Tony Meola on pro/rel: 'Build a better mousetrap' | Soc Takes

Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports

Some argue it’s necessary for the U.S. to achieve its full soccer potential. Others think Major League Soccer might not even be where it’s at in a different model.

Whatever your stance is on the issue of promotion and relegation, it remains perhaps the most divisive topic in American soccer circles.

Host of SiriusXM FC’s Counter Attack show and former U.S. national team ‘keeper Tony Meola recently shared his candid thoughts on the hot-button issue.

“I love promotion and relegation,” Meola told Soc Takes. “I do not think it works at this moment in the U.S. There are so many layers to this argument that I would need to write a book — that’s not happening. But if owners don’t like the current system, I will steal a saying from my good friend Alexi Lalas here: ‘Build a better mousetrap.’”

Kudos to Meola for his willingness to tackle the subject. After all, a healthy pro/rel discourse can only occur when people from both sides are willing to throw their hats into the ring.

“If owners don’t like the current system, I will steal a saying from my good friend Alexi Lalas here: ‘Build a better mousetrap.’”

Meola also expressed his view that U.S. Soccer is currently in its golden age, so it’s probably no surprise that he believes in MLS’ single-entity model that helped grow the game to this point. In the end, the 48-year-old veteran of three World Cups feels that — like almost everything in America — the pro/rel debate will ultimately boil down to a matter of economics.

“If owners in MLS thought for a minute that pro/rel would put more money in their pockets, they would do it today,” Meola added. “And if they think it will in five, 10, 15 year’s time, they will do it then. For now, I’ve yet to see an argument that says that it will make MLS a better league that I can buy into. I know some do and some don’t want to hear or listen to the ‘other side’ of the story, but that’s my opinion.”

***

Soc Takes correspondent Jeff Kuhns contributed to this story.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Supporter's multi-day road trip inspires Indy win in Edmonton | Soc Takes

Photo credit: Tony Lewis/FC Edmonton

Hardcore Indy Eleven supporter Tony Hebenstreit had done this before, six times to be exact. But something about this time was different — way different. Maybe it was the distance; maybe it was the result; maybe it was everything.

Hebenstreit decided to do the unthinkable: drive from Indianapolis to Edmonton. What?!?

A quick plug into Google Maps will reveal just how daunting that is, as noted by Eleven midfielder Brad Ring on Twitter. It’s about a 28-hour drive one way, and that estimate of course assumes normal traffic and zero stops.

Shout out @tonyhebenstreit for making the DRIVE to Edmonton to support @IndyEleven. Unbelievable dedication. He deserves a win. #drivesafe pic.twitter.com/VBtjG9JPuJ

— Brad Ring (@BradRing87) July 28, 2017

“I’m very surprised my trip created a huge buzz,” Hebenstreit said. “I started tweeting during the trip just to amuse a couple friends, but then the players got word of it.”

It created a buzz, alright. It also helped motivate the Eleven to snag three important road points in their NASL fall season opener. Hebenstreit could often be seen waving his Indianapolis flag in the background of the ESPN 3 broadcast during Indy’s 2-1 win over FC Edmonton.

You’re a legend, @tonyhebenstreit!

This man logged more miles and hours on the road than we can count to get to us. Best fans in the world! pic.twitter.com/Sq5oh1Eyga

— Indy Eleven (@IndyEleven) July 30, 2017

“The team seemed to perk up when they saw me in the stands with my city flag and I hope that carried them throughout the game,” he explained. “This was my seventh trip for the team and the first time they actually won with me in attendance.”

Hebenstreit’s previous treks to watch Indy road matches weren’t quite as magical. He said the club produced four draws and two losses with him in attendance away from home prior to Sunday’s victory.

Even FC Edmonton — both the club and supporters — got in on the fun, welcoming Hebenstreit with open arms, but not before playfully trolling him.

We’ve got a seat with his name on it… 😂

But actually, looking forward to having you at Clarke @tonyhebenstreit! pic.twitter.com/PSwmzATQey

— FC Edmonton (@FCEdmontonNow) July 28, 2017

“Whenever Brickyard Battalion members travel to other cities, we always have great interactions with the other team’s supporters,” Hebenstreit said. “For Edmonton, I had never met them, but one supporter let me crash on his couch for two nights and another one bought all my drinks on gameday.”

