Up to Date as of: 30-Nov, 9:35 am

Well, things have been a bit wild with an obvious news grabber. Though, what else has happened?

Senior Team

Mexican National Team, Dallas Cowboys, and FC Dallas?

Just before noon on Wednesday, the FMF (Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación) that they will be playing at least one game at AT&T Stadium for the next four years with FC Dallas being host to the Mexican National Team training camps through Moneygram Park or Toyota Soccer Center. Additionally, the FMF will be involved in the community with a plan of having a bilingual reading program and festivites being hosted year-round to “grow the sport in North Texas”. FC Dallas will additionally host watch parties.

So twitter has reacted and it seems that the consensus is, “Why is FC Dallas a part of this?” Here’s my favorite.

" FC Dallas will stage watch parties for out-of-market Mexico matches to build excitement for the annual AT&T Stadium match."
??????#DTID pic.twitter.com/FpMRzsKZme
— FC_Dallas FR ?? (@FCDallasFR1) November 28, 2018

I echo the sentiment that the sport doesn’t need growing in DFW but rather that it needs to be promoted, reminded, and accepted in this area. Yes it can be hard to do with having at least 5 other professional sports teams. Here’s something that I would like to bring up though. The last times that the Mexican National Team has played at AT&T stadium, they are averageing 80K+ fans. So the fans and market is here in DFW. What I feel like is that this is a huge opportunity for FC Dallas to try to earn those fans to come to Toyota Stadium. This is a big PR and market effort. This is a chance for FC Dallas to reach out and bring in a new fanbase, becuase it it here.

How many players to leave FC Dallas?

With the departure of Oscar Pareja from FCD, new reports are saying that “at least 3 players” could leave FCD for Xolos Tijuana. I’m sure that some thought that there would be come players leaving this offseason and that Papi would go after some players. At least 3 just to Xolos seams kinda high? Or maybe to you that is a low number. I’m curious as to which three players would go. Maybe Aranguiz, Maxi, Santi, Barrios, Paxton, Reggie, Victor? What 3 do you think would go? Similarly, there has been a report that Maynor Figueroa will become one of Papi’s assistant coaches.

FC Dallas exercise contract options on players

FC Dallas has exercised the 2019 contract options on Jacori Hayes, Ryan Hollingshead, Victor Ulloa, and Kyle Zobeck.

The 2019 contracts options for Abel Aguilar, Jordan Cano, Maynor Figueroa, Roland Lamah, Kris Reaves and Adonijah Reid were not exercised.

Additionally, FC Dallas has extended an offer to Tesho Akindele, whose contract expired at the end of the 2018 season.

I think that everything that FCD did here makes sense. I am a little surprised by FCD no acting on Adonijah Reid. I think Reaves and Cano will come back in the spring with a chance to earn a place on the first team. I definitely see those two on the USL team. The same goes for Reid. I would expect him to be on the USL team as well. I myself am a little surprised by the extended offer to Tesho. I know that many other FCD fans are also a little frustrated by this.

Tab Ramos is linked with FC Dallas as possible new head coach

After coming off of a successful CONCACAF U-20 Championship where he qualified the US for the U-20 World Cu pin 2019.

Ramos had has spent some in the U-20 position developing players. He coached 3 FCD players in this last cycle (Paxton Pomykal, Brandon Servania, Chris Richards). He is use to developing players and has to deal with a new team every 2 years. I think he would be an insteresting coach for the team has he has experience devolping players. He would continue the tradition that using the FC Dallas academy to suplement the roster. He could also develop the young players that we have in Mosquera, Aranguiz, and others.

Oscar Pareja has left FC Dallas

FC Dallas sure is hitting the offseason with the ground running and not in the way that many would expect.

In his own words: Watch Oscar Pareja's heartfelt goodbye message. #ThankYouPapi pic.twitter.com/cnW3OBUJfj
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) November 20, 2018

So when I saw this, I was well beyond shocked. Something that I and probably many others were expecting was the movement of some big players like Maxi, Barrios, or Gruezo. While I am shocked, I am sadder and understand where this is coming from. It makes sense and I think that it is time that Papi takes on a new challenge. He has been with the club for 5 years now and has accomplished so much with a limited squad and has squeezed as much as he can out from this club. He will always be remembered as a club great.

Maxi Urruti Makes A Return Home. Will it be permanent?

As it is customary in the offseason, foreign players tend to return back to their country of origin and that is exactly what Maxi is doing. Though before he left for Argentina, a Newell’s Old Boys Executive was quoted saying that he would like to bring Maxi Urruti back to the club and that he would speak with him.

