Fortunately, for Quakes fans, the situation is not quite so dire.  We have tasted success and the pinnacle of glory, not once but twice.  Perhaps, this makes it even harder for us to accept failure than supporters with empty trophy cabinets (I’m talking about you, Colorado and New York).  Still, the first five years of our existence as an MLS franchise thickened our skins, when it looked as if we would be the eternal laughing-stock of the league.  We learned to endure watching Clash soccer, not enjoy it.  We learned to prepare for losses before the ball was even kicked.  But even for the eternal losers, there is always a small kernel of hope, one that is kept deep inside and never breathed aloud even as a joke.  Even after a hundredth losing season, there would still be a glimmer of belief that this season would finally be the one to change it all.  For Quakes fans, that hope was finally realized with the arrival of Yallop and a new crop of players.  Success became expected.  Then the ultimate heartbreak, which only a chosen crop of fans has had the misfortune to endure: the supporter’s version of death, to have your team moved.  We have come back from the dead, endured countless heartbreaks, all of which can give you more psychological complexes than a lifetime of broken marriages.  With that said, I will sit on the shrink’s couch and relate the top five fears that are plaguing me at the moment:

5. Huckerby leaving

Norwich may have been relegated, but Huckerby would undoubtedly prefer League One (the English third division) over the pub team he is currently on.  Besides which, such things matter very little to a player like Huckerby whose loyalty outstrips any such concerns.  If we had a decent squad that was making progress towards the playoffs, then I think Hucks would be tempted to stay a little longer in San Jose, but as it is, I don’t think anyone could blame him for escaping this train wreck when his contract expires.  It is a shame that we haven’t been able to see an 100% fit Huckerby so far this season.  Hopefully we’ll get to see him soon and get our last taste before he leaves.  

4. Joe Cannon getting dumped on

This has already begun, as some fans have begun to do the unthinkable: question The Joe.  While there have been a couple of mistakes (most glaring of which was the third Chicago goal which should have been saved), I think what many fail to realize is that lack of confidence is contagious.  When the defense in front of a keeper is shaky and lacking belief, then this has the inevitable effect of inspiring indecision and nerves in the keeper himself.  In my humble opinion, Joe has not “lost it”.  He has demonstrated many times this season, that his reflexes and shot-stopping are still of a high quality.  To me the problem is all psychological at this point.  Put a quality defense and a midfield who can shield in front of Cannon, and you’ll see the old Joe back.  Take away Joe and we probably wouldn’t even have the Houston win.

3. Finishing below L.A. once again

As all supporters know, there is one thing which is indeed worse than a losing season, and that is finishing below your hated rival.  To finish below the Scum always induces a bit of nausea, and bragging rights are the currency of all rivalries.  Last year, we could use the expansion label as an excuse, but we have no such luxury this time around.  

2. Picking up the Wooden Spoon yet again

As things stand right now, this one looks like a damn near certainty.  For those who don’t know, the Wooden Spoon is the “prize” given to the team who finishes dead last in the league.  We picked up one last year, as well as in 1997 and 2000 (widely regarded as our worst season ever).  At this rate, 2009 may end up as the new benchmark of failure for the Quakes.  No other club in the the league has more than one, and we are in serious danger of picking up number four.  At stake is the true identity of this team.  Are we the feisty and gutsy team of 2001-2005, or was that just a blip in the history of a losing club?  

1. Frank Yallop getting the axe

At this point, more and more Quakes fans are losing faith in Frank and calling for his head despite it being only eight games into the season.  Yet such a reaction is somewhat understandable given that from all appearances it looks as if we have actually regressed from last year, an almost unforgivable season in a club’s sophomore season after the obligatory putrid expansion year (obligatory unless you’re Seattle that is).  Still, I refuse to give up on Frank.  He came into San Jose and transformed a team with no prospects and no future into a championship club and a perennial contender.  The magic of those years lives long in the memory, and it is perhaps sentimentality, if nothing else, which makes me refuse to lose faith in Yallop.  But I think there is some practical content to my feelings as well.  Despite the raised expectations and dashed hopes of this season, Yallop’s tenure at this point still only consists of one full season and eight games.  It took three years for Sigi Schmid to build a championship team out of Columbus, and people were calling for his head in seasons one and two.  Patience and stability are key in building a team from scratch, and I’m not convinced that the benefits from changing coaches outweigh the harm of introducing a culture of instability once again to the club.  More than anything, it would be a blow to everything I know and hold dear as a Quakes fan to see such a key and beloved figure in Quakes history as Frank Yallop be unceremoniously canned.  I am actually shocked a bit at how easy it is for some fans to toss him aside.

