Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com
While the Vancouver Whitecaps are busy stockpiling forwards, the New England Revolution's quest to find any reliable strikers continues.
That quest became a bit more difficult after definitive word that Rajko Lekic has returned to his native Denmark to join Lyngby after spending the 2011 season with the Revs.
Lekic scored six goals in 23 games last season for the Revolution, who revamped their front line last season with Lekic, Argentine Designated Player Milton Caraglio and Moroccan forward Monsef Zerka, but appear to be headed into the new season without any of them. New England currently boasts just Zack Schilawski, Zak Boggs, Kenny Mansally and 16-year-old Homegrown Player Diego Fagundez as forwards on their roster.
Were you hoping that Lekic was going to return to New England? What do you think the Revs should do to upgrade their striker corps?
Share your thoughts below.
Talented player, but what a whiner.
As a NE Revs fan I have to say it’s an absolute travesty what this owner has done to this team and soccer in New England. While they’re all partying in Indy this week… another week has slipped by with nothing happening.
The other owners in the league should force Kraft to improve the team or sell out because the Revs are no longer competitive and THEY lose money by having the Revs come to town….that’s how bad it is these days
For the lack of options in attack the reves are a bit short in defense; most of our back ups would be bench players in usl, short of serious investment in the squad i see it being a long harsh season
Zerka is also gone: apparently signed on with Premier League Soccer in India and is waiting to be assigned to his new club.
Oh, and Mike Burns got promoted during the off-season… just a reminder.
revs fan here, glad Lekic is gone. Wasnt worth the cap hit and never contributed defensively.
RE: Caraglio & Zerka, I would have liked Caraglio resigned if he lost about 10 lbs and got in top shape. Zerka had class, just perhaps didnt have the athleticism for MLS
Don’t give up on them yet. When they’re the only team left without a soccer-specific stadium, the league will put on the pressure. Build one or sell the team.
Shalrie=top scorer again. Going to be a long season.
Watching the Revs last year, Lekic was ok, but out of him, Zerka, & Caraglio, he’s the one I’m least sorry to go. They were all clicking to some degree late last season, and would have been a fine troika if MLS’s level of play was where it was ten years ago. But we’ve been left behind as the quality of play has developed. Maybe the cap room others have mentioned will bring us someone up to the task in today’s MLS. I know Heaps, & he’s very sharp, but if the Krafts don’t give him the resources to build the team, well, it’ll be a long year here in New England.
New England has a lot of cap room. If they sign one of their trialists (or Sene or Jamal Gay) as a backup, and then use the cap room on a legit forward as well as some on a left-back, they should be in OK shape.
The worst-run team in MLS continues to up the ante on its own futility.
As the league marches forward with competitive urgency, New England is left in a ditch by the side of the road.
Heaps is going to regret leaving Morgan Stanley.
Fagundez and Mansally are NOT listed as Forwards on the NER roster, they are listed as Midfielders. Weirdly there is evena Pre-Season 2012 roster right there on the NER page:
http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/sites/newengland/files/2012_Roster_013012.pdf
the only Forwards listed on their roster (signed) are Cardenas, Boggs and Schilawski.
accuracy … it’s fundamental.
Sad to say it’ll probably be worse in NE than it was last year.
Kraft family dosnt care!!!! New England is soccer hot bed. Just in my local area northeast ct, I know over 10 ex season ticket holders and they all no longer support the team. New England used to have attendance close to 20,000 when they were awful. hopefully Krapps will sell the team or USL or NASL team will move to New England.
Agreed. I thought the team actually started to look decent at the end of the season with the 3 of them together, and thought it was a bright spot at the end of a lost season. Losing them and going with players on the roster would not be a step forward, but I’m hopeful that we’ll see some new faces that can play. As was said, Mansally, Schilawski and Boggs are not starting level players, and Fagundez is too young to be a regular starter.
Well, looks like the Revs will wait until the summer to sign viable options. Good thing by then, we’ll already be out of the race for the playoffs. How can you enter your pre-season with NO FORWARD OPTIONS!!!!!
Watching the Revs’ offense click when Zerka, Caraglio, and Lekic got into a brief run of good form was one of the few highlights of last year’s dismal season. i’d have been happy to see any or all of them return. Seeing none of them come back, with nothing but an inexperienced Colombian as a sort-of replacement signing would seem unusual and bad. If, as a Revs fan, i wasn’t used to this.
Revs need to spend some of the $1M in salary cap space they’re saving on a legit forward. They’ve put together a solid midfield, but no proven scorers. New coach causes optimism, same Front Office refusing to be competitive. Mansally, Schilawski, Boggs or some trialists are not the answer. To be honest, they’re barely acceptable as MLS backups.
Mixx to Gent until July 31.
We should sign Carlos Tevez with all the bonus money we’ll (the Krafts) get from winning the Super Bowl on Sunday ;]
I should also point out Purdie, Roach, Smith, and Foley are all trialists at forward, and Shalrie Joseph spent a lot of time there 2 seasons ago.
Schilawski, Boggs, and Cardenas are the only players listed as Forwards on the preseason roster.
Heaps and Co. seem to view Mansally, Fagundez, and Nyassi as viable candidates up top as well though, though they are all listed as midfielders.
So happy Lekic is out . . . wanted Zerka back, and maybe Caraglio, but definitely Lekic was not cutting it.