The Latest From Heineman

Last night on Bigsoccer, Robb Heineman gave another offseason update for fans with regards to what is going on with the team and their search for players to improve the team in the 2011 season. Heineman talks about the recent trip to Tinidad for the games down there, saying they've found a few players to bring in for preseason, thanks to Thad we know 2 of those players, Daneil Cyrus and Sheldon Bateau, both players from Trinidad, Cyrus plays for Caledonia AIA, Bateau plays for San Juan Jabloteh, both teams are in the Trinidad Pro League. Cyrus just turned 20 and has already appeared for the full Trinidad national team, while Bateau turns 20 in January and has worked his way up through the Trinidad youth ranks. Both are defenders so it will be interesting to see what they can come in and do.

Heineman also said that there are some players that they are looking at for a potential residential academy set up in Kansas City, KS. A residential academy would be set up similar to the way many are in Europe where players go to school there while also playing soccer. Vancouver and Salt Lake have both set up residential academies to help them develop talent and it looks like KC will be one of the next ones to do so.

Heineman continues by talking about the college draft coming up on January 13th. Heineman gave a glimpse into the team's draft strategy stating the team has a top 10 per position and a "power 75". With the announcement that it looks like MLS has signed 7 players to GA contracts and a few seniors as well, it gives KC a small idea of who could be available at the 10 spot for KC to grab. Certainly a few ways that the team can go, but they've also got a lot of internationals that they are still looking at.

Heineman continued by talking about one of the team's efforts to get young designated player, saying that they've had the deal fall apart on them. Heineman said that late in the process the price basically doubled on them and they had to cut off the deal. There is another player that they are still looking at though to bring in that young, attacking minded, designated player.

Finally, Heineman finishes by talking about other players that they are looking at. He specifically mentions an attacking mid/winger that wouldn't be a DP, but would be close. Just from that mention it sounds similar to the Ryan Smith signing last year. He also talks about the continued work to bring in more central defenders, one that is close and two that are in early negotiations, based off the interview Thad did with Peter Vermes, it doesn't sound like one of those three is Aurelien Collin as his contract does not expire until June and the team is looking for someone in January. Certainly looks like a lot of work is still to be done on this team and it's going to be a very busy next couple months.

Wolff Option Declined, Reentry Draft Awaits

It appears the offseason work is really beginning for SKC now, first the word on Jimmy Nielsen being re-signed and now we learn the name of the first Sporting player that will officially enter next week's reentry draft, and it's Josh Wolff. Wolff, 33 and a 12 year MLS veteran, had his option declined by SKC. After scoring a career high 11 goals in 2009, Wolff only scored twice and saw his playing time decrease late in the season as Teal Bunbury began to develop. I find it unlikely that a team will take on Wolff in the first round of Monday's reentry draft. I could see something happening in the second trip through later in the week, but not this time, I just don't think at this point in his career he's work the $200,000+ that he was making this year. We'll see if anyone does at this point soon enough though.

In other offseason roster movement potential, Robb Heineman posted a quick post on Bigsoccer tonight, touching on a few potential roster moves. He mentioned the Trinidad and Tobago trials that begin tomorrow, Heineman says that they're using this for helping them find some developmental players to help them fill out their roster next year. He also talks about the recent scouting trip to Europe, South America, and Africa and have a lengthy discovery list to turn into the league with the hopes of signing one. He also mentioned the potential of a young designated player signing based on his skill level, not his name potential. I like this move, especially with the recent news of Seattle and Real Salt Lake using designated player slots to keep players (Fredy Montero and Alvaro Saborio) who aren't necessarily big names but are very good players, this move if it happens I like the idea of. Finally Heineman says that they are working on two trades for one position but only want to get one of them. Either way it looks like the offseason could start moving very quickly very soon.

Heineman Offers Clarification

Wizards President, Robb Heineman responded to comments he made yesterday at the season ticket holder stadium tour today on Bigsoccer. He responded to the comments about where the Wizards will play to start next season, the possibility of playing at Arrowhead, as well as neutral site "home" games.

