How would you fix United this offseason?

I would bring in Landon Donovan.

 

From watching the Metros for 7 years now, one thing I've learned is that imploding the roster does little more than hurt the team. DCU has good players that they can build around. The concept of coaching/managing a team is to build from the back up. Not surprisingly, DC has a phenomenal back line. You have a couple of studs at midfield in Olsen and Convey, and two above average strikers. DC is a team that needs a couple of new players, which they can afford by dumping the right FEW players (Etch, Ammann, Lassiter), and some time to build some chemistry. Honestly, some of you guys (Sormun in particular) are starting to sound like some of my fellow Metro fans circa- 1996-1999.

JMac

 

I think we probably need to focus less on players we like and more on cap room. That's the key here. You can cut Lassister, McKinley, Williams, Alavanja and Amman and that won't even free up one $260K spot.

Rebuild the roster, don't rebuild the roster. But we're not going to get much better by adding an A-league minimum player in place of Lassiter or Alavanja. Or adding anyone in college--those strategies are just nibbling around the edges.

Right now, United is a team with a handful of guys making the maximum, a few guys (Convey, Amman, Prideaux) making between $60-100) and the rest of the team at or near the MLS minimum. That is part of the reason our bench is so bad--if everyone on the bench is making $50K or less, you've got very little talent there.

If we're going to add major talent, it's going to take money. The ONLY way that happens is for us to lose 2-3 maximum (or close to maximum) salary players. The players who would be on that list are: Etcheverry, Moreno, Pope, Olsen.

This isn't about unhappiness with particular players or concluding any or all of them are washed up. It's just the realities of the cap.

Sormun, I appreciate your thought on all this. But here's the reality. DCU can afford to sign (at most) 2 decently priced foreign players (and they'd better be bargains--guys like Bishop--or they'll be demanding the going wage for Europe which is a lot more than $265K). Also, MLS has a roster cap (even in preseason). I believe you can't invite players to camp that aren't on your roster unless they also have the option to go to any other MLS team (sort of like the Ali Curtis situation--did some training with us but we still had to draft him). In short, United can't acquire a lot of talent to then compete for positions--that is the reality of MLS. Finally, the idea of trading players for talent is not very likely. Almost every MLS team wants to acquire cap space and has some players to dump. Unless MLS choses to expand this offseason (and I've heard it's more likely to be a year away), there is no market for players. Thus, good players are basically being given away for "future considerations".

 

Bingo.

Diablo, Moreno, Pope, Olsen-what do these guys have in common?? They're all INJURED a lot or playing for the national team and basically haven't added much other than jack s to the team this year

Olsen I believe should play for way less than the league max, maybe $100K

Like JoeW said-sormun-you have to be realistic. The Richmond Kickers aren't going to say "here's our midfield, let us know when you're done". It's not going to happen so why talk about it. It would be one of the craziest moves I've ever seen.

And you can't claim you need a healthy team of foreigners that produces and then talk about how great Moreno is when his numbers are TERRIBLE and he's injured ALL THE TIME and he takes up an SI slot and he makes the max

sormun you make good points but let's get realistic here about what to do

 

By reports, Sibusiso Zuma from South Africa is unhappy at FC Copenhagen and wants out. He'd run rings around anyone we have now in the center of the midfield. Get him and I'll buy season tickets boys.

 

back to reality

JoeW has elegantly outlined and underlined the true cause of United's suckdom...at least as well as can be done. But does the three-headed monster Hudson/Trask/Kasper bite the bullet and cutoff DC United arms and legs? That's what this offseason will amount to: does the management have the sense or even the tools to dump our cap?

Look at it this way, we have nearly $900 thousand in cap space (over 50 percent) tied up in four players. Olsen makes $150, as I recall. If you exclude him from this analysis, you still have 1/2 of your money tied up in 3 players. Do you think that Pope, Moreno, or Etcheverry have earned $750 thousand this year or last? I'd say that they, combined, have been less valuable than Rimando.

The big problem, however, is that each of them has a guaranteed, no-trade contract for the upcoming season. What the hell do you do now? My only solution is to sell Eddie overseas, sell Marco to South America (or hope he retires), and attempt to negotiate a new contract with Moreno or trade him (he might be contractually tradeable). The negotiating thing with Jaime could be wicked tough, as he is signed for a few more years.

All in all, this is a sucky place to be.

Tim

 

Re: back to reality

Are you sure about that?? I thought Diablo signed a one-year deal. I thought this was Olsen's last year. Who knows....just what I've overheard

Jaime Moreno signed for a FEW MORE YEARS??? GOD HELP US. Do you actually think that guy will try-or will he be the Juwan Howard of MLS and try when it's the last year of his contract?? I'll take the latter. On the field that guy doesn't act or play like he gives much of a rat's *ss despite the fact that Cweed tells us he really "cares"

Please don't tell me you know for a fact that 3 of these guys have guaranteed, max salaries tied up for next season...and Olsen will make $150K (he's worth $100K at the MOST)....

