Not only are guys like Ramirez going to Chivas, but it sounds like Clint Mathis is a lock for RSC too. These teams are really starting to take shape. I'm sorry to see Akwari gone, and I hope we don't wind up regretting this move a month into the season.
It's not a lock by any means. Trust me. Clint's being shopped around Europe by his agent, MLS is the last place he wants to end up. Stoner is a moron for making it sound like a done deal.
Andy Williams seemed to be under the impression the Clint would go to Salt Lake too. Erick Scott to Salt Lake. How bizarre is that?
Only after Stoner said something to him about it... Not really, you know Ellinger has seen him at the youth levels...and he obviously impressed there so it isn't a total shock.
Both of these teams could wind up being quite formidable. If Chivas can really get 10 Mexican players onto their squad, besides the players they picked up today and the guys they'll get in the Superdraft, I wouldn't put it past them to wind up winning the whole darn league next year. Salt Lake could turn out to be pretty tough too, especially if they get Mathis. Andy ought to have a fun time trying to send balls into Mathis and Kreis next year. I'd really hate to lose to RSL 1-0 next season, with their goal being scored by Scott, while Testo sits on our bench twiddling his thumbs.
All teams have 4 SI and 3 TI spots next year, additionally the expansion teams get 2 more TI spots. Throw in one Mexican from Chivas that has a Green Card and you have 10 players from Chivas. Oh and MLS has it's first farm league team. Losing Akwari was a huge mistake on the Crew FOs part. He's a leader and the time he spent with Fraser along with playing for Ellinger is going to turn him into a top defender in this league. At least the Crew got Testo back, he's got a hell of a left foot. Obviously Ellinger knows the young CONCACAF talent and he picked up both Brenes and Scott. Not too surprising there. I'm surprised CUSA picked up Walker and Taylor and I'm surprised RSL didn't pick up Trembly and Salyer with their connection to Ellinger.
Come on, CUSA is getting 5 over the hill Mexicans who can't play with the first team anymore and 5 U-24s that can't crack the first team. It's not going to be as fabulous as Stone and Waldo made it out to be. If those guys come over and try to treat MLS as a joke the way Campos and Hernandez did, they're in for a big surprise RSL picked up players that Ellinger KNOWS. Players that he's trained or had to study for. There's lots of young talented players in there. Personally I think RSL finishes ahead of CUSA this year.
Now let's see: When Greg Andrulis had Washington, Testo and Scott available to play, he started Washington and played Testo a little and sat Scott. When Ellinger can have his choice of the three, he takes Scott.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=316935&cc=5901 Some interesting picks. WHy Scott vs. Testo.....? Neither team looks too competitive without some big allocations, IMO.
I agree on the loss of Akwari. I would imagine that Sanneh's arrival and Oughton's step up in play made him expendable in GA's eyes. But when we needed Nelson, he stepped in an performed an adequate to outstanding job on the back line. It's probably better for him in the long run, assuming he gets to start regularly for RSL. The loss of Scott is not a tremendous one. If we protected Testo, can we assume he is staying with MLS? GA must have news on that else he wouldn't have protected him?
He couldn't take Testo because when he took Akwari the Crew took Testo off. Washington will only play in two places, so you knew no one would pick him.
Is it possible that we've just witnessed the biggest scam in the history of MLS? Goff at the Washington Post has been writing for a week that Ryan Nelsen was gone to England, but never got a direct quote from Nelson or his agent saying he was gone. DC left him unprotected because everyone knew he was gone. Then, DCU does their magic and decides to protect him after their first player was taken. So, if he was indeed gone, why in the world would they pull him off the list? Did they pull a quick one on the rest of the league? Or it could just be that they want to receive the allocation when he does leave. Anyone know?
I had mixed emotions on seeing Andy Williams go to RSL. He seems too talented to be traded 5 times in a league needing AMs. Apparently he hasn't learned to get along with coaches and play his role - as asked. After watching the Nats v Jamaica game it seems shape is a team/cultural problem as individual play is OK vs. role/positional play. Those guys were all over the place and rarely appeared to be orgraniczerd. Too bad, as they had some real talented guys.
I'm disappointed we lost Akwari, but losing Scott doesn't seem too big since, really, we played without him all season. Akwari really brought something to this team, but I guess with the team's current make-up he was destined to sit play about half the season again, but this time actually costing the team cap space and a senior roster slot.
Is Herdsman officially finished for '05? If he came back Nellie was certainly expendable as a rt back and probably too small to play center in this league.