UM just did mid-season grades. Each week our "analysis" generally consists of "we suck again", wash-rinse-repeat. Let's try a who would you keep from this roster for service in 2014? My quick take: Goal: Hamid, Willis Defense: Rochat, Woolard, Shanosky, White, Korb (maybe) Midfield: DeLeon, Kitchen, Pontius, Porter, Thorrington Forward: Townsend? If you don't bring back Korb, you have enough players for a 4-5-1 and no bench. Speaks volumes about the "quality" on this year's team.
I would dump Woolard, Korb, Porter, and Townsend from your list; and I'd wish I could lower the salary bar on Shanosky. So yeah, I wouldn't keep enough to field an eleven.
I viewed Porter as depth -- filling Nyassi's slot. Woolard provides depth at LB and CB. Less sold on Korb - I thought the UM guys nailed it well on him. Townsend was a "meh". Speaks volumes when you're not sure you want to bring back any of the 2013 forwards.
I don't dispute that there are better options for any of the guys any of you suggest dropping, but I don't think you can clean house that thoroughly in one season. I'd keep Woolard, Porter, and maybe even Korb and Townsend just for some depth and squad continuity. I'm also not so sure about letting Jackovic go, but that's just me.
I don't dispute that there are better options for any of the guys any of you suggest dropping, but I don't think you can clean house that thoroughly in one season. I'd keep Woolard, Porter, and maybe even Korb and Townsend just for some depth and squad continuity. I'm also not so sure about letting Jackovic go, but that's just me.
I'd have to have 2 lists for 2014. One would be a retain list for the scenario when DCU's personnel responsible for scouting & signing replacements is the same or has the same capabilities as those we have now.
I'd keep Korb, Woolard and Porter as depth. They're not world-beaters, but they're certainly serviceable and have showed progress on a team where there's been little of that. Forwards? I'd move Pontius there to stay, and keep Townsend, again, for depth. The rest would be run out of town forcibly.
If you could be King of the Forest and re-negotiate contracts, the list would change. I would bring back Jakovic, but not at a quarter million a year. Probably give DeRo a run-out at about 140K. Problem is that both have contracts and I'm sure they would rather be waived and re-negotiate a deal somewhere else than take a cut and stay here.
i'd consider just getting rid of everybody who's contract is over. There's really not many guys worth putting in a fight to keep. Not to mention no need to worry about hamid, i feel he is going to be sold soon enough anyway
I would definitely keep Woolard. And I would keep Townsend until we are awash in scoring threats. He plays a smart game, as opposed to some others.
I keep Townsend because to me his lack of goals is more tied to lack of service IMHO. He makes the right runs but does not get the ball passed to him.
I would keep: Woolard, Kitchen, Jakovic, Hamid, Willis, White, Rochat and Pontius (if he can't be traded) That's it. I would trade DeLeon, release or trade DeRo, consider trading Pontius, and 100% release McDonald.
If I were to keep anyone, it would be for the bench (except Hamid) so from the current squad I would keep; Pontius, Kitchen, Hamid, Townsend, Willis, Shanosky, DeLeon
I'd keep Willis, Korb, Jakovic, White, Shanosky, Kitchen, Porter, Pontius, De Leon, Kemp and Hamid. Just barely enough to field 11 players if you're willing to play a goalie in the field
Interesting question. Of course contract status would tie your hands, but assuming I had free reign, I would keep everyone 25 or younger, except Nyassi and Alam. The only players over 25 I'd keep are Pontius, Rochat, Jakovic, and Korb, who will be 26 next year, I'd give a one year deal. That alone gives you Hamid, Korb, Jakovic, Shanosky, Kemp, DeLeon, Kitchen, Rochat, Porter, Pontius, and Townsend. With Willis, White, Seaton, and the number 1 draft pick off the bench. That might be a better lineup than we have this year already. That said, I'd still need to bring in a solid forward, a crafty midfielder to push Rochat back to left back, a commanding central defender to push Jakovic, and a right back to push Korb to the bench. I'd also get a coach who knows how to develop young players. One who teaches them the tools and puts them in places to succeed rather than just putting them in places hoping they won't fail. One final note is that this team is not complete trash. Some skells for sure, but in my opinion they would not be as bad as their record shows if they had been managed better. So, a complete overhaul isn't really needed. We need the same thing we've needed since Emilio, Gomez, and Nelsen left.
I'm not going to look at the roster, so I'll forget someone. Worth keeping: Hamid, Willis, Dykstra, Jakovic (barely at his current price tag), White, Shanosky, Rochat, Woolard (reasonable depth), Korb (if he steps it up a bit), DeLeon, Kitchen, Porter (depth), Neal (if he comes back at all), Thorrington (if he comes back, as depth), Pontius, Dero (? prob not at his current price tag), Townsend (depth), Kemp, Seaton Trade: Hamid, with sell-on fee, and Bmac, if anyone will bite. Cut: Nyassi, Pajoy, Riley, Saragosa, possibly Korb, Woolard, Neal, Ruiz By my count, I have 6 players who I consider starters, Willis/Hamid (GK), Jakovic (CB), Rochat (LB), Deleon (RM), Kitchen (CM), and Pontius (F) Must get: CM partner for Kitchen, a two-way is best, F partner for Pontius, CB partner for Jakovic et al If you got 3 quality players for the spine, I would call that a good offseason and live with the Korb's, Porters, and Kemp's of the world until the summer window.
Under no circumstance would I bring back Alam, Porter, Riley, Nyassi or Pajoy. Those are the guys not worth the roster space even if they would play for free. Ruiz, Neal, Saragosa, Townsend, DeLeon, and Korb need to show improvements soon (of health and/or play), but I could imagine keeping them on the cheap as depth. Jakovic, MacDonald, and DeRo need to play much better and take pay cuts. Woolard, Kitchen, Rochat, Thorrington, and Pontius are all guys that I probably would keep at their current wage, but a dip in form (from the first two) or health (from the latter three) could change that. All the rest of the team is young/cheap enough to bring back unless they show really poorly the next two months.
F: Pontius, Townsend, Seaton M: DeLeon, Thorrington, Kitchen, Rochat D: Kemp, White, Shanosky, Woolard G: Willis, Dykstra I'm trading Hamid, he has to be worth something. I like Willis and Dykstra enough to do that. Even at less than 80k, I don't need to see anymore of Korb, Porter, Nyassi. They might pull it together, but I'm fine if it's somewhere else, I'm tired of pulling my hair out over these clowns. I still like Jakovic, but not at that price. I still think something can be had for him in trade. DeRo's day is passed. McDonald, Riley, Ruiz, Neal, Pajoy - they'll never be a part of a positive rebuild here. Get somebody good in charge (not necessarily, but not opposed to, the coach), blow it up and build a team we can love again.
Through the end of the season I'd put a young lineup out there, except for right back. Let's see what we have in real games not practice. Are they gamers? Are the hungry? Will they win games? Townsend, Pontius DeLeon, Kitchen, Jeffrey, Porter Kemp, White, Shanosky, Rochat/Woolard Willis or Hamid
GK: Hamid, Willis, (and Dykstra? I have no info/opinion) D: Jakovic, Woolard, Korb, White, Rochat, Shanosky (and Kemp?) M: Kitchen, DeLeon, Porter, Pontius, maybe Thorrington (and Jeffrey?) F: maybe Townsend and maybe DeRo (and Seaton?) That list is not based at all on salary cap & salaries, which I have no idea about. If I don't take the maybes, I get 12 players - 10 in the field - with only Pontius as a possible forward!