2017 Roster Discussion

[SoupInNYC]

In between 2015 and 2016, did the club ever announce that it used its one guaranteed contract buyout that does not impact the salary cap? I know when they announced the wholesale set of moves like they did 2 weeks ago this year, nothing was said about any buyout. I also remember thinking maybe we used it on someone and did not announce it as a courtesy, allowing it to appear as if his contract just expired.

My point is I think it's possible we used up the freebie this year already and we just don't know it. If so, I think these are the candidates: "Connor Brandt, Jason Hernandez, Diego Martinez and Tony Taylor will not have their contract options exercised. . . ."
http://www.nycfc.com/post/2016/11/28/nycfc-announce-roster-options-2017

Maybe we used it on Hernandez would be my guess. I don't think we know if his K was guaranteed and how long it ran.

Now I don't think it was ever announced who the contract buyout was used on, but I'm fairly certain it was Wingert.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...ne-options-on-grabavoy-brovsky-watson-siriboe

This notes that options were declined on Grabavoy, Brovsky, Watson-Siriboe, and Alvarez.

http://www.nycfc.com/post/2016/01/30/new-york-city-fc-place-defender-chris-wingert-waivers

This notes that Wingert was placed on waivers.

I think the difference here is those first 4 did not have guaranteed contracts for 2016 but Wingert did.

I believe out of those guys gone so far this year, I think they have all "had their options declined". So I think we still have our one contract buyout to use.

 

[FootyLovin]

So I think we still have our one contract buyout to use.

Ipso facto e pluribus baruch ata adonai etcetera etcetera. May it be so!!!

 

[mgarbowski]

Now I don't think it was ever announced who the contract buyout was used on, but I'm fairly certain it was Wingert.

http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-s...ne-options-on-grabavoy-brovsky-watson-siriboe

This notes that options were declined on Grabavoy, Brovsky, Watson-Siriboe, and Alvarez.

http://www.nycfc.com/post/2016/01/30/new-york-city-fc-place-defender-chris-wingert-waivers

This notes that Wingert was placed on waivers.

I think the difference here is those first 4 did not have guaranteed contracts for 2016 but Wingert did.

I believe out of those guys gone so far this year, I think they have all "had their options declined". So I think we still have our one contract buyout to use.

I started wondering about the Wingert deal myself today, after Ulrich and I discussed Grabavoy. Wingert's release was presented to the word as a mutually agreed release, and maybe it was, but it's not reported by MLS as mutual but as a waiver. That made me think they're hiding something, and that could mean you are onto something.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

I know that it is the offseason, but I think you guys are grasping at straws. Just as an FYI, the word mutual appears zero times in the MLS roster rules and regs.

 

[mgarbowski]

I know that it is the offseason, but I think you guys are grasping at straws. Just as an FYI, the word mutual appears zero times in the MLS roster rules and regs.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

View attachment 6233

So the mls has web interns too?

 

[mgarbowski]

So the mls has web interns too?

Yeah, the basic point is that the official page of MLS transactions uses terms that are not in the rules, while never using terms such as uncharged buyout of a guaranteed contract that are in the rules. So you can only guess when any given club uses its 1 uncharged buyout per year.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

The rules on salaries and salary caps are purposely vague. In my opinion it is necessary to artificially suppress the average american player wages, while still making that player valuable by requiring a certain amount of them in the league.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Here's a question. According to the article linked below, Frederico Bravo's contract with Boca ends next week. So, why would we have to pay $1 million to get him on a transfer?

http://www.empireofsoccer.com/federico-bravo-says-an-nycfc-return-still-possible-56281/

 

[EganSoccerWords]

Yeah, the basic point is that the official page of MLS transactions uses terms that are not in the rules, while never using terms such as uncharged buyout of a guaranteed contract that are in the rules. So you can only guess when any given club uses its 1 uncharged buyout per year.

Cant find the link but iirc someone reported last season that buyout option is used very rarely in mls. Most years, no one uses it. Waiving someone with or without their agreement is still waiving someone. Buy out is totally different.

What does the league gain by labeling buy outs as waiving?

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

2016 winter shopping list:
Starters:
GK
CDM
CM
LW
RB
Backups:
CDM
ST
LW
LB
CB

 

[mgarbowski]

Cant find the link but iirc someone reported last season that buyout option is used very rarely in mls. Most years, no one uses it. Waiving someone with or without their agreement is still waiving someone. Buy out is totally different.

What does the league gain by labeling buy outs as waiving?

Scan through the MLS transaction pages going back. Use CTRL-F and it will take you a very brief time to cover several years. There isn't one instance of the word "buyout" or any variations or alternatives being used that I can find. So either rare = never, or they're hiding it. Why does MLS do anything? Being opaque is in their DNA.

 

[SoupInNYC]

2016 winter shopping list:
Starters:
GK
CDM
CM
LW
RB
Backups:
CDM
ST
LW
LB
CB

I think this is a good list to keep, but I wouldn't be opposed to grabbing another backup ST. If PV sticks with the 4-3-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Okoli act as a fringe starter/bench guy at any of the top 3 spots. I would still like us to get a true target CF that can change how we play up the field if we need to (ala Alan Gordon).