Report: Argentinean club Newell's Old Boys is rumored to be interested in #FCDallas forward Maxi Urruti: https://t.co/wHYG7kBzXu pic.twitter.com/0yHpYjjAco
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 16, 2018

Newell’s Old Boys is a club in the top Argentine League and is where Maxi started his professional career with. He was in the youth academy from 2005-2011 and signed a pro deal with them in 2011 and stayed with the team until 2013 where he was picked up by Toronto FC. Maxi is a huge fan of this team and I wouldn’t blame him for wanting to go back for two reasons. Recent News has stated that Maxi said that he has 2 more years on his contract and would like to honor that contract. Additionally, It was stated that the salary that Maxi wanted and the salary that NOB was offering were too far apart.

Reggie, Figueroa, and Gruezo make National Team Appearances

Reggie Cannon, Maynor Figueroa, and Carlos Gruezo all earned call-ups with their National Teams for the November friendlies. Here are the results.
Reggie Cannon
USA 0-3 England
-Cannon was an unused sub
USA 0-1 Italy
-Cannon started and played for 76′
Carlos Gruezo
Ecuador 2-0 Peru
-Gruezo played the full 90
Ecuador 2-1 Panama
-Gruezo came on in the second half
Maynor Figueroa
Honduras 1-0 Panama
-Figueroa played the full 90
Honduras 1-4 Chile
-Figueroa played the full 90

U-20 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers

Brandon Servania, Paxton Pomykal, and Chris Richards have helped qualify the US U-20 team for the 2019 U-20 World Cup. Richards joined the team for the knockout stages where they face Costa Rice in the knockout group stage to advance. The US will take defeated Mexico is the final 2-0.

Adonijah Reid and his Canada were unfortunately knocked out in the group stage where the finished second in the group.

This has been an amazing opportunity for all of these players and it really does show what FC Dallas has in the future with these young players.

Fan Questions

Question (@Dubai_Ger): What a great signing Ashley would be for @FCDallas and would be able to further develop Reggie. Anyone else @FCDalNationDAL have thoughts on this? I think it would be too marquee a signing but could be a real good addition.

This is a really good question to bring up. I have two feelings on this. I think Ashley Cole would be a great mentor to Reggie for obvious reasons. Years in the Premier League with Chelsea, winning the Premier League and the Champions League. This would do wonders for Reggie’s development. I don’t think he is a player that FC Dallas would sign though. It doesn’t really seem to fit the FC Dallas type of player. Cole would play on the ends, maybe CB? He’s not getting younger which is a downside. Though surprisingly his base salary is $450K with total compensation at $722.5K which is just below Ziegler’s $800K. The salary is in the range. I wouldn’t hold my breath but it might be an option.

Question (@timmyt19): Center backs are solid, but there’s a huge drop-off in quality with backups. Should CB be a transfer target for FCD?

Great question, that I have been kicking some thoughts around. Short answer: yes. Reto and Matt are obviously a great pair in the back, as you have mentioned, and we have nothing to worry about with these players. I feel like this question gets a little difficult because it all depends on what we already have and what our other transfer targets are. I think that the first thing the club will look at is for a proven striker (or at least what I would look for if I was leading the scouting). We should look for some CB depth but I think it is dependent on what we do with our current CB depth. If Chris Richards comes back, I would love to see him get some game time and even some starts with this team. Kris Reaves has proven that he can step in, though his issue is staying healthy. Jordan Cano has the potential but we don’t know how much he will grow. Moises Hernadez can play anywhere along the backline but can struggle with some consistency issues. I would say the next in line is Moises Hernandez or Chris Richards (if we get him back). CB may not even be a target for the club which will make things for frustrating. Or maybe we might see the Bayern deal be reciprocated and we might get some players from them on loan which would be great.

Academy

Los Niños

“The following has been taken from Carter Baum’s article found here“

“The U-15s also competed in the Copa Rayados Internacional, winning the Silver Final from the U-15 Supergroup with a 2-1 win over San Antonio FC after going 2-1-1 in the group stage. Their only dropped points of the tournament came at the hands of the top two finalists.

The U-13s traveled to The Woodlands to compete in the Copa Rayados Internacional, taking the U-13 title with a 2-1 win over the CF Monterrey U-13s on Sunday, capping off a nearly perfect 5-1 weekend. FCD avenged its only defeat of the tournament in the Final.

Meanwhile, the FCD U-12s traveled to Atlanta for the U-12 edition of Generation adidas Cup. They posted a perfect 6-0 record in the group stage, but fell in the tournament’s final to Colorado, 3-0, while playing a majority of the match a man down.”

Something important to note is that former Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas midfielder Javier Morales was the U-13 coach and lead his team to a championship. Great news and work for him and the talent of the academy.