Ask and ye shall receive. I'm a bit later than usual so I'll fill things out and feel free to pile on. Whether or not Heitz is still around there should be a lot of changes. Maybe that's what I wrote last year. OK it's evergreen. Too bad we always end up here in the same place.
I was thinking about starting this once the transfer window closed. However, it appears to have closed already for us wallowers Good job!
Cross-posting from the other thread for reference. Thanks @willydonc for starting the thread and @schroncar for the list. My guess is that Herbers and Arigoni are re-signed, maybe Rafa wants to come back. I'm guessing that Omsberg will not be re-signed go due to his injury history. If Brady is not sold, then a keeper or two need to go as well to strengthen other positions. Dean is inexpensive and can play either side in a pinch. Casas for some reason gets no playing time so I expect him to be gone, but would be another player that would be relatively inexpensive.
Thanks. So true. No agents are even hinting to second tier journalists that the Fire are bidding on their guys.
I wonder if Joe understood he was dooming the Fire to failure in 2024 when he resigned Heitz/ Pelzer. Unless the player acquisition team changes shortly, 2025 season will be adversely affected.
It is my hope that today’s Heitz announcement will make looking for new players and a new head coach a little easier.
Update to Roster Profile: Navarro and Czichos obtained green cards in June. Wooten is “Player 31” and not officially on roster so he does not currently occupy an international roster spot. Fire currently has 2 open international slots. Roster count is 30- no open spots currently available. With Shaqiri contract expiring and ability to buy down Gaston contract, there may be up to 2 DP slots open at year-end. Alternatively, 1 DP and 1 U22 plus $2 million GAM to Fire. In addition to Arigoni, Czichos and Herbers, there are an additional 7 contracts expiring or up for review at year-end. Overall, lots of flexibility and potential for improvement. ( And lots of work.) First things first. Replacements needed for Heitz +(presumably) Pelzer and Klopas.
other than Shaq, all the other guys out of contract at the end are fine, but we need talent badly and we don't have a ton of spots, so while I have no problem with Fabi or Rafa coming back, we're going to have to see some guys like that go if the roster is going to be upgraded I can't imagine they have the balls to do it, but Acosta should be the buyout this offseason given how much of the cap space he takes up and the length of his contract relative to the rest of the dead weight on the roster Fede is another one to consider given his deal runs through 2027 -- he stops counting as a u22 guy after next season, if I understand the rules correctly given the rule changes and three guys at u22 going into next year, the extra $2 million GAM may be a good move in lieu of a third DP, especially if it helps keeps the roster flexible for the post-2025 offseason, which is the more important offseason imo because there's even more dead weight out of contract then: Barlow, Arnaud, Mueller, plus Salquist and Gaston
I thought it was three U22 AND three DPs. I'm sure I'm wrong as I don't do a good job keeping up with the financial rules.
I agree with all of this, except Gaston should remain until we find better and I believe Bunge is correct about the new 3+3
after the rule change you can either do 3+3 or 2+4+$2M GAM my point was that since we already have thee u22 guys, it may make sense for the Fire to pursue the U22 Initiative Player Model outlined below to get the GAM to help build the roster more evenly and maintain flexibility for post-2025 Three Designated Player Model Up to three Designated Players AND; Up to three U22 Initiative Players U22 Initiative Player Model Up to two Designated Players AND; Up to four U22 Initiative PlayersAND; Up to an additional $2 Million of General Allocation Money* https://www.mlssoccer.com/about/roster-rules-and-regulations
New Rule is: 3+3 Or. 2+4+ $2m GAM Instead of Gaston Buydown + 2 new DPs, Fire could do Gaston Buydown + 1 DP + 1 U22 and receive $2 million GAM.
Weston McKennie appears to be available. A number of teams mentioned as possibilities, including InterMiami. Would love to see him in Fire red! And at only half the salary of Shaqiri ( currently $3.5 million, rumored he wants $4.5)
Weston is one of my favorite national team players but is also an enigma positionally. He also needs a good structure around him to keep him honest. I hope he stays in Europe to keep him at his best for the World Cup.
Tick tock If the Fire are going to make any moves (in OR out), the clock is ticking on the transfer window. I suppose the timing of the Heitz announcement was intended to quash any transfer talk. However, there has not been any, so nothing to quash. I guess the big transfer question is whether we will see Shaqiri don a Fire jersey in 10 days (and thanks the @Pennsylvania Dave for the daily countdown reminders).
True, but Miami lost so THE ONLY MATCH THAT MATTERS, the Second Annual Dave Baldwin Career Extender Match will not be affected. No, in only that peaky Lionel Messi shows up...
Which Fire II player will fill Shaqiri’s spot on the roster for the remainder of the season? Will that be Glasgow or someone else?