Official: Mapp Aquired From DC for Dema http://www.chicago-fire.com/pressbox/pressrelease/releasetext.asp?prID=1172
I'm somewhat saddened by this, but it certainly is not unexpected that players would be jettisoned. I was beginning to wonder when it would begin. So the Fire sale has begun... Is Mapp going to replace Dema directly, or will he be coming off the bench? I don't know much about him.
Mapp didn't get much playing time last year - he spent the first part of the season finishing high school, and only made it into a very few games after he reported. While he seemed very tentative the first time he played, the last time I saw him he showed a couple of flashes of serious potential. I wouldn't count on him as a full-time starter this year - for DC I was expecting him to be a regular sub/occasional starter this season, and a regular starter by next year.
Mapp is a left winger with plenty of development still to occur. He was barely used last year in DC but that may be partially due to Ray's distaste for young players. However, I have heard from someone that covers DC that Mapp did not practice well enough to justify inclusion into the starting line-up. The problem becomes he plays the left side so he already has someone in front of him (DmB)
One of Ray's comments last year concerning Mapp, but not really mentioning him by name, dealt with not practising hard every day and being able to make the step to the next level. I some times younger players are used to turning their effort on and off when they need to. This comes from the youth club system here where the better players aren't always challenged day to day to work hard. However, he has done well for the national youth teams he has playd on. Maybe a change of surroundings will help.
Mapp only played 28 minutes last year, I'd be suprised if he's a big part of your squad this year. Unlike Gray and Martino and some other rookies who got MLS experience last year Mapp had virtually none.
I've no problem with the deal, but am sad to see Dema leave. He made it easy to support him. I have no doubt he will bounce back to his 2000-2001 form in 2003 and have another look from Europe. Welcome Justin, best of luck Dema (except against the FIRE of course). The FIRE now have the #4 (Mapp) & #5 (Gray) players from last year's Superdraft.
Over/under on chances the Fire will lose at least one game to DCU on a Kovalenko goal? Anyway, good luck to Dema in DCU and here's hoping this Mapp kid turns out to be useful and not the second coming of Marcelo Vega.
The good thing is Mapp's salary doesn't count against the salary cap. Whether Mapp ever develops we will have to wait and see.He is only 18. It would have been nice to get one of DC's draft choices also. I wonder now if the rumored stoitchkov deal to dc is dead.
i'm not sure what to think this move was dictated by our salary cap problems, so we weren't exactly loaded with options we're losing a damn good player for someone who might become a good one... and even then, in a couple of years this probably gives us more options to get under the cap though, but i would have hoped we could have gotten a draft pick as well in this deal things are far from over, so we'll just have to sit tight to see what happens
past behavior Well, if past behavior is a good indicator of future actions. My guess is that Mapp will get to know the drive up 94 to Millwuakee pretty well. The Fire seems to like to blood their P40 players with the Rampage.
Re: Re: past behavior he played a grand total of 28 minutes last year. In short, he'd better get used to I-94
You guys need to see Justin actually play. He has MUCH more upside than Martino or Gray. Think of a bigger version of Brad Davis. Ray doesn't seen to undersatnd its his job to GET the effort out of his players. Sarachan does. I suspect Mapp will greatly improve this year.
Re: Re: Re: past behavior not what i meant (and he also put in a whopping 60 or so in non mls matches0 he's gone through a year of training at the mls level... almost meaning that going to the a-league might not be where he is at, sure, it might have been a good idea this past season (and i think he did play some there, dunno)... so maybe he will be ready to give the top side minutes instead of just playing for the rampage
There seems to be some confusion as to what position Dema plays over on the United board. Can anyone clarify. My impression is that Dema is a versitile player who can play at Forward, Attacking Mid or Defensive Mid?
Re: Re: Re: Re: past behavior I'm not advocating him training and playing 100% of his time up milwaukee, but I would bet that he'd at least play "selected" matches up there while training full-time with the Fire and being on our game roster for some, if not all MLS games.
He's played up top, outside right mid, and O-mid for the Fire. My personal preference was an O-mid spot, but he was most effective when he didn't have to the setup work, the stuff Nowak would do for him. His shot, which he used to take more, is a big weapon of his.