Roster sicheeashun...

For those that may have missed it, here is the current roster situation.

Surprises or interesting bits:

-DiRaimondo is currently under contract.
-Habarugira is not in the plans for the next season. He fit in well to the token young African player brought in late in the season, only to not return in the following season.
-We currently have four keepers under contract.
-Lawson Vaughn is not under contract, but will have a chance to earn a contract at pre-season.
-Continued speculation in regards to Gomez who is said to be "under consideration." I read that as an all else fails plan. Wasn't that what led him to going to Colorado?
-Continued speculation in regards to Namoff's status. I hate concussions.

Tony Limarzi on the Upcoming Season and Being an Original Fan

I recently had the pleasure of getting Tony Limarzi to answer a few questions for me. You know him as the radio voice of United and the face of Access United, here he is answering questions about television and United!

Tony, Thank you so much for answering a few questions for the blog! We look forward to hearing your goal calls more than ever in the upcoming season.

B & R: What was the moment you fell in love with DC United?

Tony Limarzi: Day One. I remember watching the inaugural game against the Clash and being pretty bummed when we lost at the end. As a soccer player and fan growing up in D.C., there wasn't any soccer easily accessible except for the World Cup. I went to some Dips games but I was pretty young. Then this new MLS came out of nowhere and I was an instant fan. The memories from the Big Bertha Game vs. Tampa Bay and Leg 2 of the 1996 Eastern Conference semifinals against the MetroStars still stick out as the best memories.

B & R: You have done work as a commentator on CSN for United broadcasts, is this something we can expect more of in the future?

TL:It seems like I'm still going to be the backup for Dave Johnson who has been the Play-By-Play man for D.C. United since the beginning. Dave is one of the best two or three soccer announcers in the whole country, so people are naturally very happy with his work. I'm always ready to contribute to Comcast Sportsnet whenever they call on me.

B & R: As a close associate to the team, how do you feel the direction of the team has changed to try to redirect the team back to achieving the lofty goals expected of the club?

TL: It's very detrimental to keep trying the same thing year after year without the success you want and demand. It's going to be a very different United team this year, but the club felt as though running the race with the same horses was not the way to go. The chemistry has not been great the past few years. It's not simply the talent level that matters most. I don't think anybody would say that Real Salt Lake had the most talented roster in 2009, but they had the right pieces in place.

B & R: The DC United fans hold Jaime Moreno in the highest regard due to the time he has spent with our club. Can you give us some perspective on how the rest of league (fans, clubs, players) view Jaime Moreno and the impact he has had on this league?

TL: Jaime is certainly well-respected around the league, and no one can deny his greatness and impact to MLS and American Soccer. I think one of the reasons that you don't hear as much about Jaime as you should is that he always has a sort of business like approach. Jaime doesn't really look happy that often, even when he's scoring beautiful goals. With all of his success, and his demeanor, it's easy for other teams and fans to dislike him. No one can say anything bad about him, so that's why you don't hear much about him at all. The masses prefer flamboyant and flashy players and Jaime will never be that. I feel like that's the reason he was overlooked for the 2004 MLS MVP award, and that's the reason he's not a media darling. Jaime is a hero to everybody who loves D.C. United.

B & R: The work you have done with DC United.com is providing more access to the players, something that is not normally provided for the sport on the national level. What can we expect from DCUnited.com in this regard for the upcoming season?

TL: We have a lot of fun stuff planned this season. People have already seen the live coverage from Ben Olsen's retirement, and Curt Onalfo's hiring. Last season, "Access United" was a great way for fans to get a little closer to their favorite team, and this season the great people at dcunited.com are coming up with new ways to make the website even better for the fans. D.C. is sort of leading the way in MLS in terms of on-line content and we're trying to stay in front. So, all the fans need to check out dcunited.com first thing, every morning. They won't be disappointed.

Tony, thanks again for answering some questions. We fans truly appreciate your work and your love for United!

-Black and Red on Both Sides

Off Season Video of a Brazilian Exodus...

This off season has seen its share of changes so far. Players of fans affection and objection are on the move to and from the club. Below are a couple of videos to help you keep track and for your viewing pleasure. Let your imagination run wild and your eyes tear up as you become reminiscent of good times.

Our new left sided winger...
Christian Castillo.

