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The MLS trades, transfers and loans thread
- Thread starter Run DMB
- Start date
Were they expected to though? I thought those were training stints more than they were trials. I mean, Bradley is a 17-year-old who spent his entire rookie season injured (hasn't played a minute in MLS). Jeff Parke was also a rookie last year, pretty good defender but not good enough to justify the high salary they would have had to pay him due to restrictions.
FKPartizan
Reserve Team
looks like we may loose Damani Ralph this week, there seems to be strong intrest from a russian club, first few offers to the fire have been declined but the newest offer may be too good to pass up for an mls team. it would be tough to loose him but with our cap space and the income from this transfer we could pick up a fairly decent replacement.
xxxFLYERxxx
Starting XI
And he is waived.
Adu Is 15 Going On . . .
He Enters 2nd Season Stronger, More Mature
By Steven Goff
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 4, 2005; Page D01
The first thing you'll notice about the new Freddy Adu is his hair -- it's growing out and getting a little puffy. His D.C. United coaches and teammates tease him, bouncing the palms of their hands off it. His mother winces when she sees it.
"I call him 'Ugly Hair,' " Emelia Adu said, hiding a smile. "He should get a haircut."
The hair is not the only change. In the 3 1/2 months since helping United win the MLS championship as a wildly publicized rookie, the 15-year-old Adu has undergone a startling physical transformation. He said he has added 15 pounds since the end of last season, going from 130 to 145 pounds. His chest and shoulders are wider and more defined, his upper legs bulkier.
The plan is to add five more pounds onto his 5-foot-6 frame before United's league opener April 2 against the Los Angeles expansion team, Chivas USA. Adu's first serious test will come Wednesday at Maryland SoccerPlex against Harbour View of Jamaica in the first leg of an international tournament quarterfinal.
"I don't know how I did it, really -- just hard work," he said this week after team workouts at the chilly RFK Stadium auxiliary fields. "I did a lot of weightlifting, twice a day, working with conditioning people, and I've been eating a lot better, vegetables and salads, stuff like that. I hated that stuff before."
Adu's offseason work began in mid-November, three days after United had defeated the Kansas City Wizards, 3-2, at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., to win its first MLS Cup title in five years.
Adu, United's third-leading scorer last year with five goals, headed to IMG Academies, the vast sports training facility in Bradenton, Fla., where he had lived as part of a U.S. soccer residency program before signing with MLS in November 2003. He began an intensive conditioning program used by many elite athletes, such as Olympic track and field star Michael Johnson and Carlos*sonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich, that resulted in him adding significant lean muscle mass.
According to Trevor Moawad, a mental conditioning coach at IMG, Adu put on 12 pounds in 12 days in Bradenton. But what impressed Moawad most was Adu's work ethic.
"I remember being in United's locker room after they won the championship and I could see how excited Freddy was," Moawad said. "But he also said, 'I know I can be so much better next year.' It says a lot that, after a 10-month season and all he went through as a rookie, he took two days off and got down here to get back to work."
Adu is starting to notice the benefits of increased strength. In United's preseason exhibitions, he hasn't been getting shoved aside by larger opponents like he often was last year. He is also a little faster, bigger leg muscles providing greater acceleration, he said.
"He's bigger and stronger, but we're not looking to get Arnold Schwarzenegger," United Coach Peter Nowak said. "We're looking to get the soccer player Freddy Adu. He has to grow naturally, but he also has to do this stuff in the weight room to get stronger. I think it has been good for him and it will help him grow as a soccer player."
Adu realizes he must do a lot to maintain his strength, such as shedding his finicky eating habits and trying meals other than his favorite -- mom's Jollof Rice -- when he's at home in Rockville. He's also working out on his own and receiving guidance from United's fitness staff.
"I've got to plan how to keep that weight on," he said. "You've still got to eat right and just keep yourself in condition. I have some weights at home now, so I'm still doing it. But I'm not doing it too much because I don't want to get too big and get a little slower."
Adu, who will turn 16 in June, has also worked with Moawad on his mental preparation after a sometimes frustrating rookie season in which Nowak carefully regulated Adu's playing time and limited him to 14 starts in 30 regular season games. On a championship team that has back most of its players, there are no guarantees he will become a full-time starter.
