Revolution look to lock in Joseph
Extension would come with raise
If Major League Soccer had accepted Celtic FC's offer for Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph, he would be with a team preparing for a Champions League game against Milan today. Instead, Joseph and the Revolution are training for a match against a Bermuda select team in Hamilton tonight.
Joseph will remain with the Revolution this season and possibly much longer if his contract is successfully renegotiated.
"It's in everyone's best interest to try to get something done in training camp and not have this go into the first game," Revolution director of soccer Mike Burns said yesterday. "This is a priority for us. Obviously, we are optimistic about getting this done."
Joseph has two years remaining on a contract worth $150,000 annually. He wants to at least double that salary and be paid near the MLS maximum, a reasonable request since he has been named the Revolution's most valuable player and was valued at $2 million by Celtic.
"I wouldn't say there are one or two things in particular [holding up negotiations]," Burns said. "It's just the negotiation process. There is not a sticking point, like one thing keeping us from getting this done.
"I think Shalrie is in a unique situation. He's a player who has had interest in him from overseas, that's no secret. There haven't been too many players in the history of the league that have attracted significant interest from teams outside the MLS."
Joseph is near the top of the list of MLS players who could thrive in Europe. But if Joseph extends his MLS contract, he might not get another chance for an even bigger payday and, possibly, Champions League glory.
Joseph, though, could face bureaucratic obstacles in moving to Europe, since he does not have extensive experience with his national team, Grenada. Even former Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey had to pull major strings to qualify for a work permit in joining Fulham FC.
"Clint was outspoken about wanting to go, but I hope Shalrie wants to remain with us," said Burns, "and if we can reach a longer-term deal with him, it will be in everyone's best interest.
"Shalrie has been nothing but professional in his approach to our team and the front office, and on the field. He hasn't let anything that's happened distract him. He's been like that since he got there and I don't expect that to change. We value him and hope he remains with us."
Joseph's agent, Ron Waxman, would not comment on negotiations.
In 2005, Joseph was named the team MVP as the Revolution reached the MLS Cup. Joseph's defending and playmaking in midfield keyed the Revolution tactics as the team scored 55 goals in 32 games. Last season, the Revolution allowed a league-low 35 goals (1.09 per game).
In Joseph's first three-plus years with the Revolution, the team won only once in 11 games without him; but last season they went on a 4-0-1 playoff run after Joseph was injured in a nightclub incident.
"It's easier to quantify a player's performance with goal scorers," said Burns, a former Revolution defender who is tied with Joseph for sixth on the team's games-played list with 108. "You can talk about the number of goals and number of assists. But Shalrie being a defensive midfielder, he doesn't have many stats. But he brings a lot to the team on and off the field, and that's why we are actively in the process of trying to get this done."
Celtic FC attempted to acquire Joseph after playing to a 1-1 tie with the Revolution in an exhibition at Gillette Stadium last July. The Glasgow club offered $1 million in August, raised the bid to $1.5 million in January, then made a final $2 million advance just before the transfer deadline.
Former Peruvian national team forward Jorge Ramirez Tabacchi, who has been playing for Olympiakos Nicosia in Cyprus, will train with the Revolution in Bermuda . . . Revolution forward Adam Christman and midfielder Ryan Solle are with the US Under-23 team for games against Japan and the club team Rosso Kumamoto in Japan this week.
Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com. 