Saw a rumor of this on the USsocceruk boards from none other than our own Mike Marshall. Care to chime in here? The Magpie
I went to look for Mike's post in www.ussocceruk.com, but unfortunately that website has been changed and now keeps trying to download files to my computer. Also, their "skip intro" button doesn't, and the intro just hangs there forever. It also keeps telling me that I need to "obtain the latest version of PhotoParade Player to view... " and then takes me to that website, where they try to sell you their software, which "normally sells for $122.95, but is available for a limited time for only $59.94!" So, I guess if you choose not to pay up you can't see this website anymore? Talk about "improvements." Update: Just got an email from Chris Bergin, and it seems that they are having some technical problems. So, let's be patient and hope it all works ok later, as USsoccerUK.com is a great website that I visit daily and highly recommend for MLS news. So, Mr. Marshall ...??
I have been very closely following the rumor mill and the many rumors about trades, Cap problems et al. It seems that there are a bunch of player moves between a bunch of different teams on hot standby but it's all waiting for the DCU-Mutt swap and that's being held up waiting for Marco E. to sign his contract. He knows he's holding things up and he's playing a game with the league hoping to get a better contract. Who knows how that will all work out and when. A heck of a lot of movement is on hold and must be settled by 1/3/03. I did see Mikes post reporting the rumor about Rooney. Seems Rooney has told some of his peers that he will be traded to DCU as soon as the DCU-Mutt trade is completed. No word as to ACU going along as a baggage handler There is also a rumor that John H, "Captain for Life" has been released by Columbus and may be heading to DCU as well. There is also a strong runor that Histo will be heading to DCU. Hudson has a thing for older, name players players. Well Santa, in their stocking I want DCU to get Histo, Harkes, Petke. APC and Rooney. And please Santa, let DCU send the Revs the 5th over all pick they get in the Mutt trade in return for our two players. And Santa, please send Mike Burns to LA to play alongside El Buffalo.
It looks a lot like it's gonna happen. Maybe not immediatelly after the Metros-DCU deal, but I'd say almost certainly before the draft. I don't think we're looking at getting the 5th pick in the draft in return, though. The Revs will be thrilled if they get Rooney off of their cap.
I'll be shocked if there is any deal for Rooney. 1. DCU won't have the cap room to use any of the allocations the team is trading for. Assume that Stoichkov is just a coach (so doesn't count on the cap unless he comes out of retirement to play). Kovalenko, Petke and 2 allocations--no more cap room! 2. There have been no, zip, zilch rumors coming out of DC or Steve Goff about this. Other than DC offering Moreno to NE (and every team in the league), there is no indication of any talks or any interest with NE. That doesn't prove anything--except that Steve Goff (the Washington Post's report) is pretty wired in. And DCU has been pretty open about trade talks and plans (including mentioning players that Hudson was considering to bring in: Like Cesare LaPaglia and Emil Martinez, and Cezy Kucharski--from overseas leagues.) 3. Hudson specifically referred to Rooney last year in an interview after a team practice about how Rooney (and APC) looked good with the Fusion b/c of who they were around (this was a discussion about the value of Ian Bishop) and now missing that core player, you could see how they (APC and Rooney) looked. Hudson specifically admitted that Rooney wasn't impressive with NE (and had been with Miami) b/c he had Bishop next to him to do the things Rooney doesn't do well. 4. One of the rumors running around is that the alleged deal with Chicago for Kovalenko, is to shift Kovalenko to holding mid. At which point, Rooney becomes nothing more than a reserve. 5. If the deal with the SoS doesn't go through, DCU doesn't have the cap room to take anyone else's cap dumps--unless it fills a key spot (like: target forward, or holding mid--neither of which APC and Rooney realistically fill). So given all that, why would DCU trade for Rooney? Just b/c he was in Miami at one point with Hudson? So was Llamosa for that matter. And so were Preki and Henderson (yet there are no rumors about them coming to DC).
I believe Rooney is in the process of reworking his deal so that United can afford him. He's absolutely a complimentary player. But don't forget that when he played next to Bishop, he was an MVP candidate. It's not hard to believe that Hudson would want him back - especially at a tremendously reduced cap number. Maybe Hudson thinks Kovalenko can play the same role that Bishop did in Miami? If the DCU-Mutts deal doesn't go down, Rooney stays in New England. I'm guessing that Llamosa, Preki and Chris Henderson aren't on the trade block. And even if they were, I'm also guessing that none of them are willing to take a major pay cut in order to facilitate a deal to DCU.
Do you think we'll get anything in return (i.e. a decent player or a pick better than the 4th round), or is the only benefit to clear cap room?
I was only joking when I suggested that we would get a first round pick for sending APC and Rooney to DCU. I'm thinking we would be glad to just unload them for signed copy of Capt John's book
How many of you had any warning about the Mapp and picks for Kovalenko and Stoichkov deal before Goff wrote that it was imminent? I guess my point is that Kasper doesn't necessarily run everything past Goff, and that you may be (should expect to be) surprised once in a while.
