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Cosmos sign NASL Best XI winger Restrepo

Restrepo-Scorpions

By RYAN TOLMICH

The New York Cosmos offseason spending spree has continued with the addition of one of the NASL’s standout wingers.

The Cosmos announced on Monday that the club has signed Walter Restrepo, who previously featured for the champion San Antonio Scorpions. Restrepo, 26, was named a NASL Best XI selection in 2014 after providing three goals and four assists in 25 games for the Scorpions.

“It was a difficult decision for me to leave San Antonio, especially after winning the NASL title there last year,” Restrepo said in a press release. “However, the Cosmos’ vision and commitment to winning and the opportunity to play with players such as Raúl and Marcos Senna was one that was hard to turn down.”

Before joining the Scorpions, Restrepo featured for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and led the league in assists in 2012 on his way to his first Best XI selection.

Restrepo joins fellow signings Raul, Adam Moffat and loanee Leo Fernandes as additions to the Cosmos roster thus far.

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What do you think of the Cosmos’ addition of Restrepo? How will the winger fit with the team?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Wasn’t he the one the Strikers traded for a block of hotel rooms when they played the Scorpions. If he’s that good why didn’t Strikers get any $ for him.

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    • You forgot to mention the transportation accommodations that were also part of the deal. I think they got Uber gift cards as well.

      Reply
  2. I and I alone decide who joins MLS.

    Do unto others as Don tells you. Do that as those it were the whole of the law; for it is.

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  3. Haaa… That is such a funny post. I must agree if cosmos is not in MLS, it is hard to consider it a relavent team. I am hoping they swallow their pride and join the MLS movement. Cosmos is a big brand but they are competing w teams that are competing in HS and college stadia so it is hard to consider the league even on par with MLS. Wishing it success, but man…(maybe cosmos can’t pay for the expansion fees?? The Longer the wait the more it going to be $$$)

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    • The Cosmos don’t want to be in MLS. They are trying to build a 1st division team while in the NASL. US Open Cup to the CCL is their game plan. Let’s see if they can do it.

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    • Sorry, but maybe I don’t get it. MLS isn’t teams, it’s a league only, right? Everybody signs with the league, no? They go where the league says, yes?

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  4. Thank you for understanding the extent of my greatness and my importance to US Soccer. You will be rewarded for your blind loyalty.

    Please remember:

    1) “I am the Lord thy Don. You shall have no other leagues before MLS.”

    2) “You shall not make for yourself an idol or wear a jersey representing any other league in US soccer.”

    3) “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD thy Don, for the Don will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”

    4) “Remember MLS game days by keeping it holy. ”

    5) “Honor thy Don and Sunil so that you may live to enjoy MLS. ”

    6) “Thou shall not watch NASL .”

    7) “Thou shall not agree with Jurgen .”

    8) “Thou shall not question player allocation mechanisms.”

    9) “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor unless it protects NYCFC.”

    10) “You shall not covet your competitor’s players. All players are owned by the league and thus it is all one team.”

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  5. Poor guy is going to the land of misfit toys at the Cosmos. (btw when did Cosmos signings become news? They are not even relevant)

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  6. How dare anyone challenge anything the Don says! Off with your head!

    We have ALWAYS been friends with Eurasaia and at war with East Asia.

    Don’t you forget that, Winston Smith!

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  7. I was around when the old NASL folded. It went under because the league expanded too far too fast and didn’t have a TV contract. The idea that the Cosmos overspending put it under is the story MLS likes ro tell in order to keep single entity in place.

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    • The old NASL folded because it was not sustainable. Expansion/contraction was a complete mess. Cosmos built in a way that nobody could keep up with. Not many local players that were good enough to play. Not many young players to feed into the league. No media. No privately owned stadiums. Unstable ownership. Fans not familiar with the product (making the product a novelty instead of a real interest).

      Single entity has put MLS in a very strong position, and largely as a result of this structure, it has none of the problems listed above. This offseason is another example that shows that single entity is working. Just about all of the teams are getting better every year, and that is what we need in order to build a strong foundation that can a world class league can be built upon. Most likely, that foundation would not be strong enough without central control because there would be so much instability even if there were a couple of legitimately world class teams (that probably would not happen either) at the top.

      In another 10 years, we might be able to have a real conversation about whether or not it is worth it for MLS to lose the single entity status, but even then, it probably will not happen.

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  8. Not a bad signing. I’ve liked most of their moves so far this off-season, but I will admit it concerns me when they poach talent from other NASL sides. It seems counter productive. I’m still hoping for a few more moves, and maybe one more attention grabbing signing (Freddy Adu?), but it’s shaping up to be an interesting season.

    I’m also pretty pumped that they start preseason play in less than a month with the Lunar New Year Cup. An early glimpse at some of the teams potential.

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  9. To paraphrase Restrepo, “The Cosmos are overpaying me, that is why I decided to leave San Antonio”.

    In all fairness, the guy is a burner with lights-out speed, but he doesn’t track back and loses the ball too easily. He can be exciting and extremely frustrating at the same time. Not a huge loss for San Antonio, but one that will still hurt. Greg Janicke going to Indy to be close too home is a much bigger problem. The key was retaining Rafael Castillo, which we did.

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  10. I do not approve of this piece. The only league that matters is MLS.

    Also, how can a team pick up a player without an allocated weighted lottery draft???? It makes no sense

    I DO NOT care for this and neither does Sunil!

    Reply

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