New MLS salary update released

[olo114]

The notion that O' Dea is not worth the money might be true but can we find a comparable center back for cheaper, still young at 25 who starts for a decent national team in Europe. The inflated price is notable however if he did not sign for us for that price he would of been employed right now at least in the Championship in England. I think for next year, the depth chart at center back should be as follows O'Dea, Henry Williams Emory. Eckersley should be moved back to the wing and eventually replaced after his contract is up with an Academy player. I think the idea is to able to finally create a defense with younger core that can kept longer rather then just signing middle of the road experienced defenders who at the end of the day do not work out for TFC.

[Mattsp71]

If I am reading this right Fredrico Higuain of columbus is only making 324,000 is that right? I can't believe he makes less than Eckersley?

[brad]

This might be true of spain, but with their piss poor economy the segunda and even the 3rd division are sure to offer bang for buck.

There are a lot of decent players floating around overseas in the lower leagues that would be interested in coming here, at reduced wages even because they won't have to worry about their paycheque bouncing.

I know that TFC are not unaware of this. I know of one particular player that fits the bill that they were looking at (non-UK) that would have made people jump for joy at even the prospect of.

And no, I can say more - I promised I wouldn't.

[narduch]

The Impact must have the worlds best contract negotiator working for them. The only salaries that can arguably be considered overpay (Arnaud - 290k, Mapp - 218k, Perkins - 201k) were already established before they joined the team.

New arrivals Camara(75k), Ferrari(185k), Martins(120k), Nesta(225k), Rivas(50k), Bernier(150k) all excellent value.

Isn't Cochrane in charge of contracts for TFC? what a mess!!!

In my opinion, the only truly weird contract for Montreal is Nesta's. Camara's came from a lower level French team. Ferrari sounds reasonable based on his career status, and don't forget that there is less money in Italy these days. Rivas flamed out at Inter, his next move was either Italian lower divisions or back home. And Bernier suffers from the low Canadian quota and the fact that Canadians are devalued in MLS.

[narduch]

The notion that O' Dea is not worth the money might be true but can we find a comparable center back for cheaper, still young at 25 who starts for a decent national team in Europe. The inflated price is notable however if he did not sign for us for that price he would of been employed right now at least in the Championship in England.

We don't know that to be true at all. He was released on a free by Leeds. Surely if some other Championship team had made him a decent offer he would have taken that instead. For all we know he was only getting offers in League 1 and decided MLS was a better choice, especially with a team willing to over pay for his services.

Maybe they know something about O'Dea that we don't?

[DoubleUp]

There are a lot of decent players floating around overseas in the lower leagues that would be interested in coming here, at reduced wages even because they won't have to worry about their paycheque bouncing.

I know that TFC are not unaware of this. I know of one particular player that fits the bill that they were looking at (non-UK) that would have made people jump for joy at even the prospect of.



And no, I can say more - I promised I wouldn't.

which position?

[Canary10]

Here's one of the problems with Eckersley at right back: Mariner likes to play with the right midfielder more advanced in a more attacking role, the left midfielder pinched in to the middle of the park giving the left back (Morgan because he has the speed and decent crossing) room to get forward to give width and deliver crosses. In that formation, the right back generally stays back to cover the space in behind the more advanced right mid. Eckersely's salary is a lot to pay a right back to essentially sit back and defend.

[KGH]

No use getting all worked up over people that are already on our books. What I'm more interested in is what we'll do with the cap room opening up. In my estimation we'll have about $650k assuming we don't use the 3rd DP slot + a handfull of allocation. Here's what I'd like to see happening:

Players released or traded:
1) Cann
2) J Hall
3) Avila
4) Harden
5) Hassli
6) Williams
Freed up cap room = ~$850k.

I also expect the following to get released but they don't have any cap impact: Cordon, Lindsay, Makubuya, Weideman (assuming his GA is up).

Don't forget we signed Morgan and Henry to new deals. I imagine they're jumping to about $100k each so that a full $200k cap hit as they would have been home growns and not counted.

Leaves us with ~$650k + allocation + 1 DP slot

Sign Milos but trade him or Frei for either a pick, allocation, or a player who can step in and start. Cap impact here would be minimal.

1) Sign a GA with our first pick. Need an AM that can step in and contribute during the year. Cap hit = $0
2) Sign a Journeyman midfielder who can be a starter. Cap Hit =$200k
3) Hold back $200-300k to see who comes back in to the MLS with our Allocation pick. Hope this would be a forward or Mid. Cap hit $250k
4) 2-3 discovery signings at $50-70k each. Prefereably a back up RB, CB, and forward from south america. Cap hit $170k
5) Wait until the summer window to bring in a new DP forward/Mid. Cap hit $170k
6) Sign 2-3 academy kids. Entry level HG contracts so $0 Cap hits.

