Mina Heads Home with Harsh Words for FCD
March 2nd, 2008 . 11:17 pm . By: Buzz CarrickNegotiations between Major League Soccer and Roberto Mina have broken off and the Ecuadorian striker has decided to return home to Ecuador. The big striker says he has given up on FCD and will sit out until the next transfer window opens in South America to catch on with a team. According to our sources, talks with the league collapsed on Friday over a contract guarantee. It appears other teams in MLS were interested in Mina, notably Houston and New York, but no trade has been made. Mina feels he’s out of time and doesn’t trust FCD enough to wait around any longer. “We were prepared to move forward with him,” said Morrow when 3rd Degree reached him on Sunday in Brazil. “We were ready to extend him a contract. We had seen enough to complete the deal to which we had agreed, but we had to protect ourselves. We’re talking about a player that has not been fit in a long time and the club needs to be careful.” Sources familiar with the negotiations have told 3rd Degree the talks had progressed past FCD to the league level on Friday, at which point Mina’s representatives asked for a guaranteed deal. That guarantee, our sources say, was something the league and FCD were not willing to do. FCD was still willing to sign Mina to the deal they had agreed, but Mina appears to have lost patience and been unwilling stay with the team and wait for the P1 visa without assurances. While he didn’t indicate it specifically, one has to think the request for a guarantee was almost certainly the result as Mina says he had lost faith with FC Dallas by that point. “It’s not about money,” Mina told 3rd Degree on Saturday. “I wanted to play for FC Dallas. This has been my club for three years. If they couldn’t sign the contract, I asked them to let me go so I could play somewhere else. This is not what I wanted. I have no problem with MLS or my teammates. My agent and I cannot work with Morrow or Hitchcock anymore.” Over an injury plagued three seasons in Dallas, Mina played in 39 games, including playoffs, and scored 10 goals with 5 assists. Undoubtedly a talented striker, Mina went through two major injuries the last two seasons. In 2006 Mina’s season was cut short by a knee injury and a very similar injury cost the player his entire 2007 season. FC Dallas declined their option on Mina for the 2008 season but negotiated a new deal that brought the striker back to Dallas. Mina says he came to Frisco expecting a contract to be signed upon his arrival. Both sides have acknowledged that they had reached an “agreement in principle” before Mina reported to camp. Under the new deal, Mina was set to earn about $60,000, a 33 percent pay cut from his prior contract. Once in Dallas, Mina says Morrow and Hitchcock kept delaying the contract’s signing. Despite Morrow’s repeated statements to the English-speaking media of the clubs desire to see Mina prove his health and fitness, Mina and his representative were surprised to learn that his participation in pre-season camp was in effect a tryout. Like Pablo Ricchetti, Mina seems to think he was promised something that wasn’t delivered. “The coach [Morrow] makes a lot of promises to players,” he said. “And then he doesn’t keep them.” From the outside it again raises the question of a breakdown in communications, notably a second with a non-native English-speaking player. Yet one can’t help but wonder how a player that hasn’t played in nearly 18 months can be shocked the club was hedging its bets? Morrow had made it abundantly clear publicly that Mina needed to prove he was back in form. With the history of not great fitness and a series of injury problems, some outside observers were surprised FCD has interest in Mina’s return at all. “After his first week with us, we saw progress but felt we needed more time to evaluate him further,” Morrow said in the team’s statement on Mina’s departure. “We sat down with him a few days before leaving for Brazil and told him and his agent that we were satisfied with his fitness, and we expressed to them how much we wanted to have Roberto as part of our plans here at FC Dallas.” When rumors of Mina’s dissatisfaction made their way around the league late in the week, Houston Dynamo and New York Red Bulls inquired about Mina but FCD was unwilling to move the player. From Mina’s words it’s clear that bridges have been burned between himself and the club, “I trust very much in the Dynamo coach. I have no trust in Morrow. He does not follow through on his promises and I cannot trust my future to him.” Perhaps an additional worry for FCD is related to the bad blood between the club and Mina’s representatives. Mina’s agency has served as one of FC Dallas’ primary contacts in South America for years. Several other teams, including DC United, also use its scouting services in Argentina. This weekend, Mina’s representative indicated his agency would sever all ties with FC Dallas in this capacity. Sources close to the team indicate FCD isn’t too worried about losing the connection as the team has other avenues to South American talent. Notably the relationship with Atletico Paranaense and Tirgres, the connections of current assistant Jorge Alvial, and other contacts through current and former players and staff all serve to counter worries in this area. Despite the way things have ended, Mina says he is leaving with a good feeling for the city of Dallas and the FCD fans. “I want to thank them for their affection and support,” he said. “I heard them every time I was on the field and I appreciate all the caring and concern they showed me when my knee was injured. I love them very much and I am sorry to leave.” 45 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
With an attitude like that I’m glad hes gone. Yes the guy WAS a good striker but he hasn’t played in actual match in 2 years and he wants more than $60,000? If he can’t understand FCDs being cautious on this issue than he has a problem. After reading this I’m glad he is gone because I can’t see where the miscommunication was, he just doesn’t get it.
