Well, the season is winding down, and I think it's about time we get ready, for the first time, to say goodbye to a lot of the players in the league. I think it's pretty likely that this offseason will be the signal the first mass exodus of talented players for greener pastures, so I thought I would take a look at who might be leaving at the end of the year. Feel free to add your own, or disagree with my judgments. Chicago Fire Beasley - Obviously planning to take off after this season, even hired a new agent who specializes in moving players overseas. I believe MLS will get a transfer free for him. Bocanegra - Contract is expiring, and I think there's pretty much no chance that he'll be sticking around any longer. Columbus Crew No one really, though a smart club could tender a big offer for Edson Buddle, I sure hope they don't. Cunningham may be moving teams if he can't break the lineup, but I doubt we'd see him leaving the league. D.C. United Marco Etcheverry - Hopefully he retires, but if he doesn't, I pray D.C. doesn't bring him back. I think he's pretty much a lock to be gone. Ryan Nelsen - apparently piqued interest at the Confederations Cup, but hopefully he'll stay around longer. His departure could be a boon for Brian Carroll though. Stoichkov - another likely retiree. Convey - I think he'll stay around and make another go at England next year, but I guess there's the chance he could leave for Spain or somewhere. Seems likely we'll see him back though.
Metrostars Clint Mathis - although apparently he's not too much in demand, I we will without a doubt see Clint leaving for Europe next year. I can't imagine him not finding a team, even though he might end up back in MLS a couple of year's down the line, much like Ante Razov. Revolution - Unless Adin Brown can find a taker, which I would doubt, the only player I can see leaving is Fabbro, hopefully back to some 3rd division team in Argentina, or Llamosa into retirement.
Colorado Rapids Mastroeni - his contract apparently expires at the end of this year, and judging by his disinterested attitude, I think we can count him out as well. I don't know about Fraser, but it seems he should be considering retirement pretty soon. Dallas Burn - nobody from this team will be moving up a level. It's possible we'll see Pareja and Morrow's retirements, though probably at least Pareja will stick around a little bit longer. Kansas City - I would say that Preki is nearing the age of retirement, but obviously, he would just go out and win another MVP to make me look bad, so I don't see any major movements from KC. Los Angeles Carlos Ruiz, almost certainly, will be moving on after this year. Everybody said his move would be contingent on repeating his success in his second year and, although he hasn't been quite the same, he's been good enough to get a big contract somewhere else. Lalas - With luck, we'll see him in a broadcast booth come next year. Cienfuegos is retiring, for sure. San Jose Having dismantled their team last year, maybe San Jose can get by with minimal damage this year. Donovan - There's always the potential of Landon going back to Leverkusen, but he's contracted with the league for one more year, and I imagine he'll at least see that out. I haven't heard anything about Agoos, so I would expect he'll be back next year. Faria is apparently happy to play for San Jose, but I think there's a chance that, all things considered, he does not get brought back next year.
Kansas City- Preki could retire at any moment, but that has been the case for 8 seasons now. Bo Oshyini- May not be a reason to keep him around, Tally Goode is a cheaper back up. Chris Brunt- will have to find a loop hole in the developmental roster to stick around or else it is off to the A-league, or worse. Igor Simuntekov- in the last year of his contract. Harris- may have to renegotiate a contract otherwise he is just taking up cap space.
What I predict... Of the group of players who want to go to Europe--Beasley, Bocanegra, Mathis, Mastroeni, and Ruiz--one or two might go. The rest will find the pickings not up to their expectations and return to MLS. Least likely to be gone--Ruiz. The guy has certainly managed to establish himself as a major head case. You can see his value plummit every time he gets a yellow card or fouls somebody off the ball. It's too bad because at one time he was due for major bucks in Europe.
Re: What I predict... I can't imagine that only two would go. Beasley and Bocanegra, I think we can pretty much say are locks. Beasley may not go to Man U, but there are plenty of mid-table first division teams that would be very pleased to pick up Beasley. Bocanegra, likewise, will find himself with a host of suitors; he's young, he's the best back in MLS, and he won't even require a transfer fee. Those two are leaving, period. Mastroeni and Mathis are in another category; these are slightly older players, who haven't been performing particularly well in MLS this year. However, Mastroeni, I believe, has a Euro passport, and also has the tools to be a very solid center back or defensive mid. Mathis might not find a lot of great offers, but he seems pretty determined to leave, and I would suspect he will at least find a better contract there than he will here. I think both of these players know that, if they re-up with MLS, they are pretty much ending any chance of ever going to Europe, and I can't imagine either being willing to do this. Ruiz may be a head case, but he's a guy who's scored a lot of goals two years running with a team that has pretty much no midfield. Maybe he doesn't go because MLS does not get an offer they like, but I think odds are still pretty good he's off. At most, I see us getting one of these five back.
