Saad Abdul-Salaam [Defender]

[LionNYC]

Name: Saad Abdul-Salaam
Joined Club: 12/14/2017
Position: Defender
Number: 13

Acquired via trade with Sporting Kansas City for Khiry Shelton.

Announcement: https://www.nycfc.com/post/2017/12/14/new-york-city-fc-trade-khiry-shelton-saad-abdul-salaam

MLSsoccer.com profile: https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/saad-abdul-salaam

TransferMarkt: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/saad-abdul-salaam/profil/spieler/270532

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Saad_Abdul

 

[BlueCityRadio]

Really interested to see what Vieira can do with him.

 

[Vallos]

 

[roxfontaine]

I'm certainly no expert at or about soccer but I really can't wrap my mind around the idea that a guy who was defender of the year on a 47 point KC team in 2016 comes here, gets minimal opportunity and then is loaned to a USL team.

Domestic players better think long and hard about moving here.

 

[Midas Mulligan]

I'm certainly no expert at or about soccer but I really can't wrap my mind around the idea that a guy who was defender of the year on a 47 point KC team in 2016 comes here, gets minimal opportunity and then is loaned to a USL team.

Domestic players better think long and hard about moving here.

Wait, he got loaned out?

That’s bullshit.

Damnnnnnnnnnnn. This is infuriating. I am having real trouble with the way the club is operating these days.

 

[Sabo]

Wait, he got loaned out?

That’s bullshit.

Damnnnnnnnnnnn. This is infuriating. I am having real trouble with the way the club is operating these days.

Loaned out with the right to recall him at any time isn't really loaned out -- its more making sure he has competitive minutes under his belt as we go into the stretch run. I think its a good move.

 

[Fantazma]

I'm certainly no expert at or about soccer but I really can't wrap my mind around the idea that a guy who was defender of the year on a 47 point KC team in 2016 comes here, gets minimal opportunity and then is loaned to a USL team.

Domestic players better think long and hard about moving here.

he was also not getting minutes last year either in SKC from what i recall when our trade initially happened.

 

[mgarbowski]

he was also not getting minutes last year either in SKC from what i recall when our trade initially happened.

12 games 900 minutes in 2017

 

[Ulrich]

he was also not getting minutes last year either in SKC from what i recall when our trade initially happened.

He wasn’t getting minutes, but SKC had Graham Zusi playing RB, and I believe he’s a DP (hard to believe) or he’s now been lowered to a TAM deal, not that is matters which for the sake of my argument, but as with most teams, salary dictates and justifies why many players get minutes. Zusi has no other place on the field and with his contract, if he doesn’t play then the club eats it - that makes the FO look bad.

Look at our club: Medina struggled for the middle section of the season with no G/A and he always played, whereas a lack of production would see cheaper options sit in the same circumstances; he’s now at least logging points so him as an example is perhaps past. However, TMac gets many unjustified minutes, over Sands, and there’s a big disparity in their salaries; I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Wallace also has seen a lot of minutes that realistically shouldn’t be funneled his way, and he’s not roster-cheap.

So to circle back, SAS was in a bad position at SKC and there was likely nothing he could do to change it since the FO generates Zusi’s contract amount.

 

[Fantazma]

12 games 900 minutes in 2017

hey, i didnt investigate but thats what SKC reddit users were saying at the time. We had just gotten Tinnerholm and they were like why go as back up not getting minutes to other team where he is number 2 again and not get much time.

 

[Ulrich]

hey, i didnt investigate.

This is key

 

[Fantazma]

He wasn’t getting minutes, but SKC had Graham Zusi playing RB, and I believe he’s a DP (hard to believe) or he’s now been lowered to a TAM deal, not that is matters which for the sake of my argument, but as with most teams, salary dictates and justifies why many players get minutes. Zusi has no other place on the field and with his contract, if he doesn’t play then the club eats it - that makes the FO look bad.

Look at our club: Medina struggled for the middle section of the season with no G/A and he always played, whereas a lack of production would see cheaper options sit in the same circumstances; he’s now at least logging points so him as an example is perhaps past. However, TMac gets many unjustified minutes, over Sands, and there’s a big disparity in their salaries; I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Wallace also has seen a lot of minutes that realistically shouldn’t be funneled his way, and he’s not roster-cheap.

So to circle back, SAS was in a bad position at SKC and there was likely nothing he could do to change it since the FO generates Zusi’s contract amount.

true ( although i find it really hard to believe for tmac to have pull like that for minutes, though i do lol thinking about how sad that is.) although pirlo didnt really play as much last year.

here SAS could still be used, though he can still be called back not sure if he will at all.

 

[Ulrich]

true ( although i find it really hard to believe for tmac to have pull like that for minutes, though i do lol thinking about how sad that is.) although pirlo didnt really play as much last year.

here SAS could still be used, though he can still be called back not sure if he will at all.

The amount Pirlo counteracted what the team was trying to do tactically was why not playing Pirlo was a hill PV was willing to die on.

 

[Gotham Gator]

I get this loan, and I am glad he is going to get minutes and get better for us.

Overall, however, I'd rather see him loaned out to left back.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I get this loan, and I am glad he is going to get minutes and get better for us.

Overall, however, I'd rather see him loaned out to left back.

 

[ALBNYfan]

He's trialing with Seattle:

https://www.sounderatheart.com/2019/2/9/18218879/trialists-joining-sounders-down-in-tucson

 

[adam]

He's trialing with Seattle:

https://www.sounderatheart.com/2019/2/9/18218879/trialists-joining-sounders-down-in-tucson

If they sign him does NYC have to be compensated? Or they just get the option to match?

 

[Ulrich]

If they sign him does NYC have to be compensated? Or they just get the option to match?

I would hope compensation, because what’s the point of not signing him only to (have the option to) do so in a panic situation before another team signs him. Holding a player’s rights in that second scenario makes no sense.

 

[SoupInNYC]

I would hope compensation, because what’s the point of not signing him only to (have the option to) do so in a panic situation before another team signs him. Holding a player’s rights in that second scenario makes no sense.

From the NYCFC.com article on roster moves being made: "The Club has extended a bona fide offer to Abdul-Salaam, which allows the club to retain his right of first refusal.".

Since we hold the right of first refusal, I would assume we could get some kind of compensation out of it. I don't think it's completely automatic that we would; I'm guessing if Seattle (for argument's sake) offers SAS $500k, we won't match and they sign him. But if they truly want to sign him and offer him market-rate, I would guess we would match it and just force them to give us a little GAM or TAM.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Nice article in the Athletic today about Saad Abdul Salaam, who has risen to feature regularly for Seattle. It features his most infamous moment in Providence Park ahead of this weekend's Cascadia Cup match. I remember this moment well, although I hadn't realized that was SAS until now.