Read it again Canuck. He agreed to $60,000, but he felt FC Dallas wasn’t being truthful. I’m sorry he’s gone. I’m also sorry that yet another player has accused this team of being dishonest.
I suppose Houston and New York are completely out of the picture forever for Roberto due to MLS’ single entity situation?
If FCD doesn’t think Mina’s worth a guaranteed $60k why was FCD “unwilling to move the player” [Mina] ?
tough to hear that RM considers Kinnear trustworthy
If it was on paper than how were they not being truthful? If the guy doesn’t trust the team then get out of town. The deal was done he needed to sign the contract for 60,000 and it was over.
Maybe this will all bond the players together – like the team in the movie “Major League” who feud with management.
There’s gotta be something more, doesn’t there? If RM agrees to $60K (in principle), why does it break down at the league level, and not *before* it gets there? Could RM have been trying to get the league to move him? I mean, why tell FCD that you’d be willing to agree to a contract and then tell the league something else?
It looks like what was in dispute was if the $60K was to be guaranteed. he wanted it promised he would get the full amount even if he was injured again.
I don’t think anyone would fault FCD/MLS for passing on that request… Clearly he and his people thought that when the contract was agreed to in principle, that part wasn’t fully discussed.
But after what went down with his mysterious ACL surgery and his total lack of fitness – I don’t think they are missing out on anything great
How many people in MLS actually have guaranteed contracts? Isn’t it only the big name players with more than $300K contracts?
I agree with Peter — most of the “veteran” trialists you hear about these days are coming off some sort of hardship, whether it’s injury or something else. Mina’s upset because he felt he deserved more than Stockley or Mowzik or any of the other trialists who’ve been in Frisco recently. Simple fact is, he’s been a part of this team in name only for a while.
You can’t guarantee a contract for Bob this season. He and his agent had to know that. He had to play well and stay healthy in order to get a real contract for next year.
I don’t know when the transfer window opens in SA, but if its more than two months away, you could be looking at a 250 lb striker.
[...] over at 3rd Degree got to talk to Mina about this and he had some pretty stern words for the league and FC Dallas: “I wanted to play for [...]
“It’s not about the money” vs. wanting a guaranteed contract – so, it is about the $$.
I’d side the management on this one. I don’t think Mina or his agent were ever promised anything, as Morrow had REPEATEDLY said he was here to prove his health/fitness. Despite the rash of injuries for Mina over the last 3 years, he was in camp.
FCD extended a decent contract, for a guy that might not even be a match fit player for the first month, and might be injured again by the time May gets here.
All he had to do was sign it. This is not a case of broken promises, it is a player being too high on himself and too big for his britches.
Losing the agent contact is absolutely no big deal, esp. this agent.
Who here has ANY idea what was promised to him???? It’s not the first time somebody has said this. Should make us all wonder….
