The New York Red Bulls have reached an agreement with goalkeeper Jon Conway on a new contract that will keep the 30-year-old Rutgers product with the club for the 2008 season. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Conway finished the 2007 season with a 6-5-2 record and split time with Dutch vetera Ronald Waterreus before taking over the job late in the season. A seven-year veteran of MLS, Conway set a career high for games played with 14 in 2007. He stands poised to enter a season as the starting goalkeeper for the first time in his career.
What do you think of the signing. Do you like that Conway is coming back? Feel he isn’t the answer in goal? Share your thoughts below.
Not the worst option in the world. We’ll have bigger problems than Conway between the sticks.
Word up, Sublicon.
I wouldn’t say Conway sucks because I think that’s completely unfair to a guy who’s stepped into the team to cover up for the injuries and poor play of our past starters. However, one thing everyone can agree on is that our defense was the weakest part of the Red Bulls last season, and so far all we know about this upcoming year is that one part of that defense appears to be returning as a starter. I guarantee you that no goalkeeper will look good playing for the Red Bulls if we don’t strengthen our backline before the season starts.
Sublicon is right.
Any one find it funny the surefire sign that someone doesn’t know what they are talking about when they critique a keeper, they start talking about how bad his distribution is, as if that’s the only me.
Conway completely replaced Meola in ’06, for those with short memories. He didnt get consistent starts in ’07 because Arena was trying to give Wattereus the benefit of the doubt. He has done a great job, and his ’06 playoff performance doesn’t indicate jack. He let in a ball in the dying moments of the second leg , it happens to the best of them.
If Conway is starting, I hope he’s getting a starters salary. The dude is 30, this is his livelihood, and he is a great option. If anyone has any respect for Des as a coach, ad what he’s been able to produce in his career, then you’ll know we needn’t worry.
I’m glad he re-signed, and I’m proud he’s our man.
Jon is a good strong keeper, he’s fine . We need defenders ! we need to take huge leaps in Quality it the backline.
The guy makes a few great saves because he has such a horrible sense of positioning that he is forced into saves that he should be making look easier. Because of this, (it fools a lot of you guys who don’t really know the game well.)
If JCO re-signed him, I’m hoping it’s as an insurance policy. If he is thinking of letting Conway go into the season, it’s a real gamble in my book.
Hey stupid. I’m talking to you “The Nick”. Why don’t you come over and show us since you know the game really well. How about just giving us a real opinion and not let your clueless big mouth do all the talking. Sick and tired of people assuming they know more about Soccer than the rest of us. Conway earned his spot to finally become a starter. Maybe he will have his up and downs, but guess what that’s what happens when you finally get one full year to prove yourself that you can start in any league.
But don’t give up any more near post playoff goals!
Conway is fine. His distribution is not good, but it’s not like our midfield is so productive with possession that we lose a lot with his aimless punts. Bottom line, he makes saves. I have no problem with resigning him. We have bigger problems to address.
As posted elsewhere by mistake like an idiot . . . .
Will Conway be the answer?
We shall all know. As long as he sheds his horrible characteristic of having stone hands, and being a playoff choker, I will be happy.
Unfortunately, he will be under scrutiny all season until that happens. I hope its the right horse to bet on is all . . .
I definitely like the fact that pants Conway is coming back. I support him 100% but I don’t know if he’s the goalkeeper who will help get the Red Bulls to the MLS Cup Final/win it (which in the end what’s all about).
At a minimum, I feel we need a keeper who will challenge Conway for the starting position. Competition for starting roles will help the team/players improve!
Conway is shaky (understatement) at times but, he will be more than good enough if RBNY can play good defense. He is capable of the amazing save, the thing that always kills him is the routine ones.
I am with kpugs and Jason… Conway (aka Mr. Pants) is a very good keeper. He is loud and organizes the Red Bull defense very well… You other chumps haven’t seen him with the samekind of consistency as we have… so please don’t F… w/ Mr. Pants!
This is fine for now. It is not as though the market is awash with good goalkeepers who have reasonable wage demands.
Conway isn’t even as good as one of his old backups, Michael Behonick, who is playing in Puerto Rico (USL). He just got called into the Puerto Rican national team. Now obviously that isn’t the strongest country in the CONCACAF, but at least he is playing at a national level. Conway couldn’t even be a waterboy for a national team….
I’m with kpugs.
Conway is very underrated and a very good signing.
He is a backup keeper at most. RBNY should look into finding a starting keeper. Maybe look at the USL that man.
