Ravel Morrison update, per club sources: He's not in D.C. United's plans, won't be on MLS roster this season, ineligible to play. Remains on payroll with guaranteed deal, can continue to train. What's next? Trade, transfer or mutual termination of contract. #dcu— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) February 23, 2023
It's definitely a lot of money/cap space to be eaten up by someone who's not going to play. Really wish he could put the clear talent he has to good use. Someone with his talent *should* be able to dominate MLS, but not there's clearly something else going on where he's never been able to make it work.
Here's my optimistic spin on the situation - At least he's only f_cking over our cap, he could be here f_cking over this team like he did Jamacia.
I'm not sure he should shoulder the most blame on that. Part for sure but he was not the only player under performing and not cooperating on that team. However, back to DC. I assume he will stick around until his contract expires and then try to move elsewhere. Why attempt to get on another team when you can just collect dollars until the contract is over?
I doubt a whole year of not playing would make it easy for him to find a club in the future. For his own career, the sooner he finds a new club that he could actually play for, the better.
I'd still wait for them to buy out my contract He has to know in a salary-cap league he can afford to wait it out longer than they can.
Who would look at him right now and say, yea we want that guy? He plays like one season and then gets shipped out...
Just more front office failure and talent mismanagement. It makes me wonder when fans talk about how Yow, Nyemen and other "failed" are currently doing as justification as to why DC United let them go. Those three players are on a long list of talented players to fail here. But somehow its because they suck, yet this club is consistently shit. We have not successfully integrated a talent from our youth teams since Najar [Im not counting Hopkins (honestly not convinced by him) and Ted just yet]. We have not successfully purchased a non defensive player since [besides Taxi] since Rooney. Even Ola Kamara who scored some goals, people dont really rate him. I never rated Arriola for us. He scored 20 goals and less assist in his time here. Our fans love to hang onto Bill Hamid as if he hadnt been finished for years already. Thats my preseason emotional outburst. Probably gonna have a mid season one and a post [not playoff] season one.
Nice to get those on the schedule, then you don't come off like some unhinged jacknut that doesn't watch MLS... Or I should say, only watches DC United...
Yeah, it's a concern. Talent identification and having a good sense of how a player will fit into a team are obviously key skills for a manager. Morrison played for Rooney and getting some talent on the roster is key to Rooney having the success that's he'll need to get back to the EPL in a managerial role, but he sure whiffed on that guy.
This is more of a philosophical question but I'm not sure why guys like Rooney or Lampard or Gerrard go into football management. They've got millions of dollars (unless they blew it all) and good reputations (among most). Why throw it all away for something as volatile as football management? Guys like Marsch and Berhalter and Olsen I understand because they don't have a huge nest egg from playing so need a second career. Oh well, as we've seen from many, a high quality playing career doesn't necessarily translate to management and even if you are a good manager, you still have just a series of short stints at clubs. Guys with the staying power of Sir Alex or Wenger are the rarest and even they have to be at clubs with special circumstances...
Well, I think the easy answer is wanting to continue working in the game even once they're past playing time - coaching is the best way to do it. That said, I don't think it's necessary to coach at the same level you played at - but many people around them might expect it anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys would've been perfectly happy coaching lower division sides, but their existing star power as a player almost makes it impossible for them to be allowed away from the spotlight.
So, I listened to Allocation Disorder this morning on my walk. Both Sam and Paul put DCU at the bottom - repeating as Wooden Spoon recipient. Paul also predicted Rooney would be out as manager before DCU plays 17 games. They both also referred to DCU as a mess, nothing making sense and will be a "tire fire" this season. Thought I would throw that out for any of you who had lingering bits of optimism about this season.
I'm usually a Goff fan, but that "report" is just trash. Could have been written by the DCU PR department (if they had one).
I subscribe through Apple's podcast app. They are part of The Athletic's podcasts on soccer. The DCU discussion is early in the Eastern Division preview. The Rooney prediction is at the end.