2012 Supporters Summit Quotes and Editorial Part 1

This past Thursday the Revolution hosted its 3rd Annual Supporter Summit.  Members of the Midnight Riders and The Rebellion were invited ti ask questions of both Brian Bilello and Mike Burns.  Over the course of a few posts we will present selected in depth quotes on a number of subjects as well as some of our own editorial notes in italics where warranted

Bilello on an opening day doubleheader

"We are working on a double header for the opening game, it won't be extra, it will be your ticket to the game. The price will stay the same so for people who don't have season tickets it will be the price of a regular game, so just a bonus game that we're adding to the home opener, if it happens."


Burns on off season

"Without question this has been the busiest off season we've had since I started working in the Front Office. everything from new locker room , to new weight room, new video room, a new head coach, new assistant coach, another new coach and reserve coach who we haven't hired yet and are still going through the interview process, a new equipment manager, a new strength and conditioning coach.

Quality Of Life: Offseason 2012

With New England Revolution pre-season starting Monday, it is officially time for our Off-season 2012 Revolution Quality of Life Index. Since it's a new season we'll go over how the QoL works for those who forgot or the uninitiated.  If you are from the Boston area and read the Weekly Dig you will realize that I am 100% stealing this idea from them, so  don't tell me about how I am unoriginal and stealing and idea... I know.  Secondly, all numbers are absolutely arbitrary and decided by me and solely me. The QoL works on a PLUS/MINUS system and the total is at the bottom along with a link to the last QoL.


Front Office "Restructuring"




So with many clamoring for sweeping changes to be made in the Front Office after years of on and off the field decline, those sweeping changes happened.... well at least in the minds of Krafty JonBob... not so much to everyone else.

Yes they actually promoted Brian Bilello and Mike Burns.  I'm willing to give Bilello a little more wiggle room and time now that he has assumed the role that absentee club President Sunil Gulati once held.  However it's no secret that I do not care for Mike Burns and the fact that he now has more control over this team, a team that's fallen behind during his tenure, scares the shit out of me.  I still don't understand why the Krafts want to reward failure... not to savvy if you ask me.  MINUS 25

7 More Players Not Likely To Be Here In 2012

One's gone... will the other one be joining him?

One thing that cannot be said about the New England Revolution this off-season is that they have not been making moves.  We might not agree with them and some might be lipstick on a pig but there is a lot going on.  Last week the Revs waived Alan Koger, Otto Loewy and Andrew Sousa.  Ok so they are not household names for Revs fans and didn't see any playing time, but today we learned of seven additional players whose future here is not certain.

Quality of Life Index: 2011 Season 78%

Season So Far

Do I really need a caption for this?

Draw vs. LA Galaxy
Win vs. DC United
Draw vs. Portland
Draw vs. Vancouver
Loss vs. Real Salt Lake
Loss vs. Houston
Win vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. Chivas
Tie vs. Colorado
Win vs. Vancouver
Loss vs. San Jose
Loss vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. LA Galaxy
Loss vs. Dallas
Loss vs. NYRB
Tie vs. Toronto
Tie vs. Chicago
Loss vs. Seattle
Tie vs. Salt Lake
Loss vs. Philadelphia
Win vs. DC
Tie vs. Colorado
Tie vs. Sporting KC
Loss vs. Chivas
Loss vs. Crew
Tie vs. Houston
Tie vs. NYRB
Tie vs. Philly

The Revs have started to score since the last time we did this... but well they seem to love to blow leads which has been giving us a series of mini heart attacks...  The blown leads problem gives us hope that maybe some of the pieces of the player puzzle are starting to fall into place.  The blown leads also must point to a coaching problem,which was very evident in Philadelphia when Lekic was subbed out for Phelan early in the half so the team could play bunker ball.  Lekic was perhaps having his best game in a Revs uniform and was also helping the team to do what Nicol has stated over and over that he wants... them to hold possession. The bunker ball is frustrating and not working, it time to see if the best defense truly is a good offense.  Well at least we won't have to worry about going to cold and sparsely attended playoff matches this year. MINUS 21 (NYRB is 0, LA is 33)

Did We Really Cut Our MVP?

Well it all depends on how you want to look at it but in a story that seems to have multiple sides the Revolution parted ways with Marko Perovic and left a good smoke screen to retreat back behind the Iron Curtain of information.  The Revolution really should have found some way to make things work and keep him around here, many thought that he was a key player in building a new core for the Revs.  Just add this to the many mistakes our FO and Burnsie et al have made... Good job guys... Seriously, super fantastic and awesome.  MINUS 25


Revs vs. ManU

I think any Revs fan who was in attendance for this match has to be happy with it despite the eventual loss.  The Revs holding off ManU's first team and having a scoreless first half is something to be happy about and that they should be proud of, now if only we could do that more often in games that... well you know... actually matter. PLUS 5


Revs Release Didier Domi, Ousmane Dabo retires.