My biggest issue was the neutral site league games, which Heineman addresses first, and even says is likely not a good idea. He says that the Wizards are entertaining the idea of "a" netural site "home" game in a location where the team can assure a "pro-Wizards/pro-Bravo crowd. AKA, they're looking for a location in the southwest (as Heineman mentions), somewhere where they can pull in Mexican fans who want to see Wizards designated player, Omar Bravo play. Any game in a neutral site in Arizona (or anywhere in the southwest) isn't going to be a "pro-Wizards" crowd, it's going to be a "pro-Bravo" crowd that is only cheering for the Wizards because that's who Bravo is playing for. How many of those pro-Blanco fans are still coming to Fire games, even in Chicago now that he's not there?

If the team does play a neutral site home game, Heineman says the team will work to put together a travel package for fans who want to travel, or compensate season ticket holders who don't want to do that. That's a smart move at least in offering both options for season ticket holders instead of holding them to it or not offering the opportunity to possibly travel if people want.

Heineman reiterates that the team will not play a game at CAB next season, because he says much of the equipment on site is leased annually, so the team won't sign leases for an entire year when they would only be using the stadium for a few games. He does say that the team has not ruled out the possibility of playing at Arrowhead some next year. Heineman mentions that in his perfect world the team would play 3 games at Arrowhead to help break up the road trip, similar to the situation this year for Philadelphia where they played 2 games at Lincoln Financial Field while PPL Park was finished. For me this is the best option of the three options, where none of those options are ideal. But I'd rather have a few games at home before the stadium opens just to help provide some help competitively to the team's record.

As I said yesterday, the Galaxy had a horrible run when they opened the Home Depot Center, going 0-4-4, while the Chicago Fire did better, going 2-3-4, picking up 10 points. And going back to my above example with the expansion Union, who went 2-7-1 before PPL Park opened (1-7 on the road). So maybe I overreacted a bit last night, but I don't like the idea of an extended road trip, it gets tiring on players having to travel every single week, and the Wizards have never been a good road team, they only have two seasons in their history where they have a winning record on the road, going 9-7 in 1997 and 5-3-8 2000. Over their history the Wizards average 15 points on the road a season, on the road for a long stretch I struggle to see the Wizards hitting that mark.

I still struggle to see the Wizards making the playoffs in the 2011 season, maybe I'm just pessimistic, but unlike 2003 and 2006 with LA and Chicago, less than half the teams in the league will make the playoffs in 2011, and with a traditionally poor road team playing a long stretch away from home it's hard to see the Wizards getting enough points early on in the season. But I do appreciate Heineman stepping up to clarify his comments from yesterday.

Wizards After Gudjohnsen

Yesterday evening, Thad over at The Back Post said that the Wizards were close to signing or making an offer to a player to be the Wizards second designated player in team history. Tonight on bigsoccer, Robb Heineman let the cat out of the bag and said that the Wizards have made a formal offer to Icelandic international, Eidur Gudjohnsen. Gudjohnsen has a strong club history having played for both Chelsea and Barcelona. Most recently, Gudjohnsen played for Tottenham Hot Spurs in the Premier League on loan from Monaco. Gudjohnsen is 31, still some years left for him to play. As long as he's willing to really play and not just collect a pay check he could be one of the best, if not the best designated player in the league.

I've been a fan of Gudjohnsen's for years, and I'm very excited about this potential move. Here's a highlight package of Gudjohnsen.

Heineman Confirms United Date in KC

Wizards president Robb Heineman has confirmed the date of the game in Kansas City in Manchester United. Tonight on Bigsoccer, Robb posted that the game against Manchester United will be on July 25th, likely at Arrowhead Stadium, although that hasn't been announced officially yet. (Where else would you have it? CAB?) With the Wizards set to play Chicago on July 24th in Chicago, that game seems likely to be moved to accommodate this friendly against the "world's richest club." We'll have to wait for the official word on that move though, but it makes no sense to have the league game one day and then a friendly the next in a completely different city.

Moldovans in Camp

Along with his mention of the Ryan Smith tonight, Robb Heineman also gave us the names of the two Moldovans that are training with the Wizards right now. While he only gives us last names, with some searching, it appears the players are Alexei Casian and Igor Kostrov. Casian appears to have last played for Dinamo Bender in Moldova. Casian also has a video out on Youtube of some of his play as well (seen below). Kostrov also appears to have played with Bender, but has also spent time in Israel. From what I saw out at practice on Saturday of these two, they're both decent players, we'll see if either or both of them make the team.

