Gio wants to come back, has green card in hand: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/story/30938p-29345c.html Also, Bradley's first practise with the team is on Thursday. Everyone is expected to be there minus Ziadie who's been called up by the Jamaican national team.
I'll take Savarese with a green card over Faria as an SI or even if he had a green card any day to work with Clint.
I wouldn't mind seeing this, as long as he'll work cheap. I'm guessing we would pick him up as a discovery player, like LA did with Lalas.
It's worth giving him a shot. We haven't had an attacking option off the bench in quite some time. I always liked his super-sub role in the early days. I just hope Bradley cleans house with some of Oz's pet projects: Klinger, Alvarez, Forko, etc.. I'd keep Balboa around if he's willing to re-work his contract similiar to the Ramos 'pay for play' package. None of this maximum salary crap! He's has to be close to 40 by now.
Yes, coming off highly successful stints at Welsh giants Swansea and and the great Deportivo Italchacao, no dobut he is ready to come back and make a greater impact than Faria.
i'm neutral on this.... would he be a great addition...probably not. a bad additon....probably not... gio scored most of his goals in the first few years of the league....it seems that the scorers then have had diminishing success as the league grew....(arce, hurtado, moreno, lassiter, etc.)...so his return would not assure us goals... but, i would take him over faria, especially with a green card.... with mathis, who can hold the ball and pass...gio could thrive...because he can finish the sitters, which faria flubbed.....his heart is there for the full 90...and he's great off the field with fans.... but, i leave it to bradley to decide whether gio would strengthen our team.....if gio costs a player like eski a starting spot, then no...but then again...bradley isn't oz....so i don't expect to see frustrating coaching decisions....as we've seen in the past.... at 31 he's got 2 or 3 years left....if he's an assistant at st. john....how much can he be making? 60-70K? we should be able to come up with that.
I love Gio. He'd be a good coach - but I don't think he has what it takes anymore. MLS is 7 years old and the league has improved since Gio's smile graced the pitch. His last year with the MetroStars was not good. He floated around the world playing - and if he's now an assistant coach - that tells me his playing days are over. Hey, give the guy a tryout - for his own sake. He certainly has contributed enough to the club to be afforded that courtesy. Just don't expect much. The more realistic (yet still unrealistic) job opening for Gio - if he is assisting now - is Bradley's need for an assitant or two to help him run the Metros.
I think he deserves a chance. Let him try-out. If he's still has it in him for at least a sub role, keep him. He can't be worse than what we have on the bench. If not, offer an assistant coach position. He said he has feelings for the shirt, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind help the team start a new "tradition."
I thought I saw Eusebio the other day in Flushing Meadows Park. Still looks like he can hack it. Shall we lobby Metro to tender him a contract?
Gio was great for the early Metro teams, our first consistent offensive talent. That was, however, years ago. Yes, he scored 41 goals in 3 years. That averages to just under 14 goals a year. Faria scored 12 last year. One is on the upswing, the other on the way down. Personally, I would rather have Faria. I am okay with losing Faria to get Bradley, but we have no assurances that Gio isn't past it. How do we know he still has his touch? How do we know he still has the legs to run for 90, or even 70 minutes. Would he be a horrible choice at $ 50k for a sub? No. Do I want him playing alongside Clint for the entire season as our other striker? Heck no. I have nothing against the guy, but I don't understand the lasting affection some Metro fans have for him. Yes he was good. Then. Bringing him back now, we are foolish to expect anything close to his former form from him.
If Gio subs into the matches then you won't have to worry about it. At the same time Alecko Eskadarian(If Metro do draft him) can learn alot from Clint & Gio. Both of them have a total of about three seasons playing at Giants Stadium. They know alot. Let's face it, learning from these to veterens can be a great asset for a young and upcoming player like Alecko.
This is my personal reason for liking Gio over Faria. I'm not saying its always true but just how I feel. When we were down I remember Gio doing something to change the momentum. In the same situation I remember Faria missing a lot of easy goals do to mental breakdown. I'm not saying Faria is a bad player at all. I did enjoy watching Faria play, but I remember better things from Gio.
And I remember Rodrigo scoring a lot of important goals right when we needed them, too. Think back to last year's comeback win over DC at home, or last year's playoff game 1 against LA. And so on and so forth.....
Like I said... It's not like I don't like Faria. I just have fonder memories of Gio. I'm not looking to start a fight on here... just stating a personal opinion.
The question isn't whether Gio is better than faria because faria is already gone. The question is whether he's better than Klinger or Alvarez, both of whom are still on the roster. There's no way GIO would be a big scorer in MLS now as he's gotten older & the league has gotten better, but, for the right (read: cheap) price, he'd be better than what we have off of the bench right now. As a cheap discocery option, he'd be worth it, if only to irritate those fans who don't like him and help make the boards moree amusing.
Here's one thing that has not been addressed here yet: Savarese's 41 goals came during MLS first 3 seasons. Does everyone agree that the competition is CURRENTLY much better than it was back then? There's no way Gio would be able to repeat that feat now, even if you you could turn the clock back and make him 24 again. The poacher goals he had then he wouldn't get against the current competition. Let's stop living in the past and look to player that can help us in the future.
About the Faria/Gio debate. Yes, Gio's goals came during the early years and he his play now might be Lassiteresque. However, if he's cheap enough, I'd be willing to find out for sure. Gio was great as a super-sub, I can't remember a time when Faria came off the bench to score the descisive goal late in a game.
That's because Faria was good enough to be a starter. That's because Faria wasn't a totally 1 dimensional player. Gio couldn't start for the worst team in the league when the leaguewide level of pplay was horrible. Gio couldnt score a goal unless it was on his head or foot froom 6 yards out.
You can attribute that to the league getting better or him getting traded. He never regained his form after leaving Metro, but since he'll probably would come off the bench I dont think its such a big deal to sign the guy. For one thing he's cheap and another he doesnt count against FA no more, which is why we traded him in the first place. We can still sign him and get a better starting striker to partner with Mathis.
I say sign Gio. He is only 31 . The only drawback is what will be his wage demands? Sign Gio for a one-year contract for 55-70k. Gio was our best ever finsiher. If were down in the second half substitute Gio in at the 70minute.
I'd rather give that 50-70K to 2 up and coming players then someone who has been on the downside of his carrer for sometime. The only thing that doesn't completely keep me from laughing at some of you, is that I hope and feel Bob Bradley has more soccer sense then you.
Like those offensive powerhouses known as Klinger and Alvarez? Those guys have shown absolutely nothing in the games they've played.
Right because that's who I was inferring to. Puhlease. Get off your altar to Gio and start thinking with some common sense.