2023 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread

Which positions do you think need a new signing?

  • Goalkeeper

    Votes: 3 5.8%
  • Center back

    Votes: 20 38.5%
  • Left back

    Votes: 12 23.1%
  • Right back

    Votes: 17 32.7%
  • Defensive Midfielder

    Votes: 5 9.6%
  • Midfielder (standard)

    Votes: 12 23.1%
  • Attacking Midfielder

    Votes: 12 23.1%
  • Striker (forward)

    Votes: 48 92.3%
  • Left Winger

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • Right Winger

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    52
I heard Gio Reyna was going to start for us on the first team, but then his mom called.

Too soon?
I heard that before that season started, Vieira told him he wouldn't be starting, and he threw a tantrum and wasn't training well. Then his mom called saying she had some blackmail on Vieira and they yeeted him off to Dortmund
 
The guys we’ve moved abroad didn’t start here.

Haak was the first U12 kid. I think he has a good future, but man is it bad behind him right now.
We've moved 3 academy guys abroad. One chose to sign abroad rather than at NYCFC under rather unique circumstances. One played a bit, but was hurt for a whole year and stuck behind Tinnerholm. One played and started for NYCFC extensively.

Plus, regardless of whether a player starts at NYCFC, if he is succeeding overseas it shows that our academy is doing a good job developing talent.

You hit the right question about whether we are maintaining quality behind our initial crop of players. From the 2000-2002 birth years, we had (from oldest to youngest): Sands (2000), Haak (2001), Reyna (2002), Scally (2002), Jasson (2002), Grey (2002). Owusu and Jimenez also come from that vintage. We haven't signed anyone with birth years from 2003-2006. But then, we've signed McFarlane from 2007 and Carrizo from 2008. Like I said, maybe that gap is a sign of underlying problems. Maybe its just the random hit or miss nature of these things.

ETA: Might also be worth noting that we had one academy guy go from college to Scotland (Polvara - 2000) and another get traded to Columbus (Sands - 2000).
 
The academy discussion caused me to finally do something I've been meaning to work on.

I checked which MLS academies have contributed the most to the US Men's National Team over the past couple of seasons. Below are the numbers for 2022 and then 2021 and 2022 combined. I tried to exclude players who only came in for a single friendly and never got another look, particularly if that was the January camp.

2022 - 41 Players
No MLS Academy - 21 players
Dallas - 6 players
LA Galaxy - 2
NYCFC - 2
NY Red Bulls - 2
Philadelphia - 2
Seattle - 2
Sporting KC - 2
Atlanta - 1
Colorado - 1

2021/2022 - 54 Players
No MLS Academy - 28 players
Dallas - 7 players
NY Red Bulls - 4
NYCFC - 3
DC United - 2
Philadelphia - 2
LA Galaxy - 2
Seattle - 2
Sporting KC - 2
Atlanta - 1
Colorado - 1
 
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In terms of contribution to NYCFC, here is what our academy has produced so far.

2 Regular Starters (Sands, Grey)
2 Part-Time Starters (Jasson, Haak)
1 Backup (Scally)
1 Deep Backup (Owusu)
If Anton Tinnerholm isn't as good at soccer, maybe Scally would play as a part-time starter?
 
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1) The club should be open about their roster construction priorities. They haven’t been. Don’t need names, just acknowledgement. We’re terrible at that
Are there any clubs out there that do this?

I don’t pay a whole ton of attention to other clubs’ announcements, so it’s definitely possible I’ve missed something, but I get the sense that this is something that no or an incredibly few number of clubs in MLS do
 
In terms of contribution to NYCFC, here is what our academy has produced so far.

2 Regular Starters (Sands, Grey)
2 Part-Time Starters (Jasson, Haak)
1 Backup (Scally)
1 Deep Backup (Owusu)

I think you’re being very generous here. Grey doesn’t see the field regularly if Tinnerholm doesn’t get hurt.
 
Are there any clubs out there that do this?

I don’t pay a whole ton of attention to other clubs’ announcements, so it’s definitely possible I’ve missed something, but I get the sense that this is something that no or an incredibly few number of clubs in MLS do

Portland. Seattle. Kansas City. Galaxy. Chicago now.

So yes
 
Something I can say from my own personal experience and those in my “soccer family,” there is a very real discussion about the quality of coaching at NYCFC Academy, the facilities, the relationships with colleges and the location. At the U12 level, NYRB is eating our lunch. Their visibility and recruiting runs circles around ours.

Neither of our Academy gems right now - McFarlane or Carazzo - will ever meaningfully help our senior team.
 
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Portland. Seattle. Kansas City. Galaxy. Chicago now.

So yes
Would you mind providing examples of those 5 clubs communicating their roster construction priorities? I guess it’s still not clear to me what they are doing that the rest of the league isn’t
 
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The Independent via Yahoo.


"The Liga club [Girona] are nevertheless reluctant to sell this January due to Castellanos’ impact this season and would rather keep him until the summer."

How do you say GFY in Spanish?
 
K Kjbert I'm really curious what a roster priority announcement would look like.

"We are looking to sign a CAM DP."
"We are looking to bolster our defense and midfield."
"We are looking for replacements in every area we have key departures.
"We are looking to sign a CAM DP. But if a great striker DP or winger DP or #8 or #6 arises we will look to put the maximum talent on the field."

I'm not sure any of those statements would mean anything different from what we already assume they are doing. Am I close? Or what would you have them say?
 
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The Independent via Yahoo.


"The Liga club [Girona] are nevertheless reluctant to sell this January due to Castellanos’ impact this season and would rather keep him until the summer."

How do you say GFY in Spanish?
Might work better in Catalan 😉
 
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Obviously would be a big loss for us but if Callens can get a chance to play in the Spanish first division then good for him. He deserves it and I think he is good enough to earn solid time for Girona.

The rumor is that he wanted DP money -- so he wanted to be paid at least $1.6 million. That's a pretty great move for him to go to La Liga.