With Sporting KC’s Roster Moves, there is No Pleasing Everyone

On Thursday, Sporting Kansas City announced roster moves that saw eight players depart the club (plus Benny Feilhaber as SKC II’s coach). Among those departing the club are future Sporting Legend’s Johnny Russell and Tim Melia. Not to mention future stain glass recipient Andreu Fontas and fan favorite Remi Walter.

The reactions from the fan base have been all over the map. Let’s address most of them.

‘This Team did these Legends Wrong!’

Melia and Russell will end up on the wall of Children’s Mercy Park one day. And they both will be leaving after a run of bad seasons. Their departures are giving flashbacks of the way Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza abruptly departed after 2023 and Matt Besler after the 2020 season.

It’s not the way you want to see guys leave. In particular, fan favorites who have dedicated most (if not all) of their careers to Sporting KC.

However, Russell and Melia made a combined $1.64~ million last year. That’s a lot of money tied up in guys that are past their prime. Perhaps they were offered to return on discounts and maybe they weren’t.

You don’t have to agree with them leaving, but no matter when it happened, it was going to leave a sour taste for some. They certainly don’t deserve all the blame, but they were a part of some very bad Sporting KC teams.

‘Why is [Insert Name] Still on the Team?’

One of the largest complaints after the roster announcement has been about players who are underperforming still being on the team. In particular Alan Pulido and Daniel Salloi have taken much of the heat. Though, there are still mentions of Khiry Shelton, who is vastly improved but is still overpaid if he’s the starting right back. Not to mention, Nemanja Radoja, who is taking up a Designated Player spot but can be bought down and Tim Leibold, who is making a significant wage and might not be a starter.

The answer is simple. These players weren’t on the table to have options picked up or declined. They have guaranteed contracts. Shelton, Radoja and Leibold are all guaranteed through 2025. While Pulido and Salloi are signed through 2026.

Technically, the team can still move on from any of these guys if Sporting KC can find a team to transfer them to or trade for them. But they are all mostly depressed assets at the moment. Who wants to pick up these salaries?

There is also the option of using the team’s one-time buyout on one of these players, which means paying them in full to leave. There is also the possibility that one of the players mutually agrees to part ways with SKC.

All of these mechanisms are unlikely but can’t be ruled out. In other words, don’t hold your breath. Hopefully adding a Designated Player #10 will unlock the talent these players once showed.

The Case Against Remi Walter

Let me start by saying, I really like Remi Walter. At times, he’s been one of the best players on this team. However, I think that time has come to an end.

This is a topic we’ve beat to death on For the Glory KC in the last few months, as Remi is my co-host’s favorite player. And in a world of infinite money and no salary budget, I’d keep him too. But we don’t live in that world.

In 2024, Walter made $900,000. Jake Davis, who may very well be his replacement, made $120,000. Beyond that, Walter doesn’t create for those around him and rarely even passes the ball forward. Some of that may be Peter Vermes wanting to maintain possession, but Sporting KC weren’t even clearly a possession team this year.

Don’t get me started on tackling. Remi seems hesitant to go into challenges and definitely doesn’t play with the edge that Davis does. This team has been missing its enforcer since prime Roger Espinoza isn’t in the midfield anymore. Davis brings some of that back.

Also, there is the issue of the formation. Davis can play either in a double pivot in the 4-2-3-1 or in that right sided #8 that we’re used to seeing in the classic Vermes 4-3-3. Remi is really only a fit in the 4-3-3. He fills in as a single pivot defensive midfielder at times, but it’s clearly not his best spot. I’m not sure that Walter leaving is a shift to the 4-2-3-1 (or some other formation), but Davis gives more flexibility. Not to mention, it frees up a ton of salary budget space.

Plus, there are all the underlying numbers.

I'm getting some flak on saying it's time for Remi Walter to leave. Stats aren't everything, but here are the FBref charts for him and Jake Davis. $900k (Remi) vs. $120k (Davis, with a raise coming). Davis' chart has all the green. #SportingKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2024-11-15T19:36:11.718Z

There is no doubt Remi is a tireless worker. But often times it feels like running with no purpose.

There were also rumblings that Remi Walter wanted a raise. Some saying all the way up to Designated Player money. I think that money can be spent better elsewhere, though I personally wish him the best in his future endeavors.

For fun, here is Memo Rodriguez’s FBref chart as well. And Zorhan Bassong’s is actually pretty solid too, though the sample size is small.

To add to this, here is Memo Rodriguez's FBref chart. And he's on just $100k in salary (in 2024). #SportingKC

— Chad Smith (@chadcsmith.bsky.social) 2024-11-15T19:48:17.699Z

Is it possible Remi’s numbers are down due to injuries or an off year? Definitely. But someone had to go to make room for new players.

Players Have to Leave to Rebuild

The hard truth is this has been a bad team. For years. An impressive run in 2023 papered over this team’s flaws. If not for the expanding of the playoffs, the team would have missed three years in a row.

With that in mind, players have to leave to make room for new players. It might not be the player you want to leave, but if the team brought back Walter, Russell and others there would be almost no room to make changes because of the guys already signed to 2025 and beyond. Then people would be unhappy that the “same team” returned.

There is no way to “win” with these departures. What fixes everything is winning on the field. Hopefully the team will bring in players that help towards that goal.

Now, do you have a right to be upset about the bad contracts still on the team? Absolutely! But as explained above, that doesn’t change what Sporting Director Mike Burns and others were working with as they start to rebuild the roster.