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How would Bryant Ortega fit into Sporting KC?
A young South American midfielder sounds exactly like what they need. But would this even be a first team signing?
Last week we had the first rumor in months as Sporting KC were linked to Bryant Ortega, a 21-year-old midfielder out of Venezuela. On paper that sounds exactly like what this team needs.
A young South American midfielder? Please and thank you.
But is he the answer to Sporting KC’s woes? Or would this even be a signing for the senior squad?
Daniel Sperry of the Kansas City Star joined Shades of Blue in the studio this week to discuss the Ortega rumor and how he might fit in. The guys cover all the big moments from SKC’s loss to Austin FC, argue about Khiry Shelton’s salary, and discuss what this team needs most.
In case you missed it, go back and check out last week’s show as well. It has our full discussion about Peter Vermes and the current state of the club.
LAST WEEK: Peter Vermes hit his breaking point
Episode Breakdown
7:00 – Match Recap
9:30 – Roster Shakeup
12:30 – Alan Pulido
21:00 – Mental Lapses
26:00 – Jake Davis vs Graham Zusi
32:00 – The Oldest Roster in MLS
44:00 – Bryant Ortega Rumor
50:00 – Sporting KC Roster & Salary Breakdown
1:00:00 – KC Current
1:05:00 – FC Tulsa and US Open Cup
Find the KC Soccer Journal wherever you get your podcasts. Please subscribe, rate, & review! Feel free to yell at Cody @ThatCodyTho, Thad @TheBackpost, and Robert @SpKCLife.
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I haven’t quite finished the pod (enjoying it so far!), but I think Sperry misguided you on that U-22 rule.
My understanding (and feel free to correct me) is when the new rules kick in this summer, teams either get a 4th U-22 and $1m in GAM (if they have only 2 true DPs) or teams with 3 true DPs can get 3 U-22s (up from 1 before the change).
The thing is, SKC already are in bucket 1. Yes, they have 3 “DPs” but my understanding of that rule is it’s talking about “true DPs” or a DP that makes over $1,683,750 (or their transfer fees pro-rated over the contract push them into this threshold). SKC only have one of those: Pulido. Because the other two can be bought down (they don’t have to be bought down), they would get the extra $1m in GAM ($2m in 2025) and the extra U-22 spot.
So they can add at least one DP, a U-22 player and have $1m in GAM to spend. Their real limiting factor is they only have 2 open roster spots. So they may need to clear a spot to make more additions with that $1m in GAM (they have GAM and TAM they saved by making Radoja and Salloi DPs in the 1st half of the season, so I think they can add a DP without even dipping into that new GAM). My guess is Bassong would get cut b/c Ndenbe would be back and he’s on a senior roster spot which is where that $1m GAM is probably best spent. Remember, teams also get two buyouts so if they cut Bassong (just an example) or someone maybe who isn’t efforting or having the right mentality, they also get that budget space back!
Hope that helps! If I have this wrong, feel free to correct me.
I go into more detail here: https://kcsoccerjournal.com/new-mls-roster-rules-and-how-sporting-kc-are-impacted/04/24/2024/
Thad and I talked about this, and I may have part of this wrong. You may legit only get 2 DPs, 4 U22s and $1m in GAM ($2m next year) under the new rules. The way the paragraph mentioning it is framed from The Athletic’s story, I’m using the prior paragraph to assume the same rules, but that may be an incorrect assumption. (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5404511/2024/04/10/mls-roster-rule-changes/)
So how it changes the above comment, possibly, is one of Radoja or Salloi have to be bought down to get the 4th spot. Salloi can be bought down easier with his lower charge. But I need to do a lot of math on numbers that are gray to know if they have enough GAM/TAM to buy them both down to add a U22 AND another DP. I suspect they can.
Damn MLS and their freakin’ complicated rules!
Here is the quote from The Athletic. It’s paragraph two that I interpretted off paragraph one, but it may just be 2 DPs total. True or in-name-only:
“The rule change:
This is the biggest change. It will impact how teams can spend on the top six roster spots that allow for significant spending outside of the salary budget: designated players and under-22 initiative players. Currently, teams with three senior DPs can have just one U-22 player. Teams with two senior DPs and one young DP or a DP that can be bought down with targeted allocation money (TAM) can have up to three U-22 players.
Under the new rules, teams can have either three DPs and three U-22 players, or they can have two DPs and four U-22 players, plus $2 million in general allocation money (GAM). “
I don’t think our offensive starters are contributing at a rate to match their salaries.
How do they compare across the league? I feel like Pulido is producing at the league equivalent to $800k-$900k – if that.
If I recall on this game, Russell made a terrible pass backwards that led the PK? Right as he was about to be subbed out. There is terrible game management happening considering the age and fitness of our players.
I didn’t see this game as a turning point. Outside of his contribution to the first goal, Pulido disappeared. Salloi did his usual thing. Sure Johnny scored, but then made a terrible pass backwards and almost cost another goal.
I think Russell gets dispossessed as he’s going towards his goal. He seemed unaware he was under pressure. I imagine Melia wouldn’t not communicate with him, but who knows.
And you aren’t wrong on the contribution level. I saw a collection of FBref.com charts that showed who Pulido lined up with and it was all guys making way less. Brian White (VAN), Corey Baird (CIN), Jeremy Ebobossie (SJ) and our old friend Diego Rubio (ATX). Really bad to be in that company buy cost MASSIVELY more.
Case in point – he couldn’t score versus Tulsa. 1v1 with the keeper, who had his hands up. Pulido tried to shoot high?!
Our biggest signing is looking to be the biggest disappointment.