Pablo Not Quite Head Coach and Player Updates

The Rapids announced on Saturday that Pablo "will be at the head of our group of coaches" as preseason opens,  but they went out of their way to avoid calling him Head Coach, using terms like "leading" and "in charge".  I still believe its just a matter of time before he''s given the title.  Maybe after this weekend's scrimmage against Houston so he can have at least one game under his belt.

A few player updates since Thursday, with an updated list.

• I missed this in the draft announcement, but Aussie Albert Edward has a green card so if he makes the team he won't take an international spot.
• The Rapids confirmed that Grant Van De Casteele is already under contract.
• Today the Rapids re-signed Danny Mwanga.  He's just had hernia surgery so he he won't be at full strength until about when the season starts.  According to the Denver Post he took a pay cut.
• German Mera has been signed by Atletico Bucaramanga, a 2nd division side in Colombia, so he won't be returning.
• No update on Martin Rivero, but they Gabriel Torres the #10 Rivero wore the last two years, so that's probably not a good sign.
• Hendry Thomas is still in negotiations with the team.

Goalkeepers:

John Berner - Unsigned draftee

Clint Irwin

Matt Pickens

Defenders:

Davy Armstrong - Homegrown Player - Will start season on IR(knee)

Mark Burch

Albert Edward - Unsigned draftee

Brenton Griffiths - International

Tolani Ibikunle  - Unsigned draftee

Kory Kindle

Chris Klute

Drew Moor

Brian Mullan

Shane O'Neill - Homegrown Player

Grant Van De Casteele

Marvell Wynne

Midfielders:

Marion Hariston - Generation Adidas

Nick LaBrocca

Dillon Powers

Dillon Serna - Homegrown Player

Nathan Sturgis

Jared Watts - Unsigned draftee

Forwards:

Deshorn Brown - Generation Adidas, International

Edson Buddle

Martin Chavez

Charles Eloundou - International

Kamani Hill

Danny Mwanga

Vicente Sanchez - International

Gabriel Torres - Designated Player, International

Unknown Status: Martin Rivero, Hendry Thomas, Anthony Wallace

Roster Churn Prior To Re-Entry Draft

A ton of roster news in the last couple of days.  Knocking it down 1 by 1.

• The Rapids have declined the option on Steward Ceus

Not to be harsh, but that's a good move.  Ceus obviously lost something this year.  He was one of the last eight players on the roster from the Cup winning team.  Ceus will be in the Re-Entry Draft on Thursday.

• Mullan's, Smith's options declined making them eligible for the Re-Entry Draft

No surprise here, both these guys (another 2 from the Cup winning team) are approaching retirement.  In the Ceus article Bravo said he expects everyone but Ceus to opt out of the Re-Entry Draft, so he mush have some feeling that Mullan and Smith will sign new contracts, leave the league, or retire.  I wouldn't mind keeping them around as coaches but their time to help on the field is basically over.

• Wallace and Armstrong are out of contract.

Sounds like Armstrong is being kept on until he's healthy, then probably let go.  Wallace is wanted back but will probably go somewhere where he can get more playing time, which I can't blame him for.  These are another two of the Cup winning players.  The only 3 with no news this week are Moor, Pickens, and Wynne.

• Griffiths and Kindle are extended new deals.

This one surprises me I figured the team might move on from both players.  Particularly Griffiths since he takes an international spot.  The coaches must see enough in practice to keep them on.  The article does say they're being offered their same minimum contracts they had this year.

• The Rapids want German Mera back next season.

Makes sense, especially after Calderon was let go.  I can understand not wanting to go through an expensive buyout for Mera and bringing him back on loan.  Smart way to go about it.

• Colorado wants to bring back Danny Mwanga.

Meh, from an age perspective he makes the most sense out of the Cascio/Hill/Mwanga trio, but from a play and cost perspective I like Cascio better.  Still it was a safe bet that at least 1 of those 3 would be back.  Maybe they can get him cheaper.

Next major even is the Re-Entry Draft on Thursday afternoon, though we may hear news about some of these players signing new contracts before that.

Roster Notes and USOC Bracket News

German Mera

Three roster notes today:

• As you can see by the above picture, German Mera has arrived in Colorado and is eligible for selection on Saturday
• MLSSoccer.com's Rapids beat writer Chris Bianchi has tweeted that he expects resolution, probably in the Rapids favor, of the Charles Eloundou saga in the near future.
• Jaime Castrillon received his green card today, which brings the Rapids back down to a total of 8 internationals (assuming Eloundou does end up here), which is how many slots they have.  They still have 31 signed players against a roster cap of 30 though, but that's not a problem until every single one of them is healthy, which I'm not sure is ever going to happen this season (though Calderon and Eloundou were the only ones not at training today).

Also today Colorado found out their possible USOC 4th Round matchups.  If they beat Orlando City SC next week they'll face the winner of the matchup between Sporting Kansas City and the PDL's Des Moines Menace.  If its Des Moines they'll host the game at 7pm MDT on June 12th.  In the more likely case that its KC, they'll travel to KC for a 6:30pm MDT kickoff on June 12th.

At this point, with one guaranteed road game against possibly the best non-MLS side in the competition and a highly likely road game against a good MLS team to follow that, I'm actually going to do a complete 180 from my normal feeling on the USOC and suggest the Rapids punt the competition by sending a reserve side to Orlando.  The odds of us winning both those games and making it to the quarter-finals is low, while the team is finally getting healthy and putting together a decent string of results in league play.  There's no reason to risk more injuries to players like Buddle, Mastroeni, Powers, etc. by taking a number of first-team players across the country in mid-week between home matches against Western rivals in Chivas USA and Dallas.

If the backups and reserves beat Orlando and we find out we'll host the quarterfinal if we beat Sporting, the team can then consider sending a top side to KC, especially since the prior weekend will have been an international break and the team will be rested.

Rapids sign Mera on loan from Deportivo Cali

Game recap tonight (if I can quit laughing about it long enough to write it), salary discussion tomorrow, but first this.  Colorado just announced that they've signed German Mera, a big left-footed centerback on loan from Deportivo Cali until the end of the season.  He fills the roster and international spot freed up by Calderon (or Castrillon, or Harbottle) being on IR.  If, somehow all 9 internationals get healthy at the same time one of them will have to be cut, but the way our season  has gone that seems unlikely anytime soon.

Mera is 23 years old and has played his whole professional career under contract with Cali, but has been loaned to multiple sides in his career.  He's appeared 56 times for Cali in 3 seasons.