As for the match itself, every week is starting to sound like a broken record for Indy: Don Smart played well. The Indy Eleven right midfielder again put in a dominant shift, keeping the Eddies defense on its heels throughout.

Rookie forward David Goldsmith opened the scoring with a seventh-minute tap in after Smart got in behind the defense. Smart’s blast required a stern save from Eddies goalkeeper Tyson Farago, and Goldsmith was there to slot it home. The goal was Goldsmith’s first as a professional.

Goldsmith briefly exited the match in the second half after a nasty clash of heads during an aerial challenge, but was fortunately able to return to the pitch.

FC Edmonton leveled matters in the 33rd minute when Ben Fisk delivered a gorgeous service to the far post that found Tomi Ameobi’s head, then the back of the net. The tally was a fitting exclamation point for Ameobi in his 100th appearance with the club.

But the 1-1 scoreline ended up being short-lived. An Edmonton lapse among the back four in the 41st minute left Eamon Zayed not only onside, but with a one-v-one breakaway on the goalkeeper. Eleven midfielder Ben Speas recognized the opportunity and flicked a perfectly weighted through ball in for Zayed, whose low finish ricocheted off the far bar and in.

Eddies coach Colin Miller wasn’t thrilled with his side’s first-half performance. He praised Fisk’s liveliness in his halftime interview with the ESPN 3 crew, but said he’d have some harsh words in the locker room for the rest of his players who looked like they were “still on vacation” after the NASL break.

Miller’s team received the message. FC Edmonton gained more and more momentum as the match wore on, culminating in a hefty onslaught for about the final 20 minutes of the match.

Luckily for Indy, the second half was nothing short of the Jon Busch Show. As Edmonton cranked up the pressure, the sure-handed veteran goalkeeper thwarted attempt after attempt.

74′ Buschy makes a spectacular save to avoid what would’ve been an awkward Vukovic OG. #FCEvIND

— Soc Takes (@SocTakes) July 30, 2017

“I was on edge for the last 30 minutes of that game,” Hebenstreit recalled. “I couldn’t stay in one spot and fidgeted constantly.”

With Hebenstreit looking on, Indy somehow mustered up enough heart and resolve to cling to its 2-1 lead. As the final whistle sounded, one man was left with memories that’ll surely last a lifetime. And speaking of memories — his favorite one from the epic trip that spanned seven days total and required at least 56 hours of driving?

“The best part about the trip was seeing Banff National Park in Alberta and the views of the mountains from Lake Louise.”

Apparently Hebenstreit’s taste in geography is as sublime as his taste in soccer clubs.

***

You can follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

Soc Takes is on Patreon. Get access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

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Tactical Tidbits: Armada cracks Eddies' stifling defense late | Soc Takes

Photo credit: NASL.com

If FC Edmonton were a vehicle, it would definitely be a compact car — a very, very tiny one. After a frustrating 75-plus minutes, Jacksonville Armada FC winger J.C. Banks finally provided the figurative jaws of life to carry the home side to a 1-0 victory.

The Eddies defense, the stingiest in all of NASL last season, loves to pack the middle of the pitch with extra bodies. It doesn’t make for the most eye-pleasing football, but its effectiveness is hard to argue.

News flash: Edmonton didn’t switch up its style of play at all in the offseason. The Eddies sat deep and tight in what was a season opener for both clubs after receiving Week 1 byes.

Banks’ sublime individual effort in the 77th minute masked what wasn’t the smartest of game plans by Armada coach Mark Lowry, but it worked. Rather than funneling the ball to the flanks and serving in crosses, Jacksonville opted to operate mostly through the middle — right where a cluster of Edmonton defenders and midfielders were bunkering down.

You must get the ball out wide and attack from the outside in if you hope to generate any semblance of an attack vs. the Eddies. #compact

— Soc Takes (@SocTakes) April 2, 2017

But the stats support that the Armada got the better of the run of play, despite the questionable tactics. The home side connected on 550 passes compared to the visitors’ 367. And Jacksonville also dominated possession, owning the ball for 59 percent of the match.

No matter how you slice it, serving in only 12 crosses was an unusual way to beat the Eddies. Part of the reason it worked was the lack of pressure being applied high up the pitch by Edmonton forwards and midfielders. The Eddies were absolutely content to sit back and let Jacksonville knock the ball around freely in its defensive third.

