Offseason Roster Wishes (Keep, Cut, Consider)

Discussion in 'Real Salt Lake' started by Ismitje, Oct 23, 2019.

  1. ReAl Football Fan

    May 2, 2005
    Ogden, Ut
    I think keeping Sam and Baird is a good idea if we will use them to best accentuate their strengths. Keep Beckerman as a sub but I feel like his value as a starter is done. Our biggest need (no great revelation here) is for a decent GM who will hire a good manager. I think that could make all the difference in the world. Fully agree with goobx1's first paragraph.
     
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  2. JLaw

    JLaw Member

    Aug 15, 2008
    Happy Valley
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm having a bit of a hard time with this thread for 2 reasons: first, I don't know the contract situation of most of the players therefore, it is hard to say what I want to happen to them. For example, I don't want to cut anyone with a big contract people, and the cheap people can all stay regardless of their performance. Second, it's hard to evaluate players without knowing what kind of system we might be running next year. For example, the players I would keep changes greatly if we hire Kreis and play a diamond, compared to hiring Juarez and play a similar system to this year.

    What I can evaluate is that despite the numbers, our defensive players aren't that good. Our post gold cup defensive scheme was excellent. It overcame the flaws of our players, but did so at the cost of not having an offense to speak of. What made the glory days team so good was that everyone knew that no matter what mistake they made Becks and Borlave would make up for it. This years team knew that any mistake would likely be a goal, so we played ultra conservative and hoped that a miracle goal happened. Sometimes it did often it didn't.
     
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  3. RoyalNonesuch

    RoyalNonesuch Member+

    May 10, 2009
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Every year I tune into this thread.

    Every year RSL has been, arguably, about a dozen MLS quality players short of a full roster...

    And yet every year the reasoning in much of this thread is almost completely backwards. CUT CUT CUT!

    There are some obvious subtractions but Jesus...ever hear the term depth?

    You upgrade at the weak spots and the young players some of you are bitching about become backups that develop and are mentored. This is not a league where you give up on everyone who hasn't turned into a Man City starter yet for $100K a year.
     
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  4. RSLer

    RSLer Member+

    Sep 24, 2008
    Stansbury Park, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Link?
     
  5. kirsoccer

    kirsoccer BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 29, 2007
    Not sure why there is an argument to jettison Bofo. His contribution level is actually pretty similar to Savarino if you extrapolate the minutes. He's roughly $100K, and has had a significant impact off the bench in many games. And he's only 22. Now if he wants to leave, as some have surmised, that's his issue.

    He is inconsistent, which is why he makes $100K and is not a starter.

    One of the marks I have against Freddy as coach is that he mostly exiled Bofo down the stretch in favor of Plata who has been by no measure productive over the last two seasons.
     
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  6. georg

    georg Member+

    May 25, 2009
    Parowan, Utah
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Back line is solid, plenty of speed on the wings and the midfield looks solid. Just get us a top shelf striker please.
     
  7. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I’m admittedly not a Bofo fan.

    Why? For me he’s the same player he has always been. He’s overly selfish, self absorbed and mostly predictable on the pitch.

    He has one move that gets figured out after a good game or two and he thinks he’s Savarino when he’s mostly Luis Gil.

    Who knows, maybe the next coach could do something with him but I don’t think he’s to interested in that.

    And I think they’re still chasing down a few balls he’s Bofo’d out of the stadium.
     
  8. rslfanboy

    rslfanboy Member+

    Jul 24, 2007
    Section 26
    I'm no fan of Toia as a consistent starter.
     
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  9. SenordrummeR2

    SenordrummeR2 Member+

    Jul 21, 2008
    Layton, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don’t think this one is one we need to argue over. He’s supposedly got an offer from Mexico that RSL won’t be matching. Unless the new GM pushes hard to keep him, I think he’s gone.
     
  10. irondeepbicycle

    irondeepbicycle Member+

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Jul 31, 2017
    Here's mine.

    For once, I don't think we have any bad contracts guaranteed for next year. Silva and Plata have bad contracts but I think they're both up this offseason. Johnson may be willing to mutually terminate. The only guaranteed contracts are players we'd want to keep anyway (Rusnak, Everton, etc). So I think, for once, we pretty much get to keep who we want.

    Keep
    Beckerman
    Besler
    Glad
    Kreilach
    Everton
    Onuoha
    Rusnak
    Savarino
    Toia
    Holt
    Putna
    Arriaga
    Martinez
    Lennon
    Vasquez
    Baird
    Herrera
    Ochoa

    Cut
    Beltran
    Rimando
    Horwath
    Mulholland
    Silva
    Ruiz
    Allen
    Schmitt
    Portillo

    Consider
    Saucedo - I'd like to keep but looks like he's gone
    Rowe - I'd also like to keep, but is eligible for free agency
    Johnson - could go either way, seems unhappy and may not be a great fit. Lean towards cutting him.
    Acosta - remember him? I wouldn't mind him getting another shot.
    Plata - still could be useful depth but it's so tough to justify that contract, so I'd likely cut him.

