SoccerInsider: D.C. United, Portland Timbers have made trade, I'm told. Awaiting confirmation, details. Mike Chabala would help thin #dcu backline. Hmm
hints about one player involved, hope it's for another supp draft pick Steven Goff @SoccerInsider RT @timbersinsider: I've been told that Chabala is on the move and a left back from NZ Olympic team has been signed. #rctid
This is from the Portland end... @TimbersInsider: I've been told that Chabala is on the move and a left back from NZ Olympic team has been signed. #rctid Surprises me a tad. Figured we see Olsen bring back Wallace.
Yes Chabala plays left back. That tweet was retweeted or relayed by Goff from a portland source, so the NZ left back was for them.
Steven Goff @SoccerInsider D.C. United has acquired Mike Chabala from Portland Timbers for a supplemental pick. There's more going on, however. Stay tuned
Seen talk about Mike Fucito coming your way too. I just saw it from multiple people who looked like fans though. Nothing reputable.
I like him already, his twitter says his nickname is "chewy", guessing his hair in this pic reflects why: Mike Chabala Height: 6'0" Weight: 175 Position: Defender Born: May 24, 1984 Age: 28 Hometown: Fresno, CA most importantly, he went to the great UW, last Husky we had was Brandon Prideaux I believe (may have had one other for a month)
Morsink retired and is now a DC United scout. (JSF, he took your job!!) I don't know anything about him but he looks nasty enough to play defense.
Well, I'm confused. Why would Portland let this guy go for a supplemental pick (which I value at basically zilch)? He's played a fair amount of games for them; surely he's more valuable than whomever they'd pick up in the supplemental draft?
Still, wouldn't they try to get something of value for him? Perhaps they were just desperate to free up the cap/roster space for the new guy.
So we got a guy named Chewbacca for basically nothing? Anyone know if he's any good? Generic depth is great I suppose, but we saw how well that worked out last year and, well, it didn't. And has Portland just decided to flush the punch bowl and start over on defense? Trading away a defender with starts and the starting keeper is pretty extreme.
I see this as a straight up upgrade over Morsink. For about the same salary we now have depth at fullback which was seriously lacking with the Russell injury. Morsink was surplus goods at central midfield somewhere behind Saragosa, Neal and King.
Many if not most of the Timbers fans are okay if not happy Chabala is gone. No one seems to think they're missing out on his talent.
Yeah, but with the possibility that Woolard is out for an extended period up in the air and not really having anything that looks like a suitable left back, we could have a playoff spot riding on finding a warm body to do the job. I can't blame the team for thinking we should acquire a LB, and I can't blame them for possibly moving to pick up another man's garbage and think it's gold. But of course, I'm not yet impressed. We'll see how it works out. Hopefully Woolard is back in a couple weeks and Chewie can play chess on the bench.