New Stadium Renderings Picture

The above picture was posted on Bigsoccer last night by a member of the Wizards staff. It's the new rendering of the Wizards stadium out at the Legends. The overall design is fairly similar to previous renderings we've seen, but there is one big change between the old renderings and this one, and that's the roof. In the previous renderings the roof had been a continuously linked roof, looking almost like a flying saucer on the stadium. Now the roof looks to be on different levels, and ascending as it goes around, low over the Cauldron and raising up as it moves around the stadium.

Overall, while I appreciate the new renderings I'd much rather see pictures of machines working at the site, concrete being poured and the real stadium actually start to take shape instead of more renderings. Wizards fans have been seeing renderings for years now, ever since the first stadium site OnGoal had out at 158th and 69 highway. It's time to see the actual stadium start to take shape.

2010 Wizards Kit Leaked

It would appear that the Wizards new kits for the 2010 season have been leaked out. The above picture was posted on bigsoccer this morning in the Wizards forum. No real big changes to the uniform from last year, there seems to be more yellow piping this year and maybe a little less of the dark blue in the uniform. I do like the white away this year again, it looks good. Overall I like the new uniforms for the team, they have a basic, classic look to them.

Wizards Linked with Andy Herron

As I tweeted earlier today, it would appear that the Wizards are after former Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew forward, Andy Herron. Reports out of Costa Rica are linking the Wizards with a move for the forward last played with CS Herediano in Costa Rica. According to one of the reports Herron is hoping to have a deal finalized by Friday. Herron is hoping to finalize a deal that will allow him to continue to play in Costa Rica until the MLS season starts in March.

While Herron is right in his quote that the Wizards need a striker, I'm very underwhelmed with this rumor. Herron at the age of 31 is not the type of striker the Wizards should be bringing in to cure their scoring woes. In my mind he's not an upgrade over any of the current Wizards' strikers other than maybe Michael Kraus. This move be bringing in a player that really is no better than the team's current strikers who didn't score much last year. My mindset seems to be the same of many fans I've conversed with today, the words underwhelming and unimpressive were heard multiple times when discussing this potential move.

While many Wizards fans will remember him for his bicycle kick goal against the Wizards on July 4, 2006, the first thing that came to my mind when I heard this rumor was his elbow to the face of New England Revolution defender, Jay Heaps. Hopefully this is just one of many rumors involving the Wizards and potential strikers and not one that comes to pass. Because I personally don't see how this move would improve our team for next year.

UPDATE: Robb Heineman has come out tonight on bigsoccer and basically put this rumor to bed, saying there is nothing to the Herron stuff.

Stadium Start Date

There are 17 days left in the year for Robb Heineman's comment about breaking ground before the end of the year to come true. Unfortunately according to the KC Business Journal, that is still not resolved. The article, though, doesn't really contain much new information, most of it is a rehashing of information that Wizards fans have already seen in previous articles, and comments made by Heineman on Bigsoccer. The only real new information is from Tim Weaver of Lane4, talking about the fact that they still have to work out financing and other options as well. Besides that it's more playing off the Village West area with KCMO continuing to say the Bannister project is still alive. We see information about the new release date of the funds and the other monitary news we've already seen.

The best part of the article was the author's use of Bigsoccer as a news source for his story.

More Stadium News

Yesterday we heard new news on the Wizards potential stadium site out at the Legends. Today thanks to a poster on Bigsoccer, we have a little more news that makes it seem like the Legends complex is very close to happening. The link is to a Contract and Bid Opportunities blog talking about the fact that Wizards are accepting bids for the stadium project out in Kansas City, Kansas. According to the post, they are accepting bids for drilled piers and concrete foundation. The bidding is open until the 18th. And while this bidding does not mean the project is finalized, it certainly seems a lot closer now with this news. It means that the Wizards feel confident enough in this site to start working towards getting the construction lined up.