Total Spend = $790k. Would provide us with the 5 starters we're away from making the playoffs along with 4-6 kids for growth. This is also assuming that Frings and Koeve are back next year.

Thats how I would do it but anyone can arm chair.

[narduch]

I bet Hassli will be back, as a DP.

[KGH]

I like Hassli but are these the stats of a DP that deserves an extension:

Career Statistics (Regular Season)

Year	Club	GP	GS	G	MIN	A	SHT	SOG	FC	OFF	Y	R
2012	Toronto FC	6	6	3	491	2	18	7	22	8	2	0
2012	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	18	9	2	897	3	28	7	38	13	6	0
2011	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	26	21	10	1865	2	72	28	53	20	8	3
Career Totals		50	36	15	3253	7	118	42	113	41	16	3

[narduch]

I don't think he is worth DP money, I just think Mariner + Cochrane like him.

I doubt he would be willing to re-negotiate his contract to non-DP numbers. He would just go back to Europe if that was the case.

[ensco]

^Hassli can name his price. He has more negotiating leverage than God. Cochrane cannot let him go, the embarrassment factor is too high.

That superdraft pick is going to be a very high pick. Who here doesn't think it'll be number one overall?

[Section 117]

^Hassli can name his price. He has more negotiating leverage than God. Cochrane cannot let him go, the embarrassment factor is too high.

That superdraft pick is going to be a very high pick. Who here doesn't think it'll be number one overall?

If they end up running the team for all of next year it will end up being 1 or 2 because Chivas is just as bad as us. We have competition for the worst team in the world

[Ajax TFC]

Eckersley and O'dea's contracts wouldn't be so horrible if we didn't already have three DPs. We essentially have five players on DP wages which leaves absolutely no room to bring in quality players in other positions

[Pookie]

The Hassli back question is loaded. So too though is the Frings and Koevermans one.

If a team has no depth in 2013, does it make sense to tie up $1M in:

- a 33 year old recovering from ACL surgery
- a 37 year old recovering from hip surgery
- Hassli (32) and injured for much of the 2012 season

For all the flack that Eckersley is getting (undeserved for his salary, IMO), he has missed just 99 of 2,700 minutes. We'd be better off investing in a team of young players like him that can stay healthy and develop.

The idea in NHL circles is well accepted. If you have expensive players that are nearing the end of their shelf life, you move them to teams that want to win immediately and get as many assets back as you can.

That to me is the biggest decision facing Mariner and Cochrane though unfortunately the win or your fired mandate makes it hard to entertain the idea of moving any of them. As a result, we will likely see our 2013 season's fate rest in whether these guys can get off the turf on their next hard challenge.

(assuming of course we don't grab Soler off the open market and do this right)

[Yohan]

(assuming of course we don't grab Soler off the open market and do this right)

TFC fans would lynch Soler for not looking at South America

[brad]

There is another interesting side to Hassli as a DP. He is a pretty cheap DP @ $550k/$790k.

While this is pure speculation on my part, if revenues drop next year due to a decrease in STH prices, MLSE might very well be looking to reduce costs accordingly. Keeping Hassli on the books as a DP has a much smaller hit to MLSE than other DP options do, but also lets them maintain optics - "we are investing in the team - we have this DP"

Who knows, food for thought though.

[jloome]

There is another interesting side to Hassli as a DP. He is a pretty cheap DP @ $550k/$790k.

While this is pure speculation on my part, if revenues drop next year due to a decrease in STH prices, MLSE might very well be looking to reduce costs accordingly. Keeping Hassli on the books as a DP has a much smaller hit to MLSE than other DP options do, but also lets them maintain optics - "we are investing in the team - we have this DP"

Who knows, food for thought though.

I suspect that when his best friend was essentially allowed to go on a free (Chiumento) to a swiss team for next year, he decided his Canadian experiment was done. But he was really into ; tatooed a maple leaf and all.

Also underrated because of his health. He has just about a 1-in-2 goal scoring record, which is damn good.

[Blizzard]

I suspect that when his best friend was essentially allowed to go on a free (Chiumento) to a swiss team for next year, he decided his Canadian experiment was done. But he was really into ; tatooed a maple leaf and all.

Also underrated because of his health. He has just about a 1-in-2 goal scoring record, which is damn good.

Three goals in six games is a pretty decent strike record so who knows, without injury, he might have had double that. Ya, he really was into Canada, BC in particular. I recall an article that mentioned how he immediately fell in love with the mountains. I understand that he bought himself some sort of ranch out there.

[sulfur]

[O'Dea] was released on a free by Leeds.

Actually, a bit more complicated than that.

He was on Celtic's books from 2006. In 2010-11, he was loaned to Ipswitch Town, and in 2011-12, he was loaned to Leeds United. Both loans had options to buy, both teams did not pick up the option. At the end of the 2012 season, Celtic declined to pick up the one-year option on O'Dea (through mutual agreement apparently) and O'Dea then signed with TFC at the start of August.

