FC Dallas Should Make a Move for Herculez Gomez
By Matt Barbour
Now that we are over a month into the Major League Soccer season and the summer transfer window is still months away, it is obviously time to start rampant speculation about potential player signings. FC Dallas historically does not go for the splashy, big name (and big money) signings, choosing instead to use their designated player slots to reward on-field performance (2010 League Most Valuable Player David Ferreira) or sign high-potential young talent (Fabian Castillo). And no, I am not forgetting about a certain Brazilian DP signed in 2007. I’m just mailing in my description of his time in Dallas in honor of the effort he gave.
There are many different factors that a MLS franchise must consider when making a designated player signing. A good DP should be an asset to his teammates on the field, and to his team’s marketing department off of it. He needs to fit into the coach’s tactical plan and at the same time not have a salary that hinders the club from making other maneuvers to improve the team. Based on these four factors, Herculez Gomez would make an excellent summer signing for FC Dallas. Time for full disclosure: Sport’s Illustrated’s Grant Wahl mentioned the idea of Gomez returning to MLS at the end of his column the other day and gave Dallas as a possible destination. I am taking his idea and running with it a step further to examine the possible signing from all angles.
On-the-field, this move could be a match made in goal-scoring heaven. Blas Pèrez’s size and playing style make him more of a classic center-forward who can hold up the ball and release teammates making runs behind the opponent’s back line. This will often leave the runner with a 1-on-1 chance with the keeper. Anybody who saw Santos dismantle Seattle Sounders and then Toronto FC in the CONCACAF Champions League saw Gomez do this time and again. Coach Schellas Hyndman would be able to deploy the team in a 4-4-2 formation with Brek Shea and Fabian Castillo manning the outside wings, giving Perez and Gomez the space to work their runs off of each other’s movements. Some detractors may point out that the last time Herculez Gomez was in Major League Soccer, with the then Kansas City Wizards in 2008-09, he never found his scoring touch. Although that is true, it is undeniable that Gomez has simply lit it up ever since he’s been in the Mexican Primera Division. If he can score there, he’ll certainly continue score in MLS with FC Dallas given the creative talent that the club can put onto the field, particularly once David Ferreira returns. Look no further than the aforementioned matches versus MLS competition for proof.
Although there would be strong expectations for his performance on the field, Herculez Gomez’s real value to FC Dallas may lie off-the-field. He is an American (born in California) and played for the United States Men’s National Team in the 2010 World Cup. Given his recent torrid scoring pace, it is almost a foregone conclusion that he will be called to duty again for 2014 World Cup Qualifiers. Anybody who follows Gomez on Twitter knows that he is very engaging and that he regularly interacts with his fans. The front office would not only have a fan-friendly and media-savvy national team star to market (in addition to Brek Shea, of course), but Gomez would also bring the added bonus of being fluent in Spanish and well-respected by Mexican Primera Division fans. The failure to connect to the Hispanic market has long been an issue for FC Dallas, and bringing in a legitimate Mexican League star that could speak directly to that audience in radio and television advertisements should help bring back many old fans and attract new ones.
The final piece of the puzzle is bottom line. Mexican Primera teams don’t release salary figures as readily as most leagues around the world, but Gomez would definitely not come with the hefty price tag of a European star with a similar pedigree. It is thought that he makes well into the six-figures, which would certainly put him into designated player status. The main issues here would be how big of a transfer fee Santos would demand (they paid $1.8 million to obtain him from his previous club) and the quirky issue of Gomez’s MLS player rights. Would he be a returning USMNT allocated player, or does Sporting Kansas City still retain his rights? A very interesting Twitter exchange was had on this topic between SI’s Wahl, Gomez and former Kansas City player Jimmy Conrad:
The exchange is also interesting because it shows that Herculez has given consideration to his MLS status, and he doesn’t issue any denials of interest in a return to the league. There is quite obviously some animosity towards Kansas City (or their front office, anyway), so Gomez would probably not have much interest in returning there, but otherwise, it seems reasonable to say that he’d be open to a potential move.
Assuming the contract issues could be worked out, FC Dallas would be smart to bring in Herculez Gomez. Few other players could bring his combination of ability, cohesion with the team’s system, marketing potential, and affordability.
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