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Crew: Our designated player slot is not for sale

Whenever talk of teams trading for designated player slots begins, one team always linked to the discussion as a seller is the Columbus Crew. It is a natural reaction given the Crew’s status as a small-market team, and the lack of obvious candidates to come in through that slot.

As far as Crew president Mark McCullers is concerned, assuming that Columbus will part with the DP slot is a mistake.

"It’s funny people that people identify us as being a team that are looking to trade our slot but it’s really not my desire to trade it," McCullers said. "I want to utilize it. I think it’s a tremendous opportunity and our hope is to find the right player who is the right fit."

McCullers acknowledged that teams have approached Columbus about trading for the slot, but asserts that Crew ownership is committed to using it once a suitable player has been identified.

"It’s a big investment so we want to conduct our due diligence," McCullers said. "Our owners have said very clearly that they’re willing to invest for the right player, at the right level and for the right reason."

Does this mean Columbus won’t trade the slot under any circumstances. McCullers admits that the club would listen to significant offers.

"Everything’s for sale, let’s be real, but our approach is very simple," McCullers said. "We are going to do what’s in the best interests of this organization. If somebody makes us a great offer that’s in the best interests of our team then we’ll consider it, but right now we haven’t seen anything close to that and we’re not out looking for that kind of deal."

As a team with a good core of young and talented players, the Crew could position itself to be a serious contender if it found a marquee player to lead it, much the same way Cuauhtemoc Blanco catapulted the Chicago Fire last season. The teams that have been identified as looking for a DP slot (Los Angeles, Chivas USA and Chicago) all have draft picks and cash to make a deal happen, but not the depth of veteran players it could package together to make a trade attractive for the Crew. As young as Columbus is, the last thing the Crew needs is draft picks.

What do you think Crew fans? Should the Crew deal the DP slot for a package including veteran players, draft picks and cash? Or is Columbus a designated player away from being a force in MLS? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Chivas USA was only “stupid” to trade their DP slot because Guevara was such a bad choice. It wasn’t the act of trading the DP that was a bad choice. If Dallas had traded their DP, would it have been stupid?

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  2. If the Crew are smart, they will hold there DP for the rest of this year (maybe two)and explore using it at a later date. They were very close to making the playoff’s this year. Like McCullers said, they need to do their due dilligence. No need to rush and get a McBride type player when something better is going to be available later. The influx of good players in bound to grow in a few years. They should let the Beckham/Blanco/Angel effect set in so they have a choice of DP. It’s only a matter of time before more top flight player want to play in the US.

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  3. McBride, Friedel, Palermo; all good options. Will Hesmer seems like a good guy and he did just get called up to Nats but out of all the games I saw last season he seemed a little shakey and seemed to lack confidence in net. I would love to see Friedel come on DP and mentor Hesmer and Gruenebaum for the future. But I don’t know if Friedel would be willing to leave the premiership. He obviously still has the talent to play there. Also, what the Crew really need is a veteran finisher. That is where the DP needs to be used. That is what has been missing over the last few years. Not money, not draft picks and very few veteran MLS players would be worth that trade.

    Ives, love the Crew news. Keep it coming. Go Crew!

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  4. Please no McBride or Friedel as DP. I love both and frothed at the mouth when we had them. But they are not worth a DP at this point.

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  5. I think either McBride or Ohio’s own Brad Friedel could be a good use of the DP slot for Columbus. Both would be well known and would sell tickets. For McHead it’s a matter of whether he has anything left after his last injury. Friedel definitely still has enough left in the tank to be a dominant player.

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  6. maybe the crew should give eskendarian a shot. If he could regain his form he would be a nice pickup for them. Maybe not for 125k but if you could get him cheaper.

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  7. I wouldn’t say the crewe is awful. They need a top notch #9. Garey hasn’t worked out and won’t. Herron probably won’t contribute. Moreno is a good holder of the ball but can not produce the amount of goals needed for the crewe to be elite again. I hope they are scouting arg. for a quality forward or perhaps another dynamic midfielder. They only way I would trade the dp is to DC for gomez, mareno and kipre or adderly. Unless you get 2 or 3 players who will be around a couple years. I personally hope they keep it and draft nyarko.

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  8. McCullers should simply ask Schelloto who he wants on the team, then go after him.

    On the contrary to what Keith said, I think trading a DP can be a good idea. Does anyone remember the Herschel Walker trade? OK I know its a different sport but this single trade built a dynasty:

    “In 1989, the Dallas Cowboys traded running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for five veteran players and eight draft choices. Although the Cowboys would go on to finish the ’89 season with a dismal 1-15 record, the blockbuster trade eventually brought an influx of new talent that would fuel the Cowboys’ return to greatness.”

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  9. McBride is really the only high profile player the crew has had. In columbus, everyone knows Brian McBride, even non soccer people who are just sports fans in columbus. McBride was a really big draw and a popular guy in Columbus and it would really boost morale and attendance to bring him back. As a crew fan who grew up with the team, I would love to see him back. Schelloto whipping balls into McBride would be great for the club

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  10. If the Crew used the DP slot for McBride, it would be almost as stupid RBNY using theirs on Reyna. He is past his prime and not worth that much money.

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  11. I just don’t see teams trading their DP slots. When Chivas traded their spot, it was stupid, and it appears they will have to pay dearly to get it back. I see teams trading the spot away for a year or two, but not on a permanent basis.

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  12. If Columbus needs a big target man striker why not go for Shelotto’s target man from Boca, Martin Palermo. He’s a guy near the end of his career who is still quality and still seems to have the fire in his belly. He would be the perfect target man for Schelotto and keep him company here. I think he could teach the Crew youngsters a thing or two if he were willing.

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  13. Negotiating 101. Why would Columbus openly say “we have no intention of using our DP, please someone take it off our hands”? McCullers is simply trying to keep the value of the DP slot as high as possible by stating that the Crew don’t view it as something they’ll never use. Now McBride would make a great addition (although, hasn’t he said he’d like to play in Chicago?) but wouldn’t a trade for a boat load of allocation money plus some veteran players do the trick as well?

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  14. wasn’t Schelloto the “marquee” player to lead the Crew. That guys got more skill and experience than anyone else in this league (maybe aside from Becks and Blanco). He’s won something like 13 championships with Boca. But the team is still godaweful.

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  15. First, thanks for the recent coverage of Crew related items. As a Crew fan it’s nice to see some decent coverage of the team. I do think it’s a smart move to hold onto it. The Crew haven’t had a top-class striker since McBride and Stern John. It’d be good to see a DP brought in that is a proven goalscorer.

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  16. I would like to see the Crew use the DP on an attacking mid or a striker. Not sure who they would get to fill those positions but off loading the DP for a veteran or a few vets isn’t what I would like to see. We already dumped the #2 overall pick last year for a veteran in Andy Herron and that didn’t work out too well (Granted he was hurt most of the year). Ives, you are correct that what we don’t need is more draft picks to add to the youth we already have in Rogers, Ward, Gaven and the like.

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