The starters have been improved well (ok, not saying much). That said, they had better stay injury free. Pretty wide gulf between them and their backups. Just to be clear, in no way am I suggesting this squad will be a contender. Will happily eat crow, if they prove me wrong.
Agreed. However, with Herbers, Lilliard, Martinez, maybe Moreno, plus with Adams, Campos, and Bronico (the latter three primarily being starters last season), I think we improved our bench quite a bit over last season, as well.
Goff is reporting FIRE only taking a $150,000 cap hit on Ousted . DC United is still responsible for $240,000 of it. That's really good news , and kind of offsets the international slott taken.
It is too bad he played so long in Vancouver. If he had played for an MLS team in the US those four years, he would easily qualify for a green card. As it is, that won't be likely until after the season or next year.
With teams on both sides of the boarder, you'd think the league would have some kind of mechanism to credit international players playing for any league team. Anyway...
I believe the thinking was they wanted to make sure Canadian players were represented and helping the overall Canadian talent pool instead of the league just being dominated by USAians.
I want to start by saying I am not that knowledgeable about immigration law. I did volunteer for an immigration for a number of years, but that was assisting with citizenship applications and not green cards or visas. I have worked on a few green card cases. There is a difference for a player to counted as an International for purpose of league rules (US players not counting against Canadian teams), but it is a completely different thing for obtaining a green card. Raheem Edwards is an International for the Fire, as he does not have a green card. Altidore and Bradley are not considered International players for Toronto. Ousted is a Danish player, who also played most of his MLS career in Canada. Sure, they could extend the US players not counting against the Canadian limit rule to say "players who have played in the league for x number of years, but do not qualify for permanent residency in the country where they play," would not qualify as "internationals" for the limit, but they have not done that. https://www.mlssoccer.com/league/official-rules/mls-roster-rules-and-regulations By the way, for some reason, Katai is NOT listed as an international on the Fire's website. I wonder if that is simply an error. The Fire website lists 10 Internationals: Adams Campos Collier Marcelo Edwards Frankowski Hasler Nikolic Ousted Schweinsteiger I read that Corrales sued to work in the US shortly after arriving in the Miami, although I don't know if was asylum or a green card. Obviously, Frankowski and Marcelo just signed, so they will count as international players for some time. I imagine that Nikolic and Schweinsteiger must be close to qualifying for green cards. Edwards, Hasler and Ousted cannot yet, since they played most of their MLS careers in Canada. Adams, Campos and Collier probably do not qualify yet, since they have been professionals long enough. Presumably, they were on student visas while in College and work visas now. It is possible that the Fire could be down below the International limit this season and way below by the end of the season (with Adams, Campos and Collier being gone or obtaining they residency). Close. The problem was that were not enough decent Canadian players, so they had to "import" Americans. According to the Rules, players who are US citizens do not count against the Canadian teams' "8 International players" limits, but every Canadian team must have at least 3 Canadian players. Here is the complete rule on the subject: Canada-based Clubs: For Canadian clubs, a domestic player is either a Canadian citizen or the holder of certain other special status (i.e., has been granted refugee or asylum status), a player who qualifies under the Homegrown International Rule, or a U.S. Domestic Player. There is no limit as to the number of Canadian Domestic Players on a Canadian club's roster. There is no limit as to the number of U.S. Domestic Players or Canadian Domestic Players on a Canadian club's roster; provided, however, that a Canadian club is required to have a minimum of three Canadian Domestic Players on its roster at all times.
I have no idea how some of these guys get green cards and others don't. But I'm pretty sure time in the US isn't always a factor . Arne received a green card relatively quick . He signed for the Fire March 2012 and had a green card by January 2013 .
KC traded Opara to Minnesota for $1,000,000 in garber bux . A little less than I thought they'd ask for , but in the ball park. The Fire re-signing Kap probably affected the price .As Chicago was long rumored the leading bidder .
I know going into UEFA as a player is apparently easier for players with a certain number of international caps than for those without. Perhaps it's the same going this direction as well since FIFA runs the whole show? Arne certainly had plenty of international matches under his belt.
Does anyone know who the trialist was for us today playing CB in the scrimmage? Rodriquez was the last name. Also I'm going to guess we'll find out an answer if we are getting another CB tomorrow as it's deadline day for the big leagues for transfers in Europe and with N-Rod saying one offer was contingent on a team finding a replacement we'll see what happens. Also with all the craziness going on in the MLS (Acosta could be going to PSG, Giovinco leaving and TFC bringing in Boyd and another DP as soon as early next week, Almiron leaving) maybe the Fire get some one else in here soon (hopefully)
So looking at the transfer market and free agents out there.....For Americans and I'm not sure how the rights thing is but I've stated before Jonathan Spector could be someone that would be great for this team. At full back there is Saad Abdul-Salaam who I think at one point maybe last year there were rumors we were interested in. Or I see Sean Franklin there too...Not sure how much more he has left in the tank but since we need fullbacks those could be an option. It'll be interesting to see what happens the next month.
Antonio Rodriguez according to a recap on the Fires website. I don't think the writer was supposed to add it . And it may not even be the correct name. There's a CB by the name Jose Antonio Rodriguez that is Spanish and plays in the Adalusian regional league. So the Spanish version of NPSL... I can't really find a more logical hit on transfermarkt..
Do we have 8 or 9 starters? We need a goalie and we need one to two outside backs. Thoughts? Kap on the outside takes one if the two outside back openings and we need two more starters?
Ousted's actually a starter for once, so we've got that goalkeeper. I can trust Edwards at left back, but I'm not sure about Hasler at right back.
1) DC fams are reporting that Ousted isn’t a starter. I can’t assume they’re wrong but I’d be happy if they were. 2) Doesn't Edwards play on the right? Like Kap?
Edwards plays on the left. He strikes me more of an attacking player rather than defensive, but he'll do as LB I think. The fire have 3 bench-caliber GKs, but they need 1 starter-caliber GK.
If Lillard could play (but would prefer him as a decent backup) or two more solid starting CB I would like Kap to play RB. I like Hassler off the bench. Decent depth guy I think.
1) Edwards is attacking but if we play with 3 CBs (Basti, Marcello, Kap) next to him we’re venturing into 3-5-2 territory like 1998. That said, not sure why I’m thinking Edwards was right sided. 2) Unfortunately you are correct. Three bench caliber GKs.
Edwards is versatile , he played RB at TFC a handful of times. Right now , I think RB is the only pressing need in the starting 11. Could they improve some spots (LB,GK) ? Sure they could , but I don't see them doing it . I think opening day 11 is signed and on the roster as of today.
For DC who had Hamid? Of course he's not a starter. For Vancouver? He was a starter. Compared to McLain, Sanchez, and Cleveland, this is the guy we need in net. He's not the best in the league, but he's still an MLS starter.