I was all in on going the South American route for a few years but given the amount of flops league wide i'm done with it now. I'd go for Irish, British, Italian and Portuguese. We know these people settle in Toronto :lol:
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I was all in on going the South American route for a few years but given the amount of flops league wide i'm done with it now. I'd go for Irish, British, Italian and Portuguese. We know these people settle in Toronto :lol:
Any player with a DP label, even if it's a young DP, is going to be under too much pressure to produce immediately. These young DPs are more like projects that you hope they pan out.
But, I'd rather give homegrown youngsters the chance to shine, unless this young DP is a can't miss player that's going to produce immediately.
What I'd do is raid Liga MX and South America for DP or TAM striker. Don't get a Mexican striker from Liga MX, because even if he can score, he'd be getting too much drama from Mexican media. But buy an int'l striker who's score at a decent rate in Liga MX. Find a mid 20s striker in who's scoring, but somehow slipped through the crack. Those guys can probably be signed for relatively cheap, and I'd bet they are more hungry for success in MLS than someone from Europe coming to MLS.
Other teams in the league have figured this out, and they are going after guys like Cristian Arango, Raul Ruidiaz and Gustavo Bou for striker power.
Totally agree with this.
To those that want us to be an Ajax or Dortmund, consider that’s happening at FC Dallas. Arguably the best academy system in all of MLS, has ties to Bayern who look at them as the breeding ground for top end young talent and what happens there? The young stars are plucked away as soon as possible. McKennie, Richards both gone before they even had any impact on MLS, and Pepsi has had one year with them. Their team has been mediocre. I don’t want MLSE to be like the Hunts and just earn revenue from their development system without really trying to be a winner. As exciting as the prospect is of having your local talent grow up together and win trophies, the great ones will be gone in 1-2 years max, other examples are Adams, Aaronson, and Clarke.
As for the U22 strategy, in order for this to be truly effective, your u22s need to be standouts compared to everyone else in the league. It’s hard enough finding these players that aren’t already out in Europe, and so it’s not a system that guarantees results.
MLSE want this team to be a winner. You have a much better chance of that by bringing in proven talent for longer terms. Maybe if their youth scouting gets better they’ll take more chances of signing a u22 but honestly if you can have 5 potentially good players vs 3 bonafide difference makers, I’d take the latter especially if your goal to to play attractive winning football and to beat the La Liga teams. Finally, if your other goal is to grow the market for this sport which definitely is for MLSE, you don’t do that by signing Klimalas, Yearwoods, Rodrigeuz’s, Cabral’s etc. Not yet at least, as nobody knows them and it wont build any hype. Just look at the spectacular failure that is Soteldo. That guy came in thinking he’d do it all himself and although he was flashy he just did not fit this team.
^Dallas is not trying to be Dortmund or Ajax. Dortmund and Ajax buy a lot of top young players.
Dallas are pretty unique. They have a catchment area with no historical youth soccer infrastructure, but where youth soccer is exploding. Imagine Toronto without Sigma or any of the rest. Then layer on a cheapskate ownership with a stadium way out in the burbs... nobody else with that particular setup (except Colorado maybe! As I understand it Houston is different, that city has longstanding soccer academies with Mexican ties)
I still believe that if you are looking for young talent that Africa and Asia need to be scouted much more. South America is at the point of being plucked clean of young talent.
We are so big in Italy these days. Front page news, baby.
Check out this tweet at https://twitter.com/tuttonapoli/status/1476695124734365696?s=20
At the risk of making an exceedingly obvious point..
Here we are talking about some sort of U22 strategy and combing the corners of the world to find talent. Meanwhile… we’re prepping to sell our own highly regarded prospect to some mega club, probably for a fraction of what he’ll be worth in a couple years if he works out?
https://torontosun.com/sports/soccer...wIrAyByCAtgRfk
Interesting article from Buffery
Giovinco's former agent Andrea D'Amico is involved as intermediary between TFC and Insigne.
I'd sell JMR now. Teams like Liverpool and Arsenal are already asking for him, it can realistically only go downhill from that.
Agree with you on our youth players. Although I’d argue Perruzza should be given more “Mullins minutes”. Others extremely raw. If you told me we found Jayden Nelson on a futsal court in Săo Paulo and he’s never had a coach before I’d believe you.
Still think U22 is sort of touch-and-go. Barco was a roller coaster ride for Atlanta to say the least… most of his production came last year. If he gets sold now… doesn’t exactly seem like a huge benefit.
Still think our best youth prospect is Priso.
I am surprised all the discussion around the types of players or where they are from without a single mention of coaching on whether that makes a team or not. Just deciding to go the young SA route, or the older Europe route as one over the other is one minor part of a winning equation. And every teams winning equation is different.
Look at PSG, they have a team that should never lose a game, and yet they can barely take the lead in Ligue one. Would love anyone be able to name a team, at any point in history, that did well without having a top coach.
Ajax is famous for having youth development because of their style and investment in the academy. But their senior team is very up and down, they are only amazing right now because they have probably the next best head coach.
