The Plight of White

Jeremiah White, a former second round pick of the Revs from a few years back, was recently released from his french second division side. Even though he's been meandering around with third tier euro clubs who have been playing him out of position, coach Nicol and company should make an effort to sign him.

In an interview, White said that he and his agent had already contacted MLS as well as other european clubs. He stated that he would seriously consider giving MLS a shot if they could "pay his wages".

Whether or not the Revs could manage to sign him is one thing. They have plenty of cap space and at least two full allocations after Dempsey's transfer to Fulham goes through. The real issue may be signing a player to a contract that would make him one of, if not the, highest paid players on the team without proving he can consistantly perform well at a high level.

Pay disparity was a cause of concern for Taylor Twellman for much of last summer. A few players on other teams were making 4-5 times what he made and he was the reigning league MVP. The league refused to renegotiate because he wasn't on the world cup team. Thanks again, Brucey. He was told to wait until after the season. That complicated an already tough couple of months where the world cup snub and family concerns really affected his play. What would Twellman think if White came in and was signed for a higher contract?

Now, the disparity won't be much of an issue due to the new designated player rule basically capping domestic player salaries at $400,000 a season. However, Twellman and others have to watch Garber bragging about "over a billion dollars in new investment" and wonder why the league's pay scale is so out of whack.

From what I've heard of White, he could be the perfect replacement for Dempsey. He's fast, offensive-minded, and has the ability to score. He could be our long-term replacement for Steve Ralston at wide right. Stevie can play elsewhere, including left midfield and defense. White could also partner with Twellman up front if we try to convert Noonan into a winger, a move I've been waiting to see since his performance against Japan about a year ago.

White's a player that impressed Nicol enough to draft him 23rd overall in the draft a few years ago, even though he was seriously thinking about making the move to Europe. He's also someone who can help us immediately. Taking everything into account, I think the Revs should make a serious move for him.