The Denver Post is re-launching its Colorado Rapids mailbag this season with writer Daniel Boniface, who covers the team along with John Meyer. We will post our mailbag throughout the season.
for the Rapids Mailbag.
Any word on an additional DP (designated player) signing for this season?
— Rick R. ()
Any further news on Kevin Doyle?
— James Fielden (), London
Rick and James — Kevin Doyle, the 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international striker, continues to be linked with the Colorado Rapids. On Tuesday, Rapids’ president Tim Hinchey said talks were “progressing.” The Irish Post that Doyle’s move to the Rapids was imminent, and all signs from the Rapids seem to support this.
But Doyle is still under contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers of The Championship — the second tier league of professional soccer in England — and would likely not arrive with the Rapids until June at the earliest, unless the Wolves decide to release him early, or a transfer fee is paid. A transfer fee isn’t likely because he will be out of contract this summer.
Whether Doyle signs as a designated player or simply as a discovery signing depends on the size of the deal he negotiates with the Rapids. Doyle recently returned to Wolves after the birth of his daughter, so there may also be family considerations that factor into his move.
What’s up with Dillon Powers on the bench? (Deshorn) Brown I can understand. Powers is harder to see.
— Bob Shively (), Laporte
Bob — Dillon Powers suffered a minor injury (described as a bruised hip) early in preseason and was a little behind his teammates in the lead up to the first regular season game. Obviously we know what Powers is capable of: and is a two-time Rapids team MVP entering his third season.
Powers has looked good when given the opportunity this year. He’s has great awareness on the ball, and his passes always seem to find an open man. I would not be surprised to see him work his way back into the starting lineup, especially if Gabriel Torres is not productive in the central attacking midfield role. The Rapids also have a few attackers who are candidates for international call-ups during the Gold Cup this summer: Torres (Panama), Dillon Serna (United States) and Deshorn Brown (Jamaica), so Powers could be relied on more at that time, assuming he’s not also called up.
On Saturday he was used as an early sub on the right wing, and we could see him there for the time being if the Rapids give Torres an extended look in the central attacking midfield spot. You could argue Torres has earned that much with the type of preseason he had. At training on Wednesday, Powers was in good form, scoring a handful of goals in the small-side games.
Is Shane O’Neill 100 percent? Will he pair with (Axel) Sjöberg vs. NYCFC?
— Mark Weatherley (), Boulder
Mark — Shane O’Neill appears to be back to fitness after a bout with the flu during preseason. He was coming off an intense U.S. national team camp in January, so his fitness was at a high level prior to his illness. He said he was available to start Saturday vs. Philadelphia, but Pablo Mastroeni decided to start Bobby Burling and Axel Sjoberg, with O’Neill entering in the 74th minute.
Burling is suspended for the NYCFC match after receiving a red card against the Union, so all signs point to an O’Neill/Sjoberg pairing for the home opener with Jared Watts as center back cover on the bench. On Wednesday, O’Neill and Sjoberg were paired together in central defense during 10-vs.-6 drills.
I have a good friend who lives in England and is a life-long Wolves supporter. While he says (Kevin) Doyle is a very good guy with a terrific work rate, it’s likely his best days are behind him. My friend asked what kind of system MLS has in assigning international players and I was stumped for a good answer. Can you help me understand? Obviously the Rapids will never get a truly big name, but it does get tiresome reading about all these internationally known players going to other teams. Is this just the way it’s always going to be?
— Bill Hirsch, Boulder
Bill — The acquisition mechanisms of Major League Soccer are one of life’s great mysteries. The most recent MLS roster regulations available are for the 2014 season, and there could be some changes coming down the pipe with the new 2015 collective bargaining agreement, which was signed last week. Here’s what I can tell you based on the 2014 rules, but I must warn you, this is about to get dense.
American players in the national team pool and players returning to MLS after previously being sold for a transfer fee are subject to an “allocation” order, in which teams at the top of the allocation list have first preference on signing players. The allocation order is reset each year.
Players who are entering the league as “designated players” — i.e., players whose salary exceeds the normal MLS salary cap guidelines — can be signed by any team at any time, so long as the league determines they are “of a certain threshold.” (According to the league, this threshold is determined by salary size.) Each team is allowed up to three designated players.
There are edge cases, of course. In the case of Jermaine Jones, two teams were willing to match the designated player salary he sought, so a blind draw was held for his services, with New England the winner over Chicago.
Each MLS team also starts with seven roster spots that can be occupied by international players. These roster spots can be traded. The Rapids currently have eight international roster spots after acquiring one . Internationals who are new to the league can be signed as “discovery” signings, and each team gets six of these a year (expansion teams get 10). Teams add players to their “discovery” lists and have preference based on the date they are added.
In regards to splashy signings like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, teams such as Los Angeles and New York have the money to sign these players to high-dollar designated player deals. The Rapids haven’t shown a willingness to spend like that.
This offseason, they were in the mix for Erick “Cubo” Torres, which would have been fairly splashy, but were apparently outbid by the Houston Dynamo. According to MLS, “Houston was able to meet all the parameters necessary for the purchase of the player, including reaching the buyout option.”
This is the way it is now for the Rapids, but if they can continue to grow and the Kroenkes decide to invest more in the club, it’s possible they could bring in a big-name designated player.
For now, the focus appears to be on bringing in Kevin Doyle, who has at times started ahead of MLS MVP Robbie Keane for the Republic of Ireland. That gives you an idea of his quality.
Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or
