With MLS Cup on the horizon, with it comes the conclusion of the 2010 season and a chance to look to next year. When planning for next year, a few teams with graduating Generation adidas players may have to juggle things a little bit.
This week, MLS indicated those players would graduate from the program. They include Eric Avila, Bruno Guarda and Brek Shea of FC Dallas, Stefan Frei of Toronto FC and Baggio Husidic of the Chicago Fire. Here's a look at the complete list:
Eric Avila (FC Dallas), Nico Colaluca (New England Revolution), Roger Espinoza (Kansas City), Stefan Frei (Toronto FC), Bruno Guarda (FC Dallas), Baggio Husidic (Chicago Fire), Fuad Ibrahim (Toronto FC), Chance Myers (Kansas City), Alex Nimo (Real Salt Lake), Ciaran O'Brien (Colorado Rapids) and Brek Shea (FC Dallas).
Since these players will graduate prior to the Nov. 24 expansion draft, they would need to be protected or could possibly be selected by either Vancouver or Portland.
What do you think of the list? Who do you think could end up going to the Northwest?
Share your thoughts below.
I think graduating means that their salaries are no longer paid by the league (I’m not sure if they ever paid directly or let the teams do it) or, at the very least, their salaries are no longer exempt from the salary cap. They would also no longer be exempt from the expansion draft.
Can someone explain to me what “graduating” means? Does that mean Adidas no longer pays their salary?
Wow, Colalula has played 76 minutes in FIVE years.
How is he still a Gen. Adidas guy?
For a guy that was a high ranking draft pick, thats a pretty small return. At least Bright Dike didn’t waste any salary or a roster spot for five years.
i would definitely would agree with you on alexander keeping his place, but you’d either have to leave jackson or benitez off if thats the case.
supposedly were getting some sort of great jersey sponsorship deal, so maybe we’ll have some money to throw at these teams to not take our players in the draft?
as mentioned before and like you elaborated on, George John and Heath Pearce could easily be transferred out, and we could see Milton and Jeff gone in a years time too.
that was toronto’s mistake more then anything else. he’s been good for the u-20s and would be a great pick up for either team.
not likely and hes not likely wanting to leave.
Hes never had a chance, rarely came off the bench, i say give him a year with the reserve league, pay him 40k (he knows hes not worth 100k), if he fails dump him, otherwise keep. Foolish to rid of him tho as hes only 18 and is still being called up to the nats. He has showed promise, just not alot over the last year (reasonably so).
I would guess that’s right.
I also would guess that like everything initially announced in the CBA, this has yet to be hammered out.
I would guess Alexander has probably secured himself a protected spot. Avila, like you said, probably not. He will do great wherever he goes.
Like you, I wonder if we will be selling off anyone. Pearce played great this year and I can’t imagine he planned on a long-term MLS tenure. And you know John John is itching to take his Greek competitive dancing to the motherland.
And to toot the FCD horn: between our academy kids coming up to the full team and graduating 3 GA kids (2 of whom are significant contributors), our front office has had a good stretch of picking and developing young players.
agreed. this helps a lot in the expansion draft. win for RBNY
I don’t know the specifics, but I think this rule was put in to allow teams to overpay a few huge stars and load their roster with cheap role players. The teams pay the under 24, homegrown players unless their Gen Adidas (and I don’t think they can be both) in which case the adidas fund pays them.
Portland or Vancouver, would you like to buy the Fuad Ibrahim bridge?
Baggio is not that good I say leave him unprotected
I think if he would of played and started from the beginning to the end of the season he would of.
Fortunately Nowak is a genius! Wonder if it was a plan of his, since he knew he would so much young talent going into an expansion summer?
he, pappa, and pause will be protected for sure. i could see Ljungberg going unprotected for sure depending on what he agrees to do with his future concerning the fire.
yeah, i generally agree with those assessments.
1.Kevin Hartman 2.Ugo Ihemelu 3.George John 4.Brek Shea 5.Daniel Hernandez 6.David Ferreira 7.Jair Benitez 8.Jackson 9.Dax McCarty 10.Marin Chavez 11.Heath Pearce
I can’t see any of those players going unprotected. Even though their mostly defenders and mids, their our most valuable players, on the field and off.
Unless we don’t have the money to purchase some of the players on loan, i don’t expect anyone of our loanies going unprotected.
