2012 MLS (non-TFC) in season transfers/rumours thread

[Yohan]

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/11/revs-cut-ties-with-feilhaber.html

Revs cut Benny Feihaber. huge salary but good playmaker

[Whoop]

Huge deals coming down the pipe as per Ives...

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/12/sources-olave-and-espindola-heading-to-rbny-johnson-going-to-portland-as-rsl-prepare-to-shake-up-roster.html

[Shakes McQueen]

Wow, Will Johnson getting traded for nothing but allocation money.

- Scott

[Ajax TFC]

So, RSL have cap issues, so they trade their best players for Allocation money. Makes sense really... except that the team trading for them is RBNY. If RSL doesn't have the cap room for these players, than how on earth does RBNY have the cap room AND allocation money left over to trade for them? Have they released some expensive players recently?

It also makes me sad that Johnson is going to Portland

[ensco]

Wow, Will Johnson getting traded for nothing but allocation money.

- Scott

Makes the Hassli deal look that much worse.

More shocked to see Olave moved. Wow ... he would be the answer to a lot of problems here.

Not that many stud CBs in MLS. Must be related to his contract situation.

[Yohan]

Makes the Hassli deal look that much worse.

More shocked to see Olave moved. Wow ... he would be the answer to a lot of problems here.

Not that many stud CBs in MLS. Must be related to his contract situation.also questions about his injury proneness and losing speed with age.

not quite buying into NYRB conspiracy theory yet pending on what trades they announce to make cap room/allocation money, but fishy...

Will Johnson is a nice to have, but a luxury in TFC's case, because of his relatively high cap hit (almost 250k) hit

[Yohan]

now Rafa Marquez rumoured to Columbus.

I don't know what's going to happen tmrw, but it sure is going to be interesting

[mowe]

I'm pissed TFC didn't get in on the Johnson sale, he would have been perfect here. But I'll give the benefit of the doubt to management until I see what moves they have lined up.

[Yohan]

I'm pissed TFC didn't get in on the Johnson sale, he would have been perfect here. But I'll give the benefit of the doubt to management until I see what moves they have lined up.

at 250k, Will Johnson isn't worth it. apparently he's eyeing towards Europe too..

[Yohan]

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2012/12/suitors-lining-up-as-red-bulls-ponder-cooper-deal.html

Kenny Cooper on the trade block. And no, TFC can't afford him and his 500k salary, despite buckets of goals he scored this year

[mowe]

^ I would have to disagree. Johnson is exactly the type of gritty, hard-working midfielder that this team sorely needs. You can see from the reaction of RSL fans how much he meant to them. 250k is expensive, but to me the priority should be on getting quality MLS players to build around with young prospects and DP's. And TFC has a severe lack of quality MLS players - especially in midfield.

[Yohan]

^ I would have to disagree. Johnson is exactly the type of gritty, hard-working midfielder that this team sorely needs. You can see from the reaction of RSL fans how much he meant to them. 250k is expensive, but to me the priority should be on getting quality MLS players to build around with young prospects and DP's. And TFC has a severe lack of quality MLS players - especially in midfield.
where would you stick WJ in Mariner's flat 4-4-2? WJ has never been really productive on the wings for RSL. DM? Probably best position for him in a 4-4-2 with his work rate and never say die attitude but his positioning is not the greatest. Plus with Frings returning, would you spend 250k on a back up?
TFC needs a good passer for more offensive CM, and WJ is not the guy. Even Avila and Silva are better passers than WJ. Certainly not the deep lying playmaker role that Mariner likely is looking for.
With 250k, you can get a good MLS starter at 150-175k plus a quality depth at 75-100k. Is WJ worth a starter and a good depth?

[Jpexxx]

I'm pissed TFC didn't get in on the Johnson sale, he would have been perfect here. But I'll give the benefit of the doubt to management until I see what moves they have lined up.


http://www.stumptownfooty.com/2012/12/2/3720300/will-johnson-portland-timbers-kosuke-kimura-new-york-red-bulls

"The Portland Timbers (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/portland-timbers) will be on the receiving end of one large trade from Real Salt Lake (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/real-salt-lake) in the form of Will Johnson (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/players/111231/will-johnson) the 25 year old Canadian International, a source with knowledge of the situation has told Stumptown Footy. Our source states that Johnson chose Portland out of a number of other MLS teams including the Vancouver Whitecaps (http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/mls/teams/vancouver-whitecaps), which would have probably made more sense to him."

This report claims Johnson hand picked Portland... Not much Toronto could do if that is the case.

[ag futbol]

where would you stick WJ in Mariner's flat 4-4-2? WJ has never been really productive on the wings for RSL. DM? Probably best position for him in a 4-4-2 with his work rate and never say die attitude but his positioning is not the greatest. Plus with Frings returning, would you spend 250k on a back up?
TFC needs a good passer for more offensive CM, and WJ is not the guy. Even Avila and Silva are better passers than WJ. Certainly not the deep lying playmaker role that Mariner likely is looking for.
With 250k, you can get a good MLS starter at 150-175k plus a quality depth at 75-100k. Is WJ worth a starter and a good depth?
On the left, let him play box-to-box and free up Morgan to make overlapping runs. I think you're underrating him, he's a good player.

[Yohan]

On the left, let him play box-to-box and free up Morgan to make overlapping runs. I think you're underrating him, he's a good player.

just not worth 250k cap hit. his numbers for RSL isn't very good either.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/will-johnson

[ag futbol]

^ But he's never going to be a numbers guy, so it's largely irrelevant. That's just not the characteristic of his role.

I'd pay 250k for a domestic player who supports play all over the field. He'll make a lot of other players look better through his own work and improve our defensive shape a lot.

[mowe]

just not worth 250k cap hit. his numbers for RSL isn't very good either.

Ask RSL fans how they feel about his numbers. He's overpaid, no doubt, but I'd rather overpay for proven above-average MLS talent than paying a premium for mediocre Europeans (Ecks, O'Dea). This offseason should focus on improving the talent level on this team. Bringing in someone who can play all over the midfield and make his team better would have been a good start.


This report claims Johnson hand picked Portland... Not much Toronto could do if that is the case.
True. Hopefully Toronto was at least one of the teams that put in an offer.

[Yohan]

Ask RSL fans how they feel about his numbers. He's overpaid, no doubt, but I'd rather overpay for proven above-average MLS talent than paying a premium for mediocre Europeans (Ecks, O'Dea). This offseason should focus on improving the talent level on this team. Bringing in someone who can play all over the midfield and make his team better would have been a good start.
Will Johnson is not an above average MLS midfielder. He's average, with stamina and durability that's above average and that's it. Certainly not as good as other box to box CMs like Jaime Castrillon or Roger Espinoza, Jeff Lawrentowicz
I think a lot of Canadians overrate him just because he's Canadian...

[DoubleUp]

Will Johnson is not an above average MLS midfielder. He's average, with stamina and durability that's above average and that's it.
I think a lot of Canadians overrate him just because he's Canadian...


I agree!