Chemistry. It's what makes any and all human interaction successful. The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Gobble up THAT wisdom, turkey boooooouuuuyyyy! Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
The Burn have the right to sign two major allocations. Toni complicates that way too much. If Collin is coach and Oscar becomes assistant, Morrow retired, that is two pretty good salaries that open up for two new high quality players. I think Deering wants to play another year, I think he should only on the condition it's in defense. If he won't agree to that he should be released to make way for a better player. He makes good change. The team's biggest need to find a central/attacking mid who is, when he walks on the field, the best player in MLS. And even if Nhelko is fair, he cannot get in the way of that.
We had almost a half a goal better attack when Nhleko started for us last year. Who scores the goals doesn't matter as long as the goals are scored and I think Fat Toni was very good at creating chances, thereby making the players around him better. Is that so bad in a forward? Whether he is worth a SI slot is dependent on who'll fill otherwise the empty 2 slots (assuming O'Brien takes one).
I think they should keep Toni if they can find a way to get the other two aquisitions and keep whoever else they need to keep. Sure they could use a top forward but that isn't their biggest need. Central defense and either a defensive mid extrordinaire or a great playmaker are what would make them tick. Use it on a super forward and the best you could be is what the Galaxy have become. A pedestrian side that kicks wish balls to Ruiz and lives and dies with whether he can pull off a miracle. Any one can score if a Valderama type serves up balls an a plate. The teams in the final both had great d-mids (Armas and Mulrooney). One thing I do agree with theodore is that no one on the team should be completely untouchable. If a trade greatly improves the team then everyone will love the new player(s). Who thought Chicago could lose Wolf, Kovalenko and Stoitchkov and make the finals?
No we aren't easy to please. If you watched and compare Rhine and Kreis to the Curtis/Nhelko/EJ combo, you would have noticed two people running forward and running people over which in turned made it rather interesting to watch the Burn forwards as opposed to Mr. Hustle who is more suited for a midfielder. Yes we would know the difference. Why do you think people were so hard on Toni when he first came over? He was out of shape. However when he started to create space, chances for others, run people over, and then get the assists, I say he would be worth it. Yes, this pork rind does hold the ball well. Remember how well he also holds a turkey leg. He showed up overweight and late. How many goals did he score? I need my forward to score goals, not post his left cheek on someone. He is a gimmick player w/ a lack of personal discipline or maybe lack of respect for this league. If he were a domestic player playing for his salary and no strings attached I would say yes. Give him a chance. As to burning an SI slot? What in the hell are you people smoking? [/QUOTE] How many assists did he have? You may want your forward to score goals, but do you want your team to win? I can see where you are coming from, but I think you are wanting a Rudd Van Nistory. Yes he finished first in goals, but how many assists did he have? I rather have the Henry who might be second in goals, but FIRST in assists. Remember this is a team sport. Oh yeah, how does he hold is turkey leg?
It's because Chris Armas is and continues to be Chicago's single most important player. Even when Nowak was in Chicago, that was still the case. When Nowak wasn't in the Fire lineup, the Fire could manage. But when Armas wasn't there? Well, just look at the 2002 Fire. But other than that, I agree with you. If this team adds a really, really great playmaking midfielder, Big Toni and EJ will get their goals. Add that to the goal-scoring opportunities that Big Toni was creating, and I think that this will be quite a potent attack. Seriously, towards the end of the season, there was a night-and-day difference in the attack when Big Toni was in the lineup, compared to when he was out injured.
Gospel. If Kreis plays, I really want to see the three-pronged attack again. The multi-dimensions of a properly centered side (Convey?) would provide endless possibilities and entertainment. A definite fan attraction.
The problem with this statement is that Stoitchkov and Wolf hardly ever played last year. And why wouldn't at team be a good side with Bocanegra, Whitfield, CJ Brown, Zach, Curtin, Beasley, Armas, Razov, Justin, Kelly, and Faria?
The thing that worries me is this, which Toni will we get? The fat out-of -shape lazy one. Or the one we saw later in the season. Because of this question, we shouldn't make any long term (in this case, more that one season at a time) commitment to him. Not one that we can't get out of anyway.
I like Toni. I think he palys with some fire in his belly, and that is not a fat joke. I am the last guy who should make fat jokes, but when you drink as much as I do, it is tough to be thin. There are not many stikers like Toni in the MLS. I think he can be very effective, though I would like to see some more productin out of him, and see him run over a few defenders. The simple fact is the Burn has two allocations and only one SI spot. If the MLS comes through with a couple fo good allocations (and I find this highly doubtfull), for the good of the team, Toni might have to go. the behavior of the team, however, suggests that Toni might very well stay. Apparently, the Burn has the same view of the value of any allocations they will get as I do.
Well, Brann has had some trouble finding replacement strikers this year, we've sold 3, and might lose a fourth. We also have a non-EU opening, so we might get stuck with Nhleko instead of a top class striker, but that's the worst case scenario. Hopefully things will fall into place.
Even if y'all (there is some Texas lingo for you) need a striker, why would you want Toni back? We like him, but it seems as if he was not satisfied with the situation there.
He was out of shape at first but he always played hard. It seemed to me he really liked it here and was a huge influence on one Eddie Johnson. Toni was flying around and then voila Eddie was imitating him. You lose Toni and does Eddie regress? I don't think he will be out of shape here again, if they want to make sure put a weight clause in his contract or some similar incentive clause. Just don't underestimate his impact. He didn't score as much as we wanted but the team sure stepped up in the games he played in and that is the overall goal.
