The updated MLS salary list came out late last week. We found five under-performers who were notable for not earning their highly-paid keep.
(Check back tomorrow for our list of MLS salary bargains)
The overly pricey players are listed in alphabetical order:
Toronto FC’s Richard Eckersley, $310,000 guaranteed: Anything more than $150,000 for an outside back in MLS needs careful examination. Paying twice that for a right back is just silly. Plus, if we ranked MLS right backs, TFC’s Englishman would be mid-pack at best.
Sporting Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber $312,000 guaranteed: He didn’t work out in New England. He’s not exactly working out to plan in Kansas City, where the former U.S. international has been just OK while starting 15 of 24 matches for the first-place side. Depth is great and all, but not at this price.
Chicago’s Sherjill MacDonald, 527,000 guaranteed: You know, for half a mil, Chicago really should get at least one freakin’ goal out of this guy. One goal! The club has pretty much given up, and rightly so after no goals and just one, single assist in 13 appearances. Shame they couldn’t see the truth in this huge salary bust earlier. It’s not like the rest of us weren’t noticing; we told you back in April the guy was a bust.
(MORE: MLS salary analysis in chart, table form)
Real Salt Lake’s Brandon McDonald, $273,000 guaranteed: RSL is paying very little of his salary; D.C. United, which traded McDonald last month, continues to tote most of the note on this one. At Rio Tinto, he’s probably the third or fourth best center back when everyone is healthy (although he is providing some valuable service during the club’s time of back line injury crisis).
New England’s Juan Toja, $295,000 guaranteed: Seriously, guys, what gives? Why is he still around Gillette Stadium, still eating up a roster spot, not to mention all that salary? The Colombian midfielder is absolutely nothing like the guy who was so bright and lively at the 2007 All-Star game. He can’t run, and he’s simply not productive. Pay a guy that much in MLS and it’s fair to demand he be more than a part-time starter. (Toja has started 11 of New England’s 23 matches.) A playmaker, ostensibly, Toja has a goal and no assists this year.