So are we expecting this to be the list?? 1. LeBlanc 2. Dalmy 3. Engen 4. Formiga 5. Carney 6. Rapinoe 7. Masar 8. Nogueira 9. Boquete 10. Loyden
He may have done that last year, but protecting both LeBlanc and Loyden would make no sense because there is a high likelyhood that both LeBlanc and Loyden will be involved in WWC. Meaning CRS's #1 and #2 could be gone for a significant portion of the season. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Naimo's both aware of the fact and not a complete idiot and therefor Loyden's going to be left exposed and if Buffalo doesn't snatch her up they will trade her, leaving Whitworth and Davis if they are not snatched up. All coaches and GM's are aware of the WWC and are probably at this moment adjusting their rosters accordingly. I think the whole reason they made the KK trade before this Expansion draft was because Philly could have left her for Buffalo to snatch up and Naimo and Namazi knew they wanted to make a change from Loyden. Loyden maybe a #3 on the USWNT, but she never fit Namazi's style, and she didn't adapt, she only got worse and lost confidence. And Namazi didn't seem to want to adapt to a defense that would have suited her better, so I just think it is highly likely she is out one way or another.
Oh, I'm not saying CRS is going to protect 2 keepers. Just reminding that the conventional wisdom of "surely they won't keep 2" which most (including me) subscribed to last year proved false.
Here is my prediction: 1. LeBlanc 2. Dalmy 3. Engen 4. Formiga 5. Carney 6. Rapinoe 7. Masar 8. Nogueira 9. Boquete 10. Spilger LeBlanc - Goes without saying. Spilger - will be protected. IMO, she is an asset to the club both on and off the field. She is a fan favorite. Kids flock around her and she is by far the most accessable Red Star. Her game elevated big time last season and I think Namazi likes her aggressive style. Plus being in Chicago is good for her and her Green Laces organization, IMO. I think the CRS front office know that she is good for this organization. Carney - One of my favorites. I think they will protect her, BUT will she continue to play in Chicago? It seems she likes her teammates but Emma is gone and Chapman is gone. She often mentions Dalmy as being a big friend. Will she be trade bait? My only unknown/ question mark. Formiga - According to Markgraf's twitter she mentions Formiga as one of the best players she has ever played with. And I heard Leslie Osborne one time outside Toyota Park talking to Formiga telling her in so many words that she is one of the best players she has ever played against. Formiga is a definate. Dalmy - Will be Captain next season and team leader. Rapinoe - May be the new face of the CRS next season. Great skill. There is something very likeable about Rapinoe. She hasn't been as productive with the CRS as she has with the USWNT but there's something about Megan Rapinoe that we in Chicago like a lot. Nogueira and Boquete - Will be a powerful, exciting combo next season along with Masar. The CRS will be crazy not to protect these two. Engen - The biggest definate. IMO, the best player and most stable player for the CRS last year. Masar - Miss Illinois, Miss Chicago. Leading scorer - protected. It will be interesting to see how close we are.
Unless Naimo signs a new player in the next couple of days I think MRAD's list and reasoning's are bang on. I assume an additional international signings will take place after the Expansion Draft. I think Carney will want to stay even with the loss of Emma and Chapman. On the outside she's always seemed very contented with life at CRS before Chapman and after Emma's departure. She's also a founding player with Dalmy and Rapinoe and I think that would provide motivation to stick around for hopefully better days, and for Namazi with the addition of a playmaker/finisher like Boquete appeared to be, I think the combination of Rapinoe/Carney will be desirable to have. I've always thought that those two's greatest problem in the league is not having a consistent playmaker/finisher around them. If Boquete and Masar can combine to do that than I think we'll see better results from them. And Dalmy, a founding player, as a captain, seems highly likely and a great idea.
