2019 Offseason Thread

[adam]

Protected

1. Alexander Callens
2. Valentin Castellanos
3. Maxime Chanot
4. Sean Johnson
5. Ronald Matarrita
6. Jesus Medina
7. Maxi Moralez
8. Alex Ring
9. Ben Sweat
10. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi
11. Anton Tinnerholm

Automatically Protected

1. Jonathan Lewis (GA)
2. James Sands (HG)
3. Joe Scally (HG)

Chances these players may be taken:
Unprotected

1. Saad Abdul-Salaam - Maybe
2. Eloi Amagat - No way in hell
3. Kwame Awuah - Low
4. Daniel Bedoya - Low (because no one ever saw him play)
5. Jo Inge Berget - Low (because of salary not talent)
6. Jeff Caldwell - Low (keepers are easy)
7. Yangel Herrera - None (he's not playing in MLS anymore)
8. Cedric Hountondji - Low (high salary, lots of injuries, no MLS minutes)
9. Sebastien Ibeagha - HIGH (I can see them taking him)
10. Tommy McNamara - Medium (feel like the league values him higher than we do)
11. Ebenezer Ofori - Low (decent player, but expensive for production)
12. Andre Rawls - Low (keeper)
13. Brad Stuver - Low (keeper)
14. David Villa - None (he's signed in Japan)
15. Rodney Wallace - Low (high salary, no production, getting old)

I think the only real target here is Seba. But what do I know?

 

[dummyrun]

The only surprise is Ibeagha, who's right in that cheap American sweet spot for the expansion draft (along with SAS). The fact that we didn't want to risk unprotecting Mata instead suggests to me that Dome's made his peace with our left back pair.

More speculatively, the fact that we're good with letting either backup CB go could be a sign we're trying to clear a roster slot for Owusu (but it could just mean backup CB talent is easy enough to find).

The other thing to keep in mind here is that teams are drafting their protected lists with Cincinnati's current squad and inquiries in mind. It's possible that Reyna just felt comfortable that they're not looking for an Ibeagha type.

 

[LionNYC]

Sebastien Ibeagha - HIGH (I can see them taking him)

Here's the full list of players available for FCC. I'd put 85% that Ibeagha gets drafted.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/10/players-eligible-2018-mls-expansion-draft

 

[Kjbert]

Maybe Ibeagha wants a new contract.

Think it’s silly to leave him there. Let them have Sweat

 

[Fantazma]

Maybe Ibeagha wants a new contract.

Think it’s silly to leave him there. Let them have Sweat

but sweat is USMNT "caliber" player cuz you know he got called up.

 

[Fantazma]

Protected

1. Alexander Callens
2. Valentin Castellanos
3. Maxime Chanot
4. Sean Johnson
5. Ronald Matarrita
6. Jesus Medina
7. Maxi Moralez
8. Alex Ring
9. Ben Sweat
10. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi
11. Anton Tinnerholm

Automatically Protected

1. Jonathan Lewis (GA)
2. James Sands (HG)
3. Joe Scally (HG)

Chances these players may be taken:
Unprotected

1. Saad Abdul-Salaam - Maybe
2. Eloi Amagat - No way in hell
3. Kwame Awuah - Low
4. Daniel Bedoya - Low (because no one ever saw him play)
5. Jo Inge Berget - Low (because of salary not talent)
6. Jeff Caldwell - Low (keepers are easy)
7. Yangel Herrera - None (he's not playing in MLS anymore)
8. Cedric Hountondji - Low (high salary, lots of injuries, no MLS minutes)
9. Sebastien Ibeagha - HIGH (I can see them taking him)
10. Tommy McNamara - Medium (feel like the league values him higher than we do)
11. Ebenezer Ofori - Low (decent player, but expensive for production)
12. Andre Rawls - Low (keeper)
13. Brad Stuver - Low (keeper)
14. David Villa - None (he's signed in Japan)
15. Rodney Wallace - Low (high salary, no production, getting old)

I think the only real target here is Seba. But what do I know?

Ibeagha is gone....damn

 

[mgarbowski]

What's actually interesting to me is how MLS released the full list of free agents, but I don't see TMac in there. Anyone care to explain?

You have to be 28.
Tommy turns 28 in February 2019.

 

[Gotham Gator]

You have to be 28.
Tommy turns 28 in February 2019.

You also have to have 8 years of service, and Tommy has 5.

Since Tommy has an Irish passport (or can get one), I've long thought he should just go to Europe.

 

[gbservis]

You also have to have 8 years of service, and Tommy has 5.

Since Tommy has an Irish passport (or can get one), I've long thought he should just go to Europe.

Would that be more lucrative for him? I'm not familiar enough to know what league in Europe he's good enough to play in and what those leagues pay. As an American his value is inflated in the MLS. The over $200K salary he was getting the past two seasons seems like pretty good money for a fringe rotation player in MLS, would be interesting to see if he could do better in another league.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Would that be more lucrative for him? I'm not familiar enough to know what league in Europe he's good enough to play in and what those leagues pay. As an American his value is inflated in the MLS. The over $200K salary he was getting the past two seasons seems like pretty good money for a fringe rotation player in MLS, would be interesting to see if he could do better in another league.

Fair question.

Of course, he isn't going to get $200K in MLS anymore. One has to wonder if his domestic option is now down to USL.

Even if he catches on with another MLS team, will he get substantial playing time?

