Carrieri Cut (per ussocceruk)

Does anyone out there think the Rapids are better off without Carrieri? Does anyone out there understand why Hankinson still has a job?

 

Only time will tell if the Rapids are better off without CC. If Pedro gets signed and comes in getting 10 goals in the first 10 games, we'll be better off. But going into the season with one healthy, returning, starting forward is not a good position to be in.

Hanki is going to have to pray for a good season to keep his job. I hope.

What about this interesting quote? "The Denver-based club made the move to get back under the salary cap limit imposed by MLS - yet they are still waiting for news on an African striker who is attempting to gain embassy clearance to travel to Colorado for a trial."

 

The worse part is that he got cut and not traded. We didn't get anything for him. Who can understand this so called coach!!!

 

Okay, you're a GM at another club. Do you a) trade for CC and have to give up a pick or player, or b) wait until he is cut and then get him for nothing? That is unless stupid MLS rules mean that the even though he's been cut, the Rapids still retain his rights. Maybe they can bring him back next season after Hanki and Counce are fired and a competent GM and coach are brought in to straighten this team out.

I'm disgusted by this move. The Rapids basically got rid of a proven MLS player to save $30K.

 

This is what I don't understand. They had the entire off-season to deal Carrieri, to find a way to fit his salary under the cap. It's not like the salary cap just jumped out and went "BOO!" and surprised the Rapids management. They had to know that this was coming, so why did Carrieri become suddenly expendable??? And why weren't they doing something in the off-season to remedy this?

Instead, we lose a proven goal-scorer, a decent playmaker, and a player with a lot of energy and youth and get absolutely nothing in return. I don't know if he remains the Rapids player until the end of the season or if he is just cut loose. Maybe another MLS team will pick him up and the Rapids will get compensation, but I doubt it.

Here's the bummer, he probably won't be in the MLS this year to bite Hanki and the Rapids in the ass. Maybe he'll be around on some team next year, but I'm really hoping Hanki won't be, so any revenge he gets against the Rapids will be hollow.

I really liked Carrieri, and I'm bummed were losing him.

And to Carrieri, good luck to you, your wife and your new baby. May you have success on a team that can use you, and may you have success against every team you face, unless you happen to be playing the Rapids in the MLS or Open Cup final. Cheers Chris.

 

This really blows. And the article says we're trying to bring in another striker for a trial? What's up with that? We cut a proven striker, even though it's a position where we have very little depth, then bring someone new and unknown in to replace him? I can think of plenty of other options Hanki and Counce could have chosen to get under the cap and NOT hurt our front line. My dog could make better management decisions.

Good luck, Chris. We'll miss you.

 

How can a team that was as mediocre (or bad, if you will) as the Rapids be in trouble with the salary cap? There were other ways to deal with the salary cap. Some things I find acceptable include:

(1) Cutting Henderson (even if just for age...I'd rather have a guy as young as Carrieri over a guy as old as Henderson for the long term benefit of the team).

(2) Trade/sell overseas Pablo Mastroeni - yeah, I know he's a national team guy, and its not like I don't like him, but -- his attitude is a detriment, and I suspect that we could get a competent defender who is less prone to temper-tantrum red cards for a lot less money.

(3) Cut Zizi Roberts.

I am so annoyed right now. Good luck, CC - this move is probably for the better when it comes to your development anyway.

 

This bone-headed kind of move is why we decided to NOT renew our VIP season tickets for 2004.

This year we will only be going to those games where we are interested in other MLS teams: Metrostars (Vaca & Walker), Columbus (Buddle and ex-Rapids), Rev (Twellman), DC United (Adu).

 

Not to stir trouble ... but 1 & 2 aren't that great of options. I suppose 2 would depend on who we replace him with ... #3 though ... we may be chanting ... CUT Zizi bring back CC before too long I worry.

 

Bad move, reflective of the over all incompetence of the clubs management.

A couple of years ago the Chicago GM, Peter Wilt, came onto Bigsoccer, and explained the issues Chicago was dealing with regarding the cap. They had a similar issue being forced to cut players. His comments then were that they had to make a balance between being competitive now, and planning for the future. Chicago went to the cup last year.

This move ignores the future, and I'm uncertain that it helps the team now. We have too many players, who make too much, who made little impact last year; Hendo, Zizi, Powell. Now were left with a good aging striker, an unproven oft injured SI striker (who didn't play yesterday do to injury), and a handfull of trialists.

