The last field player still in camp with Sporting Kansas City has been signed. Sporting today announced that the team had signed Canadian international defender, Marcel de Jong to a contract. The left sided player has spent the second half of preseason with Sporting, playing in four preseason games, usually with what would be considered the "first team" defense.
De Jong had spent the last four seasons with Augsburg of the German Bundesliga until being released from his contract this past January. He helps to add to the new depth at the outside back position at KC, which has grown since the end of the 2014 season. Along with De Jong, KC has also brought in Saad Abdul-Salaam, Amadou Dia, and is welcoming Chance Myers back from injury as well.
Overall, his signing isn't a huge surprise, it almost seemed expected based on the comments that Peter Vermes has made about de Jong during preseason. It does bring up a question of what this does for the team's current starting left back, Seth Sinovic. While de Jong has been with the first team, Sinovic has been getting his playing time with the reserves. Sinovic has been the team's rock defensively the last two years, playing over 80 games across all competitions over the last two years, more than any other player in KC history over a two season stretch.
It's certainly possible that de Jong will be depth while Sinovic starts, and Vermes just wanted to get more of a look at de Jong with the "first team," but with de Jong's experience in Germany, and the potential salary demands of a defender less than half a year removed from the Bundesliga makes me think that de Jong is right now penciled in as the starter.
In a way that's sad for Sinovic who I felt did nothing to "lose" his starting spot. I also felt that left back was an area that while KC needed to build depth, didn't need to go out and spend money to upgrade that position when there were other areas of the field I felt needed it more. On the other hand though, when you have the chance to bring in a player from one of the big four leagues, it's really hard to pass something like this up, but on the surface, this seems like the start of Sinovic getting a bit of the same treatment that Michael Harrington got after Sinovic came in during the 2011 season.
De Jong had spent the last four seasons with Augsburg of the German Bundesliga until being released from his contract this past January. He helps to add to the new depth at the outside back position at KC, which has grown since the end of the 2014 season. Along with De Jong, KC has also brought in Saad Abdul-Salaam, Amadou Dia, and is welcoming Chance Myers back from injury as well.
Overall, his signing isn't a huge surprise, it almost seemed expected based on the comments that Peter Vermes has made about de Jong during preseason. It does bring up a question of what this does for the team's current starting left back, Seth Sinovic. While de Jong has been with the first team, Sinovic has been getting his playing time with the reserves. Sinovic has been the team's rock defensively the last two years, playing over 80 games across all competitions over the last two years, more than any other player in KC history over a two season stretch.
It's certainly possible that de Jong will be depth while Sinovic starts, and Vermes just wanted to get more of a look at de Jong with the "first team," but with de Jong's experience in Germany, and the potential salary demands of a defender less than half a year removed from the Bundesliga makes me think that de Jong is right now penciled in as the starter.
In a way that's sad for Sinovic who I felt did nothing to "lose" his starting spot. I also felt that left back was an area that while KC needed to build depth, didn't need to go out and spend money to upgrade that position when there were other areas of the field I felt needed it more. On the other hand though, when you have the chance to bring in a player from one of the big four leagues, it's really hard to pass something like this up, but on the surface, this seems like the start of Sinovic getting a bit of the same treatment that Michael Harrington got after Sinovic came in during the 2011 season.
4 comments:
Everyone's replaceable. I love Seth. Great defender. He's not a threat to cross the ball though or get forward. Great signing for us.
That leaves us with 3 roster spots to fill.
PV always talked about competition for your spot and how it creates best environment . I love Seth but it maybe time to step up your game or move down
I do think it is good to have competition for your spot. But I don't like someone new coming in a taking a spot from a player that has done well and has honestly been overused and in a sense abused.
I hope Seth picks his head up and kicks some butt.
i wonder how well seth would do on the right? seems like whoever between sinovic and de jong can play the right side until chance is back from injury (if he is ever fully back from injury.) Dia has looked great in preseason, but i'd rather see a veteran playing- even on their opposite side.
i could also see seth subbing for a winger, moving into the left back spot, and having de jong on the left wing sometimes, maybe to close out games.
maybe even a little d-mid? i don't know, PV just need to find ways to keep giving sinovic minutes.
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