After failing to make the playoffs for the third year in a row, the San Jose Earthquakes had a productive 2015/16 off-season which should bear post-season fruit.
San Jose Earthquakes Off-Season Analysis
The Quakes added much-needed offensive depth to their roster. Midfielder Simon Dawkins, a two-year Quakes veteran and member of the 2012 Supporters’ Shield squad, signed a Designated Player (DP) contract in January. Dawkins had 14 goals with three assists during his first tour with San Jose. The 28-year-old had been playing in England with Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Derby County.
Despite his DP status, there are several problems with Dawkins’s signing. He puts the Quakes over the DP limit of three per team. The Quakes will either have to buy down an existing DP contract using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), or release a DP, either Chris Wondolowski, Matias Perez Garcia, or Innocent Emeghara. This must be done a week prior to the start of the season.
Dawkins also adds another roster dilemma. The Quakes currently have 12 midfielders listed on their pre-season roster: U-23 member Fatai Alashe, Leo Barrera, Trinidad & Tobago international Cordell Cato, DP Simon Dawkins, Panamanian international Anibal Godoy, rookie Patrick Hodan, JJ Koval, DP Matias Perez Garcia, Gambian international Sanna Nyassi, U-23 member Marc Pelosi, eight-year MLS veteran Shea Salinas, Homegrown Tommy Thompson, and rookie Ty Thompson (elder brother to Tommy). Something has to give. Expect the Quakes to let go of Barrera, move JJ Koval to center-back, and possibly move Cato to right-back. The Quakes may try to trim their midfield in a trade for a defender. Nyassi, Salinas, or Cato would be the most likely candidates to be traded given their MLS experience, although anyone is fair game.
Dawkins also tarries the development of Homegrown player Tommy Thompson. Thompson is a two-year vet of the Quakes, but his minutes have been few. Dawkins’ arrival will either put Tommy on the bench again this season, he may be loaned to a lower-division affiliate such as Sacramento Republic FC, or possibly traded.
In other moves, the Quakes signed former Seattle Sounders forward Chad Barrett, a 12-year MLS veteran with 56 total goals scored and 30 assists. Barrett had played for Chicago, Toronto, L.A., and New England prior to his two-year stint in Seattle.
Barrett will be competing for a bench position behind DP forwards Chris Wondolowski and Innocent Emeghara. His main competition will be Quincy Amarikwa, Mark Sherrod and Adam Jahn. Given the lack of production from Jahn and Amarikwa’s difficulty putting shots on frame (just 33% last year), Barrett may see quality minutes off the bench this season.
The Quakes drafted two midfielders in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft: Notre Dame’s Patrick Hodan and Stanford’s Ty Thompson. Earning a spot on the roster will be difficult, if not impossible. Hodan did not have a productive MLS Combine or notable senior year, which caused his SuperDraft stock to plummet. Thompson was a sentimental pick to reunite the Thompson brothers on a professional team. Both will have to work exceptionally hard against seasoned veterans and international players to make the final roster.
The Quakes sparingly addressed their defensive line with the addition of just two players. Argentinian center-back Andres Imperiale will join World Cup vets Clarence Goodson (2010, USA) and Victor Bernardez (2014, Honduras) on a line which produced 12 shut-outs—out of 34 games—last season. He may also be expected to play in place of injured left-back Jordan Stewart.
The Quakes also drafted Cal Poly defender Kip Colvey in the third round (49th overall). Colvey could be used as sub at right-back behind Marvell Wynne and possibly Cordell Cato.
In a surprising move, the Quakes drafted Clemson/Generation Adidas goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell as their first-round MLS SuperDraft pick (eighth overall). Many fans thought the Quakes would draft UNC defender Jordan McCrary as the Quakes already have a stout goaltending tandem and an injury-prone defense. However, the potential of losing starter David Bingham to more national team call-ups and the opportunity to draft the best keeper in the draft were too much of a temptation for general manager John Doyle and head coach Dom Kinnear to pass up. Tarbell will be in competition with Bryan Meredith for the back-up position.
The Quakes begin their preseason friendlies on February 3rd in Arizona versus the New England Revolution. Expect many roster moves over the next several weeks.
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