Jimmy Conrad's Latest

I've read basically all of Jimmy Conrad's ESPN/CNNSI articles over the years and have thoroughly enjoyed the humor that Conrad has brought. It's one of the things that's made him a favorite not just among Wizards fans, but fans around the league, they see him as a potential play-by-play guy after his playing career is over. But his latest entry is a little different as it doesn't appear to have the usual humor that Conrad brings, unless it is very subtle. Conrad comes up with 3 ideas for changing MLS so that the "teenage league" can break away from it's "American sports brethren".

NUMBER 1
His first point reads like it could be from any one of the numerous new posters on Bigsoccer who post these types of ideas daily it seems. He speaks of breaking away and telling our "parents that we hate them and 'what do they know about anything,'" yet his first point is to go ahead and move in with our "best friend's parents" because they have the "cool entertainment center" known as promotion and relegation. Conrad comes up with the idea of splitting a 20 team MLS into two 10 team leagues with no inter mixing games between those two teams (except for the Open Cup). Basically the same set up as our "soccer brethren" around the world. Remember as a kid how you always wanted to live at your best friend's house cause you thought it was cooler there? This is the same premise basically, dump your American sports style parents for your European sports parents. So instead of running with our own identity as Conrad said, we'd just be conforming our identity to that of our "best friend's parents".

While his point on MLS 2 create a bitter feeling is correct, he glosses over the bigger point of owners investing in an American franchise system suddenly not having the ability to market their team as "major league". He down plays the issue of the lower league and getting "engaged owners". While having engaged owners is nice, you bring yourself to the problem of those "engaged owners" over spending their ability to get the glory of winning the league, and maybe it happens, but then the owners will depend on that happening yearly to offset the losses they take. See Leeds' failing to get into the Champion's League being the start of their downfall, or teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, etc relying on making the Champion's League group stage and those money makers to help them break even.

His possible positive side affect is also off. He talks about it making the US Open Cup into a hotter ticket and hotly contested. I fail to see how making an MLS 2 would make the Open Cup more hotly contested, it'd be a similar situation as we currently have with USL-1. Those match ups between MLS and USL-1 aren't exactly hot tickets, especially in MLS markets.

And while promotion relegation adds drama at both ends of the table, that's not any different than how MLS was this year, where 14 of the 15 teams in the league were still fighting for a playoff spot with 2-3 weeks left in the season, I mean the MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake got into the playoffs thanks to other results going their way after they started the day outside the playoff picture.

NUMBER 2
His second idea is to make MLS a monopoly by buying up the USL and the MISL and use them both as places for players who don't get minutes for the first team to get some competitive games. Let's ignore the obvious anti-trust issues that could occur if MLS were to do this and focus on the rest. While I am a big proponent of the reserve league and really want it to return, I'm not sure I'm a big fan of having a minor league like baseball. Unlike baseball, many rookies that come to MLS out of college are ready to contribute right away (he discusses the draft in his third point, but we'll focus on a world where the draft still exists here). Guys like Michael Harrington, Jonathan Leathers, and Matt Besler or just some of the Wizards players over the last 3 years who have contributed in their first season. I've always considered MLS more like football or basketball where players contribute right away.

If this was even a half way potential idea, it would have to be a situation similar to the loan system in the rest of the world, which many MLS teams already utilize with the way the USL already is. This also brings in potential problem with his first point on the Open Cup, as making the system like minor league baseball would hurt the idea of the Open Cup with teams having most of their minor league team being made up of players from the parent club.

Overall I don't find much fault with this idea other than the aformentioned anti-trust issue, but other uses of the minor league and indoor system would not be a bad idea at all. More use of loans and use of an indoor league in the winter could certainly help younger players like a Matt Marquess, a Boris Pardo, or a Rauwshan McKenzie get more playing time. In fact plenty of USL-1 and lower players have pulled double duty playing indoor in the winter as well (although that's more of a job/money issue).

NUMBER 3
His third point is to do away with the MLS college draft, which I know plenty of soccer purists in this country would love. I do like his idea for players that go to college for less than 4 years, giving the team that brought them up having first right of refusal for the player. It allows teams to keep the players they helped to develop. Although MLS already this type of deal in place in some form. For instance, Matt Kassel at the University of Maryland came through New York's youth system, should he decide to turn pro, New York has first right to him before he goes into the draft. It's the same for any player in any teams current system.