Wait you mean to tell me that aging European players didn't work out as signings for the Revs? Seriously? How can that be true? Excuse the sarcasm...but having said that Dabo retiring because he felt guilty taking up cap and roster space due to his injury for a team that desperately needed it was top notch.  Even if he was not able to do much here it shows that he is a classy individual and the respect he showed to the fans upon his departure was admirable. Releasing Domi left us with no cover at LB and I actually didn't think he was that bad, but hey it's better to not have any cover there than actually have someone who can play that position (albeit only when they aren't injured) MINUS 10

Wait... we actually signed a DP?

Yessssirrrrieeee Krafty Bob....  Milton Caraglio.  In what we've seen of Milton so far we like... despite coming off of a large break in playing due to injury he actually looks like a decent signing.  However let's not fool ourselves, because he only is technically a DP due to a transfer fee.  The transfer fee appears to have been paid to his 'agents' however  in an article in the Boston Globe it was noted that he was here on loan... the deal is really fishy but in the long run if he turns out to be a great player for us, then who really cares? As long as we can keep him  here that is... PLUS 20

"The Kid"

Many thought we wouldn't see Diego Fagundez make his MLS debut for another year or two, but with the state of the team this year why not give the kid a chance?  Well he finally got it against Chivas and set up not only a successful PK, but also scored as well.  He's not ready for prime time yet but he's getting there, finally we have something to be excited about for the long term. PLUS 5



Zerka Zerka....

The Revs signed Moroccan Monsef Zerka, who last played in the Greek Superleague for Iraklis FC.  Zerka seems to be able to play multiple positions but will be playing out wide in the midfield here.  We've only seen him in the disaster of a Philly game but he did score and looked quite good...Having signings that look good is a new thing for us... hopefully they are and we can start signing more players like that...PLUS 10

Pro Golfer Sergio Garcia Trains With The Revs...

LAME.... next story.  LAME

Black Sunday/"Fort Code of Conduct"

The Fort walk-out on Black Sunday went much better than I think anyone involved expected.  It was a good way for many of us to air frustrations, people came from other sections to join us, and people who had left this team came back to show solidarity with us.  One of the best moments for those involved was realizing that others and the stadium were standing and cheering us on, we knew that we weren't alone and people other than us 'got it'.

Since this whole debacle a "Fort Code of Conduct" has been released by the team and signed off on by 2 of 3 supporters groups.  This document was in the works between SG leaders and the Revs FO prior to Black Sunday but I have some issues with it and honestly I don't think it really does much for the Fort. My worry is this line:

"In an effort to ensure an enjoyable atmosphere for all of our fellow fans, we request that you refrain from using inflammatory language during games, including: swearing (including in coordinated chants and songs)"

It seems innocuous enough but it is also a pretty broad spectrum under which security and the FO can act if it chooses to.  There is a lot of pro supporter language in it and it offers to let people have their seats moved which is good.  If this is all we get out of the events of Fortgate I am disappointed.  At least two of three things should have happened, in addition to this, 1) Charges should have been dropped against the individual who was arrested in the video that has been floating around. 2) Those who were issued banning orders should have the rescinded. 3) This is the one I want to see most... A public apology from the Revs stating that they are sorry and apologize to the Fort and the SGs for the way this was handled, and it really needs to include the words 'sorry' and 'apologize'.  None of this "Things could have been handled better by all involved" shit. Unfortunately this for us is EVEN

Final Thoughts

So this QoL is just kinda meh... kinda like the Revs... but hey it didn't get any worse...

OVERALL: MINUS 16 + LAME

LAST QoL: MINUS 1534  

An Open Letter Regarding the 2011 Season

Dear Steve Nicol, Mike Burns, Brian Bilello, Jonathan Kraft, Robert Kraft, Kraft Sports Group, and most importantly the fans and supporters of this team,

Aw, S#!t not again...

It has been a interesting season to say the least up to this point, in both good ways and bad ways.  There was a prospect of interesting things happening, the signings of two players with a great pedigree, Didier Domi and Ousmane Dabo.  The signing of an exciting striker in the form of Rajko Lekic.  The Revs announced a shirt sponsor and were able to acquire Benny Feilhaber.  On the bad side our record is currently 3-6-4, 3 wins in 13 matches.  The team has not scored a goal in the run-of-play since April 23rd.

We've needed offensive help for a while (years?) and we finally got some however Lekic is struggling.  This lone striker formation is not getting him the ball and therefore he is not scoring. Lekic's confidence must be in the trash can at this point, we need to put someone up top to help him out. When the Revs took on LA  a few weeks ago the attack looked much better once Schilawski was brought into the game.  The current "4-3-3" formation, really a 4-5-1 is not working and it's time to try something new, the defense is surely improved and possession has gotten a little better but we are not scoring and we are not winning.