The only excuse I can imagine is that Carrieri had worn out his welcome with the team (not management). Otherwise I'd have to guess this is a result of ticking off management. Too bad, if he's getting cut for telling the truth.

 

Its not that I want to get rid of any of these guys (although I am still not sure what, if anything, Zizi will add to this team - I suppose it depends on how - and if - he plays).

What irks me, as I said before, is that this team was NOT good last year. We started off terribly, and we finished poorly. We had a good run that was part effort, and part luck (we did not play well in a lot of those wins, and I guess I always appreciate the once a year New England volunteers to let us whip them), and then we tanked in the playoffs.

So with that in mind, I haven't seen us make any improvements that would make us suddenly into a contender for the championship...

Our defense is still a big fat questionmark (esp with the departure of Fraser), our mid-field has issues, and we can't be assured of scoring (except out of Spencer, if he can stay healthy, and probably Chung).

So I guess if we HAVE to make cuts because we are foolishly over the salary cap with such a mediocre team, I'd rather see us think long term. I like Henderson, but he's much older than Carrieri - Carrieri would be with the team in a few years as a motivated scorer/Henderson will probably be retired because he's too expensive as such a senior player. I like Pablo, but speculation always seems to be that he will, when he gets his chance, bolt for over seas (plus, he is a menace to the team with his red cards and "but they let me hack like this in the world cup!" attitude). Plus Pablo gets national team callups - its like we are blowing salary cap for a guy who is (A) never here, (B) suspended or (C) mysteriously injured right after his suspensions. Zizi is not old, but he's also not proven and is coming off a significant injury (I don't think there's any disagreement here with this point).

I guess when there are 10 teams and 8 make the playoffs, you always have to gun for the playoffs because they never seem out of reach, and if there is a player who is considered such a hot thing, I'm sure the league will never let us have that player (ala Adu with Dallas).

But for once, I'd like to see this team work with a plan that thinks beyond the standard "well, we can replace everyone at the end of the season."

This team seems to have little planned beyond Hankinson making sure he wins just enough to keep his job, and with no vocal complaints from players.

 

As trite as it is for a supporter to claim that team management does not know what the hell they are doing, it would be difficult to claim otherwise at this point. The list of personnel blunders (and jersey changes) is embarrassingly long.

 

Another example of the Dynamic Duo in action. Certainly Hankinson and Counce understood the salary cap rule and that they would be in violation. Rather than their bonehead decision to wait for MLS to announce their situation to the league one must assume that Carrieri could have been traded sometime beween October & the deadline. Of course regarding the Rapids, the entire Kroenke organization has been dormant since then. The inaction trashed Carrieri's value eventually down to 0.

Well done!

 

You were almost certainly not going to get anything of value for Carrieri. It's not that he isn't a good player. But teams are capped out right now. There is a significant chance that even though he's American, young, cheap and has scored some goals, no other team will pick him up. The word is that only Metro has cap room--and that will all be eaten up by their foreign signing.

That's exactly the same situation that DCU was in with Milton Reyes. And they were talking to teams about Reyes (or another player) since January. And there were no takers. Teams are capped out.

Now you can argue it was a good decision or a bad decision, but basically you were going to be cutting a player. Trading someone for a pick or even future considerations just wasn't going to happen. DCU's Technical Director (equivalent of the GM) has indicated that there are almost no trade talks around the league--everything's very quiet--b/c no-one can afford to take on a player--unless they are P-40.

Actually, assuming you sign the rumored African striker, you'd have to make at least one more cut to create cap room.

 

I remember a headline in the post last Aug or Sept about the Rockies. "Payton's Success Endangering His Future With Rocks" or something to that effect. Basically, it was about how left fielder Jay Payton's excellent season was guaranteeing that he wouldn't be re-signed by the Rockies - he'd be too valuable for them to afford (while they continue to throw millions at Hampton and Neagle). Told you all you need to know about that sorry franchise.
Cutting a young, dynamic stiker who has grown tremendously under Spennie's tutelage, because he makes too much at 55k? As others have said, this is a major sign of failure of MLS's way of operating. And specifically, of the bass - ackwards thinking of Counce & Hanki. I do hope he catches on somewhere and kicks our butts like we deserve. And how much are they pissing away on Powell, Zizi, and whoever's next? (nothing against those two, but on a production per dollar basis, forget it....). A cryin' shame, and I expect a "standing o" when he first appears in someone else's colors at Invesco, at least by the 13 or 14 of us who pay attention.

