Vote here. I'm curious to see the outcome and it's easier than wading through a pile of posts on the other topics regarding this. Should Marco Stay in MLS or Go explore other options?
I say he should stay, not at as much as he has been making. That is really only to bring Bobito along for one more year in the middle.
If Bobby were a rookie or second year player, I'd be in favor of Marco staying for the above reason you pointed out. However, this upcoming season will be Bobby's 4th (!) MLS season IMO, it's time for DCU to sever ties and move forward. The contributions from Marco were a big part of this team's (and league's) history, but they are a part of the past now. He's what, 32 years old. He has a couple years left, sure, but not for the $$$ he's seeking.
that is why i want him at a lower salary. Unfortunatley bobby hasn't gotten to play in the middle a great deal, so i figure he can use a little more tutoring.
After watching him play injured with the toe problem in 2001 and again with the knee problem in 2002, I'm not ready to give up on him without seeing him play healthy. It's a risk, but the other pending trades could put us in a position where it wouldn't be the end of the world if this risk didn't work out.
I had to vote "Go". Between his injuries and his red cards, El Diablo can't be relied upon. Last year he still had some flashes of brilliance, but overall he is slower and more injury prone. If he wants to stay, he should be willing to take a pay cut. Otherwise, go enjoy the UAE. I hear that Spring 2003 is going to be real nice in the Persian Gulf.
Marco As a bolivian, who once supported Marco I think his time is up...sadly he isn't a good player anymore. I Still can't believe MLS is paying him close to 500,000 for a player that has been effective in 2 yrs. DC needs new blood. Good Bye Marco
it's interesting to see how quickly we tend to forget. his contributions to the team and the league have been HUGE. getting rid of players like him or moreno will bring this team to a worse level of mediocrity. Etcheverry is DCUnited. he and MLS should see to it that he retires from futbol as the symbol of DCUnited. he should as well get an opportunity to coach the team after retirement. lets not forget who is responsible for putting DCUnited on the international map. I've had a toe injury,,I could not even walk, let alone run and kick a ball. etch and moreno if given the chance, care and patience to be one hundred per cent healthy, can still dominate any defense in the league. instead of getting rid of quality we should be getting more players of quality. not mediocre players and more hacks. that obviously has not worked in the last three years.
I voted stay. Not because I think he deserves the respect (which I think he does), but because I think he can be useful in the development of our young players. After 2001, I wanted him out on the next goddamn flight, because he was either dogging it, or vainly refusing to have season ending surgery. In 2002 I think he started making the adjustment that many senior citizen footballers have to make. He began learning how to be a supporting player, which is all he can hope to be these days. In that role, he is invaluable and he can still exercise the kind of leadership the team needs. Marco should stay, but if he keeps pulling this contract ************************ I say let him go.
"...Merry Christmas Marco. We'd like to thank you for all you've done for United. You will always have a place with this Club. But you know how this sport is, and we just don't feel that you are contributing to the team where it needs it most, and we cannot not afford to keep you on our roster anymore. United has to improve or we drop down to the first division... what first division? Oh yeah,... uhm... right... yeah... SECURITY!!!"
I love Marco but I had to vote go. Even if he is healthy, he won't be what he used to be. All he can really contribute to a game now is a killer pass. That may sound very tempting to keep on board, but think how much we're sacraficing in all-around midfield for that. I just don't think it is worth it. And if he feels he deserves all the money he is asking for now, then he should definitely go. And I don't have a short memory. I would LOVE to have him on the DCU coaching staff, perhaps at a new position, maybe player development. But as a player, its time to move on. All this give him another chance crap just doesnt work with me anymore. Everyone is expecting this to be his first healthy year in the last few years, but how do we know he wont reinjure himself at his age, be out for the rest of the season, and he's just eating up our cap? Its too much of a liability and we need to move on.
I am on board with Carlito. I want Marco to stay for as long as he wants. Even if we pay him a max salary for each of the next 10 seasons, we will not come close to repaying him for everything he has given us -- not just the championships, but the beautiful and inspired play too.
...in a salary cap league (and a tight one at that), you can't spend a maximum salary on a "tutor". Granted (and I won't argue with you) he would be helpful to have around for the development of younger talent, but the issue becomes his unwillingness to take a salary cut. What really scares me now is the thought of Hristo coming in to play this role of tutor. All I can say is, I had better not see a slow, oft-injured Bulgarian suiting up for us next year.
Unfortuantely, we can't get players of quality unless we lose some. We have to find players who are of Marco's current quality (or higher) for less than what we pay him, or we can't stay under the cap. It's not about what people deserve for their past contributions. If we could pay players forever for having been great, we should still be paying Marco, yes, and Jaime, but also Goose, Carlos, Harkes, Sanneh, and a host of others. Football doesn't work like that, especially under a salary cap.
I voted go...because Marco should think about his family and himself first. He WILL be offered more money in oil rich countries in the middle east, and as long as he does not decide to play in Iraq (!?!?) he and his family will be fine. Of course, he should be very happy with pay and playing time there, two things he is arguing over with both MLS and Hudson. Having said that, if MLS headquarters or DC management had any class (which they both don't), they would hold a game honoring El Diablo. Moreno should get one too, but it looks like he will still stay in MLS for another year or so. And about keeping Etch just to help out Convey in his development, with the possible arrival of Hristo as player/coach, i think DC has a capable teacher there. We've seen how he's helped out with Beasely andWolff.