The Chivas USA Farewell Tour Thread (2014 MLS Thread)

[HailtotheYo]

Probably won't know until the Player's Union releases the official numbers.

[HailtotheYo]

Hahnemann has retired .... loved him, always thought he never go this due thanks to playing at the same time as Freidel, Keller and having Howard come up right after that.

Keane is your MVP (personally I felt Nguyen truly was the right choice)

CHI and NYC reportedly interested in 24yr old Marcus Pedersen of Brann (seems a good prospect)

This might be what the new website will be: http://next.mlssoccer.com/

[GoGo Yubari]

Any word on what sort of money he'll be on? I find it so bizarre that Bradley Wright-Phillips of all people turned out to be a massive success over there!

If I had to guess I'd wager about 800K or so, but we'll see. What NYRB really have to do is find someone who can feed him the ball the way Henry did, and that's going to be tough.

As for Marcus, it was time but I'll miss him as a character. Would have been impossible to top his final competitive game too; winning a penalty shootout in the US Open Cup against a keeper nearly twenty years younger than him and celebrating by going to the stands, getting a beer from the fans, and having a victory drink. What a man.

Djimi Traore is also retiring, but there's a good chance he stays in Seattle and transitions into coaching, which would be cool. He seems like a really good guy who's very willing to mentor younger players (he and Yedlin became close friends really quick last year).

The other players who had options declined today; Sean Okoli (shocking but will probably end up in S2), Josh Ford, Eriq Zavaleta (also surprising but he might be graduating from GA in which case he's not worth what he'd need to be paid), Onyekachi Apam, Cam Weaver, and Tristan Bowen. Jalil Anibaba is also out of contract but I think he'll be brought back on a lower salary.

[HailtotheYo]

I don't get Zavaleta ... he was horrid here. Bad touches and slow. I dunno, maybe he "found it" since he left but he just wasn't very good in his stint with us.

OC might have found a gem if they sign this guy: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/04/report-orlando-city-acquires-20-year-old-colombian-carlos-rivas-deportivo-cali

Here's a great read on the upcoming CBA talks: http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2014/12/04/mls-players-union-cba-negotiations-don-garber-free-agency

Also:

Multiple sources telling me former Bolton manager Owen Coyle has interviewed for the vacant Houston Dynamo job.

— Grant Wahl (@GrantWahl) December 5, 2014

[Lineker]

Because I don't know where else to put it... Howard and Friedel are getting into it.

[GoGo Yubari]

I don't get Zavaleta ... he was horrid here. Bad touches and slow. I dunno, maybe he "found it" since he left but he just wasn't very good in his stint with us.

He did fairly well with Chivas, especially when Bocanegra was still functioning. The previous year he was stuck in the dead zone of trying to train as a centerback and a forward at the same time. This year he was exclusively playing as a defender.

[HailtotheYo]

That would explain it. He did have good positioning and is a big enough body. Good for him.

[HailtotheYo]

So Donovan gets the Hollywood ending ... yay for him. Congrats LA.

Okugo to Orlando for 100K allocation and a draft pick ? That's what's circulating.

McMath to SKC for Sapong ? Also a rumor hitting this morning.

[Szumi]

Man, Okugo is a good talent, and versatile at that. Philly would trade him. McMath's days have been numbered since Blake was drafted.

[HailtotheYo]

The Portland Timbers announce the signings of Ghanaian international goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey, Colombian winger Dairon Asprilla, Brazilian left back Jeanderson Salvador Pereira

SKC sends allocation money to CLB for Bernardo Anor

DCU has signed Andrew Driver from HOU in exchange for Joe Willis

OCSC trades for Okugo and COLLIN ! They also acquired a 2yr international slot from DCU

OCSC have signed Honduran FWD Brayan Rochez (real espana)

Portland sends Michael Harrington to COL for allocation money and acquire Nat Borchers for allocation money.

Crew send Josh Williams to NYCFC for allocation money.

Apparently "a Canadian team" are talking trade with TFC for Nick Hagglund.

3 clubs have talked with NYRB about Cahill.