Whatever route we take on getting players, as long as it is aligned to what Bob Bradley is looking for then we should be happy. If insigne is what he wants to continue his roster build, then we should get him.
May we never go back to the days of Mo Johnson picking random UK players who had a clip on YouTube or Ali Curtis over paying mls players who were 2 - 4 years past their, even remotely, decent season.
We need a standout player in each third of the pitch and a solid core of average players around them.
Using the u-22 rule on a defender to me seems ideal. DP's are typically attackers, why not focus your u-22 spot(s) on the backline? MLS clubs have typically struggled to develop centerbacks, so why not find one from elsewhere? If he pans out you will find a club in Europe desperate to pay you for him. If he is just alright? You got a defender who will play for your club for a decade. If he sucks? Cut your loses and try again.
we still need a #1 cb...mavinga is a weak #2 injured half the time and cant run a backline,oneil a #3 .a u 22 for #4
o'neill is probably a starter in this team...was mostly a starter on a very strong seattle team...started most of their regular season games and all their playoff games in the last two seasons...+ hes at a great age for a defender at 28...no way hes coming here to be a backup
With the reporting by SB that BM is heading to Italy to meet LI's agent/s, I still want to acknowledge how we may have got here.
Very, very, very, interesting. Great web sleuthing MikeForbes. Possibility to probability is the space in between that I enjoy and that makes the RPB Forum, it's threads, the comments and the speculation fun; been a lurker for about 8 years. Respect to TheGoodson for sharing IMO the second of my top three most relevant thoughts offered for this off season; for paying forward among the earliest and most relevant and plausible details to us. I dare say, more so then even many of the various and in-the-know media pundits; I believe one of his mentions may have even been used by the foreign press as the origin source as even Areathrasher may have highlighted.
Bit of a neo-luddite and won't be bothered to figure it out at this time, but maybe, if it's worthy, someone else can help and post the Facebook video of Criscito and Insigne having some fun at Balotelli's expense from a few years back. I believe there is a collegial connection between MD and MB. I believe the visit with teammate DC occurred. Now with the link between DC and LI, being good friends, this is something... real smoke if not fire. I guess the question is... was DC an intermediary for his friend given his age or did he come along with his teammate MD for himself and then said not for me or not only for me but hey LI since your getting mistreated you might be interested to know and might want to consider...? Regardless if MD and/or DC are to be out of contract or not at end of their season, it's likely Genoa FC are getting relegated and those should be automatically terminated; freeing them as long as their agents were contractually prudent. LI is representative of something; something unique and less experienced everyday in football; and yes I know he's been loaned out. It's SerieA old school. WE ARE NAPOLI. Their Ultra's recently gave the world the chant... Un giorno all'improviso... He's local; the South... a way of thinking and a way of life. It's debatable-fairly whether he's in legendary territory for the club but like Maldini or Totti, I do not think he wants to and prefers not to play for another SerieA team for his legacy. I believe he will leave the league a la Maradonna after the runs at World Cup and Scudetto are settled. Whether he stays in Europe or ends up in NA is to be seen.
Assuming Soteldo and Jody out and Insigne in, is it possible TFC signs a 1.6m 3rd DP to get the three U22 spots?
I’m wondering if doing so would actually be better use of their financial muscle because they could offer a 612k wage and pay whatever in release clauses to get them as the U22 follows DP rules.
I looked at Ajax and they have several top U22 making between 500k and 2m. They’re key contributors and well regarded players like Timber, Rensch, Gravenberch, Antony. I realize there’s big difference between 2m and 612k but there seems to be several people that 612k in North America might be enticing. Just an example of competitive teams using U22 players successfully.
Is it feasible to go this route? Maybe look for 20 yr olds making 200k with a 3-5 million release as they’d likely be interested in a heighten visibility league with a 600k wage then could move from Europe but still be fully able to play immediately. Just thinking TFC may be wise to spend 20 million on 4 quality players by going DP 1.6, three u22 @ 612k each and four total transfers @ 3-5 million each. They could easily get a pretty solid ROI on this expense too.
This is 100% right.
And exactly because of this I posted at least 3-4 times through the last 2 years that compared to full payroll vs results, we are the biggest underachievers in the history of MLS.
The reaction to my posts was always overwhelmingly negative, and I will never understand why.
Simply it's the pure truth.
Biggest underachievers compared to payroll, yes, but one of the biggest achievers according to ambition. Only a handful of clubs have really made an impact in the league in the last 7 years or so, and we're certainly in the top 2 along with Seattle. I'd rather us be an overpaying underachiever than a do-nothing club like Houston or SJ.
$ per point is a bad metric
MLSE has been, with the exception of the Curtis era, ambitious. And Poz, under Curtis, was an ambitious move that paid off in a MLS cup final appearance & a shield run.
2015 - success, playoffs finally
2016 - success, cup final
2017 - best team ever
2018 - crud (after CCL)
2019 - cup final loss
2020 - shield run
2021 - crud
Only Seattle beats that record & most teams don't come close.
