Ten Worst: Metro foreigners (Part 2)
October 28, 2005
5) Diego Serna, Colombia, 2002
Octavio Zambrano and Nick Sakiewicz had to have him, and they did, trading away Mark Chung and passing up Steve Ralston. Eight games, one goal, and a couple of AWOL's later, Serna and Ralston became teammates in New England.
4) Jaime Moreno, Bolivia, 2003
Moreno did not want to play for Ray Hudson. Bob Bradley saw a talent that when healthy, can be the best player in MLS. It seemed a no-brainer. It wasn't. Moreno played all of 12 games as a Metro, scoring two goals, before an injury shelved him for the remained of the season. What makes matters worse is that next season, while he was still Metro property, Jaime refused to report to camp and engineered a trade to DC, now Hudson-less, and followed it up with two MVP-caliber seasons.
3) Joao Luiz, Brazil, 1997
We extensively profiled Joao Luiz in the Obscure Metro Files, but he belongs on this list as well. The transfer fee of one million dollars for all of seven games played speaks volumes, if not his indifferent play in the back for the World Cup winner himself, Carlos Alberto Parreira.
2) Ruben Dario Hernandez, Colombia, 1996
The original Metro savior is now but a distant memory... And it all started so well as he delivered the cross that led to Giovanni Savarese's bicycle kick goal in just his second game. But the man who led Colombia in scoring could produce nothing in his tenure in MLS, as the seldom moments of class were interrupted by hour-long periods of nothingness. Rubencho was unhappy, the league accommodated him, and he was gone after only ten games.
1) Marcelo Vega, Chile, 1998
However, no one takes the cake -- literally -- than the supposed midfield general from 1998, Vega. He came to Metro as a replacement for Roberto Donadoni (if one chooses to forget Wellington Sanchez's ten minutes in red and black) and was absolutely atrocious; what makes matters worse, Metros traded a solid player, Paul Dougherty, to give Vega a bigger role. One goal was Marcelo's tally, as the overweight Chilean was front and center during the team's late-season collapse. Traded to San Jose, he hid out in the bushes when the rest of the team was running during training, and was mercifully cut.
*) Mamadou Diallo, Senegal, 2002
No, he was not horrible during his time with Metro (although he did fold late in the season), and did score four goals in that 5:0 game that saw Byron Alvarez grace the field. But no list of worst MetroStars can be complete without mentioning Mamadouchebag, who should never -- never -- NEVER -- been a Metro in the first place.
Just missing out:
Alrey Palacios, Colombia, 1998-99
Did Metro sign the wrong Palacios by mistake?
Mohammad Khakpour, Iran, 1999-2000
The Iranian defender was 30, looked 60... and played 50, at best.
Lothar Matthaus, Germany, 2000
Oh Lothar... Sure, he had his moments, and played well late in the season, but how can we forget his sojourn to St. Tropez? Plus, the team mortgaged its entire 1999 to sign him.
Andrzej Juskowiak, Poland, 2003
Much was expected from this late-season signing, but he didn't produce, scoring a single goal.
Joselito Vaca, Bolivia, 2004
The Bolivian's slight frame was not suitable for life on the wing in MLS.
|
