The Red Bulls traded Joel Lindpere to Chicago on Friday.
They got just an international slot in exchange for the veteran Estonian midfielder, but the move is a salary dump. This team was always bound to have cap woes for 2013, and Lindpere is the latest casualty of those, albiet with a move that might serve both sides well.
“So changes need to be done,” a clearly-vexed Lindpere had said after the Red Bulls had been eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals by archrival D.C. United. “I’ve been here for three years and playing (friggin’) every game and I haven’t won nothing.”
Relations between the Red Bulls and Lindpere became more strained last season. He made clear his preference for playing centrally, as he had in 2010; but he never would have gotten that opportunity in New York with Tim Cahill, Dax McCarty and the newly signed Juninho in the fold. And Lindpere was due to make over $200,000 this year, including bonuses – far too great a sum to be on the bench.
“Moving to Chicago will hopefully provide Joel with consistent playing time,” said new Red Bulls Sporting Director Andy Roxburgh. “We want to thank Joel for his time with our club and wish him the best of luck in the next stage of his career.”
Lindpere prefers to play in the middle, but grudgingly did what ex-coach Hans Backe and GM Erik Soler asked of him, playing wide left and doing yeoman’s work there. After being named team MVP in his debut season, he had seven assists and seven goals in logging over 3,000 minutes during an ironman encore in 2011.
But while Lindpere’s work rate could never be questioned, he appeared to lose a step last year, with a career-low five assists and a ranking outside the Top 200 in the season-ending Castrol rankings. He was vexed at seeming resistance from Backe every time Estonia called him up, and he was disillusioned with the direction of the club at the end of the year.
Now this move – first reported by the Washington Post – will allow him to start in Chicago, which was hardly guaranteed here in New York. And he may also get to play centrally, which he clearly wouldn’t have with the Red Bulls.
“Joel is a versatile, dependable player that has proven himself in MLS,” said Javier Leon, the Fire’s President of Soccer Operations. “He will provide a dynamic presence to our team in 2013 as we look to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs.”