If you’ve ever heard of the “high press” played by teams like Sporting Kansas City, what Edmonton does defensively is basically the complete antithesis. You might as well call it the “low press.” Eddies attackers aren’t expected to pressure opposing defenders after losing possession to keep the ball in the final third.

Edmonton coach Colin Miller prefers the retreat-and-bunker-down method. It worked for the Eddies in 2016, and it will probably work for them plenty in 2017, too. But one seam up the middle was all it took on this afternoon.

These two clubs will head north to Edmonton next weekend for an immediate rematch, so it’ll be interesting to see if either manager elects to switch up his tactics.

Follow Kevin on Twitter @KJboxing.

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Indy Eleven and the preseason | Soc Takes

Indy Eleven during the 2017 preseason. Photo credit: GrandPark.org

There are varying opinions as to how much stock to place in preseason matches. Obviously there is offseason rust to remove and there are chemistry problems to work through, but preseason is more than that. Jobs are won and lost. Field positions can be tested and depth charts can be solidified.

So how important is the Feb. 24 clash between the Indy Eleven and Butler University? Hardly at all. Last season’s preseason matchup versus the Hoosiers was just a first glimpse at the team and it was just a first step toward preparing for the regular season. It was full of wholesale lineup changes and the outcome couldn’t be viewed as an indicator for things to come.

The preseason match against Butler last March was more telling. Indy Eleven failed to dominate a college team at a much later time during the training camp. Indy recovered during the Spring in the 2016 campaign, but a disjointed attack was present during these early friendlies and on into the first tests of the regular season. So preseason is important too.

Look for every healthy player to take the field at some point. Don’t get too caught up in positions or starting lineups either. Look for a massive change at halftime and look for players linking up well. The Eleven were designed as a “defense first” kind of club and that should be easier for them with so many familiar faces returning. Look for the new guys to be trying really hard. Even though there aren’t very many, they should be eager to play. This is their first graded performance in front of the coaching staff and the Indy Eleven faithful.

Don Smart in action at Jacksonville in 2016. Photo credit: Jacksonville Armada/NASL

There are currently 16 players officially rostered for Indy Eleven at this time. There were 23 players under contract at this same time a year ago. Watch for frustrated players. Are they frustrated with their teammates or themselves?

Don’t say that preseason doesn’t matter.

The score doesn’t matter at all, but breakdowns in communication surely do. Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson will not be pleased when assignments are blown and that is nothing new. This game is insignificant. The performances are not. This first runaround will help to set the tone for the weeks to come.

Please let me know what you thought of the game in the comments section below. You can follow me on Twitter @AGunyon.

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Indiana's team adds two new players | Soc Takes

Photo credit: Indiana University Athletics

The Indy Eleven now have 20 players announced for the 2017 spring season. The additions of Tanner Thompson and David Goldsmith bring much-needed depth to the NASL’s returning runner-up.

For Indy, the signings are none too soon. The season kicks off for the boys in blue this Saturday in San Francisco and Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson was without a full compliment of substitutes.

There are now five Indy players with Indiana ties. This much local talent hasn’t been available since Indy’s inaugural season.

Tanner Thompson joins fellow Indiana University Hoosiers Brad Ring and Christian Lomeli. He was awarded Big Ten Midfielder of the Year along with First-Team All-Big Ten honors.

“Looking at this injection of young talent, Tanner clearly fits that category. We’re fortunate to have him join us. He’s a very good attacking midfielder who can also play as a second forward, With his talent, he can play anywhere in the midfield. We’ll look to utilize him very quickly in our line-up,” said Eleven coach Tim Hankinson in the club press release announcing the signings.

David Goldsmith is Indy’s third-ever Butler signing, but the only one on the current roster. He comes to the Eleven as Big East Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2016, and was also honored as a unanimous selection to the All-Big East First Team.

“An adjustment to the philosophy of building our 2017 roster led us to see that we had a senior group and needed an injection of young, ambitious players. David showed in his trial that he may be the most technically-gifted player in and around the goal in the squad,” Hankinson said.

Photo credit: Butler University Athletics

With team captain Colin Falvey working his way back from injury, it is unknown if he’ll be able to go this weekend. Combine that with a superfluous goalkeeper on the roster and Hankinson is not left with many selection choices for the first match of the year.

