OK pals, 2025 is in the books. We did much better than 2024, but we still sucked, we still missed the playoffs, and there is no joy in La Ciudad de San José. So, what is your prescription for improving the team? What do we need to do to get better? Assume that new ownership is on the way, and that our new owner(s) won’t suck as badly as RottenFish. You’re The Bruce! What are your plans? Go Quakesfans!!
This is my thinking, but it’s only a start. Our defense blows. So, what we need to do is jettison our crap defenders and get new ones. Bruce is in charge, and he seems to like three in the back. I think his four in the back experiments were desperation because our defense blows. Roberts might develop into a decent defender. Floriani played well for us his last time out, but he’s too slow. So … Wilson and Rodrigues are both poor, and both on the outs with Bruce. They are going to get tossed. We’ll want to replace them with CB’s so we can play the 3-4-3. We might ditch Floriani too. I expect us to keep Lima, but maybe not. We should ditch Junior too. He sucks. I like Francesco, but he might be ready for prime time. I think that we need a back up who is physically tougher than Daniel. Daniel is great, but he’s also fragile. So I want another starting capable GK. At the wing-back/outside mid spots, we have Dejuan, Benji, Bouda, Ricketts, maybe Lima, I think we can cut Costa. In center mid, I’d lose Kaye, Buck, and Harkes, at least. Keep Beau, and sign a top-notch d-mid. I’m happy with our forwards. And the guys I’m talking about cutting I want to replace with upgrades at those positions. I think the balance of players and positions is pretty good. Go Quakes!! Go Quakesfans!!
Courtesy of @Seismothusiast, who will be here or gone in 2026? Salary Budget Roster 1. Daniel* #42 (G) (Brazil-INT) {5/06/94} [$425K] 2. Earl Edwards Junior #36 {1/24/92} [$???K] 3. Dave Romney #12 (D) {6/12/93} [$???] 4. Rodrigues, Antonio Josenildo #26 (D) (Brazil-INT) {10/19/97} [$708K] 5. Bruno Wilson #4 (D) (Portugal-INT) {12/27/96} [$1,118K] 6. Paul Marie* #33 (D) {3/24/95} [$57.3K] [332.5K] 7. Vítor Costa #94 (D) (Brazil-INT) {7/1/94} [$388.3K] 8. Nick Lima #24 (D) {11/17/94} [$???K] 9. Mark-Anthony Kaye #14 (M) {12/2/94} [$???K] 10. Ian Harkes # 6 (M) {3/30/95} [$???K] 11. Jack Skahan #16 (M) {2/7/98} [$150K] 12. Hernán López #23 (M) (Agentina-INT) {9/7/24} [$????K] 13. Christian Espinoza* #10 (M/F) (Argentina-Green Card) {4/3/95} [$2,002K] 14. Benji Kikanovic (M/F) #28 {1/6/00} [$328.7K] 15. Amahl Pellegrino #7 (M/F) (Norway-INT) {6/18/90} [$912.5K] 16. Ousseni Bouda #11 (Burkina Faso-Green Card) {4/28/00} [Generation Adidas - $127.5K] 17. Christian "Chicho" Arango #9 (Columbia-INT) {3/9/95} [$????K] 18. Josef Martinez #17 (Venezuela-Green Card) {5/19/93} [$????K] 19. [Empty] 20. [Empty] * Indicates a known guaranteed contract. Supplemental Roster (Off-Budget-min $85.44K) 21. Preston Judd #19 (F) {5/28/99} [$89.7k] 22. Jamar Ricketts #2 (D) {10/24/01} [$73k] 23. Oscar Verhoeven* #63 (D) [$103.1K] 24. [Empty] Reserve Roster (Off-Budget-in $50K, under 25) 25. Daniel Munie #5 (D) {2/10/2000} [71.4K] 26. Max Floriani #25 (D) {2/6/03} [$???k] 27. Reid Roberts #18 (D) {12/9/03} [$???k] 