MLS Salaries Not Exactly Merit-Based

Much has already been written about the recent release of MLS players' salaries so I'm not going to add all that much. I'm also not going to say that certain players deserve less than they are actually geting, which some have commented on already. All I want to say is how can a professional sportsman, or anybody else for that matter, live on less than $18,000 a year (Kosuke Kimura, weekend goalscorer John DiRaimondo) and how come merit isn't exactly rewarded (Bouna and Colin Clark on a paltry $33,000 a year)? It seems strange to think that you would know the salaries of all the other people in your organization, no? Imagine that in any office or corporation your average Joe works in. If you think of the four Rapids players highlighted here (Kimura, Bouna, Clark and DiRaimondo), who are clearly not exactly amply rewarded for their talents, I think it speaks volumes for them as to how committed they are to the team and how they don't value success purely financially. A little bit more financial comfort would be nice though (L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur mais on est tout de meme content de l'en avoir). Here's a link to a nice piece by our friends at the Rocky Mountain News. (http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/denver/soccer/2008/04/list_of_2008_mls_player_salari.html#more.) Check out View From The Couch (http://www.view-from-the-couch.blogspot.com) also whose link I will now be putting on the site.

Rapids Fall to Late Kansas Winner

I was just thinking about writing how as important it would be for the Rapids to get a great draw on the road as it was to stuff the Galaxy last week when up pops the Wizards substitute and scores the winner in the 86th. Very disappointing, especially after we had fought back from 2-0 down to tie the game. But don't despair and, most importantly, don't get down on the team after the euphoria of last weekend. Most people overreacted to the victory last weekend and this was a very tough game against a team that beat DC United last week. Not wanting to sound like a football manager but I do believe there were a lot of positives to come out of this game. Coach Clavijo fielded an unchanged starting line-up which was very encouraging for all those young players who played their socks off last week. And they played very well again this time around. Stephen Keel would probably admit to a couple of defensive errors which somewhat gifted the Wizards their 2-0 lead but he also pulled off a near miraculous goal line save and generally played very well. Nobody is going to blame him for our defeat. Kimura distributed the ball excellently and I think Erpen is relishing the fact that he is currently the senior figure in that backline. Burciaga scored the first Rapids goal and Bouna was immense in goal as usual. There wasn't really a lot he could do with the three goals and he saved at least two others. There, that's the defense. In midfield, LaBrocca and DiRaimondo were excellent (can anyone tell those two guys apart? - the Altitude TV commentator certainly couldn't but, then again, he actually couldn't tell most of the players apart.) They both worked tirelessly and LaBrocca looks very good in possession. DiRaimondo also scored the equalizing goal. I thought Herculez Gomez played very well when he came on as a sub for Clark. It's going to be hard to know how to fit all these players in when the injuries die down. Clark, Cooke and Christian Gomez are almost certain starters in midfield which doesn't give much room for the likes of Rafael Gomes, Kirovski, Colaluca etc. We'll have to see. I liked seeing Mastroeni back. He came on in the 63rd to replace LaBrocca and looked very reassuring. A final word on Omar Cummings who hustled all day and almost nicked it at the death. He might get a bit lonely up there all on his own, though, and I think it helped to have Herculez Gomez supporting him in the last half-hour.
It will be a disappointing trip back to DSG Park for the Rapids but not as long as the Class VI boys and girls who will be slumping back into their coach for the long ride home. Very encouraging to hear them shouting Bouna's name when he saved an almost certain goal in the first half. So, in conclusion, we lost the game because of some defensive errors but the team played well and looked very up for it. A minor setback on the road to MLS glory.

Not One But Two For O'Brien

Ciaran O'Brien, the rookie Rapids midfielder who was sent off last week on debut for a rough tackle on LA Galaxy forward, Carlos Ruiz, will receive a two-match suspension. I spoke to Ciaran at training earlier this week and he fully expected to get just a one match ban. I'm sure the powers that be were affected by the fact that the tackle did end in a serious injury for Ruiz who will be out for four to six weeks. Based on his performance, O'Brien looks a strong personality not easily overawed. He will be back and stronger for it. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing him play again. He is strong in the tackle (a bit too strong on Ruiz, admittedly) and plays with great heart.

