PHILADELPHIA UNION – 2016 SEASON ROSTER SALARY BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 1 - 20) ^ 1. Matt Jones #24 (G) (5/11/86) ($75.0K - $80.6K) [England - Green Card] 2. John McCarthy #27 (G) (7/4/92) ($79.0K - $85.3K) 3. Raymon Gaddis #28 (D) (1/13/90) ($150.0K - $152.5K) 4. Fabio Alves “Fabinho” #33 (D) (3/16/85) ($142.0K - $142.0K) [Brazil - Green Card] 5. Keegan Rosenberry #12 (D) (12/11/93) ($62.5K - $63.8K) 6. Richard Marquez #16 (D) (5/26/92) ($63.0K- $63.0K) 7. Kevin Kratz #32 (M) (1/21/87) ($62.5K - $76.8K) 8. Tranquillo Barnetta #10 (M) (5/22/85) ($650.0K - $687.5K) [Switzerland - INT] 9. Leonardo Fernandes #22 (M) (12/23/91)($63.0K- $63.0K)[USA/Brazil] 10. Walter Restrepo #20 (M) ($125.0K - $139.5K) [USA/Colombia] 11. Brian Carroll #7 (M) (7/20/81) ($120.0K - $120.0K) 12. Warren Creavalle #2 (M) (8/14/90) ($118.0K - $125.7K) 13. Roland Alberg #6 (M) (8/6/90) ($328.oK -$377.3K) [Netherlands - INT] 14. Ilsinho #25 (M) (10/12/85) ($430.0K - $478.3K) [Brazil - INT] 15. Eric Ayuk Mbu #18 (M) (2/17/97) ($62.5K- $62.5K) [Cameroon - INTL]% 16. Alejandro Bedoya #11 (M) (4/29/87) ($1100.0K - $1166.3K) 17. Chris Pontius #13 (M) (5/12/87) ($380.0K - $411.0K) 18. Maurice Edu #8 (M) (4/18/86) ($725.0K - $793.8K) 19. Charlie Davies #9 (F) (6/25/88) ($108.9K - $113.3K) 20. C.J. Sapong #17 (F) (12/27/88) ($225.0K - $225.0K) Notes: ^ - Domestic players include US citizens and holders of green cards or refugee/asylum status – all other players considered international players. Minimum of 18 players required or have salary budget charge imputed for each roster spot less than 18. OFF-BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 21 - 28) The salaries for all of these players do not count against the salary cap budget. This roster includes all Generation Adidas (until they graduate from the program) and Home Grown players (they can stay off-budget even if they have signed new contracts since their original MLS contract). Non GA/HG players can also be on this roster assuming that they make the minimum salary amount given their years of experience in MLS, so there is no age limit for these players (when MLS called these developmental rosters in the past, players had to be 25 years old or younger to be on this roster - this age requirement is no longer in place). These off-budget roster spots are differentiated by the minimum salary amount. ROSTER SPOTS 21 - 24 These players’ salaries will be at least $63,000. 1. Andre Blake #1 (G) (11/21/90) ($100.0K - $138.0K) [Jamaica - Green Card]^ 2. Joshua Yaro #15 (D) (1/17/94) ($130.0K - $194.0K) [Ghana – INTL]^ 3. Ken Tribbett #4 (D) (8/25/92) ($51.5K - $51.5K) 4. Fabian Herbers #14 (F) (8/17/93) ($100.0K - $125.5K) [Germany – INTL]^ ^ - Generation Adidas player * - Home Grown Player ROSTER SPOTS 25 - 28 These players’ salaries will be at least $51,500 with slightly higher minimums based on years of MLS experience - non-HG or non-GA players must make minimum salaries to be on off-budget roster. 