[RUMOUR]Adrian Seriouxly Considering Retirement

[Toronto Gunner]

A friend of mine writes a blog about TFC and claims to have broken a story about Serioux retiring soon:

http://the-penaltyarea.blogspot.com/

Adrian Seriouxly considers retirement
Hey Y'all. Breaking news. Or breaking rumour perhaps is more appropriate... Word on the street is that Serioux's done soccer. For goods. Which sucks, because he's the best defender on our team (IMHO).

Buddy of mine that lives a few houses down from Serioux was having some beers with him and Serioux mentioned that he's pinched a nerve in his neck and keeps re-injuring it. Doesn't look like it's going to heal, so he'll probably retire at the end of the season. He's in contract negotiations now and has to decide whether he wants to let TFC buy out his contract for the remainder of the year and retire, or try rehab to fix the problem. Apparently he's leaning towards retirement.

You heard it hear first kids.

I hope it's not true, he's my favourite defender and I love to wear my signed Serioux jersey to games. If he retires I'll have to retire the shirt.

[ArmenJBX]

Fuck.

If this is true then we're in desperate need for new center backs. Kevin McKenna, Mike Klukowski and maybe even David Edgar?

Or, it's a blogger looking for some attention and website recognition. I dunno.

I hope this isn't true, but if it is, I pray he get's better and doesn't retire. We need him.

[Shway]

And then theres gomez

[Lucky Strike]

Bad news if true. I suppose the one positive that might come from this is that the need for CBs will be even more highlighted and so proper attention will necessarily be focused on reinforcing that position.

[ballerz]

Fuck.

If this is true then we're in desperate need for new center backs. Kevin McKenna, Mike Klukowski and maybe even David Edgar?

Or, it's a blogger looking for some attention and website recognition. I dunno.

I hope this isn't true, but if it is, I pray he get's better and doesn't retire. We need him.

You are looking at 3 more DP spots!

Why can't Mo try to get a proven MLS centerback via trade? How many draft picks and how much allocation money does it take for somebody in the calibre of Geoff Cameron, Chad Marshall, William Conde, or Jimmy Conrad?

Young Canadian defenders that are willing to sign with MLS at this stage in their careers are unproven, nor are 18 year old kids from Africa or 3rd division Brazil. It's about time we get a sure thing to play with Nana with Gomez as cover.

[ArmenJBX]

Actually, William Conde or Jimmy Conrad would work. Hell, maybe Michael Parkhurst could come back from Denmark or whatever. Hunter Freeman was pretty good too.

There's a lot of defenders who we could use, none of which we ever approached. We needed strikers and defenders and we picked up a shitton of midfielders. Next season, we better focus on the key areas (Centerback, Striker who can score, and a winger or two)

[Hitcho]

A) Not sure Serioux should be/was swilling beers in the middle of a play off push!

B) If he was, may have just been a slightly downbeat comment caused by being injured again rather than a serious statement of intent. Booze talks funny.

C) Not sure I buy this regardless, because it sounds like third hand rumour mongering and frankly Serioux is nowhere near retirement and what's he going to do instead? Just pack it in and watch tv while he finds a new job, or stick it out and push for a resolution to his injury?

Not enough here to make me take it seriouxly, sorry dude.

[fiji_blue]

no way

[billyfly]

Every time I have a few beers I consider retirement.

[Shakes McQueen]

Actually, William Conde or Jimmy Conrad would work. Hell, maybe Michael Parkhurst could come back from Denmark or whatever. Hunter Freeman was pretty good too.

There's a lot of defenders who we could use, none of which we ever approached. We needed strikers and defenders and we picked up a shitton of midfielders. Next season, we better focus on the key areas (Centerback, Striker who can score, and a winger or two)

You have no idea who we approached.

And of course Jimmy Conrad "would work" - he's KC's captain, and one of the better defenders in the league. But we can't just buy whoever we want.

- Scott

[Cashcleaner]

Not buying it either. Unless Adrian himself or the club confirms it, its just another random rumour.

[Beach_Red]

You have no idea who we approached.

And of course Jimmy Conrad "would work" - he's KC's captain, and one of the better defenders in the league. But we can't just buy whoever we want.

- Scott

Are you saying other MLS teams want to win, too?

[Shakes McQueen]

Are you saying other MLS teams want to win, too?

Shocking, I know.

- Scott

[Raging Reggie]

Every time I have a few beers I consider retirement.

I second that!

[Oldtimer]

Anyone can open a blog on blogspot.

It means absolutely nothing at this point, and the story doesn't sound credible.

[OHARARULES]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/700460

Serioux is having Neck problems... he is 30 and has been hampered by injuries his entire career. It would not surprise me at all if he retired.

