A rather busy week is in full swing.
The European transfer window is three days away now and it is time for clubs to start finalizing deals. That means it will be decision time for at least two MLS goalkeepers, Brad Guzan and Matt Pickens. It also means decision time for players such as Brazilian striker Afonso Alves.
Today also marks the first day of training for the Red Bulls. Well, not really the Red Bulls. More like the supplemental draft picks and non-roster invitees the team has culled together. It certainly won’t look like the collection of talent D.C. United showed off on Monday.
I wrote about Claudio Reyna today in my Herald News column (no, I haven’t left the paper yet, we are in negotiations for me to stay on in a less frequent role). Today Reyna and the rest of the Red Bulls will speak to media at the team’s practice facility at Montclair State. If he speaks, it will mark Reyna’s first public comments since before the team’s playoff elimination loss to New England last November. It will be interesting to see what he will say regarding his decision to come back as well as his falling out with Bruce Arena, that’s if he says anything at all.
Here are some other news nuggets to digest:
Arsenal vs. Man U in FA Cup: In case you missed Monday’s FA Cup Round of 16 draw, Manchester United will play host to Arsenal. You can wipe the drool from your face now.
Boro closing in on Alves: The long-awaited move to Middlesbrough by Afonso Alves is set to be completed. Why should you care? You should care because it puts Michael Bradley one step closer to winning the Dutch Golden Boot. Okay, I’m half kidding.
Bad Boy Barton is back: Newcastle midfielder and resident troublemaker Joey Barton (otherwise known as the Pacman Jones of the EPL) is set to rejoin the team and could see action in today’s match against Newcastle. If he can avoid getting arrested in the next four hours I think you’ll see him play.
Newcastle hire Wise: Newcastle has hired Dennis Wise as the team’s new executive director. Why should you care? The Red Bulls, who lead the world in directors, don’t have an executive director to my knowledge so look for them to create that position shortly. Yes, I’m kidding. More seriously, I can see Wise as Newcastle’s head coach in two years.
Ono lands in Germany: Japanese star Shinji Ono is set to join German club FC Bochum this week. The troubled 28-year-old midfielder is looking to revive a career that has faded pretty rapidly. Why should you care? Sources tell me the expansion Seattle franchise (set to be named the Emerald City Wicked Witches, or something similar) plans on signing a high-profile Japanese player when it opens for business in 2009. Could Shinji be the one?
That’s all for now. I will be heading to the Meadowlands today for the Red Bulls training session but will have my computer with me and will be ready to post any news that comes along so stay tuned.
Also, feel free to comment on any of the stories above. As always, share your thoughts below.
Ginto…who was the last team to beat your fire before their “magical” run came to a pathetic end? Oh, that’s right. Reyna’s team. Suck it.
Posted by: kpugs | January 29, 2008 at 10:57 AM
our team also actually makes it out of the first round of the playoffs every so often (including last year) I think you and your team are the one’s who can suck it. 🙂
Ono to Seattle! Yeah!
Why do I care? I live in Japan, and it’s very difficult to see MLS games here. But if I high profile player goes to MLS, they’ll start showing all the Seattle games 🙂
“blanco is a withdrawn forward, you cant compare him to joseph, they have completely different roles
Posted by: emilio | January 29, 2008 at 09:37 AM ”
That means we were playing with 2 SS’ and a striker at the same time every game last year then? I don’t think so.
Their roles are different? I never would have known that. /sarcasm
Blanco played AM since he arrived, ya know attacking MIDFIELDER, and Andrew said ‘midfielder’ not ‘D-mid’ or ‘center mid’ or ‘right mid’ etc if we are using the generic ‘midfielder’ term then there ya go…he is the best midfielder in the league last year.
Beside, when he’s not kicking people in the face, Rico is the best D-mid in the league.
TK has my vote for president. His take on Reyna is spot on.
Come on, even Joe Vide did some “little things” well. It bugs me when people use “little things” in the same sentence as “DP” as if it’s something we should put up with.
Reyna was piss poor last season even if he was making 100k, much less at a million. At his age, it’s highly unlikely he’ll get any better. Players at his age are in decline. He’s not going to be better.
