3rd Degree

March 9th, 2008 . By: Buzz Carrick

Late last week I stole a page from Ives and offered to answer questions.   Perhaps it was the lull in news with the team in Brazil, but I figured why not offer to answer anything people wanted to know about. Quite a few people followed instructions and emailed me questions.  I’ll answer those first, but I’ll also answer the ones posted as comments in the original post.Here we go…

Joe:  How much will and through what method will Academy graduates be paid?

1) Will they be Generation Adidas players?

-If Yes: incentive to clubs to invest in youth development- doesn’t count against salary, development status, ~4 years to develop, etc.
-If No: disincentive for clubs to sign youth players. Would have to choose b/w development and senior roster contract when they wouldn’t be ready. If offered a development contract, they might choose college or overseas. Moreover, high school players who aren’t in the Academy system (Alex Nimo, for example) are offered Generation Adidas contracts and are thus more valuable to the squad.

I think players that go that route initially will mostly be guys for whom college isn’t a great option, like Doudou Torre.  Those players will likely be developmental.  A player good enough will be signed directly to the senior roster.  But no, I don’t believe they will be Generation adidas.

Matt Darling:  Just finished reading “Fever Pitch” and loved every word of it.  Are there any other recommended reads you have when it comes to the Great Game?

The Miracle of Castel di Sangro.  It’s a riveting read, a must.  I also highly recommend Dynamo: Triumph and Tragedy in Nazi-Occupied Kiev, it’s about a team from which came the rumors that led to the movie Victory.  I also highly recommend Paul Gardner’s book The Simplest Game: The Intelligent Fan’s Guide to the World of Soccer if you are interested in the history of the game and the evolution of tactics.

Maggie H.
1) Given the players currently on the roster, if you were the Coach, who would be your starting 11 and in what formation?

2) Honestly — how do you rate FCD’s chances this season, now that they’ve traded Ruiz but have not (yet?) brought in a “proven striker”?

3) Given the changes that have occurred over the past season and this preseason, do you think FCD is  better off or worse off (or about the  same) than the club was before Morrow took charge?  In your opinion, is Morrow headed in the right direction?

1. I’m a 4-4-2 guy, but this team is not built for a 4-4-2.  So instead I would go 3-5-2.  F: Cooper and Alvarez, AM: Toja, 4Mids: Wagner, Ricchetti, Rocha, McCarty, 3D: Serioux, Davino, Moor, GK: Sala. (I’m cheating and taking Rocha even though he’s not on the roster technically.)  But I would also make a few roster changes different from Morrow.

2. With this roster, coach, and team Abe Thompson can do what Ruiz did last year. So therefore as is FCD is a mid-table team, 3rd or 4th in the West.  Chivas is the top team, Houston is still good but needs a forward or two, RSL is better, LA and Colorado should be better, SJ will likely stink.  If Dallas ads a 15 goal striker (an Angel like DP perhaps) they will be a legit threat to win MLS Cup.

 3. Clarke’s team was better prepared to win in the short term season.  Morrow’s team is better off for the long term run with a quality core of young talent.  So it depends on your point of view.  The key is will Morrow be around to take advantage of the team he’s built for the future.  I happen to like the kinds of players Morrow picks better than those Clarke picked. In the long run I really like what I am doing, but MLS isn’t made for the long run.

Quills: When Rocha finally signs his contract and gets added to the roster, who is getting bumped?

Dominic Oduro I think.

Juan Ignacio: 
1. With Rocha performing well as the CAM during the CAP game, what would you think about Toja playing the left wing position? Or would you put Rocha on the right wing?

2. What is your opinion on the situation involving alleged broken promises?

3. Wilman Conde (a fellow Colombian) has been benched at Chicago for asking to leave. Do you know if FC Dallas has made an attempt to trade for him? That would let Serioux back in the midfield and give FC Dallas a formidable backline.

1. I don’t like Toja on the wing, he’s wasted out there.  I want him as the A-mid position Rocha played against CAP with Rocha as a deep mid next to a pure ball winner (Ricchetti or Serioux).

2. It takes two to Tango, the truth is in the middle.

3. Conde is a great player, but the price would be very high on him and would not be worth what it would take to get him.  I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe FCD has asked about him.  Besides he only wants to go to New York and would be just as unhappy in Dallas as he would anywhere else.

SteveToro:  Hi, Buzz — great idea! I’ve recently read stories about what teams like RBNY and DC United are doing to create youth programs which can serve as a source of players for the developmental roster and the senior club. I know Dallas is a real hotbed for youth soccer — is FCD doing anything along these lines?

FCD has a Youth club, but also within the structure of the club there are specific teams that are the highest level team in certain age groups that represent FCD and include their local designated players.  Marco Ferruzzi, for example, coaches the U17 version that has participated in several MLS run tournaments.  The long term goal according to FCD is a PDL team at the U23 level and a lead team at each level from U12 to U19.