28. [Empty] Homegrown Players (Additional Reserves Slots) 29. Niko Tsakiris* #30 (M) {4/6/20} [$89.6K - Homegrown Player] 30. Cruz Medina* (M) #15 [128.4K] 31. Will Eisner #27 (D) {5/3/02} [$??K - Homegrown Player] Off Roster Edwyn Mendoza #38 (M) [$83.8K] Chance Cowell* #44 (F) [$71.4K] Jermaine Spivey $29? (F) {1/23/06} [$??K - Homegrown Player] Kaedren Spivey $29? (M) {5/28/09} [$??K - Homegrown Player] Unsigned Draftees Nick Fernandez (M) CURRENT SALARY TOTAL For 2019 the cap is $6,425,000, plus $3,093,000 in GAM and $2,125,000 in TAM, and our overall salary is currently unknown (-- above, DPs=400k). Allocations, Slots, Rights, & Trades Allocations *** Arango acquired from RSL for $700k GAM in 2025, $700k GAM in 2026, and an INT for the 2026 season. Edwards acquired from NE Revs for $150k GAM in 2025. $50k on GAM in 2025 and $50k of GAM in 2026 acquired from Austin FC for 1st pick in the Waiver Draft. Romney, Harkes, and Kaye acquired from NE Revs for $250k GAM in 2025, $250k GAM in 2026, and an INT slot through 2025. Cade Cowell to Club Deportivo Guadalajara for and undisclosed, but reportedly large fee. Preston Judd was acquire from LAG for $100K of GAM in 2024 and $100K of GAM in 2025 with $50K on incentives. Johnathan Mensah was traded for 100K in GAM in 2023 and 2024, with an additional $150K in GAM for 2024 and 2025 if he remains on the roster. *** Trades, waivers, losses ---*Greuzo likely bought out - 2/4/25 ---*OCHOA to Cruz Azul - 1/17/25 ---*JACKSON, MARCINKOWSKI, YARBROUGH, BEASON, THOMPSON, MORALES, RICHMOND, and EBOBISSE options declined and AKAPO, WALLS, BALDISIMO, and YUEILL out of contract - 11/29/24. ---*COWELL transferred to Club Deportivo Guadalajara - 1/15/24. Slots ---* DP's - Lopez, Espinoza, and Arango occupy a DP slot, so all slots are full. ---* We currently have 7 of 8 open INT slots. Seven players require slots (Bouda, Rodrigues, Wilson, Costa, Pellegrino, Lopez, Arango, and1 slot traded to NE through 2025 = INT. 1 slot traded to RSL in the 2026 season). Rights ---* All of our 2026 Superdraft picks except our 3rd round 2026 draft pick which we traded to NYCFC. ---* All of our 2026 Waiver Draft and Re-Entry Draft picks. ---* Lottery eligible for the 2025 season. ---* We hold the rights to these unsigned MLS draftee: Beau Leroux and Riley Lynch. Staff * Jared Shawlee (President) * Chris Leitch (General Manager) * Bruce Arena (Head Coach) * Dave Sarachan(Assistant Coach) * Steve Ralston (Assistant Coach) * Shalrie Joseph (Assistant Coach) * Adin Brown (Goalkeeper Coach) * John Wolyneic (Technical Director)
Munie, Floriani and Roberts are off budget. They’re staying. Plus Munie is far-and-away the team’s best defender.
I'd keep: I'd keep 1) Daniel (let him compete with a yet unsigned GK for the #1 GK spot) 2) Mark-Anthony Kaye (reserve) 3) Skahan (useful) 4) Espinoza (no brainer) 5) Kikanovic (no brainer) 6) Bouda (no brainer) 7) Arrango (on brainer) 8) Martinex (no brainer) 9) Judd (no brainer) 10) Ricketts 11) Verhoeven (if we can bring him back from SD) 12) Munie 13) Floriani 14) Roberts 15) Tsakiris 16) Jones 17) Fernandez 18) Leroux 19) Vieria That leaves us 12slots to fill. Lot's of room for improvement.