But all this would probably be acceptable if it wasn’t for the manner in which business has been conducted by the Quakes lately.  It’s clear from O’Brien’s interview with Center Line Soccer that he is none too pleased with the way in which the Quakes waited until the last minute before cutting their ties with him.  This is a sentiment that I definitely share.  What is going on with the Quakes, seriously?  The last game of the season left me with a feeling of great optimism.  Then the Quakes decide to play hardball with a key player and fan favorite, Joe Cannon, asking him to take a pay cut and not picking up the option on his contract in a dangerous game of brinkmanship.  Now instead of saving face, the Quakes have decided to shaft another key player and fan favorite (O’Brien).

It seems like Doyle and some of the big shots at the top are attempting to translate Moneyball into soccer terms.  Seemed like a good fit at first: cash-strapped league with a salary cap, building a championship team from bargain parts, sounded like the same old Quakes recipe for success.  But now we see the ugly side of what it means: treating players as if they are expendable parts, no matter their contribution and commitment.  If there’s one sport where team chemistry and continuity is key to success, it’s soccer.  Moneyball won’t work here.  You can’t dismantle and build up a team every year and hope to lay the foundation for championships.  Our glory years were directly a result of having a team that believed in one another, the club, and the fans.  I fear that Moneyball MLS style will destroy morale, chemistry, and make San Jose an uninviting destination for any player we want to sign.  

All the while, we are making room in our cap for a top-notch forward.  No one will deny that we need such a player.  But in pursuit of that piece of the puzzle we are punching new holes we may not be able to fix.  Word to Doyle and company: keep Moneyball as far away from the Quakes as possible.  Being cutthroat will lead us nowhere and as fans we want loyalty shown to those players who show loyalty to us.  

Amen.

The talk around the town is that Ronnie O’Brien has been left unprotected on the expansion draft list released today.  Speculation is that Yallop may be gambling that Seattle will not pick O’Brien due to his aversion to turf, his high salary, and his history of knee injuries.  They also signed Ljungberg, who plays the same position.  However, this doesn’t stop Seattle from picking O’Brien and using him as trade bait with a team who can use O’Brien’s services, or even forcing us to trade with them to get him back.  Here’s one Quakes fan who is praying that Yallop knows what he is doing, and that Ronnie will be in the black and blue again next season. 

Here’s the rest of the list:

Arce, Miguel

Ayres, Jay Michael

Cunliffe, John

Denton, Eric

Ghebru, Michael

Glinton, Gavin

Grabavoy, Ned

Gray, Kelly

Gustavson, Michael

Hatzke, Matt

O’Brien, Ronnie

Riley, James

Roberts, Jamil

Smarte, Adam

Somma, Davide

First off, here’s the rules.  11 players can be protected.  You have to protect your total number of internationals minus three (for us, that means we have to protect three).  We can only have one player taken from us.  Here we go.

Arturo Alvarez (Mid/Forward): $166K salary.  Senior status.  23 yrs. old.

Had a pretty good year after arriving from Dallas, coming through with some important goals.  He has a higher salary, but also is younger and still has some upside.  At times can disappear from games or not put in enough effort.  Has good ball skills and can slip through defenses.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

Mikel Arce (Forward): $13K salary.  Developmental/International status.  24 yrs. old.

We didn’t get to see much of him this year, but he has shown some promise.  One of several young developmental players we have with potential.  His international status might lead to him being protected. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Jay Ayres (Defender): $18K salary.  Senior status.  22 yrs. old.

Had a nasty injury early in the season, but looks to be a good defender in the making. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Joe Cannon (Keeper): $213K salary.  Senior status.  33 yrs. old.

