So a buddy of mine, who is not a soccer fan, works as a personal trainer in SLC. He had a new client the other day working rehab on his leg that said he played in Germany. Of course this sparked my curiosity and I made him find out his full name. Turns out it was Connor Casey of Olympic and Mainz 05 fame. My question - why is he in Utah?
Re: Casey Connor in Utah That was the quickest post in history, I realized my error while the browser was doing the submit, and made the correction that second. Props for being on top of things, but regardless I trust my friend not to lie and he wouldn't know enough about soccer to even make up a name that would be convincing. I just don't understand why he would be in Utah of all places and I was hoping someone else had heard something.
Re: Casey Connor in Utah The weather in Utah is closer to Germany than LA? Maybe Conner uses a special trainer that loves to ski in Utah. Why don't you ask your friend why Conner was there?
Re: Casey Connor in Utah Why don't you have your friend tell Conor that he/she (your friend) has several friends who'd love to make his (Conor's) acquaintance whenever it's convenient for him. (Dang pronouns.)
Re: Connor Casey in Utah So here is my update with further investigation. I called my friend and he said that Conor Casey (spelled correcly this time) was here in talks with RSL to potentially play for them. However, yanks-abroad reports that he will be back at the end of this month in Germany. So I sent an email to RSL's director of operations and his response was that any talks with potential players is confidential, but he could say that Jason Kreis is in full health and leading practices as captain as we speak. My guess is that if Conor Casey were truly coming or in talks then either we would know about it or they are still negotiating something with Mainz 05 to bring him to the MLS. I really interegated my buddy and all he had to say was the guy was named Conor Casey, played in Germany, he was rehabbing an ACL injury, and said he was coming to play for RSL. I guess we'll see, but how cool would it be to have him.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah So, as a hypothetical you'd have Casey, Kreis and Cunningham. A) That's a lotta cap tied up in three players. B) Who is getting them the ball? Having great forwards without a great midfield to serve them doesn't do a team much good.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Andy Williams played very well in the second half of the season, the problem was last year there wasn't anybody to get the ball to. Attacking midfield is the least of Real's problems, that's why they traded Mathis for Cunningham. And if they are able to actually sign Casey, it's probably not a big deal for the cap. They have already made so many moves and in general filled their biggest needs. And they still have the number 2 pick. And this is most likely Kreis' last season. So if they are actually able to sign Casey, the cap isn't an issue. The issue is getting Casey to fit under the cap. But I don't think Real has any other serious moves left this season unless this one goes through. I don't think they'll make any more trades besides possibly a draft day trade for more picks or for the number 1. Any pther moves Real might make will be making a foreign signing, like Casey. And so as long as they can actually make the deal and it gets approved by MLS, the cap isn't an issue.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Except RSL hasn't moved a lot of heavy cap players (Williams, Pope), moved one but are still paying for it (Mathis), and picked up more players who will be against your cap (Garlick, Talley, Cunningham). If you sign Casey, you'd have to move more players around (assuming the cap stays the same) or use your YS allocation to cover his salary.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah You guys put way too much strength in the whole MLS cap/budget issue. But I mostly agree that it would be hard to sign Casey with all those current players. I think the more interesting point to this discussion is the fact that a very good USMNT and Int'l player is in negotiations to sign with RSL. How cool would it be to have Conner Casey on the team?
Re: Connor Casey in Utah If this can be worked out, it should be. I think Kreis is great and I don't know that he is in his last year here, but the idea of a starting forward line of Casey and Cunningham makes my spine tingle a little bit. Nevertheless, I don't see it happening. I think RSL has too much tied in (money, pub) with Kreis and Cunningham to replace either of them in the lineup. Before any speculation starts, Casey CAN'T play anywhere else but forward, so adding him would definitely push Kreis to midfield as our columnist friend Edward has speculated. I've always liked Conor, I think he plays hard all the time and plays smart too. He is a better passer than people think and a great target player. Plus he went to HS with an ex-gf of mine. She actually said he was kinda an egomaniac, really knew how good he was and let everyone else know too. But who wasn't a dick in HS anyway. I hope it happens, but I'm not betting on it.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Nobody wants to say it around here, but Kreis is done..... Two ACL's at his age? With the first one you lost a step, with the second you lose two... And he never had that second to lose. Casey would be a great addition, but I don't see it happening..... Why would he jeopardize everything to want to play kickball for Ellinger?
