Well guys, the transfer window is here and we have the money to bring in a forward and/or a midfield, due to the O'Brien situation. I came across a post by VS quoting an article that two extremely talented America players have contracts that will expire at the end of this season in Mexico: Oviedo and Patino. Oviedo is probably out of our reach, but he's a big-time number 10 from Columbia who can absolutely dominate games. I'm almost 100% sure he would be a cap buster. However, now that we have a real owner, maybe something creative could be worked out. I think a more interesting proposition is Patino. He's really talented, young and hungry with experience in the back, midfield and forward positions. I don't know if anyone else has seen him, but he lit up the Mexican league last season playing as a withdrawn or outright forward. He's cooled off this season, but he might just need new pastures. He's an active player who moves around and doesn't expect others to play for him; he also doesn't seem to have a big head and he's not anywhere near superstar status so he might not be overpriced. He's exactly what the Burn are looking for: a very talented and young forward who can also play in the midfield and is very versatile. Has anyone else seen him play? Would you be interested. Am I being unrealistic? Are there other players out there?
Certainly the both sound interesting. Usually Mexican players are too expensive due to all the money is Mexican league. Jeffries has so far been looking for a Forward. What he has told me is that a wide midfielder to replace Ronnie will be a good value guy. Say 50K or less. Ronnie's repalc ement would most likely have to be a American of Trans Int. Most of the cap room they have (250K total ish) will go for a forward. He will also most likely use the SI slot. FYI That is what happened with Bruno Franca. They wanted to sign him as a trans Int, but his agents were demanding Senior Int money. Patino does sound interesting to me.
I've never understood the Mexican transfer system. I know the old European system allowed the club to own the player, even after the contract expired, and that has changed. However, I don't think the same can be said for the Mexican league. Does anyone know if players are free at the end of contracts or are they still owned by the club? This would be the clincher as far as getting shafted. With VS's post that Oviedo and Patino both have contracts that have ended, one would hope there would be no transfer fee involved; but I don't know. If there is no transfer, I don't think Patino would be out of the Burn's range because, as I said before, he is not a star in the league. Oviedo is another story. Not to beat on the bush 3rd, but is Jeffries still casting a wide net or is he starting to narrow his focus on European options? And in addition, do you get the sense that he's looking hard for someone, or sitting back and being patient? I see two possibilities at work: (1) he's sitting back and waiting for something, a la Grazianni, to turn up for the playoffs, or (2) he's been waiting for the European transfer period to begin and is actively trying to recruit someone now.
My hunch is that the same cost-cutting that resulted in our move to Southlake will result in no significant player signings this year. I hope I'm wrong.
Jeffries looked hard at South Americans in the Burn price rage, which is one full max player, while in Chile. He took a look at a couple europeans after the Burn got back. Since then he has watched tape of more South Americans, and waited for the Euro window to open. I am told there are trialists in camp this week. Nice week to be out of town, yes? I am trying to get a list of names. So the answer is, he has been patient, looking for just the right player. Now that the Euro window is open I think they will be more aggresive and you will see something develop in the next two weeks to a month (Visas, contracts etc.)
Bosman was an EU ruling, but this is a very interesting point that I've never even thought about. Anyone with any idea on this (Pete? Parrish? Dustin? Kev?) should speak up.... My other comment is the missing third possibility at work: we can't get anyone worth their salt to come play on our Rigid Panda Abortion, so no matter what Andy and Mike do we're screwed. I say, play hard, defend the colors, and miss the playoffs... MAKE the league hand us an allocation. I'd love to see totals for all allocations by type and reason for all teams in MLS history. There's no question we'd be at the bottom of the list, and I'd actually prefer to play all the kids and stick it out through 2 years of sucklack and go in to Frisco with TWO, yes TWO you-suck allocations for 2005. -bs
Oviedo would be a coup, a major coup and it would be badass if the Burn could swing getting him. One thing that could perhaps work to their advantage is that he seems to be on the downside of his career, that is to say that his productivity has slackened in recent years. However, he is only 29. Other have said it's more than doubtful, and I'd have to agree, but I'd love to see him patrolling the midfield with Pareja. Patino intrigues me as well and he would be a great fit. He's *very* versatile; he had to be to get on the field with America's recent stable of talented forwards (Zamorano, Blanco, Mendoza, Lipatin, and for a little while Hernandez) and he has the ability to score with his head. A partnership between him and Kreis could be lethal. ricv56
There are some trialists coming in this week. I am hoping to see them Thursday. MLS Confidential mentioned Nkosinathi Nhleko, a South African international who has been playing for SK Brann in Norway and said he will be coming on trial and is avaliable on loan. When I asked Jeffries about him he called the report "premature."
