2017 Roster Discussion

[william straiton]

Do you think the comments and interviews from Lampard and Gerrard suggesting more young players from PL team consider MLS will have any impact in the near to intermediate term? I'm sure long-term, it will add to the subconscious status perception, but I'm curious if you think those guys could or would help sell a player on coming here.

I guess since we can say Frank's relationship with CFG is over, he wouldn't be bothered to sell an academy/marginal talent kid for us. But I wish (hope) I would be wrong there. I'd love for us to do more to get those guys who hit 21-22 and aren't making the top squad - basically, we need to do more to get the Sebastian Lletgets of the world. He was easy for LAG, since he was from Cali. But I think (hope) we could get to a place where we sign similar, non-American kids in the near future IF we make the right efforts.

At the moment it is difficult to convince young players that playing in the MLS may help their career, rather than hinder it. Maybe in the future it will become a good breeding ground for players to develop their career.

Of course places like New York and LA have their own attractions that could convince young players to move. I would imagine living in those cities would be an attraction in itself.

 

[william straiton]

And just to continue my thoughts: there is no reason Facey should have gone back to England. He's not ever playing in the premier league. He could have stayed here and become a fixture in a team that commands a serious wage and notoriety. Plus, he would be seen as a groundbreaker.

Instead, he will bounce about Championship teams if he is lucky because he lacks some of the attributes most key for him succeeding in that league.

I don't know if he was offered an option to stay here, as I don't think he was particularly good (although I think he would have potentially been good for us as a ball-playing CB). But if he were, and he turned it down, then he is delusional as hell about where he is going in English football.

I thought Shay may have stayed as well Midas. He won't make it at City and is struggling to make an impact elsewhere. It would have been ideal for him to stay in New York if he had that option.

 

[SayWhat44]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803005934725382144

Any insight on this? Does this mean he's not coming back?

Not a huge blow if he doesn't but he was a good sub off the bench.

 

[william straiton]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803005934725382144

Any insight on this? Does this mean he's not coming back?

Not a huge blow if he doesn't but he was a good sub off the bench.

Apparently it translates into I return the biggest. So maybe he is coming back.

Then he may be returning to India the biggest lol

 

[NYCisBlue_]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803005934725382144

Any insight on this? Does this mean he's not coming back?

Not a huge blow if he doesn't but he was a good sub off the bench.

It translates to, "The greatest has returned."

 

[ZYanksRule]

Apparently it translates into I return the biggest. So maybe he is coming back.

Then he may be returning to India the biggest lol

I would guess, then, that it means he's returning to whatever team he's playing for in that picture.

 

[LionNYC]

It translates to, "The greatest has returned."

Hopefully he can find his right foot on a spiritual journey through India

 

[Christopher Jee]

I would guess, then, that it means he's returning to whatever team he's playing for in that picture.

He refers to "America" in his tweet. His club in Colombia was America de Cali. I saw they have a game today. My lack of Spanish comprehension is a little embarrassing, but it seems like a big game: http://americadecali.co/noticias/el-final/

So I'm not sure if he's calling himself "the greatest" and saying he's returning to America de Cali, or if he's saying America de Cali is "back" because they're in the final of something. The latter seems more likely.

 

[ZYanksRule]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803005934725382144

Any insight on this? Does this mean he's not coming back?

Not a huge blow if he doesn't but he was a good sub off the bench.

And now that tweet has been deleted. And the intrigue continues. Hopefully we hear some news -- not just on Steven, but on more offseason moves -- soon.

 

[NYCFCfan]

I think alot of it has to do with the lack of a real scouting networks by alot of mls teams.

Add to that: players with bad agents who don't get their name out, or players with no agents.

 

[NickFromAstoria]

He refers to "America" in his tweet. His club in Colombia was America de Cali. I saw they have a game today. My lack of Spanish comprehension is a little embarrassing, but it seems like a big game: http://americadecali.co/noticias/el-final/

So I'm not sure if he's calling himself "the greatest" and saying he's returning to America de Cali, or if he's saying America de Cali is "back" because they're in the final of something. The latter seems more likely.

I think it's that team - a Colombian friend of mine was celebrating that same club on Facebook.

EDIT: They were promoted back to the top flight.

 

[canchon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803268570184613893

Departures: Connor Brandt, Jason Hernandez, Diego Martinez, Tony Taylor, Federico Bravo and Steven Mendoza

Whoa. Not surprised about the loanees returning - would have been too pricey to keep them - most surprising on that list are Diego Martinez and Tony Taylor.

