With Thierry Henry’s move from Barcelona to the New York all but complete at this point — and with three straight MLS losses, Henry can’t arrive soon enough for the suddenly-struggling Red Bulls — where does that leave their two biggest rivals on the player acquisition front?
Mirrorfootball had reported that D.C. United had interest in Henry, but team owner Will Chang got out ahead of the rumors and squashed them quickly, quoted in the Washington Post saying, “It would be highly unlikely that we would bring him in. Read into that any way you would like.”
First, credit an owner for being both proactive and accessible. Second, I misspoke when I said on a blog that Chang was drowning in debt and have since rephrased that. Chang clearly doesn’t have personal debt, the kind that has Manchester United fans so enraged about the Glazer ownership at Old Trafford. (Chang has plenty of money, part-owner of the San Francisco Giants, and MLS has rules against buying teams with debt.)
I meant to say United had been losing money, a big reason why they’ve been diligently looking to get out of the stadium situation they have at venerable RFK and into their own place. As someone who grew up in Prince George’s County, I was hoping they’d land there and do the old neighborhood some good; either way, Chang did say they’re still looking at Designated Players.
“We’re looking,’’ Chang was quoted as saying. “I’m not going to say we will. There’s some folks in our organization that have been a little bit more, how do I say, firm in their statements. I’m not going to make a promise, but we’re seriously at looking at players, and whether that additional support that we bring in during the summer transfer window ends up being a DP or not, time will only tell.’’
It just won’t wind up being Henry.
And what about the Philadelphia Union? A month ago they seemed likely to sign Henry’s former Arsenal and France teammate Robert Pires, but now the midfielder seems to have soured on the thought of playing in the City of Brotherly Love.
“It does not please me. I do not want to be difficult, but left to take my family away, I’d rather do it in a beautiful city. Otherwise, I will put an end to my career,’’ Pires was quoted as saying in Sport.co.uk. Pires teamed with Henry as France won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euro crown, and at Arsenal for the 2002 and 2004 Premier League titles. When asked about the prospect of joining Henry again in New York, he replied “I wish him to go there. That is a beautiful city.”
OK, it truly has the sound of Mike Hampton ripping the New York school system on his way out the door from Shea Stadium. I mean, had Pires never seen Philadelphia? Or did it get uglier during the past month? Did his agent call him and let him know he’s got better offers from elsewhere — like two hours up the Turnpike?
Do you think United signs a Designated Player? If so, will it be enough to kick-start their season, and maybe even help in their quest for a new home? If Pires doesn’t end up in Philadelphia — which hardly seems likely at this point — do you feel he’d be a fit in New York?