D.C. United Make Trade for Striker Eddie Johnson
By Aaron Rench
It’s official. Eddie Johnson is now part of the D.C. United, according to Washington Post writer Stephen Goff. On Tuesday, it was announced that the U.S. national team striker was traded from the Seattle Sounders to the United for allocation money.
Johnson is one of the premier strikers in the MLS, but apparently comes with an attitude that gives a polarizing effect to the people around him. His 2013 season saw him score nine goals in 21 games for the Sounders, and also establish a role with the U.S. national team.
According to the report by SoccerWire.com, Johnson has burned many bridges in Seattle on his way out the door. “He’s the worst,” said an anonymous source for SoccerWire. “For a guy who was [effectively] out of soccer two years ago and now has a chance to go to another World Cup, he’s simply the worst.”
What D.C. is trying to accomplish with the move is to add an attacking threat to a team that completed one of the worst seasons in MLS history. Their record was a horrible 3-24-7, a full ten points behind the next worst team.
The United only scored the fewest goals of any MLS team with 22, but Johnson will immediately change the entire focus of their attack. He brings speed and skill to a team the desperately needs it. When a player of Johnson’s caliber lands on your team, you better make sure you get him the ball as much as possible.
Johnson’s term in Seattle saw a rift form between him and management, including coach Sigi Schmid. Johnson considered his importance to the team greater than what he was getting paid. He wanted Designated Player money, which would set him up with at least $370,000 per year. Seattle already possessed three DP’s, the maximum number that one team can posses in the MLS. Now it’s up to D.C. to pay Johnson.