Huh. How 'bout that.

Final roster spot, eh?
I hope McTavish and Burch take to their new roles as wing backs.

More on Ja 'baller here:
http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20040106/sports/sports1.html

Finally! United is trying to cater to ME by courting someone from the Vietnamese leagues!

Heeelllllp meeeeeeeee!!!!

More info:

http://www.reggaeboyzsc.com/interviews.aspx?interviewid=19

This would be a stupid signing at his age, can't be developmental and not go enough to be in the senior 18.

Ugh. Another forward who will surely go little under utilized, whereas there is a sieve-like backline lacking in depth. Sherlock?

saw him in a couple scrimmages this spring. he sucked no way he makes the dcu roster. he was lazy, lacked creativity,and ability to run with the ball. has pretty good aerial prescence though. and hey i mean i guess it could happen you did have david stokes on your roster for almost 3 years.

Kevin Payne said, "We are adding a discovery player this week, a forward." Is Addlery the guy he's talking about? This is classified as a discovery player? (Not being smart, I really don't know.) Are there limits to the number of discovery players a team can add?

Wow, the Vietnamese league, oye, that would be FAR of the map of world football. When I was there in December for two weeks, I asked each of my three guide/translators, while there, if there were any teams in Hanoi/HCMC that I could go watch. Each of them said they knew there were teams but had never been to or seen a match, and didn't know of anyone who had either. They all knew tons of about Euro footy, but nothing about teams in their own back yard. I guess the "euro-snobs" are everywhere. :-D

I read through the Kevin Payne interview and am concerned that he glosses over our need to upgrade the backline. Does he really think that McTavish and Wilson will suffice for this long season, especially as Namoff and Boswell, (and Carroll) might spend extended time away from D.C.? I like the new discovery player, and we seem to be planning well for offense for the future--but our needs are still at wing and a veteran defender to push Erpen or step in for Boswell & Namoff. Am I too alarmist?

Obviously, Namoff, Boswell and Carroll are all playing miserably so they will not be called into US camp.

:S

It seems to me that we do not need another forward. I dont care if this guy is the next Henry or Crespo or any other Euro striker i cant think of, we need a solid back line presence.

Eric, I think it's a bit of both. Of course adding depth is something that United should do, but on the other hand you need to understand that KP isn't just "glossing" over the problem-- he's not going to get on a WP chat and go all zOMG WE HAV N0 D3PTH ABANDON SHIP LOl!!!!!!!!!!!111

I guess we'll be playing with the mentality that a good offense is the best defense. I guess this means we'll have to be scoring a lot more goals soon!

Perhaps we haven't seen anyone we like as a defender in scouting around but would like to pick up someone from another team in the MLS. So, we pick up a forward who has great physical presence and hold onto him till we can trade him for a defender...or something stupid like that?

I know absolutely nothing about MLS transfer rules. Can deals be made mid season?

The current MLS international window closes this weekend. The summer window runs from June 15 to August 15.

So come mid-June, I'm sure you'll see MLS teams look abroad to address major concerns.

It still strickes me that our 3 defensive mids suggest the possibility for a trade. Especially if the 3 back line continues to struggle. Simms for a solid big central defender?

Wait-- he's over 6'0"?
He's a giant!!

Aren't we forgetting about that Kpene kid? Isn't he a forward as well?? I dunno wassup with the FO but sooner or later they'll have to seek defensive depth. Isn't Ritchie Kotschau still seeking work?

Why can't we sign Greg Simmonds??? Bet he would play for cheap too. Any other forwards out there looking for work???

Maybe we could package Walker and a d-mid and get a decent center back. Any MLS teams overloaded at that spot? I know Arena's not in love with Jeff Parke.

Are other teams willing to give us a piece that would strengthen our back line? Not for Walker and Simms, I don't think.
McTavish moves back to the wing and we try a 4 man back line if the defense does not pick up.

between Brad North, Marc Burch, Nicholas Addlery, and Guy-Roland Kpene, one of them has to be as 'good' as Jamil Walker. You have to think that days are numbered for Walker given his senior roster spot

As long as they figure out the defensive stuff by July I'm not too concerned. It will be interesting to see the starting defense for this week's reserve league match. Maybe they'll play the 2-5-3

DE-FENSE!

We NEED defense!!!

DE-fense! clap clap! DE-fense!

I like the jeff parke suggestion. Or, one of the guys on Houston's bench, like Kelly Gray? I don't know what it would take, though...

I hear that guy Prideaux is okay as a first option off the bench.

Maybe we should trade for him!

Jeff Parke, seriously? That dude is TERRIBLE. John Wilson is better than Jeff Parke.

I hear that, not a good move trading Prideaux as it turns out.

Remember, Prideaux ASKED to be traded closer to home...

And everyone scoffed when I mentioned the possibility of the 1-1-8...

low di jamaican yute, cho

I trained and played with nick in college and this man is the most physically gifted player no one has heard of. He has a ridiclous amount of potential and in the right situation he could be force. DC United may have found a diamond in the ruff. Then again time will tell.

I hear the Addlery contract is a done deal, any confirmation?