These last few weeks, as our "solid" players have been rumored to come and go, this question has rissen in my head many of times, and I thought it would make great discussion. Over on Quakemagic, we have discussed the decision of keeping Landon here in SJ, and what we have to let go because of it. Let me explain: We have seen our leading scorer from last season put on loan to a team from another country, for salary cap reasons. We are slowly watching possibly the best left back in all of MLS sign a contract with a team in another country. We are hearing news that half of our "Rock" midfield is contemplating coming back because they want to lower his salary. Our starting keeper for the last 3 years (I may be wrong on the amount of years, forgive me, but you get my drift) is trying out for more than one team over-seas because he isn't getting paid what he deserves. All of these circumstances are apparent, because of Wonder Boy himself. Now you all know how much I love Landon, but it makes me wonder if him and his salary is worth losing all of these quality players that have lead our team to the top of the league these past 2 seasons....or close to it. Not to mention that once Landon came back from WC this last season, he helped us...NONE! All he did was cry about the refs. (yes, sometimes, he had the right to), but he needed to stop his diving and whining, suck it up, go at the defenders like he's capable of doing, and score like he gets paid to do. Then there is the other side of things: Last season, after the WC, Landon had so much on his plate. He was modeling, doing TV, playing soccer, was worried about his fate, and had to carry on with every day life. It's tough to be a class act and take care of all that business, plus, play awesome. He is most definately the future of American soccer. He is amazingly talented, and is capable of anything he sets his mind to. He has a chance to lead this team to another MLS Cup (though, this season, I'm praying for Play-offs). I will wait until season starts to contemplate too much and make a full decision as to where I stand in this situation, but as of right now, I'm sorta leaning tword the option that he's not quite worth all of this loss.
The Wonder Boy? Making bad things happen? No..... I hold him fully responsible for losing every one of our players. I also hold him responsible for me bombing my quiz last week. Sean
I just thought of another point for each side. What's so great about having the countrie's best forward, when there is so few players behind him capable of feeding him the ball where he can use it....? Not to mention even getting the ball on our offensive half of the field to even start with.....? Then again, without Landon, most of our success in 2001 wouldn't have even happened.
Landon was already making the maximum salary, so the new deal didn't worsen the situation in any way. All it did was maintain the status quo. If you have to choose between high salary employees, why on earth would you cut a talented young player who's still improving over some expensive veterans who have already peaked and are on the downside of their careers? (Agoos, Graziani, maybe Ekelund) The choice is pretty easy. Don't blame Landon. It's the economic reality of a young league.
understood. But can you explain Joe and Wade? They deserve to be paid more, and I know that if they were offered more...more like, what they deserved, they'd most likely stay.
For Scotto's part, he nailed the Landon piece of the puzzle. LD was already making top MLS dollar so he has not altered the Quakes' financial landscape for this year. Linds, your question about Joe and Wade is a good one. Certainly, they deserve raises for their accomplishments. So do Ronny, Richard, Eddie and Ramiro (you may make a case for others, too.) The unfortunate truth is that the league sets a fixed number of dollars that the team can spend. If the Quakes wish to give a little more to someone, they must take from someone else. You have to have $$ to sign new players like Dunivant and Levesque (investments in the future) as well as some liquid cash to pay those well-deserved raises. Sad, but that is why we lose Graziani...to finance our future. As for Landon, not only does he not further impact our cap, he is: * our most talented, dangerous player * our biggest marketing tool * a fantastic influence/example to his teammates and other young American players (who might decide to stay at home and grow the game.) Having Landon in MLS sells the game and the league. If you can't sell it, then it will go away. I don't see LD as the problem. I see the low salary cap as the problem.
All salient points. However, even the biggest marketing tool is no good if the team tanks it and stinks up the field. Landon's draw is just not strong enough to cancel out poor play. As I see it now we have one pure striker in Donovan and no one else up top( DeRosario and Levesque being injured). The one forward system employed by Lothar the terrible proved that it takes at least two scoring threats to get the job done. As frank uses a 2-4-4 this could be tough, who will play along side LD? Barkley?(sic) I hope not.
Ah...well said, Tom! Without DeRo, that is my fear, too. (Though my understanding is that DeRo will be back by the start of the season.) Still, that begs the question "what do we do if DeRo gets hurt again?...or LD?" Right now, it's Barclay. You are absolutely right about the drawing power offset by a poor team. We haven't been drawing with Landon and a GOOD team. I guess the main thrust of my post was "don't blame Landon (or regret keeping him.)"
Last season? hell, he's still modeling...check out him and girly friend in Feb's Glamour mag. BTW, when he's not around, she surfs the next for his pix.
Hallelujah somebody agrees with me. Just wait untill the 'Quakes are halfway through the season with 3 wins, Donovan has 3 goals while developing the worst reputation as a whiner MLS has ever seen, and our attendance negadoubling the second closest to last.
No, Barrett was my favorite player, but cest la vie or something like that. Everyone else is expendable, we are going to kick a$$ this year don't worry. And if we do get into a slump, his holy SANTANA will save us. But seriously it will all work out.
I don't remember Barclay playing once at forward for the Quakes in 2002. That's been his natural position for most of his life. I don't remember him playing right flank until he moved to the Quakes. The U-23s moved him to the right flank as well, with Santino Quaranta and Eddie Johnson too good a duo up front. Diallo proved to be the one man scoring machine, but Valderrama essentially played a second forward in Tampa Bay. Don't forget El Pescadito.
El Pest?! Please, I don't want to see the Quakes play a boring counter attack style all season. So you're concerned about who will team up with Landon up front? Maybe that's why Frank drafted three forwards and traded for another one. He's figuring that one of those guys will be able to get the job done. Maybe it will be Alvarez or Mullan at the beginning of the season, maybe Barclay. But DeRo will get healthy and we'll see Landon and DeRo up front with maybe Russell or Barclay playing the right wing spot. Hell, Frank could play Landon at attacking mid, with Richard doing the d-mid thing. Lagos and Russell playing the wing spots and Barclay and DeRo wreaking havoc on opposing defenses up front. This could work out. Or we might suck. But either way, it's not Landon's fault. Refusing to sign Landon wouldn't necessarily have helped us. And we would have been up against the cap in 2004 and lost all of those guys anyway. MLS needs to increase the salary cap. It's just very tough in a league that is still losing money. On the upside, Cowlumbus, the CounterRevs, the Wiz, and El Lay will all be making money this year. Chicago and Dallass will be losing less. NYJ should make progress on getting their own stadium. That's a much rosier picture financially than last season. GO QUAKES!! - Mark