It would make sense if you could find someone who would take him. I'm just not so sure you could. The market for old guys making the league max who have been injured more than they're healthy for the last 2+ years can't exactly be huge.
Well, the report said a West Coast team and a USMNT defender. Let's look at the list of possibilities: --LA: Califf (won't happen--they couldn't afford JMM). --SJ: Agoos (that's a possibility--he used to make near the max, they have central defenders, their attack has been weak so far this year, they can't decide whether to play Donovan at A-mid or withdrawn forward). --Colorado: Mastroeni (I think he's at the max, he's being used in central defense, could play outside or D-mid as well) and Colorado always seems to make strange personnel decisions. --Dallas: Gibbs makes MLS max I believe. Hard to believe they'd give up on him so quickly though. --KC: Garcia isn't close to MLS max but I thought KC had some cap room. Besides, with injuries to first Preki and then Sumentkov you have to figure they'd like someone with offensive skill in the middle of the field (either A-mid or withdrawn forward) to augment what they've got. I would bet that the talks are with KC or SJ. Both teams could make room for JMM and he'd be a key addition for either team. Plus, both sides have coaches who would have some connection to JMM and/or not be afraid of adding an older player.
JoeW is relentlessly logical, as usual, but none of these deals make particular sense. I can't picture Gibbs, Mastroeni, or Califf going for anything less than Twellman. Agoos is Mr. Earthquake, and they play much better with him than without him. It's only a matter of time before their offense starts to click again. KC seems possible for the reasons JoeW mentioned, but I can't imagine KC giving up Garcia for JMM straight up. Garcia will be a starting MLS defender for the next five plus years. Also, KC would then need another defender, which we can't afford to bundle with JMM.
I'd take Goose for JMM. Two serviceable old guys at high salaries. I think Goose is more mobile than Carlos was. Not sure what's in it for SJ. Pull the trigger.
JMM would be a tough guy to trade, at this point he's a big name, and you have to wonder if he can help on the field. With the absence of Preki, anyone think KC might be an interested party?
First, you have to assume that Bergin is accurate. Given that assumption, who is there out West who'd want to make a deal? I think you can disqualify LA. They can't take a max salary player without giving one up. That would mean: Hwang, Kirovski or Herzog. None of those make sense I think. Dallas? Again, while I think they would benefit from JMM, if it's a central defender, I can't see them moving Gibbs or Jolley (both of whom they just acquired). And if they gave up Jolley they'd have to then cut another player making good coin to be cap compliant. So that leaves us with Colorado, SJ and KC. I've given up trying to figure out what Hankinson will do and why he does it. He's just a total wild card in my book. SJ makes more sense than you think Jon. I agree parting with Agoos would be very tough. But Robinson continues to grow, Dayak will come back, they've got some outside backs that could play inside. Agoos just took a paycut this year. Kinnear played with JMM on the USMNT and knows him well. And, the SJ offense has looked less than impressive throughout the entire preseason plus the SLA cup matches and the start of MLS. It's not panic time but by dealing for Chris Brown, Kinnear may be starting to put his own imprint on the team rather than just keep the Yallop machine functioning. As for KC, JMM makes a lot of sense for them. The problem is: I don't think they can make the deal. They have some cap room I believe but not enough for a straight up JMM-(any of their defenders) swap. So that means they'd need to cut someone else. Garcia, while a good player, makes as much sense as anyone else. The only reason I see NE getting excited over Zavagan was if Nicol decided to move Josephs to central defense. You need a central defender, not a D-mid. Now again, the rumor is that the initial talks were for a USMNT defender/mid but have now shifted to another player with that team.
By virtue of the #9 pick for allocation draft-day deal, Revs have some cash to throw in the pot if they chose. As for what "other player" they might be looking at, I would have to imagine that he was still a central defender of some standing, so maybe the Jolley idea isn't so far-fetched. Dallas is stocked with defenders, particularly if they think Goodson is ready. I personally would welcome Jolley. He's reasonably talented, young, and a team player through and through. Plus, Moore for Jolley might come with a pick, and would sock away more cash for our midseason shopping spree.
