Crew 2022 to '23 Off-season Roster Thread

Artur to Austin, Pedro to DC, US drop two points

 

There was supposed to be a puke emoji somewhere in there

 

Losing Artur would be ok if we didn’t pick up Nagbe option at a DP charge

now if the money changes so Nagbe isn’t a DP this all makes more sense. Because we need guys who can play and Artur is hurt too much and somebody had to go. We basically have lost 3 guys Pedro , Ettiene & Artur who to me were starters and if some new players perform I’ll praise Bez for getting 3 better players.Although this is definitely what Morris needs a opportunity for more PT.

i think this season is going to be a youth movement but we need winger production and a left back desperately. Artur not being on the Crew is not a big deal. But if He is healthy It’s a great move for Austin unless they grossly overpaid.

Ettiene left for money so Bez better have same damn good wingers this year.

 

The team missed the playoffs the last 2 seasons, who cares if 3 starters are gone.

 

I would have preferred having a coach first.... But I'm ok with these moves.

I am wondering when the contract year runs for coaches--that may be part of it (as we could be after one still under contract).

 

Wanyama is 31, turning 32 next season.

Nagbe is 32, turning 33 next season.

No thanks.

 

What I find worrisome is not letting those guys go, but rather that there don't seem to be any incoming players to take their place.

The Crew spent 2 years trying to find a left back, couldn't pull it off and luckily had a guy on the roster they could switch to. Now they have nobody aside from a kid who's clearly not ready. I'm not down on Bez particularly but he has shown a signal inability to come up with a left back,

Also, as everyone has commented over the last year this team was either the oldest (2021) or second oldest (2022) in MLS. Santos will be 35 this Spring and certainly him leaving should help but the rest of the geriatrics aren't going anywhere. Mensah has clearly lost a step, Nagbe for better or worse is, well, Nagbe, Josh WIlliams has always been a slow journeyman and now he's an elderly one.

Why has Bez not been active on the free agent market? There were at least a couple of very good MLS center backs available, for example. Everyone else is trading for or signing players. Columbus doesn't seem to be doing Jacques squat.

If the problem is the lack of a coach, well, so hire a goddam coach. As the clock ticks away towards next season, there needs to be some motion.

 

I share you frustration, but isn't it a bit early to expect winter window signing announcements? There have been a couple of foreign player signings announced this off-season. But most roster moves have been internal league trades, contract extensions and waiver acquisitions.

 

New signings don’t just happen in a week. Sometimes they take a year or more. FCC just signed a $3M player from Ecuador. It was reported they scouted him for a year.
As happened with Zardes/Cucho we have to let go of dead weight before we can sign new guys. To me, this club dropped $18M on two players. You don’t make that investment and then go with a youth movement or a rebuilding. Colorado and Houston do rebuilding years. Seattle, Toronto, and now Columbus do not. Sign some talent and go for a title.

 

Clearly you're right that signings take time.

But they knew a year ago who was going out of contract and had at least some idea who they weren't going to re-sign.

They knew as well what everyone, everywhere was saying: namely that the team was old and slow. They were always going to have to make some changes this off season.

So I assume that they've been preparing to bring in some new guys for some time. It's just not plausible that they woke up last week, slapped themselves on the head and said " Holy cow, we need to go find some guys"

So yes, finding, scouting (recruiting?) and signing players takes a while

And they've had a while.

 

I made this comment earlier, but frankly I could care less about free agent signings from within MLS. At best there are 1-2 good players available at a reasonable price...and then do they even fit a need. So I'm taking an optimistic view that incoming players will be 1 or 2 ways. 1) We'll see 1-2 MLSNP players elevated to 1st team or guys already on 1st team contracts will be expected to step up and take more 1st team minutes. 2) we'll get some international signings. I believe Bez & co were in south america very recently. Perhaps even, like Room at Gold Cup, we spot a player during WC that is slightly off international radar and affordable - and we can lure him to MLS.

Also as an interesting tidbit, I saw Matan's wife crying on Instagram about having to move yet again. No indication where. Does he come back?

 

Forget pulisic, it's Ronaldo time

Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.

The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford.#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 22, 2022

 

Rumor has it that Bez is already in Qatar meeting with his representatives.

 

That said, and I agree with you, you often don't see movement until the winter window opens in Europe--and sometimes not until it closes, as some players are hoping for a European deal before an MLS deal.

 

www.bit.ly/3EyIcVR

 

Pedro age , Ettiene for money when we already needed wingers is a problem . Again if we get a productive winger great. If not and we end up with 3 less talented players we will go from average to bad

without knowing how much DC paid Pedro I’ll assume it’s good we let Pedro leave. DEJ did he actually sign already or is it just reported he is talking with Atl ?

 

Buy out Molino and i’ll be happy with the offseason losses

 

Houston. Nice. A double pivot with Artur and Hector Herrera.

 

Houston? Better than Austin. I can actually root for Arthur now and then.

 

Sure is. And $700k in GAM is a substantial sum.

 

Uh… its $350,000

 

Plus a guaranteed $200k in 2023 and a guaranteed $100k in 2024 plus a conditional $50k.

My math skills are sub par but I'm reasonably confident that all adds up to $700k. YMMV.

 

"Columbus Crew today announced that it has acquired up to $350,000 in allocation money from Houston Dynamo FC in exchange for midfielder Artur, who spent six seasons in Columbus."

It's 200k next year with 100k next year. It's about 200k under what I would have expected.

 

Reading is fundamental.

Columbus Crew today announced that it has acquired up to $350,000 in allocation money from Houston Dynamo FC in exchange for midfielder Artur, who spent six seasons in Columbus. The Crew will receive a guaranteed $200,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) in 2023, a guaranteed $100,000 in GAM in 2024, and up to $50,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance incentives are met.