[GoGo Yubari]

Great moves by Orlando today. They've put themselves in great shape going into the expansion draft.

Speaking of, the full list of the players protected in the expansion draft is here. On the Sounders front, a little surprised that Chad Barrett got protected over Leo Gonzalez, but Leo is older and usually misses around eight games due to injury so I get it. If Leo gets picked, Remick gets protected, and vice-versa.

Meanwhile, looks like Owen Coyle will be confirmed as Houston's manager tomorrow. Hope he has a good coaching team that can handle the intricacies of MLS roster rules and whatnot.

[HailtotheYo]

Looking over the available players and:

Tony Cascio

Kamani Hill

Ben Speas

George John

Hendry Thomas

Gruenebaum

Zizzo

Dan Gargan

DIEGO FAGUNDEZ

TIM CAHILL

[GoGo Yubari]

There's been a lot of trades with "leave our players alone" overtones, and the Revs have said they made one with NYCFC and Orlando as a gentleman's agreement "don't take Diego Fagundez plz" deal. So unless one of the two wants to straight-up turn heel...

I would be shocked if George John got picked. His price tag is too high for a guy with his injury history.

[HailtotheYo]

There's been a lot of trades with "leave our players alone" overtones, and the Revs have said they made one with NYCFC and Orlando as a gentleman's agreement "don't take Diego Fagundez plz" deal. So unless one of the two wants to straight-up turn heel...

I would be shocked if George John got picked. His price tag is too high for a guy with his injury history.

I thought that too, but looking over the list of trades made and I don't see any between the Revs and either expansion club. In fact, the only one I could find saw the Revs re-acquire Imbongo along with FWD Geoffry Castillon and a draft pick from COL in exchange for Nasco and and a draft pick.

With expansion clubs that are loaded as these guys are it might be worth the risk to get a season and a half out of John on the field. If he can stay on the field he's a damn good defender.

Also, NYC apparently landed Omar Salgado for "future considerations"

[Szumi]

No surprise Cahill is on that list, mind. NYRB want rid of him, and he clearly doesn't want to be there either.

I'm still pissed Philly got rid of Okugo. A midfield three of him and Edu sitting in front of Nogeuira was good.

[DMN in the House]

My obligatory champions post that I'm really not entitled to make because I'm not in here enough.

>_>

[GoGo Yubari]

You're lucky you're paying me off with Lootcrate, DMN. SO LUCKY.

[Beeker00Zero]

Also, NYC apparently landed Omar Salgado for "future considerations"

This is due to being an expansion side NYC doesn't have a transfer freeze whereas all the established team cannot make transfers, therefore, Vancouver was in the situation of either protecting Salgado and possibly losing someone else, not protecting him and losing him for nothing, or this... wherein both Vancouver and NYC will receive part of the transfer fee as Salgado wants to play overseas. Not sure where, but I'd suspect Europe.

This was the least-bad option for the Whitecaps.

Carl Robinson's explanation.

[HailtotheYo]

That makes a hell of a lot more sense

[HailtotheYo]

Expansion draft selections:

ROUND ORLANDO CITY SC NEW YORK CITY FC

1 GK Donovan Ricketts (POR) MF Ned Grabavoy (RSL)

2 MF Tony Cascio (COL) FW Patrick Mullins (NE)

3 DF Jalil Anibaba (SEA) DF Jason Hernandez (SJ)

4 MF/FW Pedro Ribeiro (PHI) MF Daniel Lovitz (TOR)

5 MF Lewis Neal (DC) FW Tony Taylor (NE)

6 FW Jairo Arrieta (CLB) MF Mehdi Ballouchy (VAN)

7 DF Heath Pearce (MTL) DF George John (DAL)

8 FW Danny Mwanga (COL) MF Thomas McNamara (DC)

9 FW Mark Sherrod (HOU) MF Sal Zizzo (SKC)

10 DF Eric Gehrig (CLB) DF Chris Wingert (RSL)

Wow, Orlando is sending a message that they are going to be a full frontal attacking team. Holy crap.

I think Mullins, John, and Zizzo are sly picks from NYC. I also love Kries taking Wingert and Grabavoy.