*I will caveat this with I may change my opinion based on watching Okoli play. He may in fact not be able at all to play the wing in PV's system, and therefore getting another striker may be too much. I'm just basing this off of his skill sets that I have read.

Oh, and I do like listing needing starters at LW and CM. But I think if we get one of those, the need for the other disappears (or maybe we even put RW up there). Who knows where TMac/Harrison will be next year, especially after a whole offseason of training. Ex: nobody here thought TMac would be on the wing, so perhaps he comes back centrally, or perhaps he has a whole offseason to work on LW, and PV has a whole offseason to figure out how to better use him tactically on the wing.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

I think this is a good list to keep, but I wouldn't be opposed to grabbing another backup ST. If PV sticks with the 4-3-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Okoli act as a fringe starter/bench guy at any of the top 3 spots. I would still like us to get a true target CF that can change how we play up the field if we need to (ala Alan Gordon).

*I will caveat this with I may change my opinion based on watching Okoli play. He may in fact not be able at all to play the wing in PV's system, and therefore getting another striker may be too much. I'm just basing this off of his skill sets that I have read.

Oh, and I do like listing needing starters at LW and CM. But I think if we get one of those, the need for the other disappears (or maybe we even put RW up there). Who knows where TMac/Harrison will be next year, especially after a whole offseason of training. Ex: nobody here thought TMac would be on the wing, so perhaps he comes back centrally, or perhaps he has a whole offseason to work on LW, and PV has a whole offseason to figure out how to better use him tactically on the wing.

You're reading my mind, brother

 

[sbrylski]

I think this is a good list to keep, but I wouldn't be opposed to grabbing another backup ST. If PV sticks with the 4-3-3, I wouldn't be surprised to see Okoli act as a fringe starter/bench guy at any of the top 3 spots. I would still like us to get a true target CF that can change how we play up the field if we need to (ala Alan Gordon).

*I will caveat this with I may change my opinion based on watching Okoli play. He may in fact not be able at all to play the wing in PV's system, and therefore getting another striker may be too much. I'm just basing this off of his skill sets that I have read.

Oh, and I do like listing needing starters at LW and CM. But I think if we get one of those, the need for the other disappears (or maybe we even put RW up there). Who knows where TMac/Harrison will be next year, especially after a whole offseason of training. Ex: nobody here thought TMac would be on the wing, so perhaps he comes back centrally, or perhaps he has a whole offseason to work on LW, and PV has a whole offseason to figure out how to better use him tactically on the wing.

McNamara seems like one of those guys that is too good for the bench, but not good enough to start on a truly great team. If we can avoid penciling him in for a major starting role, I think that's a good benchmark for our offensive depth.

If our front four is Villa, Harrison, and two new starters (even if one is an EDS loanee like Ambrose), then our bench is Shelton, McNamara, and Okoli. And that would be satisfactory.

Still would need a CDM and another backup that could play there and for Pirlo, unless that person is supposed to be Mike Lopez.

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

McNamara seems like one of those guys that is too good for the bench, but not good enough to start on a truly great team. If we can avoid penciling him in for a major starting role, I think that's a good benchmark for our offensive depth.

If our front four is Villa, Harrison, and two new starters (even if one is an EDS loanee like Ambrose), then our bench is Shelton, McNamara, and Okoli. And that would be satisfactory.

Still would need a CDM and another backup that could play there and for Pirlo, unless that person is supposed to be Mike Lopez.

CDM is my biggest need on the team. We've lacked it since the start, and I think it's life changing if we get a good one. If we get a DP that's not a CDM I'll be really disappointed

 

[sbrylski]

CDM is my biggest need on the team. We've lacked it since the start, and I think it's life changing if we get a good one. If we get a DP that's not a CDM I'll be really disappointed

We always sign DP's that just played in the Champions League Final, right? Go Juventus! C'mon down, Sami Khedira!

 

[canchon]

2016 winter shopping list:
Starters:
CDM
CM
Backups:
CDM

Aren't you forgetting that I was protected???

 

[Tom in Fairfield CT]

Aren't you forgetting that I was protected???

Funny, but no way am I liking that post

 

[canchon]

Here's a question. According to the article linked below, Frederico Bravo's contract with Boca ends next week. So, why would we have to pay $1 million to get him on a transfer?

http://www.empireofsoccer.com/federico-bravo-says-an-nycfc-return-still-possible-56281/

I would think the only reason to buy him was to basically guarantee that he would return to your roster over any other offer that Bravo might receive...if his contract does end in a week and he is a free agent than what NYCFC did makes perfect sense even if they are still planning to bring him back - they are just waiting to put in an offer.

$1MM is a lot to pay for "peace of mind" when you can wait a couple of weeks and negotiate directly with him to come back. You'll be paying market value for him and no transfer fee.