Also there’s the long term situation with Pearce and Benitez at LB. Are we gonna buy his right’s and is Pearce gonna leave any time soon. If have to leave one off then Eric Alexander will be protected for sure.
So there’s:
Jeff Cunningham
Milton Rodriguez
Bruno Guarda
Eric Avila
Kyle Davies
Atiba Harris
Eric Alexander
Edson Edward
Jason Yeisley
Dario Sala
Rodriguez, Edward, Sala, and Guarda probably aren’t in danger of getting picked up:
Eric Avila, Eric Alexander and Kyle Davies could start for any expansion team, with the exception of Davies for Vancouver.
Cunningham might be tempting for Vancouver, depending on what other goal scorers are out out there.
Atiba could do a decent job, but with Avila available, he’ll be the first one to be protected. Sala and Guarda would be decent vet picks, put probably aren’t in any danger.
Then there’s Jason Yeisley and Edson Edwards, prospects, nothing more.
The whole graduating class is eh…
How does a class graduate anyways? Is it based on playing time or experience? Or strictly a time in league thing?
Avila would be a steal for anyone, but it all depends on whether or not we can keep Chavez from marathon and what we do with atiba
My personal opinion on the Dallas grads:
Guarda will certainly be exposed. He’s a good center mid option off the bench for an expansion side. More attacker than defender, though Schellas has played him at D-mid or linking mid most of his time here.
I don’t know what they’ll do with Avila…he doesn’t really fit in the scheme Dallas has but he’s got great upside. Possibly pre-draft trade bait there.
No way in hell Shea doesn’t get protected.
ABOUT TIME FREI GRADUATED!!!
he has been starting for what… 3 years?
agreed
Glad to see Mwanga didn’t graduate…not sure if it was ever close, but i thought i read that he might. Lets the union keep one more player at the very least, probably Knighton with that last keep.
THAT was hilarious. He should enter a tractor pulling contest.
Baggio stays in Chicago
Nice to see Tchani doesn’t graduate.
Never seen him play?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvsDtMwBjD0
almost 2 million hits!
We don’t want him. He rarely played in the latter half of the year.
As RSL fan I love it! Nimo was never anything great even in exibition games in SLC. We will lose 2 no matter what, so let Nimo be exposed from RSL, Portland can have him. That would be even better for RSL next year.
Nimo said he only wants to play for Portland.
I’m hoping we grab Avila in rpthe expansion draft. The kid has some special vision. I think he cooed do great things if given a long run of games.
Cmon you Timbers!
That should read: “Related questions”
I’ve been asking this everywhere on the internet. Might as well try here.
I’m wondering how the “24 and under ” rule works. Is it meant to encompass the Gen Adidas and Homegrown players? Is it an entirely separate animal that provides additional off-budget (no cap impact) roster slots? Will Homegrown players get some of those slots, but Gen Adidas players get a different salary cap exemption? MLS is talking about unlimited Homegrown signings. Does that mean these are not supposed to be under and limited by the 24 and under slots? Or, does it just mean that teams will be able to sign lots of their Academy players without losing them to the draft..but that MLS teams will only be able to keep 6 of those salaries from counting towards the cap.
lleated questions — Is the 24 and under rule meant to create slots for homegrown players, or create openings to sign talented young foreigners without taking big salary cap hits? If it’s the latter, how does this relate to the number of international players allowed on the roster. I believe the current number is 8, Will that be increased? Will foreign players given 24 and under slots not even count towards the international player limit?
Finally, who pays these salaries? Teams don’t pay Gen Adidas salaries. What about homegrown players whose salaries don’t impact the salary budget/cap? What about other 24 and under slot players? Can a cash-strapped owner like Will Chang exploit this rule to get decent players at MLS’ expense, instead of his own?
Anyone know any of the answers? Ives?
I see this kids name here and there but have never seen him play. He seems very small- what is his game like? Do people think he has a future? how was he with Portland? Im sure RSL would be pumped if this was one of their players taken considering he has never played a game for them.
Nope….plus RSL has far better talent that is cheaper and will be left exposed…
Will be interesting to see what happens with Alex Nimo. He’s been on loan with the Timbers and said he wants to play for them or retire from MLS…but would Portland be willing to pick him and pay his (relatively) fat Gen Adidas salary?
How does Chance Myers graduate? Must be a GED….hope KC gets rid of Onalfo’s first round failure.