Matt Pickens in goal for Stabaek in today's friendly. Stabaek trailing 2-0 late in the first half. Streaming live. http://t.co/yNjbB9Au0p
— Jeff Bradley (@JerseyJBradley) February 15, 2014
Stabaek recently named Bob Bradley as their manager and he's obviously using his MLS connections to find some players. It was pretty obvious that Pickens was going to be moved before the roster deadline on March 1st, but it appears that he's more likely to leave MLS than be traded. Assuming he's sold and not just cut so he can go to Norway (or wherever) the Rapids would get some allocation money in exchange for selling him.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Matt Pickens On Trial In Norway
It appears Matt Pickens "excused absence" from training camp has taken him to Norway:
Friday, February 14, 2014
Rapids Beat UNLV 2-0
The Rapids scrimmaged UNLV today before their exhibition game against Chivas USA on Sunday. The opening lineup:
Berner
Ibikunle - Van De Casteele - Moor - Klute
Sturgis - Hairston
Chavez- Galindo - Torres
Hill
Ibikunle - Van De Casteele - Moor - Klute
Sturgis - Hairston
Chavez- Galindo - Torres
Hill
and after the 60th minute, when all 10 field players were subbed:
Berner
Edward - Wynne - Watts - Burch
LaBrocca - Guzman
Serna - Sanchez - Eloundou
Brown
Edward - Wynne - Watts - Burch
LaBrocca - Guzman
Serna - Sanchez - Eloundou
Brown
Newly signed keeper Joe Nasco has left camp for a couple of days to deal with a family issue, so Berner got to go the full 90. Goals were scored by Martin Chavez from a free kick do to a foul on Hairston in the 60th minute (immediately afterwards the team substitution happened) and by Vicente Sanchez in the 78th minute with an assist from trialist Juan Guzman.
Unfortunately there will be no stream of the Chivas game, Twitter updates only. There should be some streaming of the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson.
Oh, and I'm going to start listing Van De Casteele as VDC to save time. ;)
Oh, and I'm going to start listing Van De Casteele as VDC to save time. ;)
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Nasco & Watts Signed, Thomas Traded
Still no official word on Jose Mari but the Rapids did announce two signings today. 2nd round Superdraft pick midfielder Jared Watts and trialist goalkeeper Joe Nasco (formally with Atlanta) both penned deals today. This gives us some depth at both keeper and d-mid. The Terrace blog also reports today that drftee goalkeeper John Berner will probably be signed soon, giving us the standard 3 keepers after Pickens is moved or sold. Chirs Bianchi says there's interest from outside MLS for his services (probably Scandinavia given the current open transfer windows) or he could be traded.
Depth will be necessary at d-mid as Hendry Thomas' rights were traded to Dallas today where he'll rejoin Oscar Pareja. The Rapids got allocation money in return for his rights. Bianchi reports it as the largest sum of allocation money the team has eve received in a transaction. That should allow us to go shopping for some players. With this move the future of the full 2013 roster has been determined.
There are still 3 trialist and 3 draftees in camp with 27 players signed. Armstrong will start the season on IR and Pickens will presumably e moved before the March 1st roster compliance day, so that means there are still 5 spots open that those 6 are competing for. We only have 7 international players in camp and 8 spots, so that won't be a roadblock.
Depth will be necessary at d-mid as Hendry Thomas' rights were traded to Dallas today where he'll rejoin Oscar Pareja. The Rapids got allocation money in return for his rights. Bianchi reports it as the largest sum of allocation money the team has eve received in a transaction. That should allow us to go shopping for some players. With this move the future of the full 2013 roster has been determined.
There are still 3 trialist and 3 draftees in camp with 27 players signed. Armstrong will start the season on IR and Pickens will presumably e moved before the March 1st roster compliance day, so that means there are still 5 spots open that those 6 are competing for. We only have 7 international players in camp and 8 spots, so that won't be a roadblock.
Goalkeepers:
John Berner - Unsigned draftee
Clint Irwin
Joe Nasco
Matt Pickens - On "Excused Absence"
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:
Samuel Galindo - Unsigned trialist, International
Juan Guzman - Unsigned trialist
Marion Hariston - Generation Adidas
Nick LaBrocca
Jose Mari - Unsigned trialist, International
Dillon Powers
Dillon Serna - Homegrown Player
Nathan Sturgis
Jared Watts
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
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Jose Mari Signed?
And literally as I posted the news of Mari joining while he works out a deal, Chris Bianchi tweets the following:
#Rapids acquisition of Jose Mari is complete. Joins from Spanish side Real Zaragoza. Biggest acquisition of offseason so far for Rapids.
Chris Bianchi @Rapids_News As @TerraceBlog reports, Mari arrives as Hendry Thomas replacement. As previously reported, Thomas won't be back.
Chris Bianchi @Rapids_News Mari, btw, not a DP. #RapidsSo maybe its a done deal?
Spaniard Jose Mari Joins the Team In Vegas
Today the Rapids announced that Spaniard Jose Maria Martin Bejarano-Serrano (commonly known as Jose Mari) will join up with the team when they arrive in Las Vegas tomorrow, with the hope the team can work out a deal with him. Mari is a 26 year old defensive midfielder who has played his whole career in Spain. This is not the 36 year old Spanish international striker Jose Mari, the first hit you get when you Google that name.
Mari's last team was Real Zaragosa, who were just relegated to the Segunda (same division as CD Tenerife) last season, but last week the club and Mari mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Prior to that he's played for a number of Segunda teams over the last 8 seasons, making about 200 appearances in that time. Clearly he's being brought in to fill the hole created by the fact that negotiations with Hendry Thomas have stalled out, so its looking more and more like Thomas won't be back.
Interesting quote from Mari in the announcement:
On the eve of the Vegas trip, here's what the camp roster looks like:
Mari's last team was Real Zaragosa, who were just relegated to the Segunda (same division as CD Tenerife) last season, but last week the club and Mari mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Prior to that he's played for a number of Segunda teams over the last 8 seasons, making about 200 appearances in that time. Clearly he's being brought in to fill the hole created by the fact that negotiations with Hendry Thomas have stalled out, so its looking more and more like Thomas won't be back.
Interesting quote from Mari in the announcement:
I know that the coach, Pablo, is an institution at the club, that he’s been here for many years and is a very important man for the Colorado Rapids organization.Does Mari know something official about the coaching situation that the rest of us don't? :D
On the eve of the Vegas trip, here's what the camp roster looks like:
Goalkeepers:
John Berner - Unsigned draftee
Clint Irwin
Joe Nasco - Unsigned trialist
Matt Pickens - On "Excused Absence"
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:
Samuel Galindo - Unsigned trialist, International
Juan Guzman - Unsigned trialist
Marion Hariston - Generation Adidas
Nick LaBrocca
Jose Mari - Unsigned trialist, International
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
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