If Insigne is in, Soteldo is out. I like Soteldo, his hard knox life facial look at certain moments, forty yet only 24, with Maradonna physicality, those tree trunk legs that make his shorts look like a Speedo. I enjoy the way he often brays MLS defensive mules. His production has been decent, given this season, this team’s circumstances and shows potential. I get the argument of either Poz or Soteldo; I think it can be tactically overcome. I also believe something is off; parts of some of the rumors about Soteldo may hold a degree of truth. Mostly, I think any issues may have been intensified by him having been apart and too far away from his young family; one he seems to cherish according to social media and whose company likely also grounded him. Missing family, wife and kids, being nearer to them, is a theme and now all too familiar tune of some other TFC players and management; and respectfully so should be in these challenging and uncertain times.
In this moment, feasible or not, I don’t see the organization going the U22 route. Its just not in their playbook; I don't think they have really thought through and modeled out the business of selling players/assets. I think TFC operations- President Manning and down, have been authorized to use a MLSE corporate- Board down, tested template. A Leiweke tried version; a model that was dusted off for adaption by MLSE key advisors and consultants, as well as a marketing and numbers core. Whether it’s still relevant, that is... true, is the question. MLSE appears to be going all in.
Lorenzo Insigne and Mimmo Criscito at Toronto , both in June: the road is clear, the next few days will be important to go to the definition. Until the signing, it is right to have a minimum of prudence, as always, but this double operation can only be skipped in the event of sudden - and today not predictable - repentances of those directly involved. The Insigne operation received a decisive boost thanks to the work of the intermediary Andrea D'Amico , who has long been accustomed to closing decisive operations on the intercontinental route. While his agent Pisacane attacked De Laurentiis and memorized the alleged interests of Inter and Milan, there were those who brought the operation to an advanced stage. And Napoli has considered it appropriate - at least up to now - not to relaunch. Between Tuesday and Wednesday there will be the Toronto managers in Rome: the intention is to close now for June. The duration of the contract: four years plus one option. Let's definitively clarify the discussion on the figures: there are 10 million NET plus bonuses to get to 15. There have been a thousand interpretations, including that of Giovinco , which do not adhere to reality. As for Mimmo Criscito, we confirm our anticipation of a few days ago : he too is destined for Toronto, but from June. Now it is too important to stay at Genoaand help him to achieve salvation, but the two-year basis is valid and work will be done to refine the figures. Insigne and Criscito have made a definitive choice: we repeat, only a sensational and today unpredictable repentance could change the scenarios.
https://www.alfredopedulla.com/il-re...la-tempistica/
Just so everyone knows Alfredo Pedulla who is being quoted above is a journalist for the Gazzetta Dello Sport which is the most respected sports newspaper in Italy
“There have been a thousand interpretations, including that of Giovinco , which do not adhere to reality."
Oof.
I hope Criscito is one of them Italian defenders that ages like a fine wine....
He is also saying July, which raises a couple of concerns/comments:
1) We may not need not worry about the National team (there is a real possibility that the Azzuri will miss again (its them or Portugal not going) and
2) We will have neither until then, what type of football will we be playing, there is no guarantee that Akinola will be back for the start of the season so what else does Manning have up his sleeve. 17 Games is a lot.
No Jozy, No Soteldo, No Akinola …we need to shore up the defense….
Since we are going Italian we might as well go get old man Chiellini, line him up with Laryea and just win through pure shithousery
Not sure it's enough to say “only Seattle was better”. Feels like there are a cluster of teams not that different than us. It’s worth it to look at this question closely, just to remember how we got here, ie how Curtis got his job in the first place. There was obviously an idea that we could layer our spending on top of more traditional forms of MLS success, to create something new and powerful. I think that idea had merit, they just hired the wrong guy…
———-
Portland has been to three Cup finals in 6 years, winning one, and won that 2020 thing, whatever it was. They didn’t have our 2017 year but then they did not spit the bit twice like we did, they were a factor every year (I think, they might have missed the playoffs once in there, but they never cratered like we did twice)
If we are counting silverware, we have two meaningful pieces (the 2017 trophies).
- Atlanta has a an MLS Cup, a US Open Cup, and was arguably the dominant team in the league for two straight full years.
- NYRB won three SS in 5 years, starting in 2013 or 2014.
- SKC won the MLS Cup in 2013, the US Open Cup twice after that, and, like Portland and unlike us, have been consistently in it every year
- Lest we forget, Dallas won the SS and the US Open Cup in 2016. They were a model of success for a long time in this league. The “selling club” thing is pretty recent there.
Then, to be fair, there have been a couple of spending teams that have been demonstrably worse than us.
LAG. The Fire were up there in payroll for much of the period with Schweinsteiger, more than they are today. Miami probably also.
You can throw Cincinnati in for a high spending team doing shite
^Yes, for sure.
My question is: what is the lesson we should take from the Curtis debacle? MLSE are apparently going back to the long-standing game plan of spend/splash, which is fun… but how do we get better at basic MLS blocking/tackling, which we have almost never been very good at?