brian mcbride upset with MLS

[Flyer Fan]

There was an article in this morning's Dispatch about McBride (here (http://www.dispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/news/sports02/aug02/1402449.html)) in which he expresses his frustration with the communication, or lack thereof, between he and the league.

[WorldSoccerWeekly]

I too host a sports radio talk show (in Los Angeles we are broadcast via the Sporting News Radio) and Iwas pleased to see you're a Liverpool FC fan. I have been a Red all my life.

My show is called "World Soccer Weekly" and we're the only show devoted full time to world soccer.

This EPL season we're scheduled to have on a number of First team players from both Man U and Liverpool. I'll let you know when we are going to have number 10 on!

Would love to talk to you about this McBride issue... I've heard the same thing and we were trying to get him on but he is "unavailable".

The news from Everton is more specific. They were interested in McBride but his most recent injury plus his age spooked them. It really has nothing to do with MLS not letting him go there (although they don't make it easy) but Everton having limited funds and not being in a situation to sign a player that spends a large portion of the season in rehab.


Nick Geber

www.worldsoccerweekly.com

[SocrStopr13]

I was at the DC-Columbus game in DC a few weeks ago and I saw him doing an interview after they Crew won 3-1.

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by Flyer Fan
There was an article in this morning's Dispatch about McBride (here (http://www.dispatch.com/crew/crew.php?story=dispatch/news/sports02/aug02/1402449.html)) in which he expresses his frustration with the communication, or lack thereof, between he and the league.

The interesting part is Garber saying they haven't received any official offer. If that's true, Brian's brother must be new to the agent business....a written offer is standard, not verbal discussions. Very odd. Still, MLS should return the phone calls at the very least and ask for a written offer so they can progress either way. Is this business 101 with MLS or what?

[Dave Han]

Originally posted by prk166


If this REALLY is true, the PR guy was being extremely unprofessional. Why would the guy say something that makes both the league and brian look bad? It's a loose/loose situation. My gutt feeling is this a bunch of bull. Why does Moyes buy McBride? The transfer $$$$ bubble has burst and everyone's being very, very cautious in trying to figure out true player evalutations for clubs that aren't interested into going belly up.

My guess is that Jeff Wuerth was just being himself. For a PR guy, he sure does run his mouth without thinking first an awful lot.

[SoFla Metro]

Originally posted by Elizabeth


The interesting part is Garber saying they haven't received any official offer. If that's true, Brian's brother must be new to the agent business....a written offer is standard, not verbal discussions. Very odd. Still, MLS should return the phone calls at the very least and ask for a written offer so they can progress either way. Is this business 101 with MLS or what? If you had a commodity that you thought was worth 3 million dollars, and you got a phone call offering $250,000, would you return the call?

Don't be so quick to blame MLS. If there was an offer for McBride, and if it was ridiculously low in MLS' opinion, they shouldn't even bother with it.

[NateP]

Originally posted by SoFla Metro
If you had a commodity that you thought was worth 3 million dollars, and you got a phone call offering $250,000, would you return the call?

Don't be so quick to blame MLS. If there was an offer for McBride, and if it was ridiculously low in MLS' opinion, they shouldn't even bother with it.

In some cases I think you do. In McBride's case I think we can all agree on the following from this thread:

- Brian wants to move to Europe
- His contract runs out at the end of the season
- MLS has a two-year option they can pick up at the end of the season.
- MLS wants more than the rumored $1M offer

The question for MLS is what's best for the league?

If they sell McBride then they make a small profit to help offset their losses for this year.

If they refuse to sell and force McBride to play out his contract what happens? Does he just phone in the last two months of this season? If he does, will MLS want to pick up the option? If they don't and he leaves on a free in December what will MLS have gained? Worst case, they get to promote a disgruntled and unmotivated player for two months and then watch him leave without getting a penny in return. Best case, Mcbride sucks it up plays well down the stretch for the Crew and MLS picks up their option for the next two years.

I would seriously consider taking the $1M in order to avoid that worst case scenario, especially if I felt that McBride could be replaced without too much of a drop off. Suerdave (I think) made a very good point about young players possibly being scared away from MLS in the future if they know they will be roped into long term contracts and then not allowed a reasonable chance to move.

