2011 MLS Season Thread

[HailtotheYo]

Figured now was a good time to go ahead and move the (sparse) MLS discussion forward to this year. Announced this morning, the All Star Game this year will be in the bad freaking ass Red Bull Arena. Potential opponents include Arsenal and Barca. Who knows. They've played Everton before so pretty much anyone's guess at this point.

Full list of player movement as of this morning:

Chicago

In:

Jalil Anibaba (Superdraft)

Jon Conway (trade w/TOR)

Cory Gibbs (Re-entry Draft)

Josip Mikulic (NK Zagreb - Croatia)

Daniel Paladini (Carolina Railhawks - NASL)

Dasan Robinson^

Out:

CJ Brown (retired)

Wilman Conde (Atlas - Mexico)

Collins John (waived)

Krzysztof Król (loan ended)

Freddie Ljungberg (Celtic - Scotland)

Peter Lowry (Expansion Draft)

Brian McBride (retired)

John Thorrington (Expansion Draft)

Chivas

In:

Sergio Arias (Chivas - Mexico)

Tristan Bowen (trade w/LA)

Jimmy Conrad (Re-entry Draft)

Victor Estupinan (Superdraft)

Alan Gordon# (trade w/VAN)

Alejandro Moreno (trade w/VAN)

Zarek Valentin (Superdraft)

Out:

Johnathan Bornstein (Tigres - Mexico)

Dario Delgado (waived)

Rodolfo Espinoza (waived)

Maykel Galindo (waived)

Alan Gordon (Expansion Draft)

Giancarlo Maldonado (option declined)

Marcelo Saragosa (contract expired)

Alex Zotinca (contract expired)

Colorado:

In:

Andre Akpan^

Tyrone Marshall (Re-entry Draft)

Joseph Nane (trade w/TOR)

Sanna Nyassi (trade w/VAN)

Jamie Smith^

Anthony Wallace# (trade w/POR)

---

Peter Vagenas (trade w/SEA - later had contract expire)

Out:

Julien Baudet (trade w/SEA)

Danny Earls (trade w/SEA)

Claudio Lopez (contract expired)

Ciaran O'Brian (waived)

Ross Schunk (waived)

Peter Vagenas (contract expired)

Anthony Wallace (Expansion Draft)

Columbus:

In:

Jeff Cunnigham (Re-entry Draft)

Leandre Griffit^

Tom Heinemann (Charleston Battery - USL2)

Sebastian Miranda (Union Espanola - Chile)

Kwaku Nyamekye (unattached)

Out:

Eric Brunner (Expansion Draft)

Brian Carroll (trade w/PHI)

Jason Garey (option declined, then traded rights)

Frankie Hejduk (option declined)

Steven Lenhart (trade w/SJ)

Adam Moffat (Expansion Draft)

Duncan Oughton (option declined)

Gino Padula (option declined)

Guillermo Barros Schelotto (option declined)

Other Considerations:

Allocation $ (from PHI in B. Carroll trade)

Conditional 2nd round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from PHI in B. Carroll trade)

4th round pick in 2015 SuperDraft (from HOU in J. Garey trade)

1st round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from SJ in S. Lenhart trade)

Allocation $ (from SJ in S. Lenhart trade)

Dallas:

In:

Marvin Chavez^

David Ferreira^

Moises Hernandez* (Academy Signing)

Chris Seitz (trade w/SEA)

Jonathan Top (Academy Signing)

Victor Ulloa* (Academy Signing)

Out:

Jeff Cunningham (contract expired)

Atiba Harris (Expansion Draft)

Dax McCarty (Expansion Draft)

Dario Sala (contract expired)

DC

In:

Rodrigo Brasesco (Racing Club de Montevideo - Uruguay)

Steve Cronin (trade w/POR)

Perry Kitchen (Superdraft)

Dax McCarty (trade w/POR)

Joseph Ngwenya (Re-Entry Draft)

Conor Shanosky* (academy signing)

Ethan White (academy signing)

Josh Wolff (Re-Entry Draft)

Daniel Woolard (Carolina Railhawks - NASL)

Out:

Danny Allsopp (contract mutually terminated)

Brandon Barklage (option declined)

Adam Cristman (trade w/LA)

Jordan Graye (Expansion Draft)

Pablo Hernandez (contract mutually terminated)

Jaime Moreno (retired - maybe...)

