Top Stories

FC Dallas puts Van Den Bergh on trade block

DaveVanDenBergh (ISIphotos.com)

FC Dallas has spent a good part of this off-season completing new deals and exercising contract options on most of the key figures that helped push the club to the brink of the playoffs.

The key word being most.

SBI has learned that FC Dallas declined to pick up the option on midfielder Dave Van Den Bergh's contract and has been actively shopping the Dutch midfielder around the league. One potential destination is New York, which Van Den Bergh helped lead to the 2008 MLS Cup Final.

Van Den Bergh finished the 2009 season, his first in Dallas, with three goals and eleven assists, a total good for third most in MLS.

So why didn't Dallas re-sign Van Den Bergh?

With Jeff Cunningham, Dax McCarty, David Ferreira and Daniel Hernandez all either earning new contracts or having large option years picked up, FC Dallas was forced to make a salary cap decision. With young prospect Brek Shea as a potential replacement, and with rumors circulating that FC Dallas will sign midfielder Lee Nguyen, Dallas may have no choice but to part ways with the 33-year-old winger.

Where could Van Den Bergh wind up? Sources tell SBI that he is interested in returning to the Red Bulls, where he spent two successful seasons. New York can certainly use him considering the club has no natural left winger on the roster (though Jeremy Hall is an option there). Van Den Bergh became a fan favorite with the Red Bulls after being one of the key figures behind the team's MLS Cup Final run.

If you're a bit confused about Dallas trying to deal a player who's option it failed to pick up, it is one of those MLS rules where a team can maintain the rights of a player as long as a "reasonable" offer has been made on a new contract. Whether Dallas and Van Den Bergh's definitions of reasionable offer are the same remains to be seen, but all signs point to Van Den Bergh being dealt.

What do you think of this development? Disappointed to see Dallas parting with Van Den Bergh? Love the idea of him returning to New York?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Lee Nguyen coming back from his rockstar status in vietnam? if the dallas midifleld gel they can be an underated offensive threat big time with speed.

    Reply
  2. Hey Ives – any way Van den Bergh comes to TFC? We don’t have a natural left winger (Chad Barrett is definitely not the solution). Will MoJo be a player in these talks?

    Reply
  3. “What don’t you want to believe exactly? That his option wasn’t picked up?”

    Did you read what I wrote? I said just because his option wasn’t picked up doesn’t mean he’s being shopped around. They could very well be waiting for the player negotiations to be completed before making a decision.

    Of course you could be right, but you cite anonymous sources, so why be so indignant that I may not believe you in this one instance? If you are proven correct, I’ll be happy to apologize in an email.

    I am an occasional writer for a certain FC Dallas website (my views do not reflect anyone other than myself) and I have sources in Frisco. I called a few people and no one could substantiate your claims. THAT is why I deigned to disagree.

    Lastly, whether I have posted any comments in the past seems irrelevant to the topic of your post. The simple fact is, I haven’t commented because the browser and ad-blockers I use don’t permit me to leave comments on your site. I had to open internet explorer to do that yesterday (and now again today).

    I love your site and visit it daily, congrats on your recent award.

    (SBI-He’s being shopped around. I’ve got that from rock-solid sources. And you tell me to cite my sources. Are you a serious sports journalist? Show me a sport where top writers don’t rely on anoynmous sources. It’s part of the game. And from one writer to another, you might not want to come on another writer’s turf and call them out or question them. It’s pretty tack really. Readers doing that is one thing, but for another writer to do so is pretty lame in my opinion.)

    Reply
  4. you are correct during the season they did not but from about the end of the 08 season to the first two weeks of training camp FC Dallas was looking to move him. Shellas held him out of camp because he did not think he could work with Dax because of the fall out they had at the end of 2008. Dax came back and made up with Schellas and things worked out pretty well.

    Reply
  5. I don’t believe this story, Ives. Just because FCD hasn’t picked up his option yet means nothing. Then you suggest he may head back to Red Bull? Really? This is unsubstantiated and wrong.

    (SBI-What don’t you want to believe exactly? That his option wasn’t picked up? That he’s being shopped around? That he wants to come back to the Red Bulls? It’s all true, whether you want to believe it or not.

    Know what I believe? I believe you have a lot to say for someone who has never once commented on this site before.)

    Reply
  6. Also, the fact that were desperately trying to negotiate to bring David Ferreira here long term. In order to do that we need more funds and cap space.

    Reply
  7. Lee Nguyen is capped so he would have to be allocated, meaning Dallas would have to trade for him. Being that we have the 5th and 6th picks in this years very deep draft, im hoping we trade a pick for the 1 allocation spot to to acquire him.

    Van Den Bergh is out and speed and technicality are in!! Dallas is gonna be the S**T next year and I can’t wait!

    Reply
  8. I agree, damn good question.

    And on another note, I’m really hoping the Pan-Pacific Championship grows into a major tourney. MLS, Primera Division de Mexico, K-League, A-League, J-League, Chinese Super League, New Zealand Football League…and the winner of the Canadian Championship. Great for realations between the biggest leagues in concacaf on east asia

    Reply

Leave a Comment