[Redcoe15]

[wzhxvy]

Why would TFC buyout his contract if he wants to retire for the remainder of the year or next ?? How does that make sense, give him some free cash just because or what ? How does that make sense...

[ArmenJBX]

You have no idea who we approached.

And of course Jimmy Conrad "would work" - he's KC's captain, and one of the better defenders in the league. But we can't just buy whoever we want.

- Scott

Obviously I don't know who we approach, but the fact is simple. Mo made his intentions clear this transfer season. JDG was his sole target. Fellinga was an easy buy, Haiti reserve who get's no play time. But we heard no rumors AT ALL about MLS players switching over. That's what I mean. There are plenty of good defenders in this league, the only thing is, no one heard even a rumour that we were after any of them. In the middle of a playoff push, Mo focused on a midfielder (and lemme tell you, if it wasn't for the fact that it was De Guzman as a DP, oh boy...) when in reality we needed to bolster our defensive side and buy a striker who can SCORE GOALS.

And I beg to differ about not being able to buy whoever we want. We can buy whoever we want in this league, because we're a place that players would love to be. We could have approached FC Bouncycastle and spoke to one of their defenders. You think said defender would turn down 20,000 screaming, chanting supporters for...Family night out in Texas? I dunno about you, but if I were a footballer I'd wanna go where the action is.

JDG is awesome but is not what we needed. If Mo had bought JDG in, as well as someone like Will Conde during the MLS transfer season, we may have been in a more comfortable place right now. There are plenty of good defenders out there, and, let's not kid ourselves, MLSE has the money for making those moves. Maybe not the cap space, but that's another story.

Just my "$0.02"

[Shakes McQueen]

And again, you're assuming he didn't make any move for Wilman Conde, just because all we heard about was JDG all summer. And you're assuming that Chicago would even a) want to trade Conde, and b) want to work with Mo, after the McBride sour grapes from last season.

Mo's intentions to try and sign JDG have been clear for over a year now, and yet in that time, the Gambian kids were signed. Did you see that one coming? Was signing Fellinga an obvious move?

If you have information, then give it. But using broad unverifiable weasel phraseology like "Mo made his intentions clear this transfer window" doesn't mean anything. Especially when Mo himself never confirmed or denied his pursuit of JDG until the deal was done. And how do you know that JDG was his ONLY target?

Teams don't just hand over their best defenders, and what players of value do we have, that you would have gladly shipped off for a Conrad, or a Conde?

I don't mean to sound bitchy or anything - I just get tired of all of this conjecture from people, as though they live inside the heads of TFC front office, and make authoritative presumptions as to their motivations and intentions all the time.

I actually agree with you that our defense needs to be better but I will admit I have absolutely no idea if Mo made a move to strengthen it.

- Scott

[canadian_bhoy]

maybe he'll agree to play one more season, but will get forced into retirement by the club 3/4 of the way through the season.

[Whoop]

Touche.

[ArmenJBX]

Maybe it's because it's the MLS, or maybe it's just Mo, but the unbearable quiet was a lot to handle this year. Mo/Cummins kept saying they had a couple of defenders lined up, and nothing came of it.

I don't assume that Mo didn't make a move for a defender (not specifically Conde, just an example) but nothing came of it. In a time where we needed reinforcement in the backline, he gave us a midfielder. That tells me

a) He didn't even look for a defender

b) He had one but didn't get him

c) He had one but didn't try hard enough due to JDG

d) He's deliberately sabotaging this team and being payed by Columbus...

(The last one's a joke )

Gambians we're a good surprise. Fellinga is an unknown. But we needed a Wilman Conde. We needed a Jimmy Conrad. (again, just examples, not those two specifically) It didn't matter who, we needed one, and we still do. I'm thoroughly convinced that if JDG wasn't in the picture, we would have a solid CB in this squad right now.

But I agree that we don't really know what's going on in the heads of FO. Maybe they did. But it would have been nice for them to have come out and said "Listen, we know we need to stregthen the CB, we're trying hard to find someone."

Instead, we got "Packed midfield? No problem, lemme just add a DP in there and...internal arguments over money? Too many players in the same position? What does that mean? Does that mean that the shirts won't sell? They will sell? Phew, I was worried for a second." *strokes wallet affectionately

[ArmenJBX]

Just as an example:

Wilman Conde
Bakary Soumare
Chad Marshall
Geoff Cameron
John Kenedy Hurtado
Jimmy Conrad
Jonothan Bornstein
Michael Parkhurst
Gonzalo Segares
Eddie Pope
Eddie Robinson

These are the defenders from the MLS all star teams of the last three years. You're telling me not one of these players would play for TFC?

