'Brien? - He's injured so often, but when he's on, he's great. Do we want another Zizi? I believe he's out of contract with Ajax after this season. I think it's time that the Rapids got someone of the caliber of the above players, and since they should have some cap room after the departure of John Spencer (and I'm thinking Rey Rey and Delgado are pretty cheap SI's), Balboa should have the cash to find a couple of solid players, or one of these guys (well, not Keller). Anyone else have a wish list?
I hope we don't get JOB. He's injured more than Zizi it seems like. Same goes for Reyna. I think it is too hard to put together a foreigner wish list since MLS seems to find guys under benches and rocks. So for an American abroad wish list: Gregg Berhalter - He's just over 31 and should have a few more years in him. Why's he wasting time at a second rate German team? His size and international experience would help the young Rapids back line. Conor Casey - What is it about Germany and young Americans. Conor is from Colorado. He has the ability to find the back of the net and has good international experience for his young age, 23. Eddie Lewis - We need a new left midfielder to replace Chung, or at least give him a run for his money. Lewis can dominate that side of the field when playing well. Brian McBride - At 32 he's hit his Premiership prime, or past it. With Pedro's speed around him they could create a great combo. Robbie Russell - Another strong defender who could really help our defense out.
Agreed, besides, without an empty SI spot, we aren't going to be finding many gems. Casey should be ours by rights (Colorado native angle), but as long as he's playing well overseas I don't think he'll be back here. I'd jump at either Lewis or Berhalter, McBride would probably only come back to C-bus. Don't know much about Russell.
Those guys would help the Rapids, but I doubt that any of them is interested in a $250,000 maximum MLS salary right now. By the time most Europe-based Americans are ready to move to MLS, they're just as big of a crapshoot as the available older Europeans. But it's good to dream.
I was trying to find information on Casey's salary in Germany but I couldn't. I wonder if he can make much over $250,000 in a the Bundesliga 2, where I believe he is playing? At what point will he get home sick and want to come home? When is MLS going to start paying transfer fees to get some of these guys home?
Uhhh, why not? If MLS is going to be a competitive league we're going to have to buy some of the best Americans and bring them here.
Because it makes terrible business sense. MLS isn't the EPL ... we grow Americans and when they outgrow MLS ... we SELL them off. And if things don't work for players, they come home on a free. Once you start buying Americans ... teams will want compensation (JMM, Mathis, Stewart, Keller, etc etc)
At some point MLS will be able to move from retirement league to fully functional soccer league. At that point buying Americans from abroad will be ok and done. Once that does happen we won't have to beg for over age Americans like Max-Moore. In the mean time, when are the Rapids going to follow the Revs' lead and send Pow Pow packing?
I never said we shouldn't buy top French or Dutch or Spanish players in their prime. (refering to your retirement thing). I said we shouldn't buy Americans. There is a difference. And all leagues have their aging players return home to play. Just in Europe, they go to the lower leagues.
I don't know how much Conor is making but his team Mainz is currently in the 1Bundesliga as this article shows. Him and Landon are going to be kicking each other pretty soon.
I don't see any reason why this can't be a 2-for-1 deal. Pow Pow and Zizi can both follow suit. Best of luck lads.