What's David Poreba's status? I know his last year was ruined with an ACL injury and surgery but he returned and played a few matches for Fire II so I assume he's still a part of the first squad depth chart at Forward however doesn't have the shiny new toy charm of Shokalook. Just haven't heard anything at this point and was wondering?
He came back and stayed healthy. Hopefully by the start of the season he will be close to what he was physically before the injury. One thing both Poreba & Shokalook can do like Cuypers is press & run all day.
So what player does not make reasonably avoidable mistakes? He was not acquired as a finished product but as a player with upside potential. How does a young player grow? By playing. Saletros has considerable experience at DM, starting there on his national team is not unusual. He can help support DM, possibly even start there on occasion. The new CB group has the potential be markedly better, especially after a preseason together. This should reduce the burden on DM. Not fair to criticize a player before he had a fair chance. Give the player and GGG respect.
That is kinda my point.By mid-season, the answer(s) may be evident. For now, just enjoy the thought of 3-4 th place finish in the East. Roster is full, Budget Resources remaining are sufficient for Big DP swoop. No glaring roster weaknesses.Need to solve international slots problem but perceived as solveable. Think of this as the honeymoon period. It may not last so enjoy it while you can!
Gotcha...sorry...I spent decades in continuous improvement and team development environments...which benefit greatly from being open and honest about liabilities/weaknesses/constraints/conflicts...and then aggressively looking for ways to either improve or reduce liability. Now retired, it's been challenging to 'turn off' my combination of 'engineer brain' and 'coach brain.
I've also seen reports he has already received two approaches from Premier League teams. In addition, Atletico Madrid are also interested on him. But...if he would be open to an MLS team, ya gotta take a swing now! 2011532736427933995 is not a valid tweet id And in July, Lewy+Weston could/would be 'reason' enough to consider selling Hugo 'early'...but I wouldn't hate this with Hugo up top Weston is young enough he could stay with us long enough to open the new stadium
Exceptional article by Tim Hotze at MIR97. This extensive piece pretty much sums up the current status of Fire and also highlights some of the various applicable rules. Really good job! Two extremely minor quibbles. In his mention of the Glasgow loan last year, he says Glasgow was still included in budget despite loan. Actually,Glasgow was on Supplemental Roster all of 2025 so he was not part of the Salary Budget Charge calculation. Also he commented that Acosta Buyout and Lod acquisition offset each other. Acosta at $1.65 million is about $700k higher than postings indicating $900k-$1,000k as the salary of Lod. Nice pickup which can be used elsewhere! These items are so minor I hate to even mention them. Such a good article!,
Poreba was clutch in the Playoffs coming up with a big header solo goal to move the team onward. Playoffs are the only time Next Pro manager’s game model is about winning. Despite not being 100 fit, he was included with a starting rotation that played 90 and 100+ minutes against New England and Red Bulls hardly using any substitutes. He’s not physically gifted but has a warrior attitude and nose for goal. I expect him to make big waves on a loan this year.
Thanks for the heads up, I read the article and now I’m wondering how the Fire get down from 13 to 8 international slots (let alone bring on another international player). Other than MHS, those are all Gregg’s guys.
Green cards and purchase a couple international slots. Unlike previous regimes, I am sure they have plans to deal with this.
Most realistic possibilities include 2 green cards, 2 transfers/loans and 2 international slot purchases. Some work, some costs, maybe a little luck, but these could readily happen.
Thing is…I do not believe the specific roster of compliance date has been published, but it is expected to be near the ‘MLS is Back’ weekend in 5weeks (Feb21-22). So it’s gotta be a bit hectic with preseason ramping up…this is when GGG’s dual role needs his staff to be on. I wonder if the league, as they have over the years, will flex the rules a bit…like give credit for ‘having started the process’…as the visas and green cards part of the puzzle is likely not as ‘straightforward’ with our current US government. Will at least provide something to follow for the next month, as much of preseason play is not easy to find and follow…twitter, YouTube,other?
I wouldn’t count on timely green cards and buying an international slot early in the season (according to the article) will cost 200-300k in GAM. Seems like transfers are more likely, but that also messes up what I’m imagining as the starters on the team.
David Poreba, Anton Salétros, Philip Zinckernagel, and an own goal provided the goals against Nashville
Why would you not count on green cards? We have a pretty history with expeditiously getting our players green cards. Now, whether a player would want one, considering the current state of our "immigration system," is an entirely different question.
Ricochet is AEW National Champion at the moment. He is crazy athletic. I bet he could have been a hell of a football player. At 5'9", he is about the right size. And he is from Alton, IL. We could have signed him as a "homegrown"! Although, at 37 or so, he is probably a bit long in the tooth. Hey, that's the same age as Robert Lewandowski! Sign them both!
Purely speculative query. What is consensus opinion on decision timetable and effective transfer date to new team for Weston McKennie? Acquiring team would probably be happiest with a July 1 transfer date ( as a free agent). Weston probably would be able to increase his salary and/or obtain a signing bonus from his new team if completed then. Does a delayed decision put more pressure on his current team? His relationship with them is unclear. However, one school of thought suggests Weston wants to transfer to MLS now to improve his World Cup roster status and showcase his talents for US coach before start of World Cup and cement his starting spot on US team. What do you think?