"My expectations are to crack into the starting lineup," he said. "I don't want to be the kind of player that comes into every game and plays 20 or 25 minutes. That's not me. I want to play. I am very competitive and I want to be out there on the field helping the team out."
Cautioned Nowak: "We know that he grew up, we know he is a better soccer player, a better team player and a better human being. The whole process has made him better. But expectations are one thing, reality is another thing. It's very difficult to change anything major in our lineup, but Freddy is doing his best to make the starting 11."
Adu seems more mature and confident after his topsy-turvy first year, more willing to express himself on the field and demonstrate the creativity that helped turn him into one of the most promising young players in the world.
He, Moawad and the United staff got together recently while the team was training in Bradenton "to make sure Freddy's expectations were in line with the team's expectations," Moawad said. "We talked a lot about how to take the next step" and contribute more to the team.
"Right now, I am riding high on confidence," Adu said. "Once you get a year under your belt and you get a championship and your teammates accept you, your confidence skyrockets because everyone is behind you. So if you work your butt off, you should be fine. The guys have been great. They're like, 'You know what, Freddy, just play your game.' It got to the point last year where I was playing not to make mistakes. That's not me. I play to take chances, I take people on. That's exactly what I've been doing this preseason."
Another young D.C. player, third-year forward Alecko Eskandarian, has noticed a difference in Adu since the 2004 preseason.
"He's a lot more mature, no question about it," he said. "He realizes what it takes, and he's doing great. He's not getting frustrated anymore. He's going out there and having fun. Last year it was like, 'Where is he going to play? Can he handle it physically?' He can definitely handle it and now it's a matter of him finding his spot."
Adu will also likely benefit from fewer off-field distractions. He is still the most popular player in MLS -- he recently did a photo shoot with teenage pop star Hilary Duff in New York and was summoned to Los Angeles by Nike -- and his personal life is sure to change with the arrival of a learner's permit and subsequent driver's license. But the commercial and promotional demands won't be nearly as intense this year, now that the novelty has worn off a bit, and soccer will once again be his primary focus.
"He's bigger, he's stronger, he's more mentally tough and he's a winner," Moawad said. "Everything is in place for him to have a successful year. Knowing what he's gone through this offseason, I know he will do it."
He Enters 2nd Season Stronger, More Mature
By Steven Goff
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 4, 2005; Page D01
The first thing you'll notice about the new Freddy Adu is his hair -- it's growing out and getting a little puffy. His D.C. United coaches and teammates tease him, bouncing the palms of their hands off it. His mother winces when she sees it.
"I call him 'Ugly Hair,' " Emelia Adu said, hiding a smile. "He should get a haircut."
The hair is not the only change. In the 3 1/2 months since helping United win the MLS championship as a wildly publicized rookie, the 15-year-old Adu has undergone a startling physical transformation. He said he has added 15 pounds since the end of last season, going from 130 to 145 pounds. His chest and shoulders are wider and more defined, his upper legs bulkier.
The plan is to add five more pounds onto his 5-foot-6 frame before United's league opener April 2 against the Los Angeles expansion team, Chivas USA. Adu's first serious test will come Wednesday at Maryland SoccerPlex against Harbour View of Jamaica in the first leg of an international tournament quarterfinal.
"I don't know how I did it, really -- just hard work," he said this week after team workouts at the chilly RFK Stadium auxiliary fields. "I did a lot of weightlifting, twice a day, working with conditioning people, and I've been eating a lot better, vegetables and salads, stuff like that. I hated that stuff before."
Adu's offseason work began in mid-November, three days after United had defeated the Kansas City Wizards, 3-2, at Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., to win its first MLS Cup title in five years.
Adu, United's third-leading scorer last year with five goals, headed to IMG Academies, the vast sports training facility in Bradenton, Fla., where he had lived as part of a U.S. soccer residency program before signing with MLS in November 2003. He began an intensive conditioning program used by many elite athletes, such as Olympic track and field star Michael Johnson and Carlos*sonville Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich, that resulted in him adding significant lean muscle mass.
According to Trevor Moawad, a mental conditioning coach at IMG, Adu put on 12 pounds in 12 days in Bradenton. But what impressed Moawad most was Adu's work ethic.