Our new well traveled forward...
Danny Allsopp.

Our beloved trickster and inconsistent finisher who is on to pastures more Novak...
Fred.

Our poacher, our singer, our notoriously slow and lead footed forward who will samba in the land of samba this upcoming season...
Emilio.

And last, but never in the least, Happy Birthday to our legend...
Mr. Ice Water in the Veins Moreno

Waiting for rumors...and I get news!

As I was about to post about how I was disappointed there were no rumors about who United was looking at, I get a text from my twitter account saying we had acquired Danny Allsopp! I should hurry and get ready to post something similar so we sign more players! In all sincerity, he looks like a finisher, although most Internet videos don't show players missing a lot of shots. I was listening to the UnitedMania podcast yesterday, and this was one thing they pointed out as a position of need. A killer instinct guy. Hopefully this is it!

I feel like a lot of people are currently down on the teams chances heading in to this season. I believe there are two ways to look at what is going on. Negatively, we have lost some players (Emilio, Fred, Jacobson, Olsen, possible Gomez, #7 draft pick). In our current state, we may struggle, but the season hasn't started and the roster is not even close to complete. So I think it is easier to look at the positive side. While we have lost those players, we have brought in new and exciting options. Emilio, Fred and Gomez were really victims of their performance not being worth their salary. There is no need to ride the old horse if we don't have to! We can move in a new direction and keep our young nucleus together. Let's face it, we still have a young and exciting core to our team (Pontius, Wallace, Quaranta, Jakovic, James, Szetela). There will be more additions coming. I think there is a lot to look forward to with this team.

Lawson Vaughn Interview

Below is my interview with Lawson Vaughn. He signed with United on September 11 of last year and provided cover at right back when Namoff suffered from his concussion. Here is what he had to say about the differences at United and his hopes for the team in the next season:

1 ) In coach Onalfo's introductory press conference, he mentioned the infrastructure of the club as a reason he desired to be here. As a player who has recently spent time with Chivas USA, what have been the differences you have noticed between the two clubs?

For the most part everything was pretty similar. It really is the little things that set the two clubs apart for me. Obviously DC has a longer and more successful history behind them which leads to very high expectations. Anything we accomplished at Chivas was really the first in club history. At DC, I feel the general expectation among everyone here is to win the MLS Cup and Supporter’s Shield every season. Every team strives for that and that’s their goal, but at DC it feels like an expectation which is what I like. The relationships from top to bottom here at DC are very good and there is a high level of respect shown from everyone which is something I like.

2) What were the biggest challenges you had to face as a player coming mid season as opposed to starting the season with a team from the beginning?

It was actually an easy transition in the locker room. All the guys welcomed me in and made it simple. On the field it was about the same. Playing right back, for me, is playing right back. Both teams like to attack and as an outside back my role was pretty much the same. The only difficult part really was learning my teammates tendencies and just picking up that sixth sense of where each players going to be. At the end of the day, we’re all professionals and are able to adapt to playing with different players and in different systems. With that said, I think being able to go through an entire preseason would be better for me. It allows for a team to really become a strong unit. In order for a back four or team to be great defensively, we need to train and work together as much as possible to become a cohesive unit.

3) Other than consistency, what do you feel the biggest opportunities are for the defense of United?

I think the defense can definitely be better. We have good young defenders here and 2010 will be a good chance to show the league and fans what we’re capable of as a unit. This season will give us the opportunity to really establish ourselves and help the team win something. I would like to see more shutouts and holding teams to no more than 1 goal a game. We have the offensive players to create havoc and to score some goals, but we as a defense need to keep our team in games. The longer we keep the other team at 0, even if we haven’t scored, we have a better chance of winning or coming away with points.


4) What have you been doing this off season in order to prepare for next season?

First, I wanted to give my body a little time to rest. When I came to DC, I hadn’t played in a meaningful game in over a year so my body took a little beating in trying to get back to that level. I have been following our workout program which consists of a little yoga, weights, and conditioning. I would like to get my first step back to where it was a couple years ago so that is a focus. Also, I’ve been playing some to keep my mind going and to stay in shape for soccer.

5) What do you feel are realistic expectations for DC United in the upcoming season?