I think the reason they went and got KK was because Markgraf was retiring. You can get a player to step into that middle-back position,but who replaces Kate's organizing? 1. Engen? She had a great rookie season, but I don't think you would want to put that pressure on her yet. 2. Dalmy? Certainly could handle it, but you would lose her ability at coming forward in the attack. 3. Spilger? Not on your life. Yeah, she's got energy and is a great personality for the team. But she's also kind of reckless. 4. No other defender on the team (even if they aren't taken in the expansion draft) has enough experience to be able to take over. 5. Go outside the team? Unless you get LePeilbet, Rampone, Buehler, or maybe even Whitehill (although, I don't think she would flourish in the attacking style Coach is putting into place), you would still be losing the experience advantage. So your only option is to have the goalie do it. Loyden has shown she's not ready for that. She's got great potential, but right now her decision making is questionable. If they want the goalie to come out more...which seems to be the case...she's still not there. This is mostly due to the fact that she doesn't communicate well. SO you have to go get a goalie that can do it. Doesn't mean you have to get rid of Jill because I do think that once she's mastered that learning curve of when to come out and when to stay back, she could be great. But for right now you go get someone with communication and orginization skills...and that's KK.
CRS has a GM - Head Coach/Director of soccer operations and a Technical adviser. Why is it that all of you keep saying Charlie is making these moves?
Given how other clubs operate that have President/GMs, coaches, and technical adviser set-up, it is the TA & coach that are more "hands on" in player acquisition so therefore Naimo & Namazi would be the 2 doing the player trades/moves. The Pres/GM would be the business & operations side of things (but "the boss" of the TA & head coach). Is a technical adviser set up really foreign to you? Me personally? I'd like to see Marcia coach again but she's said b/f that she's more interested in other challenges now.
Kool: We don't know, is what you said. We are guessing he is. Trust me I understand everything about the soccer structure. That is why I find it funny how people just throw his name around. I really think they should have a separate GM and the Head coach. The TA position is not needed! If they want him on board make him the GM.
Obviously, though, he is doing the things we are all claiming he's doing; like make trades and acquire certain players. Chicago isn't paying him to do nothing.
Like the Fire who has a president who handles the busness end with klopas and cobos handling team personnel,the red stars it seems have pushed marcia to the business end although I'm sure she has some input on personnel. They didn't bring in a TA just to have marcia make all the personnel decisions. It is obvious marcia did not do the best of jobs in that department or the red stars wouldn't have missed the playoffs 2 years running.
Chicago protects the following: LeBlanc, Loyden, Engen, Dalmy, Spilger, Rapinoe, Noguiera, Masar, Carney, and Boquete. Unprotected: McDonald, Sitch, and Davis Free agents: Cristiane, Formiga, Chapman, Whitworth, Washington, Weber, Resier, Vandenbergh I'm hoping that Formiga had a one year contract and they will work to resign her for next year.
Chi-town did a good job. Only off season moves I want are to resign Formiga, and also add a consistent scoring threat.
So I was off by 1. I did not know that Formiga was a free agent and never thought they would protect 2 goalkeepers. Also there are several quality players on the free agent listing. Brittany Bock comes to mind for me. Marcia, get this Chicago hometown kid in a CRS uniform for Pete's sake (and I'm not talking Pete Wilt). You need a d-mid next year. Bock can play that position.
I'm kind of shocked on the gk situation. I don't like the idea of keeping Loyden around for next season if she is headed to the WC they are going to need a solid #3, and then what if she gets injured like Davis did this season? It just doesn't seem smart to me. I won't agree with you MRAD just because my speculations seem to be cursed. There is a lot out there in the FA market, but I think most are thinking of resigning with their old clubs if they can, but than again if I speculate it, it's probably wrong.
All three players CRS left exposed to the expansion draft are coming off major injuries. No way a club picks them not knowing how they'll respond to rehab. Sneaky if you ask me. I really did think they'd protect both and not b/c I'm a huge Loyden fan. There's a track record of protecting 2 keepers and then using one as trade bait. And KK wasn't 100% healthy in 2010. And CRS had to make a panic trade last season to get a starting keeper--this is kinda CYA. Don't be so sure Loyden makes the final 23. I think Harris & Naeher are going to make a serious push and if either/both start off really strong next season while Loyden falters, Pia would be foolish not to pick the younger keeper for the #3 slot. Harris is in Mexico w/ the USWNT now. Auditioning w/ every practice....
go ashlyn... oops don't forget either that whit engen is on the radar at least, not on the qualifying roster, but you never know what will happen before the wwc. that would leave a HUGE hole for CRS if she made it.