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The Colorado Rapids haven't made much noise since they made Claudio Lopez their new director of soccer, and there hasn't even been much noise on the transfer rumor market. Steven Goff through a penny in the well today, though, when he announced that Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath could be on his way to Colorado.
Getting word goalkeeper-heavy @PhilaUnion preparing to trade @ZacMacMath (95 league starts past 3 years) to @ColoradoRapids
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) January 5, 2015
Since being selected fifth overall by the Union in the 2011 SuperDraft, MacMath has had a bit of an up-and-down history with them. He strugged his first season after being given the starting job out of the gate, and despite improving quite a lot and continuing to earn starts for them -- as Goff said, he's got nearly 100 starts in the past three seasons -- the Union have never seemed to be keen on keeping him as their long-term starter.
It's unusual that the Rapids would be making a play for MacMath, I think. Though he would have the most experience in MLS of any goalkeeper on the Rapids roster, they already have a fairly well established starter in Clint Irwin and a capable back-up in John Berner, if last season was any indication. A veteran goalkeeper with experience who could act as a more stable back-up than the young Berner would have been my best guess as to who was going to replace the departed Joe Nasco.
This could, if nothing else, establish that Pablo Mastroeni's Rapids really did lose faith in Irwin to be an every-week starter last season, the same reason that many of us assumed he brought in the head-scratching goalkeeper rotation that was pulled out during the unending winless streak near the end of the season.
As far as talent goes, this trade would improve the overall talent of the Rapids squad, so it would really depend on what the Rapids were sending back to Philadelphia as to how this trade would have to be received.
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UPDATE: Union reporter Kevin Kinkead has indicated that it may actually be a loan.
RE: the Goff report, I've heard it may be a loan to Colorado. We'll see what happens.
— Kevin Kinkead (@KevinKCBS3) January 5, 2015