My guess is the reason he didn’t go to NY or H was because they didn’t want to offer him a guaranteed contract either.
More SM & Hitch not being honest. Who would players stay here if they had any other option? FIRE MORROW & HITCH NOW!
“More SM & Hitch not being honest. ”
How do you figure? They offered a deal that was initially discussed. Repeatedly and publicly stated he was basically here “on trial”.
You want to give up an INT slot for an unfit injury prone player who wants a gtd. contract it would be stupid to give?
Simple business, Smart decision.
JBP4,
Here’s one way they’re not being honest: You say they repeatedly stated he was here on trial.
Morrow’s revisionist history on the blog: “As we’ve stated before, we did not ask Roberto to come here on trial.”
You work for the front office, so which is it? Are you (and everyone else) mistaken about his trialist status or is Morrow lying to cover himself — again.
Gotta side with management on this breakdown. It sounds a lot like SM and Hitch said, “We’ll give you $60k this year,” and Bob just assumed it was guaranteed until his agent finally read the contract. Nobody complained until things got to the league stage. The SM/Hitch and Bob agreement was all good. The Bob and MLS agreement is where it broke down.
I’m sure Mina, like Richetti, is right on this one. Morrow promised Richetti that his play would be reward after proving himself and now has done the same thing with Beto. Seems like Mina has a great point and its disappointing that situations like this may limit our future international acquisitions in the future.
I think Morrow has been very consistent in his comments. He has always said it is not a trial, but rather a chance to prove fitness. It is other commentators that used the word trial. Maybe the misunderstanding was Mina thought he could prove his fitness by getting off the plane and running on a treadmill for 10 minutes (which I don’t think he could do right now).
Well, one thing’s for sure, all this miscommunication is making FCD look bad. But it’s hard to tell if there really is any substance to the harsh words. Either way, I am sad to see Big Bob leaving FCD & MLS. I really thought he had great potential; he was the kind of player who, when he touched the ball, made you hold your breath. I, for one, will miss Roberto Mina.
Well said, Teddy. Bob was truly the most fun FCD player to watch in the last few years.
Wonder if Arsenal will ask Eduardo to come come back “on trial” after his recent broken leg ? Didn’t Man Utd “promise” Rudd they’d still sign him after his ACL and then follow through ?
FCD is a joke, first Sala then Cooper then Ricchetti and now Mina. where’ theres smoke chances are you’ll find fire or are all FOUR of these players wrong ?
im having a hard time believing that anyone would have good feelings about Mina. He was ok here as a substitute but everything we’ve ever read about him from buzz and the other writers here was that he was outta shape and didnt work hard enough.
I also find it very funny that Mina and his agency are complaining about FCD and its communication deficiencies, but it was Mina just last season that showed up overweight and late, which extra stress on his knee. he went to the FCD doctors who recommended a procedure. Mina THEN went out on his own at his agencies request to doctors in S. America and ended up having a different procedure that was not approved by the team that owned his contract. Hell, they didnt even know until after the surgery was performed. talk about not being able to trust someone. No wonder FCD was wanting to see proof first.
My “trial” comment is not what steve said it is just semantics at this point. It was clearly indicated, as is pointed out in the article above (which is very good BTW) – Morrow had made it abundantly clear publicly that Mina needed to prove he was back in form; FCD was still willing to sign Mina to the deal they had agreed.
MLS and the level of play in the league is not of European qaulity but it is not chopped liver – overweight, injury-prone, and unfit is not a way to go about demanding anything from a team that had already waived you but brought you back to take a look.
Sure didn’t bother FCD much that Dennilson showed up out of shape and overweight and for a bunch more than 60k.
Denilson was out of shape, but I don’t recall him having a pot belly.
He didn’t have a recent history of injury either.
Oh.. and Denilson isn’t here anymore either.
This is all a lot about nothing. He wasn’t going to make the squad anyway.
