On the off chance that United doesn't win tomorrow or does win and still doesn't make the playoffs, Thursday's game could very well be the end of an era. Odds are, one of the trio of Eddie Pope, Marco Etcheverry and Jaime Moreno will not be back next year. In fact, if you read the tea leaves that Ray has left, perhaps more than one of that trio will be gone. While this saddens me on some levels, on others, I understand it. The team came in last place with these 3 so they certainly can't do any worse without them. And, with each of them taking up a maximum slot on the salary cap but not playing up to that level, changes need to be made. I mean, when we all look deep in our hearts, we all know that Eddie, Marco and Jaime don't all deserve the max. So, chances are that this could be the last time we go to RFK knowing all of them are part of the team. Also, this could very well be the last time Ben Olsen and Ryan Nelsen are part of the team. Olsen's contract is up next year and it sure sounds like his heart is still set on Europe. With that in mind, if the league doesn't sell him this off-season, they'll get nothing for him next year and he can go to Europe on a free. I'll be surprised if the league doesn't sell him this winter. As for Nelsen, if the Post reports are to be believed, his contract ends this year - how he got a 2-year deal coming out of school, I have no idea - and he can make way more money in Europe than in MLS and since he's not an American he doesn't really have the ties and loyalties to this country that other players do. He had offers in Europe coming out of Stanford and he's a much better player now than he was then so I would be surprised if he doesn't end up abroad. Finally, this may be it for Richie Williams. He's certainly not the reason the team sucks but he's likely mamking around 100K and the team can certainly find a capable D-mid who costs less and lets them use the balance on an imact player at another position. Basically, I see this as a last hoo-rah for a lot of familiar faces. There are a lot of good memories with these guys and I'm sad the era is over. But, all things must pass, including this chapter. So remember the good times, don't dwell on the bad ones too much and thank these guys for their service to the club.... And then wait for the axes to fall!
I support the shirt. I'll miss Jaime and/or Marco and/or anyone else who's been a good DC United player in the past (see Jeff Agoos, Carlos Llamosa, etc.) but bottom line is that what really matters to me is a piece of cloth with a number on it. Whoever happens to be inside it is irrelevant as long as he's playing his heart out for the team.
It would be sweet if somehow MLS could persuade Olsen to stay in the league, like they did with Josh Wolff.
A little too gloomy for me Sandon.. I expect changes this offseason but the changes you are speculating would blow the doors off the changes of 2000.. If I get your drift (and I know you don't advocate all these moves being made, just the possibility of them), the following players could be gone by next seasons opener.. 1) Etcheverry 2) Moreno 3) Pope 4) Olsen 5) Nelsen 6) Williams That would leave us with, umm, err...... Not much... I know Ray Hudson wants to mold this team in his own image, but drastic moves like above would yet again set this team back just like in 2000.. I know as well that we possibly couldn't do any worse without the top 3 max salary players, but chuck in a few more of those guys you mention and we will be heading straight towards 99' Metrostars suckability.... The drastic changes in 2000 really set this club back on its heels and we are still trying to recover from it... A few thoughts on your players mentioned.. I believe that Eddie Pope is worth every dime of his max salary.. I know defenders in this league aren't worth that much but I think Pope is.. I believe that unless Moreno somehow metemorphasizes into Moreno of 97' (getting ultra-fit in the offseason), he won't be in Ray's plans.. I believe that Marco has played his way back into Hudson's plans with his late season push.. It's too bad that it takes Marco so long to get motivated but he has proven lately that he can be vital to this team, but, it will have to be at a lower salary. As for Olsen, yes the league would be wise to move Ben in the offseason if they want to make some money, but the lack of movement of more prominent players (Beasley a prime example) for money says to me that MLS is doing there best to keep young Americans in this league.. Ben is still relatively young and can easily re-sign with the league and still garner a transfer fee.. One other thing, we all know Ben's desire to play in England.. One key factor here, someone over there must want him as well.. Right now, despite his good showing at Forest, no one is willing to dish out good bucks for a guy who sat on the shelf for nearly 2 years... I think Olsen will be here for quite some time.. Nelsen - this guy would probably get "Most Improved Player" if they awarded it in MLS.. He'll get his payday soon enough.. I just don't believe that MLS signs players out of the Draft for only two years (prominent ones anyway, not 3rd round guys).. We need to ask Dyson or Ed Morgan what Nelsen's contract status is to clear this up once and for all.. I believe Nelsen's showing during New Zealand's run to the title probably got him some notice overseas, but not too much in my opinion.. Nelsen is just bargaining for a substantial pay raise, which he'll probably get.. As for Williams, thanks for the memories Richie.. See ya later....
Nelsen is the biggest concern I have right now. The others (Moreno, Etch, Olsen, Williams, Pope) have been on the radar screen for a while. Ryan definitely gets the most improved player. I fear that his performance will attract attention abroad. However, I hope that he makes the good decision to remain in MLS for another year or two and develop some more before going to Europe and sitting on a bench...
