Troy Perkins is coming home
by Martin Shatzer on Jan 13, 2010 11:03 PM EST
19 comments
In a shocking trade on the eve of the 2010 MLS Draft, DC United has re-acquired Troy Perkins. Perkins played goalkeeper for United from 2004-2007 and boasts an all-time club record 1.22 career goals against average. He started all but 1 match during our Supporters' Shield winning seasons of 2006 and 2007 before departing to the Norwegian side Valarenga.
Thanks to MLS's inane allocation rules, because Troy Perkins is a returning national team player, and because DC United received a transfer fee when Perkins previously departed, his MLS rights would have belonged to the Philadelphia Union. In order to acquire Perkins today, DC United paid a steep price in order to swap allocation slots with PU. They had to give up attacking midfielder Fred, their first round draft pick tomorrow (#7 overall), and allocation money.
This could also mean a world of trouble for Josh Wicks and Milos Kocic, who may be asked to compete with each other for the #2 goalkeeper role. 19-year old Bill Hamid is all but assured of remaining our #3.
Lots of different ways you can look at this trade. For tonight though, let's focus on the positive. DC United finished just one game out of the playoffs each of the past two seasons. With an elite goalkeeper, there's no doubt that we would have made the playoffs. Perkins is the kind of game changing keeper who will win a match on his own.
The loss of Fred is not insignificant. And with a highly rated draft class, it will be a shame to have to wait until the fourth round tomorrow. But those are worries for another day. Because tonight I'll be going to sleep happy knowing that the most critical position on the team will be in capable hands for the next several years.
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We're in agreement
Perkins will be one of MLS’s best keepers. He’s grown a lot as a keeper under the higher pressure in Norway. We also know, for certain, that he’s very good (unlike signing a foreign keeper and hoping it works, which burned us with Crayton). This will improve both our play in the box and our defensive organization as a whole. Adding a keeper of his quality should have been our most urgent priority, and now we can move on to our other issues.
Is losing Fred a negative? Sure. He was our best existing option as a replacement for both Quaranta and Castillo, and Onalfo was also looking at him as a central playmaking option (not that I was enthusiastic about that). So we’re thinner on the wings, obviously. The #7 pick probably would have netted us a contributor as well, and that allocation cash could have been very handy. However, Fred was vastly overpriced to be merely a regular sub/occasional starter, and my gut feeling about this draft is that it’s being overhyped.
Bottom line: You rarely ever get away with highway robbery. Philly demanded value, and we gave it up to get value. I suppose that the amount of allocation cash could make me want to reconsider this, but ultimately we acquired a top-end starter at a position we sucked at in exchange for a backup, a draft pick, and some money. I have absolutely no problem with that.
It’s interesting how DCU has sort of alluded to the fact this would happen for a few days now.
So: Wicks or Kocic? And what do we do with the one we don’t pick?
"My face is my mask."
Wicks vs. Kocic in the Thunderdome
Two men enter, one man leaves. Turns out the Thunderdome is just RFK’s aux fields.
Basically, Simpson will put these guys to the test. In the event of a tie, Kocic stays on because he’s cheaper, younger (by just 2 years, but a reasonable tiebreaker nonetheless), and doesn’t have the recent serious injuries that Wicks does. Whoever loses will be looking for work in the new USSF 2nd division or trying to find another MLS team in need of a backup.
Ideally, Onalfo and Simpson already have an opinion on the matter and can maybe trade who they don’t want to another MLS team for an additional draft pick. However, I’d be a bit surprised by that.
by ChestRockwell on Jan 13, 2010 11:46 PM EST up reply actions
I thought Payne had promised that Wicks was going to be punished by the team?
For his behavior during the Open Cup?
I am not a Supporter
I am not a Fan
I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
I think you already got enough
Since we’re on the topic of Wicks and punishments never given out, I’ll offer you a deal. I’ll answer your question if you answer one from me: Did anything ever come of the Sounders fan that tossed a bottle at him in the 3-3 draw at Qwest?
Seriously though, you got an Open Cup trophy, the fawning adoration of MLS’s media and front office, victory in a war of words with MLS’s most storied team, two long-term, surgery-requiring injuries on one routine play for Wicks (who will find it very hard to stay in MLS in 2010 with his injuries and obvious mental issues). It seems to me that justice has been served.
by ChestRockwell on Jan 14, 2010 1:47 AM EST up reply actions
yes, the fan was removed from the stadium
But as a non STH that was the limit.
I am not a Supporter
I am not a Fan
I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
A deal's a deal
However, since nothing public was ever said after the “we’ll discipline him” statement, my answer is pure speculation. Told you it would be unsatisfying.
Given the public failure of the USOC loss and the absurd meltdown/red card of the club’s keeper, I’m guessing Payne wanted the whole thing to go away. Maybe the “punishment” was just some much-needed anger management counselling? Maybe there was an internal fine? It was never followed up on, because our season fell apart after that and that became the bigger story.
by ChestRockwell on Jan 14, 2010 6:57 PM EST up reply actions
Wicks just got his punishment
Josh Wicks lost his job yesterday. What more do you want? Talk about kicking a man when he’s down…
Oh wait… Maybe that’s a poor choice of words…
by Martin Shatzer on Jan 14, 2010 6:40 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The GK situation ...
… at RFK has held back the team over the last couple of years. Onalfo et al were smart to address it straight away. I guess you could say that Perkins fell in their lap, but they did take bold steps to get him. It’s a good move.
So season ticket holders are the only people who are to be held accountable?
Nice policy. Have to consider finding myself a ringer without season tickets to throw a bottle at Keller when the Flounders return to RFK perhaps… Hmmmmm.
You’ve probably got bigger questions for your own front office on your mind than what DCU is doing with their players don’t you Bedir? Like: Are Drew Carey and the club really going to give the Alliance any power at all?
On Topic: Stoked to see Troy back.
Throwing a bottle has a punishment
It is listed on the ticket. Said person was removed from the stadium, as the ticket says they should be. That is accountability.
As for the Alliance Council, I actually sit on it, so while I know that answer, you just continue to spout off. In year one the largest Supporters Summit in MLS history was organized by the Alliance Council, in fact I introduced Garber at the signature event.
I am not a Supporter
I am not a Fan
I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
When a spectator effects a game by striking a player in said match the punishment should go beyond the run of the mill BS on the stupid ticket.
OF ALL PEOPLE YOU ShOULD KNOW THAT.
Your GK issues started a long time ago
DCU blew it when they dumped Rimando after the 2005 loss at Chicago in the playoffs, he helped win a cup in 2004 and you haven’t won one since he left. I thank you for that, since with him we have made two straight Conference Finals, oh and have this nice trophy sitting in Bill Manning’s office.
New here...
Big United fan.
Not a bad pickup, nice to see Perkins back in the black and red.
"It comes from motivation within" - Matt Hendricks
Mile High Mayhem just another ho-hum Avs blog.
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