Well this didn't last long. Yet another waste of a DP.

Just saw this post over on Steve Goff’s blog. Marcello Gallardo is no longer a member of DC United.

D.C. United General Manager Dave Kasper has confirmed that Argentine midfielder Marcelo Gallardo will not return to the club. The sides reached agreement this morning to break ties, allowing Gallardo to return to the Argentine league.

Kasper: “We have reached an agreement with Marcelo to let him go back to Argentina and finish his career. We basically released him from his obligations. He is now free to sign and finish his career down south.”

DC will take a huge relief in the salary cap with this move. Gallardo won’t cost them a thing to get rid of him here and now the club has an open designated player slot. Time will tell if they use it, more than likely with the main international transfer window closing the club will have to wait to sign a big named player this summer.

Gallardo will go in the books as yet another wasted designated player in MLS history. That makes what three or four wastes on the DP tag? Something like that. Continue Reading…

I think this could be the best non-draft pick for any club this month. The New England Revolution signed UMass keeper Zach Simmons to a contract today.

Simmons was viewed as one of the better keepers in the draft but with the lack of a need for keepers this year he went unselected. More than likely had there been a Supplemental Draft he would have easily been picked up there.

The Revs signed Simmons, 23, to a developmental contract and elevated back-up goalkeeper Brad Knighton to a senior roster spot. New England also announced that it had moved defender Chris Tierney from the developmental roster to its senior roster.

I like this move because I’ve seen Simmons a couple times and know he is a legit keeper. I was a little shocked not to see him taken earlier this month in the SuperDraft but again not many clubs needed a keeper. He will more than likely be the future keeper of this club once Matt Reis hangs up his boots.

Boy seeing these videos of FC Dallas in preseason training…well running…makes me wish I were a little more in shape these days. I don’t think I could run like they do anymore, maybe a few years ago yes but definitely not now.


Preseason Fitness Testing from FC Dallas on Vimeo.

Twenty players, nearly all MLSers, have been invited to USA training camp starting tomorrow in Carson. Foreign-based players will be added in the days leading to the USA-Mexico World Cup qualifier Feb. 11 in Columbus.

More than likely a lot of these MLS guys won’t be on the final roster. Just a hunch.

GOALKEEPERS: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Matt Pickens (Colorado Rapids).

DEFENDERS: Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Ugo Ihemelu (Colorado Rapids), Chris Wingert (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC).

MIDFIELDERS: Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire).

FORWARDS: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire)

US Soccer president Sunil Gulati has scheduled a conference call for Monday to announce US Soccer’s bid intentions for the upcoming FIFA World Cups. He will reveal which World Cup U.S. Soccer will make a bid for (2018 and/or 2022).

The USSF is set to bid on both World Cups. The US has been considered a heavy contender for each Cup but could have a stronger chance at getting the 2022 Cup rather than the 2018 Cup due to some pressure from FIFA to put another World Cup in Europe then.

Either way I would imagine the US will get the World Cup in one of those two years. The amount of quality stadium, not to mention large stadiums are already or will be in place by then.

We will see. What do you make of the US’s chances here? Should they hold off and wait to get the 2022 bid or push for the 2018 bid even though its a tough field of bids.

Add LA in the mix for Bobby Convey.

Earlier this month we talked about San Jose’s interest in the midfielder. SBI is reporting this evening the Galaxy are also interested to try to bring the injury prone midfielder to the Home Depot Center.

LA is looking at the growing possibility that both Landon Donvan and David Beckham could be headed back to Europe this winter, making this move all the more needed.

What is standing in the way is San Jose’s current position in the allocation order. The Quakes are number one while LA sits in second place in the order. Do the Quakes really want Convey or are they more interested to get a deal worked out with the Galaxy here? Reports suggest the Quakes are set to sign an international forward in the coming weeks.

Getting some extra allocation money from LA might be enough to make the deal happen. Not to mention the Quakes would only have to move one spot down only to move back up to the top if LA does indeed claim Convey in the allocation process.

I still think like some people out there that Convey will return next year to MLS and sign with the expansion side in Philly. Its a move that makes sense for both parties but a move to the league a year early could be fine too. Philly may want to make a trade or Convey could work a deal in his contract if he really wants to play there (similar to what Nate Jaqua did in Houston to get to Seattle).

Think Convey will be in MLS this year or will he come back in 2010?

The more the man scores for AC Milan the more people on this side of the world wonder.