What happened to Dube? Dube went on a tear during the USOC play-in game vs. DC United, doesn't he deserve a chance? Why has a former starter (although purely because we didn't have anyone else) now been benched? Further on the attack front is what happened to Stolica, loaned to FC New York he's disappeared. He's still on our books, although per league rules we don't know if his salary still affects the cap space or not, and it might be worth bringing him back and pairing him with Lekic.  Stoli seems to have gotten a bad rap this season and we're not quite sure why. 

Benny Feilhaber was a gift from the soccer gods and yet it appears that he can't help right this ship and now he looks extremely frustrated in his new home.  Marko Perovic is now gone for the entire season with the outlook on our attack improving now looking grim.  This brings us to another issue, injuries.

Why is it that over the past few seasons that we seem to have multiple players out, key starters, with nagging injuries over long periods of time?  I have not looked into other teams and what their injury situations have been but ours just seems ridiculous.  They seem to be the same type, strains and sprains. Our trainers and medical staff must now be brought into question.  This track record is unacceptable and it's time to stop chalking it up to bad luck. Maybe it is the medical and training staff, they need to be evaluated and it needs to be determined if they are doing their jobs a) to the best of their ability and b) to the standards that these type of jobs require in professional sports and top flight soccer.  Also we must look at the fact that this team practices on grass yet plays on FieldTurf, these are not the same no matter what anyone says.  One only needs to see that sod was laid down on top of the FieldTurf for this weekends US vs. Spain friendly.  Are potential signings going to start to worry about coming here and playing on this surface?  Do they already?  We have heard offhand from current players that they do not like playing on it and that it doesn't feel right, Perovic being one of them.  As long as the Patriots don't want to have real grass this situation is not going to change, but maybe training and conditioning needs to be better suited to deal with the plastic grass.

You guys haven't learned from me...

We seriously need to look at the player acquisition strategy as well.  Domi and Dabo have been solid players in their time, but now they are being paid around $200k each and have spent more time on the trainers table than playing, they cannot even be considered starters.  The Revs desperately need to bring in a striker and a right midfelder/winger during this next transfer window, however given this teams track record of signing during windows and bringing in international talent we are worried. Perovic seems to be one of if not the only real success, and he's currently sitting with his leg elevated wth ice on it watching TV.  Can this team's staff really go out and get the type of players we need? Can they sign people who are not aging and on the down slope of their careers? Can they sign players that are not injury prone?

This team needs an strong influx of talent to improve, sorry guys but that's just the way it is and if it's not obvious you aren't looking hard enough.  This team had quite a bit of work done to it in the off season, an unprecedented amount of cap space, and we brought in defensive players and seemed to think our problems were solved.  This team is clearly not what we expected it to be and the disappointment is now coming to the surface.  What happened to our 1-2 DPs?  

"This team hasn't performed the way we wanted it this year, and in talking to ownership, their priority is not only getting better but they want to get better quickly. In talking about it, it was very clear they understand that there might be things that might take some time to do, and they wanted to think of ways that we could get better very quickly.  So frankly, what we decided on is we are going to be looking bring in a Designated Player this off season.''  -Brian Bilello

For 2 consecutive seasons we've needed a player that could finish in the attacking third and we have not seen that player come in, Lekic might be that guy but only if we can get the ball at his feet.  The team made major upgrades at 5 our of 11 positions and yet the performance has not improved all that much.

So where does this lead the 2011 New England Revolution?  Will we not make the playoffs for 2 years in a row?  It sad to think that we have to ask the question already at this point in the season, however by the end of this month we will have reached the halfway point.  The time is soon upon this team where peoples jobs will and must be seriously questioned.  Has Nicol lost the locker room? Does Burns have any idea what he's doing? Do both of them truly know how to go out and find difference makers? Nicol came to this team inheriting a great core of players but now all we have left is Shalrie and Reis, and Nicol/Burns have yet to prove that they can rebuild a core.

What is the team going to do to fix this current situation? Are the equipped to do so properly and if so do they know how to do it?  The past few years seem to point to no, they don't know how to or are not equipped to do so properly.  The team has to show it's fans that they realize that there is a problem and that they know changes are need, but at the same time actions speak louder than words.  We have heard a lot of words but not seen them supported by actions.  This team needs to figure out where it is going and how it is going to be able to compete in this league, the level of play is progressing rapidly but the team does not seem able to keep up.