The first expectation is to make the playoffs and finish in the top 4 if not win the Supporter’s Shield. From just the past few years, we’ve found out that any team can make the playoffs and make a run once they are there so I don’t think winning an MLS Cup is impossible either. I definitely expect the team not give up 44 goals again. To win championships you either need to have a strong defense or an extremely potent and explosive offense.

Thanks once again for taking the time to speak with me and to the fans of DC United.

-Black and Red on Both Sides

Perkins Acquired...

We have a new goalkeeper! I am excited about Perkins coming back, but also sort of bummed we lost our first round draft pick. I believe that both teams got pieces that they needed in order to get better. My dissapointment comes from my increased interest in the draft due to the increased media attention. It is a part of MLS that is unique in comparison to foreign leagues. I am still holding hope that DC finds a way to get in to the earlier rounds of the draft, but I am not sure what assets United has left to deal other than the players we don't want to lose.

I am choosing to stick to the positives of this trade though, and we not only got a starting goalkeeper, but we got a known quantity. Someone that wants to be here. Someone we know works well with our coaching staff. There is also something to be said for his first quote after returning to United from behind the Badge:

“Since my wife and I have been discussing this, we’ve had a lot of excitement about coming back to DC. To be able to raise a family in the states and to be back in the black and red – it’s more than just a feeling. It’s something deep in the heart and the soul. D.C. United is where things began and where I belong.”

Goalkeeping has been a major issue for the team since he left. I liked Josh Wicks because I am predisposed to like people with fire and intensity (Ben Olsen), but there needs to be something better to say about your goalkeeper than, "Well, he's better than Zach Wells!"

Now is also time to put faith in the front office to either make trades or, more likely, sign foreign talent. There is quite a bit of cap space left after Olsen, Fred, Emilio and possibly Gomez are removed from the books. We still have holes all over the field. Midfield has now lost three contributors from last season in Olsen, Jacobson, Fred and possibly Gomez and we have only added Castillo. There are still questions about the forwards as well. Let's go United! Make it happen. I can't wait for the off season to be over just so I know what's going on!

Later today on the blog, thoughts on the draft. Tomorrow, I will post a short interview with Lawson Vaughn.

Top DC United Stories

1)The return of Troy Perkins?< Steve Goff is reporting that his reps are working hard for a return to DC United. My feeling is that I 1) love Troy Perkins and 2) don't want to give up too much.

Teams will know we are desperate to get Perkins back and will try to make us overpay which is frustrating, but is the nature of business and sports negotiating. I first thought this was nothing big, but then Perkins sends a farewell letter to the fans at Valarenga. There will be more to this soon, but I will say now, that it will be painful to watch Perkins in a different MLS uniform.

For those that missed the Valarenga Troy Perkins video, it's pretty good.

2) MLS Superdraft overdrive!!!! Coverage is everywhere!
Everything, including videos, regarding the combine can be found here. There is also a short video with Ben Olsen making an appearance. Also, plenty of recap can be found here.

ESPN Soccernet has info from many of the top writers on the internet.

I have found that there is no authority on what will happen at a draft, so I just sort of combine thoughts from all of the sites. Still, it is a pot shoot. My man Tchani has impressed at the combine! (Yeah!) This draft leaves a couple questions for United. Will they try to move up in order to grab one of the top players? Will a great player drop in to our laps at the seven pick? Will we regain our form of draft bad luck? So much drama! So much fun!

Lastly, there is a great piece by Mike Martin at Unitedmania.com totally going against my theory, and the theory of Dave Kasper according to the video on DCUnited.com, to go for the best player available. His evidence comes from when United has had the most success in the draft and whether they were drafting by position or drafting the best player available. We will see how it plays out!

Short John DiRaimondo Interview

John DiRaimondo is the young central midfielder brought to United in late March of last year. He has experience playing for Colorado and also had loan stints at Harrisonburg City Islanders and Richmond Kickers while with United last season. He scored two goals during his five games on loan with the Kickers and has been invited back to training camp by United this year according to Steve Goff. Below are a few questions John answered for the blog regarding his hopes for the new season and the complexities of playing at altitude.

Hey John, thank you so much for answering some questions for the blog.

