** 2014 Sporting Kansas City Thread **

[|Zach|]

Previous Result
1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire

Goals
Dwyer (33')

Disappointing game. Outside backs had a rough day on defense and they could not seem to finish in the important moments.



Next Three Games


Eastern Conference Standings (Full MLS Standings)

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

The MLS is just so brutally physical. It needs to be cleaned up and then more will be willing to come play here.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Zeke

The MLS is just so brutally physical. It needs to be cleaned up and then more will be willing to come play here.

I don't think that is really the reason. Teams are spending more money and the word is getting out that there is quality in MLS. It isn't a shit league anymore. It still all about money though. Besides we are seeing a lot more about people coming to the league than ever.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Jerm

Defoe wouldn't have been bad either...still think we need a killer striker.

Defoe is not the sure-footed striker that SKC needs. His pace is great, but (speaking as a Tottenham fan here) he misses more chances than Kai Kamara.

[Demonpenz]

The united states should be a draw because we have hot water and no rolling blackouts. Also the women are mostly disease free compared to Ireland.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Defoe is not the sure-footed striker that SKC needs. His pace is great, but (speaking as a Tottenham fan here) he misses more chances than Kai Kamara.

But does he miss more than Sapong?

[|Zach|]

A *really* good striker prob is not going to be in MLS...closest thing I think is Keane.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

MLS super draft is occurring today. SKC doesn't have a first round selection, it was part of the Benny Feilhaber trade if I'm not mistaken.

We do have a 2nd round pick (The last).

[|Zach|]

So SKC's first pick of this years draft is number 38 (in a 19 team league lol) they grabbed forward Adnan Gabeljic who is pretty close from STL and played at SLU. Guy is a project I imagine he will find his way to our affiliates at Oklahoma City or Orlando.

[|Zach|]

Uri Rossell.

Horse whisperer.

[|Zach|]

Vermes candid on 2014 campaign during special pre-season edition of Sporting KC Show

http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2014/...orting-kc-show

Peter Vermes will board a flight bound for Tucson, Ariz. before sunrise on Thursday as Sporting Kansas City officially opens their 2014 pre-season just six weeks after the team celebrated its MLS Cup championship in front of a capacity crowd at Union Station.

And exactly six weeks from Thursday, Vermes and his Sporting Kansas City squad will be back at Kansas City International Airport en route to Seattle for the opening game of the 2014 MLS season. So it seemed fitting -- at the mid-point of a 13-week span between the team's climatic 2013 finale and the highly-anticipated 2014 opener -- that Vermes joined The Sporting KC Show on Wednesday for a wide-ranging discussion with Sports Radio 810 WHB hosts Dave Borchardt and Andy Edwards.

On winning MLS Cup...
To me, it was more a culmination of a lot of people within the organization having a vision and seeing it through. Accomplishing that and more importantly rewarding our ownership group especially; not only for the financial commitment, because I think that's the one that is most obvious to everyone, but more importantly how committed they are to the organization and how involved they are...They care about the ultimate success of our organization not just in the short term, but in the long term. And they realize that the foundation has to be built to achieve that and be competitive year after year after year. It was great for them and obviously for our players, as well. It was something that we've been talking about and building a culture over the years. For them to get rewarded because of that commitment was also a really special moment.

On the challenges ahead...
We had a good year last year. We accomplished some important goals that we wanted to: winning MLS Cup, qualifying for the knockout stage of CONCACAF Champions League. With that being said -- it's a great accomplishment and we've done it -- but that year's over. We're into a new season. It's going to be very difficult, that next round of CONCACAF Champions League based on the fact that we're going to be playing against Cruz Azul who's in the mid-point of their season. They'll be in form, we'll be just starting our season and trying to make sure that we're peaking at the right time. But to be able to do that, it's not easy when you're starting a season. You're just getting game fit, you're trying to reach your form and you're trying to do that over the course of a 34-game season. For us, we're going to have to accelerate our pre-season more than we normally would. We're going to have to get more involved in the style of play and the things that we want to do very early on in the beginning stages of our pre-season. So that when we hit the first game of the season, which is against Seattle away from home, we've got to be playing. I'm not going to say we'll be firing on all cylinders but our fitness level and our style of play has to be something that has to be at a much more accelerated place than it has been in the past from the start of the season.