I’m glad to see that someone else likes Shahan. Two more more guys we should cut: Shawlee & Leitch Go Quakesfans!!
I would have said, did say, a few weeks back that Bruce didn’t like Skahan. But then Jack got some late minutes in the last few games and got an assist in our last game. So maybe Bruce rates him. Or maybe he’ll “loan” Jack to a USL side. I’ve no idea, but I’d like for Jack to stay with us. Go Quakesfans!!
Skahan played 54 minutes with us this season. IMO you want to have young up-and-coming guys at the tail end of your roster like that. Skahan is gonna Skahan. He's not gonna get better at this point. If you have a young guy there, he has the chance to get better and grow into a role as a starter or regular sub over time.
I'm thinking the following in bold will be gone... Salary Budget Roster 1. Daniel* #42 (G) (Brazil-INT) {5/06/94} [$425K] 2. Earl Edwards Junior #36 {1/24/92} [$???K] 3. Dave Romney #12 (D) {6/12/93} [$???] 4. Rodrigues, Antonio Josenildo #26 (D) (Brazil-INT) {10/19/97} [$708K] 5. Bruno Wilson #4 (D) (Portugal-INT) {12/27/96} [$1,118K] 6. Paul Marie* #33 (D) {3/24/95} [$57.3K] [332.5K] 7. Vítor Costa #94 (D) (Brazil-INT) {7/1/94} [$388.3K] 8. Nick Lima #24 (D) {11/17/94} [$???K] 9. Mark-Anthony Kaye #14 (M) {12/2/94} [$???K] 10. Ian Harkes # 6 (M) {3/30/95} [$???K] 11. Jack Skahan #16 (M) {2/7/98} [$150K] 12. Hernán López #23 (M) (Agentina-INT) {9/7/24} [$????K] 13. Christian Espinoza* #10 (M/F) (Argentina-Green Card) {4/3/95} [$2,002K] 14. Benji Kikanovic (M/F) #28 {1/6/00} [$328.7K] 15. Amahl Pellegrino #7 (M/F) (Norway-INT) {6/18/90} [$912.5K] 16. Ousseni Bouda #11 (Burkina Faso-Green Card) {4/28/00} [Generation Adidas - $127.5K] 17. Christian "Chicho" Arango #9 (Columbia-INT) {3/9/95} [$????K] 18. Josef Martinez #17 (Venezuela-Green Card) {5/19/93} [$????K]
I'd basically get rid of all the "FOB"s Bruce brought in from NE. Add Buck to that - not sure what he brings, that can't be done better and perhaps cheaper by someone else. I wonder if Martinez or Arango are trade-bait at this point. Martinez is 32 and injuries have hobbled him and Chicho is 30 and may be the best he's ever going to be right now. Otherwise, can't disagree with any of the above. I'm expecting that with all the uncertainty over ownership there isn't going to be a big pot of money for Bruce to work with in the offseason, so I think it's important for us to use trades and sales to provice $$. As others have mentioned, it may be a good time to strike while the iron's hot and shop Nico around. One wild card is Daniel - his absence from the roster, bench, or injury report leads me to believe he's had a falling out with Bruce (not hard to do) and I have serious doubts he'll be here next season, even though he's signed through 2026.
Buck is an FoB. Assuming both Chicho and Martinez are expensive, I wouldn't mind seeing them replaced for better value for that high price.
Harkes will be here next year. He's signed thru 2026, his salary is not that high, and Bruce likes him. Lima is also signed thru next year. Maybe Bruce will try to trade him. Otherwise he’s dead weight occupying $3-400k. I think Bruce will pick up Costa's option. He likes him. Bruce always talks about wanting to see consistency in players, and Costa is consistent. The problem is that he’s consistently mediocre at best so there is that. How is consistency a virtue if it’s consistently sub-mediocre? Whether or not Hernán is back next year depends on whether Argentinos exercises the permanent transfer option on him. If they don't he's on our roster unless we transfer him or trade him (quite possible).