"I remember being in United's locker room after they won the championship and I could see how excited Freddy was," Moawad said. "But he also said, 'I know I can be so much better next year.' It says a lot that, after a 10-month season and all he went through as a rookie, he took two days off and got down here to get back to work."
Adu is starting to notice the benefits of increased strength. In United's preseason exhibitions, he hasn't been getting shoved aside by larger opponents like he often was last year. He is also a little faster, bigger leg muscles providing greater acceleration, he said.
"He's bigger and stronger, but we're not looking to get Arnold Schwarzenegger," United Coach Peter Nowak said. "We're looking to get the soccer player Freddy Adu. He has to grow naturally, but he also has to do this stuff in the weight room to get stronger. I think it has been good for him and it will help him grow as a soccer player."
Adu realizes he must do a lot to maintain his strength, such as shedding his finicky eating habits and trying meals other than his favorite -- mom's Jollof Rice -- when he's at home in Rockville. He's also working out on his own and receiving guidance from United's fitness staff.
"I've got to plan how to keep that weight on," he said. "You've still got to eat right and just keep yourself in condition. I have some weights at home now, so I'm still doing it. But I'm not doing it too much because I don't want to get too big and get a little slower."
Adu, who will turn 16 in June, has also worked with Moawad on his mental preparation after a sometimes frustrating rookie season in which Nowak carefully regulated Adu's playing time and limited him to 14 starts in 30 regular season games. On a championship team that has back most of its players, there are no guarantees he will become a full-time starter.
"My expectations are to crack into the starting lineup," he said. "I don't want to be the kind of player that comes into every game and plays 20 or 25 minutes. That's not me. I want to play. I am very competitive and I want to be out there on the field helping the team out."
Cautioned Nowak: "We know that he grew up, we know he is a better soccer player, a better team player and a better human being. The whole process has made him better. But expectations are one thing, reality is another thing. It's very difficult to change anything major in our lineup, but Freddy is doing his best to make the starting 11."
Adu seems more mature and confident after his topsy-turvy first year, more willing to express himself on the field and demonstrate the creativity that helped turn him into one of the most promising young players in the world.
He, Moawad and the United staff got together recently while the team was training in Bradenton "to make sure Freddy's expectations were in line with the team's expectations," Moawad said. "We talked a lot about how to take the next step" and contribute more to the team.
"Right now, I am riding high on confidence," Adu said. "Once you get a year under your belt and you get a championship and your teammates accept you, your confidence skyrockets because everyone is behind you. So if you work your butt off, you should be fine. The guys have been great. They're like, 'You know what, Freddy, just play your game.' It got to the point last year where I was playing not to make mistakes. That's not me. I play to take chances, I take people on. That's exactly what I've been doing this preseason."
Another young D.C. player, third-year forward Alecko Eskandarian, has noticed a difference in Adu since the 2004 preseason.
"He's a lot more mature, no question about it," he said. "He realizes what it takes, and he's doing great. He's not getting frustrated anymore. He's going out there and having fun. Last year it was like, 'Where is he going to play? Can he handle it physically?' He can definitely handle it and now it's a matter of him finding his spot."
Adu will also likely benefit from fewer off-field distractions. He is still the most popular player in MLS -- he recently did a photo shoot with teenage pop star Hilary Duff in New York and was summoned to Los Angeles by Nike -- and his personal life is sure to change with the arrival of a learner's permit and subsequent driver's license. But the commercial and promotional demands won't be nearly as intense this year, now that the novelty has worn off a bit, and soccer will once again be his primary focus.
"He's bigger, he's stronger, he's more mentally tough and he's a winner," Moawad said. "Everything is in place for him to have a successful year. Knowing what he's gone through this offseason, I know he will do it."
Another goner...
Ralph all but finished with Fire
March 4, 2005
A year after the Fire lost DaMarcus Beasley and Carlos Bocanegra to European clubs, another top player is on the brink of leaving the Major League Soccer team.
Jamaican forward Damani Ralph is being pursued by an unnamed Russian Premier League team, and he could be off the Fire roster as soon as today. He didn't travel with the Fire to Mexico for the second phase of the team's spring training, choosing to remain in Chicago until negotiations are completed between the Russian club, MLS, the Fire and Jamaican club Harbourview.
