Folks, the draft to help stock up the Montreal Impact before the next MLS season will be done on November 23. http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/story/?id=378474&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed So, who does TFC leave unprotected? I can already think of one right away (Iro).
Viator, Williams, Borman, Yourassowsky, Zavarise, Bouchiba because they'd be retarded to take him, Sturgis, Griffit (if he's not in the plans), and Gold are my picks. With Kocic behind them, and Fings in front, Harden and Iro have been decent, and their distribution is much better than any one else that we have at CB. So for that reason I think TFC should hold onto them. TFC's defense was horrible in the first half of the season. I wouldn't give away the CBs in a defense that's finally working with the hopes that we get someone better.
As much as I'd love to see Harden and Iro go, they have played better lately. Now that is totally due to the coverage and stability that Frings brings to the table. However, keep in mind that we should have Cann and Decoy Williams back to provide strength in CB. Didn't see much of Williams all year, but I can't recall yelling at him ever, unlike the other two wanderers....who get a curse word or ten thrown at them every game.
Don't forget, the question wasn't about who to keep in the offseason, it was who to leave unprotected in the expansion draft, which is a much different question. We'll only be able to protect 11, so you have to leave unprotected a number of players who you can afford to lose. It doesn't mean that you will - you can only lose 1 at the most. While I see improvements in both iro and harden, and I think they could both be role players next year, I dont see them as being irreplaceable. So, tfc would be better off protecting those they cant afford to lose - plata, morgan, frings, avila, etc. And take a chance on losing one of them.
I'm pretty sure HG players are exempt from the draft. But I get what you're saying. Mabey the question at the beginning should be: which XI do we protect?
how do eckersley and plata factor into this draft process, being on loan??.... i'll list the 11 i would protect, cause the other list is too long, .... i'm not sure who is already protected by no trade clauses and GA adidas status or any other instances... so under the assuption that no one is protected by default, here is my list of "protected" players 1. Frings 2. Koevermans 3. De Guzman 4. Eckersley 5. Plata 6. Avila 7. Morgan 8. Stintson 9. Johnson 10. Kocic 11. Frei
1. Kocic 2. Eckersley 3. Johnson 4. Cann 5. Marošević 6. Frings 7. Plata 8. JDG 9. Koevermans 10. Avila 11. Soolsma HG players are exempt.
i don't have a full 11 but have made the following decisions on how i feel: 1) if we don't have to protect JDG, don't. i think he had a great year, but Montreal probably won't want to take the risk of pouncing on him as a DP...and if they do, we get an empty DP slot. look what a good job Winter did filling our other two! i wouldn't mind him having an entire winter to look for a 3rd. 2) keep Frei and Kocic. they both represent value in this league; Frei could bring us allocation through a transfer or assets through a trade and I expect Kocic to be the new #1. whatever Montreal ends up taking is worth less then both of them. hopefully this is the last time we'll have to do this for awhile!
I think Eckersley and Plata might be special cases when thinking about protection. (even tho plata was drafted). Technically, their rights are owned by another team, but I guess also technically they are loaned to the MLS, not Toronto FC in particular, so their cross league movement means nothing (can happen). Would the impact even go for a "loan" player who's future in the MLS is unsure, and the possibility of them wanting to move somewhere else is even less likely. But, is Mariner/Winter a gambling man.. (I am) 1.Koevermans 2. Johnson 3. Frei 4. Kocic 5. Avila 6. Soolsma 7. Marosovic 8. Dunfield 9. Harden 10. Williams 11. Cann ____ Frings De Guzman - Montreal won't take a DP, I mean Koevs I worry too much about, but Frings old + our captain. I realize it makes sense just to cover him up,but they would know the only reason he'd come to Canada was cause of Winter and he already struggling with english, now you give him french? He's old and with the extra spot we can cover others. JDG Im happy if they take him, cause he isn't as good these days, but is a great guy who I would love to still play in Canada. Eckersley Plata - They are loaned and might not even be back... Montreal won't use them as building blocks.. Sturgis Borman Zavarise -Would be ideal group to take 1 of. For everyone involved. These players have talent, but seem to have no place in the future at TFC. Yourassowsky Iro Griffit Viator Davies - Don't need protecting cause no one is dumb enough to take them Gold Martina Bouchiba Omphroy - The riskier group. Don't see them being taken, just don't need to protect them as their value is low.
I'd take Williams off the list, that way we don't have to take that risk. Montreal could draft Frings knowing that we need him, and demand something of value (i.e. fourth overall draft pick) to get him back. kind of like a legal hostage taking. I'd say that Williams would fall into the group of players that would be ideal for them to take. His inability to distribute means that he won't be a starter for TFC, but his solid defensive ability means he could be valuable to a team like Montreal. That said I like your analysis of the players and motives behind who Montreal would take
Fair enough, in that case id personally take off Harden. Though, i don't think any management is dumb enough to enter a league by holding a team ransom..One strength in having Winter is just in his name alone. He's well known, you don't want to mess with him, as he has a network of soccer personalities that you wouldn't want as an enemy. But if so, Williams I agree, would be ideal for them. I wouldn't want to lose him because depth is important. And I also see him as a guy that say we are playing DC. You make him stick with DeRo all game or your up by one in the 75th minute. Bring him in to bunker down. He for sure doesn't fit into a starting role, but he is MLS starter quality. Harden would have value because of intangibles. League experience, hardworking, leadership qualities. I can't decide which one I would rather stand to lose. But do we really need 2 backups that might clog up Henry's development? Dicoy is an I-slot.
I see your point about Frings, but you don't want Montreal to do to us what we did with RSL by taking Jason Kreis in the draft. RSL left him unprotected, gambling on the though that TFC wouldn't want him. It was true - we didn't - but Mo picked him knowing that he was much more valuable to RSL and then ended up trading him back for an allocation (if I remember correctly).
Well, like ArteEtLabore said, It's not unheard of for teams to select a player they don't want and then trade them back for something that allows them more freedom in building a team such as allocation or a draft pick. By picking Frings they would be almost 100% guaranteed to get what they want from us to get him back. If I was the management of the Impact I would take that over decent relations with Winter
Fair enough. In the end, can't take it personally. People will respect you for doing whats in the best interest of your club. Great example, and great points boys. Let us then agree to protect Frings and put one of harden/williams in the unprotected section.
Well Mo Johnston was back in 2006. His expansion draft strategy was not to pick players to build your team around, but rather to pick players that other teams would want. And we all know how that turned out.
I think you have to protect players with no movement clauses. Otherwise you could just give all your good players no movement clauses and protect the rest of the squad and not have to give anyone up
Why are people even contemplating JDG? We tried to re-work his deal or buy him out in the summer. The guy is making 4 times what a similar replacement would make. No way Montreal goes near that deal.
It has been released. Here's the link for everyone: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/21/mls-clubs-release-expansion-draft-protected-lists