I think this could be a good move as long as we don't pay him too much. http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_...-united-the-frontrunner-for-his-services.html I don't remember him playing only D-mid. I think i've seen him as a wing mid as well. We aren't so good that we couldn't use depth at pretty much all positions. With the Open Cup, MLS, and Champs League (and a few guys away for the Gold Cup for a little while now). I always liked Danny's game but was surprised he made the jump to Europe so soon.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? mixed feelings. When Danny is playing well, he's very good. But his play is erratic, sometimes he is awful. I watched him closely at the U20 in Canada, he is very egotistical (I'm not sure he's a good fit personality for the team, either). The other problem is that if DCU use the pick for Szetela, then they might miss out on a better player that comes available. For me, I'd pass or investigate a trade to NY/Philly. I'd take the 1st pick in the draft for him (from Philly). If MLS can sign Ike Opara, DCU would have a steal.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Also just noticed I transposed part of his name... Should be Szetela. Can a mod fix please? Thanks.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Absolutely he plays both. Yup. We have the roster spot available, and we have salary cap space from the departures of Crayton and Peters before the deadline. I'd expect Szetela to command enough money that the recent trialist defenders wouldn't be an option, though.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Is it possible to trade him (or effectively, trade the allocation spot) to Philly? He's looking to play *right now*, and Philly won't use him for almost a year.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Man, although he would be a great addition, the potential $$$ scare the crap out of me ...can someone allay my fears?
Re: Szeleta to DCU? The Columbus fans appear to have a "good riddance" perspective. Their opinion is that he's a disruptive force, a bit of a locker room/training field cancer with an enormous ego. On one hand, DCU has made it clear that team chemistry and a player's character in that context are the biggest things they go by, moreso than ability/talent; so you'd think that if Szetela had issues here, they'd know that and wouldn't make a misstep. So maybe he's changed. Or maybe they're making a misstep. Hrm.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Agreed, as you'll see from the first line of my initial post. The $$$ is the main worry. Otherwise I think he'd be a solid risk to take.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? I like the move only if no one else is coming back to MLS. I don't want Beasley, John's too expensive, and Pearce is probably going to stay in Europe. Outside of those three, who else is there that would command using an allocation on? It's use it or lose it, and Szetela can provide cover at a couple of spots. He's young enough that he can still grow as a player, and his experience in Europe should bring any ego back down to earth. I imagine he'd get a contract at around $150K (which would be pro-rated), so we'd still be able to make a couple of moves.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? I like this a lot, but again money is the head scratcher. How much is he worth? As high as 200k? We have 3 spots, we can afford it if we get him, a developmental player and someone who cost what peters costed. What position do we use for a developmental option? How would you like our #1 line up to look? Wicks Namoff Jackovic Burch Szetela Simms Quaranta Wallace Gomez Emilio Pontius Olsen Moreno Fred Janicki Jacobson Khumalo Kocic Should we pay this much for another midfielder? Or maybe a good forward?
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Maybe Cherundolo? But does he want to come back? I don't see any reason to hold the allocation spot.
Wow, it is hard to read the downturn of events. We have the potential to sign Danny and all I hear is, ya know .1234 yadaydadyadasingapore! What?! Sign the dude, he plays great next to Simms and I will make a poster. Fireworks and roquefort bleucheese. My god I'm never posting here again! See ya on Saturday
Re: Szeleta to DCU? We already have a rightback. Plus, Cherundulo still has a year left on his current contract. He'll come to MLS, but I doubt it will be during this window.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? For what though? Can we get a high draft pick for it, say trade him to NY for a first round pick? A player to be named? Trading is all well and good, but we have clear needs that might not be addressed this season via draft picks, allocation money, or other teams' tradebait. I'm not against the move, as I think Szetela can help us this season and in the future. However, this move takes us out of contention for anyone else that may become available, and I'm not wild about doing that this early in the transfer window.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Or money, or what have you. Sure. But what I'm saying is that if we're not *really* enthusiastic about bringing him in, but feel the need to act because it's "use it or lose it" on these incoming player allocations, we could try to trade it/him for something we value more or which has longer-term value. He might. Then again, after seemingly finally getting our team chemistry in order after last year's debacle, I confess to being a little scared off by the descriptions of his attitude that I'm reading.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Well. That's certainly food for thought. I was about to write a post listing a bunch of reasons why it might not be that bad (Szetela could've grown up over two years; maybe not playing in Europe and coming back to the US will take the starch our of his shirt; etc.) but those would be wishful thinking. Without being dismissive of the risk, I do think that, if it's an eyes-open decision -- that is, if Tommy, his staff, and the team's locker-room leaders understand the guy's rep and are prepared to handle him if he lives down to it -- it's a chance worth taking. A mature team with a settled locker room and established coach can deal with kid with an ego.
Further evidence that it's wrong to drink heavily before posting. I think Danny Szetela could help DC on the field, but right now D-mid is a position where the team is fairly deep. Management would do better, I think, to invest where the team is thinner, like Defense.
Re: Szeleta to DCU? Thank you, Thank you very much. NY 1st and Nick Zimmerman and Allocation Money?. I'd take that.