Next year we will probably be looking for two slots to be filled as both APC and Serna will be sent packing. I believe that Da-ooo-da Kan-te will be moving from transitional to full international next season. I say keep him but give out more money to the younger american stars like Pierce and Twellman. That being said what do we need? what are the players salaries now and what will we have to pay to keep these boys in revs blue next year?
Given the level of player MLS can afford, we will never be able to get the top-drawer foreign players. We're talking more like the Cate or Miklos Molinar types, or perhaps a young up-and-comer from a CONCACAF nation, like Ruiz. In fact, I can see MLS evolving into the CONCACAF SuperLeague, where basically most of the top Internationals in the region play. Hell, coming from some of these places in the region where club-level finances can be iffy, living a safe, comfortable life in the US with a less demanding fanbase and media, all while bringing in $100,000 can be pretty appealing. Do you really thing Valderrama will ever go back to living permanently in Colombia when Florida will do? Then again, a team that could be competitive with a totally American team could be a nice way of showing we as a country have come of age. I don't think it should be conscious, like Chivas, where they would be stubborn an NOT sign a good foreign player who could help, but if say, Kante and Griffiths get green cards and we replace Serna and Chacon with some of the Nats pool players from overseas (Earnie Stewart?), that would be interesting. As long as they don't hype up the jingo aspect of it all, especially since we are red/white/blue with the flag as our logo. Tom