There were 23 players available for selection at this time last year, but Hankinson has informed Soc Takes he intends to go for a roster of about 20 this year. That is currently where this team stands.

There is still one more player rumored to make the official team. Dino Williams’ name has come up multiple times as a possible signing, which would bring the roster to 21 players.

The Jamaican was on the radar last offseason as well before an injury forced the Eleven to go another route. There is no doubt he is a target for Hankinson — he was recently spotted at the team’s annual Kickoff Ball — but it is not known if he will be available ahead of the Eleven’s season opener.

You can follow Soc Takes and Aaron on Twitter @SocTakes and @AGunyon.

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Former Butler standout David Goldsmith trialing with Indy Eleven | Soc Takes

Photo credit: Brent Smith/ButlerSports.com

INDIANAPOLIS — David Goldsmith must’ve felt like he was wearing the wrong kit. Well, it would’ve been blue or white either way.

Just months removed from his decorated senior season at Butler, Goldsmith lined up on the other side of the field Friday night at the Butler Bowl, and might be on the verge of signing his first professional contract. The 5-9 forward — though he is from Bristol, England — won’t have to travel far from his adopted home to do so if he puts ink to paper.

The Indy Eleven have invited Goldsmith in as a trialist for the preseason.

The 23-year-old played in the second half of Indy’s 1-0 scrimmage win against his former teammates and looked quite impressive. He nearly had an assist when he rolled a perfect pass into the box from the right wing, but Butler goalkeeper Eric Dick made a stellar save on the ensuing effort on frame.

“He’s doing really well so far,” Eleven assistant coach Tim Regan told 1070 The Fan’s Greg Rakestraw on Soccer Saturday. “(He) set up a really good chance in the second half.”

One of 15 semifinalists for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy awarded each year to the top college soccer player, Goldsmith produced 12 goals and four assists in leading the Bulldogs to the 2016 Big East title. He was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the conference.

If he makes the Eleven roster, Goldsmith will likely back up Justin Braun in the second forward role, playing underneath a strike partner. At Butler, Goldsmith often featured as the lone striker in coach Paul Snape’s preferred 4-5-1 setup, but in the pros he projects as more of a withdrawn forward who can drift from touchline to touchline in the attack.

His hold-up play is better than one would expect from an undersized striker, and he possesses a savvy goal scorer’s instinct. He’s also capable of setting up his teammates, as he showed last night.

After being snubbed by Major League Soccer in the 2017 SuperDraft, Goldsmith appears to have a good shot at winning a job with the “Boys in Blue,” especially considering Indy’s current lack of depth at the forward position. The Eleven would be wise to give him a long look. He’s already extremely talented and will only get better as he faces professional competition day in and day out in training.

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Upperclass CDM pairing leads Butler to win | Soc Takes

Photo credit: Butler women’s soccer

INDIANAPOLIS — A double binary star system exists when two stars orbit around the same center of mass. Sounds a bit like a successful central defensive midfield tandem, doesn’t it? That’s precisely the luxury the Butler women’s soccer team has circling the middle of the pitch this season.

Senior Brenna Pawelkowski and junior Madison Toth showed their synchronized chemistry in leading the Bulldogs to a 1-0 win against Eastern Michigan on Friday evening at the Sellick Bowl. The game winner came on a beautiful corner kick service and header from sophomore Amanda Kowalski to redshirt sophomore Annika Schmidt in the 60th minute, but the story of the night was the efficiency and field generalship of the holding midfielders.

Pawelkowski and Toth bossed the middle third, regularly disrupting the Eagles’ attack and cleanly distributing to spark their own offense. The duo was never spaced too far apart. A 20-yard rope could’ve been connected to each’s waist and the result might’ve been the same.

Junior Paige Monaghan, listed as a forward on the official team roster, continued to impress in her new role as a wide midfielder. She started at right midfielder before shifting to the left flank to begin the second half. Later she returned to the right to keep the Eastern Michigan defense off balance. Monaghan was equally dangerous on both sides of the pitch.

For the Eagles, No. 10 — literally and figuratively — Sabrina McNeill stood out as a constant thorn in the Bulldogs’ side. The diminutive 5-4 attacker packs a skill set well beyond her stature that was on full display Friday. But with the binary star pairing of Toth and Pawelkowski orbiting around her, McNeill found space relatively difficult to come by.

