On an even more depressing note I found myself watching the game and saying to myself "He's gone next season...he's gone...he's gone..." My short list: Stoitchkov (wouldn't mind if he stayed on from an organizational standpoint--asst. coach, but not sure how likely). Vaudreuil (done) Walsh (done) Kovalenko? (free up roster space) Daniv? (roster space) Wolff??? (salary and roster space) Anyone else? Got that rebuilding-off-season feeling going. But Bradley has proved he is the best in the business at spoting talent before others. Trust is sometimes hard to come by, but he has earned mine. By the by, he's under contract one more season? Is that right? Should be real interesting, might not be pretty though. I think the Fire of next year might have a major facelift in the off-season.
I would expect Beasley to sign in Europe during the winter sighnings. Could be wrong, but it wont surprise me if it happens. But on the positive note, Armas and Whitfield will be back. Not gonna help our attack but it's something positive.
Yes, they have been good in the past at feeding the ball to and through the midfield. Both have pressed up. Whitfield more so than Armas, that is until Armas joined the Nats and Arena help to mold his offensive capabilities. Granted both tend to be natural defensive mids, but having both of them back will be sweet . . . Next season . . . Yeah, we need to clean house. And perhaps reevaluate the training staff's capabilities since we'll be on the "SafePlay" one more season. Trust in Bob. Bob is god. Kirsten
Vaudreuil, while I appreciate him coming in and helping out the past two seasons, he is gone, again. Walsh was "filler", gone. Kovalenko, makings of a great player, but needs to mature mentally. I don't want to see him go, just grow up a little. We have already played two seasons without him. Daniv?? I am still undecided. Anyone else? - Moore
Funny. I had a very similar discussion after the (9/14) Columbus match, in Columbus. As much as I'd hate to see some of the elder statesmen go, they seem to be getting banged up quite a lot.
Maybe the better question is, who's staying? Thornton Curtin - CJ - Boca Peter - Kelly - Armas - Whitfield Ante (probably) - Wolff (probably) - Dipsy Also, do we get a replacement allocation for Hristo if we don't re-sign him? Daniv too? Anything for DMB?
As great as Nowak is, I'd also like to see a serious long-term replacement enter the picture next season--someone with good ball distribution who can create plays. I'm really worried about Nowak becoming another Valderrama (sp?).
I want to wait until the season is actually over to really start speculating, but one possible trade (completely unencumbered by any sort of actual information) that I think might help would be Kelly Gray and Dema Kovalenko to the Metrostars for Brad Davis and somebody else, given the assumption that Beasley is gone in the offseason. They need a central defender badly, and clearly that's the only position Bradley wants to play Gray at right now, which sticks him behind Curtin, Bocanegra and sometimes C.J. Brown. I figure the Metros are one of the few teams that would take Dema, as they already have a history of acquiring players that have made few friends on their squad as an opponent. Plus, they're looking to clean house. That, plus my earlier notion of getting a hold of Alex Pineda Chacon, and we've addressed a whole lot of issues awfully quickly. Later, COZ
It would not suprise me if BOB Bradley is a gonner as well unless he signed long term contract, correct me if I'm worng. Although I question his decisions I hope he stays for 2 more seasons. Nobody is better than him to guide Fire during the rebulding season (just look on what happend to DC.)