If you were Jim Smith, what is your biggest priority? ( I know that a lot of this depends on MLS offices, etc... but lets just pretend its not under single entity) a) bringing Frankie Heyduk to Columbus b) re-signing Brian Dunseth c) re-signing Dante Washington d) trading the rights to Dante Washington I think it would be re-signing Dunseth first. He proved he could play for us last year and he is a central defender. Next would be bringing in Heyduk... can play wingback or winger positions, but seems somewhat unreliable (based on his club history of the past 3 years). Trade the rights to Dante to anyone that will throw a draftpick in 2004 our way. One thing we don't need is another forward. Washington did well for the Crew, but he is expendable now. I would not be trying to re-sign Washington.
B C D A We definitely need Dunseth back. We definitely are a better team with Washington on the roster (or trading him for a solid right wing player). The Hejduk signing is, let's put it this way, overrated.
I'm guessing this Dunseth contract thingy ain't a big deal. He's supposed to meet up with the rest of the team in Portugal after the U.S. camp is over. Nobody seems to be real worried except us fans. Of course who wouldn't mind a free trip to Portugal, contract or no.
Dunseth No. 1 I think it is necessary to sign Dusneth first so that the defense is secure. The defense is the weakest area IMO and Dunseth is vital in order for the defense to keep up with the rest of the team. I would guess that Hejduk and Washington are taken care of in the same transaction. We probably trade Dante to someone who takes Frankie to trade to us. Something convoluted like that seems par for the course for MLS!
I figured I'd be the only one to vote to sign Dante. Glad to know there's somebody else. But since he'sot listed on the roster anymore.... BTW, Pelusa still IS listed. Harkes is not, and Goff reported yesterday that DC will wait a couple weeks before signing him.
Crew forwards as of right now: Brian McBride Jeff Cunningham Dante Washington Luchi Gonzalez Michael Ritch Edson Buddle Brian West (print edition said he could play forward in an emergency, online edition skips that part, but he won't play forward. completely laughable idea.) So not counting West, since he has a super slight chance of playing forward: McBride's uncertain future Jeff possibly getting national team callups Dante Luchi Michael Edson Something's telling me Michael's not gonna be on the roster come the opener. So scratch him, and we're down to: McBride Jeff Dante Luchi Edson With McBride, you should prepare like he's going to Europe. Anything can happen. Jeff, Dante, Luchi, Edson. Trading Dante should be a low priority.
You have to wonder why Levekusen and St Gallens are so willing to give up on Frankie. Could he be an ego problem after WC. IMO, FWIW: We Need Dunseth. No need to recreate a solid year end D. We kind of need Dante as a player and to add experience and locker room leadership. Frankie is a major question mark. We can prosper without him, so he's the last priority. Is he the guy we saw in WC '02, or is has he donned space underwear and believes he's a soccer god now? We need Pelusa! We have little midfield depth without him.
Bring in Heydude. We haven't had a solid right mid in a long time. Also the crew likes to push the right back up into the attack a good deal. I can see Frankie being able to do just that for us. As far as why he isn't playing, I don't really know. Wouldn't be the first time an American had problems getting time on a Euro side and won't be the last. I would keep Washington. I think he has been one of the unsung guys on our roster for some time now. With the fact that McBride, Jeff, Edson, could all be seeing time with the Nats or in McBrides case playing over seas we could use his experience and I still think he has a bit left in the tank. Dunseth I would consider last. I don't think many other teams are going crazy to pick him up, so he can sit on the back burner for now. The true weakness on this team is the mid, imho. Especially at center mid. Counting on a second year guy to carry the team with only a rookie to back him up is a bigger risk than I would care to take.
I thought Heydude coming here was a foregone conclusion. I don't think that Dunseth is a priority because it doesn't appear that anyone is clamoring for him. So he should sign with little difficulty. I thought we had a girth of forwards until Krypto broke it down. So maybe signing Dante isn't such a bad priority. I'd much rather use him as trade bait to sure up our midfeild. But I did click on Heijduk before considering my choice.
West can play forward... but putting Cunningham and West up front together is redundant. Both are speed guys that break people down 1v1 (1v4 for Cunny). West would work up front matched with a target player like McBride, Buddle or Washington... since it seems he is still a viable option. I prefer West outside over Buddle, but I prefer Buddle up front over West.
assuming all that stuff happens, we could be looking at 4 forwards. if it doesn't happen, we could have as many as 7. in a case like this, IMO, you should prepare for the worst, but hope for the best (losing none).