2025 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread

[gbservis]

I agree it's unreasonable to ask Lee to bully CFG into changing his constraints. Also, some of the constraints are MLS rules combined with poor moves. We have multiple dollars, Garber bucks, and specialized roster slots taken up by players who haven't worked out. It's tempting to blame Lee for that situation, but he's dependent on CFG scouting.

There are so many ways this is not completely or even primarily Lee's fault. Despte that, I'm guilty of blaming Lee as the front man as a short hand for the team behind our roster disfunction.

Lee is responsible for understanding MLS and ensuring NYCFC’s success. His job is to assess what works, communicate that to CFG, and vet players based on MLS fit—not a scout in Argentina. Scouts find talent; Lee determines if they can adapt. Sims made it clear that Lee designed the roster-building model, so he can’t be praised for its success but absolved when signings fail.

The only way Lee isn’t accountable is if he has little say in player selection, which Sims’ comments contradict. The only potential exception is Jovan, whose attitude issues should have been caught in scouting. Still, since Lee designed the strategy of using U22 spots on raw, high-upside prospects, he owns that decision too.

 

[LionNYC]

The fella who runs European recruitment for CFG is in town, so maybe something is going on.

Brian Marwood?

 

[gbservis]

Brian Marwood?

Clearly, CFG does not allow Zoom or Teleconferences for transfer meetings, we've cracked the code, and our slow transfer process is a result of waiting for meetings to be scheduled around transatlantic flights.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

Marwood is not in charge of recruitment. He oversees all of the non-Man City clubs in CFG.

 

[BC19]

Brian Marwood?

Forgot his first name but last name is Cruickshank

 

[JayH]

I got so excited we finally announced a new signing. For fcking eMLS as it turns out.

 

[LionNYC]

I got so excited we finally announced a new signing. For fcking eMLS as it turns out.

eMLS scouting is terrible too. Lost 5-0 (3-0 before a red card) to Red Bull player in the semifinal.

 

[moogoo]

Hot new signing!

New York City FC Signs Midfielder Peter Molinari to a Short-Term Agreement from New York City FC II | New York City FC

Today New York City FC announce that it has signed Midfielder Peter Molinari from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, New York City FC II, to a Short-Term Agreement. The midfielder signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract last year and took part in this season’s preseason with the first team. Following a

www.newyorkcityfc.com

 

[KevinJRogers]

Hot new signing!

New York City FC Signs Midfielder Peter Molinari to a Short-Term Agreement from New York City FC II | New York City FC

Today New York City FC announce that it has signed Midfielder Peter Molinari from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, New York City FC II, to a Short-Term Agreement. The midfielder signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract last year and took part in this season’s preseason with the first team. Following a

www.newyorkcityfc.com

Well, you know. They said reinforcements were on the way.

 

[gbservis]

Well, you know. They said reinforcements were on the way.

I think there is a rule that after a certain amount of short-term contract matches they have to offer the player a full first-team contract. Watch them just rotate through each NYCFC II player on short-term contracts to fill out the bench until the second window.

 

[KevinJRogers]

I think there is a rule that after a certain amount of short-term contract matches they have to offer the player a full first-team contract. Watch them just rotate through each NYCFC II player on short-term contracts to fill out the bench until the second window.

That would not surprise me in the least.

 

[ZYanksRule]

That would not surprise me in the least.

That WOULD surprise me.

Here are the rules:

Per MLS rules, a club may sign a player, age 25 or younger during the league season, from its MLS NEXT Pro affiliate to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements each season. An individual player may be included on up to four MLS league season match rosters each season, however, that player may appear in no more than two MLS league season matches. An individual player may appear in any number of non-league games during the terms of his four Short-Term Agreements.

Burning one of these four match roster games in the fourth game of the season is a massive indictment on the roster, and considering all the GAM/top-roster spots available, we are not leaving that to the summer. We have to make signings. They may not be the right players, but we're going to fill this roster so we're not signing NYCFC II players to single-day loans every week with only three players on the injury report.

