As the final whistle blew at Rio Tinto Stadium on November 8th, the feeling of disappointment was thick (unless you were one of the few in green). Once again, RSL failed to find the net in a home game where all they needed was just one to extend or win a series/trophy. The list is ever-growing of RSL at the stadium formerly referred to as the Fortress being anything but for the home side. But that is not the biggest reason for the disappointment, at least not for me. The disappointment I felt stemmed from the realization that this was the last game with this group that has earned the nickname of “The Core”. No matter how many changes are made in the coming off-season, one thing is certain: people (likely a plural thing) gotta go.
The biggest question right now on RSL players, staff, fans, and writers is who exactly is going to be on that list of departures? How is this team shaped in the next season? Does Garth Lagerway (and many others) try to still keep as many of this “Core” as possible? Do they decide it’s time to rebuild? What pieces, if any, have that stamp of approval? Does the often used “team blown up” verb-age actually happen? It’s an off-season, in my opinion, that will shape this team’s next 3 to 4 seasons. Being a fan of AC Milan has brought the realization of just how vital it is to part ways with players prior to their giant decline and to not expect too much from unproven players. If you’ve watch Milan this season (and quite a bit of last) you’ll see an aging team that has departed with far too much young talent and hasn’t had a good eye to scout proper replacements. RSL simply can’t fall victim to that same thing – at least not if Garth Lagerway and Jason Kreis want to keep their jobs in the “really really safe” category.
So over the next few weeks, I’m going to give my opinion on what this team needs to do in order to both stay competitive in the immediate future while also making sure to set themselves up as a good team for time to come. Starting from the defense forward, I’ll look at players in the 3 groups (defense, midfield, forwards/offense) and give my opinion on what should be done with them. What players, I feel, are reliable for the near and distant future; what players are not; and what players are too expensive or worth the cost to keep around. In other words, get ready for 15 to 32 to play armchair GM.
Using the following links to my assistance:
http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/August%201,%202012%20Salary%20Information%20-%20By%20Club.pdf]Player Salaries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salary_cap#Salary_cap_in_MLS
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2012/5/30/3050995/mls-player-salary-analysis-2012
http://www.dynamotheory.com/2012/1/18/2716142/roster-rules-and-salary-cap-101-where-the-dynamo-stand-heading-in-to
http://www.mlssoccer.com/numerology/news/article/2012/06/20/numerology-mls-stats-gurus-take-salary-cap
and a whole host of others.
Get ready to be upset
Cheers,
15 to 32
One Touch Soccer 