1. Taylor Washington #3 (D) (8/16/93) ($51.5K - $51.5K) 2. Auston Trusty #26 (D) (8/12/98) ($51.5K - $80.6K)* 3. Cole Missimo #19 (M) (2/15/93) ($51.5K - $51.5K) 4.Derrick Jones #21 (M) (3/3/97) ($51.5K - $57.4K) [USA/Ghana]* Total Off-Budget Salaries: ($587.5K - $750.0K) INJURED RESERVE * None LOAN PLAYERS (%) IN * Matt Jones #24 (G) (5/11/86) ($70.0K - $80.6K) - Belenenses - Portugal * Anderson Conceicao #23 (D) (10/24/89) ($150.0K - $165.8K) – Tombense FC - Brazil * Eric Ayuk Mbu #18 (M) (2/17/97) ($62.5K- $62.5K) - Rainbow FC-Cameroon OUT * Anderson Conceicao #23 (D) (10/24/89) ($150.0K - $165.8K) [Brazil – INT] - Bethlehem (USL) (for 2016 season) SALARY CAP BUDGET – GUARANTEED COMP $ RANKING BY PLAYER 1. Bedoya ($1100.0K - $1166.3K: $$228.8K For Mid-Season DP purposes) 2. Edu ($725.0K - $793.8K: $457.5K for Salary Budget purposes) 3. Barnetta ($650.0K - $687.5K: $457.5K for Salary Budget purposes~) 4. Ilsinho ($430.0K - $478.3K: $457.5K for Salary Budget Purposes~) 5. Pontius ($380.0K - $411.0K) 6. Alberg ($328.0K - $377.3K). 7. Sapong ($225.0K - $225.0K)) 8. Gaddis ($150.0K- $152.5K) 9. Fabinho ($142.0K - $142.0K) 10. Restrepo ($125.0K - $139.5K) 11. Creavalle ($118.0K - $125.7K) 12. Carroll ($120.0K - $120.0K) 13. Davies ($108.9K - $113.3K) 14. McCarthy ($79.0K - $85.3K) 15. M. Jones ($75.0K - $80.6K) 16. Fernandes ($63.0K - $63.0K) 17. Marquez ($63.0K - $63.0K) 18. Kratz ($62.5K - $76.8K) 19. Rosenberry ($62.5K - $63.8K) 20. Ayuk ($62.5K - $62.5K) Totals * Salary Cap Budget: $3.6M * Salary & Guaranteed Comp $ Likely Do Not Reflect All Uses of Allocation $ to Pay Them Down * Salary Total: $5.069M [$1.469M over salary cap] * Salary Total (with Edu & Bedoya as DPs $ & Barnetta net of TAM $): $3.738M [$138K over salary cap] * Guaranteed Comp Total: $5.427M [$1.827M over salary cap] * Guaranteed Comp Total (with Edu & Bedoya as DPs $ & Barnetta/Ilsinho net of TAM $): $3.903M [$303K over salary cap] * May 2016 Training Facility White Board showed a blank for Salary Budget available $. ~: assume $192K/year of TAM $ used for Barnetta to get salary to non-DP level. Assume $230K/year and $21K/year of TAM $ used for Barnetta & Ilsinho to get comp just to non-DP level. Alberg's transfer fee salary budget hit paid via TAM $. ACQUISITION METHODS BY SEASON 2011 Trade (1) – Carroll 2012 Super Draft (1) – Gaddis 2013 Supplemental Draft (1) – Fernandes 2013 Discovery (1) – Fabinho 2014 Designated Player Signing (1) - Edu 2014 SuperDraft (2) - Blake, Marquez 2015 Trade (2): Sapong, Creavalle 2015 Off Budget (2): McCarthy, Ayuk 2015 Discovery (1): Barnetta 2016 Trade (2): Pontius, Davies 2016 SuperDraft (5): Yaro, Rosenberry, Herbers, Washington, Missimo 2016 Discovery (6): Anderson, Restrepo, Alberg, M. Jones, Ilsinho, Kratz 2016 Off-Budget (1): Tribbett 2016 Home Grown (2): D. Jones, Trusty 2016 Allocation Rank (1): Bedoya OTHER ROSTER SPOT DESIGNATIONS International Spots (8 Spots - 1 Traded = 7 Available) 1. Roland Alberg - Netherlands 2. Tranquillo Barnetta - Switzerland 3. Eric Ayuk Mbu - Cameroon 4. Joshua Yaro - Ghana 5. Fabian Herbers - Germany 6. Kevin Kratz - Germany 7. Ilsinho - Brazil One spot traded to Houston - returns to Union after 2016 season. Anderson Conceicao is not using international spot since on season-long loan to