This cannot be true. I cannot be throwing away NEXT season already.

Didn't Hudson say he was going to look at these guys for this year only-just play the hand he was dealt for this year?

And isn't there something in the contract like a buyout for much less than the cost of the contract? There better be.

Don't go scaring people like that.....

 

Dump Eddie? You've got to be kidding. He's finally getting back to full strength, will actually have an offseason to recover where he won't be on national team duty much (unless there's something in the works they haven't told us about yet), and his game keeps getting better. Unless and until it becomes clear that he's serious about going overseas and MLS is going to let it happen, we should be building the team around him.

Think of it this way -- We have three field players who you could credibly see as a league MVP in the next few years -- a healthy and motivated Moreno, which seems like something we may never see again, Olsen, who has already made clear that he wants to get back to England as soon as possible, and Pope. I guess you could make cases for Convey and Quaranta, but they've both got a lot of growing to do yet.

 

In my book, even at $150,000, Ben is a bargain (when he is playing...I forgive him the serious injury outage). You will note that my discussion basically focused on Pope, Etch, and Moreno. If Olsen makes just $100,000, then the point about the bermuda triangle is all that more poignant.

You may be correct about Marco's one year deal...I recall that it was 2 years, but I'm pretty much certifiably insane at this point (and too lazy to research it). Hence, don't rely on me. However, I would bet my last shred of sanity that Pope and Moreno are on long-term near max salary deals with no-trade clauses.

I disagree with your stance that Olsen is part of the problem (when he's playing). I think he is fantastic on the field and just wish that he had not been injured so long. That is not his fault, in my opinion.

What I do have a major problem with is the bermuda triangle playing soooo incredibly far below their potential or salary.

Tim

 

Yes. I am saying it.

I look at the past three years of Eddie Pope's career and I see the following:

crap
crap
injured
crap
crap
Nat Duty
crap
crap
two-second, momentary flash of old self
Nat Duty
crap
Nat Duty
crap
crap
Nat Duty
injured
crap
crap
crap
Nat Duty
two-second, momentary flash of old self
Nat Duty
crap
crap
crap
injured
crap
Nat Duty
crap
crap
two-second, momentary flash of old self
crap
crap
crap
decent
Nat Duty
Nat Duty
Nat Duty
Nat Duty
Nat Duty
Nat Duty
BRILLIANT IN THE WORLD CUP
injured
injured
injured
crap
crap

So, in my book, Eddie is not remotely worth the money he is paid. He is a FANTASTIC GUY. THE absolute BEST guy, ever. But, he is not earning his keep in MLS and for DC United. The guy is made of glass and does not focus for his club team. This all could change, and the next two years could be fantastic and without distraction.

But he is on the chopping block in my mind.

Tim

 

An important time for United's plans for next year could be November 13-17. The U20s will be playing in qualifying in Charleston and I expect Coach Rongen to turn this team over to Mr Convey. If Bobby is able to step up and run the show from the middle of the field, then maybe we can think of him as our attacking mid next year. If he does not, then we may have to keep Marco or look elsewhere.

 

Re: Re: Re: back to reality

I can deal w/Eddie making the max and staying on the team. He's part of a tremendous d

Olsen wants to go to Europe well I wish he did. But we can hope he doesn't injure his ankle anymore, and he's guaranteed to play hard. He hasn't been part of the offense all year. If he makes not the max but $150K I can deal w/it

But man I'm a big Diablo fan over the year but seems obvious he's through. And Moreno with his McDonald's fitness half-*ssed pathetic attitude out there-starts to make me sick. The "Bolivian connection" needs to go.

We can't keep everybody or we'll have the same team next year.

Like I said, Pope and Olsen I can deal w/.

Anybody else?? Looking for opinions here, which on BigSoccer shouldn't be asking for much

 

I'm really getting tired of seeing Jaime on the field getting the ball stolen. The more annoying part is that right afterward he doesn't turn around and takes a couple of slow steps in the wrong direction. I watched the San Jose game I have on tape and I really feel for him when he hits the post. Then I popped in our 3-2 win against New England earlier in the summer and saw him dance around 14 yards out from goal. (That is my pet peave. Just shoot the damn ball.) And then I saw something I hope not to see anymore. In the last minute, DC had a two on one and the one was way out of position so it was pretty much Moreno running at the goal with Diablo running back post. Moreno took it until he was about 15 yards out, and blasted it several feet over the goal in the air. I can't decide whether he deserves a chance next season or if he should just be removed to clear up a little room.

