MLS passes Khodadad Azizi rule

[Dan Loney]

Assuming David Beckham himself doesn't become the latest and most prominent parade of foreign MLS stars who looked like Joe Namath in a Rams uniform - if not Len Bias in a Celtics uniform. (Too soon?)

Bill Archer somewhere in this blog had the pertinent question, probably from being a Crew fan. But never mind the second or third big name to be signed. Who is the eleventh, twelfth or thirteenth "Beckham" out there? And how do you propose to get them excited about Salt Lake City? ("The skiing.") All right then, Kansas City? ("The barbecue.")

The upside is that teams in MLS tend to have the upper hand over collections of stars. Last year's Galaxy was an aberration. The downside is, what if we do get a dozen guys pulling down Beckham money and putting up Popeye Herrera numbers? This is where you have to feel sorry for Red Bull and AEG, but work with me here - we're not really yet at the stage where big investments going south (Fox with the Dodgers, Disney with the Angels and Ducks) are easily replaced.

[TheSlipperyOne]

The Rule is only in effect until 2009 when it will be re-evaluated.

[Going Mobile]

which means not only do you have to lure them to the US for more than likely less money, relocate their families (if applicable) BUT they are only going to get a 2 year AT BEST. I don't see alot of takers for this. Wheres the stability for the player?

[clashcityrocker]

Hey, Khodadad Azzizi was fracking awesome. Not only was he a fighter - literally, if anyone remembers his game-ending red card - but he represented the final gate of burning firey humiliation that the Clash had to pass through before they emerged and commenced their thousand-year reign of triumph as the Earthquakes.




And by 'thousand-year reign', I mean, um, like five years.

[oscarm]

which means not only do you have to lure them to the US for more than likely less money, relocate their families (if applicable) BUT they are only going to get a 2 year AT BEST. I don't see alot of takers for this. Wheres the stability for the player?

The 2 year rule gives teh league/owners an out if its waay too expensive or a failure in some other way. If it helps the league (more sponsorship/TV money), then they'll renew it in 2009 or make it permanent.

[Chowda]

- if not Len Bias in a Celtics uniform. (Too soon?)

.
Yes. Go ******** yourself for not knowing that.

[rossgreen]

The obvious answer on how to get excitied over SLC and KC:

In Salt Lake City, you'll find God;
In Kansas City, you'll find fountains.

[Roma_Wolves]

I don't think luring players to midwest cities is as big a deal as luring them to MLS in the first place. Once MLS is accepted as a place to work, its understood that everyone can't play in NYC.

10-15 years ago the premiership wasn't as much of a destination as it is now, but as it became what it now is, people had to go to places like Bolton and Birmingham City, and did.

I mean, come one. Clubs aside, how glamorous are the cities of Liverpool and Manchester?

Which all goes to say. Make the clubs (i.e. KC, RSL or the Crew) good, and the city becomes a destination for players despite itself. Make the league a destination of a certain level, and people will come to play, even if they all can't play for insert name here FC

[Dignan]

I would move to Kansas City for the Gates barbecue.

But seriously, we know Columbus is not going to use their Beckham rule option, and we know that Red Bull wants 2 Beckhams. Lets say Red Bull gets Figo first and then Ronaldo becomes available. How many MLS players equal a Ronaldo? It would seem that Columbus would be better off just sitting on the option, instead of trading it, mainly because nothing Red Bull can give you will offset the horror of giving a team you have to compete against, a guy who is going to consistently run cirlces around your defense.

Still, what would Red Bull have to offer? Wynne, Dunivant, Guevara, Altidore, and the next 5 years of first round draft picks? Maybe that would equal a Ronaldo, but seriously Ronaldo needs ten other guys to play with.

Of course with the amazing player acquisition acumen that the Crew have shown recently, they will probably double Jacob Thomas's salary and claim him as their designated "Beckham" and claim $40,000 in salary cap savings. With that they can try a really good South American, has been, with creaky knees, a tubby stomach that makes Cletus look slim, whose best game was ten years ago and last played in the USL. Oh wait, they already tried that with Rozenthal.

[Dignan]

The obvious answer on how to get excitied over SLC and KC:

In Salt Lake City, you'll find God;
In Kansas City, you'll find fountains.


Actually, in Salt Lake you will find a host of gods, and strange underwear.

[Nerazzuri]

I don't think luring players to midwest cities is as big a deal as luring them to MLS in the first place. Once MLS is accepted as a place to work, its understood that everyone can't play in NYC.

10-15 years ago the premiership wasn't as much of a destination as it is now, but as it became what it now is, people had to go to places like Bolton and Birmingham City, and did.

I mean, come one. Clubs aside, how glamorous are the cities of Liverpool and Manchester?

