2020 Roster Discussion

[ManhattanValley]

Glenn Crooks reports that money seems to be a factor in Mitri's decision as well

https://twitter.com/x/status/1313568896293765122

I'm willing to give Mitri the benefit of the doubt, and there's still a lot we don't know here. But if this is a money grab dressed up as personal problems then I'm happy to see him out the door.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

Meanwhile, my money keeps paying Medina.

so much ugh

 

[ZYanksRule]

I think the people blasting the Club for this need to take a giant step back. If Mitrita wants to be closer to home, if he's homesick or whatever, then that's on him. It's certainly not on the team. I'll wish him well and hope his family concerns aren't too serious, but if he's gone through the 2021 MLS season, odds are he never plays another game for us. Which, listen. Maybe he didn't like it here. Playing in America isn't for everyone, and we really can't blame the team for something like that. How are they supposed to know ahead of time which players will feel comfortable and which won't?

 

[Marito]

with his wife maybe he feels its easier and closer going from saudi arabia to romania than it is to/from nyc.

also didnt we also get some messages here that the dude always seemed to be home sick.

It is difficult to conceive of any foreigner who would want to go live in Saudi Arabia if it isn't for financial reasons. I'm sure there are Romanian restaurants, social clubs, etc in NYC and I'm sure there are none in Jeddah. The reason has to be Ronnie.

 

[Davo15]

Meanwhile, my money keeps paying Medina.

so much ugh

Thankfully being from Connecticut season tickets were never financially viable for me so I have no monetary investment in this team. It's most just my soul their destroying...

 

[Shwafta]

I think the people blasting the Club for this need to take a giant step back. If Mitrita wants to be closer to home, if he's homesick or whatever, then that's on him. It's certainly not on the team. I'll wish him well and hope his family concerns aren't too serious, but if he's gone through the 2021 MLS season, odds are he never plays another game for us. Which, listen. Maybe he didn't like it here. Playing in America isn't for everyone, and we really can't blame the team for something like that. How are they supposed to know ahead of time which players will feel comfortable and which won't?

I agree, but at the same time if they knew this was coming, and generally this is not something that comes out of the blue (there's probably some indicators that this would be happening earlier in the transfer window, or even before that), so that means NYCFC should have at least been thinking of replacement DP... If this hasn't been on their mind, that's i think what's bothering everyone - not necessarily Mitri leaving.

...Then again it could just be out of left field last week from the man himself and now the club is left scrambling, in which case I agree with you 100%.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Glenn Crooks reports that money seems to be a factor in Mitri's decision as well

https://twitter.com/x/status/1313568896293765122

I'm willing to give Mitri the benefit of the doubt, and there's still a lot we don't know here. But if this is a money grab dressed up as personal problems then I'm happy to see him out the door.

I took the comments regarding money to be about the club getting adequate compensation for Mitrita while he's out on loan and not necessarily Mitrita lookin for more money himself.

 

[SoupInNYC]

Does Maxi play another game for NYCFC?

Yes.

mitrita’s contract was 4 years. That means $8 million sunk. Will they ever spend that much again?

Will they ever spend that much again? Yes, without a doubt. Maybe not next season, but that amount of money will be spent by this club and likely a lot more as this league continues to grow.

 

[moogoo]

I think the people blasting the Club for this need to take a giant step back. If Mitrita wants to be closer to home, if he's homesick or whatever, then that's on him. It's certainly not on the team. I'll wish him well and hope his family concerns aren't too serious, but if he's gone through the 2021 MLS season, odds are he never plays another game for us. Which, listen. Maybe he didn't like it here. Playing in America isn't for everyone, and we really can't blame the team for something like that. How are they supposed to know ahead of time which players will feel comfortable and which won't?

If he is homesick or has family concerns, it's easy enough to simply go back to Romania and play there, no? Why go play in Saudi Arabia? Wouldn't he have the same homesick and family concerns being in Saudi Arabia? Big deal - he saves some hours of flight time, but otherwise it's the same situation. If he just didn't like playing here in the States, the season ends in 2 months, just finish the season and negotiate a move.

Leaving right now for Saudi Arabia just doesn't seem right for simply personal reasons. There is more to it and the fact is, we just won't ever know.

 

[Schwallacus]

I have no actual source on this, but just trying to put some things together:
-Mitri has numerous Instagram posts/stories of his wife and himself hanging out around NYC (restaurants, Central Park, etc.). I feel she was living here with him during the majority of his time here and probably just moved back to Romania to be closer with their immediate family prior to giving birth.
-Due to the above, Mitri also wants to be closer to home (Romania) knowing his child is due to be born soon. As mgarbowski mentioned, Saudi Arabia isn't that much closer travel wise than NYC, so I'm figuring there must be another reason or reasons why he would be willing to play there. I think that could be due to:

-COVID? Maybe Romania and Saudi Arabia have smoother travel between the two vs. travelling to/from the US currently?​

-There is a pay raise big enough where he's willing to leave NYCFC mid season. More full Gucci Track Suits?​

-He hates Ronny a lot and wants to be as far away as possible from him.​

-Maybe his NT manager told him he needs to be playing in a league closer to Romania in order to be considered for future call ups? (This is the biggest guesstimate of my points, just throwing it out there)​

I am willing to believe that his wife hasn't been in Romania this entire time, and was in NYC for a long while. Granted I'm using Instagram as a source, so take this post with a grain of salt. Will be interesting to see how this turns out over the coming weeks.