1) As someone who played quite a bit at altitude while with Colorado, can you help describe the difficulties playing at Dick Sporting Goods Park and if altitude could be reason for United's struggles in away matches there.
John D: Playing at altitude is definitely a hard thing to do. The problem is that it takes the body a week or so to get acclimated to the altitude so there is really no way to go into a game in Denver and be fully prepared. Also, it isn't right down the block from D.C. and it is tough to travel such a far distance and then play at altitude.

2) What have been the best parts about coming to play for United?
John D: The best part about coming to play for United has to be representing a club with such a deep tradition and passion for the game. Also, playing in front of the fans at D.C. is great. There are very few places around the league that even come close to the atmosphere our fans bring at RFK.

3) What are your personal goals going in to next season?
John D: I think one of my personal goals next years is to contribute more. Unfortunately last year I didn't get a whole lot of playing time and this year I want to make sure I go into preseason, work hard, and hopefully get a chance to prove myself.

4) Which MLS player have you looked up to in your career so far?
John D: While in Colorado I really looked up to and admired Pablo Mastroeni. Not only is Pablo a great player, but he is also a great person. He really helped me with my game a lot and taught me what it takes to be a professional. In D.C. we have several great veteran players so I tried to learn from them, but I would have to say I looked up to Ben Olsen. I used to watch Ben play on the national team when I was younger and really admired the way he played so I was really fortunate to be able to play with him last year. He, like Pablo, is also just a good guy to be around.

5) What do you think are the biggest opportunities for the team to focus on in order to regain their status at the top of the league?
John D: I think this year with a new coach coming in it's a new start for the team. If we focus on being organized as a team and buying into the new system we will succeed. We have an extremely talented team, we just need to get out on the field and show it.

Thanks John, and good luck!
-Black and Red on Both Sides

Steven Cohen Interview

I recently got Steven Cohen to answer a few questions for the blog. His work with Kenny Hassan on their daily radio show has to be admired, even if you don't agree with them. Their discussions span across the world and they have built a large base of highly respected and entertaining correspondents. Below are the answers to a couple questions.

Steven, thanks for answering a few questions for the blog.

1) As a Chelsea supporter, you may be partially biased, but which model do you think provides the most exciting league format, Premiership big four or MLS salary cap parity?

Personally I still prefer Premiership big 4 model. Beyond the big 4 is really the issue though. With the European leagues you have teams fighting for Europe whether it be the Champions League of Europa League and then of course the all important issue of relegation which means that throughout the season you can probably find 6-7 games every weekend that have a compelling story and consequence.

2) Do you feel that the current economic climate which has led teams such as Portsmouth in to crisis, that the MLS league format has gained further legitimacy?

Yes and no.

Yes, because it shows, along with the other well run US sports leagues how you run a league where everyone can and should make money. To this point MLS has stuck to its guns and is progressing down a tried and true path.

No, because at the end of the day MLS is not the NBA, NFL, NHL or MLB. The financial nature and structure of single entity means that the league will always be 98% journeymen.

You can change the rules every once in a while to accommodate David Beckham, or Blanco, Lopez, Ljungberg and Angel but let’s be honest, it is not enough. We watch the Premiership, La Liga and Serie A to watch the stars. It is why I watch the NBA and NFL...those guys are the best at what they do for their sport. This is not true of MLS.

My feeling is that after 15 years the rules of single entity should have been relaxed...it is time to let clubs sink or swim. If Joe Roth in Seattle wants to spend his personal fortune in making the Sounders the best team in the world he should be allowed to. What i cannot stand is that I still feel that the rules are changed and bent to suit the LA Galaxy...the league needs the Galaxy to win to give the league legitimacy which I disagree with.

It is a much better story that Real Salt Lake with a great young manager in Jason Kreis and with super players like Beckerman and Findley beat the star heavy LA Galaxy. The league is only looking at it from the point of view of trying to make the Galaxy one of the world's super clubs and that if they had won they would have got Beckham and Donovan on Leno and Letterman whereas Leno and Letterman are not interested in Beckerman and Findley.

The Galaxy will never be a super club but that is a question and answer for another time.

3) How is your radio partnership with Kenny Hassan different from the relationship with your previous co-hosts?

It is mainly different because we are very equal partners in the business as well as on the radio.