I focused pretty much on players who would be leaving for greener pastures, because I'm not really qualified to say who's not good enough to stay in the league for most teams. However, I can do the Burn: Matt Behncke: I don't think he can stay on a developmental contract next year, and, with the addition of Dunseth and earlier this year Phil Salyer, I don't think he's got a spot. May go to the A-league, but has a degree from Princeton. Chad Deering: Jeffries has shown tremendous loyalty to our veterans (too much) throughout this season, and I so, unless he is fired, I think Deering stays. But, if the Burn decide to go with youth, I can see Deering's big contract ushering him out the door. Toni Nhlecko: Has been all right with the Burn, but with the addition of Ali Curtis, our impending allocation, and three first round draft picks, and Nhlecko's inability to score goals, I don't think it's likely he'll stick around. Back to Norway or South Africa, probably. Bobby Rhine: I don't think Rhine has the skill level necessary to play in MLS, and that just gets worse every year. He's 27, he's not going to improve anymore, and I would be very surprised if he is still in the league next year. Mandi Urbas: I have no clue; is a developmental player from Germany, but hasn't seen a minute of playing time this year. He might not be able to keep his spot with all our draft picks.
I'd add Ivanov. He's taking a SI spot, max or near max salary, and so far hasn't been worth either, particularly once Reyes return from injury.
Re: Re: What I predict... I might agree the Beasley and Bocanegra will be heading to Europe soon, but Mathis ? I wouldn't count him on just yet. You'd have to be a pretty dumb European manager to sign mathis for the salary he wants. 200k a month ?? He's an old, slow and unreliable striker with a tendency to get injured alot. For about 50k a month you could sign younger more talented strikers from South america Africa and Europe itself. I say Mathis and mastroeni will still be in mls next season.
Everywhere I turn I hear that Ruiz is unhappy. He's dying to get out of a bad situation w/ a team that just isn't working. He's got no mid-field help, Sigi is a college coach. I think that he has established that he can be successful when he wants, but he's in a situation that is just f'ing frustrating. why would he return?
I'm not sure why everyone says this. The MLS Cup Final isn't going to be played for another two months.
Who will not be in MLS next year? Freddy Adu. (and a lot more people care about this guy than say...most if not all the guys listed above) According to the Big Soccer RUmor mill Freddy Adu will not play in MLS next year(check US Youth Men Forum for more details).
Re: Re: Who will not be in MLS next year? Maybe I'm just bored as hell with the playoff race now that my burn have been eliminated. To be honest, the season felt over about two months ago.
Re: Re: Who will not be in MLS next year? To be honest, if Ruiz doesn't want to be here, I think it's in the league's best interest to sell him. Mathis has wanted out since the world cup, and has spent the intervening time giving a half-assed effort. Meanwhile, his value, even if MLS wanted to sell him, has declined drastically, and now they won't even get anything. If Ruiz doesn't really want to be here, it's going to show on the field, and that's the last thing anybody should want for MLS. If he is determined to leave, and MLS can make good money off his transfer, it's in everybody's best interest to let him move on. Well, maybe not Sigi's.
What a difference a year makes... A year ago, if we'd been having this conversation, we'd have been a lot more worried about MLS losing players like Mathis, Beasley, and Ruiz. But because of all the young players emerging this season, it just doesn't seem like that big of a deal, does it?
Re: Re: Who will not be in MLS next year? Which makes it a perfect time for MLS to sell him and make some money off him before his contract runs out.
I have no doubt that Ruiz wants a move...but remember, he can also be wanting to head south to Mexico...he's an admited Necaxa supporter, and there's good money in the MFL (hec, lots of South Americans, and even Spaniards are flooding the league). MLS would be really stupid if they play hardball and try to squeeze out as much money in the transfer fees as possible on all these above players. They've tried that before, and end up botching the deal itself (angering the player, potential buying team, and MLS's coffers!?!?). Don't these guys know how to negotiate right??
Just because MLS wasn't able to sell players doesn't mean it was their fault. If I remember correctly (which I very well may not), one of the many "offers" to MLS was Mathis and Beasley to Perugia for 1 million dollars. Total. Now I wouldn't mind seeing MLS sell some players, making room for younger, hungrier talents, but if MLS had sold at that kind of rate do you think they would have gotten 3 million for Howard or Convey? MLS may not have played their hand perfectly, but they haven't had too much in the way of offers, either.
Well, i read a quote from Mathis yesterday in which he said that he was going to go to a German club last year, and the league was offered 3 or 3.5 mil for him, but MLS turned it down because they valued him at 7 million. Now, I couldn't believe it when i read it, but that was what the man said. IF that is true, MLS made a big mistake, because he is a free agent at the end of this year, and MLS will get NOTHING for him. hell, Mathis is overrated, and i would have let him go for TWO mill last year anyway .......