Which all goes to say. Make the clubs (i.e. KC, RSL or the Crew) good, and the city becomes a destination for players despite itself. Make the league a destination of a certain level, and people will come to play, even if they all can't play for insert name here FC

That's great, except that your entire premise is based on the argument that if the league strengthens itself, it will draw better players. Well, if the league strengthens itself, it would (in all likelihood) be making enough money that it won't need the Beckham Exemption. Right now, we have a case where the Exemption is in place to make the league that strong (or at least to attract advertising $$), and is going to be done to try to draw players to what is perceived as a 2nd (3rd) teir league.

Also, as for the portion I put in bold...yes, everyone understands that not everyone can play in NY or LA. Only a select few can. But if this is a rule specifically in place to attract a higher level of footballer, then certainly that player they are courting is going to perceive themselves as part of that select few and think to himself "Wait a minute, if I am good enough for them to make an exception to their rules, surely I am good enough to choose where I play, and be in a marquee city. Why the F are they dumping me in some town in Ohio I've never heard of?" (Apologies to C-Bus, I actually really like it there)

[JRstriker12]

I think that KC and Columbus have nothing to fear from this rule. In fact, if they are smart, they'll go after less pricey but still highly skilled South American players that would rather live in the U.S. making a decent amount of money than having to worry about thier families being kidnapped . ;)

[shinzui]

Of course with the amazing player acquisition acumen that the Crew have shown recently, they will probably double Jacob Thomas's salary and claim him as their designated "Beckham" and claim $40,000 in salary cap savings. With that they can try a really good South American, has been, with creaky knees, a tubby stomach that makes Cletus look slim, whose best game was ten years ago...

I thought you said Columbus wouldn't be going after Ronaldo.:D

[Stan Collins]

I would move to Kansas City for the Gates barbecue.

But seriously, we know Columbus is not going to use their Beckham rule option, and we know that Red Bull wants 2 Beckhams. The beauty is we really don't know that. This rule means Columbus can sign anyone who'll play for $425k and have a stab at a Christian Gomez-type for the cost of an additional ticket staffer (you can't do the Thomas thing because the guy must make over $400k, so you must pay some out of pocket expense). The league could veto your deal, but they're only going to do that if the player is obscenely overpaid. You can get a lot better than Sebastian Rosenthal for $425k (it's twice what Gomez himself makes).

The way they structured it, there's a clear incentive for the small market teams to use the DP, unless NY/LA offers a sweet deal for it.

[Bill Schmidt]

That Gomez salary figure is promising. He was at least an average Argentine first division player right? I think the idea of a DP spot rather than X more dollars may actually be designed to make it so you can't choose two Gomezes for the 400k rather than one Beckham.

[Elninho]

I wonder what happened to Morjad, anyway...

[The Gribbler]

I think that KC and Columbus have nothing to fear from this rule. In fact, if they are smart, they'll go after less pricey but still highly skilled South American players that would rather live in the U.S. making a decent amount of money than having to worry about thier families being kidnapped . ;)

See: Dario Sala.

[Eliezar]

MLS does not need 12 or 13 "David Beckhams". And the fact that the spots are tradeable simply means that the Galaxy will pull a trade with someone so that they can have both Landon Donovan and David Beckham. So there will be a team right away that trades their slot away to LA.

If you just brainstorm and think about who would bring a return in this type of situation you are looking at Ronaldo, Figo, Zidane, Beckham, Ronaldinho, Theirry Henry, Ballack, etc. Now we know that most of those players are moreless impossible to acquire. So we take maybe 4 or 5 marquee players and then we look in other directions.

I do not think that this type of search turns up Jaime Moreno and Marco Etcheverry although Marco is possible. It probably turns up Donadoni and El Pibe. I doubt that it turns up Peter Nowak. It probably turns up Lothar though. It does not turn up Miklos Molnar or John Spencer. Maybe it turns up Djorkaeff, but is he really a big name?

Also, remember that Eddie Johnson, Landon Donovan, Freddie Adu, and perhaps Clint Mathis (anybody know what MLS is paying him?) are all currently players that will fill the Beckham role slots. That would make KC, DC, Colorado, and the Galaxy needing to trade for a slot to get a supername Euro. Oh yeah, Chivas has also already filled its slot. So perhaps 7 of the 12 teams might be able to sign a player or trade their slot away.

MLS has already been doing this for so long that I just don't think this new rule is going to matter at all.

[clashcityrocker]

I wonder what happened to Morjad, anyway...
mr loony no say azzizz bad palyr azziz ver gol playr scor 100 gol in iran ply in worl cup shampon paly sna shoe erthqkue mikilaka ver gol pas scor gol san joos shampon mls mr lony you no say aziziz bad player morjad

[Hate_Eternal]

As much as it pains me to say this, I think we should follow in the footsteps of the Mexican League (I think I need to take a shower now), anyway we should focus more on big name up and comers and less on Euro has-beens, I mean look at what the MFL has doen with players like Chelito Delgado, Camoranesi, Luciano Figaroua, Cardozo, Cabanas, etc, etc I mean the list is endless, I say get us some top notch south american talent (i.e Marioni) and the fans, money, and skill level will develop on its own.