In the recent Marc Connelly column at soccernet.com he states that MLS is in talks with Frankie to get him back and his current Swiss team will release him for free. He also states MLS doesn't want to make much noise about this until the Stewart and Moore situations are all set. So the question is: Should we try to get Frankie with the Carlos allocation?
Uuum, good question. Frankie can play multiple positions, which may or not be a good hypothetical thing. Would he be kept in the backline? I'd think midfield would be a more likely place for him, given Tim H.'s propensity to switch 3/4 back line, or at least late last year. Mixed for me. The odd thing is he never showed me much in MLS his first time around. Then all of a sudden, US at Austria in 98, Wow! Also, could someone better be obtained with the allocation, or a comparable talent that can be utilized as a target forward? If the answers to those are likely no, than Frankie's worth looking into as a possibility. A good target forward vs. versatile Frankie? The former, please.
If we really want an allocation to sit the bench, then I say bring on Frankie. What we could use is a target forward, a sweeper, and a true 10. Frankie is none and therefore would only solidify the bench.
There is talk on the Columbus board about obtaining Frankie, but according to the latest from MLS they don't have an allocation. If they would trade Edson Buddle for this allocation so they can get Frankie I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I don't see that happening.
Hankinson's stated goal with the money left over from CV's 'retirement' and the allocation is a target forward, not another defender/midfielder. While Frankie would give us some speed on the right, I'm okay with Kingsley getting the chance. There is considerable talk that the draft is going to include some serious trades and moves and the Buddle for allocation trade could very well happen. The Rapids also have a glut of defenders, Hart, Jackson, Stewart, Sleeth, Kotschau, Herdsman, Fraser, Trembley (did I forget anyone) that may be the make-weight in a possible big move to obtain a target forward or free up the money to sign a big name foriegn striker. Who that is, I have no idea. But I'm anxious to see what the fall out is from the draft. In any case, we have not seen the last of the player movement, especially from the Fire so Razov could also be a possibility. Just my two cents on the whole thing.
Bring on Buddle! If the Crew are willing to part with him - and that's a big if - I'd take him up front in a heartbeat!
Oh yeah, the beloved Frankie Surfer Boy. I fondly remember him spitting on a 10 year old girl in the front row at Mile Hi, after losing his cool at a couple of big hecklers nearby. A real class guy.
Buddle Now this is a good idea, instead of an old, injured, aging, worn-out forward or player, let's try an up and coming player who will MAKE HIS NAME as a Rapid, not have an "OK" secondary tour in the states where they, you know, helped instill confidence or something. Buddle is 6'1" and 170 (************, that's my size!) and would be an unbelievable complement to the Smurf's. The Crew show McBride, West, Washington, Cunningham, Oughton, and Gonzales in addition to Buddle. RLH
"especially from the Fire so Razov could also be a possibility." Not going to happen. The Fire sale is over (I hope). Razov is our only proven goal scorer left, though Rodrigo Faria has had two good seasons in NY. Only other forward we have right now is Dipsy Selowane, who played all of 5 minutes last year. Colorado may have a lot of mid-defs, but how much quality? Hankinson teams are not known for their defense. I would think you would want Hejduk and jettison some others.
Pablo, Chung, Henderson, Grimandi, Stewart. I would consider those guys to be pretty high quality. What do you have? Armas. Wow. Hope his knee holds up. Bocanegra (sp?) is really all you have left besides Razov. Yeah, you should really talk about the quality of the Rapids.
Mastroeni and Grimandi are top quality, yes. And they can go both ways. Chung and Henderson I see as midfielders, not as defenders. Don't forget that the Fire has Beasley (DMB). The Fire has a great back line in Bocanegra-Curtin-Brown. DMB and Armas both backtrack a lot. But we're talking about teams with very different philosophies. I see Chicago in a sort of hold the ball, pass it around, and work your way to the goal, or failing that, counter attack to Razov or Faria. I think (and I haven't had much opportunity to watch them) Colorado is more like an English First Division team in that there is lots of running, lots of wing attack, lots of attack attack, but less organized. I'm sure I will be corrected, but that's how it seems to me. And as for this Stewart chap, the only place I seem to have come across his name is when I recently started trolling these Rapids boards.
Stewart was a Rookie of the Year candidate and arguably a favorite until Hankinson inexplicably benched him.
Probably shouldn't have jump all over you Fuegofan but you even said yourself that you have seen much of the Rapids so to post about their quality of players is a little premature. I agree with your assessment of the Rapids and Fire philosophies but the Rapids will change a lot this season without Valderrama running the show and not playing defense for them this season. I see a more patient build up and more solid wing play. But, and this is a big but, it all depends on who Hanki gets to be the 3rd striker for this team. If he is a bust, then all the patience in the world won't win the Rapids some silverware in 2003.