Bethlehem. Designated Player (3 Total Spots for Regular or Young DPs - No Fee for Young DP as 3rd DP) 1. Maurice Edu 2. Alejandro Bedoya 3. Open DEPTH CHART -4-3-3 G – Blake, M. Jones, McCarthy RB – Rosenberry, Gaddis RCB – Yaro, Tribbett LCB – Marquez, Trusty, Anderson (LOAN) LB – Fabinho, Washington DM – Carroll, Creavalle, Edu CM – Bedoya, Kratz, D. Jones AM – Barnetta, Alberg, Fernandes RW - Ilsinho, Herbers, Ayuk LW – Pontius, Restrepo S – Sapong, Davies TRIALISTS Current Trialists * None Former Trialists In-Season *Kevin Kratz (M) SV Sandhausen (Germany) * Conner Maloney (F) - Penn State * Hugo Delhommelle (F) - Lander, Reading United Pre-Season * Mitch Lurie #18 - (D) (7/20/93) (Rutgers)# * Ibrahima Diaby #25 - (D) (2/22/95) (SO Armee - Ivory Coast) (Ivory Coast - INTL) * Ken Tribbett - #41, #19, #18 (D) (8/25/92) (Bethlehem - USL)@ * Ian Christianson - (M) (3/6/91) (Vancouver - USL) * Cole Missimo #21, #18, #19 - (M) (2/15/93) (Northwestern)#@ * Ilsinho#24 - (M) (10/12/85) (Shaktar Donetsk - Ukraine) (Brazil - INTL) @ * Anthony Allison - (F) (5/5/87) (Sandvikens IF - Sweden) (Liberia - Green Card) * Moussa Maazou#24 - (F) (8/25/88) (Chungchn Yatai - China) (Niger - INTL) @ - signed with team after trial # - SuperDraft pick TRAINING PARTICIPANTS Current * None Former In-Season * None Pre-Season * Samir Badr - (G) (4/2/92) (Bethlehem - USL) * Andrew Verdi - (G) ( 9/30/98) ( Union Academy) * Ryan Richter #3 - (D) (4/12/89) (Bethlehem - USL) * Mickey Daly #4 - (D) (6/4/87) (Bethlehem - USL) * Raymond Lee - (D) (4/26/93) (Bethlehem - USL) * Lamine Conte - (D) 8/15/98) (Union Academy) * Joseph DeZart - (D) (6/9/98) (Union Academy) * Mark McKenzie - (D) (2/25/99) (Union Academy) * Matthew Real - (D) (7/10/99) (Union Academy) * Auston Trusty - (D) (8/12/98) (Union Academy) * Derrick Jones #19 - (M) (3/3/97) (Bethlehem - USL) * Anthony Fontana - (M) (10/14/99) (Union Academy) * Manny Perez - (M) (Union Academy) * Josue Monge- (M) (3/11/99) (Union Academy) * Boluwatife Akinyode #21 - (M) (5/30/94) (Bethlehem - USL) * Gabe Gissie - (F) (11/23/96) (Bethlehem - USL) * Alexander Soto - (F) (12/9/98) (Union Academy) * Yosef Samuel #26, #24 - (F) (7/3/97) (Union Academy) GUEST PLAYERS Current * None Former * None TECHNICAL STAFF * Jim Curtin (Head Coach) * Mike Sorber (Assistant Coach) * Oka Nikolov (Assistant Coach/Goalkeeper Coach) * B.J. Callahan (Assistant Coach) * Earnie Stewart (Director of Soccer) * Chris Albright (Technical Director) * Tommy Wilson (Academy Director) * Josh Gros (Team Coordinator) * Paul Rushing (Head Athletic Trainer) * Kevin Miller (Fitness Coach) * Peter Fuller (YSC Academy Coach) * Chris Brewer (YSC Academy Coach) Bethlehem Steel FC * Brendan Burke (Head Coach) * Jeff Cook (Assistant Coach) * Stephen Hogan (Assistant Coach, also Reading United - Head Coach) ALLOCATIONS (GENERAL & TARGETED), SUPERDRAFT PICKS & DISCOVERY CLAIMS Allocation $: Sources MLS (2010 – Expansion Funding): $1.4M MLS (2010 - Missing Playoff): $200K? MLS (2011 - 1st Round Playoff): $100K? DCU (2010 – Troy Perkins): $100K KC (2010 – Shavar Thomas): $100K? VAN (2011 – Jordan Harvey): $100K MLS (2011 - Transfer Fee – Carlos Ruiz – Veracruz): $333K MLS (2011 - Off-Budget Salary 29 & 30 Spots Open): $70K VAN (2012 – Sebastien Le Toux): $200K? CHIV (2012 – Danny Califf): $100K MLS (2012 - Missing Playoff): $150K? CHIV (2013 – Gabriel Farfan): $100K? CHI (2013 - Bakary Soumare): $75K MLS (2013 - Transfer Fee & Loan Fee - 40% of Carlos Valdes' rights - Santa Fe): $350K MLS (2013 - Missing Playoff): $150K? MLS (2014 - Retention Funds): $250K MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Michael Farfan - Cruz Azul): $200K? FCD (2014) - SuperDraft pick swap): $50K TOR (2014 - SuperDraft pick swap): $50K MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Carlos Valdes - San Lorenzo): $?K? MLS (2014 - Missing Playoff): $150K? ORL (2015 - Amobi Okugo): $150K MLS (2015 - Pedro Ribeiro - Expansion Draft) - $50K? MLS (2015 - Loan Fee - Carlos Valdes - Nacional): $?K? MLS (2015 - Targeted Allocation $): $500K available over next 5 years HOU (2015 - Sheanon Williams): $100K? NASL (2015 – Loan Fee – Leo Fernandes): $?K? MLS (2015 - Missing Playoff): $150K? HOU (2016 – Cristian Maidana & Andrew Wenger): $200K? ($100K? General + $100K? TAM) MLS (2016 - Targeted Allocation $): $800K MLS (2016 – Homegrown Player Funds $): $125K CHI (2016 - Michael de Leeuw Discovery Rights): $50K MLS (2016 - Michael Lahoud transfer to Miami FC - $300K total - $100K kept by MLS): $200K COL (2016 - Le Toux trade): $100K? MLS (2017 - Targeted Allocation $): $800K MLS (2017 – Homegrown Player Funds $): $125K Allocation $: Uses RSL (2010 - Chris Seitz): $175K HOU (2010 - Danny Califf): $100K? NY (2010 - allocation spot swap – Michael Orozco Fiscal): $175K FCD (2010 - #6 overall SuperDraft pick – Amobi Okugo): $150K CHI: (2010 – Justin Mapp): $100K? MLS: (2010 – Transfer Fee - Juan Diego Gonzalez – La Equidad): $75K? CLM (2011 – Brian Carroll): $75K? MLS (2011 – Freddy Adu Salary Budget Buydown): $100K? MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Carlos Valdes – Santa Fe): $200K? MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Josue Martinez – Saprissa): $300K? MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Porfirio Lopez – Dailan Haichang): $75K? MLS (2012 – Transfer Fee – Roger Torres – America Cali): $150K? MLS (2012 – Transfer Fee – Lionardo Pajoy – Millionaros): $150K? VAN (2012 - Allocation spot swap – Bakary Soumare): $125K? NY (2013 – Sebastien Le Toux): $150K SEA (2013 – Jeff Parke) - $100K? MLS (2013 - Transfer Fee - Aaron Wheeler - Koo Tee Pee): $25K MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Cristian Maidana - Rangers [Chile]): $400K DC (2014 - SuperDraft pick swap): $75K MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Maurice Edu - Stoke City): $?K MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Vincent Nogueira): $300K (includes $100K for Sochaux relegation) CHI (2014 - Austin Berry): $100K MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Brian Brown - Harbour View): $25K? MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Rais M'Bolhi): $400K? MLS (2015 - Transfer Fee - Maurice Edu): $K? VAN (2015 - Steven Vitoria - Loan Fee & Discovery Rights): $?K MLS (2015 - Loan Fee - Fernando Aristeguieta - Nantes FC): $?K MLS (2015 - Transfer Fee - John McCarthy): $?25K? NASL (2015 – Loan Fee – Brian Sylvestre): $?K? MLS (2015 – Targeted Allocation Money – Tranquillo Barnetta salary buydown): $200K MLS (2015 - League Fine Related to Peter Nowak Use of Trialists in 2010 Friendlies): $75K DCU (2016 – Chris Pontius): $100K? ($50K? General Allocation $+ $50K? TAM $) MLS (2016 – Targeted Allocation Money – Tranquillo Barnetta salary buydown): $175K MLS (2016 – Loan Fee – Anderson Conceicao - Tombense): $?K? MLS (2016 – Transfer Fee – Walter Restrepo): $50K? COL (2016 – SuperDraft pick): $100K? MLS (2016 – Targeted Allocation Money – Transfer Fee - Roland Alberg): $250K?) MLS (2016 – Loan Fee - Matt Jones): $?K? MLS (2016 – Targeted Allocation Money – Ilsinho Salary Buydown - $150K?) CHI (2016 - Bedoya): $75K? NE (2016 - Davies): $50K? Last Known Estimated Allocation $ Balances: $50K balance in May 2016 (Training Facility White Board balance was $0 - then got $50K for de Leeuw discovery rights). Prior estimate was $500K from Summer 2012 per Ives but difficult to fully know how other allocation uses (i.e. applications related to salary budget paydowns and transfer fees) Transfer FeesPaid by Union Ownership * $1M (FC Nantes - Bedoya transfer fee) Retention Funds (used to keep existing roster players) * $250K available Targeted Allocation Money (used to players making more than DP charge. 5 Year limit) * Sources: 2015: $500K (MLS Funding) 2016: $800K (MLS Funding) 2016: $100K? (Houston: Maidana & Wenger trade) Total: $1.400?M * Uses 2015: $200K? (Barnetta 2015 salary buydown) 2016: $230K? (Barnetta 2016 salary buydown) 2016: $50K? (DC United: Pontius trade) 2016: $400K? (Alberg transfer fee) 2016: $21K? (Ilsinho 2016 salary buydown) 2016: $50K? (Chicago: Bedoya trade) 2016: $50K? (New England: Davies trade) Total: $1.001M? * Net Balance: $399K? (May 2016 Training Facility White Board Photo balance: $1K) * In 2017, another $800K of TAM $ will be funded by MLS. Allocation Rank * 20th spot (last - used top rank to acquire Bedoya) SuperDraft Picks * 2017 – 2nd, 2nd (from Colorado), 3rd, 4th and 4th (from NYCFC). 1st traded to Chicago * 2018 - 2nd, 3rd, 3rd (from New England), 4th. 1st traded to New England. Lotteries * Eligible to participate along with 19 other teams - no lotteries yet Waiver Draft Priority List * 2nd spot (1. CHI, Already Used: COL - Azira, NYC - Lopez, RSL - Wingert) DISCOVERY CLAIMS Teams are allowed to claim 7 players at any given time, revise the list during the season and make unlimited signings from players on the list. Claims expire at end of season. Claims Used (unlimited per season) 1. Anderson Conceicao 2. Walter Restrepo 3. Roland Alberg 4. Matt Jones 5. Ilsinho 6. Kevin Kratz Players on Discovery Claim List (7 available at all times) 1. John Terry (D) ( 12/7/80) (Chelsea - England) (England - INT) 2. Jorge Aparicio (M) (11/21/92) (CSD Comunicaciones - Guatemala) (Guatemala - INT) 3. Aron Siguroarson (M) (10/8/93) (Tromso IL - Norway) (Iceland - INT) 4. Christian Santos (F) (3/24/88) (N.E.C. - Netherlands) (Venezuela - INT) 5. Thievy