TFC 2013-2014 Off-Season player moves/speculation/rumours/etc. thread

[ag futbol]

Definitely should not populate the bench with guys over $120k in this league. That would be poor use of our cash. However, exceptions can be made with a super sub type of person - and I do think DeRo qualifies. But at the end of the day it's up to Nelsen if he wants to make the investment. Personally I hope he will.

Not necessarily true. Some teams run a pretty balanced book in terms of pay. Backup strikers and midfielders can frequently earn within this range.

We should be thinking post CBA next year as well. If we have good legacy contracts, those could provide us with an advange once the salary cap bumps up. I'd fully expect that the league minimum and salary cap will be significantly increased. In that sort of environment 120k for a quality backup probably looks reasonable.

125-150k for first off the bench players. (3rd striker, 3rd CM, etc) with injuries and fatigue, you need depth on the bench. you won't win just relying on your first 11. (well, unless you're Bruce Arena)

Wish I read that before I posted. Exactly what I was trying to say.

[Chevy]

DeRo may not have the pace of past years, but he still knows how to deliver the ball. Maybe if he was signed on the cheap he would be a good guy to serve up balls to our new DP strikers (whoever they may be).

He's not a provider of service, he's a consumer. If we're lucky enough to land Defoe and/or Gila, I can't imagine them being happy watching DeRo kick field goals from 35 yards away. DeRo will not be wearing a TFC jersey again. There's no cap space for what would be highly paid bench strength, plus the age and baggage that comes with the guy makes it unworkable.

[Super]

We should be thinking post CBA next year as well. If we have good legacy contracts, those could provide us with an advange once the salary cap bumps up. I'd fully expect that the league minimum and salary cap will be significantly increased. In that sort of environment 120k for a quality backup probably looks reasonable.

You make an excellent point on the upcoming CBA. Although I fear the bump would be small. Anything less than $500k wouldn't really make much of a difference, so I'm looking for A LOT more. Allocation money is really where teams can manipulate the system to their advantage. Fingers crossed the league finally chops off those Mickey Mouse ears and raises the cap significantly (*2 at minimum, if not remove the cap entirely).

But as far as having tons of cash on the bench, sure, you do see that around, but it's not necessarily a great strategy to begin with to have a striker worth $300k and a left-back worth $250k on the bench. But sure, it can work - but then again ANYTHING can work in this league. The league has shown us that there isn't really a rule for anything. It's a league dominated by random events anyway due to the parity (with a few exceptions - such as TFC). Impossible to predict. Toss the dice to find the winner-type of league. Couldn't be more boring in my opinion (due to the lack of identity), but I'm hoping it'll change some day.

[Yohan]

You make an excellent point on the upcoming CBA. Although I fear the bump would be small. Anything less than $500k wouldn't really make much of a difference, so I'm looking for A LOT more. Allocation money is really where teams can manipulate the system to their advantage. Fingers crossed the league finally chops off those Mickey Mouse ears and raises the cap significantly (*2 at minimum, if not remove the cap entirely).

But as far as having tons of cash on the bench, sure, you do see that around, but it's not necessarily a great strategy to begin with to have a striker worth $300k and a left-back worth $250k on the bench. But sure, it can work - but then again ANYTHING can work in this league. The league has shown us that there isn't really a rule for anything. It's a league dominated by random events anyway due to the parity. Impossible to predict. Toss the dice to find the winner-type of league. I happen to live here, so I endure it, but I'm hoping for change asap.

I think you should be banned from ranting about the MLS salary cap and parity. lol

[Sweeper]

Not really... Actually not at all!

All the club said is that the report is "inaccurate".
(I'm sure not everything in the report is 100% exactly accurate)

That extremely brief non-statement actually makes me believe that Defoe is coming even more.


If they were "denying a move for Defoe", they would have a stronger statement than just the report being "inaccurate" and leaving it at that.

Well it's about time the FO started issuing brief non-statements

[Super]

I think you should be banned from ranting about the MLS salary cap and parity. lol

Along with anyone else who oppose your views?

