The Houston Dynamo may very well get their man in the end, after talks recently re-opened with Jamaican national team starter JeVaughn Watson.
“We’re continuing to carry on conversations with [Watson’s representatives] and are working to get a deal done,” said Dynamo president of business operations Chris Canetti.
Watson trialed with Houston in the preseason, appearing in four matches against Houston Baptist University, FC Dallas, Sporting Kansas City, and the Columbus Crew. The central midfielder was active on the pitch and impressed Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear enough to prompt the club to enter into negotiations to bring him to Houston.
However, at the time his representatives were asking for Designated Player money, which effectively ended the Dynamo’s pursuit of the Jamaican midfielder. The switch to a new agent has meant the two sides were able to reengage in contract discussions. The Dynamo are clearly not done looking for players who can help right now.
“We think we had a good offseason, but we’ve acknowledged that we’re not the finished product,” Canetti said. “We think the back line has been solidified with the additions we made there, and we’re still out there looking for players who can help us on the attacking side.”
Bolton Talks Back On
The Watson
negotiations are not the only ones that have been revived recently.
Although it was initially believed that a match against EPL side Bolton Wanderers was no longer a possibility following the season-ending injury to former Dynamo and current U.S. national team midfielder Stuart Holden, it turns out that there has been a change of heart.
Canetti confirmed that the team is still in negotiations as they attempt to gauge whether Holden could recover in time for the match. The club also consulted with fans about the level of interest in a match that did not feature Holden. Canetti sought the opinions by meeting with the new Dynamo fan advisory board this week.
“Players count when it comes to international matches,” Canetti said. “So we had a teleconference with the fan advisory board, and they were still in favor of it.”
Canetti is hoping to come to a decision on the match by the end of the week, although the Dynamo are also in talks with other EPL clubs, including Everton (featuring U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard) and Fulham (two potentials draws: Nacogdoches, Texas native Clint Dempsey and Mexican international Carlos Salcido).
Defender Taylor Injured
Dynamo center
back Jermaine Taylor left Jamaica’s 2-0 loss to Venezuela early due to a leg
injury. Taylor is headed back to Houston and will be evaluated by the team
doctors on Wednesday ahead of this weekend’s match at New York.
“We know it’s a leg injury of some sort,” Canetti said on Tuesday. “We’re not sure if it’s a foot or ankle injury, but he’s on his way to Houston and will be evaluated by our doctors.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for
MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on twitter at @Dynamoexaminer
