Friday, May 9, 2014

Finley Sent to LA's MLS Owned Team

The more you think about it the more you realize Ryan Finley has to be pleased about being traded to a team in L.A. that is in the process of getting an overhaul and, well... in L.A.

The official deal between the Crew and Chivas USA was for the player (Finley) and a conditional 2016 2nd round pick. The deal was just one of many yesterday with the MLS owned side was very busy yesterday being involved in just about every deal that went down between them, the Colorado Rapids, Toronto FC and Columbus Crew in a league trading with the league event dripping with cronyism that I'm not going to bother (nor is it worth) sorting out.

CREW ROSTER, WIET

The Crew roster is now made more whole, as they freed up a spot to take Matt Wiet off the inactive (injury) list. With the roster still at 30 they will have to make another move if they want to sign a new player with the decent chunk of cap space they have (somewhere around the half million mark).

FINLEY GOALS AND APPS

I like Finley as a player. He fits a role that I feel more MLS teams need yet don't bother trying. He might not be fast (which is something MLS overvalues), he might not be good in space (not many in MLS are) but he does know his way around the goal when in the box. It's an instinct he has.

With that, I have a message for those mentioning apps and goals (as things are listed on wiki). Stop doing that. STOP. He had 14 appearances but only 435 minutes. That's 30 minutes an app. On top of that there is a lot more to the game for 98% of the players that play it. This isn't basketball (even there these days...) and it isn't a box score. Advance a bit.

Up there on the left is his record. In red is where get got a goal and assist. Even if you have no idea who the player is, production there shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. He got a chance and made good, so how about we meet in the middle; a goal and an assist in three 2013 starts.

DAYTON, ATTITUDE

Reports from both Dayton and Columbus say that Finley was not happy about being "sent down" to Dayton to play with the Dutch Lions. Not sure who would like that, especially if a guy like Adam Bedell is getting time on the first team. Should Finley have swallowed his pride and been a good little trooper? Nope.

Of course there are ways of handling that without it getting nasty (not sure if it did but assuming so because of the trade) but keeping players attitudes straight is just as much, if not more, the responsibility of the coaches.

If Berhalter and Co. can't handle the attitude of a 20-something college graduate, that's on them. Shipping away should only be a last resort (team building 101, here). Especially for a team that can't find the back of the net and needs all the options they can get up top.

Anyhow. Paycheck is the same. Grab your stuff, get on a flight, change kits, get to work.

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