So the word is that McBride is making his triumphant MLS return to Chicago (anyone want to start complaining about how MLS always bends the rules for the Fire?)
Back when Donovan returned to the league from Germany, the Galaxy traded Carlos Ruiz, their best player at the time, to Dallas for the right to sign Donovan.
Blanco is indisputably Chicago's best player now.
Who sees a Blanco trade? I don't, but I've been wrong before.
TFC is tops in the allocation order - what should TFC ask of the Fire in return for the rights to McBride? Where would the Fire get another DP slot from? Perhaps a different MLS team will be involved.
If I were TFC, I'd ask for Chris Rolfe, Justin Mapp, Bakary Soumare and Gonzalo Segares, or a combination of those, since four players for one McBride might be a bit much. Problem is, if the rights to McBride and a DP slot are separate deals, that's not going to leave Chicago much to bargain with without gutting their team, which is playing excellently thus far.
Perhaps the deal to bring McBride in is contingent on next year, though, leaving the Fire intact for now. It would be easier to integrate new contributors in the offseason. However, last year, it was Blanco's midseason contribution which helped the Fire push through to the playoffs.
What should TFC ask for? What should the Fire be willing to give up? What is McBride worth?
The Fire is the best team in MLS right now. To disrupt the chemistry could be counterproductive.
ReplyDeleteHowever, MLS only matters in October and November so maybe they feel like they've got a few months to sort out the new-look Fire squad before the real season starts.
And that is the sad part LB, no one will take this league seriously when there are playoffs!!!
ReplyDeletea.c., there's no way I'd trade any of those players for Brian McBride (especially Soumare, who's the best defender in the league this year). McBride is a consummate professional and a genuinely good person but as a soccer player, he's one-dimentional (more so than Beckham). If I'm in charge of making trades, I don't exchange good young talent in its prime for a one-dimentional veteran who's past his prime.
ReplyDeletei'm reminded of the luis hernandez saga... i think we'll see a multi-team trade.
ReplyDeleteI'd hope that Chicago doesn't have to give up much. From everything I hear, it sounds like McBride decided that he wanted to come home if (and only if) he could go to Chicago (or maybe Columbus?). Since it sounds like he's essentially dictating where he goes--he had an offer from Fulham for leverage--I'm hoping that MLS and Toronto agreed that since there was no hope of McBride's going to Toronto, whatever Chicago has to give them will be pretty minor. And maybe Toronto will even get to keep its allocation rank.
ReplyDeleteToronto can take a pass and wait to use it's allocation on something else. That doesn't seem like a bad idea. Sure, they could leverage McB into something valuable they immediately need but it's not like Chicago and Brian don't have their own leverage. Brian can, and probably will, refuse to play for Toronto, thus weakening their claim on him. Additionally, Chicago is playing great they don't need a McBride, and in all actuality he's not really going to fill the Toyota in a way that's going to make sacrificing the current core Fire team worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI can see MLS working the backroom to appease McBride, but definitely not Chicago giving up anything of great value for him.
Now if Tronto wants to take Chad Barret and Andy Herron off their hands...
Conde or Dasan Robinson and Barrett or Carr... throw in a first round draft pick if needed
ReplyDeleteCarr/Herron+Pick+cash
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty good deal for TFC.
The difference is that donavan was young and McBride has 1-2 yrs left in him. you maam are nuts
ReplyDeleteSo based on what Mo Johnston is saying, it sounds like Toronto actually COULD rob the Fire at allocation point.
ReplyDeleteThis is so ludicrous.
An iconic and effective player is willing to turn down an extension with a Premiership team where he's beloved by the fans so that he can come play in a particular city, and the MLS actually has a rule that INTERFERES with that?
What a terrible precedent, and what a blow to recruiting players to the MLS. ("Kasey Keller, you've got a good year left in you, but you'll not only have to take a pay cut to come to MLS, but you'll have to spend that year in Salt Lake.") Ugh.
@mattjack: they take the FMF pretty serious in Mexico and the Eredivisie and SPL both have playoffs determining things. I thin all three of those countries take their football pretty seriously. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe idea that Chicago will have to mortgage the house is pretty comical. Johnston is trying to make it sound that way but lets face it, it's been known for well over a year that McBride wanted to play for Chicago or retire. It's pretty simple. TFC is holding something that is of very little value to them.
If TFC reject the deal, they don't get McBride anyway since he wants to play in Chicago and with his knee problems certainly doesn't want to play on turf.
Also the assumption that he would need to be a DP is kinda odd considering that has never been mentioned by anyone in his camp. Chicago has $400K in cap space clear and over $300K in allocations free from the RBNY deals. I can't imagine McBride turning down $700k. I mean he was only making about a million and a half at Fulham and he has to kinda know the situation he is coming in to.