Stop making silly excuses for the guy.
kpugs,
This is not 6 years ago. This is now.
I admit I have never been a CR worshipper. I admit he got too much criticism when things went bad and too much credit when it went well. That is my summation. He is neither World Class or crap.
As for right now, with my club team, and how the cap works, and what a DP means he is a terrible, terrible signing. He should kiss Dennilon’s butt every day for drawing attention away from him.
My guess is that if he wasn’t CR, and it was a foreigner, it would be 5 times more ugly than it is now.
For DP money right now, for what he brings now, not 6 years ago, he is a joke.
That’s all there is to it.
He is an albatross to this team, who would be willing to shell out big bucks for a quality worthwhile DP.
It’s about now and my club team. Not nostalgia for then, or giving him a pass for now, because of then.
That is what people need to comprehend. We need more club fans first and less, if it is good for the Nats, and he did well back then, so I will let him slide types if this league is to grow.
Now, for the money he is piss poor. I don’t need “litte things Claudio” (very little things now) for DP money. Thank you very much.
Did I hammer home the differences?
Ives,
Minicomment: Your Herald article lists Friedel as a Columbus keeper instead of Blackburn.
Herald wants you to stay so much they promise not to edit your pieces. haha.
Pickens is out of contract, I don’t think he has to make his decision before the end of the transfer window
Renya should have never been signed. He was coming to retire here anyway, and would of took less money. He knew his EPL career was over so did Man city when they let him go for FREE!!! He was a big bust last year and even bigger this year b/c he stopping the team from signing a ligit play-maker. If he is a true captain and brings the little things to the field, then he will step down and re-negotiate a deal taht would enable the red bulls to sign a better younger player!! He cannot fit in as a holding middie anymore he never had speed or guts for the hard tackle which is needed in the MLS. PLEASE MR. REYNA FOR YOUR TEAM TAKE LESS CASH TO GO OUT A WINNER!!!
There should be some type of quiz on this site, where you have to prove a limited amount of knowledge before getting to comment. The bigger this site gets, the more ridiculous it gets.
Six years ago these guys were wearing Reyna jerseys and kissing his rear. Now because he doesn’t score goals or make noise on the field he is terrible. He can’t win.
Ginto…who was the last team to beat your fire before their “magical” run came to a pathetic end? Oh, that’s right. Reyna’s team. Suck it.
Forgot this.
Excellent move by Keegan to hire wise.
When Alan “I am God” Shearer starts pulling what he usually does, which is –
Undercutting the current manager
Not lending support
Making negative comments
Sniping
Talking about he could do it better
Playing to the media and fans againt the current management and then sitting by like an angel
– Wise will tell him to STFU and stuff it.
I like it.
Good move Kev
As a Fire fan, I’m thrilled Reyna is playing for NYRB. As a die hard US supporter…uh, not so much.
You know a player is bad when you have to be vague to describe what he does on the field.
The only possible things he contributed last year were leadership and experience, and it doesn’t look like he helped with either. It’s hard to when you are the bench every game, whether from injury or because you are scared of artificial turf.
I actually think that if he plays bad this year, it will be a worse ending to his career than if he would have quit after that mistake against Ghana.
I liked the “little things” analogy,keeping your desk neat etc, and getting paid the big bucks.
The truth is, we are stuck with him, I hope he performs better. He will never give us what that salary dictates, he should have never been signed as DP, he isnt a great player, but what can we do, lets hope he plays well as a defensive midfielder and that we sign someone like a Liguera to produce what we need from a playmaker.
I just find it comical that people are still saying he does these little things and that he plays well against the good teams, etc. When did he do that? He played poorly lets face it, he didnt contribute anything to the attack, thats a fact. Ok we dont wanna hurt anyones feelings,so lets just not say anything and hope he performs better, that other players are capable of doing some of the things he cant do.
@paul Lorinczi
“If Guzan is a starter at Aston Villa, the number one shirt on the national team could be up for grabs. I am not sure Timmy is a lock now for the number one.”
Experience counts a great deal, esp. at the keeper position, and Brad Guzan has none. Playing at a big club like Villa will certainly make the competition tighter, but unless Timmy has a serious drop in form or an injury, I think he’ll be the US #1 for quite a while. I still think there will be plenty of opportunities for Guzan to get first-team USA starts. The Nats are going to be very busy in the next couple of years.