Juan Manuel Pena (option declined)

Troy Perkins (trade w/POR)

Barry Rice (option declined)

Carlos Varela (option declined)

Rodney Wallace (trade w/POR)

Other Considerations:

Allocation $ (from POR in McCarty/Wallace trade)

Allocation $ (from POR in Perkins/Cronin trade)

1st Round Pick in 2011 Supplemental Draft (from LA in A. Cristman trade)

Houston

In:

Corey Ashe^

Will Bruin (Superdraft)

Alex Dixon (Academy Signing)

Hunter Freeman (IK Start - Norway)

Jason Garey (trade w/CLB for rights)

Jordan Graye (trade w/POR)

Eddie Robinson^

Kofi Sarkodie (Superdraft)

Josue Soto (Academy Signing)

Out:

Ryan Cochrane (option declined)

Richard Mulrooney (option declined)

Joseph Ngwenya (option declined)

Anthony Obodai (option declined)

Dominic Oduro (contract expired)

Pat Onstad (option declined - later retired)

Adrian Serioux (option declined)

Other Considerations:

3rd round pick in 2012 SuperDraft (from NY in H. Freeman rights trade)

MLS rights to Hunter Freeman (from NY)

1st round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from POR for Allocation $)

Kansas City

In:

Omar Bravo* (Chivas - Mexico)

Michael Harrington^

Luke Sassano (Re-entry Draft)

Out:

Jamar Beasley (Missouri Comets - MISL)

Jimmy Conrad (contract expired)

Michael Harrington (contract expired)

Zoltan Hercegfalvi (contract expired)

Aaron Hohlbein (contract expired)

Nick Kounenakis (waived)

Jonathan Leathers (Expansion Draft)

Josh Wolff (Option Declined)

Other Considerations:

MLS Rights to L. Sassano (from LA for rights to F. Hejduk)

Los Angeles

In:

Juan Pablo Angel (Re-entry Draft)

Chad Barrett (trade w/TOR)

Gregg Berhalter^

Paolo Cardozo (Superdraft)

Adam Cristman (trade w/DC)

Frankie Hejduk (Re-entry Draft)

Jovan Kirovski^

Miguel Lopez (Quilmes - Argentina)

Jack McBean (Academy Signing)

Out:

Tristan Bowen (trade w/CHV)

Edson Buddle (Ingolstadt - Germany)

Chris Klein (retired)

Dema Kovalenko (contract expired)

Eddie Lewis (retired)

Other Considerations:

Allocation $ (from POR for International Player Slot)

Allocation $ (from CHV in T. Bowen trade)

MLS Rights to F. Hejduk (from KC for rights to L. Sassano)

New England

In:

Ryan Cochrane (Re-entry Draft)

Didier Domi (Olympiacos - Greece)

Diego Fagundez (academy signing)

Stephen McCarthy (Superdraft)

Seth Sinovic^

A.J Soares (Superdraft)

Chris Tierney^

Out:

Preston Burpo (contract expired)

Nico Colaluca (contract expired)

Cory Gibbs (contract expired)

Emmanuel Osei (waived)

Khano Smith (contract expired)

Taylor Twellman (retired)

New York

In:

Corey Hertzog (Superdraft)

Sacir Hot (Academy Signing)

Matt Kassel (Academy Signing)

Marcos Paullo (Atletico Paranaense - Brazil)

Luke Rodgers (Notts County - England)

John Rooney (Superdraft)

Jan Gunnar Solli (SK Brann - Norway)

Out:

Juan Pablo Angel (option declined)

Andrew Boyens (Contract Expired)

Jeremy Hall (trade w/POR)

Mike Petke (retired)

Luke Sassano (contract expired)

Seth Stammler (retired)

Carey Talley (retired)

Siniša Ubiparipović (option declined)

Other Considerations:

3rd round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from POR in J. Hall trade)

Allocation $ (from HOU in H. Freeman rights trade)

Philadelphia

In:

Brian Carroll (trade w/CLB)

Michael Farfan (Superdraft)

Zac MacMath (Superdraft)

Faryd Mondragon (FC Koln - Germany)

Zach Pfeffer (Academy Signing)

Carlos Valdes (Santa Fe - Colombia)

Out:

Fred (contract expired)

Brad Knighton (waived)

Alejandro Moreno (Expansion Draft)

Shea Salinas (Expansion Draft)

Chris Seitz (contract expired)

Toni Stahl (option declined)

Portland

In:

Kalif Alhassan (Timbers D2 Squad)

Adin Brown (Timbers D2 Squad)

Eric Brunner (Expansion Draft)

Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich - Germany)

Mamadou Danso (Timbers D2 Squad)

Bright Dike (Timbers D2 Squad)

Kerrea Gilbert (Arsenal - England)

Kevin Goldthwaite (Timbers D2 Squad)

Jeremy Hall (trade w/NY)

David Horst (Expansion Draft)

Eddie Johnson (Timbers D2 Squad)

Peter Lowry (Expansion Draft)

James Marcelin (Timbers D2 Squad)

Adam Moffat (Expansion Draft)