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Yeah... I was thinking this too. Kreis is an awesome player (beyond skill, leadership), but he is getting on and has serious physical issues. Perhaps he has agreed to play for less, to lower his contract. Who knows? I know this, if the parties involved WANT it to happen (RSL/Casey) then MLS has magical ways of making things happen... To your last question/statement, I think Casey might want to play for RSL because he's tired of Europe - many people, in many careers take paycuts for lifestyle (to live where they want or whatever)... I'm not saying this is the case, but RSL is an attractive MLS destination - it's an MLS team in an inexpensive cost-of-living market (for guys who don't make as much, this matters... $1 million in Utah is very different from $1 million in SoCal), it's a team with a stadium on the way and committed owner... who knows? maybe Ellinger isn't as bad as one season seemed to indicate. The point is, there could be many reasons why he wants to come.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah The question with Mathis I still ask is about the cap versus salary. We know RSL is paying a big chunk of his salary and that hits Checketts pocketbook. But how much of any of that is hitting the salary cap for RSL? We know goofy this league can get about these things. And if RSL isn't taking any of Mathis as a hit on their cap then there clearly room for RSL. There's likely an extra $50k or so left over between Cunningham's salary and their cap. Judging from last years salaries Garlick ($70k) and Talley($70k), they made less than Kamler($75k) and Countess($90k) did last year. Cunningham is a big hit but remember that Williams only made 5 figures last year. Dunny and Dante being gone should offset Sequera coming in. There are still some questions on what Gregario, Cabrerra, and some others are making in terms of cap. But depending on the exact cap rules for next year and how some salaries such as Besagno's count toward the cap there could be some room.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah RE: Casey, I would think a guy recovering from ACL surgery would try and go to a team with a grass field.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah why can RSL get Connar? ummmmmm cause Checkets has ummmmmm money, um yea thats it
Re: Connor Casey in Utah We do? How do we know that? I don't think that it has ever been officially announced that this is the case. Right now it is a best guess, but still only a guess. Or have you heard something more official than the rest of us?
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Very good point. We really don't know. I don't believe they've stated that in a official press release have they? I peaked at MLSnet and either over looked it or it's not there. But I think that's going to be the issue with this deal going forward. The MLS doesn't have to disclose these things and as we've seen in the past they won't.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah I doubt if we will ever actually know the truth unless it somehow gets leaked by someone which isn't very likely considering how tight-lipped they are about stuff like this. You are right about one thing, MLS doesn't have to disclose anything which means we will never know for sure exactly what is going on with the salary cap. I wouldn't mind for them to find a way to make Conor fit under the cap though. I'm sure if he is willing that they will find a way to make it happen.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah I thought there was going to be a cap increase this year? If so I'm sure it would free up enough for one marque player, right.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah That is a great point... No matter how much we would all salivate re Cunningham and Connor up front, this makes sense in 2 years (with the new stadium) not now. I keep finding myself agreeing with Mr. Positive (sl7vk)...something is very, very wrong with me.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah I remember coach in an interview last fall saying, "We were close to signing another player, but he went down with an ACL. So that didn't happen." I believe it was on SportsBeat.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah Maybe he wants to go to the World Cup and thinks 6 good weeks starting up top for RSL will give him a better shot than sitting the bench at Mainz. The void behind McBride for target man is enormous and neither he nor Ching seem to be able to stake a claim for it. This might play into it, too.
Re: Connor Casey in Utah This article makes any upcoming Real appearance seem a little less likely: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=354384&cc=5901
Re: Connor Casey in Utah From the article: ". . . Mainz were not interested in discussing the possibility of a Casey departure at this time. "There is nothing decided," the press liason commented. "We have the read the papers too, but we don't want to speak on such things until it is time to announce something." That's not exactly a no-way no-how, he's-our-man-no-matter-what, statement. I still hold a sliver of hope, however misplaced.