Someday Your Prince Will Leave
I don't think this is the definitive take on the matter, but there's some interesting thoughts being voiced over at DC Sun Devil:
I would have to say that depending on how this season plays out, and depending on how his off season is, we United supporters should really be prepared for Jaime Moreno to possibly hang up the boots before next season.
In the next season seems a bit unlikely for me, but certainly in the next few seasons. No knock on Jamie, but he is getting older. Any club thinking long-term has to be prepared to deal with that situation when it does develop. It's unpleasant, since Jamie Moreno is pretty much equal to Marco Etcheverry in terms of the DC Pantheon at this point, and we hate to even think about the time when he will no longer be here.
Let me say this. The temptation for a club in this situation is to trade Moreno for value in the off-season. John Harkes did this with New England and Columbus. But Jamie has earned enough credit to be consulted on such a situation. I have no problem if, at some point in the future, the staff goes to Jamie and says "Look, we can't play you everyday anymore. However, Colorado and Toronto are willing to. We'd like you to stay, but if you want to start we'll make that deal happen as well." That's fine. I think it may be the classiest move you can make at that point.
There's more on this topic that needs to be said, but it can wait for the off-season. It can also wait for me to get my own thoughts together, since I really don't know what I feel on the matter. Right now, the fact is that Jamie needs (and needed) some rest, and other than that he's ready to go and be a force. That's pretty good for now.
Sometimes I get the feeling that I use this blog posting thing just to write out my own thoughts. Not sure what that means either.
Addendum by Oscar: Normally, I would have added this in its own post, or as a comment to this one. FIFA.com interviewed Moreno and asked him about his plans for the future. I don't get the sense that its imminent.(He laughs) A lot of people say that I have been here forever and keep bugging me to retire. But I am not ready yet…I'm only 32 you know! I still have the hunger to get up every day and train and play and I still want to be a winner for this club.
posted by D @ 11:30 AM
6 Comments:
You pretty much got the jist of what I was saying. I do not want him to leave, but if him staying hurts the club, then I would hope that the powers that be have enough class to offer him a chance someplace else, and enough understanding to decide on what is best for the overall club.
Like you, I hope that Jaime has a few more seasons in him, but if the situation is right for him professionaly, and right for him personally, we should be prepared for him to go out on top.
From an interview wtih Jaime at http://www.fifa.com/en/WorldLeagues/index/0,4643,122803,00.html?articleid=122803.
Fifa.com: It seems you've been playing in MLS forever. How much longer can you go?
Jaime: (He laughs) A lot of people say that I have been here forever and keep bugging me to retire. But I am not ready yet…I'm only 32 you know! I still have the hunger to get up every day and train and play and I still want to be a winner for this club. I think once you lose the desire to go out and play like a kid, then it is time to stop. For me, right now, I am still having a great time and have no plans to quit.
Yeah, I saw that and have posted something about it on my site as well.
http://dcsundevil.blogspot.com
I should read the comments before editing ...
you know Jaime is in a very similar situation Marco was in a few years back, I found myself loving and hating him in those last couple years. He was a drain on the club in more ways than one. Financially being the biggest, Marco if I remember correctly signed one year deals of large sums for his last 2 or 3 years. This forced DC to pay up and pay up quick for (then) their most expensive player.
I guess I should take that back, Jaime is nowhere near the situation we were in with Marco his last few years. He's still a major threat on the field, productive, earns his pay, and is still an excellent face for the team. I don't see us getting into the same waters we were with Marco, it wasn't all his fault either, we should remeber the team was horrible then, planes flying over head with banners trailing calling for the firing of the coach, yeah that was a bad time.
I don't see Jaime's final years being anything close to that time, and I pray to god it stays that way, so he can go out in class, and a DC uniform.
I can't understand this post....
Jamie is still one of the best MLS players...and yes DC should rest him more, but there is no reason to get rid of him.
I'd be shocked if Moreno chose to play 30 games with Toronto over 20 with DC....+ concacef matches
DC needs to keep him paired with a lethal finisher (Esky fits the bill) the can capitalize on his passes.
Jamie is a playmaking forward, so you run a different system/players with him in the game.
Play him 20 full matches with a few sub appearances...the Concacef matches and then the playoffs...
He's 32...far from an old man...but everyone talks like he's almost done.
When marco E was near the end...DC was a crap team...and he'd stopped running without the ball.
Maybe I'm missing something.
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