Sky is reporting that Villa’s offer is 2.2mil pounds which is more than what Ives said yesterday. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11781_3087533,00.html
As I’ve said before. This year is all about how Reyna will be remembered regarding the end of his professional playing career.
Will it be “local boy returns home and delivers” story with a solid performance that results in the team playing well (and Reyna contributing to those results) and advancing at least to the 2nd round — which is what I hope —
or will it be “ends with the Ghana gaffe” and two injury-plagued years, using up a DP slot and using up the cap space in more ways than one.
We are behind you Claudio but please deliver!!!
socceramerica is reporting that Arsenal is also interested in Guzan.
http://www.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=25349
We are all completely dissillusioned with Reyna, but what can we do? Complain all season?
There is no choice – he will done our kit come April and represent our team.
Lets let bygones be just that.
I feel the pain too. Not having a shot at Gallardo KILLED me. But still. I cant keep complaining about Reyna. Ide rather get behind em, cheer em on, and hope for a fountain of youth season.
If Reyna was such a difference maker, RB would have had more wins. If Reyna was such a difference maker, perhaps we would not have crashed out of the playoffs like RB and Metro has done EVERY year. Juan Pablo Angel got clocked out of his skull and wanted to return to the game. Reyna left early and pouted on the bench. Enough said.
Reyna is a complete waste and I don’t expect him to do any better this season.
Reyna doesn’t get cut like Dennilson because Dallas wasn’t stupid enough to guarantee his contract. Thanks Bruce. Good job.
Fred, you are talking brainwashed USA Nats Reyna from 2003-2006 speak. As has been posted ad nauseum the “little things” and “intangibles” arguementis a joke. It has become the comical catch phrase when describing “little things Claudio”.
Gee, I’d love to do the little things at work, like keep my desk neat and throw out th etrash and be the highest paid person in th ecompany. that’s surely worth it.
If you watched the RB’s, which it seems you don’t with your description, the CR you described showed up in about 2 and half matches all year….when he actually played. Otherwise he was completely run of the mill.
Hi sprice for production is a joke. An absolute debacle. Embarrassing actually. That is what he is judged by. Not nostalgia or cute simple things he does very rarley anymore. As a DP he needs to be big time, not a small part, and he is a small part.
Your arguement isn’t even used anymore because it has become such an absolute farce.
It is just mocked openly for what it is, with a “little things CR” joke thrown in.
Get with it already.
You have to wonder.
If Guzan is a starter at Aston Villa, the number one shirt on the national team could be up for grabs. I am not sure Timmy is a lock now for the number one.
blanco is a withdrawn forward, you cant compare him to joseph, they have completely different roles
One more chance people. Lets give Cap’n America one more chance.
Are we personally footing the bill? No.
Is it possible that he has one more season in him? Sure. Will it be injury free? Doubtful.
Reyna likes the 3-5-2. Maybe that comfort alone will allow him to be comfortable and play HIS game (whatever that may be this year).
Yes he C blocked a potential new DP signing this year. But he also blew off Euro $$$ to come here.
One more year. Thats all.
Ives, I hope the Herald News is smart enough to retain you in a way that works for you!
Also, you are going to Montclair today I take it?
@Andrew: Temo Blanco > Joseph (and I do respect the hell outta Joseph)
Denilson has to be wondering how the hell he gets cut but Reyna continues to make nearly double his salary.
Reyna was an unmitigated disaster. The 3 games he actually played well in (and there were a few real stinkers from Claudio; lets not forget that) don’t even come remotely close to justifying his salary.
It really pains me because he was a great captain for the Nats but he is fully 3 years past his retirement age.
No one is the best midfielder on the pitch when Shalrie Joseph is playing for the other team.
I for one am glad to see Reyna back. I was at one of the regular season NYRB vs New England games last yr. True to form, Reyna had no goals and no assists, but I think he was a huge plus for the team. The best midfielder on the pitch, stable, steady, excellent ball control, and brings some of those intangibles you hear coaches talk about. we would have been a much worse team without him.