"Matt Crawford is likely to miss the remainder of the Major League Soccer season because of upcoming surgery on his troublesome hip." "Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo continues to scour the market and said the club is close to filling its two roster spots." "Clavijo said he will be scouting a few of the upcoming Gold Cup matches, particularly games involving Panama." http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_2841869
How about this quote: "The Rapids are pursuing attacking and outside midfielders, Clavijo said." That is just what I needed to hear. At least he knows we don't need more defensive help. Also like to see: "The Rapids will be allowed to fill Crawford's roster spot, although they will receive no monetary compensation from MLS, which holds every player's contract." While I didn't want to lose Crawford for the season, at least the league is giving us a little wiggle room and Crawford will no longer hold a roster spot this season.
Here is Panama's roster for the Gold Cup: GK: Jose Calderon (San Francisco FC), Oscar McFarlane (Tauro FC), Jaime Penedo (Deportivo Árabe Unido); DF: Felipe Baloy (Paranaense/BRA), Ubaldo Gustavo Guardia, Luis Alfonso Henriquez (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Luis Moreno (Envigado/COL), Carlos Rivera (DIM/COL), Joel Solanilla (CD Plaza Amador), Jose Anthony Torres (CD Marathón/HON); MD: Gustavo Avila (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Alberto Blanco (Alania/RUS), Gabriel Gomez (Tauro FC), Julio Medina III (Aguila/SLV), Engin Mitre (CD Plaza Amador), Ricardo Phillips (Tauro FC), Angel Luis Rodriguez; AT: Roberto Brown (San Francisco FC), Jorge Luis Dely Valdes (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Julio Cesar Dely Valdes (Deportivo Árabe Unido), Neftali Diaz (Alianza FC), Luis Tejada (Envigado/COL), Roman Torres (Chepo FC). It is safe to say we're looking at someone in bold...I hope. Could Clavijo be trying to bring Jorge DV back? It looks like Angel Luis Rodriguez is not tied to any club.
Interesting game and I suppose an upset by Panama. Columbia had plenty of chances but their shots either went directly at the keeper or wide. I really didn't see anyone on the field that looked like they could help the Rapids.
Too bad that Crawford is having such a hard time overcome this injury, but nice to hear that the Rapids are gettign some help from the league. Whoever they decide to sign I hope it is quickly and that it is someone who can actually come in and help and not be injured.
Wait, Panama beat Columbia! That is a huge upset. I recently saw a rankings of the team in the Cup and Panama was last. Unfortunatly I can't find that again and I don't remember where Columbia was.
It didn't look like either team played their best game. However, I think that Medina looks like a good player and plays the attacking mid. He is presently playing in El Salvador for one of the bigger teams there. I think he could help us out but he is a bit small.
Colombia: 25 Panama: 98 This link has a pretty cool color graphic which has a small capsule highlighting each team. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/soc/3252614#
He was the tiny guy with blond hair, I believe. Since most of the Panama attack went through him and with the white hair, it was difficult not to watch him. I was very unimpressed with him. He was easily pushed off the ball and made an amazing number of bad passes. Perhaps it was an uncharacteristic bad showing, but he didn't look good at all and I was specifically thinking of him when I made my couldn't help the Rapids comment.
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050707&content_id=35735&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp TCS SAYS: Apparently, MLS is in negotiations to bring Daniel Hernandez back from Necaxa. I hear Mile High Club is a possible destination. THE NEWS: Speaking of the Rapids, it can't be settling to hear Joe Cannon even mention the thought of heading back to San Jose. TCS SAYS: But that's what he did this week in the San Jose papers, saying that he would consider returning to the club, even as the team's future is undecided. "If you told me there was a 50-50 chance of the team leaving, I'd probably still come," he told Dylan Hernandez in the San Jose Mercury News. "I'd work in the ticket office, too. I'm old enough." But relax, Mile High faithful, he also had very good things to say about your boys: "There's no way I could turn my back on a franchise that gave me a second chance."
If FC is really looking at Panama, I've been impressed with Julio Medina in qualifying games against USMNT. He's a good little player. About 5'3" I would guess. He's a nice linking player, but plays wide as well. I also mentioned this in another thread, but I heard on Telefutura yesterday (6/8) that the Rapids had a Pumas UNAM player on trial right now. I'm going to check sources and post again if I get his name.