Caps could land U. S. captain
Bocanegra may be cut by financially troubled Glasgow Rangers
The financial mess swirling around iconic Scottish Premier League club Rangers could soon benefit the Vancouver Whitecaps — in the form of U. S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra.
U. K. reports have linked the 32- year- old centre back with a possible move to Vancouver if the financially troubled Scottish club has to unload players to cut costs. Bocanegra signed a three- year deal with Rangers last August.
One report said eight players, including Bocanegra, were to be cut Monday, but club administrators agreed to consider a final players’ proposal overnight and discuss it with them today.
Rangers FC was placed under administration last month as the result of a $ 77- million tax dispute, and administrators Duff & Phelps said in a statement Monday they are looking for “very substantial” wage cuts to try to save about $ 1.6 million a month.
Whitecaps officials won’t comment on their possible interest in Bocanegra, but assistant coach Paul Ritchie recently told online Scottish publication scotsman. com the Caps “tried to get him before he went to the Rangers” last summer.
Vancouver holds the No. 1 allocation ranking in Major League Soccer, meaning the club has the right of first refusal on a U. S. international such as Bocanegra returning from overseas to play in MLS.
The Caps moved to the No. 1 spot last month after Montreal used its top allocation ranking to grab the rights to U. S. international striker Eddie Johnson.
The Impact then traded him to Seattle for midfielder/ forwards Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle.
If Bocanegra becomes available and wants to return to MLS, the Whitecaps would have similar options — play him in Vancouver or trade him to another club for other assets. The Caps have four centre backs on their roster – Bocanegra’s U. S. international teammate Jay Demerit, Martin Bonjour, Carlyle Mitchell and Michael Boxall.
Bocanegra, a California native who played at UCLA, spent four seasons in MLS with the Chicago Fire before signing a contract to play for English Premier League side Fulham in 2004.
He had playing stints with French clubs Rennes and SaintEtienne before signing with the Rangers last year.
He has more than 100 caps for the U. S. and captained the national team to a historic 1- 0 win over Italy in a friendly last week in Genoa, the first time the U. S. senior men’s team has ever beaten the Italians.