The Bulldogs (3-1-1) will return to the Sellick Bowl on Sunday to face Cleveland State for their third consecutive home match after starting the season with three straight road games. And speaking of three, they’ll also carry a three-game winning streak into the contest.

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Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

Soc Takes is on Patreon. Get access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

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Broncos tame Bulldogs with balanced effort | Soc Takes

Photo credit: Aaron Gunyon/Soc Takes

INDIANAPOLIS — A ranked team and an undefeated team met Friday; the No. 21 Butler Bulldogs hosted the Western Michigan Broncos at the Sellick Bowl.

The unbeaten side remained so at the final whistle, while the ranked team likely played its way out of the top 25 in next week’s rankings. Western Michigan topped Butler 3-2 after erasing an early deficit.

Missing a few key players due to injury and illness, Bulldogs head coach Paul Snape was forced into giving a few new faces bigger roles than they were accustomed to.

Dawgs are navigating a few injuries and a few guys who are sick. Tonight is the first Butler start for Clark and Edmunds.

— Butler Men’s Soccer (@ButlerMenSoccer) September 8, 2017

A crucial cog in the middle third for Butler, central defensive midfielder Jared Timmer, was lost for the season with a broken leg suffered in a loss to Louisville. To make matters worse, attacking midfielder Lewis Suddick and regular starting goalkeeper Eric Dick also sat out for the home side.

The result was an uneven, disjointed performance by the Butler midfield and back line. Although senior captain Eric Leonard turned in an excellent shift besides a wayward service that got away from him in the first half, the loss of three of their best players was too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.

Butler wasted no time pouncing early, as sophomore midfielder Isaac Galliford hit the side netting of the far post from close range to give the hosts a 1-0 edge. But the lead was short-lived — remarkably short-lived.

Photo credit: Aaron Gunyon/Soc Takes

By the 25th minute, Western Michigan had amassed a 3-1 lead after burying a trio of goals in quick succession by three different players: Jake Rufe, Brandon Bye and Anthony Bowie. And all three strikes were assisted by different Broncos. The balance on the scoresheet was indicative of the visitors’ complete team effort on the pitch.

The Bulldogs fought back valiantly, pulling one back in the 88th minute through sophomore forward Brandon Guhl and threatening until the death, but couldn’t produce the equalizer. Western Michigan (4-0-1) held on for the impressive 3-2 road win at the end of the rather entertaining affair. At one point in the match, five total shots had been attempted by both teams combined, and all five were on frame. Four of them found the back of the net.

The Bulldogs (3-2) will host the once-beaten Evansville Purple Aces (4-1) on Tuesday.

***

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

Soc Takes is on Patreon. Get access to patron-only Soc Takes Pod episodes, exclusive written content and tier rewards. Click here to become a patron today.

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Daniel Keller up to task in Indy Eleven back line | Soc Takes

Daniel Keller (right) celebrates a goal scored by former teammate Zach Steinberger in 2015. Indy Eleven/NASL

INDIANAPOLIS — Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park erupts about every 74 minutes on average. Not quite as often nor with as much dramatic flair, Indy Eleven utility man Daniel Keller pops up every few matches to give bystanders a steady, if unspectacular, show.

With “the Chris Tierney of the NASL” banged up in Indy Eleven left back Nemanja Vukovic, coach Tim Hankinson was scratching his head to find a suitable replacement with no other natural left fullback on the roster. Like a mild case of poison ivy, the itch didn’t last long. Enter Keller, who previously filled in admirably for Colin Falvey while the captain rehabbed from sports hernia surgery.

Hankinson asked the 25-year-old Carmel native and former Louisville Cardinals defender — typically a center back or defensive midfielder — to shift out left against Jacksonville Armada FC. The insertion of Keller paid dividends for Indy.

NASL.com

A completely different player than Vukovic, who loves to get up the pitch, Keller is more of a stay-at-home anchor at left back. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

While the offense could’ve used a spark up the left flank, the defense — and Hankinson — certainly weren’t complaining about Keller’s performance versus the Armada.

Keller played a full 90 and completed an efficient 32 of 39 passes across 67 touches. He also did plenty of dirty work, chipping in three tackles, six duels won, five clearances and four interceptions while overcoming an early yellow card.

