RICHARDS OUT 3 MONTHS!
By: Dave Martinez | March 10th, 2008
Dane Richards has a torn MCL. He will not be on our pitch opening day. And we would be lucky if he started before a full THIRD of the season passes. Ce La Vie of a Metro fan.
Now ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take you backstage here at theoffside.com.
In our structure, there are times (VERY few) where our editors would like to guide us and our stories into a general direction. Obviously, with a month or so left to the start of the season, our wise folks in the upper echelon would like us to focus on an MLS preview.
And I have been sitting on my hands.
Why?
Because its too early to predict the season – especially when we have roughly 600K worth of free cash to spend on free agents.
That . . . and I have had this NAGGING feeling all offseason, simply telling me that it is far too early to take ANYTHING for granted. Its the same feeling I had when Mike Magee went down. The same feeling when Dunivant fell last season. The feeling of impending doom.
Low and behold, that nagging feeling was right.
WITH LITTLE TO NO DEPTH, HOW DO WE MAKE UP FOR THIS LOSS?!?!!
Do you know that our lines are so thin that HUNTER FREEMAN, whom will be participating with the U-23 Olympic team, is our second choice at RM?! You got that right. Hunter Freeman – our RB, is our 2nd choice in the midfield.
Crunch time is coming. We havent even signed Oscar Etchevarry, and Lider Marmol and that saga continues.
Meanwhile, the rest of the league is already in preperation mode for the season.
I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT MCLs!!!!
And I know that those things are incredibily difficult to conquer. Dane wont be 100% till mid June/July.
Believe me, I had a fat kid sit on my leg in hockey, and he tore my MCL – I didnt feel normal for MONTHS, and rehab was a slow incremental healing process.
SO NOW WHAT?!
I was already getting ansy about our roster situation – but this puts things over the top.
Even if we waited for the summer transfer season, we can not waste games at any point. The solution may be too little too late. And unlike Osorio last season with the Fire, there seems little hope a Blanco will swoop in from the heavens to save our club.
A season of promise is beginning to fall into question early.
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Comments
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I honestly don’t know why people consider Richards to be such a big loss. Yes he’s fast, but what else does he bring to the table?
Don’t try to tell me he can cross the ball, because I can cross better than he can.
I thought the main purpose of a winger was to cross the ball.
Posted from
United States
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Andrew, absolutely right. But Richards is a YOUNG guy (24) with alot of potential. He has been nationally capped for the work he has done with the Bulls. And he looks full of promise.
You saw it last year as he slowly, but surely, improved his ball handling skills, and looked for Angel in the middle after every juke and dance.
I know alot of people hate the word “potential” – but come now. The kids got it.
Yes, he has to learn to cross.
Yes, his passes arent world class.
But can we afford to lose yet another body? Especially one that opens up the field the way he does? I say no.
Posted from
United States -
Dave I agree, Richards helped us out tremendously last season and his speed alone is a major asset. Let’s see what magic trick Osorio is able to pull out of his hat, trust me boys and girls this is a devastating loss
Posted from
United States -
Shawn – I would be happy if he can pull Lider Marmol and Oscar Etchevarry out of a hat – with new contracts in place. That would be an EXCELLENT magic trick.
Meanwhile, rumors have it that ex Argie National Matias Almeyda is looking to make a move from Norway to MLS (with the Crew). WHERE ARE OUR ARGIE RUMORS?!?!!!!!
lol – what an offseason.
Posted from
United States -
I suppose time will tell, Last season we had an Angel bestowed upon us mid season so anything’s possible. We’ll always be the twelfth man and we’ll support our Bulls to the end!
Posted from
United States -
although dane richards is a big loss, it seemed like rookie luke sassano stepped up in the salzburg match with a goal and an assist. I got to see him play a few times in college and i think, if given the chance, could contribute a lot to the team. he is fast, skillful, and can cross and pass well enough to do very well for the red bull.
Posted from
France -
Hey frenchy, the only issue I have about Sassano is I havent seen anything yet, literally. Every game this preseason, he has been linked to highlight areas. But its hard to count on the rooks when we know nothing of them. But have I seen him with my own two eyes? Not quite.
Look at Brunner. We all made the assumption he would be a vital cog in our defense, but he currently sits behind Kevin Goldthwaite in our preseason depth charts. Without seeing Sassano, I cant count him as an asset or liability. His progress on paper looks tremendous though, and I hope it translates on the field.
Posted from
United States -
this may end up being a blessing in disguise.
Richards is a great developing option and his speed is a factor that cant be trained against or prepared for really.
However he is still developing and learning and is far from our #1 option.
so how could thins be good, how could losing a promising young player when there is zero depth be a positive?
this kind of forces the hand of ownership/manegment. Without depth and with an injury it seems tortuously obvious that we need to spend some of that money on a wing player.
Perhaps this will be the catylist to get us an over the hill but still servicable euro or latino to come and solidify the wing. Or perhaps it will be the motivating facotor to move someone up and bring in a proper playmaking midfielder.
Or perhaps we will just go get Doe back.
Posted from
United States -
NoLayUp – absolutely, a loss like this will make management open eyes. But for petes sake, at LEAST sign Marmol and Etchy! If POSSIBLE. Then fish for other people.
I dunno man. What we need is a quick resolution to this, or we are in trouble early.
Posted from
United States -
yeah, a slow start is the kiss of death in MLS
Posted from
United States
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