Henry to Seattle on $150,000 a Week?

Barcelona and France superstar, Thierry Henry, could be the next David Beckham as far as the MLS is concerned. According to that reputable rag, The Sun, Britain's top-selling daily, Henry will earn a staggering $150,000 a week, far more than most Rapids players earn in a year, when he becomes the face of new team, Seattle, next year. Everything that is written in The Sun must be taken with a huge pinch of salt but there's no doubting Seattle's ambition. For example, despite there being no team until next year, their ground is being used for an international game between China and Mexico later this month. It's interesting, this trend of staging international games in neutral countries. In the last round of international fixtures, Brazil played Sweden at The Emirates while Mexico played Ghana at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Anyway, here's the link to the Henry story.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article991497.ece

Initial Enthusiasm Turning Into Season Tickets?

It's clear that the opening game of the Colorado Rapids' season could not really have got off to a much better start. And, in the Rapids organization's latest marketing ploy, the comments of some of the fans show this. Fans have been asked to email their impressions of the first game and they are all, of course, highly complementary. Admittedly, the organization is unlikely to highlight potentially negative impressions (i.e the quiet of the opening minutes of the game) but there are some interesting points in the published comments. One thing that stands out is the enthusiasm of some of the soccer virgins, people who had barely been to a game before. Some of them even bought season tickets on the spot. This is really good news though it of course remains to be seen just how many people would actually do this. It does show, however, that it is relatively easy to convert people to the joys of soccer. It is, after all, a simple game. You just have to put the ball in the back of the net or stop it from going in. I did like, also, the comment about the easy access to the players; the way they go to the Cantina afterwards to mingle with the fans. Or, in Bouna's case, sign autographs in the cold for adoring fans. No other professional sport in the US would allow such access and this is a fantastic USP for the game. It was also great to notice Terry Cooke's brother commenting but I bet he never used the phrase rear end in his original email. More likely to have been closer to something akin to Arsenal? I know he would never spell defense with an s.
On the subject of fans, spare a thought for the brave folks at Class VI who will now have to leave Denver at midnight on Friday night to get to Kansas in time for the revised kickoff time of 3pm. As they so eloquently put it on their website, it is good that the Kansas City Wizards organization helped out local sports fans by accommodating their basketball wishes but it is one giant middle finger to the Class VI boys. Good luck on the trip boys and girls. May your presence inspire the Rapids to a more than encouraging away win against Lopez and the rest.

Tam McManus to Sign for Rapids; Could be in Weekend Squad

Scottish striker, Tam McManus, will formally sign for the Colorado Rapids this week and could be in the squad for this weekend's trip to Kansas City. Both front office staff and coach Clavijo have confirmed the signing. McManus's presence in the team is now subject to immigration requirements. He has spent most of his career so far with Scottish Premier team Hibernian. Here's a BBC story with more details about his career to date. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/7319957.stm
The forward, most recently with Scottish League One team Dunfermline Athletic, will be wearing the number 20 so let's hope he can bag as many goals. McManus impressed on the recent preseason trip to Arsenal and the UK.

Rapids' Injury Updates; Established Players to Fight for Places

The good news is that many of the injuries of the Colorado Rapids players are healing in time for the game this weekend against Kansas City. The bad news, for them anyway, is that it won't be that easy to regain their places. In reality, the performances of the younger players in the demolition of the Galaxy at the weekend give Fernando Clavijo a better dilemma than most. Apart from long-term absentees Mike Petke and Connor Casey (out for at least another month) as well as Ugo Ihemelu, the rest of the squad is either close to or fully fit. One exception to this is the very unlucky Justin Hughes. The young goalkeeper told me this morning at training that he injured a groin muscle in the Reserves game at the weekend due to probable overcompensation on an existing injury. He will probbaly be out for four to six weeks which is very tough on him given he has clearly established himself as the number two goalkeeper in the club. Maybe he will be able to cheer himself up if North Carolina take the basketball. Clavijo will make a decision on which one of the two league goalkeepers to take on the trip to KC closer to game time. Both of them looked very impressive along with Bouna in training this morning. Other players solidly on the mend include Dan Gargan and Herculez Gomez. Gomez reckons he is about 80% there. Gargan played his first full 90 minutes since injury in the Reserves on Sunday.