At Ray's buy the fans a beer night at Capitol Lounge there was instantaneous and unanimous assent from coaches and management to my question whether Nelsen would be back. I think it's a slam-dunk bet that Nellie will be wearing DC kit in 2003. Woo-Hoo! Nellie for Captain in 2003! GM
To everything, turn turn turn there is a season, turn turn turn As Lastort v2.0 said, I'm rooting for laundry. Sachin
I'm with Cweedchop on this one. While Moreno is truly in do-or-die mode, I think the rest of the decisions have already been made. Williams isn't Hudson's style Dmid. He brought him in to stop the bleeding defensively. Now that Hudson has righted the defensive ship via Rimando, Reyes, Nelsen and Pope, he no longer unequivocably requires a dominant Dmid destroyer. Now we can go with a combo guy like Rooney if he likes. Pope stays. Even if Hudson wanted to trade him, MLS never really gave him that power. He can ask, but it's not really his decision to make. That said, I don't know that he wants to get rid of his best target forward and big game defender. Etch has rarely missed a game. He's had a ton of injury woes, and yes, they do affect his play, but he plays through injuries and gives everything for this team. He's the leader physically, verbally and psychologically. I expect him to be offered a reduced salary, but I also expect him to remain here. Olsen isn't going to attract any significant transfer fee until he returns from injury. Right now he's slow, unfit for 90 minutes, fiesty and generally a shadow of his former self physically. Euro clubs will want at least 1 more fully fit and healthy season out of Ben. Also, we don't play too many games in this league, so injuries under this reduced stress raises eyebrows. Nelsen will return. As said, the team seems very confident of that, dunno why. But, MLS has been extremely successful at retaining it's talent, so I see no reason to panic about either Nelsen or Olsen now. McKinley's staying, and many others are too. The guy I'm worried about is Brandon Prideaux. With Nelsen Reyes and Pope he's not going to be the pre-season starter on a 3 man back line. Realistically, injuries will cause him to start the majority of the games, but I get the feeling Ray's getting greedy for Prideaux's salary slot ... which I think would be a horrible mistake. United needs to KEEP PRIDEAUX!!! Is that clear enough? -Tron
England in particular has been much tougher on giving foreign players the card to let them play. Although Ben's been injured and appeals could be made, he still have to make it back into the National team picture to have the percentage needed to meet the requirements. I very much doubt that he could meet those requirements by January (the next window for tranfers for players in contract). MLS might consider selling him in the summer, but they'd want a contract with him before then. I imagine he'll sing that contract and we'll see him next year. Especially since he's been a major factor in turning the team around and Hudson notices this.
Our defense is about half a goal stingier this year when Pope plays the whole game. That's pretty impressive, and I don't think it's terribly misleading. I think of the three max players, he earns it.
Sandon is right. 1. My understanding is that SoS are paying most of ABMOD's salary this year (isn't that sweet?). Next year, he'd count fully on the cap and I think that's around $100K. I think he's probably gone. 2. I think McKinley was promised a pay increase. Quaranta is off the cap right now. Even at minimum salary, that would cut into our cap (and he's not going to get minimum). Rimando will get a pay increase--count on it (he's around $50K--what a bargain!). 3. Nelsen had a trial with Grasshoppers and at the last moment they brought in a Euro player. So he signed with DC United for around $40K with the understanding that he'd be adding $10-25K a year in playoff money to that salary. He's been a good soldier but feels he made a mistake salary-wise and wants a pay increase or is gone. 4. I can't speak about Olsen and his situation. 5. Don't evaluate Etcheverry, Moreno and Pope as players. They are still among the best in MLS (regardless of our record and their stats). Can we find a good central defender who can play 20-25 matches and organize and shut down players for less than $265? Of course. Can we find a bargain from Central America (ala Ruiz) who could score 15 goals and play in 25 games? Almost certainly. And regardless of what you think about Convey in the middle, we could probably find an aging Euro player to come in for $265 who'd play more games, have a higher work rate, and generate better results in attacking mid for us (and I'm not talking about Gazza). Basically, we need our 3 maximum salary players to be on the field most games (and all 3 have trouble doing that) and be dominant most of the time (Pope can do that, the other 2--not recently). 6. We're not likely to see an increase in the cap. Selling Olsen frees up some money. Don't know if I see him going overseas this offseason though. The transfer market is still tight, Olsen has only played a handful of matches. Before someone pays a million or even $600K, they're going to want to be sure he's completely fit. The way to do that is to take him on loan--wait, we tried that approach already. Amman frees up $100K--but that money won't handle the salary increases for Nelsen, Rimando, Quaranta, McKinley and Prideaux (my understanding is that part of the reason he was dealt by KC was cap-related). 7. I think we can have a great team next year. But to do it, we're going to have to do what Ray did in Miami 2 years ago--clear out maximum salary spots, trade your top pick for a talented (but cheap) veteran, get some other guys on the roster to step up and perform. Colorado did much the same thing this past year (at one point in the offseason, they had 7 players on their roster).