Conway isn’t great, but he’s definitely above average in this league and let’s face it; there just isn’t that much out there right now in terms of goalkeepers who are affordable or even available.
No Keller dream for us…probably a given he’ll be the Seattle team’s inaugural keeper.
The guy makes a few great saves because he has such a horrible sense of positioning that he is forced into saves that he should be making look easier. Because of this, it fools a lot of you guys who don’t really know the game well.
If JCO re-signed him, I’m hoping it’s as an insurance policy. If he is thinking of letting Conway go into the season, it’s a real gamble in my book.
Even if a “new” starter is found he’s a proven reliable backup gk. As far as being the #1… I’m not sure. Guess JCO will make the call in a few months.
I want to give him a chance, but he’s a bit sloppy, inconsistent, and distribution is horrible – I can’t imagine watching an ENTIRE season of balls punted at the moon with no clear aim and/or out of bounds. There should be a hangtime counter on his kicks while everyone on the field waits for it to come down.
The reality is, a good GK can be counted on to bring in at least a handful of points throughout the season, and while Conway may be *alright*, I don’t think he can guarantee points at all.
hey anyone is better than Waterboy. so i’m not thrilled with the idea, but i’ll accept it without too much dissent
“He’ll be fine with a solid defense in front of him.”
Which the Red Bulls aren’t even close to having.
Conway held all the chips here. Even though he is just backup material (in my opinion at least), the Red Bulls don’t really have the option of going out and buying a decent keeper, and Danny Cepero is too inexperienced to be the #1 entering the season.
Hopefully this is a 1-2 year deal for less than 70k annually.
Conway Sucks. While yes he can some times have a good game and make some good stops, He is not a starter class player, and cannot consistently perform. Here is why:
-He can’t win in a pressure situation (as shown in the ’06 playoffs).
-He can’t distribute the ball at all. His idea of distribution is to kick it as far as he can, and hope that a Red Bull player is in the area (which they most of the time are not). And even then, 40% of the time he just kicks it out of bounds due to absolutely no ability to control the ball.
-His communication with his defenders is poor (just look at the defenses lost looks when he yells something). Not what you want from the “leader” of the defense.
Hopefully he was signed cheaply, so we can bring in a real goaltender, or we will really be screwed this year….
Is prone to a howler or two… but he is athletic, and a pretty good keeper in my opinion. I’m fine with this.
Is prone to a howler or two… but he is athletic, and a pretty good keeper in my opinion. I’m fine with this.
I agree with the consensus, Conway sucks. This guy should not be our starting GK this year. Hopefully JCO sees the light and is able to sign a real keeper. If not it’ll be a long year.
I don’t like Conway at all. He’s been a backup his whole pro career for a reason. He just isn’t good enough to be a starting goalkeeper. Don’t like this at all. Conway sucks!
its about time he gets an opportunity to be the full-season #1.
he’s more than paid his dues watching others falter.
The players with the higher salaries were given higher salaries because a succession of Red Bulls coaches took a look at Conway and said, “not a starter.” I hope things have changed, because it’s not like we have the league’s best defense to support him.
Give this guy a chance to get a full season in as the starter. It’s hard to stay in good form when playing time is inconsistent. Who did you think the Red Bulls were going to sign?
Conway needs a whole season as a starter. He is a big time shot- stopper. At least he won’t give up ridiculously soft goals like Waterreus against L.A.
he hasn’t been able to secure the starting job because the players with the higher salaries (Meola and Waterreus) are always going to get playing time.
He’ll be fine with a solid defense in front of him. He’s grown a lot in the last couple of years. The self-belief has done him good.
This guy is NOT the guy. He’s had two full seasons to cement his place on this team as it’s #1 and has NEVER been able to do that with any sort of continuity.
Why sign this guy when you can sign a promising developmental player as your backup and a solid #1?
Unless they kept him on the cheap, I’m against this move.
I am hoping when the salaries come out later this year, this guy aint making anywhere over 60k.
There was a reason he was called “wrong way” Conway during his time in San Jose and after that howler last year for Red Bull, I can’t believe this guy sticks around. Aren’t there other cheap keepers out there?
sure, why not. I never had a problem with Conway, and as the true starter hopefully he will have confidence. I assume the youngster Danny Cepero will back him up.
do i like him coming back?? hmm only if he was signed on the cheap… let’s face it, team’s w/ dp’s (nevermind 2..) simply can’t afford salary space being taken up by high priced gks… lets face it, when it comes to GKs, we’re the brazil of the world (i.e. they come dime a dozen)