Ricketts needs to find a team quickly

[Farmah]

And with that urgency in mind, it might behoove him to place a call to Andy Williams digits. Real Salt Lake could use another keeper on their books and on the training pitch. They have Nick Rimando as their starting goalie but if he goes down with an injury then they would have to call upon their 21 y/o back-up keeper. The third keeper at RSL is actually their 34 y/o retired keeper (Jeff Cassar), who now serves as their goalkeeper coach.

Jeff Cassar was a team-mate of Granny Marshall at FIU in the early 90's, and also played with Marshall, Williams and another Jamaican while at Miami Fusion FC. Also, another of RSL's assistant coach is Jamaican native Robin Fraser. Both Cassar and Fraser (along with Andy Williams) could lobby for Ricketts to join RSL as a back-up keeper. Afterall, they would be getting someone who is more experienced than their present # 2 goalie!

[HL]

Very good points Farmah!

I was thinking MLS could be a good place for Ricketts.

Careful though, guys like Mosiah could fling rock stone at you for suggesting Ricketts join lowly MLS.

[Zeppo]

The problem with that suggestion, however, is that MLS is fairly reluctant to sign foreign goalkeepers.

Of course there are a few. But everyone knows that goalkeeper is one position that the USA doesn't have problems producing. So why should they sign one from abroad when they can always save more money by signing some promising young kid straight out of college to a lowly develpmental contract?

It could all come down to how much of a paycut Ricketts is willing to accept.

[Assasin]

Saving money? how so?

When the MLS a sign foriegn players fi 10 and 20 thousand dollar a year.
If a team sign Ricketts they wouldn't pay more than 40 or 50 g a year. Explain how the savings come in.

[Mosiah]

Truss mi, Ricketts nuh have nuh use fi US$12,000 per year.

[Assasin]

mi know. You think a little players mi know who choose not to go MLS route because they have their degree and won't work for slavery wage.

Anybody who take that 12,000 god bless his soul cause him love the game bad.

[No Mercy]

Ricketts is capable of making a champion ship side..

What is his agent doing?

[Zeppo]

Saving money? how so?

They would be saving money by signing a keeper out of college (and there will always be plenty of them to choose from) on a development contract for as low as $13K per year. Would Ricketts accept a contract like that?

The other thing keeping him from getting signed in MLS would be the simple fact that he just isn't a very good goalkeeper.

[Mosiah]

They would be saving money by signing a keeper out of college (and there will always be plenty of them to choose from) on a development contract for as low as $13K per year.

...he says, proudly.

[HL]

heheheheheeee

Funny indded!

[Zeppo]

I am neither proud nor ashamed of it. It is what it is.

Of course, I would like to see those salaries come up. But until they do, no one is forcing those kids to take them. I couldn't blame anyone for turning it down. But at the same time I can understand how someone might be willing to take a gamble on one for the exposure that it could provide.

Just look at Brad Guzan, since we're talking about keepers here. I don't believe that he was signed to a developmental salary out of college, but I'm sure he wasn't earning much. Now he's being tracked by the likes of Celtic and Aston Villa.

Anyway, if there were any MLS teams interested in Ricketts (and I don't believe there are) he wouldn't be offered a developmental salary. Those are for youngsters.

BTW - if Ricketts is so important to the Jamaican national team then why hasn't an NPL team stepped up and offered him something?

[Farmah]

Re: "If Ricketts is so important to the Jamaican national team then why hasn't an NPL team stepped up and offered him something?"

Well Zep, I believe no one (none of the NPL teams and not even Ricketts himself) expected this to happen. Also, until little over a week ago Ricketts was still under contract to Bradford City even though his work permit was rescinded by the British Office. So he would not have been allowed to join an NPL team before then.

And Zep, though Ricketts might not be a "very good keeper" as you stated, I believe that he is better than the back-up keepers in the MLS. Of course this is just an opinion (just as your statement was) but two things Ricketts has going for him are (a) his experience and (b) his high profile stature of having being the # 1 keeper for the ReggaeBoyz for a number of years. The MLS still needs visibility in some markets. Ricketts could bring more focus and possible marketability to one of the lesser teams in the MLS. And for the right money I'm sure he would make the flight!