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Yesterday on the radio we were bombarded with the integrity of the performance of certain NFL teams that influenced the potential of those getting into the playoffs including the Houston Texans. For the love of Fran Tarkenton quit your whining……….If you want to safeguard yourself from coaches and teams that take the foot off the pedal in the latter stages of the NFL season whose performance can harm your playoff chances, well it is real simple. Take care of your business during the season so that you are not at the mercy of other teams. Control what you can control…..your own performance.

MORE ON HOLDEN

Dynamo brass including coach Dominic Kinnear, president Oliver Luck and ceo Chris Canetti have all relayed to me that they are moving forward with the thought that Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark are gone. Holden has failed to return phone calls and contact with the Dynamo for the last week and is assumed to be on trial in Europe presumably with Burnley yet their manager Owen Coyle is Bolton bound.
The Dynamo have informed me that they have stacks of video from foreign players and will be looking to the South of the United States to try to find midfield players.
So this could mean the offer tabled to Holden which is well over $400,000 per year could be pulled off the table by MLS at anytime if it hasn’t been already.
I don’t fault Holden on his desire to play in Europe but I am truly wondering what type of advice he is getting from his Euro-based agent.
Is the possibility of an MLS lockout or work stoppage making Holden more persistent about going to England or Scotland? Could he end up on the Dynamo front door if nothing pans out with a lesser deal? Could that also happen to Ricardo Clark?
The Dynamo ace in all of this is Geoff Cameron and his ability to play both at the back and in midfield. Another real pressing issue is the re-signing of Eddie Robinson and the health of his knee……can it handle a grueling MLS season?
Now if both Holden and Clark end up overseas it will be difficult for the Dynamo to find central midfield help from within the league so it is a real possibility that they will strongly have to go with a foreign “find”.
The other option in central midfield is Brad Davis but his range athletically and physically is less than Holden in the middle and the Dynamo would have to treat him like a more traditional number 10 which means Cameron would have to sit and do more of the balancing work in midfield which could limit his attacking influence.
Who would play on the left? Well potentially Cory Ashe who has been more effective as a sub stirring up the game then as a starter where he seems to over-think it.
The search is on for the Dynamo yet don’t be surprised if Holden or Clark end up in orange when it is all said and done.
Holden.
On an additional note I can tell you that the length of this negotiation begins to wear on teammates as well as all is on hold for Holden up to this point.
Players will value themselves based on their career longevity, performance and loyalty to the club not to mention their off field marketing and promotion.
So what do you think of the Stuart Holden situation? Asking for too much money? It is reported that is agent wanted double the $400,000 k offered by the league when we had heard earlier it was not about the money. Negotiation ploy?
Personally I believe MLS offer was excellent and a fair one for a player on the rise that has played his first year in central midfield. It beats my salary of $1800 a month for the old Houston Dynamos

Your thoughts?