He played to his strengths, and mostly kept to within earshot of wise veteran center backs Lovel Palmer and Falvey to stay organized. Palmer’s physicality and ball-winning ability earned him a nod on the NASL Team of the Week, while Falvey showed his usual disruptiveness and pitch generalship.

“I don’t think a player like Colin is replaceable,” Keller told Soc Takes following Indy’s Week 2 home draw against the San Francisco Deltas. “He’s definitely a leader. Like you said, he’s an organizer.”

Keller credited his improved soccer instincts and communication for his ability to excel in a variety of roles.

“In the past, I have counted on my athletic ability to sort of get me out of situations,” Keller explained. “But at this level, every player’s athletic. In order to give yourself an edge and work with the back line, you need to organize.

“Communication is key. It’s required that I step in and communicate. That’s what’s required of a good center back.”

Entering 2017, Keller had no idea what his role would be. Listed as a midfielder on the team’s official roster, likely because that was a position of need at the time, he’s found a permanent home in the back line as the club’s fifth defender.

“Whatever coach decides to do with me I’m going to do with 100 percent effort. So if he sees me as a center back, so be it. I’m definitely capable of stepping into the mid. It’s totally up to him, but when he calls me in I’m going to be ready whether it’s at center back or center mid.”

For now, “Old Faithful” is doing just fine on the left side during Vukovic’s absence.

You can follow Kevin on Twitter @KJboxing.

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New York Cosmos: Three strikers in, one striker out? | Soc Takes

Totti is wanted by two NASL clubs: Miami FC and the Cosmos. Photo credit: ESPN FC

As Calciomercato.com reported on June 1st, NY Cosmos may hijack Totti’s possible move to Miami FC. Soc Takes understands that Cosmos are indeed interested in signing the Italian legend, but have not yet approached him directly. Currently, the club seem to simply be ascertaining Totti’s level of interest in Cosmos based on conversations “with people close to Totti,” a source informs Soc Takes. The club came close to signing Totti last year as well, and will be hoping they can fight off competition from Miami FC to bring Totti to the city that never sleeps.

Incredibly, Totti might be one of three forwards Cosmos is interested in signing. Soc Takes understands that Cosmos’ focus is to sign strikers who will be able to get at the end of crosses sent in by midfielders Emmanuel Ledesma and Javi Marquez as well as fullbacks Ayoze Garcia and Ryan Richter.

Cosmos purportedly are “very close” to a deal with Argentine striker Pablo Vranjican. The well-traveled 31 year old, 6 foot 1 striker, was most recently at Malaysian side Pahang FC, where he scored 3 goals in 17 appearances. Vranjican has been on trial with Cosmos and wore the legendary Cosmos jersey during their recent trip to Saudi Arabia. The deal could be announced as early as next week.

The third player in the mix is Spanish forward, Gaizka Toquero. Toquero can play as both a winger and a forward. The 32 year old ex-Athletic Bilbao striker is currently out of contract at La Liga club Alaves, where he has scored 10 goals in 62 appearances. While at Bilbao, Toquero reached the finals of the Europa League in 2012, as well as the Copa Del Ray on 4 different occasions. Toquero is known for his hard work and ability to be an asset in a forward pressing system; similar to the one Bielsa designed at Bilbao.

Unlike Totti, Cosmos have formally approached Toquero. According to a source, Toquero is interested in signing for Cosmos, but is exploring other options, as multiple clubs have approached him.

While Amauri still remains an official member of NY Cosmos, Soc Takes understands that the club does not see him as a part of their future. Whether that will result in a mutual termination of contracts is unclear at this point.

Given Cosmos’ overspending last season, it is reasonable to ponder the financial prudence in all of this. Soc Takes understands that Vranjican and Toquero would be within Cosmos’ budget. As for Totti, that may depend on freeing up Amauri’s wages. Therefore, unless multiple things change, at this point, Miami FC seem to have the upper hand on signing Totti.

The Takeaway:

At this point, Vranjican seems very likely, Toquero seems likely, and Totti should be described as unlikely. As for Amauri, don’t expect to see him make an appearance for NY Cosmos anytime soon.

(Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly suggested Amauri had not made an appearance for NY Cosmos yet.)

You can find Nipun and SocTakes at @NipunChopra7 and @SocTakes on Twitter.

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