[Yohan]

Along with anyone else who oppose your views?

naw. only broken records and anyone who doesn't get sarcasm

[Super]

naw. only broken records and anyone who doesn't get sarcasm

Shoot Phil an email. He might be able to help you out.

Just FYI: we may now sign a guy (Defoe) who will command a greater yearly salary (*2) than the entire rest of the team combined. You think that's an awesome system. I don't. Let's leave it at that. No point in banning free speech on here. Or even hinting as much. I know you're just kidding around, but I don't hit and run on your comments.

[mowe]

Just FYI: we may now sign a guy (Defoe) who will command a greater yearly salary (*2) than the entire rest of the team combined. You think that's an awesome system. I don't.

Salary disparity is a real issue in MLS, but thinking that doubling the salary cap in the next CBA is even remotely a possibility makes you look clueless.

The only way there will be a significant increase in the salary cap is if the league signs a significantly larger TV deal. It's tough to say what the new TV deal will look like considering MLS does not get good ratings, but then again live sports are one of the few things networks can still cling to.

I think realistically the best we can hope for is a cap around $4 million with a minimum salary of $55k or so. Even that is a big jump from the $3.1 million in 2014. It's more likely the league continues its slow and steady pace with say a $3.5 million cap in 2015 and 5% increases.

[Super]

Salary disparity is a real issue in MLS, but thinking that doubling the salary cap in the next CBA is even remotely a possibility makes you look clueless.

The only way there will be a significant increase in the salary cap is if the league signs a significantly larger TV deal. It's tough to say what the new TV deal will look like considering MLS does not get good ratings, but then again live sports are one of the few things networks can still cling to.

I think realistically the best we can hope for is a cap around $4 million with a minimum salary of $55k or so. Even that is a big jump from the $3.1 million in 2014. It's more likely the league continues its slow and steady pace with say a $3.5 million cap in 2015 and 5% increases.

Oh believe me, I know they won't double the salary cap. Not even close. But maybe some years down the line. For now the league is trying to control spending on one hand while allowing incredible salaries for super stars - and at the same time also buying players for select, lucky teams. All I'm saying is that this is not helpful to our league.

Slow and steady is good, but the DP salaries have a lot of people wondering why we're allowing the league to run things that way. It's silly. Imagine how great TFC could be if we were allowed to give Defoe's $8 mil yearly salary to 8 foreigners instead. Certainly we'd have a much better group of foreigners at present. Same cost. Much, MUCH better product on the field.

[mowe]

Slow and steady is good, but the DP salaries have a lot of people wondering why we're allowing the league to run things that way. It's silly. Imagine how great TFC could be if we were allowed to give Defoe's $8 mil yearly salary to 8 foreigners instead. Certainly we'd have a much better group of foreigners at present. Same cost. Much, MUCH better product on the field.

Well yeah if there was no salary cap big market teams like TFC would benefit. But the whole point of having a salary cap in North American sports is to prevent richer teams from spending their way to wins (aka what happens in Europe). MLS didn't want to go the way of the countless failed soccer leagues so they strictly controlled spending. The DP rule was created because the league knew the value of luring international stars (if David Beckham wants to play in your league, you make it happen). Sure, it favours teams who can spend more, but as we've seen they've still managed to maintain parity. The 3 DP limit keeps teams in check.

[ag futbol]

This is just my educated guess, but I’d be surprised if they came to an agreement for anything less than four million. The league would be screwing themselves as much as they would be screwing the players by being too tight fisted. They are expanding rapidly and the talent pool is getting stretched. TV ratings are already in the tank, they can’t afford to let the quality of the product suffer any more than it already is. They need to invest in heavily in players to develop more prospects and retain the career MLS types.

The MLSPU is already out there planting seeds. They are floating articles about guys taking food rations from clubs, living in cramped accommodations, and just generally being under a rock compared to designated players who at some teams are chewing up 50%+ of payroll. They’ve hired real representative and negotiators as opposed to the underwhelming group they had last time. All signs point to the fact they are going hard this round.