 

Memo to Garber....raising salary cap to 2.0 million will solve issues like this.

 

The thing that bothers me the most is that Rapids still haven't officially said anything. As of yesterday the Front Orifice said that had no idea where the rumors were coming from and that Chris is/was still with the team.

 

Note to FC5280 ... that would put the Rapids 300K further from turning a profit.

Don't know about you ... but my ticket prices are plenty high enough already.

 

The thing that bothers me the most is that Rapids still haven't officially said anything. As of yesterday the Front Orifice said that had no idea where the rumors were coming from and that Chris is/was still with the team.

FIRE HANK NOW!

 

From today's Rocky

This is probably the most official word we are going to get about it. Hanki and Carrieri both speak, you can tell Carrieri is bitter, but like the fighter that he is, he's not going to belly-ache about it and is moving on.

Hanki give the regurgitated coach-speak answer, no real substance to what he says.

This quote is probably the only thing in the whole article that points to any issues beneath the surface.

Pathetic, if that's the best reason the Rapids could come up with for getting rid of him....

 

Great idea. I'll make sure to salute Chris at NE if I see him there this year or next (with my Rapids jersey on...)

I think the best thing Hanki and Counce can hope for is that Carrieri fades away and doesn't click with another team (I highly doubt it.) Otherwise, they are going to be looking across the field at a walking example of their ineptitude.

Zizi better be worth this. Anything less than a 10 goal season at his salary will be a disappointment and worthy of just getting rid of him.

 

"Hankinson said he didn't want to lose Carrieri, but his hand was forced by a salary cap that has not gone up in three seasons."

I take most from this quote. A $1.7M salary cap is absurd in a league that wants to develop and retain top American talent. To add insult to injury it has not been raised in three years. Three years!!! Carrieri wasn't making a ton of money and MLS should have found a way to keep him in the league with the Rapids.

Hanki and Counce are trying to find good players to fill out a team. They brought in Zizi, Powell & Cannon last season. Those players, when healthy, could be a core to a good team. They should be complimented with American players (not that Cannon isn't) like Carrieri. If this league wants to continue to grow, and develop new American talent they will have to raise the salary cap to include players like Carrieri. Carrieri wasn't going to carry a team, or get all the headlines, but it is a shame to lose a guy who can get 11 goals in a season.

In my mind this is not only Hanki/Counce's fault as is implied by this thread. This is the league's fault for not raising the cap at least $50k in the face of a crisis like this. Not that they should have raised it only for the Rapids, but for the entire league. Spend a little of the Timmay Howard money on some of the guys who have been struggling to help the league gain ground.

Teams in MLS are going to continue to lose quality players as long as the salary cap is fixed where it is today. As players’ contracts end, they will push for a new contract with at least a cost of living raise. However, with this cap staying put the league won’t be able to give that raise that all Americans hope for. MLS is simply keeping the revolving door moving and pushing players out of the league, hoping that a new Chris Carrieri will pop up in the draft every year to take over the league minimum salary and provide entertaining soccer on the field.

 

I repeat from the other board entry ......
A 20-Goal, 20-Assist player with less than 3 full seasons of playing time,gets waived from a mere 55K salary compared with the likes of others (Albright making over 100K in this league) is a freaking joke. And to sign unknown, untested players is even more reason to categorize hankinson as the biggest A-hole in the league If it was personal, Hanki really did a nice job of F%$&ing him, when he could have had him on the trade blocks back in January. Nice work Hankinson, guess you made your point to all the other players on the team.

Carrieri's competetiveness will get him through all this and if Rochester makes MLS next year, I can't wait until they play Colorado.

Lesson learned: Don't speak the truth or what you really feel, tell the company (MLS) line and make believe all is well in La-La land and nobody gets hurt.

I hope Chris and his family (wife and newborn son) do well and I wish them the best of luck !!!

 

Especially when the league bends over backwards to keep an aging Cobi Jones in the league, and the league bends over backwards to hand 1/2 a mil to a kid who is not proven against non-children.

This is one reason why I hate this single-entity crap. You can't have single-entity with such naked favoritism towards certain teams.

Although it seems obvious that this is much more a personality issue than a cap issue, because the cap should be resolved in other ways.

Oh well...so we are looking at an African striker...well, if he doesn't have bum knees, I am not sure that Hankinson really wants him...

But I digress...