MLS and Sporting KC - Official Thread

[49r]

I would not be surprised if Dest never gets another cap. That was unforgivable behavior. Completely inexcusable.

[Dean Smith]

1 hour ago, 49r said:

I would not be surprised if Dest never gets another cap. That was unforgivable behavior. Completely inexcusable.

Horrible judgement, yes. Unforgivable, yes.  He’s also one of the US top 6 or 7. Take his punishment whatever that is - probably won’t get called up for the next camp because he can’t play with the red. If we have any chance to be competitive in the Copa we need a well-heeled Dest at left back. If we can smooth over the Gio controversy, we can make this work as well. 

[49r]

I may have been a little emotional last night.  Point stands though, we must demand better than that.

[aphilso1]

12 hours ago, Dean Smith said:

Horrible judgement, yes. Unforgivable, yes.  He’s also one of the US top 6 or 7. Take his punishment whatever that is - probably won’t get called up for the next camp because he can’t play with the red. If we have any chance to be competitive in the Copa we need a well-heeled Dest at left back. If we can smooth over the Gio controversy, we can make this work as well. 

 

Agreed with everything except for Dest being a top 6 or 7 player for USMNT.  He's certainly one of the top 5 most explosive players we have, but he's not an elite 1v1 defender and he gets caught too far forward a lot.  Jedi gets forward a ton too, but does so smartly and without putting as much pressure on the centerbacks. 

 

The extended absence of Tyler Adams has really shown Dest's warts, IMO.  Dest needs an eraser at the 6 to give him the freedom to park further up the pitch where he is comfortable.  

[hskr4life]

What sucks is that we couldn't fully judge how we "actually" did in an away environment playing a man down for that much of a game.  It was a very disappointing L, but how would things have looked had we NOT been a man down?

 

So far, the return of Greg has been more of less the same as before his departure and I don't know if that's going to get it done.  The Copa America will be very important for this group as a lead up to the World Cup.

[HuskerFever]

 

[HuskerFever]

November 24 was not a good day for Nebraska sports.

[hskr4life]

1 hour ago, HuskerFever said:

November 24 was not a good day for Nebraska sports.

Gut wrenching loss to lose bowl eligibility… check

 

swept by volleyball rivals…. Check

 

semi-gut wrenching loss to make the final 4 in soccer… check.

[49r]

Bummer the run had to end. But it was nice to see Zusi and Roger one last time at least.

[hskr4life]

3 minutes ago, 49r said:

Bummer the run had to end. But it was nice to see Zusi and Roger one last time at least.

 

Quite the run into the playoffs and making it this far.  After how this season started, I was... worried.  It was rough.  However, we had a great run to end it and finished near a semi-final berth.  

[aphilso1]

It's a short offseason but still tough to say goodbye for now.  Particularly since it feels time for the team to get younger, so this may have been the last rodeo for some old favorites.

 

Johnny - Fan favorite and captain, but one of only five players on the team making 7 figures.  Injuries are starting to catch up to him.  Club option for 2024. I expect SKC to renogotiate for a lower salary, or else let him walk.  Would really hurt (he's the only player in any sport that I have a jersey for!) but Sporting consistently lets players go before their contracts can become an albatross.  

Zusi - Similar situation as with Russell, just at a lower price.  Club option for 2024.  I doubt the option gets picked up, but Zusi may have no other suitors at his age and coming off of a major injury.  I'm guessing either SKC negotiates Zeus down to near a veteran minimum contract, or he retires.

Melia - 8th highest earner on the team.  Injuries are becoming more common for him, but otherwise he does not appear to have lost a step to age.  He's under contract through 2024, so if he moves on it would be via a trade.  Gotta think he would draw interest from a contender in need of a veteran keeper presence.  Is SKC comfortable with Mac and Pulskamp moving forward?  If so, then I would expect Timmy to be shopped around this offseason.

Fontas - 13th/14th highest salary on team, depending on what metric you use.  Under contract through 2024.  See analysis of Melia above.  Could see him being shopped around, particularly since SKC has some depth at CB.

Roger - Funny enough Roger is the one greybeard that I would fully expect to still be on the roster next year; he's made it clear that he's willing to play for peanuts, and is content in whatever role Vermes has for him.  He made the veteran minimum ($85k) in 2023, so his services are basically free.  

 

Younger guys to keep an eye on:

-Thommy and/or Kinda. Both are in the Top 6 earners on SKC's roster, and Vermes clearly prefers to not play them  together.  The rest of the starting midfield is also well-compensated. 

-Shelton. Top 10 salary, bottom 10 production.  Signed through 2025, so would be trade bait if anyone wants him.  By small market MLS standards this is an albatross contract.

-Agada. Club options in '24 and '25.  Priced right as a backup striker, but with two years of affordable club control he is one of SKC's most subtly valuable trade chips.

[hskr4life]

Excellent analysis!  Hopefully we can find a few pieces to add to our ex for next year as well.  Teams are only getting stronger and more and more internationals are starting to cross the pond (yes most are older) but still.

[49r]

Can't see PV moving on from Shelton.  He should...but I can't see it.

[aphilso1]

3 hours ago, 49r said:

Can't see PV moving on from Shelton.  He should...but I can't see it.

