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Herron could be heading to San Jose

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                                                        Photo by ISI Photos

The Chicago Fire traded for the rights to forward Andy Herron just a week ago but the Costa Rican forward could be set for another move within MLS.

According to sources with knowledge of the trade talks, Chicago is in discussions with San Jose about trading Herron’s rights to the Earthquakes in a deal that could be completed as early as this week. There are no details yet as to what San Jose would give up in the deal but the Fire acquired Herron’s rights from Columbus for a fourth-round pick in the 2009 MLS Draft a week ago.

The Earthquakes are desperate to fill their thin forward ranks, which count former Crew striker Kei Kamara as the lone veteran on the roster. Chicago may consider Herron expendable if the Fire is able to land French forward/winger Fabrice Pancrate. The Fire also drafted Patrick Nyarko, widely-regarded as the best forward in the MLS Draft. With Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett, Nyarko and Pancrate, the Fire can afford to deal Herron’s rights.

Herron is currently playing for Costa Rican club Puntarenas but the 29-year-old striker is apparently eager to return to MLS in 2008. He endured a difficult 2007 season, scoring just four goals with the Columbus Crew after being traded by the Chicago Fire for a first-round pick in the 2007 MLS Draft. Herron scored nine goals for the Fire in 2006.

Does the deal make sense? I think it does for both sides. San Jose needs a veteran striker, someone who can step in and start (Kei Kamara doesn’t really strike me as a lock MLS starter) and Chicago is deep at forward. So why did Chicago trade for his rights in the first place? Something tells me that Herron wanted more money than the Fire was willing to pay for him. I can’t imagine Chicago getting more than a third-round pick for Herron’s rights after getting them for a fourth-round pick so don’t get too crazy with ideas for what Chicago will get.

The real question is whether Herron would be willing to go to San Jose. I don’t know what he’s making at Puntarenas but if this deal gets done I have a feeling Frank Yallop will make him a solid offer.

What do you think of this potential deal? Chicago fans, are you relieved or upset? San Jose fans, are you happy to know a veteran forward is on the way, or were you hoping for a bigger name? Share your thoughts on the potential deal below.

Comments

  1. The Fire should trade Chad Barrett to San Jose and end his debacle in Chicago.

    I would take Herron over Barrett anyday (and I’m confident Blanco would agree).

    Reply
  2. Hmmm. Tough question. In an ideal world I would prefer the Fire keep Herron…but can see why they’d trade him if they sign Pancrate. If they trade him, they better hope a) Mapp can stay healthy b) Pancrate is the real deal c) Nyarko lives up to the hype.

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  3. As a FIRE fan, I like this move ONLY if we sign Pancrate….I would not say we are deep at forward at all…Barrett hardly qualifies as a forward of any value…Carr is better suited in an attacking midfield role…that leaves Rofle and Nyarko….

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  4. I agree with Bing: “the Frire is deep in mediocre forwards…” If Barrett could learn to finish he’d be great, because he has a phenomenal work rate and he’s a big sturdy boy. Herron, I don’t like as much. He’s less physical, more of a Rolfe-sytle player with much less technical ability.

    As for Pancrate, the stuff I’ve read about him in the French press doesn’t impress me. He apparently was holding out at PSG for more dough when his contract wasn’t up and he had no other offers on the table and he griped to the press about it; he couldn’t stand sitting on the bench and got dealt in a loan to Sochaux, where he’s ended up on the bench again; he was allegedly training with Lens while on contract at Sochaux, which prompted the president of the club to tell the press that Pancrate better sit down and listen to the coach. No, this guy’s got a big mouth and he hasn’t put the ball in the net since he was at Le Mans. I think Fire fans better not hold their breath for him. But, maybe my doubts will be swept away like they were with Blanco.

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  5. Not over-excited about getting Herron back in Chicago. Whether Herron or Barrett is better is a moot point. neither one is a game breaker. The Fire is deep in mediocre forwards. If we could play 4 at a time they might add up to 2 good strikers, but only LA would ever get that kind of allowance from the league.

