What about him? Oh, oh. We signed him. Apparently. Well, pending an international transfer clearance request's completion, and pending a work visa. So, yes. We signed him, and signings are exciting, but it leaves us with a few well-placed questions.
Smug. That's what Garth Lagerwey must be feeling today after some crafty dealing to bring Justin Braun to the club. And if that indeed is what he's feeling, nobody really can blame him after we pulled off what could turn into a very good trade indeed. We've lost a conditional draft pick — so perhaps our top pick in 2014, but it could be second or third round — and we've gained a striker. Oh, and Montreal, from whence he came, have agreed to pay a portion of his salary for the remainder of the season.
Arrivals so often require departures to balance things out, and when the signing of Kwame Watson-Siriboe was officially announced yesterday, it was to be expected that somebody would have to leave. Exactly who would leave: the question of the day. It's now been answered.
Learning that two players are departing was perhaps a little more surprising, though. Watson-Siriboe, a center back, fills a definite need with our side: The departure of Leone Cruz left us with only three natural center backs, and that has been rather problematic.
Kenny Mansally, Gambian left back and former New England Revolution player, has officially signed with Real Salt Lake, Garth Lagerwey announced today in an interview with Bill Riley on KALL ESPN700.
Mansally, who has been on trial with the club for some weeks, comes into the club as a left back but is capable of playing as a forward. He featured in the club's most recent reserve game, playing about 65 minutes, with his time in the first half coming as full back.
On this blustery, gloomy Tuesday, we've learned something a bit brighter than our weather and surroundings: the CONCACAF Champions League draw! While draws in and of themselves are not entirely enthralling, learning who we'll soon be facing is. Should I bury the lead? No, likely not: We're in Group 2 with Costa Rica's C.S. Herediano and Panama's Tauro F.C..
Right, another late one from me, so you've got my apologies on that. But there's some news to go through, so let's not dally around apologizing and the like, shall we?
Full back Chris Estridge, after having been on trial essentially since his draft-and-release by Vancouver, has signed with the club. Estridge, an attack-minded full back, was drafted as the second of Vancouver's two SuperDraft picks.
It appears that today, a Wednesday, is a slow news day. And more than just a slow news day, it's a horrendously slow news day. That, my friends, is too bad, because if anyone could use a little news to boost our midweek, it's RSL fans.
There's not a lot of noise coming from camp today, really. In fact, the club seems rather calm. Much like, I believe, the calm before a storm or some such.
Of course, there's plenty of non-calm elsewhere, isn't there? Seattle fans just saw their team drop 6-1 to Santos in the CONCACAF Champions League — a loss I feel a bit of sympathy for the club as a result of — and Los Angeles fans saw a 2-1 (4-3 aggregate) loss to Toronto FC. So there's the lack of calm for you — it's all been eaten up by our two top-of-the-table rivals in the Western Conference.
Let's begin with a news roundup today, because there are a few items of note — nothing earth-shattering, mind, but what I'll call the Andy Williams Quest to Get Everyone on Twitter is continuing forward, and there are a few squad health updates to discuss.
First, it does appear that Tony Beltran will be out with a strain, given what Jason Kreis said last night.
What did our beloved Claret and Cobalt do the evening of March, 10th? They did what they trained for. They did what they most wanted. They did what they are capable of. They “came to score” (The Aggrolites).