A league is not comparable to MLS. More NASL quality.Originally Posted by SirBobSaget
His wiki page is impressive! Only 25, 36 caps for NZ and 16 goals in 25 appearances in the A-League (the team only has 31 Goals For in 27 matches).
The A-League is supposed to be comparable to MLS in quality and playing style, so looks like a nice move. Also his club finished dead last so hes used to that aspect as well!!
But hey, we have our new Jarrod Smith! :P
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
Taylor Morgan has to be waived or either Ephraim or Bostock returned to parent clubs for int slots
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
Now this is interesting! Right off the bat, the A-League I believe should be viewed in the context of "it's like MLS but 7-8 years ago" in terms of talent-level. Based on that alone (full disclosure: I haven't seen him play), so any expectation of 16 goals in 25 games should probably be tempered. But even if he scores a third of that amount, it would suggest he has good vision and it will be a good contribution from midfield. Plus, he comes from a wage-controlled league so that increases the chance he'd be value for money.
Finally, based on the A-league schedule, he could be here until August when pre-season starts or October if we're lucky (he'd already be in match-fit) when their season starts.
Lots of assumptions here on my part, but it's an interesting bit of information.
I think RB is okay. Ecks is the starter, and Richter is decent for depth. I'd like better for depth, but you have to take hit in this league. LB needs surgery.
I see Bostock getting returned. Guy just isn't panning out.
I think Eckersely should go as soon as possible. Not worth his money. There are better fullbacks at $50,000.
yeah that's not going to happen. I think Nelsen rates him, and I'm going to guess he's on a guaranteed contract and I can't see another MLS team trading for him. He ain't going anywhere
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
^ How long was that contract? He might have another year max?
nobody knows. usually MLS contracts are 2 years plus 2 yrs team option
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
^ Hate that about MLS. If it's two years then this would be his last.
The player churn at TFC has meant that gaining Permanent Resident Status has yet to happen for a long term TFC International player. I think it happens after 3 years working in Canada. So those who are quick to throw away Eckersley should remember that when it is time for him to negotiate a new contract he will still be young, he will be experienced and he will no longer take an international spot on the roster. Easy to imagine that if TFC hesitated to offer a new contract, both Whitecaps and Impact would be interested.....
^ They can have him.
Very surprising, but frankly, I think these moves and rumours for new defensive players put both Califf & O'Dea on notice. Nelsen as a long-time CB can't be happy with the screw-ups and lack of leadership in the back -- and he's said as much. Plus both Califf & O'Dea have committed personal gaffs. Califf directly screwed up in Montreal last week, and certainly wasn't "commanding" the backline in that blowout. O'Dea has had a couple of personal screw-ups as well. Remember he was supposed to be marking Buddle in Colorado, and O'Dea fell down before Emory did -- but Emory got most of the blame.
I love O'Dea, but he hasn't been ideal, and there are better CBs in MLS for much less money. (Unlikely that TFC could pry any loose now.) Califf we're stuck with for the season I think -- guys of that age & that much league experience can't be dropped mid-season, right? And nobody else will want to take him. He may just continue being an expensive backup. O'Dea may find some interest in Europe so they can trade him or let him go in the summer for a new contract overseas -- if the new temps work out or they find other CBs for the summer window.
More depth at the back could also be an incentive for Ecks & O'Dea to renegotiate their salaries -- perhaps a longer term at lower wages.
Not saying any of that will happen -- it's just apparent that Nelsen & Payne want to be less dependent on the current cast of defenders, and want more options.
Not on our team. Not even close.
I wish they would take you (and your ilk) instead. We are talking about a young footballer, 24 years of age, who has played in Toronto for 2 years. He has played a number of positions, played for 3 different managers and has had more good games than bad. He is presently injured. I am more than a little sick of so called TFC "fans" who treat players, real people who proudly wear the red and grey, as if they were avatars to be cut/traded/sent away from your fantasy team. I don't care if he makes a gazillion dollars. If you stab him in the back because you can find someone who is cheaper, why would the cheaper player want to play for your team? Aren't you just going to stab him in the back eventually when you find another even cheaper player? Who taught you to evaluate talent and build a team? Joe Fresh?
Just checked out the Brockie highlights at http://www.wakingthered.com/2013/5/7...n-phoenix-loan
Wow, some of that defending & goaltending was comical. He may have a slightly tougher time scoring in MLS. However, he plays a couple of positions (AM, winger, striker), and TFC can also use help at AM and on the wing.
