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Chicago joins the designated player slot chase

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA are not alone in their search for a designated player slot.

The Chicago Fire is actively pursuing a designated player slot, sources told SBI on Monday. The Fire, which currently has Cuauhtemoc Blanco in its own designated players slot, is attemping to trade for a second designated player slot for the 2008 season.

Chicago’s quest for a second DP slot suggests that new owner Andrew Hauptman is serious about giving the Fire the resources to be a title contender in 2008. It also suggest that the Fire is ready to spend the money it received from the Red Bulls for letting head coach Juan Carlos Osorio go.

While there are at least three teams actively pursuing designated player slots, it remains unclear which, if any, teams are ready to deal them. Los Angeles and Chicago are both flush with cash and draft picks so you should expect at least one of them to be able to pry a DP slot away from a team that isn’t interested in footing the hefty bill for a designated player.

Can Chicago really afford the designated player slot? The allocation money received in the Osorio transaction should help, as will the retirements of Chris Armas and Paulo Wanchope.

What say you Fire fans? Like the idea of a second designated player? Who would you go get with that slot? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The DP slot is going to become to expensive for any club soon.

    What a great move for Chivas and Bradley to have thrown away their DP slot. The all time stupid trade. Everybody loves Bradley, and he is a nice guy, but he is so overrated as a coach. Nowak would be so much better.

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  2. “Can Chicago really afford the designated player slot?”

    Yes.

    This has been another installment of Simple Answers to Simple Questions.

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  3. If the league would announce plans for a future second DP then some of these teams would be more willing to trade their current one away. Now could they make a deal trading a DP for 2 years with the agreement they get the DP slot back?

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  4. If so many teams are looking for a 2nd DP slot it is weird that the league didn’t approve a second DP slot this off season. The vote must have been close.

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  5. Ives,

    So what is the going price for the DP spot? Are we talking about Chi-town having to give up say Mapp only? Mapp + 1st rounder? How about you throw us a bone and tell us what kind of compensation is being offered/asked for to acquire a DP spot?

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  6. Why does MLS allow the trading of DP. Is because like all the other N.A. major sports leagues success is measured by the attention the big market teams (NY, Chitown and L.A.) receive?
    One DP per team, use it or lose it, but it should not be transferrable.

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  7. If I’m Colorado I’m beating a path to all three of those teams to trade away my DP slot. KSE has proven their thrift and is going to let the DP slot sit on the shelf another season, doing nothing. Get some value for it Rapids! If I’m the Rapids I offer to trade the DP slot to Chicago for Justin Mapp, straight up. Or their #7 pick and Calen Carr. How about it Chicago? Give old Jeff Plush a call.

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  8. Randall: my opposition to sign people just because of their ethnicity aside, Zurawski was reportedly ready to sign with LA for $250K. Signing him for much more would be insane.

    That said, the DP slot should be for a striker. We are horrendous up top. We are strong everywhere up the middle except up top. Change that, and you change the team. We have dumped SOOO much salary that we can still make quite a few very positive moves…if we ever get a new coach.

    P.S. Fire Guppy NOW!!

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  9. WHOOOHOOO!!!! Im all for it! As long as we bring in someone who can do something for the
    team ON the field and their not just coming for their name (like rumors about Figo).

    Speaking of Figo, I think he’d be a great name for LA but remember when I think it was colorado who passed up on him? It was cuz he was only thinking of retiring and nor really concerned about playing.

    Going back to my point, lets get someone who can actually make the team better. Not just someone for their name.

    Andrew Hauptman IS MY HERO!

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  10. kpugs –

    c’mon, it wouldn’t be the MLS off-season if we didn’t throw out a Zidane rumor. If you read a little closer you would see that I stated “but seriously”.

    I thought this blog was fact based and a fact driven means to spread the news. I always thought SBI was the gospel…. to now find out that this blog could be “tabloid or completely fabricated” is very upsetting.

    Ives….. any thoughts on this?

    Anyway just trying to have some fun while we wait through another long winter, did the draft start yet?

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  11. It would be great to see the Fire pick up another DP, they need one of two things, they need either a forward to partner with Rolfe up top since Barret has proved that he cant finish, or they need a right midfielder since Sarachan left them absolutely stacked with only left footed midfielders, which is why I am operating on the assumption that any coach is better than Dave Sarachan

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  12. I would like to see McBride come home in 08′. If he is able to get his fitness back he would be an excellent addition, the finisher Chicago needs and he is from the area.

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  13. I’m always happy to hear when a non-LA team is ready to make a move.

    Seeing as LA were given a free DP (Donovan), I do nothing but pray that they fall flat on their behinds in their push for a DP.

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  14. Rumor has it that Zidane is ready to play soccer again….sorry NYRB you have already used your DP slots….

    But seriously we need a forward who can score; I just hope they aren’t thinking about Ronaldo….I would take his countryman Ronaldinho….even if he parties late night all the time.

    Oh just bring over Henry already. I’m tired of seeing him on the bench at Barca, we’ll keep him for 2 years and then NYRB can have him for 2-3 years.

    We haven’t even hired a coach, we can’t get a sponsor deal done, we left Ivan Guerrero unprotected, what makes you think Guppy will get a 2nd DP slot.

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  15. As a Fire fan, I’d love to see the team get a 2nd DP slot and use it on an attacker that can finish. I feel like that’s the biggest area of need for the team.

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  16. With KCW’s stadium not even approved yet, I think they can trade a DP slot for 2 or 3 years until their stadium is built.

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  17. Landis, I wouldn’t be so sure about RSL and KCW not wanting to use their DP slots. They both have new stadiums on the way which could be used along with a DP slot to “relaunch” the teams. I’d say the teams most likely to deal a DP slot would be Houston, Columbus and NE.

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  18. Man I tell you inflation is crazy in MLS. Just a year ago Amado Guevara = a DP slot. I bet you you have to bring something mad serious to the table now if you want someone’s DP slot.

    Ah hindsight…people should have stocked up last year while the market was good (I SWEAR, AMADO FOR A DP SLOT!!) and Chivas has to be regretting that little bit of business.

    I think Chivas should pay a stupidity penalty for absuing a DP slot so.

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  19. just throwing this out there, but what about zurawski?

    there were rumors of his going to l.a., but with the polish population in chicago hed (presumably) be a big draw.

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  20. Don’t you need a coach first? HIRE ONE ALREADY. It’s like the UCLA football coaching search but longer and more ridiculous.

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