    That's 3 TAM+ contracts gone. Yura/Ortuno money is also free, so we could significantly upgrade.

    By my count, that'd be 10 free Senior spots (if Rowe re-signs) and 1 free Supplemental spot. I'd also extend Baird and Herrera and bump Lennon to the senior roster, so 7 free senior spots and 4 supplemental spots. 3 spots can be international.

    I'd do the Monarchs too but there I'd just release almost everyone.
     
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  11. SpiffCoug

    SpiffCoug Member

    Nov 10, 2004
    Orem, Ut
    The No. 1 job is quickly getting a GM in place so that, at a minimum they can take advantage of the money (Ortuna & Yura) and roster spots (Allen, Mulholland?, Beltran) that has been freed up.

    You would hope that the new GM could be in place basically immediately following MLS Cup and the "official" start of the off-season.
     
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  12. DrownedElf

    DrownedElf Member+

    Jul 5, 2010
    Ogden
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    GM and Coach are top priorities for me. It's hard to grab players when you aren't sure what kind of system you plan on running. Our needs could be vastly different depending on what style we're going for. I do think we at least need a defensive mid, striker, and outside back.
     
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  13. Taragui

    Taragui Member+

    Aug 13, 2006
    Northern Utah
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    It doesn't impress me when players try to use veiled threats on social media as a negotiation tactic.
    Lookin' at you Bofo...
     
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  14. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Assuming we keep the 4-2-3-1 setup with the new management, this is what I'd do with the roster. I've included their 2019 compensation because I feel it is very relevant to this conversation. We don't really know when these contracts end, if the compensation will dramatically change, and if they have a no trade/release clause, unfortunately.

    Still, assuming we could part ways with anyone and their compensation is going to stay roughly the same:

    Keep
    Albert Rusnak ($2MM)
    Everton Luiz ($1.1MM)
    Nedum Onuoha ($504K)
    Justen Glad ($345K)
    Donny Toia ($131K)
    Aaron Herrera ($86K)
    Nick Besler ($85K)
    Andrew Putna ($71K)
    Erik Holt ($70K)
    David Ochoa ($70K)
    Tate Schmitt ($70K)
    Corey Baird ($70K)
    Julian Vazque ($66K)
    Luis Arriaga ($56K)

    Cut/Trade/Release
    Joao Plata ($856K)
    Marcelo Silva ($776K)
    Brooks Lennon ($243K)
    Jordan Allen ($238K)
    Pablo Ruiz ($221K)
    Tony Beltran ($207K)
    Adam Henley ($168K)
    Luke Mulholland ($155K)
    Alex Horwath ($101K)

    Consider
    Damir Kreilach ($1.08MM)
    Sam Johnson ($719K)
    Jefferson Savarino ($498K)
    Kyle Beckerman ($325K)
    Bofo Saucedo ($123K)
    Justin Portillo ($70K)
     
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  15. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Some notes on this:
    • While Everton was a heck of a player, I still feel we overpaid for what he is in the league. He's not the best DMid out there but he's being paid on the level of a Cristian Pavon, BWP, etc. His return isn't of that level. Though, to be fair, there are a lot of players in this range that feel overpaid across the league
    • Plata at $856K is stupid expensive for what he is. The guys ability to play well for two or three weeks a season has lead to that much of a pay? wow. That is far too much cap space/budget for him
    • Same goes for Marcelo Silva. He had a bit of a revision at the end of the season, but he's still not head and shoulders above best CB on this team (I'd still rate him 3rd) and yet he's being paid more than twice as much as Glad and a significant amount more than Nedum.
    • Brooks is a hard one for me. I'd be fine with him being back next year, but his fall from grace was really shocking this year. The guy was defender of the year last year. This year? He lost his spot to Donald Duck Toia
    • The Pablo Ruiz experiment needs to end in 2019.
    • Allen, Henley, Mulholland, Beltran, and Horwath make up about $870K of cap. Add in Rimandos $322.5K and we're suddenly looking at nearly $1.2MM of cap. This is why the right GM is vital.
    • Kreilach is a hard one for me, he'll probably be back next year and that's perfectly fine. But he is so much the same player as Rusnak that it's frustrating. This isn't a league of having your third highest paid player being a backup to your highest paid player...
    • Johnson might work with the right GM and coaching staff, but I think it has to be at a different club. Barring a really big upheaval and shift at RSL, this is still the place that habitually passed him up for a midfielder. I just don't think he'll love it or play like he does. I'd be fine if he stayed, I just don't think it'll work in the long run.
    • Savarino is on the consider list purely because I love having him but his current salary vs what is likely being offered is never going to be as favorable as it is right now. Make. The. Move.
    • Seattle is back in the final this year. They did it without Alonso. Sure, Alonso was a big reason for Minnesota's success, but his departure allowed Seattle to evolve, IMO. We should look to do the same with KB. He'll be here next year, I know that, but it's been shown he shouldn't.
    • Bofo isn't super expensive and should be on the keep list, but his antics about leaving are tiresome. He's never going to develop to much more than he is now, so lets move on.
    • Portillo is cheap, but older. I'd prefer he not be on the roster next year, but at that price it isn't going to kill us to keep him.
     