What can you say?  A Quake through and through.  Club legend.  Still a great keeper.  Had a bit of a shaky start to the season, but regained his form and saved us many times.  A definite keeper (no pun intended). 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium (Seattle already have Kasey Keller, but Cannon would be tempting to pick up as great trade bait)

Ryan Cochrane (Defender): $132K salary.  Senior status.  25 yrs. old.

Didn’t have the best of seasons, and was prone to mistakes, especially in the first half of the year.  Scored a key goal against L.A., and looked very solid in the last few games.  One of the tougher calls to make.  Could be a quality defender for years to come, but will he continue to be a liability in the future?

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High (He may have been mistake-prone, but it would be hard for an expansion team to pass up a defender like him)

Ramiro Corrales (Defender/Mid): $190K salary.  Senior status.  31 yrs. old.

Had a great season back with the Quakes.  Played a key stabilizing role in the center of the park, especially when he had Lima to work with.  Have to protect him.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

John Cunliffe (Forward): $36K salary.  Senior/International status.  24 yrs. old.

Got a few looks in the first team squad, but wasn’t effective enough.  Still could have some upside, but you would expect him to have made a bigger impact on some team by now, if it was going to happen for him.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Eric Denton (Defender): $55K salary.  Senior status.  30 yrs. old.

Let’s face it, on the whole, he was a lot more solid that I or anyone else predicted when he was first acquired.  He ended up being a fixture at left back which is surprising for a journeyman like him.  Still, there are many players out there who would be an improvement at that position.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

Nick Garcia (Defender): $138K salary.  Senior status.  29 yrs. old.

The Quakes captain and helped anchor a pretty solid defense all season.  Still has a few good years left in him.  It would be hard to justify leaving him exposed. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

Michael Ghebru (Forward): $13K salary.  Developmental/International status.  21 yrs. old.

Similar situation to Arce.  Young, promising, and his international status may lead to him being protected.

Likelhood of being taken if exposed: Low

Gavin Glinton (Forward): $60K salary.  Senior status.  29 yrs. old.

 Missed much of the season through injury, and was fairly ineffective when he did get playing time in the beginning of the year.  Would be hard to find any justification for protecting him.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Ned Grabavoy (Midfielder): $90K salary.  Senior status.  25 yrs. old.

Didn’t really happen for Ned this year, leading to him losing his starting spot once Lima entered the picture.  When Ramiro went out with injury, Grabavoy got another chance, but again came up short.  Not clear if he fits into Yallop’s system.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

Kelly Gray (Def/Mid): $38K salary.  Senior status.  27 yrs. old.

Didn’t have as great a stint with the Quakes as the first time around.  Was played in the middle of the park in midfield and defence, which aren’t his strengths.  Would have been more interesting to see him in the right back position, which he played in 2005.  A good utility player, but probably doesn’t justify taking up a protected spot.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

Michael Gustavson (Keeper): $13K salary.  Senior status.  21 yrs. old.

Our backup keeper.  We need one of those, but we can always find another one if need be.  Plus, fat chance he’ll ever be taken by Seattle. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Matt Hatzke (Def/Mid): $13K salary.  Developmental status.  22 yrs. old.

One of our reserves.  The roster cuts mean that even if he survives the expansion draft (which he probably will), he probably won’t make the final cut after the reserves are eliminated.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Jason Hernandez (Defender): $47K salary.  Senior status.  25 yrs. old.

He wasn’t the team defensive MVP for nothing.  After a period of adjustment in the beginning, he became a rock in the heart of the defense, cementing a position alongside Garcia.  Has many good years ahead of him, so keep him at all costs!

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

Darren Huckerby (MId/Forward): $330K salary.  Senior/International status.  32 yrs. old.

Don’t really have to say much.  Keep him, no brainer.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Bet your life on it

Ryan Johnson (Mid/Forward): $33K salary.  Senior status.  24 yrs. old.

A revelation for us this season.  Where did this guy come from?  From a bit/reserve player on other sides, he became a starting forward for much of the season, and then a quality sub after Alvarez and Sealy came in.  A bruising forward who plays with a lot of heart, with plenty of years ahead of him. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

Jovan Kirovski (Mid/Forward): $220K salary.  Senior status.  32 yrs. old.

A whole lot of salary for not much production.  Yallop brought him in, hoping he would regain his form.  It didn’t happen.  Highly doubtful that Seattle would pick him up given his price tag and age.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Francisco Lima (Mid): $195K salary.  Senior/International status.  37 yrs. old.