Bifouma (F) (5/13/92) (Stade de Reims - France) (Congo - INT) 6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (F) (10/3/81 ) (Paris Saint Germain - /rance) (Sweden - INT) 7. Mateo Casierra (F) (4/13/97 ) (Deportivo Cali - Colombia) (Colombia - INT) No Longer on Discovery List 1. James McFadden (M/F) (4/14/83) (Motherwell - Scotland) (Scotland - INTL) 2. Colin Kazim-Richards (F) (8/26/86) (Feyenoord – Netherlands) (Turkey – INTL) 3. Michael de Leeuw (F) (10/7/86) (Groningen - Netherlands) (Netherlands - INT)[rights traded to Chicago] COLLEGE PROTECTED LIST Union retains MLS rights until December 2016 or December 2017 for players drafted this year if player has not trialed with team. If player has trialed with team and was not offered a contract, he is a free agent for MLS purposes. * None ALUMNI IN/OFF-SEASON - TRADES, TRANSFERS, WAIVERS * Paulo Grilo (Goalkeeper Coach) (Parted ways) * Zac MacMath #18 (G) (8/17/91) ($130.0K - $130.0K) (Trade - Colorado) * Brian Sylvestre #49 (G) (12/19/92) ($60.0K - $60.0K) (Loan return, Carolina - NASL) * Austin Berry #4 (D) (10/6/88) ($93.5K - $108.5K) (Option declined, FC Cincinnati – USL) * Ethan White #15 (D) (1/1/91) ($125.0K - $125.0K) (Trade – NYCFC) * Steven Vitoria #23 (D) (1/11/88) ($400.0K - $400.0K) (Option declined, Benfica) * Danny Cruz #44 (M) (10/11/85) ($125.0K - $131.7K) (Option declined, Minnesota - NASL) * Cristian Maidana #10 (M) (1/24/87) ($203.5K- $217.3) (Trade – Houston) * Andrew Wenger #9 (F/M) (12/25/90) ($140.0K - $242.0K) (Trade – Houston) * Federico Carreiro "Fred" #77 (M) ( 8/18/79) ($60.0K - $60.0K) (Option declined, Bethlehem - USL) * Jimmy McLaughlin #20 (M) (4/30/93) ($60.0K - $60.0K)* (Option declined, FC Cincinnati - USL) * Eric Bird #21 (M) (4/8/93) ($60.0K- $60.0K) (Option declined, Rio Grande Valley - USL) * Zach Pfeffer #27 (M) (1/6/95) ($60.0K - $60.0K) (Trade – Colorado) * Michael Lahoud #13 (M) (9/15/86) ($110.0K - $115.6K) –(Loan to New York - NASL, Transfer to Miami FC - NASL) * Vincent Nogueira #5 (M) (1/16/88) ($400.0K - $400.0K) [France - Green Card] (mutual agreed upon contract termination, Strasbourg - France) * Dzenan Catic #19 (F) (5/26/92) [USA/Bosnia-Herz.] ($60.0K - $75.0K] (Option declined - Rio Grande Valley - USL) * Antoine Hoppenot #29 (F) (11/23/90) ($60.0K- $60.0K) (Option declined, FC Cincinnati - USL) * Conor Casey #6 (F) (7/25/81) ($180.0K - $180.0K) (Option declined, Columbus) * Fernando Aristeguieta #18 (F) (4/9/92) ($350.0K - $350.0K) (Loan return, Red Star - France) * Sebastien Le Toux #9 (F/M) (1/10/84) ($300.0K - $310.2K) [France – Green Card] (Trade - Colorado)
I would love to see how effective the draft is for other teams, but the Union seem to really struggle with our draft picks considering how many years we have been early in the draft. hopefully E. Stewart will help us in this area as he remakes the roster.
So we have $1.39M left under the cap, and 12 open slots to fill? I guess we can leave spots unfilled and there is always Al O'Cation $ but it doesn't sound like there is room for other big signings. Nando would take a big chunk of that, they better be negotiating a pay cut.