Eckersley has a good work rate. He tackles hard. I get that a lot of people like a good work rate. But he's very poor tactically. If I were coaching an opposing team, I'd be pressing to get balls onto him because he almost always makes bad decisions with them. When he gets forward he can't cross on either foot. Defenders play him to the outside because he'll always take that space. They run him out the by-line or tackle him when he makes the odd cut inside. It's too easy and predictable. He loses the ball more than any player on this team. He also gives up a lot of fouls in bad areas because he tackles through the backs of people. He lets his aggressiveness get the better of him. And he costs double what perfectly good MLS fullbacks earn.
This whole thread is about people giving personal opinions about players. Making personal attacks on someone who doesn't agree with the consensus isn't cool.
Ultra and Proud, I agree he's better than what is currently on the team, but his contract probably expires at the end of the year. I'd let him go and find some guys who can play the position on $150,000 or less and bring more to the table. I don't think he's part of the rebuild personally.
Last edited by Canary10; 05-07-2013 at 10:36 AM.
This season he has looked better. The biggest problem with him is his pay and if he was on $150K then no one would have a problem. If he would restructure his contract to those type of terms then I could see him as part of a rebuild. I find a lot of him problems came/come from trying to do too much. Not that he is the best ever but he was trying to cover for our shit back line for much of the past two seasons and it's become a habit to get out of position. He is still young and with a pay cut would be just about as promising as any other low rent MLSer you could dig up. If he gets citizenship then that would be a bonus.
How come we can't get any then?
If Ecks is still dating that local girl, he is motivated as heck to stay here. Frankly, we need to start keeping players for years. We need continuity. If you look at the rosters of other teams, they have players that stick around for years. Sure they cost more then $50K but that's what it takes to build a back line. Right now, we have Frei and the next longest guy in the team is Ecks. Personally, I'd rather see us bring in an experienced guy to tutor Boss and O'Dea and Ecks and whomever we get to be LB. We need to start building a long term unit back there. Everything I've read has said you can't build a proper back 4 overnight. It takes about 3 months of playing together to get good as a unit. Well, we've had, what, 4 weeks of Boss and O'Dea and a rotating FB situation. No wonder we can't get our act together for 90 minutes back there.
Oh, and I would be surprised if Ecks doesn't take a pay cut next time around.
Agreed. Last year (pre-backline injuries and migration to CB) his flank was a constant sore point defensively. Hasn't been as bad this year, Nelsen keeps his FBs more positionaly sound than either Winter or Mariner did.
I'm not crazy about the whole scenario. He can still play in England which makes him a pricy proposition. Cheaper alternatives will probably be explored, I'm sure they'd like to move him but his contract is garbage.
Last edited by ag futbol; 05-07-2013 at 11:07 AM.
Who is tasked with finding us players....Payne or Nelsen?
Seems like Nelsen is doing a whole lot of player acquisition stuff. Hope there is time for coaching and tactics.
Good question. Buck stops with Payne doesn't it?
Pretty clear that Payne and Nelsen are looking at different parts of the world and different player ages.
Payne is in for cheap S.A and C.A talent. These deals usually involve legit negotiations and transfer fees. He has said all along that it takes time and this is a year of flux.
Nelsen is using his connections to plug holes in a stop-gap manner, thus all the loan deals. When Payne gets what he wants then I am sure these loanees will go. Until then it's better than what we did in the past and toss $100K+ deals to the likes of Hscanovics and Usanov to fill out the roster or pull off an assload of pointless trades just to get the likes of Iro, Griffit, and other crap to make up a 'roster' for a season.
This is the best player acquisition system we've seen since day one.
Agreed...ASSUMING they are all short term loan deals and not just being called that.
I remember hearing/reading somewhere that earnshaw has gone from a loan deal to an actual full time contract.
Am I out to lunch or has anyone else heard this? Lol
Think of it this way...
Nelsens loanee's are long term trailist who we're able to play at the cost of a minimal cap hit.
Once there short 3 month loan is over (their trail) we can decide if they're a good fit. Doesn't it seem like a good system?
Our squad needs Kyle Lafferty. Okay, I just want a Northern Irish player.
I heard this. The load deals all have a buyout clause and they mentioned that they would look to exercise it on Earnshaw. It then got clawed back a bit and the poker face went on.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
Looks to be peaking. I could be wrong, but back when he was a youth player and signed with Sydney FC, Crystal Palace and a few other English clubs were scouting him. I only remember it because we have the same first name. Was highly touted, then vanished at Sydney. I don't follow The A League enough to know what happened but his strike rate last year suggests maybe he's hitting his prime.
As someone has noted, though, A League defending is comical. It's not on par with MLS; more like Cyprus or Finland (or Conference National).
Well I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea how the cap hits are figured out but looking at the MLS salaries page I see guys like Bostock, ephraim, earnshw and Russell all on 100-200k garunteed contracts for 2013.
What does that even mean? Lol
Does garunteed mean cap hit?
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