  16. JLaw

    JLaw Member

    Aug 15, 2008
    Happy Valley
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm so glad someone has the moxie to say this. It is what I've been thinking for a while now. I love everything about Kreilach, except the fact that he either isn't an improvement or isn't a big improvement over the players he replaces on the field. I want a midfield of Everton, Kreilach, and Rusnak to work but I don't think it does. Further, he isn't a great #9, and is isn't better than Rusnak as a #10... So yeah he should go.

    While I was thinking about the prospect of Kreis returning I wondered how we would look as a diamond. I think a midfield diamond of future #6 (KB cannot pull this off anymore), Everton and Kreilach on the sides and Rusnak at the top intrigues me. That is all.
     
  17. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kreilach doesn't have the legs to be a shuttle player. Nor is he willing to put in the defensive work. Everton would make a great shuttle player, and honestly could probably play the DMid portion of the role.

    A diamond would not work with Savarino, though - at least not the one we played before. That guy HAS to be out wide. We should sell him, though, so maybe that problem takes care of itself.
     
  18. kirsoccer

    kirsoccer BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 29, 2007
    #43 kirsoccer, Nov 2, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 2, 2019
    Agreed on a bulk of the list, but here are a few additional thoughts/perspectives.

    I think the real puzzle is how on earth did he earn defender of the year last year? He's awful defensively. Fortunately it appears that experiment has ended. Toia is awkard in the attack, but much, much better defensively.

    Savarino is all about potential, and my fear is that he'll always be much more about sizzle than actual effectiveness. Only 22, and too early to make that call, but a worry. The tantalizing thought is that IF he can ever put it all together, stop being selfish by taking on multiple defenders, and actually get quality shots off or make effective passes he COULD be money. That's a huge IF in my book. Sell him.

    If you take away the entertainment value of watching Savarino, the numbers show over the last 2 seasons that BOFO is actually fairly equally effective. He reminds me of those brash latin-style players who tend to get under opponents skins, put the defenders on their back foot, aren't overly polished but do have some technical ability, don't back down when challenged, and find ways to put the ball in the back of the net. He needs to develop consistency which is often an issue for a player of his age. In at least 3 separate games this season he came in and totally changed the game, but he needs to do that much more frequently. With more time, which I would argue he deserved this year, I think this would start to show results. I don't get the hate. My hunch is that a season in Liga MX and he could be at least pushing to be a full time starter in the right situation. IMO - a sign that this team (and often this league) doesn't know how to develop and leverage a player of his style. Why people want to toss an affordable 22 yo player like this aside is baffling to me. Feels like a Carlos Salcedo situation all over again.
     
  19. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Isn't Sava linked with moves to the EPL? To keep him around on a next contract will require 7 figures. Sell him now. I don't care if he isn't a polished product, he's easily our best player at being able to actually create on his own.

    I think the criticism that he is too selfish is laughable given how many highlight reels he has had in the last two seasons. You'd rather he make the same lateral or negative pass that the rest of the team makes? ******** that. The kid creates chances and then takes them. That is what a winger should do.
     
  20. irondeepbicycle

    irondeepbicycle Member+

    Real Salt Lake
    United States
    Jul 31, 2017
    I've noticed this too. If you look at raw production, like a quick and dirty G+A/96, it usually shows that Bofo's at or above guys like Rusnak or Savarino.

    I think the disconnect is that he takes a lot of chances, and it's very visible when it doesn't come off. He takes a lot of shots that miss badly and we all remember them. Rusnak is much more conservative and rarely takes low-percentage shots, so he doesn't have those visible failures. But willingness to take chances isn't the worst trait for an attacking player, and Bofo creates enough that it's a very worthwhile trade-off.

    I'd very much like to keep Bofo but I think he's out of contract, and I had the impression he was already gone. But Vejar's recent piece indicated that he's open to coming back, so that'd be a priority of mine.
     
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  21. RSLer

    RSLer Member+

    Sep 24, 2008
    Stansbury Park, UT
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To add to this, many times he has had to take on multiple defenders because there were no other options available. Not every time, but many times.
     
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  22. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    I like Bofo for the most part and wouldn't have a real problem if he stayed if he's not going to be counted on as a starter.

    My issue with Bofo is that he is at his peak in IMHO. What you see is what you get. My bet is that RSL could find similar players with similar skill with more up side than Bofo.

    I would like to see RSL take a few more chances and maybe not wait so long with players like Bofo.
     
  23. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
    The Palouse
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
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  24. goobx1

    goobx1 Member+

    Jul 9, 2007
    Salt Lake
    Kelyn Rowe and Joao Plata could be decent players for an expansion team to pick up.

    Maybe RSL's GM could wheel and deal a sign and trade or other smart moves.

    Oh wait, never mind.
     
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  25. 15 to 32

    15 to 32 Straw Hog

    Jul 1, 2008
    Salt Lake
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The most ironic thing will be if one of these teams picks up Plata and sells him in the Summer, if not sooner, for a profit.
     
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