News: 2022 - DCU Club Discussion and Analysis

Posting here since it'll be more visible than in the Alumni Forum, but Ian Harkes was named Dundee United's player of the year for 2021-22.

🇺🇸 Ian Harkes wins Player of the Year after stepping forward time after time in the big moments this season

Harkesy's best bits from 2021/22 👇 pic.twitter.com/8eek3I6KUq

— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) May 15, 2022

 

He had his moments at DCU, but his level of success in SFC would seem to indicate that it's a step down from MLS. Opinions?

 

Like all European soccer, it's not a sport, it's an economic model. The top two teams are far better than anything in MLS, everybody else is unwatchable garbage.

 

Any young player who came up under Olsen cannot be comparatively rated. Olsen was a death ray to the development of young players.

 

His first pro gig was under Olsen. DCU declined his option and he went to Scotland on a free.

 

The first release of the MLS salary chart for the year is out.

Some big notes for DC:

Taxi is on $1.6M base salary, $1.646M total compensation. This might be because he wasn't signed for the full season, since reports were he is the highest paid player on the team.

Ola Kamara is up to $1.5M base, $1.52M total. This tracks with a comment Goff made last year that his $400k salary listed last year was way too low.

Andy Najar's raise was up to $375k.

Chris Durkin is at $400k, $445k total.

DC's salary total is $11,823,643; total compensation is $12,483,317.

Griffin Yow DC United F $130,000.00 $136,118.00
Brad Smith DC United D $550,000.00 $591,250.00
Kimarni Smith DC United M-F $85,444.00 $85,444.00
Drew Skundrich DC United M $89,513.00 $89,513.00
Hayden Sargis DC United D $65,500.00 $65,500.00
Gaoussou Samake DC United D-M $84,000.00 $84,000.00
Rafael Romo DC United GK $250,000.00 $285,833.00
Nigel Robertha DC United F $550,000.00 $622,406.00
Adrien Pérez DC United F $89,513.00 $89,513.00
Donovan Pines DC United D $150,000.00 $152,000.00
Chris Odoi-Atsem DC United D $140,000.00 $151,000.00
Moses Nyeman DC United M $89,716.00 $92,502.00
Andy Najar DC United D $375,000.00 $375,000.00
Theodore Ku-DiPietro DC United M $65,500.00 $65,500.00
Jon Kempin DC United GK $84,000.00 $84,000.00
Ola Kamara DC United F $1,500,000.00 $1,520,000.00
Jackson Hopkins DC United M $65,500.00 $65,833.00
Brendan Hines-Ike DC United D $375,000.00 $417,917.00
Bill Hamid DC United GK $700,000.00 $700,000.00
Julian Gressel DC United M $914,000.00 $969,781.00
Jacob Greene DC United D-M $85,444.00 $88,444.00
Jeremy Garay DC United M $65,500.00 $69,550.00
Taxiarchis Fountas DC United F $1,600,000.00 $1,646,000.00
Edison Flores DC United M-F $1,600,000.00 $1,733,000.00
Michael Estrada DC United F $300,000.00 $425,700.00
Chris Durkin DC United M $400,000.00 $445,000.00
Sofiane Djeffal DC United M $65,500.00 $65,500.00
Russell Canouse DC United M $515,000.00 $515,000.00
Steven Birnbaum DC United D $750,000.00 $762,500.00
Tony Alfaro DC United D $89,513.00 $89,513.00

 

Of note on some players who left DCU in the offseason:

Paul Arriola got a small raise to $1.1M.

Felipe took another paycut, and is down to $84,000 with Austin.

Junior Moreno got a pretty good raise, and is at $325,000 with Cincy.

Yordy Reyna is at $797,500 with Charlotte (yikes!). Joseph Mora is at $200,000.

 

Edison Flores DC United M-F $1,600,000.00 $1,733,000.00


I could use 1.6 million and I am just as good as he is, at age 53.

 

By the way, Goff is reporting that Flores's last two years on his contract are both option years, and United are unlikely to pick up those options.

 

I can't think of too many players (although I am sure someone will be glad to lay them all out for me) who DCU let go, who went on to any great success.

PK left on a free, but was declining deals and went on the be Hearts' captain in his second year before the coach got canned he got shuffled out the door, not fitting the system.

Thank god!

 

Good news but still a $5 million transfer fee we won't be recuperating anything from.

 

I’m sure we will replace him with someone of the highest quality.

 

The sarcasm is almost LITERALLY dripping from this statement.

 

Nigel Robertha better be picking up group meal tabs on the road.

Thx,

Jay!

 

How about Hopkins earning $65K. I guess that's league minimum. But when I was 17 I worked Jerry's Sub shop and took home maybe $10K.

 

Home grown's are where its at, just like with your draft picks in the NFL. While NFL guys obviously make more, if your first rounder plays like a first rounder, they're typically playing like a free agent you've have signed for more money and in MLS the real bonus kicks in when you pay your homegrown in future contracts because you get a discount on the cap charge.

Does anyone know if the homegrown cap benefits extend to another team signing your home grown player since it's a single entity? And does that cap relief extend past their first contract with their club?

And damn, Felipe wasn't worth 85 grand to us? That seems like a poor choice given what he brought to the locker room alone with all the young guys coming up. Mora at 200k seems like a steal for a team with a typical 4 back setup. Moreno isn't too pricey at 325 either. I hope Yordy Reyna bought his agent Rolex or something. I feel like 800k is several hundred grand more than he's worth.

 

So DCU threw away the Open Cup match because of fixture congestion and then put out THAT lineup for an MLS game at home?

Fire Ashton.

 

He threw away last night's game because it's supposed to be in the 90s this weekend. I wonder what his future excuses for tanking will be? Are they going for the #1 Super Draft Pick?

 

DC United are asking MLS to push kickoff time of Saturday's match back from 4 PM due to the temperatures, citing fan and player safety as the reason.

 

Per:

With 4 pm kickoff temperature expected to be in mid-90s, D.C. United has asked MLS to push back starting time of Saturday's match, sources say. Toronto FC aware of situation. Health and safety of players & fans cited. Awaiting league decision. #dcu #tfc

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) May 19, 2022

(At least that us where I read it)

 

That's where I read it, too.

 

So they're concerned that fans will have a bad time or that there will be bad soccer played or the players will have to sweat a lot? Just checking.

 

Not sure if this is a serious question or not.