Did RSL just drop the ball?
From the Communications Department of Real Salt Lake:
REAL SALT LAKE ACQUIRES 2010 MLS SUPERDRAFT SECOND ROUND PICK FROM FC DALLAS
RSL Parts Ways with DF Kyle Davies to Complete Trade with Dallas
SANDY, UTAH (Tuesday, April 28, 2009) – Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas today announced a trade between the MLS Western Conference foes that landed the Utah side a second round selection in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft and sent recently-acquired U.S. Under-20 National Team defender Kyle Davies to the “Hoops” in return. Real Salt Lake had acquired the rights to Davies via an MLS Player Lottery held on April 16.
”We needed to open a roster spot for the arrival of Fabian Espíndola ahead of our May 6 match against the Los Angeles Galaxy,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “This trade allows us to get something of value in return for Kyle, a player with a lot of potential. We wish him well with Dallas and in representing our country in Egypt this fall.”
The recently-turned 20-year-old Davies was not included on the 18-man roster for his only eligible contest with Real Salt Lake last Saturday in its 6-0 win over New England, that match coming just one day after he was officially added to the RSL roster on Friday.
TRANSACTION: Real Salt Lake trades defender Kyle Davies to FC Dallas in exchange for a second round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.
Did we just drop the ball?
So we have a 20 year old defender with international experience and who is part of our national U-20 team but we move him instead of David Horst? We trade him, a player that we (now have wasted our player lottery spot) for a second round draft pick next year? I have been very supportive of the many moves by Garth and Jason, but this one leaves me scratching my head.
The justification to clear a spot for Espindola simply doesn’t make sense, why not loan Davies, Horst, or Nunez to open a spot? We took a chance (we had a 5% chance) in the player lottery and scored a huge win in fact here is the quote from Garth just 11 days ago:
“We had only a 5% chance to win the lottery, so we were fortunate to be able to add a really solid, young player in Davies,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “Kyle is a talent that fits our paradigm of bringing in American players who have cut their teeth overseas at a high level.”
So you have to ask yourself what has changed? The knowledge that we were likely to see Espindola come back was known then, did we try our luck just to hope and trade him for a draft spot? That could be, were his salary requirements going to be too high? Like I said this one really leaves me scratching my head.
Late Update, after listening to a number of people both inside and outside of the RSL inner circle it sounds more like the price of keeping Davies was more than RSL was willing to pay for a player who has a great upside but would be playing behind Olave and Borchers.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
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