This is an area where BSFC will help out as well. Those draft picks that struggled to even make the game day 18, will be able to get playing time in USL now. That should hopefully help player development.
http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/post/2015/12/24/philadelphia-union-add-oka-nikolov-technical-staff Oka Nikolov brought back as an assistant coach. Guess Nikolov's appearance at PPL back in the summer was a job interview. Here is an excerpt regarding his coaching experience: After retiring from play in 2014, Nikolov joined the Eintracht Frankfurt Talent Academy as a coach. He also currently serves as the assistant coach for the Macedonian National Team. Prior to that, Nikolov worked as a goalkeeping coach for the German Under-19 National Team.
http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/po...ion-sign-brazilian-defender-anderson-concei-o http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/post/2016/01/12/philadelphia-union-acquire-winger-walter-restrepo Original post will be updated after the draft for the picks as well as Restrepo, Anderson Conceicao and Lahoud.
So depth chart looks something like this (not sure which side everyone plays on & not really focused on a specific positional lineup): GK: Andre Blake / John McCarthy LB: Fabinho / Anderson Conceicao CB: Richie Marquez / Anderson Conceicao CB: Josh Yaro / Maurice Edu RB: Ray Gaddis / Keegan Rosenberry DM: Maurice Edu / ??? CM: Vincent Nogueira / Zach Pfeffer LW: Chris Pontius / Eric Ayuk AM: Tranquilo Barnetta / Leo Fernandes RW: Sebastien Le Toux / Walter Restrepo FW: CJ Sapong / Fabian Herbers One of Carroll or Creavalle backs up Edu at DM (although Creavalle may be "player to be named later" to COL) If Nando is resigned (only at the right price!) he slots in between CJ and Herbers Can Barnetta play an AM role or is he more of a winger? Regardless, the attack still needs a lot of help. I feel a little better about defensive depth but that is one very young unit. Wouldn't hurt to bring in an MLS vet to backup at CB. Needs still remaining to be addressed: 1. AM/FW starter + depth 2. DM/CM depth 3. CB/LB depth/vet experience
Updated: GK: Andre Blake / John McCarthy LB: Fabinho / Anderson Conceicao CB: Richie Marquez / Anderson Conceicao CB: Josh Yaro / Maurice Edu RB: Ray Gaddis / Keegan Rosenberry DM: Maurice Edu / ??? CM: Vincent Nogueira / ??? LW: Chris Pontius / Eric Ayuk AM: Tranquilo Barnetta / Leo Fernandes RW: Sebastien Le Toux / Walter Restrepo FW: CJ Sapong / Fabian Herbers
GK: Andre Blake / John McCarthy LB: Fabinho / Anderson Conceicao CB: Richie Marquez / Anderson Conceicao CB: Josh Yaro / Maurice Edu RB: Ray Gaddis / Keegan Rosenberry DM: Maurice Edu / Brian Carroll CM: Vincent Nogueira / Fabian Herbers LW: Chris Pontius / Eric Ayuk AM: Tranquilo Barnetta / Leo Fernandes RW: Sebastien Le Toux / Walter Restrepo FW: CJ Sapong / Fabian Herbers
I haven't read anything that makes me think Herbers has the defensive chops to backup Carroll. To me, he'll be a back up at 3 positions LW/RW/CAM.
He's a playmaker with a good turn of speed and a heavy shot. Functions best outside, or in a pinch underneath the target striker. Union's attacking pieces are about done. Don't know what to make of the McFadden tweets other than a depth move.....a "Casey replacey" in a less forceful terms. They want to spend more on somebody else up top? Just move LeToux back to forward where he belongs. They can call what they play a 4-3-3 til the cows come home, but it lines up as the same 4-2-3-1 with some different spear parts. It's ON DEFENSE where they need to concentrate their investing. They give up so many bad goals early on that the season has ended (competitively) by May. The D-midfield is a shambles at present. Not liking what I see there at all. A start in the back, with hopefully more to follow. Fix the left side. It's been broken forever. Then give Blake a chance to show what he can do with even occasional help and you should be happier by October.
I'd hate to think that this team is relying on draft picks to fill starting slots. At best, one or two of these guys will pan out. I'd expect most to be cut at some point during the season.
I get you are a member of the Nexus, but are you serious? The team got three of the top picks in the draft. They are going to cost little to nothing to employ. They're not going to be cut. They are probably going to get serious playing time as part of rebuild.