[DoubleUp]

I have no probably with hassli's wage(cheapest dp we've ever had) I think talent/impact wise he's worth it, I also like his style of play.

My problem is his chronic injuries thats where I think he's not worth it, if he could be given a performanced based contract then Iam essentially happy.

[narduch]

Actually, a bit more complicated than that.

He was on Celtic's books from 2006. In 2010-11, he was loaned to Ipswitch Town, and in 2011-12, he was loaned to Leeds United. Both loans had options to buy, both teams did not pick up the option. At the end of the 2012 season, Celtic declined to pick up the one-year option on O'Dea (through mutual agreement apparently) and O'Dea then signed with TFC at the start of August.

Sorry, my bad. I meant Celtic released him.

In the end though, it appears he had little interest from Championship level clubs, which was my main point.

[Pookie]

I have no probably with hassli's wage(cheapest dp we've ever had) I think talent/impact wise he's worth it, I also like his style of play.My problem is his chronic injuries thats where I think he's not worth it, if he could be given a performanced based contract then Iam essentially happy.

Challenge though is that he can't be given a performance based cap hit, nor does his DP slot become available each time he misses a game.

[DoubleUp]

Challenge though is that he can't be given a performance based cap hit, nor does his DP slot become available each time he misses a game.

I know we love the other two dp's but.....

[prizby]

For O'Dea and Eckersley's salary ($826,250), you can get:

Andy Gruenebaum ($78,666.67)
Steven Beitashour ($44,100), Victor Bernandez ($100,000), Matt Beslar ($103,001), Ashtone Morgan ($56,000)
Gershon Koffie ($92,500), Juninho ($50,000)
Simon Dawkins ($50,000), Martin Rivero ($50,000.04), Fabian Castillo ($56,250)
Alan Gordon ($120,000)

for a grand total of: $741,517.71 for the starting XI

Add a bench of:
Milos Kocic ($44,100)
Matt Hedges ($59,000)
Austin Berry ($59,000)
Sebastian Grazzini ($50,400)
Joao Plata ($50,000)
Diego Fagundez ($56,000)
CJ Sapong ($82,000)

for a total of $400,500 for the bench

for a grand total of $1,142,017.71 for an 18 man team sheet

that starting XI though costs less than Ecks and O'Dea combined...and probably better than TFC's best XI

[Yohan]

For O'Dea and Eckersley's salary ($826,250), you can get:

Andy Gruenebaum ($78,666.67)
Steven Beitashour ($44,100), Victor Bernandez ($100,000), Matt Beslar ($103,001), Ashtone Morgan ($56,000)
Gershon Koffie ($92,500), Juninho ($50,000)
Simon Dawkins ($50,000), Martin Rivero ($50,000.04), Fabian Castillo ($56,250)
Alan Gordon ($120,000)

for a grand total of: $741,517.71 for the starting XI

Add a bench of:
Milos Kocic ($44,100)
Matt Hedges ($59,000)
Austin Berry ($59,000)
Sebastian Grazzini ($50,400)
Joao Plata ($50,000)
Diego Fagundez ($56,000)
CJ Sapong ($82,000)

for a total of $400,500 for the bench

for a grand total of $1,142,017.71 for an 18 man team sheet

that starting XI though costs less than Ecks and O'Dea combined...and probably better than TFC's best XI

Rivero and Dawkins are both on loan. Castillo is a DP due to transfer fee

[DoubleUp]

Rivero and Dawkins are both on loan. Castillo is a DP due to transfer fee

But you do get the point he's trying to make, right???

[Yohan]

But you do get the point he's trying to make, right???

That every team has few bargain salary players? Yep. Tfc has a few of them too

[nonc]

Morgan still at league min?

I'm pretty sure Morgan's extension, technically starting in 2013, will be at least 90k otherwise his agent is terrible.

[Initial B]

The idea in NHL circles is well accepted. If you have expensive players that are nearing the end of their shelf life, you move them to teams that want to win immediately and get as many assets back as you can.

That to me is the biggest decision facing Mariner and Cochrane though unfortunately the win or your fired mandate makes it hard to entertain the idea of moving any of them. As a result, we will likely see our 2013 season's fate rest in whether these guys can get off the turf on their next hard challenge.

What scares me is the fact that the win or your fired mandate means that Mariner will be moving out all our youth to get all those veterans at the end of their shelf life to help them win next year. When, not if, TFC misses the playoffs next year, this scorched earth policy will leave the club in absolute ruins with a bunch of old players nobody will trade for and no potential coming up through the ranks. At this point next year, support really will be dead and the financial armaggedon that will befall this club as SSH numbers fall below 5K will force MLS to either relocate or fold this franchise like they did with Tampa Bay.