I know, but it is not very active or very good. Zambrano brought in players that were good (for that time). True, making 12 Euros on the roster and zero S. Americans. Point being, the league is trending to S. Americans for either: 1) High quality DPs or 2) Young quality players that can be developed and sold SKC are not really practicing in this model. Rather they are focused on Europe where they have to compete against the biggest leagues in the world for players.
Did Zambrano though? Zambrano was hired in December 2009. He was key for Diop (though he is African not South American). Of the South Americans brought in while he was here it's just Julio Cesar and Jeferson. I know we brought in Medranda on loan from a club he coached after he left so maybe that's more what you're referring to? Am I missing something/someone (honest question, not trying to start anything)?
No worries about "starting anything". For Zambrano, I was thinking of Medranda specifically. He was only with the WIz for a few years but Medranda and Cesar are solid acquisitions for the time. Anyway, the league is very different now compared to 10 years ago. Many of the DPs and the majority of the new young skilled players are S. American. Look at the country of origin for players on teams like Seattle, Portland, LAFC, Austin FC, Atlanta, etc. The foreign players are almost all from S. America. Its a huge contrast to the SKC roster, where there is not a single S. American. Heck, look at the All Star roster for a representation of MLS as it is currently. I'm not saying that if SKC signed a few S. Americans, all would be right with the world. I am saying that it is an obvious (and gigantic) hole in their approach to player acquisition.
I mean it's possible, but Rubio A) came from Europe, was with Valladolid when KC got him on loan and had only ever played a handful of games in South America and B) was brought in 4 years after Zambrano's departure from KC.
Matt Miazga to FC Cincinnati is the rumor this morning. Anybody know a team that could use a young, national team caliber CB?
Miazga isn't "young" any more though. He's 27 now. The Chelsea move was honestly a disaster for him. At least EPB got out of the loan army at City a little quicker.
We wouldn't have been near the top, it's based on the prior season's finish. Next season we'll be pretty high.
How do you play Benteke and Ola Kamara? If you can, and work Taxi into with them, that's pretty potent.
During the glory days of MLS, SKC used to have players selected into the All Star game. Appropriately, none got selected this year. I can’t remember the last time one was selected but I think Zusi in 2019 was the last one. I think it shows how the quality of the roster has deteriorated over the last few years.
What's sad about this is, it's hard to argue anyone made a mistake in not calling in an SKC player. If you had to pull in someone, who would you call for this season? I can't make an argument for anyone.
You could make a case for Johnny but the competition at forward is pretty intense. His form isn't really quite though to push him into that camp, though the fact he's never gotten an ASG is kinda silly.
2010 shortly after KC beat Manchester United. Remember KC's shirt had a dig at the fact he wasn't selected. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_MLS_All-Star_Game
But nearly every time we did send someone, we would lament, moan, and wring hands over a possible injury to our best [fill in position] player in a meaningless exhibition. And it mattered because we were still Sporting-first-half-of-the-season-Fit and competitive in the conference. This season, we'd welcome the call-in. Ahh, the irony.
I so get this. I resent national team callups, but feel kind of slighted when SKC players don't get them.
Hard to win anything if you don't have at least a few players that are at the top of the league at their respective position.