Bergin's site was bugging me so I just started typing www.ussocceruk.com/index.php into my browser rather than the frontpage. That should get you around the intro.
well in retrospect, this cap room, and that made by dropping chacon could open it up for a high profiled player to fill the spot, most likely a forward, but i wont name any names.
Yeah, Gerd Muller is going to play for us. But that's only because Ferenc Puskas turned us down for a better offer to play in the Middle-East as Diallo's partner. Cheers, "Red"
Jon, actually there were rumors about Chicago and United for some time. A number of names have been bounced around. Including Kovalenko, Stoichkov, Marsch, Razov, Wolff. So the article by Goff isn't the first time a potential deal between these two clubs and involving Kovalenko has been put out there (and I don't mean by BS posters). Mike Marshall, Hudson will always be willing to look at just about anyone as a way to improve the club. But to argue that Rooney is reworking is contract so this is do-able is off-base. Rooney would need to making either the MLS minimum or within $10k-$15k of it. He plays a role (purely defensive mid) that isn't a really good fit for United at present. In fact, part of the reason Hudson is so dis-enchanged with Richie Williams is his lack of technical ability. He praises his: practice habits, work, discipline, leadership, hustle, tackling and experience. But Hudson has concluded that those elements are not the primary things he's looking for with his holding mid. So Richie's gone. And Rooney then isn't a very attractive candidate. Again, if Rooney had never been part of the Fusion (if you'd acquired him from the Mutiny), none of these rumors would be occuring. They don't make positional/system sense (given the roles United is looking to fill). They don't make cap sense for United (again, unless Rooney is willing to make the minimum or close to it). They don't fit the priorities that Hudson has identified. Oh, and Hudson's comments during the season seem to be the capper on this.
United Technical Director (Dave Kasper) just indicated in the W.Post that United is done dealing until after the waiver draft in early January. So any rumors of an imminent deal of anyone to United seem off-base. And again, United has expressed no interest in acquiring Rooney.
I don't get it. 1. DCU has been pretty up front about what players have been shopped, who DCU is interested in, what teams have been talked to (both for trades that happened--such as the Chicago and SoS deals) and the ones that didn't happen (like the Jaime Moreno to anyone in the league that wants him talks). DCU has also been very open about where Hudson has gone to scout and what players he's been talking to (for instance: Cezary Kucharski of the Polish National Team, Alonso Osario of Argentina playing in Serie-B, Emil Martinez and Tyson Nunez from Honduras, plus guys who were scouted and said "no" or didn't work out--like LaPaglia in Argentina, Numan, DoBoer and Dodds with Rangers). 2. Steve Goff (the writer for the W.Post) traditionally scoops the USSF in their roster announcements and is regarded as one of the best soccer writers in the country. The man is wired in, has great sources (Arena, Sarachan and Bradley are probably 3 of them) and gets it right. He has also scoped out a lot of stuff that wasn't necessarily public knowledge. 3. There have been no hints of deals with NE of any sort by anyone in DC. 4. It (Rooney to DC) doesn't make sense positionally or cap-wise. 5. Hudson indicated with his actions and words last year that he wasn't interested in acquiring Rooney and indicated his fine season in 2001 was a function of being next to Bishop. 6. But despite all this, Kasper is supposed to be trying to deal for Rooney? If Rooney ends up with DCU, several things will have to happen. 1. United will first acquire a decent finisher (probably with an allocation, though maybe Razov). 2. United will acquire a strong holding midfielder. 3. United will seek to add some cap-exempt players (P-40's etc.) to fill out the roster and add depth. Only then, if there is roster space, cap space (meaning he's making MLS minimum or close to it) would DCU be interested in looking at Rooney.
Rooney to DCU? Why? This rumor makes no sense, for either team. I doubt we'll see any Revs personnel movement before the draft, unless we trade for a pick. Frankly, I'm among those who believe we'll start the season with minimal changes: a back-up 'keeper being the one sure thing, possibly moving one of our defenders for a midfielder. I'm ready to take a stab at the opening day line-up: Adin Rusty Kante Llamosa Joe Heaps Ralston Kamler Hernandez TT Serna
Hey JoeW don't be so serious. I was joking with you about Dave Kasper although if you follow Chris Bergin on the USSOCCERUK site he has opined that Dave may be holding his cards closer to the chest at this point because the variables in play are greater. I frankly have no way of knowing if anyone is interested in Rooney at this point. There are a lot of good MLS players that may be looking for jobs because of 2003 Team Cap problems and foot soldiers like Rooney may just be SOL. I'd be pleased to see him find a playing spot for 2003 either in DC or NE. Unfortunately, the 18 man roster and the expanded schedule dictate that our Management Team get us the strongest group of players possable. Will that include Rooney? We'll see.
I will drive!! If we can get anyone to take Rooney, I will personally drive him there. Even if I have to listen to his trite comments. I will miss reading them in the paper, but I will do the best I can. I don't care if we just get a subscription to a soccer magazine for that tomato can!!! We need to clear that mistake off our books and find someone who can play. Our team isn't as good as it looked at the end of the season and needs some tweaking. If anyone disagrees, please look at the product on the Foxboro field right now!!! Luckily the team doesn't need the major overhauls of years past. We need players to control the ball and get the ball to the forwards in areas they can score.