Columbus Crew confirm Conor Casey contract

Much like Jack McInerney before him, Conor Casey joins the oddly specific list of ex-Philadelphia Union strikers to end up in Ohio. Casey started his career with Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga, and after six seasons with Dortmund, Hannover, Karlsruhe, and Mainz 05, he went to Toronto FC of Major League Soccer for two games. After a monumental stint with the Colorado Rapids which saw him turn in 50 goals over six years, Casey joined the Union in 2013 and put up 10 goals in his first season with the Blue and Gold. Casey however isn't getting any younger, and between a dispute over money in Philadelphia and his role in the club being vastly diminished, he was released this off-season.

Enter the Columbus Crew SC. Five forwards may seem like a bit of a log jam, but with reports surfacing that Kei Kamara isn't thrilled with his current contract (and three of the Crew's other strikers being just 22 years old), the depth was needed. That being said, the Kamara effect adds a bit of intrigue. Conor Casey isn't a 90- (or even a 60-) minute guy anymore. Whether that's due to his age or his physical style of play (or both?), he can't log enough minutes to be a huge impact anymore in MLS. He can still be a dangerous aerial threat and a physical presence in limited minutes, however this move has to have some of the Crew SC supporters scratching their heads.