?IT?S A BIG GAMBLE? But Arena feels he will find the right players to rebuild Bulls after dealing Guevara to Chivas
Amado Guevara, celebrating his late equalizing goal against Chicago in 2005, played three of his four seasons here in a MetroStars uniform.
Admitting trading midfielder and team captain Amado Guevara was a gamble, New York Red Bulls coach and sporting director Bruce Arena Monday said he was confident he could find players to improve the MLS club.
The dealing of arguably the best player in the history of the MetroStars and Red Bulls to Chivas USA gave the team a second designated player slot in which the team can acquire another international player higher than the league maximum salary of $280,000.
Arena felt he had no choice to trade the 2004 MLS MVP if he wanted to improve a team that has advanced out of the first round of the playoffs only once in 11 years. The Red Bulls (9-11-12) were eliminated in the opening round this season.
"If you look at our roster, there haven't been too many desirable players that anyone else has been interested in," he said during a conference call. ?We had to let go arguably our best player.
"It's a big gamble making a move like this, giving up a proven player in the league."
He later added: ?I think we?re going to get the right players.?
Under new rules passed by the league earlier this month, each team is allowed one designated player with a max of $400,000 under the salary cap, which is expected to be increased from $1.9 million to about $2.3 million next season. The second DP would count $325,000 toward the cap. Salary more than the league maximum would have to be picked up by the Red Bulls themselves.
The trade further fueled speculation that Brazilian forward Ronaldo and Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo would eventually join the club. There also have been ongoing talks between the representatives of former U.S. National Team captain Claudio Reyna and the league, the Springfield, N.J. native's agent, Lyle Yorks reportedly said.
Arena wouldn't address any potential new player specifically.
"I'm like a little kid making his Christmas list for mom and dad," Arena said. "Some of the requests are unreasonable. . . . At this point of time, we're not closing the door on anyone. However, my guess is we're not going to get Ronaldinho.
"In all honesty, it doesn't have to be a big-name player. It has to be a good player. And you know the market place around the world, players are very expensive so some are certainly going to be cost-prohibitive. As we go through the process, we?re going to have to sort that out."
But the New York market likes big-name players.
If the Red Bulls don't improve, Arena realized where the player would fall.
"At the end of the day, whatever players are chosen, it's my responsibility," he said. "When coaches are fired, you don't see the president of clubs or federations accepting the blame, they point the finger."
Since the end of the season, eight players have been cut or traded.
"There's a lot of work to do on this roster," Arena said. "There's been some huge holes left on this roster. There were major issues on salary and everything else that handcuffed this organization and myself on being able to acquire other players."
Arena indicated that some of the players he released last week -- such as veteran goalkeeper Tony Meola -- could return to the club with lower salaries. Midfielder Chris Henderson and defenders Steve Jolley and Peter Canero also were waived.
"We have time to sign these players," he said.
Arena said most of those players were cut due to salary and age.
"We have to get our team a little younger and we have to have a little more flexibility in the salary cap," he said.
Guevara, 30, will be re-united with Chivas coach Bob Bradley, who brought him to the Metros in 2003. Guevara had his best years under Bradley.
"I like Amado a lot," Arena said. "Personally, I like him as a player. I wanted to do something that I felt was going to eventually be comfortable for him and I think that Chivas, a team with a great Hispanic following, was good for him. Secondly, I was confident that Bob would be a good coach for Amado. As much as we need to make moves that make sense for our team, there?s a personal side to it as well. I felt that this would be a great opportunity for him."
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