extra SI for the fire

maybe another if AW either gets his GC or he and/or Dipsy move on.

Reserve league is starting next season too.

 

Damani will be counted as an SI next year so that's one that we are 'losing' so to speak.

 

Andy Williams has his green card I believe. Samuel Cabellero does as well, or has residency, or something. Boucicout is a TI or youth, not sure which. That leaves Ralph, Dipsy and Herron. Some say Dipsy is gone, or will be. That leaves us with two spots. I'm happy to keep the Dip if his salary is small. He's been good in spots and has scored some important goals.

 

TI and YI are the same thing now. You're either under 24 and a TI or over 24 and an SI. Or you have a green card. The Cab has his GC.

 

I think Dipsy benefits the most from the extra SI slot. I think he was near gone with only 3 SI's but with the extra slot we may have room to keep him (if they want to).

 

plus moving to 28 roster spots doesn't hurt either.

 

Not exactly true. Nunez was called a JI and Stephenson, Dorman, and Gilberto Flores were both TI and developmental (same thing as old JI). Some "TI's" were roster protected this year.

 

now, meaning as of next season.

 

did the press release really say that? I'm not entirely sure yet. though I think this year the four players I mentioned may have counted against the 20 man limit. so my guess is limit 3 to team (5 for expansion teams), with teams able to place those 23 or under on the roster protected list.

 

With the roster size increase as well as SI spots, the Fire stand to make some bigtime improvements. Figure on at least one new SI coming in (AW and SC having greencards), possibly two. A YSA, the Beasley allocation (could go towards an SI), a couple good draft picks, etc. Should prove a very exciting off season for the Men in Red.

 

May not be long to wait. I expect we'll be involved in a lot Monday, then the draft Friday, and news before TGiving or Christmas.

 

Also note that Sumed Ibrahaim will be a SI next year.

 

http://mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20041114&content_id=19050&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

 

Very good news. Well, maybe not for the Metros.

Also,

That, along with the rumors about a Marsch trade can only mean one thing... Guardiola!!!!

 

"... Bahahahahaha... Oh, crap, that gets me every time. OK, OK, Focus! This time with a straight face. Let's take it from 'something to do with Chivas...', OK?"

Did anyone else notice that they were pretty vague about the salary cap?

 

The expansion teams getting extra TI spots pisses me off.

The thing I hated most about the idea of Chivas was the idea that they would try to bring in effectively a mexican squad....but folks argued (seemingingly correctly) that they would compete within the same rules as everyone else.


Except they won't.

So it pisses me off.

 

But both of them get the same treatment. and they are PROVISIONAL spots. They will be revoked in two years' time. The expansion teams also won't have their pick of the developmental rosters of the other MLS teams as they are automatically protected. Seems this is a fair tradeoff.

 

Yah, both the expansion franchises get the same treatment, but both of them get treatment different than the rest of the league.

Not that I claim to be an expert on the subject, but I don't recall the Fire or the Fusion having roster restrictions any different than the rest of the league.

So no, Chivas (and SLC) are not competing under the same rules as everyone else.

 

Teams were also not allowed to automatically protect their young players when the Fire and Fusion came in too. I don't understand what is a) so hard to understand about it b) what the big deal is when Transitional salaries count under the cap and probably won't be able to attract two additional high caliber players than the other clubs have access to.

Adcitionally, there's c) the slots can be traded (and if i recall correctly expansion clubs get more discovery options provisionally too to help build their roster) so If the Fire wanted they could also have 5 TIs too - or more. Any club could.

 

I didn't say it was an advantage or not, I said it's different than everyone else, which it is, and that bugs me.