News: Welcome Brek: Potter (Brek Shea at Stoke/ On loan to Birmingham)

But if FCD knows in advance that MLS will be "unreasonable" in their own valuation, FCD needs to get out in front with a credible, bankable offer to have a case against the MLS's "unreasonableness".

 

I think now it's clear that it just isn't the right time for Brek to be sold.

 

What is credible or bankable about an offer they can't make? If they have a problem with MLS' valuation they should work it out with them before negotiating with Stoke.

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1309784/pulis-not-hopeful-shea-deal?cc=5901

The real gamble is actually different. Shea looks at the Stoke offer, says to himself, "I can make $1.5M at Stoke or $350K at Dallas" and his second thought is, "Dallas better sell me and sell me now 'cos I want that $1.5M/Y".

And, if Dallas/MLS say, "Nice try. We've got you under contract", he replies, "Ya, but if you think I wasn't hustling back on the defense then, wait until this upcoming season". Then he waits and says, "Oh, my foot is still hurting. I better let it rest for a month or three".

What is their comeback, "Oh, please, dear God, don't pull a Dempsey"?

 

Yeah, that'll attract more bids this summer

Shea will need to prove he's healthy come March. Otherwise no payday

 

You mean not the right time in the MLS's mind to sell Brek. Him going back to a terrible FCD isn't going to help his professional development.

 

It will - lower bids.

And MLS/Dallas will take them.

 

You seem to have a mental block which is not allowing you to look at my entire position.

a) Shea screwed up by signing that extension and at the same time it's more than possible he and FCD talked about accepting a transfer if a good deal comes along, and FCD obviously though this was a good deal.

b) despite Shea's extension, MLS interfering with player transfers is something I disagree with. Do I understand why they do it? Yes, but I disagree with it and think it undermines MLS FO's.

It's two separate parts, and you're focusing on one and ignoring the other. You act like just because signing that extension looks bad now, which it does, that you have to agree with MLS's business practices. You don't.

 

The latest update: Sporting News speculated Brek Shea may have to wait until summer [2013] at the latest, since he's not going to join Stoke City FC this month.

Stoke City coach: Brek Shea transfer called off [January 23, 2013 @ 10:57AM EST]
http://aol.sportingnews.com/soccer/...coach-brek-shea-transfer-on-hold-indefinitely

Stoke City: Brek Shea will not join the Potter this month [January 23, 2013 @ 16:35 GMT (11:35AM EST)]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21169555

The ramtifications among Major League Soccer, Brek Shea, and FC Dallas aren't good in my opinion.

 

Well this came out of the blue anyways. There's a reason he wasn't available for USMNT camp, his surgery. Having a guy who hasn't played in months join an EPL side mid season seemed hard to believe.

So now Shea has to do whatever he needs to get back to 100%. Navigate through the MLS season until the summer window and put in good performances with the USMNT. If he does then they'll be suitors.

The thing to watch is his relationship with Schellas Hyndman and how he responds to the failed transfer. For his own sake he better not go into a slump.

 

UNLESS . . . . MLS thinks Shea is really broken for good. In which case they'd be insane to not sell him now at that price. I think this is a sign that they think he's going to fully recover.

 

It's interesting to see how Brek Shea handles, all the transfer discussions, on-the-pitch and off-the-pitch in the upcoming 2013 MLS season as well as for the USMNT.

 

I agree with the posters who wonder how, given the years of this kind of intransigence from MLS Brek ever signed an extension without a buyout. That is just stupid negotiating. I opined many years ago that MLS's aggressive valuations would work against their ability to keep young Am's home against juicier Scandi and other Euro offers, but that does not seem to be the case.

In some similar business agents are in the "money's" pockets, since there are not a lot of entities to negotiate with. I dunno if that is the case here, but I agree - how, knowing what you know about the league - do you ever allow your client to sign without a pre-negotiated sell value.

Dude has an idiot for an agent - and is being advised by idiots. (if it's true he doesn't have a set sell clause.)

 

Shea's agent seems to be (or was a the reup) Patrick McCabe from first wave.

They seem to be very North American centric, which is very bad for their clients. This is one of those situations where volume trumps individual attention. I agree with SFS, Shea should sue McCabe and First Wave if he does not have a buyout. They sold him out to MLS to keep their relationship with MLS, in my amateur lounge chair opinion.

http://www.firstwavesports.com/

 

Well, not being privy to the negotiations, McCabe could have been saying, "Dude, play out your contract and scoot overseas. You've got the passport. Nothing is stopping you".

Then the Mom interferes, "My little boy is not ready to fly the coup. Whatever MLS is offering, we'll take it".

$350K surely seems like a ton of cash to a middle class family.

That said, I'd fire the agent on the spot even is his advice was right on the money.

 

There is no way you, as an agent, don't say "Let me put in a saftey valve - even if just to use to hammer MLS to reneg if you get a hot offer." It's agent 101. If I was the cynical type I'd say McCabe protecting relationship with the money, not the meat.

 

Exactly.

Then again, maybe the clause is there but it's to high to be triggered. In that case, I return to my previous post - 10X the salary would have a very reasonable buyout. Players with leverage like Demba Ba may have it the 2X range (Chelsea used it to get him for £7M) and Brek was certainly not in a disadvantageous position to negotiate.

 

smh... that sounds reallll professional... glad you're not advising professional athletes.

Shea should be a professional and live up to his contractual obligations with FCD and MLS.

 

smh... that sounds reallll professional... glad you're not advising professional athletes.

Shea should be a professional and live up to his contractual obligations with FCD and MLS.

 

So, if I'm understanding you here, we should be lambasting Shea for having the audacity to want to get paid a lot more money in a MUCH better league? This is of course right after a terrible season with a mediocre team under management that he may have some issues with? Really?

 

Or MLS should be a good partner and accept a money making offer if they kid wants to go.

Folks need to remember - contracts are negotiated terms, not indentured servitude. MLS, esp. as single entity, is not a fair negotiating partner anyway. Add to that the possibility that agents have divided loyalties (and financial considerations) and it becomes very hard for a young man to make a reasonable deal. Contracts are reneged all the time because that's how life works.

I would not tell the kid not to play, but I would certainly say: listen, your foot is your career is your bread and butter is your life. Be very, very, very, very careful about getting back on your feet too quickly, ESP if the risk/reward is not high. Now, if getting out on your feet possibly too early mean 10 million, well maybe you assume that risk, but for 300k? Take your time. Remember JOB and all the others who tried to come back too soon. Let MLS try to pressure you back too early. But don't be a hero.

 

FCD want to demonstrate there was a meeting of the minds, as between Stoke and FCD, otherwise it is easy for MLS just to say "no" because they can later say "deal, what deal? FCD never had a deal, it was just talk". You are making it too easy for the MLS to say no with your approach.

 

Clearly you don't understand me. Im saying he should act as a professional and not try and &*(^% and moan his way out of a contract.

I was just disagreeing with SFS... I don't agree at all that a player should threaten a club with poor performance to get his way.... horribly unprofessional.

 

The history shows that MLS takes good offers. People here were going apeshit when Beasley and Dempsey weren't sold at the first offer, but the league got better deals later. The offers for Joseph and Mathis and Twellman were laughable.

If the reports on this one are true, this will be Exhibit A for the MLS front office critics.

 

I can understand that thinking/ approach. Thing is it's still not "bankable" because it's not FCD's deal to make. And apparently it's still pretty easy for MLS to say no. Just ends up making the league look silly that the teams and head office aren't on the same page.