"After the exodus of key players like Joe Cannon and Wade Barrett during the offseason and the prolonged injury layoffs of Dwayne DeRosario and Ronnie Ekelund, not many would have imagined the 2001 MLS Cup champions to start the season the way they have. However, thanks to the determination and improvement of players like Landon Donovan and Richard Mulrooney, the slack has been picked up and the battle lines are now drawn. " While I think both Donovan and Mulrooney are great players - let's be straight. They are not the reason that the Quakes have not fallen off a cliff as all the pundits expected. In fact, they are pretty much the same players, except maybe Donovan is a little more focused. The slack has been picked up by Ching, Mullan, and Dunivant, and, dare I say, Onstad. In other words, it's not that Donovan and Mulrooney are light years improved over last year, it's that the replacements Yallop brought in have performed nearly as well, equal to, or better than the players they replaced. If your looking for existing players that improved, I'd have to give Corrales a lot of credit there. And I don't think you can overestimate the value that a healthy Agoos and Dayak bring to the team.
Life According to Mulrooney When all is said and done......Mulrooney will be playing in Spain next season.
Life According to Mulrooney I think everyone is hardworking and doing their job, but I have to go with Mulrooney, that Donovan has picked it up to another level. He's more into it, sharper, harder to handle and so dangerous - always a threat to do something spectacular, and that's in the minds of the opposing team. I think the way he's raised his game inspires the rest of the team to raise theirs. And I also think Yallop is the best coach in MLS.
Life According to Mulrooney US fan in me: We can only hope that MLS players are able to make the jump and succeed in the top Euro leagues Selfish quakes fan in me: ************!!!!!
Life According to Mulrooney LDB...I take it you feel the statements by Richard were just rhetoric for the public? I keep hearing that he doesn't feel a burning need to go overseas right now. Hope that's true. Yet, I can see what you are saying if he gets low-balled when "contract negotiation time" comes around. I hope that MLS will step up with a respectable offer--especially since this would be the third time their tight purse strings would be screwing the Quakes!! Do you get the impression that he really wants to go play overseas for the higher level of competition or do you feel that RM is satisfied here on that basis?
Life According to Mulrooney Mulrooney is a class act.......he would never let his intentions screw up team chemistry. I say Mulrooney plays in Spain next season and Donovan joins him when he is done here.
Richard Mulrooney on KNBR this afternoon Once again, Rick Barry comes through covering the Quakes. Richard Mulrooney was on for 10 minutes this afternoon. Rich talked about -disappointment in not playing on the US National team at the World Cup and earlier in his career on any of the junior teams (more motivation to make the USMNT now) -his work with coaching Stanford and a youth team (he sees coaching as a way to continue in soccer after his career ends) -his fond memories of playing with his older brother (his brother was a solid player who was too old for when MLS started; they're 5 years apart and played on a competitive team in Tennessee together) -a pre-season loan deal to Rayo Vallecano that fell through (Rayo wanted Rich for cover for the end of La Liga this season, but Rich is happy it fell through because of the great start with the Quakes) -the possibility of playing overseas once his contract runs out (ideally, Rich would like to play 10 years for the Quakes, but it is a business and he has to keep his options open. He really sounded like he wants to stay and said how he loved San Jose) -and how good the Quakes defense has been this season. Rick Barry was very gracious and did a really good job guiding the interview. This is the first time I've ever heard Rich speak at any length, so it was a real treat for me (Richard's my favorite player). Props to Rick Barry.
Richard Mulrooney on KNBR this afternoon Rick Barry has been terrific about including the Quakes. I also heard that while at lunch today. I was trying to call if they were going to let listeners ask Richard questions but they didn't. I loved where John Shrader was feeding questions to Rick Barry to ask. It was a great interview. Nice exposure for the Quakes...too bad there was no plug for this weekend's game though. I'm sure Shrad will work it in on Friday, though. True what you said about Richard sounding sincere about being happy in SJ. He really does sound as though he'd like to stay if a respectable offer is made to him at year's end. Hope that happens.
Richard Mulrooney on KNBR this afternoon I hope he stays, too. He seems like a really nice guy. I ran into him and Conrad at Valley Fair during the offseason. I asked him if he was running yet. He was friendly and approachable, while Conrad was somewhat aloof.
Mulrooney to Spain??? The "Yanks Abroad" board currently has a thread suggesting that Mulrooney may be drawing interest from at least one Spanish side. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53335 Say it isn't so...
Re: Mulrooney to Spain??? Wouldn't be the first time. Rayo Vallecano (Keller's former club) wanted to sign him in the offseason but the deal fell through. Richard was definitely interested in going.
Even though I don't mean it and I would rather be selfish and keep him all to SJ... Whatever makes Richie happy.
I just had to....because. I was trying to think up with 8 reasons, but I got stuck on 1 before I had to (&*#$(&#@$*@# (edited for family content) um, he's a really good player....and every time I see that Serta commercial with the #8 sheep ripping the tag off the matress, it makes me laugh.
What other clubs besides div 2 side Rayo Vallecano are interested in Mulrooney? How interested is RM in going overseas?
Rich played the whole 90. I have this strange feeling we're going to see less of our defensive midfielder at Spartan. But kudos to Mulrooney.