First off, you don't know if he doesn't want to play here anymore that I know if he does want to play here. That's making an issue out of something that's not even an issue when MLS so deliberately takes itself out of the picture by not even making some attempt to do anything. MLS will never be able to write those bigger checks, as you call them, unless the balance of the game changes, and it's not going to change in MLS' favor if it simply refuses to speak for itself. And why does it have to be 10 years from now anyways?
Oh, come now. I'm serious. If your argument is legitimate, prove it. Have I insulted your intelligence? Give me a break.
Another down side to him not playing in MLS for the 1st 3 years or so is less matches with the US Nats. They won't be releasing him for friendlies and other competitions they feel are not that important. Of course we see that with most of our yanks abroad.
Obviously if this kid's desire was really to play overseas and to do it immediately, there's really only so much that MLS can do. Especially given the fact that their resources and risk assesments are far different than these clubs. Will it be a major disapointment, and potentially a major setback for MLS if they don't get this kid signed? Absolutely. I don't think that can be overstated. To me a biggere problem is that this sets one heck of a precident. Here is a case where US Soccer discovered and developed a kid with real talent, and instead of him going into the domestic league he's going to be snatched up by a foreign club. The Residency program and Project-40 has done some really good things. But for all those people who whine about the lack of reserve and youth sides in MLS this is a glaring example of to a certain extent why they're correct. I mean, under the current set up we're using our resources to develop free agents, and that's a problem. There's nothing you can do about a major club seemingly skirting a FIFA regulation, and I don't have any idea as to why or how these clubs would be able to do so. Just because the United States isn't an impoverished country, doesn't mean that we have a finacially stable domestic league, and I would assume that part of the U-18 regulation was to protect domestic leagues?? If that rule isn't going to be enforced than MLS may have a major problem on its hands. It just makes their job that much more difficult, maybe, and I hope to god that they can work some Donavan-esque loan agreement worked out. However, the biggest problem with this is that it sets a VERY DANGEROUS PRECIDENT. Freddy certainly won't be the first kid from the Residency program to skip MLS but it's on a much different level than this. What are we to do if we find and develop trully amazing talent only to have it snatched away from us?
I think what Andy is saying is not that MLS could not make a one time big money purchase on Adu, but that doing so at this point in the league's history is unwise. The league does not have a lot of money. What happens when they blow a wad that size on a 14 year old kid, that is still unproven (I know, I know I set myself up to be flamed by saying that). The wage inflation this could spark could serious damage MLS at a time when they seem to be turning a corner. Another point is that we don't know that MLS are offering nothing. They had someone talking with the Adu camp in Finland, and I am guessing are still trying to work in an angle now (be it loan or otherwise). Where I think MLS blew it was last year when Adu wanted to turn pro and would have signed with MLS. They said he was too young. What a bunch of idiots. Let him practice with the team and play with the U-17's and give him so open cup games and minutes at the end of games and see how he does. Then after Finland, when the big fish come calling you at least get something out of this fiasco. Just my $.02 Scumby
Next Chelsea will buy the entire Real Madrid team and make most of the current team a reserves team. On the BBC boards they are making all sorts of crazy rumours such as Chelsea to buy Old Trafford and move it brick by brick to London.
Nice one. As for all the discussions about him "going" to Chelsea - People listenening to the show would have heard that he cannot sign PRO papers until he's 16. Chelsea are building a massive youth academy to rival ManU and Liverpool. More than likely he'd be a star addition to the youth academy or just loaned back to MLS until he's old enough to sign pro papers. I wouldn't discount the possibility. It's being reproted by the Telegraph which is substantially more reliable than the Sun.