 

[Marito]

If he is homesick or has family concerns, it's easy enough to simply go back to Romania and play there, no? Why go play in Saudi Arabia? Wouldn't he have the same homesick and family concerns being in Saudi Arabia? Big deal - he saves some hours of flight time, but otherwise it's the same situation. If he just didn't like playing here in the States, the season ends in 2 months, just finish the season and negotiate a move.

Leaving right now for Saudi Arabia just doesn't seem right for simply personal reasons. There is more to it and the fact is, we just won't ever know.

Also he was benched a lot for no apparent reason, in a season that should have merited a lot of experimental lineups, and even at times when he was the obvious choice. So maybe Ronnie really didn't like it and didn't want him here? I mean, he's the coach... I agree that the homesick=Saudi Arabi angle makes no sense at all

 

[Fantazma]

no need for over analysis. Deila didnt like his work, mitri was like fuck this im out. and here we are.

what i do question is the FO just letting him go on a loan instead of an all out sale. im still not sure if we can replace him with another DP for 2021?

 

[VernonJohn]

NYCFC chance for success in the 2020 season is about to Die La la la la la la....

 

[moogoo]

no need for over analysis. Deila didnt like his work, mitri was like fuck this im out. and here we are.

what i do question is the FO just letting him go on a loan instead of an all out sale. im still not sure if we can replace him with another DP for 2021?

all out sale may not have been possible if there were no actual teams interested. could be why he suddenly started getting more playing time and they told him "hey, if you want to leave then you gotta perform so someone buys you" and that's what he did.

our chances of lifting the cup during this crazy year have just about vaporized unless Maxi turns in an MVP performance upon returning from injury right before playoffs and thus leads us to the cup with the help of Taty putting in every ball put in his direction.

My dreams can see it happening, but in reality, that may be a bit (or a lot) far fetched.

 

[SoupInNYC]

no need for over analysis. Deila didnt like his work, mitri was like fuck this im out. and here we are.

what i do question is the FO just letting him go on a loan instead of an all out sale. im still not sure if we can replace him with another DP for 2021?

Loan instead of sale is almost certainly to drive the final sale price up.

Think of it this way. Mitri wants out now, NYCFC tries to sell him. Buying team has leverage as he's not coming back.

Mitri goes on loan. NYCFC still own his rights. Loan ends and can now sell him to loanee club as well as others. NYCFC gains some leverage back.

 

[ManhattanValley]

Loan instead of sale is almost certainly to drive the final sale price up.

Think of it this way. Mitri wants out now, NYCFC tries to sell him. Buying team has leverage as he's not coming back.

Mitri goes on loan. NYCFC still own his rights. Loan ends and can now sell him to loanee club as well as others. NYCFC gains some leverage back.

Is this right? It depends on the loan timing, but surely if he's in Saudi Arabia through 2021, he returns to us in the last year of his contract (2022), when any transfer fee will be much lower, and at some point he'd even be eligible to leave on a free transfer. There's no scenario I can see where his value goes up as a result of playing two seasons in the Saudi leagues.

Unless you're suggesting that for some reason there's no market for Mitrita right now, and NYCFC is hoping they can farm him out temporarily while they wait for one to develop?

 

[moogoo]

Romanian Sports website has the scoop apparently... his move seems due to personal reasons (wife, family, baby) and to make himself more available and healthy for national team duty.

Used google translate for this, but essentially he said after a 14 hour flight from NY to Bucharest, he needs 3 days to physically recover from the flight and time difference.

Secretul din spatele transferului-soc al lui Mitrita din SUA in Arabia Saudita. Ultimatumul primit de fotbalist in privinta sanatatii sale | Sport.ro

Alex Mitrita este foarte aproape sa se transfere de la New York City FC la Al Ahly Saudi FC.

www.sport.ro

It didn't seem to bother him much last year when he featured for romania? *shrug*

 

[Fantazma]

Romanian Sports website has the scoop apparently... his move seems due to personal reasons (wife, family, baby) and to make himself more available and healthy for national team duty.

Used google translate for this, but essentially he said after a 14 hour flight from NY to Bucharest, he needs 3 days to physically recover from the flight and time difference.

Secretul din spatele transferului-soc al lui Mitrita din SUA in Arabia Saudita. Ultimatumul primit de fotbalist in privinta sanatatii sale | Sport.ro

Alex Mitrita este foarte aproape sa se transfere de la New York City FC la Al Ahly Saudi FC.

www.sport.ro

It didn't seem to bother him much last year when he featured for romania? *shrug*

didnt he also get in an argument with their coach and only featured like twice. so he was not getting called up.

i partially buy it because ring claimed that its a pain in the ass going back and forth and thats why he retired from the Finland NT ( or so he claims)

 

[moogoo]

didnt get also get in argument with their coach and only featured like twice. so he was not getting called up.

i partially buy it because ring claimed that its a pain in the ass going back and forth and thats why he retired from the Finland NT ( or so he claims)

Ah well. Let's hope the club takes this opportunity to start planning for three high performing DPs in the future. Would love to have 3 superstar DPs to enjoy when we debut our new stadium...

 

[Fantazma]

Loan instead of sale is almost certainly to drive the final sale price up.

Think of it this way. Mitri wants out now, NYCFC tries to sell him. Buying team has leverage as he's not coming back.

Mitri goes on loan. NYCFC still own his rights. Loan ends and can now sell him to loanee club as well as others. NYCFC gains some leverage back.

i think this is assuming he plays well over there. if hes crap or also has coach that doesnt like him, then we stuck with him again for 2021 and unhappy. though if that is the feeling then id hope they be looking for another buyer or loan when time comes.

whats still not clear to me is if we can replace him with another DP while he is away. im not finding a clear answer anywhere.