MLS has too much to lose by going on strike and has many incentives to make real increases in the salary cap. Yeah, it sounds like a large percentage increase, but a high percentage increase of a low number is not the big deal some are making it out to be. Especially when clubs are blowing incredible amounts on DPs that provide very little in the way of marketing power or on the field product.

I expect sizable concessions to the players this time out.

[Super]

One thing is for sure, the league is desperate to increase TV numbers. The only way you can really do that is by putting a better product on the field by bringing in better foreigners. That to me would be the next step. Till then it'll be more of a LIVE event.

[jazzy]

naw. only broken records and anyone who doesn't get sarcasm

there should be an international script depicting sarcasm.......

[Pint]

The problem i see with raising the cap number is the domestic talent pool is still shallow. If you raise the cap and keep the same international rules all you are doing is allocating more $$ for the international spots or paying the same talent pool more. Now i'm all for a raise in the minimum salary of MLS players as well as other stipends that they can receive for housing/meals/transportation etc but just because we pay a min salary player more doesn't mean the talent will get better. If we raise the cap i'm sure a few of the North American players who are in mid tier leagues will come back but will they give enough of a lift to the league to make a difference in the end product?

The cap needs to rise for the league to grow but even more than that the domestic player talent pool needs to grow.

[ag futbol]

Plenty of guys who take a pass on a potential career in soccer because the lifestyle / salary equation for prospects is not good. Better pay will keep more people in the fold and stop players from going to Europe.

Right now the crappy back end of the roster is a "you get what you pay for" type of scenario. You are not getting the best, you're getting the best that will work for 40k a year and awful contract terms, which is not much of a sell.

[Areathrasher]

So Osorio is training with Huddersfield according to larson

[TFC/Everton]

So Osorio is training with Huddersfield according to larson

It's good to see TFC getting training stints for our young players.

[OgtheDim]

Maybe a vacation to Huddersfield (their opponent)?

Called it.

[sashavukelich]

So Osorio is training with Huddersfield according to larson

huddersfield?? LAAME, kid should be at a club with a focus on development, i.e. south hampton/ UTD

[ensco]

So Osorio is training with Huddersfield according to larson

Great team. 85 years ago.

[Yohan]

huddersfield?? LAAME, kid should be at a club with a focus on development, i.e. south hampton/ UTD

the odds of Osorio getting picked up is low, but let's call this what it is; a trial.

I don't see why Huddersfield would do TFC a solid and allow Osorio to 'train' with their team.

[BuSaPuNk]

I wouldn't call it a trial. Nelsen has probably worked his contacts through out England to get some training time for these players.

Wouldn't surprise me if we see more guys like Bekker and such go to other teams or join in these teams.

[OgtheDim]

If the object is to toughen them up a bit, lower league is better than EPL. Frankly, as long as the training is professional and can target issues, , I don't care about where it happens.

And no way this is a trial. Nelsen said several players were going out on loan.

[MightyDM]

Ultra&Proud: lots of sports teams have tried the quick fix. And it usually ends in tears. I hope this time is the exception.

[Yohan]

I wouldn't call it a trial. Nelsen has probably worked his contacts through out England to get some training time for these players.

Wouldn't surprise me if we see more guys like Bekker and such go to other teams or join in these teams.

there are a lot of MLS teams that sends some of their players for a 'training' stint in Euro. more like, European teams doing a favour for MLS teams, and to build relationship. but the coaching staff of European teams still get a look at a player, who usually are younger and more promising of an MLS team.

[BuSaPuNk]

oh yeah it's a two way street for sure Yohan. I just see it more as Nelsen's buddy's letting his guys get a run. I wouldn't be worried about losing anyone at all.

[Yohan]

I can see Big Sam doing a favour for Nelsen at West Ham w/ Henry's training stint, but who does Nelsen know at Huddersfield?

[Ivy]

@DavidAmoyal: After Di Marzio, Gazzetta Dello Sport is also reporting Gilardino is on verge of accepting Toronto FC's offer (CC @MLSTransfers)

[brad]

I can see Big Sam doing a favour for Nelsen at West Ham w/ Henry's training stint, but who does Nelsen know at Huddersfield?

He played over there long enough to know a lot of people. He does seem pretty well connected.