USian Footballing Hierarchy, with typically myopic Amerikun-Exceptionalist rationale, refuses to understand the connection between the Domestic Game and the International Footballing Economy, to which we are inextricably linked, despite the best efforts of people like Clark Hunt and the Krafts to bury our Sport in the Domestic Sand, ostrich-style. The Adu departure is just another proof point. Of course, there will be a triage meeting, wherein the Powers That Be self-rationalize their own inability to get the job done, and there will be no questioning of the Paradigm that allowed this to happen, because, after all, it's their money. $5MM would buy a hell of a lot of advertising, or how about a 50% discount for supporters groups for the next 10 years? Oops, I forgot, it's their money. Obvious Solution that should have been put in place 5 years ago except it wasn't "their" idea: Anyone in Residency with the Fed SIGNS with the Fed and foregoes all future Amateur Rights. Or use SUM or AEG or HSG or KraftCo or whoever as the shadow front to hold the paper. The Amateur/ODP/Club/SoccerMom/NCAA segment is the greatest albatross in the way of Integration with the International Footballing Economy, and yet that's the very segment that many of those with "power" and "money" at stake in MLS believe to be the constituency around which MLS' future success must be built. They will pay lip service to other paradigms (latino/immigrant, supporter, etc.) but their recent actions, and lack of action, as evidenced by the subject of this thread, indicate we are moving FARTHER away from the rest of world, not closer. GOOD GAWD, YES, LET'S JUST ALLOW MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF SOCCER PROPERTY TO DEPART THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE THE MYOPIC TUNNEL VISION OF THE "PEOPLE IN CHARGE" AND THE "PEOPLE WITH THE MONEY AT STAKE" PRECLUDES LITTLE CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR PLACE ON THIS PLANET IN SPITE OF THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE NATS ON THE WORLD STAGE. Whenever I question the wisdom of various decisions made by those who control our future (i.e., AEG or HSG), the Maginot Line of defense runs something like this: "X has $Y at stake so aren't they wonderful." For being such brilliant Businessmen, the backers of MLS sure suck sometimes when it comes to capitalizing on their R&D investment. Could it be that their so-called Soccer Expertise is a Mirage?? How else does one rationalize getting outflanked on home soil on such a high-profile, high-value property? -bs
Oh yea, starts Adu with Chelsea's first team squad. Let's see if he'll develop properly or even develop. Not even with its youth squad. MLS should be a home for him, atleast for the time being.
BS - that is simplisitc. That totally ignores the culture of US middle class and the importance placed on sport versus education. The culture of the US middle class, that soccer is formed around, is that of using sport as way of achieving higher education. And the middle class is a politically and econimically stong segment of this country. The culture of letting their children attempt a sport that may or may not grant them success is far from widespread. Even for Baseball, there are more and more players that go through college and become pros than there were 20 years ago. The junior level culture is not the same in the US as it is elsewhere, specially in reguards to soccer. To say that it is misguided economic actions/inactions is simplistic. But, I have not doubt that the US is totally ignoring the minority youth.
This is a bad, bad deal for Chelsea. No way he'll break into that squad for at least two seasons, and probably not for the max. 3 years of his contract. So they're just paying alot of money for...what exactly? If Freddy turns out to be great, then Chelsea just find themselves in a bidding war when he turns 17. And if he's a bust, they've pissed away their money. Even for Chelski "over" 3M pounds isn't money to play around with. Plus, if Convey can't get a WP, this'd be nuts. Plus, FIFA has a rule against the international transfer of chilcren, and the article doesn't tell us how Chelski plan to get around that. I mean, every friggin' article about Maurice Clarett mentions the NFL rule, and that Clarett would have to sue to get to play in the NFL. Yet this article doesn't say a damn word about it. And the bbc article that's online says "according to reports"...in other words, it's just an echo chamber effect here. Y'all are gullible. Especially those getting all worked up about giving up on MLS. No way is this kid worth $5M to MLS over 3 years. Think how much that would pi&& off all of the veterans, to demolish the max. salary for a child. It's not worth it, given the upcoming first ever negotiations between the union and the league. Plus, it's extremely unlikely he'll be anywhere near good enough to justify the salary. If MLS worked under a free market system, I doubt any team would pay that. And if MLS worked under an NFL type system (free market but with a salary cap) no way a team would pay this. From what I can see, this is likely all about the lower standards for truth in British journalism married with a desire to hype the Chelski challenge to ManU. And if I'm wrong, then MLS is making the smart business decision.
Correct. Yes, I should probably clairify...my thought were innercity/urban minority youth. I was specifically thinking of the latino population. I don't have a link to provide, but I have seen very little of MLS promoting or sponsoring youth in the innercities.
I gotta think the scholarship thing is more water cooler prestige than financial. If not, soccer-parents are piss poor money managers, as what they invested in little johnny's youth soccer career should've gone into his college fund.
Freddy should stay here for a couple seasons Freddy should play in MLS for two or three years. He won't play for any English first-team for two or three years, and MLS has a higher level of play than do the youth and reserve teams in the EPL. Also, he is a only 14, and if he stays here, he gets to be closer to home and to his buddies. Maybe he could play for DC United. The kid has plenty of time to play in Europe. He should enjoy life and soccer in the US for a couple more years. I bet he would grow more as a player. I'm not too familiar with English reserve teams. But isn't the level higher in MLS than it is for English reserve teams? If he does end up signing with a European team for next season, maybe the team could loan him to MLS for a couple seasons.