Played a key role in the center of the park and in helping to turn our season around.  However, it looks like he won’t be returning, as he has said he wants to pursue a club who can give him more money (probably in Europe).  Probably a safe bet to leave him exposed, as Seattle likely won’t want to gamble on convincing him to stay, especially at his age. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Ronnie O’Brien (Mid): $240K salary.  Senior status.  29 yrs. old.

Held the fort down until reinforcements arrived, and hit the next gear when they did.  A quality player and valuable veteran who we have to hold onto.  Yallop could gamble on the fact that Seattle won’t want to gamble on a player with a bad history on artificial turf, but it’s a dangerous bet, as he would be good trade bait.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

James Riley (Def/Mid): $33K salary.  Senior status.  26 yrs. old.

Had a fairly horrible start to the season, but settled down into a good defender.  Yet Yallop may feel he could be easily replaced. 

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

Jamil Roberts (Defender): $18K salary.  Senior developmental status.  22 yrs. old.

Maybe in the same boat as Hatzke.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Shea Salinas (Mid): $33K salary.  Senior status.  22 yrs. old.

Developed throughout the season, with a breakout performance in the last game against Toronto.  It seems likely that he is not just potential, but will most likely develop into a dangerous winger for many years to come.  Keep him at all costs.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: High

Scott Sealy (Forward): $35K salary.  27 yrs. old.

Another member of the want-away-to-Europe club.  Put in some quality performances after he arrived midseason, but faded towards the end.  Best not to waste a protected spot on him.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Adam Smarte (Def/Forward): $18K salary.  Senior developmental status.  21 yrs. old.

Actually got a runout in the first team as a fullback, but didn’t perform well.  May be another victim of roster cuts.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Low

Davide Somma (Mid/Forward): $13K salary.  Developmental status.  23 yrs. old.

Probably the youngster with the most potential after Salinas.  Got more and more playing time as the season came to a close.  If he can survive the expansion draft, he should survive the roster cuts.

Likelihood of being taken if exposed: Medium

MY EXPANSION DRAFT LIST

Finally, here is what my list would look like.

1. Joe Cannon

2. Darren Huckerby  [Int]

3. Jason Hernandez

4. Nick Garcia

5. Ronnie O’Brien

6. Shea Salinas

7. Arturo Alvarez

8. Ramiro Corrales

9. Ryan Johnson

10. Michael Ghebru [Int]

11. Mikel Arce [Int]

The international rules make things hard, as I probably wouldn’t protect the last two if it wasn’t for that requirement.  But such is life, and that’s my list.

My gut tells me that this is all just handshakes at pats on the back between Billy Beane and Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli. But who knows? I wouldn’t argue with having Spurs come stateside for a couple warm-up games. I’d like to think that even their reserves are at least at the level of FAS and Seattle. And who knows? Maybe Aaron Lennon grew up adoring Huckleberry, and wants to follow him to the Capital of Silicon Valley.

While I’m sure there will be people that get upset that this comes to less than what they had in their mind, I think the bottom line is that there is no negative here.

Until Spurs snatch up Salinas, Ghebru, and Somma.

GK: #1 Cannon 68
RB: #21 Hernandez 57
RCB: #3 Garcia 65
LCB: #5 Cochrane 63
LB: #2 Denton 56
RM: #7 O’Brien 67
RCM: #10 Lima 68
LCM: #12 Corrales 61
LM: #6 Huckleberry 68
RS: #33 Sealy 64
LS: #17 Alvarez 63

I think thats about right, with Hernandez being the only blatant misfire. To be fair though, he was an unknown commodity when the season started.

FIFA 09 is released in the US on 10/14.

Yes I am a nerd. My XBOX Live Gamertag is HacksawJimDuggn if any of you out there want a beatdown.

Not really much more to say.

That’s about what it feels like as a Quakes fan.

I figured I better come home to the Offside, as much as my job wishes otherwise, especially since I’ll be really come home to the Bay after fall term. So with that, I pronounce my moderately-triumphant comeback.

P.S. I still don’t think we are making the playoffs. Sosumi. More on that later.

Love,
The Offside’s Resident Cynic