http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/6957110.htm Good call if you ask me. Klein has had a very unproductive year compared to the last two, yet he still seems to produce more than any other midfielder. If we could get a left midfielder we'd be golden. Do we have our own curse? The curse of Hendo?
The only thing this really does is secure MLSHQ a transfer fee should his game pick up to the point where some interest overseas occurs. Next years club play and Nat 1st round qualifier performances could change his options. I would love to see that but personally I don't think it will. I believe he will always be a starting, semi-feature club player in MLS. He just doesn't have the killer instinct and skills to "maintain" at the next level. I wish he did and I'm gratefull that he's on our team but he benefits a ton with Preki preferring to do his magic from his usual right side.
Actually I think it kind of hampers him. Preki always tends to float left so he can do his cut back move, everybody and their mother knows that so the defenders tend to float left with him. Arrowhead's feild isn't that wide so those defenders marking Preki have alot easier job of switching to Klein as well. I think that has been part of the recent sucsess. Kleins statistics this year. (2003) 2242 mins 6 goals 3 assists 30 Shots 15 shots on goal 12 offsides 1 yellow card 2002 stats 2171 minutes 7 goals 10 assists 34 shots 17 shots on goal 12 offsides 0 cards 2001 stats 2039 minutes 3 goals 6 assists 25 shots 11 shots on goal 8 offsides 2 yellowcards 2000 stats 2025 mins 6 goals 8 assists 31 shots 14 shots on goal 10 offsides 1 yellow card 1999 stats 2198 mins 6 goals 5 assists 39 shots 16 shots on goal 4 offsides 0 cards 1998 stats 782 mins 0 goals, and assists 15 shots 7 shots on goal 2 offsides 0 cards This may be the cleanest feild player in MLS.
Good job Wizards and MLS. Kleiny has always been my favorite Wizard and it's great to see him hopefully going to be around in KC for the majority of his career. As far as being "one of the cleanest mids," it definately appears that way, but that isn't always a good thing. we definately don't want another McKeon, but you need to have some edge to you, and CK really doesn't. Like you said, he lacks the killer instinct.