On Chance Myers being out of contract...
It's a simple one. We want him to come back. We've made him an offer. It's now between him and his agent. We're just waiting for their response. It's always a tough thing when you come to these situations where you've found some success over the last so many years. Players, based on their performances, want to continue to make more money and I understand that. But when you're in a salary cap, there's only so much to go around. We're at a place where I think we've made a fair offer, I really do. Now it's just a matter of if they want to accept it and he wants to stay here. We'll see where that goes. The one thing that has always been the case and will continue to be the case with this club is you've seen players come and go. There's been a lot of players that have moved on, some very good ones obviously. To name a few, Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar and now Jimmy Nielsen. And as players move out, there are other players that we've been working with and we've been trying to get ready for their opportunity. If it doesn't work, then we'll have to move on to the next guy and we'll have to make that guy work. It's unfortunate, but as I said, we'd like to have him back. Hopefully we can work out the deal. I think we'll find over the next couple of weeks if that's going to become a reality or if we're both going to move in separate ways.

On having five players with the U.S. MNT...
It's flattering and I think it should be flattering for the club. It's the culmination of a lot of hard work on a lot of different levels for our players to get there. I think the biggest thing is that when I took over, I made it very clear to the guys that one thing to find success is always going to be one center and the center is always going to be the team. The team is always going to come first. And I believe that all awards and accolades, increases in salary and everything else all comes from the team. If the team's successful, then opportunities start to present themselves. Interestingly enough, in 2000 when the team that I played on here in Kansas City won the MLS Cup as well, that following January we had five players that were also invited into the January Camp. It's interesting how when your team finds success, many of your players start to find it as well. It's a testament to the work ethic and the progression a lot of these players have made, but at the same time, it has a lot to do with the success of the team.

On the goalkeeping depth chart...
Eric has really paid his dues. He's been a solid citizen for the club for 8-9 years now. He has definitely perfected, I think, his craft. I think he's a goalkeeper that is ready and waiting to take on the opportunity to be the No. 1. He's worked extremely hard. He has been a guy that has been very open-minded and that has learned by the people that have been in front of him. I think all of those things bode well for a guy that's going to find success in that position. I have a lot of confidence in him. I think that he is incredible from a distribution perspective, a very good shot stopper, has great range across the goal, obviously with his height and athleticism, I think he does really well at coming out on crosses. I think he deserves this opportunity based on how hard he has worked and how patient he has been and how he has progressed as a goalkeeper. As much as there's always competition in all of the positions, I do believe that he should at least get the benefit of the doubt to be the No. 1, go ahead and go with the position and play well. He definitely has the full confidence of the staff and I think all of us feel very comfortable with him. At the same time, competition is important. Andy Gruenebaum was brought in, as well. He's a guy with a lot of experience. But he's also a great team guy. I know that he'll fit in well with the way that our culture is within our team on the field and also within our locker room. I think that Jonathan Kempin has been progressing, as well. I think we have a very solid core when it comes to the goalkeeper position at the moment.

On additions to the midfield...
We definitely want to add depth. You saw that we obviously drafted two more players in the middle of the midfield. We'll probably add another person here in the next coming weeks in that area of the field, as well. Because we just think that's an area we have got to maintain our strength in because that's our wheelhouse. As we move forward, we're going to need as many bodies as we can and obviously depth in those positions as we move through all the different competitions that we are in this year.

On negotiations with Michael Bradley...
I think MLS is proving that it's not what a lof of people have been saying about us for years. That is we're a retirement league. You're starting to see a lot of players in their prime come to this league and be a part of it through transfers or through DP situations. There's a lot of that going on and I think as people continue to maybe criticize or be a little bit negative around our league, what happens is we just keep passing those people by. From that point of view, I don't really pay too much attention to it because I think we're a league that is up and coming. We've continued to push the needle up and I think we'll continue to do that for many years to come. In regards to us, we were absolutely 100% involved in that opportunity to try to get Michael Bradley to come to Sporting. It was a player that we went after extremely heavily. There's not a lot of players that I personally would put my reputation behind but I think he's a fantastic player. I think he's a great professional. There's no doubt in my mind that he would have fit really well into our team. But sometimes, in these deals, they go a different way. It is what it is at the end of the day. We'll be fine because of it and we'll keep working. I think we still have a very good team without him.