27 goals between the 2 of them, we were 7th in the league in GF. While it's possible we could do better, I'd say if it's not broke... And just focus on back line and midfield.
Buck is 20 years old and not expensive. His biggest problem was being injured most of the year. The only player fully out of contract is Ousseni Bouda. Everybody else has at least a team option.
Also, not being very good... Also Pellegrino and Harkes, if the Quakes Epicenter salary spreadsheet is accurate. https://quakesepicenter.com/salary-spreadsheet/
According to MLS, Harkes is signed for 2026 with an option for 2027. You are correct about Pellegrino--I missed him because he's listed under San Diego. https://mlssoccer.app.box.com/s/c2ok055zmdadejs5zfmhjaj9otkw7wmp
Yeah, it makes sense that we'd have an option for Harkes. That must be a mistake in the salary spreadsheet.
On the one hand, I agree, on the other hand, we’re talking about cutting or trading 10 to 12 players. So we’ll have lots of room for newbies. We don’t want to cut guys just to cut them. Continuity is a good thing. Skahan isn’t great, but he gives 110% everytime he’s on the pitch. It might be worth it to keep him. Go Quakesfans!!
Buck blows. He’s slow. His positioning and anticipation are subpar. I have not been impressed with any of his minutes, and I wanted to be. He’s just not very good. Go Quakesfans!!
Well, again, though, Jack got 54 minutes of playing time this year, and presumably if our roster is to improve, and Jack is a constant, it's logical that that number will go down next year. So now you have essentially a 0 minute roster slot, which would be better used on a young developing player with upside.
I see that argument, and I more than half expect him to be cut, but he made the game day 18 and got on the pitch late, and got us an assist. Also, Bruce played him at the left wing spot. That’s been a little bit of a problem for us. So we might keep him as a sort of utility backup guy. Or more likely, we toss him. I’m not going to stress over it either way. Go Quakesfans!!
I like Skahan -- similar to Costa, he does his job with occasional flashes of brilliance. I hope we see more of The Town players getting a chance. Both Bouda and Beau have added so much to the Quakes.
I'm going to start with a review of this past season before moving on to next season. Let's call the Clint review: Good (Either performed to expectation or improved) Arango - even playing out of position, I was impressed with his effort overall. Martinez - 14 goals is impressive. Best box player that we have had since Wondo. Leroux - Faded a little towards the end, but a pleasure to watch and should have played more. Buddha - Frustrating at times and needs to improve his shot greatly, but his head for the game was a significant improvement. Benji - came back late in the season and showed well. Would like to see more of him next year. Judd - may be it was low expectations, but his passing and disruption was good. Munie - best defender, but needs another senior player who is better than Romney. Roberts - too early, but showed potential. Espinoza - Loved him offensively, not defensively. Bad (Ok. This should be average - met the expectations) Costa - Bad shooting for a left wing back. Too inconsistent. Harkes - slow start, but played much be better as the season progressed. Rickets - See Costa. Romney - Solid player. Skahan - Solid player Daniel - great shot stopper. Everything else...not so much. Made some bad errors. Paul Marie - didn't get a chance. Niko - could have been ugly except he had a good last game. Jones - great start, but faded. Suspect defensively. Floriani - less confident in him than Roberts, but enough to keep him around. Ugly (Below expectations and should be on the first train to Clarksville) Wilson - may be my biggest disappointment. Way, way too many errors and mental mistakes. Rodrigues - not unexpected for Mr. Walkabout. He is really not a defender. Edwards - should not be in the league. Lima - sorry Nick, time to retire. Pellegrino - Fighting Wilson for the biggest disappointment. Too slow in decision. Kaye - Could have been on the Bad list. I think it the late fade and removal from starting.