From what I understood, he wasn't playing much and wasn't in game shape when he got here. He actually did well considering the climate change and lots of playing time here. He only slimmed down a bit, but I believe he's always looked 'that way' and I'm glad he's not less rotund. He's a load, and he works his azz off. From the brief interaction I've had with him, he is really committed to a good work ethic and 'making it' in MLS. I have a great deal of respect for his attitude, 'target' and holding skills, distribution and playmaking abilities, and 'easily available' chemistry with EJ. I'm not sure how or if the chemistry would change with Kreis in the lineup, but it would be interesting to see.
maybe he can teach jason how to run people over. Hey it worked with EJ who attacked instead of the old Burn method of going from the middle to the wing to a terrible cross that got cleared.
Buzz reminded me that the Burn have no SI spots open. Can we upgrade with an allocation over T Bone? I will assume we have to keep ROB. If we want the midfield schemer/distributor, Toni has to go. IF, and that is a big 'if," this SI midfielder is the dominant player we think we deserve, then whomever happens to be upfront should get plenty of goals. We must hope that EJ's progress was a matter of attitide and coaching rather than Toni's prescence.
There's a chance that T-Bone and ROB will not be here next season. This really is hard to take - all this guess-work. After last season, it would be nice to have things in better perspective. I hope we learn Toni's status quickly. I wouldn't ship him off on the chance that both T-Bone and ROB will be here. If we lose ROB, Toni will be all-that-much-more valuable to us.
If T Bone and ROB are not back, it might not change anything. Vaca likes right wing and plays it well. While I certainly do not like losing ROB, the fortunes of the team arte such that he is a player the Burn can afford to lose, as there is at least one other player ready to step in. In a pinch, EJ could play there. Total emergency, EZ. For me, the choice alwasy came down to Toni and ROB, and of the two, I would choose ROB. If ROB is leaving, then signing Toni is IMPERATIVE! The rest of the priorities are the much the same. 1. Central Defender: With two allocations and suddenly two SI spots open, there is no reason to entice a US player back from Europe. Get the best guy you can, and see if he is willing to spend a few years here. 2. Central Defender: Another one, this one already in the MLS. Try to work a trade with one of the draft picks and a couple of players for an expereinced central defender from a team with cap problems. The players the Burn will send will have to be inxpensive, but with an upside. We need these guys to mentor the future cnentral defenders. Shavar is one, the Burn will need another. 3. Attacking Mid (Number 10, Schemer): Here is the second allocation, and last SI spot. This player needs to be dominant, one of the top players in the MLS as soon as his spikes hit the Cotton Bowl grass. HSG must insist on this. MLS must give us this player. Again, he must be willing to spend a few years, and tutor his hier apparant. It might be Vaca, or Davis. I would suspect it would be a draft pick. The US is developing this position, and the Burn should be able to pick one up. Play a 3-3-4, with Toni in the middle, or Jason in the middle as a withdrawn striker. Well, this all works out very nicely. It is just up to the team and the MLS to do it. Since the MLS in involved, it will not happen, and the allocaitons will be wated on vacationers.
The worst team in the league can afford to lose the best player on the team? If ROB goes, we can look forward to a DC like stretch of total misery. Expect years of bottomfeeding.
Well, things are pretty decided now. Burn didn't use their option to buy Toni, so he's fair game for any club. His agent says Burn is still interested, but have problems paying what he's worth. If he is to receive salery, he has to get his bum to Bergen and practice asap. The Brann management has said the best situation is for him to find another club that wants him, but they consider him a Brann player until he does. Scipio Gothicus, we don't want Toni back, but I guess he's better than nothing. We lost another striker this week, so now we only have two left. And while one is better than Toni, he's more of an attacking midfielder than striker, and the other is getting too old, so.. I don't know what'll happen, but it seems Burn can't afford Nhleko. Bummer, would have liked you guys to buy him since it seems like he did his things reasonably well over there. Unless anything else happens in the Nhleko-case, I probably won't visit the Dallas Burn pages again, so Good luck next season. Hope you'll do great
They can afford him at his current salary, but with the cap here they want to have a more balanced budget as they need to add several players. They are trying to practice smart economics. But it would notsurprise me for Toni to not be back.
So let me see if I am understanding this correctly.....and please don't hesitate to correct me. The Burn is trying to get Toni to accept a lower wage. Toni's contract is with his Swedish club. So...he would have to redo his contract with Brann in order to receive less salary this upcoming season? Or they would pay the rest? I don't think I understand how this works, can someone help me out here.
I have no idea how Sweden got involved in this, but as far as I know... Toni Nhleko is under contract with SK Brann Bergen, a club in the Norwegian premier league. Toni wasn't good enough for a place in Brann's A squad, so they put him on the transfer list. Brann didn't get any decent transfer offers, but Dallas Burn wanted to loan him untill december 2003 to check him out. They also had an option to sign him for a set sum of money before a set date. Burn didn't take opportunity of this. Toni has now returned to Brann, and is just like any other player in our squad, except that he's not good enough for the first team, so Brann still wants to sell him. Burn wants to buy him, but cannot sign him because of his wage demands. This is because MLS clubs got a salery cap, max NT player/squad or something, I don't know what.. I've never studied MLS rules, it sounds kinda silly for someone who's used to European rules, but it probably got some merits. Brann will of course not pay of his wage or anything if Burn or anyone else sign him. Brann wants to sell him, not sponsor his vacations in the US.
That is essentialy correct. If the Burn buy him now he will cost his entire salary on the cap. Which is roughly $1.25 Mil (or close, rumored to be going up) per team. Dallas wants to buy him but they want Toni to sign for cheaper than his current deal. Or at least have less impact on cap. There are a couple ways to do it really, but that is the basics.