posted Aug 12, 2008

I am English, living in the USA. Whilst I agree the overall quality of the MLS is poor, these are very early days. I was a better than average schoolboy footballer, never good enough to go really far but better than most kids... I see first hand the quality of players developing here in schools and Universities and the quality of coaching here in the US. Mark my words, you might see the "Devil skating to work on ice" sooner than you might think.
The salary caps are a necessary evil to stop one club from dominating everything and the bringing in of the older, more experienced players, will only help develop further the young, inexperienced Yanks. Don't forget how Beckham was brought on by playing with the likes of Cantona at United, not done bad, the lad, has he!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

Whats Newcastle got to do with my comments or this debate?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

santaslittlehater's comment about MLS losing players to other leagues could become even more pressing in years to come. Everytime I see a half decent youngster come through I immediately get nervy about how long he'll stay in the league before getting snapped up.

Does this article mark the start of a new MLS board on 606? Hope so.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

Doubt it, 606 is for usually for sport. its only here today because of the resignation of Mr Sexy Football.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

omment by Mark in NL (U8515994)

posted 14 Minutes Ago

santaslittlehater's comment about MLS losing players to other leagues could become even more pressing in years to come. Everytime I see a half decent youngster come through I immediately get nervy about how long he'll stay in the league before getting snapped up.

Does this article mark the start of a new MLS board on 606? Hope so.

---------------------

What has appeared is that the league has grown to competing on the world stage, and that it has outgrown some of the rules that work for sports that don't really matter outside the US and a select few countries like baseball and US football.

The salary cap is admirable in its keeping the league competitive and its the main reason I chose to follow MLS as my family regularly spent time there. The fact is, its simple economics. AEG are one of the richest club owners on the planet. They have more money than most PL owners, but it can't be spent on the team. What they haven't done is used that advantage off the field in investing in coaches and off the field staff. Also there is the fact that the players are not paid the going rate for footballers in Europe. LA have several players whose salaries fall below the UK National Minimum wage, and several can quadruple their money even in smaller, poorer quality Euro leagues like Scandinavia, Czech etc.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

Lalas was so far out of his depth when he signed Beckham. From what I've seen of Beckham playing he was probably only recalled into the England team as a put down to the rude, arrogant, and ignorant Lalas.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

comment by Subterranean (U1734775)

"The whole Beckham to LA Galaxy affair was a ridiculous circus from the start.
I read that Beckham had an offer from AC Milan when Real Madrid were preparing to let him go. Why on earth would you turn that down and play in a Mickey Mouse league in a 'soccer' backwater. AC Milan would have paid him enough to be comfortable, I'm sure!"

**************************

Erm, ever heard of long range planning. The man was obviously thinking more than one year ahead.

Although I live here, I have not really got into MLS. However, it is interesting to read how ignorant some posters are on this thread. "Relegation" "galaxy could have built a better squad if they had used the neckham money on other players.". Thankfully, others have demonstrated a real understanding of it all.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

So Gullitt has resigned. Perhaps he's seen through all he hype and simply wants to return to the serious business of football and not the MLS version.

Americans are the masters of marketing but ultimately there has still has to be a product that is worth selling. Even with Brand Beckham, masters of the art themselves, the standard is simply not up to the mark required.

Incidentally I loved the comment from a Galaxy report of the recent Dallas match (which Galaxy lost 4-0) which stated 'Beckham didn't have much to do in this game as Galaxy weren't awarded a corner until the seventieth minute'..........!!!

Ho hum.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

Just keeping it short, the MLS every week has some sort of unsportsmanlike incident, scuffles, redcards, coach not shaking the other's hands, something of this nature. This is unique to this year.

They need to straighten this out. It looks unprofessional and indeed "mickey mouse." This is more serious than anything doing with the LA Galaxy. I've enjoyed the MLS in the past, because of it's lack of shady questionable tactics in the past.

With this happening, the long established Mexican League which indeed has a lot of talent has been where it's at.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Aug 12, 2008

The idiots in the management at LA Galaxy not only let Gullit and Lalas go, they installed the monkey Cobi Jones as manager! That over-rated, pussy-footed so-called former player for the team is now their interim manager.
Absolutely they must go back to the drawing board. If Beckham was not so committed to the England squad and was already retired from Internationals, they would've made him manager. And that is probably on the horizon in the next 2 to 3 years, especially after the WC 2010, once England are done with that competition.

Perhaps Gullit's hope of bringing "sexy football" fell on deaf ears. He should've said "sexy soccer" and the Yanks would've said "Aha!"

I can tell you that the rest of the Yanks are all loving every minute of this, prodding at the laughing stock that is the MLS.

add comment | complain about this comment