HUDSON LOOKS TO TRIED AND TESTED ONCE MORE
New Colorado Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson has signed several New Zealand internationals who are familiar with his methods from his time in charge of that country’s national team, and this weekend the Rapids were linked to another player with Kiwi ties.
The New Zealand Herald reports that Colorado have sought to acquire winger Roy Krishna from Wellington Phoenix, the New Zealand-based club in Australia’s A-League, but had a six-figure transfer bid rejected.
Krishna, 30, is a Fiji international with a distinguished scoring record for both Wellington and his national team. He’s netted 32 goals and 21 assists in 87 appearances for the Phoenix and 20 in 32 for Fiji, including a goal in the 2016 Summer Olympics that stands as the island nation’s first-ever goal in that competition.
The Herald reports that Colorado offered a “six-figure sum” for Krishna’s rights, but suggests that Wellington are holding out for “between $750,000 and $1 million” in Australian currency, equivalent to US$500,000 to $800,000.
“We want Roy to stay,” Wellington chief executive David Dome told the Herald. “We will try our hardest to keep him at the Phoenix. We rate him as a player and leader.”
EGYPT INTERNATIONAL TO MLS
Following on up yesterday’s Any Other Business, a report in South Africa suggests that international Amr Gamal could be on his way to the MLS with the Russian Premier League as another potential option.
The 26-year-old has 30 goals in 102 career appearances with Al-Ahly. He went on loan to Bidvest Wits last August and has two goals in 13 league matches with the South African club. He has three goals in 13 career appearances with Egypt and played five times in their successful 2018 World Cup qualification campaign.
Egyptian defender/midfielder Omar Gaber signed with LAFC this winter, where he’ll be coached by former Egypt national team manager Bob Bradley. Gamal didn’t make his Egypt debut until after Bradley had left the team.
ATLANTA SPLASHING MORE CASH
Fleshing out more details from yesterday’s edition of Rundown, Atlanta United are preparing to make a $9 million offer to buy Uruguayan left-back Lucas Olaza from Argentine side Talleres de Cordoba according to Argentine outlet Talleres Alma Albiazul.
The 23-year-old came up through Montevideo’s River Plate and has had stints in Brazil, Spain and his native Uruguay before arriving at Talleres de Cordoba this season. He also was part of Uruguay’s contingent at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
While listed as a defender, he can get forward as well, scoring three league goals in Argentina this season and six last year in the Uruguayan top flight.
ORLANDO’S STATEMENT OF INTENT
MLSSoccer.com’s Charles Boehm claims that Orlando City have addressed the issue identified by head coach Jason Kreis after being starved of possession in 2017, which is in stark contrast to his previous Real Salt Lake side.
The capture of Justin Meram is described as a statement of intent but this past week’s acquisition of Uri Rosell has put MLS on notice. Rosell is a methodical midfield metronome with FC Barcelona’s priceless DNA coursing through him. The appeal of fellow new signing Amro Tarek is in his versatility, an Egyptian-American defender with several blue-chip destinations on his resume who didn’t catch on during a short stint in Columbus in 2016.
Any Other Business…
Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps have released new kits. Sounders are sporting ‘A New Rave Green’ with the phrase ‘You Will Hear Us’ featured across the back neckline and a reference to a tag marking the 10th year of the Alliance Council’s existence. Whitecaps away kit is the ‘Unity Jersey’, a dark grey look inspired by a lesser-used element of the club’s colour palette.