I don't think we should get rid of Eddie Pope. I actually think he does care when he's on the field but I will say he doesn't look as effective on the field as he used to. The whole problem within most MLS teams is the job security. Some players know that the team won't get rid of them or know that no other player on the team can play a position as well as they can.

I think when Ben is healthy that he is a fantastic player and deserves to stay. But if he wants out a.s.a.p. then tell to pack up get the hell away.

I think Etcheverry was great in the past but I think D.C.'s system is outdated. With Etcheverry in there, you have no security in defensive midfield. The attacking midfielder has a little bit of defensive responsibility. When you watch Manchester United, you don't see Paul Scholes sit around while the other team has the ball and let Roy Keane do all the running. That's not how it works. You could get away with that in the past but not anymore. Strangely enough, I've seen Etcheverry make some tackles lately. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was watching the Etcheverry I've come to know.

Ritchie has lost most of his productivity.

 

I don't think any defender in the league is worth 265K. If I were in charge, I'd jettison Pope, but I think, realistically, that won't happen. So, like Bud, I can live with Pope on the roster. Etch and Moreno must go! That's 530K of cap room! At that price, United can realistically expect replacements who will perform better than Marco and Jaime.

 

Moreno should go. His heart is no longer with DCU.

 

Actually, that frees up very little cap room. Other than Amman (who doesn't count on the roster, only the salary cap), what you're basically saying is: cut 1 maximum salary player and a bunch of guys making the minimum (or very close to it) and then bring in a max. salaried player and others (who will have to be veterans making the minimum--guys like Ali Curtis, Roy Lassiter, Scott Vermillion, AJ Wood--players like that).

That forgets the salary increases. We (on this list) tend to think of salary increases as something that happens b/c you played well (so if the team didn't play well, no salary increase). But for the young players (especially the college picks, the first and second year players) most of them aren't making a decent wage. When they sign, many have escalators built into their contracts (maybe only $10K but if you've got 7 players who each get a $10K raise, that's $70K). I believe (can't remember for sure) that Quaranta graduates from P-40. Rimando will get a pay increase. I think just from pay increases due to existing players (Quaranta, Prideaux, Rimando, Nelsen, Convey, maybe Olsen, maybe Reyes) that are built into their contracts or are past P-40, that eats up the $100K from Amman's cap money. Oh, I thought that Hudson promised McKinley he'd return him to his normal salary level next year (he took a $50K cut to sign with DCU). Oh, and this year, I thought the Scum were paying most of Richie William's salary--next year he's on our books.

We need to stop thinking about players we like. Either magic happens (and Moreno and Olsen and Etcheverry demonstrate that maybe they're the best in the league at their positions next year). Or United needs to free up enough cap room to acquire at least 2 maximum salary players. That isn't going to happen by cutting 5-6 guys named Roy and Lazo and Petter.

 

Re: Who Stays and Who Goes

Alavanja, Lazo 6 <----Trade Grazzani/Wolff
Alegria, Jose 13
Ammann, Mike 1
Convey, Bobby 15
Curtis, Ali 28
Etcheverry, Marco 10
Lassiter, Roy 27 <---Trade or get rid of him
Mapp, Justin 21
McGinty, Mike 22
McKinley, Ivan 8
Moreno, Jaime 9
Namoff, Bryan 12 <--Trade Mark Chung
Nelsen, Ryan 7
Olsen, Ben 14
Pope, Eddie 23
Prideaux, Brandon 4
Quaranta, Santino 25
Quintanilla, Eliseo 20
Reyes, Milton 5
Rimando, Nick 18
Villegas, Petter 11 <--- Diego Senora
Williams, Richie 16
Zambrano, Henry 17

No If those players are free it would work. Maybe throw Big Mama in the Mix. We need Points.

 

Diego Sonora - NO
Who the in the hell would trade Lazo for Wolff or Graziani?
No one would trade for Roy Lassiter. He sucks.
Namoff would not be taken by the Rapids for Chung.

 

In the days of old, the team was built around Etch. Moreno and RDA/Wegerle/Lassiter were up top, because Moreno and Etch played together like they could read each other's minds and the other guy could finish Moreno and Etch's creative output. The two wide midfielders, from Harkes to Sanneh to Maessner, were all solid players who pinched inside defensively to cover for Etch, but could hold their own with the ball at their feet, and played within the rhythm of Etch and Moreno. Richie was there because he would do all the grunt work in the middle, and because he was quite capable of being effective doing so. The defense, led by Pope and Agoos, was generally fairly solid. They defended well, the outside backs got forward when they could (Agoos, Gori, Sonora, Iroha, etc.) and knew Etch would find them when they made the runs down the flank.