I have to think there is a league in Europe where he could get real playing time and get paid a decent wage - a great combination for someone who is 28.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Protected

1. Alexander Callens
2. Valentin Castellanos
3. Maxime Chanot
4. Sean Johnson
5. Ronald Matarrita
6. Jesus Medina
7. Maxi Moralez
8. Alex Ring
9. Ben Sweat
10. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi
11. Anton Tinnerholm

Automatically Protected

1. Jonathan Lewis (GA)
2. James Sands (HG)
3. Joe Scally (HG)

Chances these players may be taken:
Unprotected

1. Saad Abdul-Salaam - Maybe
2. Eloi Amagat - No way in hell
3. Kwame Awuah - Low
4. Daniel Bedoya - Low (because no one ever saw him play)
5. Jo Inge Berget - Low (because of salary not talent)
6. Jeff Caldwell - Low (keepers are easy)
7. Yangel Herrera - None (he's not playing in MLS anymore)
8. Cedric Hountondji - Low (high salary, lots of injuries, no MLS minutes)
9. Sebastien Ibeagha - HIGH (I can see them taking him)
10. Tommy McNamara - Medium (feel like the league values him higher than we do)
11. Ebenezer Ofori - Low (decent player, but expensive for production)
12. Andre Rawls - Low (keeper)
13. Brad Stuver - Low (keeper)
14. David Villa - None (he's signed in Japan)
15. Rodney Wallace - Low (high salary, no production, getting old)

I think the only real target here is Seba. But what do I know?

Yeah, I think Ibeagha and SAS are the only two from this list that could be selected. If I was Cincy, I'd go with Ibeagha.

But also, I haven't yet scoured the other team lists yet to see if there are 5 others out there (across various teams) that would be more worth it.

 

[sundance]

Yeah, I think Ibeagha and SAS are the only two from this list that could be selected. If I was Cincy, I'd go with Ibeagha.

With declining SAS, do we no longer have a backup RB?

 

[Shwafta]

if I'm Cincy, (idk if they work in their systems, but...) I pick five of:
Darren Mattocks,
Maynor Figueroa,
Feilhaber,
Urena,
Beitashour,
Mancosu,
Ibeagha,
SAS,
Lade,
Rzatkowski,
Kljestan,
Dockal,
Medunjanin,
Armenteros,
Ridgewell,
De Jong,
Kei Kamara.

Those are the names that immediately stick out to me going through the list by each club.

 

[mgarbowski]

With declining SAS, do we no longer have a backup RB?

He was on loan for a good while last season, and I think were were effectively without a true RB backup that entire time. Tinnerholm failed to start only 3 games, all pretty early, and SAS played in 2 and we went 3ITB for the other. It does seem we should get able to cover that though.

 

[dummyrun]

With declining SAS, do we no longer have a backup RB?

https://www.nycfc.com/post/2018/03/21/new-york-city-fc-signs-joe-scally-second-homegrown-player

 

[sundance]

https://www.nycfc.com/post/2018/03/21/new-york-city-fc-signs-joe-scally-second-homegrown-player

If a homegrown player never sees the field, does he make a sound

But I’d be happy if he does play.

 

[SoupInNYC]

With declining SAS, do we no longer have a backup RB?

He was on loan for a good while last season, and I think were were effectively without a true RB backup that entire time. Tinnerholm failed to start only 3 games, all pretty early, and SAS played in 2 and we went 3ITB for the other. It does seem we should get able to cover that though.

https://www.nycfc.com/post/2018/03/21/new-york-city-fc-signs-joe-scally-second-homegrown-player

Also want to clarify we haven't declined SAS. If he isn't selected in the Expansion Draft, then he is still under contract with us.

 

[Christopher Jee]

If a homegrown player never sees the field, does he make a sound

But I’d be happy if he does play.

When he played at Red Bull Arena in the Open Cup tie, he was about the only person in that stadium that did.

 

[Shwafta]

To be fair to NYCFC, if you look around other leagues, for example the bundesliga: The youngest player to debut was Nuri Sahin at 16 years, 11 months. Scally is still 15 years old.

By european league 1996 or later to match with mls,(if parenthesis,the youngest of all time):
Premier League: Matthew Briggs: 16 years, 2 months, 4 days
Serie A: Pietro Pellegri: 15 Years, 9 months, 5 days (Amedeo Amadei (1937) 15 years, 9 months, 5 days)
Ligue 1: Albert Rafetraniaina: 16 years, 27 days
Bundesliga: Nuri Sahin: 16 years, 11 months, 1 day
LaLiga: Fabrice Olinga: 16 years, 3 months, 6 days (Sanson (1930) 15 years, 8 months, 11 days)

MLS: Freddie Adu: 14 years, 10 months, 1 day. (Next closest is Davies at 15 years 8 months, 15 days, and after that is above 16 years.)

you can see between even the top leagues it's not common to play someone as young as Scally, so I completely understand why we haven't played him yet. As for Sands, he's now 18 so I'm hoping we see more of him, or his talent will just rot away... But I think he can become one of our top players if they give him the chance.

 

[dummyrun]

If a homegrown player never sees the field, does he make a sound

But I’d be happy if he does play.

One reason I wish we would dial back the #DomeOut stuff, besides the fact that it's dumb, is that managers who are feeling pressure to get immediate results are less likely to play kids. Lewis only got looks when we were winning. Sands played well when we were forced to rely on him but didn't sniff the squad afterward. If we want guys like Scally to get their chances next season, we're going to have to be patient and think about whether maximizing our points in March and April is the thing we care about most.