It appears that Casino Jimmy Nielsen has passed his medical with the Wizards, as the team officially announced the signing today of the Danish goalkeeper. I still have my problems with this move, as I've stated here, on Bigsoccer, and on the podcast I'm not a fan of using an international roster spot on a goalkeeper. There are plenty of capable goalkeepers in MLS that are probably as capable as Nielsen, but at this point, what's done is done and we'll see how Nielsen does here in KC. We'll see how the Dane adjusts to the MLS game.
The Wizards also announced today that they had released 5 more players from the team's preseason roster. Four of the five players were trialists (Rich Costanzo, Chris Gbandi, Patrick Hannigan, and Ian Walker) with the fifth player being 3rd round draft pick, Nick Cardenas. Cardenas is probably the biggest of the surprises, from what I'd heard he'd been fairly impressive at times during camp, and with the waiving of Rauwshan McKenzie, you thought he might make the roster. Unfortunately there were still too many center backs on the roster with Jimmy Conrad, Matt Besler, Aaron Hohlbein, and Pablo Escobar all trying to get time this season.
As for the trialists, Costanzo and Gbandi while trying to earn a spot likely found themselves in the same boat as Cardenas, where it was just a numbers game in defense. Hannigan was fighting for the back up keeper roster spot it would have seemed. Walker was competing for the starting spot and with the signing of Nielsen the fight for the number 1 shirt pushed Walker out of the picture.
Sorry to see Costanzo waived. I watched him at MARYLAND and he was a full time hustler...something i think PV appreciates.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of Morsink!
ReplyDeleteLast Anon:
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen unless they someone trades for him. They'll keep him as a cheap serviceable back up making about $35K. If they waive him someone else will pick him up. Watson will be gone before Morsink.
Right now the best thing that can happen to Morsink career-wise is to actually get waived and get out of KC where he is 4th in the depth chart and move to a back up position somewhere else. DC? (LOL)
I have never had a problem with him (always open to sign stuff, talk, etc) and can't understand the hatred towards him by some fans; if Onalfo overplayed him (which he did) it's on Onalfo not on Morsink, what should he have done? refused to play because there was someone better? Really?
If this is any consolation to you he's in the last year of his contract.