Wednesday Updates
First, thanks to everyone who joined us at Rio Tinto Stadium last night to celebrate and honor our newly crowned 2009 MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake. The atmosphere was unbelievable and the guys certainly had a great time enjoying their title with the best fans in MLS…
Back to business though. The always busy MLS offseason kicked off today as 2010 expansion side Philadelphia picked 10 players from around the League in their expansion draft. The list of selected players is below…
MF Andrew Jacobson (D.C. United)
F Alejandro Moreno (Columbus)
D Shavar Thomas (Chivas USA)
GK Brad Knighton (New England)
F Nick Zimmerman (New York)
F Sebastien Le Toux (Seattle)
MF Shea Salinas (San Jose)
MF Stefani Miglioranzi (Los Angeles)
D Dave Myrie (Chicago)
D Jordan Harvey (Colorado)
As you can see, no RSL players were snapped up by the Union and their new head coach Peter Nowak.
On top of not losing a player today, RSL GM Garth Lagerwey was actually able to add to his championship side, claiming veteran MLS striker Abe Thompson in this afternoon’s Waiver Draft. The 27-year-old Thompson joins RSL from the Houston Dynamo after previously playing for both Kansas City (2008-2009) and FC Dallas (2005-2008). A native of Tucson, Arizona, Thompson has tallied 15 goals and 12 assists in 89 regular season appearances (40 starts) in his 5 year career.
You may be asking, what really can a player claimed off waivers really add to a championship team? Well, do you remember the last player Real Salt Lake snagged in a waiver draft? That would be midfielder Ned Grabavoy. As well as that one worked out, consider us excited to see what Abe can bring to the table…
25 Nov 2009 RSL HQ
With Seitz leaving to Philly who is Real going to pick up for that 3rd keeper spot?
Correction…. Real traded Seitz to the Union for allocation money and so they wouldn’t select anyone from the team in the expansion draft.
“On top of not losing a player today…” didn’t we trade Seitz to Phily today??
yes he was traded to philly for allocation money but who is real going to get for that 3rd keeper spot some one from the 2010 draft, another team, or a local boy?
So, anyone know what we can do with allocation money? Anyone have good insight as to what Abe Thompson brings to the table? Wonder if we’ll get a DP or other signing- I would like to see a Mexican signing- or just hope Campos and Abe can fill Yura’s shoes? Anyone wonder if Garth will heavily use the company AMEX around the globe like last year and fail to sign anyone but Espy? Answer: yes he already said he would today on the radio. Anyone have any thoughts on what we could use? I’d like to see a true winger, or develop Khalifi and Cox so we could change formations if needed.
PS. Whoa Philly seems to have a pretty weak team so far… is Pastorino consulting for them?
I remember reading somewhere that the past (blank) number of years the winner of the Carrolina Cup Challenge ended up winning the SS or the MLS Cup.
I had forgotten about the Carolina Cup winner winning either the SS or the MLS Cup. RSL continues the superstition legacy.
Way to go RSL!
LOL @ skinnyj! Nice shot at Pastorino! Anyone see him in the paper give the Galaxy the slight advantage for the cup? The Galaxy will be a team to be reckoned with again next year! Arena has done a really good job of turning that team around and developing their players! I’m very interested to see how RSL fills Yura’s void! Who know, his new team may just get relegated and he decides to come back! I would welcome back Yura with open arms!!
Where did we get the info that Sietz is leaving? Can someone please let me know with a link or some kind of evidence? I keep hearing this from the fan posts but never from a good source.
we should have these jersies yeah they look like the houston shrits but our colors make them lo good
http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1232547&page=10
Please don’t select a “local boy” for a keeper.
Welcome to the team Abe.
Fan11,
http://www.sltrib.com/realsaltlake/ci_13868072
Bohris Thanks.
I think thats a good thing that Sietz is out. Not for RSL of course but for him. He needs a club that will start him on a regular basis. He needs to have that time so he can get back in the radar for the USA.
I think we need to get a good young goal keeper. One that Rimando can mold, but that only will work if Reynish is good enough to start if Rimando gets hurt, heaven forbid.
Good job getting Abe. Remembering seeing the guy play against us for the last couple of years and thinking he fit the Yura mold…big, physical, and fast. Campos is a similiar forward. Hopefully one or two of them will fill the Yura void. I am not surprised Seitz is gone. Felt bad for the guy sitting behind Rimando. Hopefully he gets the PT he deserves in Philly. So you know, allocation money increases our salary cap so that we can either give guys raises (it could be used to resign Beckerman at a higher salary) or bring in another quality high priced signing.
I feel like real may go with a keeper from the draft or they may stick with Kyle and Nick for this year and pick up a local boy that they have been looking at for a little while. Probably their best option to go for the local kid next year since they will have been able to grow him all summer. http://wvhooligan.com/2009/11/13/2010-superdraft-watch-round-4/
skinnyj—please no Mexican signings! We do not need any diving babies that bring nothing to the team. If we go DP lets go to Europe! Has anyone heard of further talks with Ruud V.? I know they have been talking to him and last I heard Madrid was trying to get rid of him.
We need a DP!
why would we need a DP, did we not just win the cup without one? why waste money when we dont have to?
I don’t think a Mexican will dive any more than Espy or Morales. Mexicans play with flair and have a high technical skill on ball. Mostly it would be a move to get more of our latino community involved with the team, we could use the support. We saw A LOT of latinos up in Seattle, it was great to see that support. I know financially it was probably difficult for most/some of them, but they did it. Great to see that support and dedication, and we would be better off as a team with either an established Mexican star like Blanco or an exciting young kid. Can Garth find the right one?
fan 11 and Zack,
I think that goalkeeper Chesler may be the perfect solution he is young and looks like a great prospect but also he is from Utah. Would be the first local kid to play for Real and I think having a local kid would bring in a bigger fan base if he were to start playing a few years down the road. What do you guys think?
Thank you skinnyj for your comment above. I know the front office would like to tap into the Mexican fan base here in Utah and turn them into RSL fans. Remember the sold out games against America and Chivas? How would you like to have that every game? That is loyalty!! Imagine if we should have such loyalty for RSL.
Comments like rattfink’s above only alienate further the Mexican fan who sometimes feel unwelcome at the home games. There is work to do here, but they will eventually come to support an MLS Cup winner like RSL.