Those negotiations are far along, Fire general manager Peter Wilt said Thursday.
''It's not finalized, but it's getting close,'' Wilt said.
All that's left is for Harbourview, the team Ralph played for before joining the Fire, to accept compensation for his transfer.
The deal must be completed by Tuesday, the Russian league's transfer deadline.
Ralph led the Fire in scoring last season with 11 goals and three assists.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/fire/cst-spt-fire04.html
Ralph all but finished with Fire
March 4, 2005
A year after the Fire lost DaMarcus Beasley and Carlos Bocanegra to European clubs, another top player is on the brink of leaving the Major League Soccer team.
Jamaican forward Damani Ralph is being pursued by an unnamed Russian Premier League team, and he could be off the Fire roster as soon as today. He didn't travel with the Fire to Mexico for the second phase of the team's spring training, choosing to remain in Chicago until negotiations are completed between the Russian club, MLS, the Fire and Jamaican club Harbourview.
Those negotiations are far along, Fire general manager Peter Wilt said Thursday.
''It's not finalized, but it's getting close,'' Wilt said.
All that's left is for Harbourview, the team Ralph played for before joining the Fire, to accept compensation for his transfer.
The deal must be completed by Tuesday, the Russian league's transfer deadline.
Ralph led the Fire in scoring last season with 11 goals and three assists.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/fire/cst-spt-fire04.html
FKPartizan
Reserve Team
yup it's official, tough loss 
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=327015&cc=5901
Ralph leaving MLS for Russia
Marc Connolly
ESPN Soccernet.com
After lighting the league on fire with 22 goals and 9 assists in his first two seasons as a professional soccer player, Jamaican international Damani Ralph is leaving Major League Soccer to play for Russian side FC Rubin Kazan reports ESPN.com's Marc Connolly.
On Friday, the Daily Southtown reported that the Russian club made an offer for Ralph's services. Two days later, league sources confirmed to ESPN.com that the 24-year-old striker indeed got an offer, and accepted. In fact, Ralph is traveling overseas to Kazan on Monday to get a physical by the club.
The same source revealed that the transfer fee was two million dollars, and that a portion of this figure will be paid to the Chicago Fire.
Attempts to reach Ralph's agent, Patrick McCabe, were not successful. Several parties report him to be overseas, presumably in Russia.
Ralph's deal is said to be for three years, with his salary starting at $650,000 and increasing after each season. The fact that the club plays in a league that gets a bid in the Champions League and a chance to qualify for the UEFA Cup was a big reason for Ralph's move.
FC Rubin Kazan finished 10th in the Russian Premier League last season with a 7-12-11 record.
Good luck in Russia, Damani!!!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=327015&cc=5901
Ralph leaving MLS for Russia
Marc Connolly
ESPN Soccernet.com
After lighting the league on fire with 22 goals and 9 assists in his first two seasons as a professional soccer player, Jamaican international Damani Ralph is leaving Major League Soccer to play for Russian side FC Rubin Kazan reports ESPN.com's Marc Connolly.
On Friday, the Daily Southtown reported that the Russian club made an offer for Ralph's services. Two days later, league sources confirmed to ESPN.com that the 24-year-old striker indeed got an offer, and accepted. In fact, Ralph is traveling overseas to Kazan on Monday to get a physical by the club.
The same source revealed that the transfer fee was two million dollars, and that a portion of this figure will be paid to the Chicago Fire.
Attempts to reach Ralph's agent, Patrick McCabe, were not successful. Several parties report him to be overseas, presumably in Russia.
Ralph's deal is said to be for three years, with his salary starting at $650,000 and increasing after each season. The fact that the club plays in a league that gets a bid in the Champions League and a chance to qualify for the UEFA Cup was a big reason for Ralph's move.
FC Rubin Kazan finished 10th in the Russian Premier League last season with a 7-12-11 record.
Good luck in Russia, Damani!!!
Rochester Rhino
Manager
My would he want to move over to a mid-table Russian team?
Rochester Rhino
Manager
Inside sources from the Stampede say that Colorado GK Scott Vallow, who was realeased recently, will now sign with Rochester, where he played 2 season earlier.