I would hope so. What was his strike rate, two goals in eleven games? The Burn need something more than that. The pitch is an issue, as is the money in the MLS. I think the best bet for a player is someoen from Latin America, used to playing on a pitch that makes Southlake's plastic seem like Xanadu. He might have been promised a lot of money, but usually gets only what the team can scrape together. That would be the kind of player who would make a long term commitment to the Burn and MLS. By the way, Larsson has said he will resign with the Bhoys, so the Burn will not get him.
I'm sure I'm not the first to notice, since they posted it on MLS: Mario Rodriguez is coming for trial with the Dallas Burn. He's Guatemalan and plays for Communicaciones. Another positive fact: he's only 21 years old. According to the story, he's champing at the bit to get here and prove himself. The team plans on taking him to New York as well when they go to play the Metrostars. Jeffries is the person who scouted him and requested that he train with the Burn. He will train for 7 days with the Burn. I know nothing about the player, but what I've read sounds good: he's coming from a quality team, he's young, he's hungry, he wants to succeed and he's coming from the same league as Ruiz. Now, I don't want to compare him to Ruiz as I haven't even seen him play, but if Ruiz was any indication of how seriously players from Central America take this league and their drive to succeed, then I'm pretty excited. Anyone know anything else about this story? Here's the link, although, like I said, it's also in the MLS website: http://www.prensalibre.com/pls/prensa/detnoticia.jsp?p_cnoticia=56413&p_fedicion=21-05-03
interesting find robvii, I'm still trying to get the prensalibra site to come up and I don't see it on mlsnet.com. Where is it exactly on mlsnet.com?
Ok the article from the Guatemalan paper just came up. Lots of interesting stuff. First of all, his nickname is "el Loco." I like it. Next it goes on to say that his club had denied permission for him to come in on trial. ???? El Loco goes on to say that he was told Tuesday that Dallas was sending tickets to bring him in on trial. Chris Ward of the Burn then says that we expect El Loco here today. According to the player, "it is almost sure that they are going to sign me" Apparently he is a forward. Sorry EJ.
EJ is new blood. Davis is new blood. Gbandi is new blood. Countess is new blood. Could we find another Kyle Martino?.. Get Quaranta?.. build a team that actually 'suits' EJ's style? EJ is better off going overseas if we keep this "Sorry EJ" attitude. The team that gets him and grows with him, will have more benefit when he is 24, than we will now - from bringing in foreign players. Even Oscar took a couple of years to 'fit in', and he plays regularly... AND he's much older than EJ. I'm hoping the Burn organization is more patient than some of the BS regulars.
Don't get me wrong. The "sorry EJ" was sincere, not mocking. I'm with you when you say that we need alter our tactics to take advantage of our players. I would love to see this team try to take advantage of EJ's speed with more through balls and direct play instead of having our forwards track back all the way to our own box. I think coaching is more to blame here, and I feel quite confident that this kid would be banging them in by the boatload with Bob Bradley or Sigi Schmid. It's getting to the point where maybe we should trade him if we can't use him any better. Perhaps we could pick up a midfielder who isn't a midget.
This may not really hurt EJ. Off an admittedly very few games he seems best at coming on in the 2nd half and giving us a boost. So Kreis and Rodriguez could go the 1st 60 and then bring Eddie on at the end. Or Jeffries could get krazy and go with three up top. With Oscar back to control the middle Dallas could run a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3
Oddly enough, the back-feeding of Cerritos and the shot-threat of an a-mid Davis serves Eddie. Davis has the option (since he'd know where EJ is before he gets the ball from Cerritos, right MJ?) of hammering at goal or feeding a cutting EJ. That's just one case scenario that could be worked on in practice. Oscar's style of holding does not serve EJ, nor does Kreis' "pure athletic" style of attacking. Eddie likes to poach and cut, working with well-placed service. Coaching could run a couple of practices with Davis at right-mid and work a couple of triangles with Pareja/Cerritos/Davis and EJ. More case scenarios?.. Probably. The chances of seeing anything of this kind applied? :rolleyes"
This from MLS Confidential Yesterday: Don't know if this is still on or not. Also don't know why they call him a defender and then talk about him not scoring goals.
You know, I read that thing 3 or 4 times and I couldn't figure it out. I need a day off. Do you know if there is any truth to this or not?
I am going to training today (Thursday) and will see who is around. There has been contact between the Burn and Nhleko. But when I asked about the report Jeffries called the talk of a loan deal "Premature." I assume they have invited him for trial, and hopefully today I will see him and possibly this Rodriguez kid too... and anyone else for that matter.