Uhhh, it's supposed to be league "parity" not "parody"

The Revs have NYRB away this Friday, and then 2 struggling teams, Toronto and Chicago, next week.  If this team comes out of the next three games without 3 points we are indeed in very serious trouble. The season isn't over yet and a win streak can change the attitude of both the fans and the team, but that needs to happen and needs to happen soon.  The real question is will that be enough?  A band-aid is not going to fix what seem to be repeated problems over the course of the last few seasons.  The stewardship of this team and this sport by Jonathan and Robert Kraft in this region is questionable at best.  We realize the FO has it's finger on the pulse of the fans and supporters but do the Krafts? Do they truly understand what is going on and what has been going on with their team and their fans over the past few years?  There was almost a fan revolt last year that was put down by the team turning things around, albeit briefly, unfortunately there seems to be a similar problem simmering again.

This team needs changes to be made and if they are not and do not happen soon I fear what will happen to this team and it's fans.  Many of the most hopeful of this teams fans are seeing their optimism wane.  The team and current staff should be given until the end of the transfer window to make things happen.  If not the fans and supporters will have to stand up and demand changes from this team, although they may not even give them that long.  I for one propose that the leaders of the supporters groups and prominent fans demand a meeting with Jonathan and Robert Kraft, I do not think it is likely that they will be given an audience with Bob but it is worth a shot. I mean let's face it the NFL still might not play and that is where KSG's priorities are, not with the kickball team. This team is in danger and it's time that we get them back to the level and the position that the fans truly deserve, because without the fans the team is nothing, the fans are what makes the team possible and the fans need to hold the leadership of this organization responsible if the team stagnates or falls.


"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." -Albert Einstien


Sincerely ,
          The Drug Is Football

Psycho Rajko Signed

Yesterday the New England Revolution officially announced the signing of Danish striker Rajko Lekic from Silkeborg IF in Denmark.  We previously wrote about "Psycho Rajko" here when we first heard of his trial with the Revs.

REVOLUTION DP THREAT LEVEL-HIGH

Good evening ladies and gentleman,

First off this is a report that should be taken seriously... This is absolutely not an April fools joke. Based on information gathered today, we feel that the Revolution may be imminently close to signing Rajko Lekic to a designate player contract.  The intelligence analysts at The Bent Musket have done an excellent job in gathering this information. Danish media reports a doubling of his current salary at Silkeborg and a transfer fee of just under $1 million.

We urge everyone to prepare for this event occurring and the potential that we may move to threat level-SEVERE.

They Call Him Psycho...

So who is Rajko Lekic? We had no idea until a few days ago (and yes we are usually way quicker on this type of post bit well we've been busy) but we like what we hear for the most part.  Lekic is joining the Revs for a 2 day trial this week, you may already have heard about him but we're gonna gather as much info as we can and to a TDIF style super-post.

Lekic, 29, is a Danish striker of Montenegrin decent he is currently playing for Silkeborg IF in the Danish Superliga. Over his career he has a strike rate of .51 goals per game.  He has spent time at Xerez CD in Spain but most of his career has been in Denmark.  Nicol told the Globe that "He’s one of the players we tried to sign and thought we had done, we’re going back with him and we’re talking again."

Lekic had been set to transfer to to Turkish club Konyaspor, but the club couldn't or wouldn't pay the full transfer fee and so he returned to Silkeborg.  Some say that this was because they did ot like what they saw, but apparently the club also has history of coming up short with transfer fees.  Konyaspor tried to sign another Danish player, Jonas Troest, and were unable to come up with signing bonus or his wages during the very same window.  There have been disputed rumors between Lekic and Silkeborg head coach Troels Bech, that he came into training for the 2010 season unfit and was sporting a hip injury.  Lekic fell out of favor and then said that we would like to leave over the winter.  He was not able to leave during the winter window and returned to the club to unhappy teammates and fans that he had to issue a public apology to.

We hope that this trial is more of a deal is almost done trial and that they are just checking to make sure that he is fit before the deal is done.  Reports from Denmark say that he has good height with a good header and know where to be to make plays happen, he's fast, athletic and creative... all things that the Revs need.  He also is reported to to be the type of player that needs to be a first team and star player or his play deteriorates.  We need a star striker so as long as he produces, as we think he would he wouldn't be riding the pine.

As far as wages go we are not sure that his salary would be a DP level salary however if we need to pay a transfer fee this may push him into the DP range.  Bech, says of his player that Lekic has come here not to trial but with the intent of signing a contract.  One would speculate that especially outside of a transfer window that a club would let a player travel to trial if a deal was not imminent.  We also must consider that the club probably does not want the player to leave until the next window opens without being compensated.  There are obviously a lot of possible variables to this potential signing.

On film and on paper this looks like it would be a very strong signing for the Revolution, and would be exactly the kind of player that we so desperately need.  Hopefully this is more than just a trial , we'll be paying close attention to this story...

And yes his nickname really is Psycho...



A new fort song?




He scores just a few goals here...