He is always well prepared and well rounded and it takes a lot of pressure off of me. Geber could really only try and be funny or talk about Liverpool. The show as it is today could never have accommodated Geber because he was too lazy and would not do the work or watch the games and thought that reducing the show to a frat boy exercise served the show well.
Howard was great but too anti-America and actually just simply anti anything that was not Manchester United. Kenny is really good.

4) It seems that your interest in MLS has increased gradually over the years, what has helped foster or grow your interest in the league?

My biggest argument about MLS was that there was nothing to talk about. What I mean by that is that the MLS season would begin, the games would be played but between the games there was nothing of any interest to talk about from a neutrals perceptive.

One thing i will say for Beckham is he gave us stuff to talk about. That is when it changed for me.

His arrival, his injury, his second season and his abject lack of interest and motivation, his laziness and his general lack of giving a shit about the league and the country was golden. Landon coming out and saying what he did to Grant Wahl for Grant's book was beyond golden and by the way 100% true. The fact that Landon was forced to swallow it is unfortunate because everything he said about Beckham at the time he said it and based on what Beckham had delivered thus far was 100% true. It made Landon in my eyes a bigger man etc...

We talk about the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga Monday - Friday because it is so easy because there is a soap opera that follows the game. Until Beckham got here we did not have that with MLS.

The America soccer fan in my opinion also grew up massively this season with its approach to Beckham. Beckham and his people thought he could simply phone it in. The American soccer fan this season told them in no uncertain terms that he could not and you saw his attitude change 180 degrees because of it. MLS is growing up and it’s really good.

Also when you look at RFK, Toronto, Seattle and even LA you are seeing serious crowds, serious noise and serious fans. It is much easier to follow something and be interested in something when there is an atmosphere about it. When i look at some of these stadiums i finally say to myself that i would like to be there.

5) If you were allowed to make one change to Major League Soccer, what would it be?

Relegation/Promotion. Simple as that...it would revolutionize American sport.

The one thing you hear and read American sports journalists talking about when they do talk about soccer are relegation and promotion. "What if Donald Sterling had to contend with being relegated to the CBA...now that would be great." It seems to me that the one thing that even the most anti-soccer writers are keen on is relegation and promotion. This notion of being rewarded for being the worst is wack!!!

6) Do you feel that the United States will eventually have rivalries as great as Rangers/Celtic, Boca/River, Man U/Man City, Real Madrid/Barcelona, or will the size of our country keep us from ever having such geographic rivalries?

Not really to be honest and the answer is in your question. The country is too big. Not enough people travel to follow their team and the size of America does not really allow for it.

That said it is come on leaps and bounds. You would expect a nice rivalry between Phili, NY and DC starting next season and certainly with each city being drivable to.

On the west coast with LA/Chivas, San Jose, Seattle and of course Portland and Vancouver in 2011. So the league is making steps to create these rivalries and that should be applauded.

That said...we do not want rivalries like Celtic and Rangers in this country. Rivalries based on religion and sectarianism...no thank you.

Finally, I am a big fan of Curt Onalfo and i hope he does great things with DC United this season and i love that he has put together a coaching staff of all ex DC United players and all ex DC United players who won titles with DC United.

Good luck in 2010 and thanks for asking me to contribute.

Cheers,
Steven

Thank you for your time Steven and we hope to get you to answer more questions in the future. I strongly suggest people go to www.worldfootballdaily.com and sign up for the premium plan. The price you pay for the amount of content you get is nothing. It makes my hour I spend driving to and from work each day a lot easier.
-Black and Red on Both Sides

New United Unis

Here are the new unis according to this website. Not too much different from last year. I think the VW logo limits the ability to do too much different. The website laments the loss of the three stripes on the uniforms, but I am not too torn. What are your thoughts? Miss the stripes? Like the new unis?

More draft info

Soccer America re-emphasizes that United simply cannot draft by position, and must take the best player possible.

D.C. UNITED. The attack will need shoring up whether or not Luciano Emilio and/or Christian Gomez find other employment. Chris Pontius and Santino Quaranta are good starting points but neither is a striker like Emilio. Fred has been retained, so he and Clyde Simms form a midfield framework in need of some dressing up. Back-line help would help. General manager Dave Kasper has announced he'll take his first scouting trip to Africa during this preseason.

DC just has too many areas in need to not draft the best player available.

Also, a little video from day one of the combine.