I think JoeW missed the most likely scenario. JMM for Ryan Suarez. Sure, there is a HUGE salary discrepency between the two, but I would expect ANY team trading for JMM would ask NE to carry some of his salary on thier books. This was how Josh Wolff was traded. When players making JMM money are offered, you're going to have a real tough time finding takers for him UNLESS you eat some of his salary cap numbers. Graziani to SJ a few years back comes to mind. I think Sigi is the one coach in MLS that would want to take JMM. He coached him at UCLA and I bet he thinks he can get the most out of him. What I don't understand is why they would even bother. Is Suarez an attitude problem? There was plenty of preseason rumors about him being cut or traded. He even told some Galaxy fans that he was being sent to Colorado for a draft pick. Perhaps Sigi is tired of him and thinks that Ruiz and Kirovski will have some national team duties over the summer (hence JMM could fill in). Wouldn't it be ironic if the "other player" mentioned is Cobi Jones?
I would make that deal if offered. Agoos is every bit as good as Llamosa and we won't know what we're losing with Joe Max because he hasn't done anything here since he came back. Noonan's probably a better fit up front anyway.
I would be disappointed if we got Suarez. I don't think he's that good. I think Kante is better. All we need is another card-prone back with man-marking issues.
Atta boy Mike! Some great quotes. Weird, someone reporting better sourced information that conflicts with a Bergin article... when's the last time that happend? Less than inspiring talk from Nicol, great quote from Kante. 'Don't think it's an individual thing?' What's that Bud Light commercial with the guy who plays the sterotypical selfish athlete type? What's that guy's name? Kante? "Well if they'd just picked up the ball one of the four times I fumbled... I can't do everything by myself."
Look for a Jolley and Gbandi trade for JMM. Dallas' biggest concern this year is consistent goal scoring and the team strength oddly enough is in the defense. Gbandi makes 62K and has a big upside but unfortunately he appears to always be injured. A change in scenery might do him good. The Burn seems to really like David Wagenfuhr and Behncke can back him up. Jolley is a solid defender who was an All-star in 2002 and makes 120-40K but the Burn badly want to get Goodson some time on the field. Clark spoke of him as a started when drafting him but the Gibbs allocatoion came out of no where a couple of weeks after the draft. With Jolley's 120-40K plus Gbandi's 62K plus the 30-40K Dallas is under the cap this deal could work. Jolley is also in the last year of his contract and will probably be asked to take a cut next year freeing up cap for the Rev's in the future. On a side note Goodson was THE defender Nicols wanted from the draft at #8 but he was gone a #7. If the above stuff doesn't happen don't be surprised to see some sort of deal where Goodson ends up in NE as their CB of the future. Dallas is very deep at CB and they might consider parting with him. Obviously Nicols is looking for immediate help so he would have to be part of a deal. Based of Nicols comments about moves i really allows for great speculation on these boards.
Interesting....so JMM is to stay. Also interesting is Kante's vs Nicol's read on the problem. For the record I think Kante is right on. The system of defense, as much as the individual players, is to blame. Not that Kante should stay, but I can't think of a defender in the world who might have prevented the second goal more than 50% of the time in his place. The Revs gave up possession with Franchino caught way forward. Nicol has the central defender pressure the ball 60 yds from goal and along the side line. Donovan beats anyone at least 1/2 the time in that situation. Pierce and Heaps are left to stop three players with pace and space....it ain't going to happen. Ask where was Ralston or Dempsey on that play? If Franchino is going to commit forward, a midfielder needs to cover back BEFORE the ball is lost. Even worse, if a central defender is forced to challenge far from goal, the midfielders should recognize the danger and recover at full speed. With the Revs it never happens and a single new defender, no matter how good, is not going to solve their problem.
I think its gunna be Goose. He has a lot of skill, he can take a more-than-decent free kick, he's about 6'0. But who would sit for him? Kante or Pierce?
I don't think there's any chance that SJ would let Goose go. They have their own defensive problems with two defenders out (one for 6 weeks and the other for the year) and they are trying to win back to back titles. They stood pat in the off season other than the draft. Why would they want or need attacking help, they have been the best attacking team for three years, just ask LA and Chicago in the playoffs. The best bet is Dallas' Jolley or Talley and possibly LA's Bo or Suarez if the report is correct that the player would come from the Western Conference and have NT experience (Bo w/Korea).
No. The last thing we want is another overpaid, oft-injured forward who misses more games by getting called up by Arena whenever he steps out of the infirmary. (See previous post.) Preki will be back this season, we'll just have to bide our time until then and hope that Diego Walsh turns into the answer to what we're going to do when Preki retires (and Joe-Max isn't that answer, either).
exactly. add a not sharp Adin Brown - 3 goals. daoda aint the greatest, but upgrading him wouldn't have made that a 1-0 game.