Now, the team is by now means built around Etch. Moreno has been a shadow of his old self, and Q1, Q2, and Curtis are rarely on the same page as Etch. Additionally, not one of them is as consistent of a finisher as an RDA/Lassiter of old. Convey and Olsen are the only wide players we have who are confident and creative on the ball as well as adequate defensively (see Villegas, Namoff, Alavanja). And we've played all of one game in two years with both of them healthy and playing out wide (away to SJ). Richie is certainly willing to try and shoulder all of the defensive load in the middle of the field, but is by no means capable of doing so. Adding Ivan to the mix helps, but leaves Etch with even less space and fewer touches to do his thing in the middle. The defense is actually fairly similar, with the exception being that Reyes is the lone back who likes to get forward, and he does not have much of an understanding with Etch.

That being said, Etch must go. This team is not built for him, and I see no reason to implode it and rebuild a team around an aging Etch, who may no longer even have the skills to carry such a responsibility. If Etch goes, I don't see Moreno staying. Moreno knew his runs would be rewarded with the ball from Etch, and to develop a similar understanding with a new a-mid is likely not something Moreno feels like doing. Additionally, if the reigns of the team are handed over to Convey, he seems to connect with Q1 fairly well, so Moreno would not always be his first option, whereas with Etch Moreno was always the first option. Also, I don't see Richie staying another season, unless Hudson decides he is going to play a 3-5-2 all season. Richie can no longer play as the lone d-mid in MLS, and if his entire salary is going to count against DC's cap next year, he is definitely not worth the cap room.

The issue that remains, then, is what to do to replace the spots left by Etch and Moreno.

A midfield/front line of...

New d-mid
Olsen Convey Mapp
Q1 Q2

...seems unrealistic. Mapp has looked very green, and I doubt he will be able to make the jump from decent U-17 nat team player to MLS starter in one off-season. So, we need to add at least two new starting midfielders. Which two positions will need to be filled will depend upon where Hudson thinks Convey should play, as the a-mid or wide on the left. If NE still refuses to play Pineda-Chacon, would he be a realistic player to trade for and play as an a-mid? How much would we have to give up for him?

Up front with no additions, a healthy Q1 and Q2 would be starting. Clearly superior depth needs to be added as Curtis and Roy will not cut it. I think adding a decent striker a la Dalgish would be the way to go, as neither of the Qs are very strong in the air, and neither has proven capable of scoring 12-15 goals in a season.

Adding a new d-mid, a-mid, and forward from the salaries of RW, Etch, and Moreno would be the three best things Hudson could do this offseason. And if he could add another decent defender (maybe take a college defender in the draft to use as a backup) to provide some quality depth, the more power to him.

But man, I must say my confidence in the personnel decisions of he and Kasper is not particularly high right now. Even still, they deserve another season to try and right this ship. If it's still sinking come next September, they should go down with it.

 

I've suddenly become very confident that DC will have one of the Crew's forwards (Washington, Buddle, Cunningham) on their roster next year. And United won't give much up either. None of those guys are happy on the bench at this point, and if Crew management doesn't promise them all starter-time next season, they'll request trades. My guess is that the Crew will wind up promising Cunningham he'll start, Buddle will fill in for Nat Call-ups/injuries, and Washington will leave the Crew.

Granted, the Crew tried to completely rob United when DC was trying to trade for a discovery spot. However, Dante will force the Crew's hand. In addition, United will be looking overseas for a forward. United's attitude will be: that's nice that you've got a solid forward to offer, but he wants out, and he counts pretty heavily against your cap for a 4th forward. We've got these options overseas and we're content to check things out there. At which point, the Crew will give Washington to United for a 3rd round draft pick and the rights to Thor Lee. Ya heard it here first.

Hopefully United will then jettison fat Jaime and El Diabslow. That'd leave a max salary amid slot as well as at least 150k for a 4th forward, left mid, or/and dmid.

 

Simple. Inject Hamm with a Y chromosome.

 

I definitely think Columbus is unbalenced. They NEED defenders, particularly the hardest to find--organizing central defenders--so they may need cap space to bring in an EPL veteran like the Burn did. Otherwise, they'll need to trade for one. Absent any English offers on the McBride front, Washington is the obvious choice. Cunningham is the Crew's best producer, so he's not going anywhere. West is really a right wing and fairly efficient one who can expose any lack of pace on that flank. Buddle is a maturing star that is great friends with Kyle Martino. Those guys aren't moving. Washington is a wiley veteran target forward with great speed and decent production that is expensive and unhappy. Agreed, he's the one that would want out. He's the expendable one.

Call me crazy, but I've been thinking for a while now that Alecko Eskandarian, the talented creative forward from UVa, will join MLS in the 2003 SuperDraft. If my calculations are correct, Columbus will want to re-unite Martino with his old teammate and pair him with Buddle for their US strikeforce of the future. They already have too many forwards, but I think they'll still try to add him. The logjam goes way out of whack if they do that. I'm guessing he'll be available when they select, but this is all pure extended speculation, so who knows.

-Tron