 

Funny thing is that Vermes has shown time and time again that he isn't loyal to any individual player.  He moves them before their value crashes, and is cognizant of not overpaying.  And yet somehow Shelton is hogging $600k of salary cap space. 

I do think he ends up on SKC's opening day roster, but not because Peter wants to keep him around.  There just isn't much of a market for a 4th winger who specializes as a late game defensive sub.

[aphilso1]

I didn't realize how quickly MLS clubs have to decide what 2024 options they want to pick up.  The deadline is tomorrow!  Here's a good analysis of where SKC stands.  A lot of overlap with what I posted above, but the author keeps things simple by ignoring trade possibilities.  Interesting that he also sees Roger coming back on a veteran minimum contract, a potential renegotiation with Zusi rather than picking up his option, and the chance that we have seen the last of Johnny Russell in a Sporting kit.  Maybe he lurks around HHC and plagiarized my analysis 

 

https://kcsoccerjournal.com/who-stays-and-who-goes-for-sporting-kc/11/30/2023/

Edited November 30, 2023 by aphilso1

[hskr4life]

Crazy to think that we have to have all that in by tomorrow already.

[hskr4life]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:17 AM, aphilso1 said:

It's a short offseason but still tough to say goodbye for now.  Particularly since it feels time for the team to get younger, so this may have been the last rodeo for some old favorites.

 

Johnny - Fan favorite and captain, but one of only five players on the team making 7 figures.  Injuries are starting to catch up to him.  Club option for 2024. I expect SKC to renogotiate for a lower salary, or else let him walk.  Would really hurt (he's the only player in any sport that I have a jersey for!) but Sporting consistently lets players go before their contracts can become an albatross.  

Zusi - Similar situation as with Russell, just at a lower price.  Club option for 2024.  I doubt the option gets picked up, but Zusi may have no other suitors at his age and coming off of a major injury.  I'm guessing either SKC negotiates Zeus down to near a veteran minimum contract, or he retires.

Melia - 8th highest earner on the team.  Injuries are becoming more common for him, but otherwise he does not appear to have lost a step to age.  He's under contract through 2024, so if he moves on it would be via a trade.  Gotta think he would draw interest from a contender in need of a veteran keeper presence.  Is SKC comfortable with Mac and Pulskamp moving forward?  If so, then I would expect Timmy to be shopped around this offseason.

Fontas - 13th/14th highest salary on team, depending on what metric you use.  Under contract through 2024.  See analysis of Melia above.  Could see him being shopped around, particularly since SKC has some depth at CB.

Roger - Funny enough Roger is the one greybeard that I would fully expect to still be on the roster next year; he's made it clear that he's willing to play for peanuts, and is content in whatever role Vermes has for him.  He made the veteran minimum ($85k) in 2023, so his services are basically free.  

 

Younger guys to keep an eye on:

-Thommy and/or Kinda. Both are in the Top 6 earners on SKC's roster, and Vermes clearly prefers to not play them  together.  The rest of the starting midfield is also well-compensated. 

-Shelton. Top 10 salary, bottom 10 production.  Signed through 2025, so would be trade bait if anyone wants him.  By small market MLS standards this is an albatross contract.

-Agada. Club options in '24 and '25.  Priced right as a backup striker, but with two years of affordable club control he is one of SKC's most subtly valuable trade chips.

 

 

[aphilso1]

It appears my speculation was pretty far off, at least as the initial roster moves stand.

 

Option exercised: Afrifa, Agada (duh), Castellanos, Davis (double duh), Flores, Rindov, Russell (surprising), and Walter (triple duh).

 

Out of contract: Duke, McIntosh, and Kinda, but Sporting is in the process of negotiating with Kinda.

 

Option not exercised: Espinoza (what?!?), Zusi, Ford, and Gutierrez.

 

Obviously a lot can still happen.  Players under contract can be traded, and players out of contract can be re-signed.  But this initial announcement sure had some surprises.  For a small market team that prides itself in signing players for the right price and not overpaying, I am most surprised to see Johnny's option picked up and Espinoza let go.  I love Russell, but is he really worth $1M+ next year? His production has gone down and his injuries have gone up.  And as stated above, Roger was playing for peanuts this season.  His locker room leadership alone is worth the $85k salary.  And while players like Zusi and Gutierrez may still find their way onto the roster via a renegotiated contract, that scenario doesn't apply to a player already on the veteran's minimum.  

[aphilso1]

SKC just posted a Zusi tribute on social media.  So it would appear that there is no intention to bring him back via a smaller contract.  Same for Roger.

[HuskerFever]

FWIW

 

 

[Keenan9595]

 

Damn, I’m pretty excited for this!!!  Gotta give the ownership credit for really pushing this thing to the moon with a smart strategy, looks super cool.

[49r]

Very nice!

 

Now about moving up to USL Championship...

[Keenan9595]

37 minutes ago, 49r said:

Very nice!

 

Now about moving up to USL Championship...

We’re already on the way up, this plan was due to the interest to have us and the want from us to come up.  We’d have more drivable rivals in Colorado Springs, Des Moines and Tulsa to name a few.  It should be in the next 2-3 years, but there have been talks about it since the championship season, just needed to get the investors, the stadium and other stuff figured out.  

[Keenan9595]

right here he says USL championship so I think it’s as good as done haha.

[49r]

Well three games in and three results for the boys. It’s not exactly how I thought we’d get three points but we got ‘em nonetheless.