Hahahahaha!!! Thanks for the heart attack upon entering the forum this morning!!! Classic, good one.... Shall we drop one of these on the Quakes forum, saying Donovan must return to Leverkusen, effective immediately?
I know no one will believe me, with it being April 1 and all, but I was just talking to a Rapids player and he said Grimandi is not happy here and has told Hankinson he intends to return to France. When I read this earlier this morning I thought it was a joke also, but I think pigtail is right. If true, it's time to start worrying.
This better be a freaking joke. I get a little sick thinking about it.... However, Grimandi bales, Becks jumps in and anchors a lineup that tears up the league, a legend is born... Yeah, it could happen, but I would be more comfortable with Gilles here. I also can't stand the thought of another failed international pickup.
This story is picking up steam on other sites now http://www.ussocceruk.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=2169
good call ingmar. and you don't have to worry, it's not failed, if it was never completely attempted.
Ooof! Boy, if this is indeed true, what a bummer! Then again, Gilles, we hardly knew ya! I suppose we won't really know what we might be missing. Would the Rapids then be in line for a discovery or allocation player? I don't understand the MLS rules about all this stuff very well, but I really did think this was a joke when I first saw it this morning.
Bales what? Hay? sorry, I couldn't resist... that typo was just too tempting I've no idea how much weight this rumor carries, but honestly if true it really wouldn't come as a shock. His French citizenry and attitude towards the war in Iraq aside, he clearly hasn't been a key fixture in the Rapids preseason schedule. While we've seen the likes of Spenny, Zizi and others absent from games and training, we've at least heard this is the result of injury. Hell, even Hankinson put faint praise of Zizi into a Rapids press release, and he's been even more absent from training than Grimandi. It certainly is odd that you have a player of Gilles' stature yet so little is mentioned of him by his coach or teammates. Ultimately it will just be a waiting game for the fans, but you gotta admit that rumors and controversy like this are all part of becoming a bigger team and league. Fun! Every one of you showing up for the Mines game tonight... keep an eye out for Grimandi.
If indeed true, this would most definitely be considered another in a long line of failed international signings for the Rapids. The only difference would be that unlike failed attempts to get a player Julio Dely Valdes -- which reportedly had little to do with the Rapids -- this is a player who was signed to a contract and who participated in training. Kinda like Amokachi, only the Super Eagle didn't walk out on the Rapids. (he limped, ba-da-bum) Whether or not a contracted player is a failure in preseason or during the regular season doesn't matter. A major signing that doesn't produce is just that.
Also worth mentioning: Number of games for Grimandi in Mexico: ZERO Number of games for Grimandi in Florida: THREE By my count of the releases on coloradorapids.com, the Rapids played 12 games during preseason (thus the reported record of 7-3-1 is a head-scratcher). Grimandi featured in 4 of those 12, his last appearance being against Santos in Las Vegas.
Grimandi has his own site (sort of), and it's kind of interesting to hear what he has to say mostly to his European fans. His last journal entry was the 24th of March and he was praising Spencer for helping him adjust. Only bad thing is you have to register to read much, but it wasn't too painful. http://www.icons.com/grimandi/
Speaking for myself only, I'm confident things will work out. Disclaimer: I'm as cynical as they get about a lot of these reports.
p.s. There is a place where you can email him (who knows if he really gets it/responds). Also, in his last journal entry he mentions that while it may not be the best time to be a Frenchman in the United States, he has not encountered any problems.
In the transcript of Garber's teleconference yesterday (3/31), he makes positive mention of Grimandi's arrival in MLS. That would seem to indicate that the rumor is either untrue, or whatever happened has happened within the last day or so. http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/mls0331conf.html I won't make tonight's game at Mines, but it'll be interesting to know whether he shows there. All the other pre-season games he's made have been in the US, so maybe there's some immigration rule at play (?). There's also the press conference Thursday... at which time, they could make some comment about it (even if it's laughing at someone's idea of an April Fool's joke ). An interesting story... If true, I hope the whole drama isn't too much of a distraction to the team. Of course, it's not like we have a Bulgarian forward taking out undergrads two weeks before the season starts...
And I'd imagine that being featured in the 2003 Colorado Rapids Calendar, Steve Shak didn't think he'd get cut, either. [smirk] I'm taking all the news in stride, but until I hear confirmation or denial I'm not counting on anything. Not to mention, it could be that the first time Garber heard about this was the same time the rest of us did. It wouldnt' be the first time an MLS player made a rash, emotional decision to split town and didn't tell anyone (Serna) or for that matter, a Rapids player (Marquinho).
If this is a goof, it's the best one today. If not, it sucks for your side. What's the story, is he gone or what? It would be nice if we didn't have to play against him on the 12th. but either way, what gives?
The 8th the Rapid are hosting a media luncheon. I'll be there and dig up whatever I can whether Gilles is there or not.