[Elizabeth]

Originally posted by SoFla Metro
If you had a commodity that you thought was worth 3 million dollars, and you got a phone call offering $250,000, would you return the call?

Don't be so quick to blame MLS. If there was an offer for McBride, and if it was ridiculously low in MLS' opinion, they shouldn't even bother with it.

In business you ALWAYS return calls with partners. You don't ignore anything...unless you are stupid. What goes around comes around and sometimes we give, and sometimes they may owe us. Don't underestimate the power of personal relationships.

MLS is the last to pretend they have power. they should always respect European entities. Bend over and return the call in 30 seconds flat. Then negotiate. YES you return calls...it's professional..we look ameatuer as hell if Brian is right. And I believe he is...he's too PC not to be.


Secondly...what makes you think he is worth 3 million dollars? And how do you know it was a palrty 250,000? Ridiculous. it has to be at least a mil. Which is damn good for us. Tickets in Columbus sure aren't sold if he is here or not. He wasn't around most of the season when we had high attendance numbers.

You have an opinion...but i's not educated so I stand by mine. Let him go. His days are numbered and he gave us more than most. MLS is being extremely unwise. He deserves to make some cash while he can./...then maybe he will want ot come back and help MLS succeed ...if they are still alive. Otherwise...MLS is burning a bridge they shouldn't consider.

It's business....simple 101.

[SoFla Metro]

Originally posted by Elizabeth

In business you ALWAYS return calls with partners.
Everton's not a partner. And they've already got one former MLS player languishing in their reserve squad. MLS owes Everton zilch, especially if their offer was insultingly low, which was the only point I was trying to make.



You don't ignore anything...unless you are stupid. What goes around comes around and sometimes we give, and sometimes they may owe us. Don't underestimate the power of personal relationships.

And you don't entertain ridiculous lowball offers unless you are stupid and don't want to be taken seriously in the future.



MLS is the last to pretend they have power. they should always respect European entities. Bend over and return the call in 30 seconds flat. Then negotiate.
Riiiiigggghhht...I'd love to stay and chat, but there were a bunch of messages on my answering machine from cold-callers trying to sell me stuff I didn't need for money I don't have. I'll be back with you in a minute.

Your credibility was low. Now it's non-existent



we look ameatuer as hell if Brian is right. And I believe he is...he's too PC not to be.

And he has absolutely nothing to gain from all this.



Secondly...what makes you think he is worth 3 million dollars? And how do you know it was a palrty 250,000? Ridiculous.
How do you know he isn't?

I have no idea what the offer (if there was one, which nobody has verified) was, and neither do you.

And it doesn't matter what I think he is worth. It matters what MLS thinks he's worth. That's the whole point



it has to be at least a mil.
prove it



Which is damn good for us.
Fun playing with other people's money, isn't it?



Tickets in Columbus sure aren't sold if he is here or not. He wasn't around most of the season when we had high attendance numbers.

He was on the roster though. I'd be willing to bet you lose a few season tickets if he leaves



You have an opinion...but i's not educated so I stand by mine.
Unintentionally funny post of the day.

Look up "irony" in the dictionary.



Let him go. His days are numbered and he gave us more than most.
So why would Everton want him?



He deserves to make some cash while he can.It's not like he's washing windows for spare change in the off-season. He's arguably doing a lot better financially in the States than he could in Europe when you factor in endorsements (more here) and taxes (more there).

But my opinion is "uneducated" so take it at face value.



...then maybe he will want ot come back and help MLS succeed
I thought his days were numbered?!?



...if they are still alive.
Classy. I was wondering when you were going to argue that MLS was on its last legs.




Otherwise...MLS is burning a bridge they shouldn't consider.

I'm not sure what this means.



It's business....simple 101.
Nor this. When I read all of this, I get a picture of Kramer in that Seinfeld episode with all the crackers in his briefcase.

[landonlover2110]

Originally posted by Bill Russell
Sounds like Brian is in a negotiation.

Not promoting MLS is probably the best of the little leverage he has at the moment. This is his last best chance to make some serious money at this game and he probably stands to do better in Europe than in MLS in that regard. Can anyone blame him for that? I don't.

