Good Friday morning Caps fans. Hope you had a good week and, if you are a fan south of the border, you had a good Thanksgiving. If you’re Canadian, enjoy your weekend.
The MLS playoffs are nearly upon us once again. If you don’t have weekend plans, the doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday should make for good viewing.
If you’re more focused on silly season, we’ve seen some rumors that MLS will follow through on what some have long assumed would be the case since Messi joined Inter Miami and brought his friends with him: a fourth designated player spot.
For the sake of argument, let’s assume MLS is seriously considering this. It would be a great move for the league to further add elite talent, though it would be nice if the CBA allowed for a more generous salary cap increase to accompany the decision, with an eye towards increasing both the floor and the ceiling for talent.
For the Caps, it would be a boon, doubling their number of available DP spots and leaving a couple U22 slots to play with as well. Richie Laryea’s permanent addition could eat into one of those spots, though I think a lot of fans (myself included) would like to see him stick around on a TAM deal.
But these spots would allow the Caps to beef up at centerback, add that secondary creative player they’ve been missing since Julian Gressel left (maybe his diminished playing time in Columbus will make him see the Pacific Northwest differently?) and maybe even add another forward.
Big spending teams will, of course, be able to get more mileage out of that fourth DP spot. But the Caps seem well positioned to benefit. And, hey, if Messi’s arrival breaks down some of the antiquated roster rules, it’s possible that will be his best and longest lasting impact on MLS.
Best of the Rest
Canada flamed out of CONCACAF Nations League with a loss to Jamaica at home, leaving them with a hill to climb to appear in the Copa America
A look at Patrick Metcalfe’s journey in Norway and how he’s fairing in the country’s top flight
A look at the Messi premium that MLS teams are set to charge next season and a debate over whether it is bad for the game or just capitalism at work
How do MLS playoff teams stay energized, despite an international break?
In a surprise to no one, FC Cincinnati’s Pat Noonan claims MLS Coach of the Year
I would love for someone to do a deep dive into the Whitecaps finances. Compared to almost every other MLS team they are handicapped by not owning their own stadium, have the most travel, and their training academies cover a massive area. the Forbes web site is a good place to start.
My wishes for the Caps in the off-season are three-fold: A true strong number 8, a mobile CB and a speedy forward to really push the attack. Get to work Axel.
Been a couple weeks now since the caps have been out, you guys thinking of doing a recap / report card for the team/ management for the whole season?
Also a final recap of the guess the starting 11 rankings??
Guess the XI recap will be coming soon!
Canada has a slow moving, slow thinking MF and until that is addressed, we will suffer and crumble at the hands of high pressure and quick teams like Japan and Jamaica- even our best MF- Eustachio- gave up 2 goals vs Jamaica
Gauld and Cubas are worthy DPs and deserve the benefit — Lareya does not and should not be given a DP spot
i can see the Caps squeezing their extra money to add a 3rd DP (TAM, selling of alexandre and caicado, savings from Cordova’s salary, buying out Schopf’s $830 000 contact (hopefully as his legs are ‘cooked’), not resigning Hoilett or Teibert (but the majority Owner is in the way of that happening) and so forth)
having said that, the DP must be good enough (too many failures at the $1 mill salary level) – a player like ryan gauld who earns $2.4 mill- and should get a bump to resign him- needs to be added
3rd DP priority-
1. AMF
2. pacey, tricky winger to link with gauld and white
3. experienced leader at CB
of course, the BIG question is and always has been- will the ownership group invest in the Club and potentially regain the money back in increased attendance- if anyone can push them to invest, it will be Axel Schuster as he wants 2024 to be a very significant season, the best ever – his recruiting team has had a lot of success (except for the disasterous Cordova)
i believe that 2024 will make the Caps a very dangerous team and even pushing for a MLS Cup