Actually, I think I've been pretty consistent in stating that the either don't care, or they're incompetent. Take your pick. Maybe they do care, but they don't know how to complete deals. At this point, there's not a whole lot of difference. FWIW, I don't count Nyassi, Mansally, and the Petkovic fiasco as much of an effort, but that's neither here nor there.
Taken from the MLSPU website... CHI Blanco Cuauhtemoc F 2,492,316.00 $ 2,666,778.00 CHV Guevara Amado M 250,000.00 $ 291,250.00 CHV Razov Ante F 245,000.00 $ 248,750.00 CLB Schelotto Guillermo Barros F 150,000.00 $ 150,000.00 COL Mastroeni Pablo M-D 280,000.00 $ 298,000.00 DAL Hislop Shaka GK 220,800.00 $ 220,800.00 DC Emilio Luciano F 265,000.00 $ 293,125.00 HOU Ching Brian F 220,000.00 $ 220,000.00 HOU Mulrooney Richard M 220,000.00 $ 233,200.00 KC Johnson Eddie F 750,000.00 $ 875,000.00 LA Beckham David M 5,500,000.08 $ 6,500,000.04 LA Donovan Landon F 900,000.00 $ 900,000.00 NE Twellman Taylor F 325,008.00 $ 350,008.00 NY Angel Juan Pablo F 1,500,000.00 $ 1,593,750.00 NY Reyna Claudio M 1,000,008.00 $ 1,250,008.00 RSL Adu Freddy M 300,000.00 $ 550,000.00 RSL Cunningham Jeffrey F 220,000.00 $ 232,500.00 RSL Pope Eddie D 265,000.00 $ 265,000.00 TFC O'Brien Ronnie M 240,000.00 $ 258,750.00 TFC Robinson Carl M 300,000.00 $ 315,000.00
Below are the Rev's salaries from the same website. Taking a sip from the Kool Aid (tastes like snozberries), for a team to have made 2 MLS Cup appearances in 2 years and be at or near the top of the league all season, the majority of them are quite underpaid compared to their peers. NE Byrne Bryan M 30,000.00 $ 30,000.00 NE Cristman Adam F 17,700.00 $ 17,700.00 NE Dorman Andy M 30,870.00 $ 30,870.00 NE Flood Gary D 12,900.00 $ 12,900.00 NE Franchino Joey D 90,000.00 $ 90,000.00 NE Gonzalez Miguel M 12,900.00 $ 12,900.00 NE Heaps Jay D 110,000.00 $ 113,750.00 NE Hernandez Daniel M 155,000.00 $ 155,000.00 NE Igwe Amaechi F 45,000.00 $ 78,000.00 NE John Avery D 63,000.00 $ 63,750.00 NE Joseph Shalrie D 170,625.00 $ 180,625.00 NE Knighton Brad GK 12,900.00 $ 12,900.00 NE Larentowicz Jeff M 30,000.00 $ 30,000.00 NE Leonard Marshall M 47,500.00 $ 47,500.00 NE Loftus Chris F 12,900.00 $ 12,900.00 NE Noonan Pat F 225,000.00 $ 227,500.00 NE Oka Arsene M 12,900.00 $ 12,900.00 NE Parkhurst Michael D 80,575.00 $ 93,075.00 NE Ralston Steve M 150,000.00 $ 150,000.00 NE Reis Matt GK 150,000.00 $ 150,000.00 NE Riley James D-F 30,870.00 $ 30,870.00 NE Sims Willie F 35,500.00 $ 43,000.00 NE Smith Khano F 44,100.00 $ 44,100.00 NE Solle Ryan M 17,700.00 $ 17,700.00 NE Thompson Wells M 30,000.00 $ 30,000.00 NE Twellman Taylor F 325,008.00 $ 350,008.00 NE Warren Doug GK 50,000.00 $ 50,000.00
No, I think the argument for signing someone often boils down to "we don't care who you sign, as long as it's expensive and makes it look like you're doing something." I just can't jealous of other teams' aging toys. I know you hate hearing this, but the Revs have managed to stay in the thick of things, against all those teams that have made expensive signings. Will it last? Beats the hell out of me. Frankly the open roster spots baffle me as well. Is Nicol that picky? If they are making offers to players are they too low? Is the budget *that* tight? Should we be worried about their finances? But, do you want to trade places with Columbus or Colorado? Or Real Salt Lake? When was the last time Red Bull/Metrostars were in a final? How about Dallas? The Revs have been in a position to win every year for the past five, which is a damn sight better than a lot of teams. How do they get over the hump? I don't know and neither you do. There's no magic bullet. I'm crazy enough to think that Steve Nicol knows what he's doing. He needs more resources, but given what he has to work with he's done OK. One more thing, I don't drink Kool-Aid.