With Hernandez gone, we only have 3 players left from the opening day starting lineup 2 years ago.

And who is staying (options exercised): RJ Allen, Frederic Brillant, Eirik Johansen, Ronald Matarrita, Tommy McNamara, Andre Rawls, Khiry Shelton.

Somebody post an updated roster - there are a LOT of spots open now.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Official:

New York City FC today announce roster options ahead of the team’s third Major League Soccer season.

Seven players have had their options exercised for the 2017 campaign.

RJ Allen, Frederic Brillant, Eirik Johansen, Ronald Matarrita, Tommy McNamara, Andre Rawls and Khiry Shelton have all had their contract options exercised.

In addition, NYCFC have agreed terms on new deals for defender Ethan White and midfielder Mikey Lopez, while the Club has also finalized a transfer agreement with Trinidadian side W Connection for Shannon Gomez, exercising his contract option.

Connor Brandt, Jason Hernandez, Diego Martinez and Tony Taylor will not have their contract options exercised, while Frank Lampard’s deal has expired.

Federico Bravo and Steven Mendoza will both return to their parent clubs following their loan spells at NYCFC and, as we announced in the past couple of weeks, Mehdi Ballouchy and Andoni Iraola have both retired.

http://www.nycfc.com/post/2016/11/28/nycfc-announce-roster-options-2017

A couple of surprises there, mainly Tony Taylor and Diego Martinez not being renewed. I liked what I saw from him Taylor. Also a little surprised the club re-signed Ethan White. Nothing else is truly shocking, I suppose.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is six international players who are leaving, right? (Lampard, Iraola, Ballouchy, Mendoza, Martinez, Bravo).

That's going to give Claudio a lot of wiggle room. Also the salary cap space of dropping Bravo, Hernandez, and Martinez is going to allow us to bring in some pretty decent players. Should be a really exciting offseason.

 

[canchon]

Also, contracts extended for Ethan White and Mikey Lopez. You all can collectively groan now.

 

[canchon]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803270597199462400

 

[sbrylski]

https://twitter.com/x/status/803270597199462400

...for now.

There's no way he's on this roster come opening day.

Maybe we can't use the buyout on his contract until the league calendar flips to the 2017 season.

 

[sbrylski]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is six international players who are leaving, right? (Lampard, Iraola, Ballouchy, Mendoza, Martinez, Bravo).

That's going to give Claudio a lot of wiggle room. Also the salary cap space of dropping Bravo, Hernandez, and Martinez is going to allow us to bring in some pretty decent players. Should be a really exciting offseason.

New York City FC
ROSTERED PLAYERS (17 of 28 spots filled):
GK (3): Eirik Johansen (INT'L), Andre Rawls, Josh Saunders
DEF (10): RJ Allen, Frederic Brillant (INT'L), Maxime Chanot (INT'L), Shannon Gomez, Ronald Matarrita (INT'L), Jefferson Mena (INT'L), Ethan White
MID (6): Mix Diskerud, Jack Harrison (GA, INT'L), Mikey Lopez, Tommy McNamara, Andrea Pirlo (INT'L, DP)
FWD (4): Khiry Shelton, David Villa (DP, INT'L)

DESIGNATED PLAYERS (DP): 2
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS (HG): 0
INT'L ROSTER SPOTS FILLED (INT'L): 8
GENERATION ADIDAS PLAYERS (GA): 1


EDIT: I still think Mix will be gone somehow, freeing up his cash. And I think Mena is still trade bait, earning us GAM/TAM/INT'L plus freeing up cap space.

White and Lopez make sense as super cheap Americans that don't count against the cap. Hopefully they don't really see the field next year though, just back of the bench guys.

Agreed that Taylor and Martinez are slight surprises. Taylor could have fit in with the White/Lopez group of cheap Americans. And I think Martinez shows that Vieira is dedicated to having attacking fullbacks that can contribute as midfielders. Martinez seemed like a bland traditional fullback.

 

[roxfontaine]

I'm ok with every move save one (Mendoza). We got younger, faster and we've been building these guys up in the system. This is exciting albeit a scary not knowing how we'll perform with so many changes.

 

[SFphoto]

Slightly surprised that TT didn't get an offer. He was a solid enough "off the bench" guy to come on as an attacking asset. We seem a little thin up there with Mendoza gone as well.

Gotta feel for Brandt.