I dont think anybody realizes how much stress this long process has caused Roberto. He’s a very close friend of mine and i can honestly say that the final outcome of all of this was a huge surprise for him, thursday he was ready and exited to go to brazil and by friday everything had changed. Everyone can have their oinon of what might’ve happened but only only a few know all the details…..he might just shock everyone in a few weeks
big bob had a contract on his lap, he just chose not to sign it. plus, he wasn’t a trialist when the FO mentioned they would sign him. he was practically part of the 18. i think big bob and his agent were trying to squeeze something out of FCD and MLS. all you had to do was stay sharp, fit and play…then, all your money would be given. asking for a guarantee means you’re telling everyone you have broken goods and may not come out of the season well. this is a business. mina was looking for a business decision, and so was FCD.
Completely agreed w/ twotone & Captincanuck. Out of shape, overweight, and injured too much…he & his agent were very unrealistic. I side w/ HSG, Hitch, & Morrow on this one.
It’s interesting to see people who sided with Ricchetti now side with the FO this time. These people had no problem believing that the FO wronged Ricchetti by not living up to the promises it made to him. But when Mina says basically the same thing, the FO simply made a sound business decision. Where’s the principle? It’s okay to make false promises to fat, out-of-shape Ecuadorians? [For the record, I ultimately support the FO decisions in both cases.]
Whether deserved or not in this case, it’s worrisome that Hitch & Morrow are developing a reputation for miscommunication (at best) or dishonesty (at worst). Makes it hard to acquire proven talent on reasonable terms.
That being said, any pro that counts on anything other than what’s in a written agreement is naive and will likely be disappointed.
ok ok, so we all agree that this is the the cookie crumbles in this game; one day you’re in and the next you’re out. But it seems to me like you guys are still being a bit too harsh on Roberto, he was doing everything he could in order to stay here. One thing that i will agree with is the fact he may not have the best managment, he’s been with them for the past 8 years and he probably doesn’t know better. He’s still very young and he’s got a great talent, this can only make him a stronger player
a quote from myself of myself on another blog…
“although i do not side w/ big bob on this one, this does NOT absolve the FO from the contract dealings w/ other players. i still feel for coop and pablo on their current situation. but, management is like a car salesman. they’ll tell you all that you want to hear, but won’t include it in the contract. so who’s fault does this become? personally, there’s a fine line between very shrewd and being a snake. where do you think the tandem of hitch and morrow falls?”
In the words of the once great Hammer “Don’t let the door hitch ya where the good lord split ya!”
I think this is great news. I thought the prospect of the team cutting either Bird Man or Lil Ricky to keep Big Bob was ridiculous. He can’t stay in shape, he can’t stay healthy, and both Bird and Lil Ricky have more potential.
Other good things to possibly come from this: The front office with try to cover the stink from this by making things right with Pablo and the team will retain Lil Ricky to maintain a good relationship with CAP. Great work Big Bob, you have contributed more to the team in one day then you have in the last 2 years.
Steve-Just win and all this will be forgotten!
BUZZ – Can you provide a refresher course on the defintion of what a “guaranteed” contract is?
My memory thinks it means that no matter what happens during the season, a player can not be cut from the team. Not that ‘you get paid no matter what.
Sure Chaz, A guaranteed contract means the player gets paid no matter what. It’s the money that is guaranteed, not being on the roster.
The team can still cut/waive the player whenever they want.
I’m with the other alex
Mina wasn’t that great to begin with and injury prone… what FCD needs is consistent goal scoring. He was not consistent let alone healthy. Good for FCD (but shame on FCD if they were dishonest to him… that is not just).
I have been very surprised at the Mina hate. He was a very good player for us befrore the injuries. He was a question mark because of them but why noy leave at that instead of saying he was no good? There seems to be something in the FCD fan that has to rip players as soon as they leave.
Good comment Pegasus –
We know how the departure of Brad Davis and Richard Mulrooney really helped FCD according to the faithful, now we will see how well Ruiz does with LA.
IMO, Coaching has always been most of Dallas’s problem since Dir left I – not the talent on the field.