It's not a question of "aging toys." It's a matter of acquiring players in order to improve the team. Tear down your straw man all you want, it doesn't make you any more right. Well whoop de doo, we've stayed in the thick of things. We gutted out a couple playoff wins (all this talk of 'bad bounces' ignores all the GOOD bounces we've had while being outplayed in ECF's and first round matchups.) If this is the case then they are doing their jobs poorly and warrant criticism as much if not more than if the case is (as we all expect) a lack of commitment from the FO. We could have had Schelotto for 150K and did not pull the trigger. I'm not letting that one go. More straw men. I want the Revs organization to place their full commitment toward improving the team, not leaving roster spots open when their last minute band-aids fall through, not being the only team without a youth academy, not running a bare bones staff that does no scouting, and not wasting the prime of their most talented team's career while telling us to appreciate how lucky we all are. I personally do not demand a championship to be satisfied. But I'm insulted by the notion that I'm supposed to sit here and watch as the organization does not replace departed players, refuses to negotiate with its dedicated captain & MVP on contract matters when he has been severely underpaid, allows allocations to expire and trades away cap space, releases a valuable player halfway through the season when a roster spot is already open and we are already well under the cap just to save some more bucks (regardless of the fact that we had no cover for his position at the time), and does a disservice to players like Heaps & Ralston, guys who have been good soldiers for the organization, by not doing their best to get them a championship. I'm just asking to see from the FO what we see in our players on the field--a commitment to winning. Period.
One of the comments Nicol made was that "they have not been able to agree on a player" Who is they? Nicol? Sunil? CT? Mariner? Burns? This could be a major road block in bring in players. Too many chiefs and not enough indians perhaps. Someone has to make the final decision, sounds like from his comment that he can't sign whoever he wants. Maybe he wanted Schaletto, maybe he wanted Denilson? Fact is the front office needs to pull their collective heads out of their fannies and do something to improve this team. Give Nicol the authority to sign players. I just keep getting this image in my head Steve putting contracts of players he wants on Burns' desk and Mike having a huge stamp that says rejected on it.....frightening
Emilio and Fred make $520K between them. The revs could have had either, or Schletto, or Toja, or Galindo, etc. Or they could have found someone else. I'm not talking about a DP, just a good player asking for a mid-range (although high for MLS) salary. They either didn't have the ideas, the energy, or the enterprise. What they did have, however, was the shrewdness to waive Hernandez in order to keep 75K of his salary - and as a result will end up with even more cap money left unspent at the end of the season. Coaching this year: good to very good (so far) Player performances: very-good to good (with several unnerving trends). Roster management/player acquisition: unmitigated disaster But the organization certainly pocketed a sweet piece of change last night - and also did from the Beckham fiasco. So maybe my priorities are just out of whack. Just my opinions...
Like Angel? Fred? Emilio? Toja? Schelotto? Marinelli? Only one of those is a DP. Most of us have recognized from Day 1 that we wouldn't use the DP. We've not asked the team to go out and spend huge chunks of change to fill the roster. We've just asked the FO to give the same to the players on the field that they demand from those guys ... 100%.
Does the take from Mex-Brazil really go on the REV balance sheet? I doubt it very much but I'm ready to stand corrected. If so, will they add the 60k from last night to REV attendance figures?
Well Kraft Soccer will get a certain % I'm sure. Not sure if that'll hit the Revs books or if he's got a separate one.
I guess that's what I mean. Kraft Soccer got plenty. Of course, the relationship of this entity to Revolution soccer is debatable.
Very true. I just figured it was more nonsense that was being regurgitated ... didn't really think anyone would talk about it.
If the Revs are insulting you, go find another team. Look, maybe I just can't find it a personal affront that the New England Revolution don't run the team they way I, you, or anyone else might like. It's their team, it's their money. I want the Revs to win a cup, be it MLS or Open, just like you. Maybe I'm naive, but I think the Revs, from the Krafts on down want to win as well. But the team is a business, and like every other business in the Kraft Group it has to operate within a budget. I don't know about you, but I don't follow soccer because I like spending my time complaining, I follow soccer because I like soccer. I like following a team that I think has a reasonable expectation of winning every time it takes the field. I like sitting down in front of my TV on the weekend after I'm done with my lawn mowing, garbage dumping, U10 soccer coaching, whatever else needs doing day. I like occasionally going out to the stadium with my son, who has a million questions and lists Taylor Twellman as one of his heroes. I wish we could go more often. That's it, I'm done with this thread.