HEY, HEY, HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Regarding the cap implications of this, I thought the 2005 cap had not yet been determined so it could not be as bad as some might think. Doesn't matter to me, he wasn't going to be stopping Christian Gomez in SJ so now we get to school him four times.
This also is a reprise of the center defense that started (but didn't finish...) the 02 World Cup team.
So how much money are the Metros spending on these two guys in center defense? Max salary defenders were a problem for us in 2000, and I doubt Eddie or Jeff have taken a pay cut since then. This also frees up a ton of room for the Quakes, with Donovan and Agoos leaving they should have extreme flexibitily to either go after some good players, or look for some decent Mexicans for their move to Houston.
Another thing to think about is that Jeff won't be playing half his games in that indoor-sized rink that is slightly larger than a legal sized sheet of paper. A bigger field means more space to cover. If cheatin bob plays Goose, I figure it has to be in a 4-4-2 formation. I don't think Goose has the wheels to even play the angles in a 4-4-2 on the larger fields; and I think the synthetic surface of the swamp is going to give his back and calf a real workout. It might be time to buy some stock in the company that makes ben-gay 'cause Goose will be using a lot of it in 2005. GM
First, c'mon gang -- Goose is no threat to us at this stage and he does deserve some credit for many years of hard work here. Less like Goose at this stage, more like, well, pate. Second, the poor bastard has to play in the swamp, a big, empty cavernous, pustule-filled rot of a stadium. Pity the fool. The thought that he'll make it through a whole season on that "turf" without major back/calf/neck/other problems, well, I want some of what the Metros FO is smoking. I have to assume there were no other options On the other hand he still knows the game well and could play a role. Maybe, maybe he can suck for a year, make a miraculous recovery and come home to win another cup here with Jaime. He'd be, like, 50 in 2 years, right? If Barry Bonds can do it, it must be possible.
Not much to add here, but it bares saying, Goose and Pope didnt add much here back in the Rongen years. Not much reason to think they will do much 2-3 years later. --Sad for Goose though...
Oh Well. who knows, maybe the metrotards will screw up again and just get him back to his best just in time to send him back here.
I think Bradley believes (and he's been telling his players this) that the only reason his team folded late in the season and the playoffs is a lack of leadership. Thus, they try to trade for Chris Armas. When Chicago won't deal, they go for Agoos. Jeff is still a fine player. Maybe he'll be the final piece of the puzzle for Metro (but it would have to be a heckuva big piece!). But Bradley originally traded for Pope and Moreno b/c he wanted their leadership. And anyone who's honest about the Metros team would say that another plausible reason for their collapse is: --no outside wing play; --poor overall defense (especially on the outside); --team easily thrown off stride by physical play; --bad job of the defense and D-mid positions getting the ball to Guevara and Gaven (so they had to track back to get touches--and then were too far away to provide good service to the frontline). If you think that the Metros problems were not about leadership, than getting Agoos does nothing for this team. B/c they're likely to move Pope--and while Agoos is a better organizer than Pope, Eddie is quite a bit better than Goose in a number of regards. And given Agoos' recent injury bouts, it's even money as to who will play in more MLS matches next year: Pope or Agoos.
First I feel sorry for Goose, you gotta really want to play pro soccer to be a Metro. I wonder If he still remembers the move Moreno put on him June 12, 1996? (USA vs Bolivia and Jaime's first goal at RFK) Despite it all, he's the only Metro I'll applaud, I respect the man.
If he's wearing a Metros jersey I won't applaud him. I just can't. Maybe out of respect I'll withhold the general muttering of oaths that goes on every time a Metro player's name is announced over the PA, but I certainly won't applaud him.
That's been my practice, ever since we shipped Pope, Moreno, Williams, Ziadie, & Lisi (well, there's always an exception to everything!) to the MetroTurds. I could never boo Pope, Moreno, or Williams after the championships they helped bring to DC. Since Ziadie has been capped by Jamaica, its been easier to boo him! After the patch-kissing incident, Lisi has been fair game.
While I hold myself in silence now. The first couple of times that Eddie and Ritchie came back, and the only time that Jamie came back, I applauded them. As an acknowlegement of their good deeds before serving a force of evil. I still applaud guys like Kamler and Llamosa when they venture back home with their teams.....I just have a hard time with Metros and Galaxy guys.
I think Bradley is desperate and is looking to some veterans to coach his team for him. I remember a certain coach who did the same thing**cough*Ray Hudson*cough**. If Bradley tried to actually coach instead of manage maybe Metro would do better. They've got all the talent in the world, on paper. I know some will blame the Metro FO, but unless they've told him he can't hold practice its the coach's fault for not getting his players on the same page. Oh, and the Metros suck.
Don't forget when Ziadie turned Freddie into a lawn dart. I'll boo him no matter what jersey he wears.
As Goose puts it: "My wife and family is from the New York area and we couldn't be more happy than to be playing at the Meadowlands for the MetroStars. Of all the Major League Soccer cities I think that New York is one of the best cities to play in and I certainly think that the talent on this team can win a first championship here
Well, that is certainly interesting news. Apparently the Metrostars are also going to enter a team in a local rec league.