Top DC United Related Stories *(Updated)

1) MLS Draft Combine starts today...the quest for Tchani begins!!!!
Soccer By Ives is providing match commentary here.
Pro Player Pipeline also has match commentary and player evals as well as 5 up and 5 down at MLSDraft.net.


2) Who replaces Emilio?
As we found out yesterday, Emilio is gone. Kevin Payne came out shortly after his departure was announced and said they had planned for him not to take the lower salary offered and that they wanted to go in a different direction. So what is next? Who is next? What style player are they bringing in? Are they going to run with what they have instead of consistently playing Quaranta, Pontius and Khumalo out of position on the wing? I doubt that for some reason. But it would allow some money to be spent for some premium midfielders.

3) Chris Pontius takes in his first US Men's National Team camp.
An interview was posted on Behind the Badge along with some pictures. Go get 'em Party Boy! Show them what we're made of!

Gone, Baby Gone

Emilio has left the building! As had been hinted at by Mr. Goff at the Washington Post, Emilio has left the team. The 2007 MVP and Golden Boot winner has signed with a second division Brazilian club. Was Emilio the victim of his own early success? He could never live up to the expectations he created with his first season. People began to expect him to be something he was not. As the service from midfield dried up, Emilio struggled to adapt. Buen viaje Emilio. Thanks for the great memories! Payne was quoted in the article as saying that they already had other options in mind which will have a less severe impact on the salary cap (read not a DP). So let's do it! Make it happen. While we are doing top fives, what five things would you want in a replacement for Emilio? Here are mine, meant with no disrespect to the man himself as he will be missed.
1) A first touch.
2) Ability to consistently create his own shot.
3) Beautiful singing voice.
4) Richard Pryor style sense of humor.
5) Explosive first step.

Fantasy Land...

So I was thinking the other day, if there were five players you wish had played for United, who would they be? The only constraints would be that they have actually played in MLS. Here is my five:
1) Shalrie Joseph.





He is a versatile player with the skillset to move to Europe, but never could because of the hardball the Rev's have played with his contract.

2) Kyle Beckerman





I always felt like this is the type fo player which should have come to United. He is a local guy, has good feet, and is not afraid of a tackle.

3) Robbie Rogers





A UMD guy that I remember tearing us apart when UMD scrimmaged DCU reserves before he went off to Holland. I knwo we made a play for him when he came back, but to no avail. Hopefully he'll still make it this way.

4) Wade Barrett





If you could not already tell, I have an affinity for local players. Wade is from VA Beach and I always followed him and wished he would have made it to United. Always provided solid leadership and defense for the Dynamo.

5) Arturo Alvarez




I always thought this guy had great potential, but struggled with consistency. i thought he would eventually blossom, and I have always hoped that it would be a United coach that would help his talents come to fruition.

I guess the great thing about my five, is that it is not too late for some of the players to still make it here and be big contributors to our future. What are your five?

Ange...we hardly knew ye..

I stated yesterday that i was still hopeful that Ange N'Silu would turn in to a productive player, which may still happen, just not with United. Steve Goff reported yesterday that the team has waived him. He becomes the third player waived this offseason along with Janicki and Allen.

That Pesky Draft

This picture is awesome! Get your hands off of Coach's Heine!

So the MLS Draft combine and Superdraft are coming up and I am in no way an expert on college players or their potential ability at the professional level. I have viewed the many mock drafts and kind of assessed in my mind who I would like for our team, but who does everyone else hope we end up with? I hope United is planning on taking the best player available as this is the best assured way to add talent to your roster. Drafting for position is a big NO NO! You end up reaching and drafting a less talented player. Also, I don't believe United is in a position where they can discount talent at any position. Let's look:

Forward: We don't know if Emilio will be back, in fact it is said that he most likely will not be. While I agree with DCUMD's resolution of getting more playing time for the most productive players, there is no question that Moreno has a few miles on his legs. Chris Pontius is the young up and comer, but while he and Santino are formidable options up front, it would mean a big change in the lineup since they were primarily played in midfield last season. Ange N'Silu...still waiting and hoping for him to be a threat. I like Khumalo and I hope he finds his most productive position since it seemed that it was questioned whether it was better for him to play on the wing or up top. So there are many questions in this group, including a big doubt as to whether Emilio, who played in 27 games last season, will even be here.

