Ruiz vs Serna

Re: Serna free agent!!!!!!

Here are some thoughts, positive and otherwise, from a thread back in January, although at that point before the draft, one of our users was suggesting a trade for Diego...

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27882

 

MLS does not owe San Jose an allocation.

And we don't need Serna.

 

Dude, you're forgetting the first rule of MLS fandom: The league always owes you an allocation, no matter what.

 

Serna is a certifiable headcase and has fomented dissent and trouble wherever he's gone. The last thing we need is a loose cannon (apologies to Joe) who's gonna flake out in August and be found drowning his sorrows in a coke-bar down in Cali!

 

Pineda Chacon would have been a better player to sign. Serna is A-League material at best at this point.

 

We got rid of Cannon. What more do we need?

 

Serna free agent!!!!!!

I always thought that Serna was over rated even before the goose incident. We definatly don't need HIM on the team. I will never ever not support the Quakes, but, I would find that one of the most difficult things to stomach in all my years as a soccer fan if they signed him.

-Richard

 

If you had to pick one for the Quakes, who and why?

Sean

 

Serna, only to watch him get his ass kicked by Nick Garcia and Jimmy Conrad on opening day. And by Agoos in the lockerroom.

 

Ruiz. He's young and on his way up. A tough, gritty player who's got a winning attitude, yet isn't off the deep end.

 

If you took Ruiz, you'd have to soak him in sheep-dip for two weeks to get the LA smell out of him.

 

Not to mention tomatoe juice. I heard he smells like a skank, whoops, I mean skunk now after LA.

 

Out of the two it would have to Ruiz...why? He has a lot more talent than Serna, is younger and not such a hack. My problem with both players is penchant for cheating, pouting and violence when things don't go their own way. I think with Sernas case its because he's not as good as he thinks he is..he is an average striker who had one outstanding year and who would not make it in one of the Euro leagues and is now getting past it. Ruiz on the other hand is young enough to learn and lose the attitude. To do it he will either need to leave LA or move to a league that players will kick his behind, such as Italy or England if he starts that crap. I think he could be very, very good if that happens. I think if he did come to SJ he would be a lot better because I think FY is a lot less likely to put up with his antics than Sigi.

-Richard

 

Ruiz because MLS could sell him and the Quakes would get an allocation. MLS couldn't sell Serna for anything more than a beer and a hotdog.

 

Although neither are able to play here, i'd take either over what we have. Preferrably Ruiz, because he is the more creative. You guys keep mentioning the head case thing, I think Yallop has a knack for getting players to check their egos.....ie; Graziani. If not, they go away.....ie; Carrieri. For those of you that think Barclay and DeRo will get us into the playoffs, you are sadly mistaken. We are a Striker and two good defenders away from another MLS Cup, we are a Striker and one good defender away from the playoffs.

 

i'd choose Serna, of course i'd choose Moore over Serna. I choose serna cuz hes a proven forward in this league, pretty consistent numbers. Ruiz has one year. Look what happened to the past two MVP's.

 

I know that this issue (Serna v. Ruiz) is purely academic. But let me mention just a few things:
1. SJ isn't owed an allocation. Graziani was renounced by SJ for cap reasons. If the league ends up selling him, no allocation goes to SJ. The only way you'd have gotten an allocation is if you'd sold Graziani (fat chance--the transfer market is stagnant and lots of great talent is going begging on free transfers) before the cap deadline.
2. Serna is out of MLS. It isn't formal yet (b/c I think he still is recovering from knee surgery) but he is off NE's roster and cap and has been training with a team in Colombia for 2 weeks now. NE is seeking to dump him and there may already be a "rent to own" deal in place.
3. Choose Ruiz all the way. First, he is a hack and isn't spotless--check out his behavior in WCQ when the US went down to Guatemala. Or listen to what MLS defenders are telling Jeff Bradley (in his latest column at MLSnet). Or hear what Pope and Convey (neither of whom have reps as hacks or dirty players or whinners) had to say about fouls called on them defending Ruiz. Ruiz dives (very well, but he dives) and he also plays a very chippy game (but smart chippy). But he's significantly better than Serna--not even close. He's quicker, is a better finisher, comes up big at big moments, is younger.
4. If you were really looking for a striker who's available (and you're not--the cap is still an issue. Losing Conrad, Barrett, and Cannon only means you didn't have to say good bye to Ekelund and can afford Johnny Walker--who should be an outstanding addition), then the guy you should really be looking at is Tyson Nunez of the Honduran National team. He's available on a free transfer (ie: no allocation necessary) from Pachuca of Mexico. He embarassed the US National team (Pope and Agoos) at RFK in WCQ. He embarassed DCU in the ConCacaaf club championships (when he was with a previous club Communicaciones of Guatemale--got a hat trick!). Nunez was approached by NE and DCU this offseason but was expecting to go to Europe and asked for more than the MLS max. But the transfer window is now closed and like many S. or C. American talent, he's still out of contract. Nunez has publicly said he's interested in MLS and specifically Dallas. That's the guy you should be looking at. Nunez has done more internationally than Ruiz and has played at a higher club level (Pachuca and Sunderland in England plus a club in Greece) than has Serna or Ruiz. Plus, Nunez and Donovan would be a killer tandem--they'd compliment each other so well. But that's all academic b/c you'd need a lot of cap room to sign Nunez.
5. And while we're talking available strikers, Hwang (4 world cups for S.Korea, scored S. Korea's first goal in the WC, was the guy with the bloody bandage on his head in the USA-Korea WC match that drew the PK on Agoos, rated as a team leader right up there with Hong--now with LA) is available on a free transfer. He wants to come to MLS. He was offered around the league earlier but b/c teams were all capped out, everyone passed. He'd also take the league max. However, in LA, a bunch of Korean businesses supposedly pooled money to help pay for Hong's transfer fee to LA b/c they wanted him in American for promotional purposes and the Korean community/pride. I'd bet you'd find a similar setup in Northern California. But again, that assumes you had sufficient cap room.

 

Good stuff Joe.....This cap room you speak of, would that be the same cap space that Agoos is taking up?

 

Serna has showed some brilliance around the goal, but Ruiz seems to always know exactly what he was going to. He knew exactly how he was going to beat you and score. He's got a lot of confidence.