Darlington Nagbe (Superdraft)

Troy Perkins (trade w/DC)

Ryan Pore (Timbers D2 Squad)

Steve Purdy (Timbers D2 Squad)

Rodney Wallace (trade w/DC)

---

Arturo Alvarez (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Steve Cronin (Timbers D2 Squad - later traded to DC)

Jordan Graye (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Dax McCarty (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Anthony Wallace (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Out:

Arturo Alvarez (trade w/RSL)

Steve Cronin (trade w/DC)

Robbie Findley (Nottingham Forest - England)

Jordan Graye (trade w/HOU)

Dax McCarty (trade w/DC)

Anthony Wallace (trade w/COL)

Other Considerations:

2nd round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from RSL in A. Alvarez trade)

4th round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from DC in McCarty/R. Wallace trade)

4th round pick in 2014 SuperDraft (from HOU in J. Graye trade)

Allocation $ (from COL in A. Wallace trade)

International Player Slot (from LA for Allocation $)

Salary Cap Relief for T. Perkins (from DC)

Allocation $ (from HOU for 2011 draft pick)

International Roster Slot (from SEA in playerless trade)

1st round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from SEA in playerless trade, later traded to HOU)

MLS rights to Jonathan Bornstein and Robbie Findley (expansion draft)

Salt Lake

In:

Arturo Alvarez (trade w/POR)

Out:

Robbie Findley (Expansion Draft)

David Horst (Expansion Draft)

Alex Nimo (waived)

San Jose

In:

David Bingham (Lottery)

Tony Donatelli (Montreal Impact - NASL)

Steven Lenhart (trade w/CLB)

Out:

Arturo Alvarez (Expansion Draft)

Joe Cannon (Expansion Draft)

Eduardo (option declined)

Geovanni (option declined)

Cornell Glen (option declined)

Khari Stephenson (contract expired)

Seattle

In:

Danny Earls (trade w/COL)

Erik Friberg (BK Hacken - Sweden)

Kasey Keller ^

Michael Tetteh (Superdraft)

O'Brian White (trade w/VAN)

---

Julien Baudet (trade w/COL - contract later expired)

Chris Seitz (Re-entry Draft - later traded)

Out:

Tyrone Marshall (Option Declined)

Sanna Nyassi (Expansion Draft)

Chris Seitz (trade w/DAL)

Nathan Sturgis (Expansion Draft)

Peter Vagenas (trade w/COL)

Other Considerations:

4th round pick in 2012 SuperDraft (from DAL in C. Seitz trade)

Allocation $ (from POR in playerless trade)

2nd round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from POR in playerless trade)

Toronto

In:

Joao Plato (Superdraft)

Nathan Sturgis (trade w/VAN)

Out:

Chad Barrett (trade w/LA)

Jon Conway (trade w/CHI)

Gabe Gala (waived)

Nick Garcia (option declined)

Raivis Hscanovics (waived)

Fuad Ibrahim (option declined)

Mista (waived)

Joseph Nane (trade w/COL)

Amadou Sanyang (option declined)

Martin Saric (waived)

Maxim Usanov (waived)

O'Brian White (Expansion Draft)

Other Considerations:

3rd round pick in 2012 SuperDraft (from COL in J. Nane trade)

3rd round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from CHI in J. Conway trade)

"Future Considerations" (from LA in C. Barrett Trade)

Vancouver

In:

Joe Cannon (Expansion Draft)

Philippe Davies (Whitecaps Academy)

Jay DeMerit (Watford - England)

Terry Dunfield (Whitecaps D2 Squad)

Atiba Harris (Expansion Draft)

Greg Janicki (Whitecaps D2 Squad)

Wes Knight (Whitecaps D2 Squad)

Jonathan Leathers (Expansion Draft)

Michael Nanchoff (Superdraft)

Jay Nolly (Whitecaps D2 Squad)

Alain Rochat* (FC Zurich - Switzerland)

Omar Salgado (Superdraft)

Shea Salinas (Expansion Draft)

John Thorrington (Expansion Draft)

---

Alan Gordon (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Alejandro Moreno (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Sanna Nyassi (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Nathan Sturgis (Expansion Draft - later traded)

O'Brian White (Expansion Draft - later traded)

Out:

Alan Gordon (trade w/CHV)

Alejandro Moreno (trade w/CHV)

Sanna Nyassi (trade w/COL)

Nathan Sturgis (trade w/TOR)

O'Brian White (trade w/SEA)

Other Considerations:

International Player Slot (from COL in S. Nyassi trade)

International Player Slot (from CHV in Moreno/Gordon trade)

Allocation $ (from SEA in O. White trade)

Allocation $ (from CHV in Moreno/Gordon trade)

1st round pick in 2011 SuperDraft (from TOR in N. Sturgis trade)

* Signed in 2010, but not added to official roster until this season.