If I'm Brian I'm telling MLS "if you won't release me or match my offer then I'll honor my playing contract -- but I won't be your 'Strike Force' poster boy. Go market your League on somebody else's shoulders. You want me to do that, you pay extra".

Go for it Brian.

I couldnt have sead it better myself, Brian is one of my fav players, but, if a team in Europe wants him that bad, then why would they be uptight abou the selling fee? most of those European teams pay big bucks for players over there. If Brian wants to go, i will be sad to see him go, but he obiously wants more than MLS is giving him.

[BenReilly]

Originally posted by Elizabeth


In business you ALWAYS return calls with partners. You don't ignore anything...unless you are stupid. What goes around comes around and sometimes we give, and sometimes they may owe us. Don't underestimate the power of personal relationships.

MLS is the last to pretend they have power. they should always respect European entities. Bend over and return the call in 30 seconds flat.


If MLS starts bending over for Europe, it doesn't take much imagination to guess what happens next.

[FormerGermanGuy]

Originally posted by Elizabeth


If you miss a capital, so what. But he missed every single one. That isn't somebody who types often.



Or else it's someone used to having MSWord or whatever he uses automatically correct when he forgets to capitalize. Convincing argument.

[whip]

Something about Mc Bride he still have the

[whip]

A place on the USA national team have to be won. and so far BRIAN McBRIDE have show the COJONES that not too many WANNABES are willing to put in line, even on 1998 he sold his defeat with HONOR fighting to the very end, I find very UNGRATEFULL from soccer managers the fact that if Brian can make some MONEY on Europe, hey lets work something out

[Black&Gold1]

McBride's big thing was that MLS wasn't communicating offers from the EPL to his agent. He had a meeting with MLS officials to straighten this out and came away very angry.

The reason Everton wants him is because the coach at Preston North End (where he played on loan last winter) is now at Everton, and remembers how good McBride is. PNE didn't have the money to buy him last year, but Everton might this year.

I don't fault Everton for putting in a low ball offer. But you don't start negotiations at a fair price. You allow yourself to be bargained up to a fair price. Not passing an opening offer along because it was low is silly.

McBride is an aerial player, and no one on the Crew for the last six years can give him good service in the air. They excel at that sort of thing in England. McBride deserves better treatment and as a Crew fan, I reluctantly support his leaving.

Lastly, McBride has said that his problems in this instance are with MLS, not the Crew.

[SnakeEyes]

Originally posted by mark madden
what kind of dolt would turn a debate over the pros & cons of MLS players going overseas into a dissection of typing styles with a major focus on capitalization? oh, of course, a broad posting on a sports msg board! stick to the topic, or get back in the friggin' kitchen!
(by the way, i rarely capitalize when i type for a msg board. msg boards are informal, and since i have to carefully type/edit when i write columns for the pitts. post-gazette, i really don't wanna be bothered here. see, i am a "real journalist." not just a "sports talk host.")

Apparantly I missed this thread until now. Just wanted to comment that having read/heard a lot of Madden in the past, in both wrestling and sports places, I have to say this sure sounds and looks like Mark :)

[SoFla Metro]

Everton's manager reiterated yesterday that their summer spending is over, so it looks like the question is moot.

[The Truth Commission]

Originally posted by FootyMundo
Well, I know Madden isn't a fake. He's a real person. So perhaps the PR guy should be fired, or perhaps he just blew it. It happens.


Let's just hope Mark Madden sticks to soccer instead of trying to wrestling like he used to...believe I saw him on Nitro once, actually...

[Bruce S]

Originally posted by Black&Gold1
McBride's big thing was that MLS wasn't communicating offers from the EPL to his agent.
MLS owns McBride's contract. Why in the world would MLS need to contact McBride's contract unless things were heating up? If I get an offer for my house, should I call you?

[eagleterp]

Originally posted by Bruce S

MLS owns McBride's contract. Why in the world would MLS need to contact McBride's contract unless things were heating up? If I get an offer for my house, should I call you?

you may own the house but you'd contact your wife if you got an offer.