 

[KevinJRogers]

That WOULD surprise me.

Here are the rules:



Burning one of these four match roster games in the fourth game of the season is a massive indictment on the roster, and considering all the GAM/top-roster spots available, we are not leaving that to the summer. We have to make signings. They may not be the right players, but we're going to fill this roster so we're not signing NYCFC II players to single-day loans every week with only three players on the injury report.

Eminently sensible. And we certainly don't want to burn up emergency contracts early in the season if it can be avoided.

But I suspect the available slots and money are earmarked for players who will carry us through 2027, and if that's the case, we'll see the usual patience. It could mean all kinds of funky roster moves over the first half.

Of course, if someone on the board can be landed now, great. But if they're available now, logic dictates they would have been available when Santi was sold on and we'd have them on the squad already.

 

[gbservis]

That WOULD surprise me.

Here are the rules:



Burning one of these four match roster games in the fourth game of the season is a massive indictment on the roster, and considering all the GAM/top-roster spots available, we are not leaving that to the summer. We have to make signings. They may not be the right players, but we're going to fill this roster so we're not signing NYCFC II players to single-day loans every week with only three players on the injury report.

I wouldn't be so sure about Lee doing anything this window. I agree we need to but this is the guy that left us without a true striker for 2 years. They do things when they want and they don't care if it costs us games. If they were motivated to fill the holes it should have been done by now.

I will be pleasantly surprised if we get a DP CAM this window. But I will not be surprised at all if they wait on the DP or any real moves tip next window.

 

[Revfugee]

this is the guy that left us without a true striker for 2 years.

It was only 6 months (I will brook no Gabe Segal slander and Bakrar came 6 months after that). It only felt like 2 years.

It was nearly two seasons that we didn’t have a decent solution up top, for sure. But signing a dedicated striker to me hasn’t historically meant that much in itself.

This club has only ever had four really effective strikers (Villa-demort, Heber, Taty, A-Mart) and two of them were converted wingers (Taty and A-Mart). So signing a pure striker and converting wingers have arguably yielded similar results over our history. Remove “he who shall not be named” from the equation and we’ve had more success with converted wingers than with signing strikers.

I agree with everything else in your post including that I don’t expect a significant signing this window.

 

[mgarbowski]

Of course, if someone on the board can be landed now, great. But if they're available now, logic dictates they would have been available when Santi was sold on and we'd have them on the squad already.

If someone is not available now, they’re unlikely to be available this window, which closes more than a month before the European leagues end play. I suppose teams with no fear of relegation and no hope of making Europa might sell. That’s pretty limited. Unless the SA leagues end earlier, which I don’t believe to be so, we have a very limited menu.
There were more players available in January and February when we should have been active.

 

[KevinJRogers]

If someone is not available now, they’re unlikely to be available this window, which closes more than a month before the European leagues end play. I suppose teams with no fear of relegation and no hope of making Europa might sell. That’s pretty limited. Unless the SA leagues end earlier, which I don’t believe to be so, we have a very limited menu.
There were more players available in January and February when we should have been active.

Well, for all we know, we were active and just couldn't get the right guys at the right values. In fact, my money is on exactly that. I don't think David Lee is putting into a cup in his office when he should be working the phones.

So, yeah -- totally agree. That's my point. If someone on the board was gettable in January and February, we would have had them by now. At this point, we're most likely reloading and preparing to take another run at it next window.

There's always a chance of something happening while the current window is still open. Someone might fall into our lap.

But I highly doubt it, and we're not going to waste the loot we've piled up by overpaying this early in the season, especially since we may already have some answers in-house. Let's play some of these guys and find out.

 

[ezbeezy214]

Sunny day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame Street?

Keaton Parks is here folks.

 

[KevinJRogers]

Sunny day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet

Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame Street?

Keaton Parks is here folks.

LOVE IT.

 

[ezbeezy214]

LOVE IT.

Customize it to have Keaton Parks for Sunny Day and NYC for Sesame Street.