# Traded back to their original team after being selected in the expansion draft.

^ Re-signed by their team after being waived/having contract expire/etc

Surprises out of that list for me:

Ubiparipovic out of NY ... while they did get another mid (solli) that fits their attack minded plans, Ubi is a very solid mid that can play all over the place. One of those "cog" type of players.

Geovanni out of SJ ... I'm really puzzled by this. Yeah, he was DP money and all that but holy hell he looked great when he was in and clearly was top class in this league (big surprise). Why they wouldn't give him a full season is beyond me. Added that they left Alvarez unprotected in the Expansion draft (and he was quickly swooped up) it really doesn't make sense.

John out of Chi ... yeah, not sure what this was outside of player/coach "not seeing eye to eye." This man was an absolute cut above when he was on the field. He may not have clicked to most people but it's kind of hard too when you aren't used. This man should be their starting FW this year, no brainer. I really, really wish he'd have been given a true shot. He made people look dumb when he was up top.

Cunningham/McCarty out of DAL ... ok, McCarty and Hyndman were never going to work. What I can't believe, is that they let him go for free in the Exp Draft. WTF ? He clearly had trade or allocation money value and plenty of clubs would have forked over the right price/valuation for him. Absolutely dumb to just shove him out the door. Cunningham ? Again, it was the way he was done. Why would you let his contract expire when you have nobody up front to replace him ? Yeah a move might still be made but wow. You don't create another problem for yourself.

Anyway, there's more on the list but those just sprung to mind without combing over it again.

Here's the big news though:

DCU trying to land Davies on Loan

[DJ Ice]

So....what's the Superdraft?

[GoGo Yubari]

Draft of college players, more or less. I'm sure HTTK will be able to explain it in greater detail, though.

[METALMAN]

any new teams?

[GoGo Yubari]

Vancouver and Portland, so that we in Seattle have teams to run roughshod upon that we don't have to travel far for (because for some reason we are incapable of winning a single game in LA, even if it's against the fucking Chivas).

[HailtotheYo]

SuperDraft = mostly college players and some international players (rules on that seemingly change on the fly). It's pretty much the same thing as the draft in every other American sports league.

2 new teams this year. Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps. With Seattle, they create a fantastic triangular rivalry that goes back to the NASL days here in America.

Google the "we are Timbers" campaign that Portland did. Fantastic stuff. Something like 15K people showed up to take pictures with an ax and crap for promotional photos and the overall ad campaign. It's freaking great. They've also rebuilt PNC Park (converted it from a baseball stadium to a soccer stadium) and it's got a GREAT look. Very much an "old school" soccer stadium kind of field with odd shapes/etc.

Vancouver is coming into the league and playing in a temp stadium that looks pretty freaking good considering it is able to completely be taken apart and rebuilt in a different location. The BC Lions will play there this season too. They've made the biggest splash so far by getting Jay DeMerit to come home and play.

The Kansas City Wizards rebranded to Sporting KC (which they actually aiming to be a true sporting club by adding Rugby/Lacrosse under the organizational banner), and their new stadium (ready for summer) is absolute sex.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Looks like another long year for Toronto fans.

[HailtotheYo]

Yeah, I think this year will probably be a stinker, but Winter is definately the right guy for the job there. The system he wants to incorporate and the way he wants to groom the team look great. Once he's fleshed out his own squad though, I like the potential there.

DeRo needs to quit being a fucking bitch though.

[Lineker]

Isn't Alex Nimo supposed to be a next big thing?

[HailtotheYo]

He's one of a crop of good young prospects. Off the bat he was in that 1% type of category in terms of expectations but they've since substantially cooled and become much more realistic.

[gunnar hendershow]

I am really hoping this Davies thing turns out to materialize. He would be a great name to have on United.

[HailtotheYo]

Figures, I move and they finally do something.

Ives has reported that the loan is agreed and DCU has a week evaluation period to make up their mind on whether or not they take him on. Huge freaking news.

[HailtotheYo]

Here we go, new kit porn:

[Meacon Keaton]

LOVE New York's newbies.

[badotori]

Which team will be wearing the orange and black (my MLS logo knowledge is a little patchy), 'cos that one is noice, especially the font.

[Meacon Keaton]

DC United. It's actually red and black, though.

[gunnar hendershow]

That's actually the DC third kit. They wear black at home and white on the road if I recall. They're the best-looking team in MLS, right down to the logo which is just total sex.

[Meacon Keaton]

I may be biased but I think there is better...

[gunnar hendershow]

Too much gold for a team from a city that never wins anything.

[HailtotheYo]