American defender Michael Orozco has been off the U.S. national team radar for some time, but he may be set for a move to help him get back into Bob Bradley's sights.
Reports from Mexico have linked Orozco to a move to Major League Soccer. Record is reporting that Orozco has left San Luis and will be signing with the Philadelphia Union.
It remains unclear whether the Union will be able to land Orozco with a Discovery claim or if Orozco's one national team cap will force him to go through Major League Soccer's Allocation selection process to join a team (returning current and former U.S. national team players are supposed to go through an Allocation process. New York currently holds the top allocation spot).
Orozco played on the U.S. Olympic team two years ago under Peter Nowak. He is remembered rather infamously for drawing an early red card in a must-win group match against eventual silver medalist Nigeria. He had been a regular starter for San Luis before falling out of favor toward the tail end of the 2009 Apertura season.
Wow, if true Philly are really trying to replicate what Seattle did last year. I do like that fact though that the Red Bulls have to pick, and I think the Red Bulls should take him if they can get him. Other wise the Red Bulls better get one heck of a deal from Philly to give him up. So Red Bulls, please make this signing.
Mike,its not necessarily easier. A lot of guys in the Mexican league could make the move to Europe but it doesn’t happen as often because they can usually make more money playing in Mexico than the lesser leagues of Europe. Whereas that isn’t always the case for a player in MLS.
Wow buddy, chill. I do think before I speak; I just think you have no idea what you’re talking about in your assessment of TFC’s backline. NOne. Zero. If you’d said they have no cap room, I’d agree with you for the most part. But you didn’t, you said their defenders were capable, in fact you said they had “plenty of capable defenders,” so many in fact that they could never, ever, last season keep the ball out of their goal in the last 15 minutes of games. Super capable. I just didn’t have the time to offer an in-depth analysis to the likes of you, and your nickel thoughts.
TFC is not blessed with “plenty of capable defenders.” NOt even close. Ask any TFC supporter or TFC media person. Garcia was a disaster last season. Wynne is a suspect defender; his speed saves him lots, but his positional sense and smarts have not improved in the last 2 seasons. Gala is not a defender, Mr. smarty-pants, and can’t even get a whif of playing time in Toronto. Gomez and Attakora are promising, and I like them, but they are not real deal yet. Robinson is not a defender–he has filled in there, but isn’t going to play well there long term. Brennan has played out of position on the back line for three years; he’s performed admirably, but there are glaring holes in his ability there. And Serioux is old and busted up, though I’ll grant capable. TFC needs upgrades to capable and professional defenders all along the back 4.
I said you’re on crack, because above is not a list of “plenty of capable” defenders. Get a clue before you speak buddy.
Do you loan a free agent?
That really does not make sense.
Isn’t Garcia a free agent now? Also, even though gabe gala is a defender, he’s just as much of a project as Abdus Ibrahim as this point in his career and not a rotation player. the only dependable defenders toronto has are Brennan and Attakora.
Awesome move for Philly – new teams are starting to look very strong. I’d be glad to see him in MLS. Bring the boys and future stars back home!!!
Michael Orozco…sweeper! Seriously, are Philly going to play a 5 man back line? How many defenders are they going to sign? They already have a top third of MLS back 4 as is.
Could RBNY get him and trade him to Philly or just trade their allocation spot to Philly?
Would that be a possibility, Ives?
The San Luis website (i read spanish) says he is going to MLS and to Philly. Good move for him either way. He is still young and playing time is what he needs. MLS and FMF are closer than most think.
nagamura is a free agent.
Paulo Nagamura has gone on loan to Tigres.
Does anybody know for how long? Im sure its for the offseason. Thankfully he is going on loan so MLS doesnt lose another quality player.
so your saying that TFC has cap room to bring on Orozco when they have defenders like Wynne, Brennan, Serioux, Garcia, Attakora, Gala, Gomez? No they dont! I said TFC has enough CAPABLE defenders plus Robo who can play throughout the D-line. That doesnt mean they have been good lately but they are certainly all capable and have the potential especially under a new coaching system with Preki. Preki will see how things go in their defense and then go out in the summer if he has to get somebody.
Do you think before you speak? Why do you think i said capable? If i was on crack i would have said good.
I have little to base this on, but I feel like it is easier to move from MLS to Europe vs. FMF to Europe.
On a side note, the league shouldn’t let this go through without use of the allocation process. I think it’s a silly rule, but it is the rule.
If they don’t, than how about Lee Nguyen?
Agree, 2009 Toronto was close to the 2008 Galaxy for most leaks in the back.
Good for him. Hopefully if he plays well coach Bradley will have to give him some other opportunities to see if he might fit in with the national team.
This is a great move by Nowak. Michael will add a lot to this team.
“4) TFC-plenty of capable defenders already”
That must be one massive crack pipe you’ve got.
Orozco was getting some playing time, I actually want him to stay and fight for some PT, he did extremely well in last year’s Copa Libertadores, the best continental club tournament after the European Champions League, and defenitely the most prestigous one.
His team plays in the knock out round of 16 this year since CONMEBOL basically forced the Mexican teams to play their home games outside of the US and Mexico, thus the FMF said, screw you we’re taking our 2 teams out, Chivas and San Luis which is Orozco’s team, and they almost threaten to get out of the South American competition altogether, which would of been tragic for Conmebol considering their biggest TV rights contracts come from Mexico.