Midfield: We lost Benny Olsen and Andrew Jacobson since the end of last season. This leaves us with some interesting options, but fewer players in the midfield pool in general. Many draft boards have us taking Stahl from UConn, who is described as Strong, smart, tall (6-foot-3) and technically sound, Stahl is widely-regarded as the most polished defensive midfielder by Soccer By Ives. In the central midfield we currently have Simms, Szetela, DiRaimondo, Barklage, Gomez, and Fred, who has always been more comfortable in the middle if not best suited to play there. That leaves us with Shipalane, Pontius and Quaranta if they are not being used as forwards, Castillo and Wallace, who may be looking at trying to compete for time at Left back with the arrival of Castillo, to play out wide. It seems that the middle of the pitch is already crowded, particularly for the holding and defensive mid position. Gomez is also currently out of contract.

Defense & Goalkeeper: We shipped 44 goals last year. Jakovic has real promise and James has good potential. Burch is continuing to develop. Namoff is our rock. John, Vaughn and McTavish have been filling in the holes and Habarugira is a project. While I feel there are real useful players in this group, we allowed 44 goals last season. Period. Our goalkeeping situation seems to have depth, but consistency and competent decision making made Cronin a welcome late season addition. We are still suffering from a lull after our years of riches when we had the best backup goalkeeper in the league in Rimando.

All of this simply goes to show that we cannot afford to discount talent in any area. We should be looking to get the most talented player available. There are plenty of opportunities all over the field. Personally, I hope we find a way to get Tony Tchani for a couple of reasons. He is described as a 6-foot-4 playmaker who combines strength, a deft passing touch and goal-scoring ability, meaning he 1) has size, and 2)has potential to be cover for the A-mid position Gomez holds. He is also a UVA kid and from my neck of the woods in South-eastern, VA. It allows us to bring in a somewhat local player and keep the UVA link.

Lastly, here are some MLS Draft links for ya:
MLSDraft.net
Soccer By Ives has been updating their Draft Big Board
Mock Draft from Goal.com
Great analysis on what seems to be every single college player and person who thought about soccer while in college this year. Awesome!
All of Buzz Carrick's work from 3rddegree.net shows up here. Really tight analysis on top prospects by position

Video From the Onalfo Event

Found some video of the Onalfo and assistant coaches at Black Finn.

Changes, they are a brewin...

I could only imagine the title of this post said in a Brad Pitt, Inglorious Basterd accent. Thus, the picture. So there is quite a lot going on right now, so lets recap.


New coach- CHECK
Roster- not so much check
Draft- soon to be check
Stadium- ZZZZZZZZZZZ (hopeful 2014 check)

Please refer to some earlier posts regarding the coaching position. Right now, we are going to look at the current roster situation. Yesterday, The Washington Post reported that the option on Fred's contract has been picked up, but that the option on Christian Gomez's has not. This, in addition to the option on Emilio's contract not being picked up can only mean one thing, the team could have a different look to it next year. Last year was always going to be a difficult year for United since it was the beginning of what has been called "a youth movement," "a transition year," or as I like to call it, "the young bucks taketh over the team." This year, we see a continuation of this reflected in the contract negotiations. It has been reported that both Gomez and Emilio have been offered lower salary amounts to come back, that Emilio has been pursuing other options and that Gomez appears to want to return. It is all a waiting game at this point. I will say that professional soccer players are very opportunistic with contracts. One good season and they want to lock in at a high rate, but they are unwilling to take less money if their performance lessens. Interesting, isn't it? The last player in what could be considered the old reign is Jaime Moreno, whom Goff reports is close to signing another one year deal. Good move. He was effective in limited minutes last year and should be treated as royalty for what he has given this team and league. There will definitely be more regarding the roster and these players, so stay tuned!

The Onalfo Presser...

There were some interesting quotes in the Washington Post today regarding some of the doubts supporters likely have regarding Onalfo's previous head coaching record at Kansas City. Steve Goff reports:

"I know people will question that, but situations are different everywhere," United President Kevin Payne said.

"I was reminded the other day that [Patriots Coach] Bill Belichick had a losing record in Cleveland before he went to New England and became one of the most successful coaches in the history of American football. It's a matter of the fit and the growth of a person. Curt has grown."