[Reaper16]

Wow. Must have caught Vermes in a rare cheery mood.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Wow. Must have caught Vermes in a rare cheery mood.

Yea it was sort of eye opening in that respect. He doesn't have any kind of disdain with the media or a contentious relationship but he usually isn't "this is all the info" type of guy either.

He is sort of famous for being very talky with international hispanic media because he is fluent and it is a good recruiting tool.

[Cornstock]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Sporting KC trades for goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum
Overland Park, Kan. native is an eight-year MLS veteran



Sporting Kansas City has acquired goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum from the Columbus Crew in exchange for Sporting KC’s second round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, the club announced on Monday. Gruenebaum has been added to Sporting Kansas City’s roster and will occupy a senior roster spot.

“Andy is a very capable goalkeeper, someone who has been successful in Major League Soccer and has had a lot of games in the league,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “He is a great addition to our team and a complement to our goalkeepers. We needed someone with a lot of experience because we're in multiple major competitions in 2014.”

“I could not be more excited to come back home and play in front of family and friends,” Gruenebaum said. “The ownership, coaching staff, players and fans associated with Sporting KC are first class, and I look forward to working with two amazing goalkeepers to help win another championship. I would like to thank Peter and the rest of the organization for giving me this opportunity. My wife and I are ecstatic to be able to call Kansas City home once again.”

Gruenebaum, 30, made 82 appearances in MLS competition (including playoffs) with 277 saves, 18 shutouts and a 1.27 goals against average in eight seasons with the Crew. He led MLS with 124 saves in 2012 and was a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year after being named the Crew’s MVP and Defender of the Year. This season, he conceded the second fewest goals (28) among goalkeepers with a minimum of 15 games played.

In 2009, Gruenebaum entered the Columbus lineup and immediately led the team on an eight-game unbeaten run en route to the team’s Supporters’ Shield title. The following season, he helped the Crew reach the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final and started all six games in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League group stage as Columbus went unbeaten. He also started both of the team’s matches in the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs.

An Overland Park, Kan. native, Gruenebaum was an All-American at Blue Valley North High School and was the Player of the Year in Kansas after leading the Mustangs to the state championship. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he recorded 21 shutouts in 66 collegiate games. Gruenebaum earned All-Conference and All-Region honors and picked up the nickname “The Hebrew Hammer.”

Prior to his senior season, Gruenebaum starred for the Des Moines Menace in the Premier Development League and was named MVP of the 2005 PDL championship.

Gruenebaum becomes the seventh Kansas City native on Sporting KC’s roster, along with Matt Besler, Christian Duke, Kevin Ellis, Jon Kempin, Erik Palmer-Brown and Seth Sinovic. He was a finalist for Player of the Year at the Kevin Gray Awards in 2013.

Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) acquires goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum from the Columbus Crew (MLS) in exchange for Sporting Kansas City’s second round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

Andy Gruenebaum (GREW-nah-BAHM)
Position: Goalkeeper
Number: TBD
Born: 12/30/82
Height: 6-1
Weight: 175
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
Birthplace: Kansas City, Mo.
Citizenship: United States
Last Club: Columbus Crew (MLS)
College: Kentucky
Twitter: @gbaum30

This is a great trade. I used to watch this guy play for the Menace in Des Moines. He was a man amongst boys.

Overall, the team was spectacular that year, but there were times throughout the playoffs and in the championship game where they looked a bit outmatched. Grueny put the team on his back. I think everyone who was around the team that year knew that he would soon be on to big things.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Cornstock

This is a great trade. I used to watch this guy play for the Menace in Des Moines. He was a man amongst boys.

Overall, the team was spectacular that year, but there were times throughout the playoffs and in the championship game where they looked a bit outmatched. Grueny put the team on his back. I think everyone who was around the team that year knew that he would soon be on to big things.

The job is Eric's to lose but I truly see us as having two starting caliber keepers.

[|Zach|]