I think he can get back in the starting 11, and in Mexico defenders often get in trouble as far as cards and they will need depth with 2 tournaments to play.
here’s the thing – this will not help Orozco now. MLS is headed for a strike and even if they’re not there will no games until March
The Mexican league starts now. Orozco probably wasn’t in the picture but sa suddenly weak CB corps and a good five months at San Luis could have put him on the team. Now, he’ll never beat out the other MLSers in the mix like Gonzalez and Conrad/Marshall
just as well though Orozco’s decent but not quite good enough at this point’
and to the guy weho said the Mexican media might have this wronmg, amen, happoens all the time, and the story sounds fishy, why would San Luis happily mgive up a player that is valuable to them? Sounds like they were done with him
But there is no arguement that NY holds the top Allocation spot, right?
actually . . . IMO defending in the MLS is a step up from defending in the FMF.
Well, it means he plays. My point was that he’s moving to a lesser league. Not hugely so but still a lesser league. He didn’t rate a starting spot any more at San Luis and no other team or league besides MLS appears to be clamoring for him. Thus, I think it’s a big step back for him. He’s young, though…we’ll see.
And while in MLS the quality may not differ as in an expansion club , there is still a difference between being signed by Philly and Houston. (Seattle was something of a fluke, I’d say)
Great.
I can see NY taking him. They need DC help. unless Philly offers a deal NY cant refuse
well said, evidenced by Seattle last year. if anything it could be more exciting to go to an expansion team, the roster is obviously not set in stone because they’ve never had a roster so it should be a good chance for him to be a leader on that back-line. funny that both califf and orozco targeted philly as the place for them to get back into the national team picture great sub-plot there. my money is on orozco for the record
yea, but rules state that incoming US internationals (he has one cap) must go through the MLS allocation process where the team that holds the top spot gets first shots at the incoming US international.
However there is also that other iffy rule that a team that files a discovery claim also gets first shots at that player…..
….so these two rules conflict. Damn these complex MLS rules
If he’s pine-riding at San Luis, then this would be a positive step forward, no?
Anybody know what he was making in San Luis? If he signs for a high number, he might be less attractive to teams other than Philadelphia.
Should have said claiming this is a step backward for Orozco. I personally believe that a league featuring a strong contingent of America’s best is good.
If true, this sure looks like a case of “new rules for Philly.”
Orozco is in the national team system and should be handled via the allocation process. I’d be shocked if 5 teams passed on him letting him go to Philly.
i predicted this…..
hopefully MLS cuts him some slack and he gets to go where he wants to develop and get into the world cup
he hasnt played much for the US so thats possible
Philly would play him at right back if they got him, thats where Nowak liked him in the olympics and they need one
here is the order right now:
1) NY-they now have Albright, Miller, Goldthwaite, Petke, Johnson, and Mendes on D now and i think they are in more need for Mids now, risky for Philly to wait and see however
2) SJ-i think they have enough cover getting opara, but this could be risky for Philly as well
3) KC- almost have too many defenders
4) TFC-plenty of capable defenders already
5) FCD-they have already done their defensive shopping getting Ansah and they want Nguyen in the allocation anyways
6) Philly- a good chance of getting him or will MLS let him sign on with Philly w/o allocation?
Those claiming might want to wait until after this MLS season is over. It’s likely to impress with the talent, two vibrant new clubs in Seattle and Philly, an infusion of talent from the draft, as well as (finally) some sensible foreign players interspersed, Castillo included. I’m pretty excited. Except for New York, San Jose, and the Wizards.
I guess none of you even considered that maybe it could be the Mexican media that don’t know what they are talking about. I’m sure alot of them don’t know the strange rules that make up MLS.
Some of you are so quick to jump on MLS and the “American media”, when its a Mexican outlet thats reporting this.
Who said the rules don’t apply in this case? I can’t read the article, but it could be a case where he has signed with MLS and he’s been in contact with Philly, but the spanish speaking media has just jumped the gun on him becoming a Philly player.
the fact that it’s an expansion roster matters little. the talent on all the rosters in MLS is relatively equivalent. it’s actually a step forward for him considering he was struggling to get in the team consistently for San Luis.
At least it’s good to know that all this talk of his red card is overblown if the coach that he was playing under at the time still believes in him (as he should.)
Also, even if he had been getting regular minutes at San Luis, I’m not so sure being a starting defender in the Mexican league is any more impressive than if he grows into a solid defender in MLS, so it’s hardly a move backwards skillwise.
haha only in MLS where the media and fans alike have no clue if this is possible
well at least bob might consider giving him a look now
the Union aren’t last in the order. They swapped places with DC, leaving them in the sixth position. But still, they wouldn’t have first dibs.
hopefully it leads to more looks with the national team!
gotta love the MLS making up rules as they go
Crispy, I’d agree with you about the Bradley exposure if he had played much in the later season. Since he was pine-riding at San Luis, it seems more like a step backwards.
We can hope he adds quality to MLS at least, right and benefits from the playing time.
If he has to go through the Allocation process it would be kind of funny, considering that Philly is last now?
(SBI-Not so sure about that one. Philly and DC may have simply swapped spots, which would still leave DC in the Top six or so.)
Hard to see how this couldn’t fall under the allocation process. Nguyen has a similar number of caps (3), and isn’t the allocation order causing an issue for FC Dallas acquiring him?
True, but i think he’s good enough to play in the Mexican league, i just think he’s honestly doing it to get more exposure to Bob Bradley, it will be easier for Bob to watch him in the MLS than in the Mexican League
Major League Soccer, where rules don’t apply!
big step backwards for him. I guess he still needs more development. Going from the Mexican league to an expansion roster in a lesser league is…disappointing. Hoped for more with this kid.
I wish people would quit bringing up that red card in the Olympics. It was harsh and unfortunate, and it’s well past time to move on. Orozco is a good player who could help our National Team in the future.
Dammm, if only he could go to Galaxy,
an Omar-Orozco CB pairing would be amazing!
I would not have minded him in NY at all