    Getting Herron’s rights was a cheap move to give us an option. – Nothing more. I’d frankly rather continue to cast my lot with the ascendant Barrett then the declining Herron. He was certainly not the magician some of you seem to recall.

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  6. I’m seeing Pancrate as the right midfielder we’ve been waiting for, not a forward. I’d rather take Herron and lose that deadweight Barret. Herron scored goals with so-so service. Barret missed empty netters with great service. An attacking force of Mapp-Blanco-Pancrate with Rolfe-Herron would do quite well, I think. Of course, that assumes a lot, like a) Pancrate adapts to the league b) Pancrate is as good as we assume, c) everybody stays healthy (which given the history and age of Mapp, Rolfe, Herron, and Blanco is far from a sure thing).

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  7. Speaking as a Fire fan, I’ll offer that I was never a big Herron fan. Yes, it’s nice to have depth, but if the Pancrate deal gets done, and Nyarko is anywhere near as good as his hype, then I’m fine with dealing him.

    And if we get a third rounder for him, so be it. You never know who the next Chris Rolfe will be.

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  8. Andy Herron caused more problems than he the benefits he provided while he was with the Fire. While we could use another stable forward, IMO Herron is not that person. I think the Fire picked up his rights because Denis has always seemed to like Herron but Pancrate would make him expendable. If he was a good forward, Sigi would not have let him go nor would he have been sitting on the bench. Sigi needs a good forward as much as any team in the league so letting Herron go says a lot about how he is viewed in the league.

    Reply
  9. Kevin A: Carr is still on the team.

    Saying we are deep at forward is being VERY kind. Barrett is a corpse and Carr is proving more and more every day that his calling lies out on the wing. When he play out there last year, he looked much better.

    Herron never should have been let go. However, I’s rather have Pancrate than Herron. If we can deal Herron for $25K in allocation cash or a 3rd rounder that’d be fine by me.
    If he comes on board, fine. He’s a better forward than Barrett or Carr are…which isn’t saying much.

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  10. As a Chicago fan, I really hope that we keep Andy Herron. His speed did wonders for our attack two years ago even though he is not an excellent finisher, and this past season not having him and Jaqua really left our attack toothless at times.
    Even once Blanco came in and started creating tons of chances, we didn’t really have anyone to finish them off except for Rolfe, and for some reason he still got stuck putting in a lot of duty at right mid. I like Chad Barret, but he is still not a very reliable finisher. I really hope that we get Pancrate, but even if we do land him, I think that everyone envisions him playing right mid considering that we have not had a true right mid in years. Considering how injury prone Chris Rolfe, Blanco’s age, and how much of a grind the MLS regular season is, I feel like we need to have at minimum three reliable forwards and even if you include Chad Barret in that category then him and Rolfe only gives us two assuming that Pancrate, if we get him, is holding down the right mid spot. I know that Nyarko is very highly regarded, but I still would not want to count too much on a rookie for serious production this season.
    The Fire almost missed the playoffs last year because they were stupid enough to let Jaqua and Herron go and counted on Barret and Carr who were nowhere near ready to shoulder much of the responsibility of scoring goals for the team. Only the fact that Blanco ended up being way better than most people expected bailed us out.
    Anyway, I really hope that we keep Herron and I’m really excited to see our attack with Mapp, Blanco, Rolfe, Herron, and hopefully Pancrate (who I’ve heard good things about from a friend who supports PSG).
    Also, Ives, is Calen Carr still on the team? I never heard anything about him leaving, but you didn’t mention him among the Fire’s forward options.
    And was there ever a story on this site about the Fire aquiring Herron because I read this site all the time but I don’t ever remember hearing about that? It’s great news for the Fire, IMO, he is a quality player

    Reply
  11. As a FIRE fan, I say we don’t need him. Like you said Ives, we are deep at forward right now. Given that our best player Chris Armas retired, we need a new and reliable Center defensive midfielder. Taking that into consideration, I personally would love to see Mastroeni wind up in Chicago somehow.

    Reply

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