Jayslick: Ricardinho new number 10? first does Dallas have a option to buy after the load is up? and new 10? i assume that means they expect quite a bit from the guy right? how prominent are we talking about?

Virtually every loan deal has an option to buy the player, I can’t think of one that didn’t.  I don’t know specifically about Ricardinho, but its a very safe assumption he has one as well.  Given that CAP is in the business of selling players, it’s likely higher than Toja’s was.  At this point it looks like Ricardinho will start with Alvarez is missing and will come off the bench a ton when he is not.  So, 10 to 15 starts and 20+ games played.

Jayslick:  I love the partnership with CAP, what’s the chances of FCD expanding its partnerships to Argentina or Columbia or even England, Alvial’s connection to Chelsea? Tom Hicks trying to cross market his clubs? No1 has such a great relationship that extends as far as CAP/FCD right?

Hitch is looking to add a European partner and FCD has approached Liverpool as well as several other teams.  Celtic was the “in the know” rumor for some time.   But FCD is not close to a deal with anyone yet in Europe right now it appears. 

And yes, as far as I know the FCD/CAP deal is the deepest one in MLS with two players already crossing over and a possible third this year.  Don’t underestimate the lessons FCD is trying to learn form CAP about youth development and what CAP is learning from FCD about maximizing ancillary profit.

FC Zippy:  Buzz, If you were a tree, which kind would you be?

A coconut tree.

Steve Fenn:
1. Who are the trialists in Brazil?

2. If FCD could make one (realistic) signing this summer, who should it be, DP or otherwise?

3. Are FCD putting off debuting their new unis on the field because they’re trying to wrap up a front of shirt sponsor for the new design?

1. One trialist so far, Roque Junior.  

2. Realistic is so hard to say because of the unknown factor of HSG and how much they might be willing to pay.  But I’d like to see a smart, ballsy, experienced striker.  Someone like Juan Riquelme perhaps, although I doubt I would call him realistic.

3. No, they are waiting for a big game, usually the season opener.  I wouldn’t bet against the LA/Beckham makeup game.

Pegasus:  1. Buzz, what do you make of all the central/defensive mids and what do you think will happen with the surplus?

2. I know you are a 4-4-2 guy but have you come around on a different formation being best in Dallas summers?

3. Is Morrow being smart collecting all these youth hot shots or is FCD eventually going to jettison them all like DC did a few years ago for more experienced players and prove your best 14 theory?

1. It’s not as bad a surplus as it looks because Serioux plays defense, Rocha can play wide or advanced, Toja plays wing or a-mid, Pitch is almost 100% defense now, and McCarty & Wallace can play wide.

2. I advocated last preseason that FCD go 3-5-2 as I think Dir had it right, it’s the best formation for the Dallas heat.

3. Yes because it’s the best way to get top tier talent on the developmental roster and make it more functional.  It best fits what Morrow likes to do.  I still think my way if better, but there is nothing wrong with stacking up the Generation adidas players.

Cai:  What would our starting lineup be today in your opinion?…using players currently on roster.

If Morrow had everyone currently on the roster and needed to play a game today, I predict he would pick a 3-4-3: F: Cooper, Toja, Alvarez, M: Wagenfuhr, Saragosa, Ricchetti, McCarty, D: Serioux, Davino, Moor, G: Sala. 

Keep in mind Rocha will be added and maybe one or two more players.

Public: Who are you? What do you do to make money? Why put so much effort into this site? I’m glad you do, I read it everyday, but I’d be interested to know if you are married and what your wife thinks.

Quick bio… Born in Houston, lived in California for a while, went to high school at Arlington-Lamar where I sat the bench for the soccer team (I’m slower than dirt), graduated from Texas A&M, and have a Masters degree from Boston University.  Is that what you meant by who am I?

I work in freelance Television.  I started this site to learn about websites in anticipation of the oncoming convergence of internet and television… plus I love soccer.  I’m not married, which I am betting by your question won’t shock you.

KC:  Who are your 5 favorite players ever? Not the best, just the 5 you liked the best for whatever reason. I always liked Klecko [Nhleko?], but he stunk.

Dallas players? In no particular order… Ryan Suarez, Brad Davis, Ronnie O’Brien, Richard Farrer, and Oscar Pareja.

Non-MLS: Philip Cocu, Javier Zanetti, Youri Djorkaeff, Guti, and Michael Carrick

Aaron: Is anyone coming through as a clear favorite to be team captain yet?

No, there is no clear favorite.  Before the contract thing, I would have bet on Ricchetti.  Now, pick from Serioux, Davino, or Saragosa I think.  It would be Bobby Rhine if he were a sure starter.  Rhine and Sala are leaders in the locker room, but aren’t likely to be captain.

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