As for the 4 year graduates, that can go either way, I think the draft is a "fair" way to divide up the talent that has come through college to avoid the "fly over country" getting the lesser talents after the more glamorous teams have made their selections. I do understand letting the players choose where they end up going as well.

The one point that Conrad does not touch on really are those players that weren't part of a teams' youth academy before they went off to college, do they follow the same path as 4 year graduates, are they able to choose where they go? If not, how to do they get onto a team when they decide to leave? That'd be point in Conrad's idea that needs to be addressed.

In the end Conrad, in places, brings up some interesting points that could be good jumping off points for discussion, but some seem very out there in their ideas and extremely unlikely to happen. Still, it looks like he's accomplished his Linux idea if I'm spending time adding to/changing his ideas

We Will Break Ground this Year

That's what Wizards President Robb Heineman posted tonight over on Bigsoccer. Heineman said that "Unless the world falls apart, we will break ground this year." So while news hasn't really been forth coming in regards to what's going on with either the Legends deal or a potential deal on the Missouri side, it appears that things are definitely very close.

The question now is which location. Is it going to be the Legends location right across the street from Nebraska Furniture Mart, or potentially moving back to the Bannister Mall location? Hopefully we'll find out soon, and soon after all Wizards fans will be gathering out at the location clapping and cheering as the ceremonial first shovels dig up the first bits of dirt.

Two Stadium Sites Still Around

The thought a few weeks ago that the Wizards were going to the Legends or bust for their permanent home, but Robb Heineman has posted to the contrary last night on Bigsoccer. While the Legends site appears to still be leader, Heineman says that more needs to be done by the state of Kansas to ensure the stadium gets built there. His thread title while cryptic, was quickly broken down as meaning that the Wizards are still working on the Missouri side as well. Is this the Bannister site, or is it potentially another site. Either way, if it is on the Missouri side, specifically in Kansas City, the question becomes how the city has sweetened the deal after hearing about the deal Wyandotte County has put on the table.

The Wizards are playing a potentially dangerous cat and mouse game. Competition for the stadium can probably be a good thing, and maybe it's because of all the stuff I've dealt with as a Wizards fan for years, but I worry that playing this game the Wizards could get left out in the cold on both sides of the state line. If the Wizards are still hoping for that mid-season 2011 opening, they have to start moving dirt soon. My original hope of ground breaking being held in conjunction with one of the final home games doesn't look likely to happen any more.

Wizards New Signing?

Has Robb Heineman given us the name of the Wizards new signing? Heineman posted a youtube video of a Nike commercial starting Argentine midfielder, Santiago Hirsig on bigsoccer this morning. Hirsig is a 31 year old midfielder who last played for San Lorenzo in the Argentine top flight. He hadn't been getting a lot of starts, but had been making regular substitute appearances, including appearing in both of the Apertura "playoff" games that San Lorenzo was involved in this past December. He's definitely not a goal scorer as it appears he's only scored 17 career goals, but I'm cautiously optimistic if the Hirsig move goes through.

Thanks to some quick leg work by AG over at the KC Soccer Review, it would appear that Hirsig was recently released from his contract at San Lorenzo, for what would appear to be a disagreement with the club over being paid. It would also appear that Hirsig was very close to signing with Barcelona SC of Ecuador, but for some reason did not. Hopefully we'll hear an official word soon.

Wizards Final Preseason Game

Nothing official has been announced on this yet, but word on Bigsoccer.com is that the Wizards final preseason game, schedule for March 14th will not be in Kansas City as it seemed previously. Instead, the Wizards will go on another quick barnstorming tour to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to take on USL-1 side, the Minnesota Thunder. According to the poster on bigsoccer, he received an email with the flyer attached about the game, which will take place at Prarie High School, just south of Cedar Rapids. I had hoped this game would have been at home, but with it being under a 5 hour drive, I may be making my first road trip of the season to cover this game. Local radio station, Z 102.9 is already promoting the game, which will be a double header with Prarie High School.