[olegunnar]

maybe he'll agree to play one more season, but will get forced into retirement by the club 3/4 of the way through the season.

after he agrees to a pay cut
you left that part out

[Beach_Red]

Obviously I don't know who we approach, but the fact is simple. Mo made his intentions clear this transfer season. JDG was his sole target. Fellinga was an easy buy, Haiti reserve who get's no play time. But we heard no rumors AT ALL about MLS players switching over. That's what I mean. There are plenty of good defenders in this league, the only thing is, no one heard even a rumour that we were after any of them. In the middle of a playoff push, Mo focused on a midfielder (and lemme tell you, if it wasn't for the fact that it was De Guzman as a DP, oh boy...) when in reality we needed to bolster our defensive side and buy a striker who can SCORE GOALS.

And I beg to differ about not being able to buy whoever we want. We can buy whoever we want in this league, because we're a place that players would love to be. We could have approached FC Bouncycastle and spoke to one of their defenders. You think said defender would turn down 20,000 screaming, chanting supporters for...Family night out in Texas? I dunno about you, but if I were a footballer I'd wanna go where the action is.

JDG is awesome but is not what we needed. If Mo had bought JDG in, as well as someone like Will Conde during the MLS transfer season, we may have been in a more comfortable place right now. There are plenty of good defenders out there, and, let's not kid ourselves, MLSE has the money for making those moves. Maybe not the cap space, but that's another story.

Just my "$0.02"

How does it work with MLS owning all the player contracts? Can TFC actually go after a player under contract to another MLS team? Even if the player preferred Toronto, does he have any say?

I know TFC can offer a trade but not many teams are giving up defenders are they? Certainly no one is giving up a goal scorer.

There are many teams in the middle of a playoff race right now - did any team in this league make any signifcant moves? (RSL will lose Movsisyan, which is too bad for them, good for us and shows the level a MSL player has to be to abandon the league).

And really, the main reason JDG was targeted is because he was out of contract. If some other big-name Canadian at some other position had been out of contract, TFC would have gone after him. Even as it was, JDG spent weeks walking around Europe with TFC's offer looking for a deal at least as good and didn't get one.

Right now MLS teams just don't have that many players to choose from, realistically. Higher salary cap and maybe more exposure (so maybe more than one guy could make some extra money from TV commercials and so on) will help, but until then, every team in this league scrambles for what's available.

This is all why failing to address the coaching situation is the biggest disappointment this year. Most MLS team have about the same level of player - Seattle spent a lot of money on a coach who can win in this league.

[ensco]

Anybody who thinks Jimmy Conrad will ever be traded for fair value has no clue.

The guy is pretty close to Dichio for the Cauldron. KC build their entire ticket campaign around him.

[Shakes McQueen]

Just as an example:

Wilman Conde
Bakary Soumare
Chad Marshall
Geoff Cameron
John Kenedy Hurtado
Jimmy Conrad
Jonothan Bornstein
Michael Parkhurst
Gonzalo Segares
Eddie Pope
Eddie Robinson

These are the defenders from the MLS all star teams of the last three years. You're telling me not one of these players would play for TFC?

It's not a matter of if they would play for us - it's a matter of what we would have to give up to get them, and whether their clubs would part with them in the first place.

Do you really think we are going to get a player like Chad Marshall, or Bakary Soumare, or Jimmy Conrad, without giving up some key players?

Many folks seem to think our problems are as easy as just trading away guys like Barrett, and bringing in guys like Conde or Conrad. But what team in their right mind is going to make a deal like that? And what incentive do teams have to part with the above players?

- Scott

[Shakes McQueen]

Anybody who thinks Jimmy Conrad will ever be traded for fair value has no clue.

The guy is pretty close to Dichio for the Cauldron. KC build their entire ticket campaign around him.

Exactly. But a lot of people seem to think we can trade turds for diamonds all the time.

- Scott

[ArmenJBX]

Again, Jimmy Conrad is an example, although I didn't know he was the KC Dichio. That's my bad and I'll stop throwing his name around.

But, I stand by my point that we have the ability to get these players. Let's use Brandon Prideaux of Chicago Fire for example.

Now, Chicago already has a pair of center backs in Conde and C.J. Brown, amongst others. Prideaux is a solid CB who has MLS experience. Now, I dunno about you, but I'm willing to give away Amado Guevara for instance. A backline of

Wynne---Nana---Prideaux---Brennan

with Gomez, Garcia and maybe Serioux (if this rumour is squashed.) and Fellinga as subs.

We don't need Guevara. JDG will do his job for him, plus, our midfield is crowded anyways. And, he hasn't really done a lot this season beyond the early season performances.

So, If we give up Guevara and bring in Prideaux, suddenly, we fix one problem and don't sacrifice another.

I dunno, it just seems like working to get one of these centerbacks is a better idea then packing the midfield.