David Carney: The Red Bulls' New Left Back?

It's been a great few months if you're David Carney.

Out of work for nearly a year, Carney was brought to New York as a versatile left sided player on a deal through the end of the year, seemingly to see if the arrangement would work out. With Roy Miller out injured and on international duty, he stepped up, and by all accounts -- save a brain fart against the New England Revolution -- it has.

And he's made a return to the international scene, too. Carney played 80 minutes in Australia's 6-0 drubbing at the hands of France and went the distance this afternoon against Canada, where he notched an assist to help the Socceroos leave Craven Cottage with a 3-0 win.

And to hear Carney tell it, he's sticking around MLS. He told the Sydney Morning Herald "the vibes were all good" about staying with the Red Bulls.

If his hints are legit, he'll be pulling in $144,000 base ($167,000 guaranteed), and likely playing left back, going forward.

Even better for Carney: He'll finally have some professional stability. He hasn't stuck around for more than two years with any team his entire career. He's only 29, yet he's had stints with 12 different teams, making his resume look a bit more like a 40-something-year-old Brazilian journeyman.

This all begs the question about what will happen to Roy Miller?

Miller, who spent most of the last three years as the Red Bulls' left back, had many (us included) calling for his head earlier this year. Lately, though, he's turned it around, sans being his been hurt. Regardless, his 2013 performances have quelled a lot of the criticism.

However, Miller -- who almost certainly signed a new deal last year, or will need a new deal at the end of the season-- gets paid $123,745. If the Red Bulls keep Carney and Miller around, that's $267,745 sunk into the left back position.

In a salary cap league, that's a big investment. Especially when there are pressing issues elsewhere.

So Carney's sticking around almost certainly spells the end of the Roy Miller, who is, somewhat surprisingly, the team's longest tenured player.