I can buy in to this. I think this is an optimistic way to begin looking at a new coach. Needless to say, this argument could be made for a lot of new head coaches, but Onalfo certainly comes from a background which make him seem to be a great fit in the organization. He sure is enthusiastic, which I am a huge fan of.

"D.C. United is dear to my heart," said Onalfo, who prior to coaching Kansas City was a U.S. national team assistant under former D.C. coach Bruce Arena. "It's a big market, it's an important market and I've prepared myself now 10 years as a professional soccer coach for a place like D.C. United. It's a dream job. We have enormous work ahead of us, but make no mistake about it, priority number one is to get this team back to the playoffs and qualified for international tournaments."

So day one complete for the new coach. I would like to think he ended it with what could only be considered as the equivalent of a hat trick for any coach. According to Goff's twitter account he bought the supporters who stuck around at Black Finn last night a round of drinks. WOW! Great one coach! Attacking soccer...fans are important...free booze...Coach Onalfo knows the way to our hearts, doesn't he?

...and the assistance comes from...

Kris Kelderman, Mark Simpson, and Benny Olsen will be the assistant coaches for Curt Onalfo. Kelderman was Onalfo's right hand man in Kansas City and also has experience as a player for DC United and coach of the U-17 team for the club. He was also previously an assistant at George Mason University. Simpson stays on and Olsen fills out the contigent which has all played for United previously. I am excited that Benny is back, but not all too surprised. Would it have been the same team without having Benny clsoely involved. Let's hope he can develop a way to put his heart and determination in to coaching and pulling the same attributes out of the players!

Onalfo and the Draft

An analysis of Onalfo's success in the Superdraft courtesy of Goal.com

Fact about D.C. United's new coach Curt Onalfo's draft history: in his three years in charge of Kansas City, he had fourteen picks (including a #1 overall pick), only two of those fourteen turned into regular starters. That was a team that started Lance Watson frequently. MLS - "Where improving your team in the off-season is optional." This team definitely needs some help at defense, but there are no players on the board worth a pick this early in the draft. That said, Onalfo chased a fullback last year and the year before that, he is going to do it again. There is always a bad decision in the top half of the draft and this is it. To Loyd's credit, he is going to be a very useful professional especially in a league where utility is a huge benefit with small roster sizes.

We are all aware of United's past difficulties in the draft. let's hope last year was a sign that we have turned a corner in this area.

Onalfo...

The team announced the sixth coach in team history today. It can be debated whether this was a good move, but I, for one, will put faith that the club has done it's due diligence in making the decision to have Curt Onalfo lead the charge starting this season. I believe there are reasons for optimism:

1) Youthful, energetic coach, 2) His familiarity with the team ideals and staff, 3) His history of working with young players in his time directing our United Youth Development program for two years.

I also believe there are issues which make this a questionable decision:

1) His sketchy success as a head coach while in Kansas City, 2) Despite his resume which boasts time leading our youth development, he has had sketchy results in the MLS Superdraft, 3) The continued recurrence of his language abilities as a qualification to be a head coach of United.

I believe there are certain things which will dictate whether or not this new leadership will be successful. I first believe that the relationship between Kasper, Onalfo and Ashton must click. There has to be communication and a consensual understanding on the direction of the club and player acquisitions. I also believe that Onalfo's ability to direct the transition of Moreno, Emilio and Gomez to younger legs will be critical.

My ultimate feeling is that the Onalfo decision was high risk, but could also be high reward. I do believe the resourses and set up at United are advanced in comparison to Kansas City and that this could be helpful for Onalfo, but I am equally not placated by the excuse that Kansas City was a team without talent as a reason that Onalfo struggled during his tenure there. I think that his enthusiasm and understanding of the high expectations that come with the coaching position at DC United are important. We want people who understand what it means to wear OUR badge. He has my support and my hopes. Good luck Curt!

Welcome

This is a new venture for me. I have never blogged, nor had I ever thought that I would. But here I am. Let me first state that I am neither a professional writer or analyst. I am a fan and will always remain one. My intention for this blog is to create a space where people come to discuss DC United on a regular basis. Conflicting opinions are expected and welcomed. Thank you for coming to my site and I hope you come back and visit often.