Didn't see this thread and thought, since this is probably the only FIFA-sanctioned international tournament in which MLS could actually afford some of the players, it might be of interest. Panama was set to become this year's Haiti and the year before's Cuba in terms of trendy player acquisition. Anecdotal evidence has MLS scouts at most if not all of these games, what with the August 15th date and the playoff push coming up. Did anyone impress you in Panama vs. Colombia? Watching Honduras vs. T&T right now...
Well, Medina for Panama is very good. Don't know who he currently plays for or what it would take to sign him, but he could run any midfield in MLS.
Medina plays in El Salvador right now. The question is whether MLS is too physical for him and Kevin Phillips, the other slightly built midfielder. A guy I like on Panama is Alberto Blanco, a midfielder who looks big enough to handle the contact and is skillful on the ball.
I wasn't impressed with Medina much. He would be a servicable MLS player but I have serious reservations he could be a star like some of his other Central American peers. However i think MLS should be a haven for the best CONCACAF has to offer so I would take a chance on the player for the right price. Blanco did impress me if I was a team like RSL or amyother team with a soft midfield i would be looking for a guy like this.
One small guy who's playing right now for Honduras and who I've always thought could handle MLS is Danilo Turcios. He's a terrier in midfield, but also creative going forward. He seems to wander in and out of the Honduras national team picture, and was with the Mexican league for awhile, I think.
Birchall of T&T (their only white guy on the field) impressed me in the Mexico qualifier last month and is doing so again tonight.
He's the first white player to play for T&T in 60 years. He's with Port Vale though, so don't expect the typical cheap T&T transfer. The story: http://www.socawarriors.net/christopher_birchall.htm Born and raised in England, has been with Port Vale since he was 9. Mother was born in T&T and moved to England with Chris' father. His mother's citizenship makes him eligible. It sounds like he might be out of contract with Port Vale, but I really don't see a reason why he'd want to play here instead of another club in England.
Medina looked good. I read that Fernando Clavijo will be scouting Panama's games, so maybe Medina to the Rapids? Here's the articles: http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_2841869 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.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=84924875 Also impressed with T&T's transformation over recent weeks was former United States player and current Colorado Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo, who was at the Hasely Crawford Stadium to view T&T's 2-0 win over Panama. He was scouting T&T players for possible MLS deals.
I also really liked the two Panamanian defenders, Felipe Baloy and Anthony Torres. Baloy plays for Atletico Paranaense in Brazil and has done well for them too, but may be out of an MLS price range. Torres apparently plays for Marathon in Honduras. Btw, here are the rosters from Concacaf's site - I think it's generally up to date now. But I noticed that Guatemala has two forwards named Carlos Ruiz and since one of them's done so well in MLS, maybe someone should try to sign the other one.
I agree with you, Onionsack. Medina doesn't impress me one bit. He is extremely slow of thought, undersized, and holds the ball too long. Plus, he is a diver of epic proportions. Let him stay right where he is.
I think Baloy plays for Monterrey now. They signed him last month on loan I believe. He is not on Paranaense's roster in Libertadores matches. At least for the semifinals and final.
All I can say is it's a good thing Avery John already has an MLS contract, because he was about the worst thing on the field for Trinidad last night. A final guy who impressed me for Honduras was Oscar Torres. Never heard of him before and had a hard time Googling him. Made some nice knifing runs in from a wing midfield position. Costa Rica coming up tonight. Another look at Centeno and Alonso Solis, I imagine. I've never been big on Centeno, but Solis could start as an a-mid on a lot of MLS teams. And, of course, big Ronald Gomez. I always wondered why he wasn't in MLS. Seemed the right type of player in terms of physicality. Then again, I'm not sure any of the Costa Ricans would want to leave the country right now if it jeopardizes a possibly trip to Germany. I wonder how long Sequeira can continue playing for the national team while still at Chivas USA. The Ticos don't like their players in MLS for the national team. Mau Molina only made it when he came back to CR to play, and Pablo Brenes left MLS to keep his WC dreams alive (or so he said).
I think Sunsing, Wright and Solis would all disagree with that sentiment.....And Brenes was cut by Metro and RSL, not exactly a ringing endorsement of his abilities! Personally, with the exception of Mexico, MLS should be attempting to sign the best 2-3 players of every national team of good caliber in the region, and so far has done a good job of that. Placing those players in the right position both playing wise and demographic wise is key to MLS's short term success and building credability long-term.
Well, ok, then how about one more? RSL is reportedly close to signing Guatemalan central defender Gustavo Cabrera: Real Salt Lake de MLS interesado en guatemalteco Cabrera
Metros and RSL didn't cut Brenes. Metros left him open to the Expansion Draft. Then once he was in SLC, Brenes decided he liked it better in Costa Rica so he was traded. He was never cut. I would take him back in a second. Similiar story with Erik Scott of Crew.
Actually no he wasn't We let him go in the expansion draft even though it was clear we wanted to keep him. The national team coach told him to come home or forget about WC06 so there was some sort of complicated deal between RSL Chivas USA and Saprissa where he ended up in CR and Chivas sent a 2007 draft pick and Chivas got Sequeira.
Sequeira is headed back to play for Saprissa soon anyway. His expirement with Chivas is over at the end of this year and maybe before.
How about the Cubans? Though they broke in the end, some of them seemed to have pretty good poise on the ball.
So we let a go guy in the expansion draft that we wanted to keep??? Ha ha ha ha......Brenes was Vaca but weaker!