Top Stories

Report: Josh Wicks out 4-6 months after surgery

Wicks (getty)

The list of things to do in the nation's capital grew even longer today, as D.C. United keeper Josh Wicks underwent successful surgery to repair his dislocated shoulder that ended his 2009 campaign. Wicks injured his shoulder in a nasty fall during United's 2-1 loss to San Jose on September 27.

His injury leaves United with one healthy goalkeeper — rookie Milos Kocic — and one with zero MLS experience, Academy product Bill Hamid. Wicks enjoyed a decent but rather inconsistent season for D.C. after he was acquired from the Galaxy. At times, his play was sublime, making several match-saving stops, while at other times made infuriating decisions — like earning a red card for stomping Fredy Montero in the U.S. Open Cup Final.

The club is continuing to debate the future of several players as well as current head coach Tom Soehn, and adding a veteran goalie has to be an offseason priority. Another former Galaxy keeper, Steve Cronin, performed well for D.C. after being acquired on loan from the Portland Timbers on October 12.

What do you think United will do? Will they try and keep Cronin around? Will Wicks be back in time for 2010?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Amy,
    That tailgate ROCKED! Ives was there, too. AODC!!

    Aside from the temper issue, I think Wicks performed quite well for DCU. I’d tend to presume the temper issue can be/has been addressed.

    I hadn’t anticipated Wicks being out so long, I fully expected him to back next year. The length he’ll be out seems to me to be the main issue at this point.

    PS- I see on the NYT’s website we can no longer sing about how many goals we (USMNT) have versus how many president’s Honduras has. Good for them.

    Reply
  2. You need to read more closely. This article basically confirms that the loan did not come with an option to buy for DC. At most, it comes with an option to sell, on Portland’s part. It’s up to them, not DC. Not sure that this puts DC in a better bidding position than any other team. It might just be the writer saying the obvious — that if DC makes Portland a great offer, they might take it.

    Reply
  3. Except he wasn’t in the MLS Player Pool. DC got him on loan under the “hardship clause” due to the fact that Kocic was the only other goalkeeper DC had on their roster. (Hamid was ineligible to play in 2009 in MLS league play, but was eligible for outside competition.)

    Reply
  4. I would never wish anything bad on any player but there’s no one I dislike in the MLS more than Josh Wicks,and there’s alot more to it than him being a bad keeper

    Reply
  5. I can’t imagine Cronin would hang around another season with Portland if he gets an immediate opportunity to play for one of the flagship clubs in the MLS. Looking back on his play during the last few weeks, it seems like he fit in perfectly with DCU and brought a calming presence to the defense which has been lacking for some time.

    Reply
  6. Keep in mind the Timbers are looking to build a MLS team for 2011. I’m hoping Steve will have both the quality and the desire to play in front of the TA for a few more seasons yet…

    Reply
  7. MLS’ excessively complicated player acquisition scheme is ridiculous, and no one should be blamed for finding it confusing. The fact that even fans like me can’t keep it straight is an indicator that sports fans and writers with a less than thorough commitment to the league won’t be bothered, and MLS will remain a marginal player on the sports scene.

    This very entry on Ives’ blog shows that Rory’s lame shot at RBNY was aimed at the wrong team. I’ll stand by that one as well.

    As for Cronin, he was in the MLS keeper pool. DC has no special claim on him. Any MLS team should do what they can to acquire Cronin and screw DC. New England used to be famous for this sort of thing.

    Reply
  8. http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/24/fresh-face-cronin-fits-in-quickly-with-united/

    From the article:

    Portland still owns his rights, but Cronin’s contract can be purchased if the team allows it. Cronin said he sees this stint with United as a tryout-by-fire to get back to MLS.

    “It’s a good opportunity for myself, but most of all the team needs to get wins, and I’m just trying to play up to my standards and put the team in a good position to win games,” he said. “As a professional, you’re always trying to get to the next level and always trying to better yourself. … Going forward, I’m open to all opportunities – especially here. With that said, we have a job at hand, and I haven’t thought about it that much.”

    Reply
  9. DC United’s FO has trolled the USL for talent very heavily the past few seasons, bringing in players like Khumalo, Janicki and Shipalane so I have a feeling they will be able to aquire Cronin for next season as well.

    Reply
  10. 1. Others have already mentioned this but the Timber own the rights to Cronin. I’m sure there is probably some kind of deal in his contract that allows him an out if an MLS team is interested (most USL players have this) with the proviso that there is a transfer fee or compensation to Portland of some kind. DCU (as well as other MLS teams–NRBY with Mbuta and Kandji–neither of whom required that NYRB be taken by allocation order–otherwise NYRB couldn’t have acquired both within the same season) does this all the time. Often times, it’s a promise to play an exhibition game with the receipts going to the USL team (ala NYRB playing Maryland Crystal Palace after acquiring Mbuta).

    2. And all of this is thrown up into the air anyway with the CBA expiring. I doubt it will be resolved by the start of next season but you never know.

    3. I suspect that DCU would like to sign Cronin. Couple of reasons why:
    –they won’t have to expose him in the expansion draft (b/c they don’t own him until they have a chance to acquire him after the season).
    –he had a strong USL season and played well for DCU in limited time.
    –as pointed out, Wicks won’t be ready to go.
    –it’s always possible that Kocic could be taken in the expansion draft.

    In any case, I don’t see this as a cause for alarm. For instance, who are the GKs for NYRB? I wouldn’t be surprised if Coundoul doesn’t return (depending upon who the new coach is). There are a couple of teams (especially after the success of Seattle with Keller) who may be pursuing veteran GKs in the offseason (whether it’s a Hahneman or a foreign player or one of the many Americans like Luis Robles) who don’t currently play in the US (either MLS, USL or college).

    And as for DCU, it’s almost a given that Soehn won’t return. Even if they’d made the playoffs, you really need to have the combination of a championship team plus a new head elevated as a long-term assistant (ala Wrzycha) to avoid the new coach wanting to remake the roster and scheme. Even Soehn in his first year switched from Nowak’s long-time 3-5-2 to a 442 within a month in the regular season. So I expect a lot of turnover in DCU’s roster. And that will probably be true for most teams (including Chicago and Chivas who are likely to have new coaches) who have a new head man in 2010.

    Reply
  11. Cronin was as good if not better than Wicks, AND he didn’t step on anybody!

    Wicks should be gone, leaving room for Hamid and Koscic to develop behind Cronin.

    Reply
  12. I ask because I have never read any reporting of the kind. I’ve double-checked with Goff’s reporting for the Post and there’s no mention of any option.

    Reply
  13. Haig is the worst king of idiot — the one who calls others idiots. See his unnecessarily hostile comment regarding another commenter’s joke about the Red Bulls. Normally, I would refrain from pointing it out, but in this instance….it makes me feel good.

    Reply
  14. And why would DC trade a high draft pick for Cronin anyway? DC has the option to buy as part of the loan, so who exactly would be holding them for ransom?

    Reply
  15. Haig,

    You’re an idiot.

    As a USL player, Cronin is under contract with the Timbers. A team would have to pry him away from them first. The allocation list would have no part in that transaction.

    In addition, the allocation list resets at the start of every year, so DC would sit 7th next season. Philly would be #1, and they also have priority in signing any USL players.

    Reply
  16. DC is at the bottom of the allocation order now, since they took Szetela. If I were the GM of any team in the league, I would put Cronin’s name in as an allocation, and force a high draft pick from DC in a trade. There’s a reshuffle after the official end of the season, so there’s nothing to lose by holding Cronin for a ransom.

    Reply
  17. He’s not that bad. He was a the US Costa Rica game at the Outlaws tailgate and he actually watched the game in the stands with my friends and I. Very chill and nice guy (I know I know I’ve seen the Montero stomp). Maybe that rage is only on the field.

    Reply
  18. Part of Josh Wick’s recovery should be anger management; I think that if he get his emotions under control he’d be a much better keeper in MLS.

    Reply

Leave a Comment