It sounds like Duka and the Red Bulls are trying to make something happen: http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/soccer/archives/2009/07/red_bulls_want.html
Great news for the U-20 team. Hopefully he can get some PT as NYRB are definitely not going to the playoffs.
So does this mean that should he desire to join MLS he would go through allocation order, ie FC Dallas 1st? Or would he have to wait and be drafted?
I reckon this makes it far more likely he might just go to Europe now and say nuts to the MLS altogether
Probably not the place for this, but this is the dumbest thing ever! I thought all of the personnel rules for MLS were designed so that the clubs/ league could not over-extend themselves by buying players they could not afford and paying wages that the market could not support. You can't get any cheaper than free as far as transfers go, and a 20 year old prospect could not possibly be as expensive (wage wise) as some of the washed up has beens and underachievers that MLS has been signing from Europe and SA. Not to mention the fact that they could make money on the kid when he eventually does move to Europe. Also, why not let MLS clubs raid local colleges? It gives them a connection to their community and probably would allow the players to develop faster than if they move across the country after being drafted. Dumb! Sorry for the OT post
Since Duka played in college he has to go through the draft. If teams could sign college players willy-nilly the draft would be meaningless. Now, one could argue that there is no need for the draft at all, but as long as it exists MLS is not going to let this kind of deal happen.
This is completely irrelevant as New York is eligible to sign Kassel because he was in their youth program, despite him being at Maryland right now. The problem with Duka, apparently, is that he didn't play long enough in their youth system... not that he's a college player. It's a shame... I kind of understand the rule... but come on. Duka's from that area. It's not like NY is just picking up players from all around the country with minimal ties to the area.
Back when MLS only had three owners and they could fix things this would have gone much more smoothly. MLS has understood from the very start that there was a good reason for the teenagers to be kept close to home. It's just frustrating that they can't make that work. Because MLS has enough problems for a young player with the lack of a reserve league. I'm really hope Duka still signs with MLS. IMO, MLS's future depends on gettign a higher percentage of the Charlie Davies, Anton Peterlin and Dilly Duka's chose the league, and are able to follow a path out of the league like Charlie Davies just took. At that point, I'm guessing the more lateral moves that guys like Califf and Parkurst made will also be far less typical.
Back when MLS only had three owners and they could fix things this would have gone much more smoothly. MLS has understood from the very start that there was a good reason for the teenagers to be kept close to home. It's just frustrating that they can't make that work. Because MLS has enough problems for a young player with the lack of a reserve league. I'm really hope Duka still signs with MLS. IMO, MLS's future depends on gettign a higher percentage of the Charlie Davies, Anton Peterlin and Dilly Duka's chose the league, and are able to follow a path out of the league like Charlie Davies just took. At that point, I'm guessing the more lateral moves that guys like Califf and Parkurst made will also be far less typical.
I would guess that Duka tried Europe first, and didn't find something he liked, thus his attempt to sign on with NYRB. After all, doesn't he have an EU passport (Albania)? Apologies if that was discussed earlier in the thread.
Get rid of the draft. Allow teams to sign whatever teenage or college players they want. If a team wants to take a chance on signing a kid they think is good enough... let them.
Yea fair enough I've gone back and freshened up on the thread. I realized I meant "if" instead of "when" but I also suspect that since he's from the northeast he wants to play up there and if he can't maybe he'll reevaluate what his options are in Europe. My whole point is that it seems to be a fairly draconian decision by MLS, its not as though NYRB are the best team in the league, and it could potentially cost them a promising young American.
Agreed, there is no need for a draft. As for wanting people like Charlies Davies to be in MLS...look at Portugal, Sweden, Belgium etc... Their top players do not play in the domestic league, most leave by 21, BUT THEY STILL HAVE FANS. MLS is not a top league and it will never be.
If Duka turns out to be good MLS are gonna wish they signed him. Best of the luck to the kid. I hope he lands somewhere but it seems like he really wanted to go NY.
The point isn't that keeping the best American players in the league. The point was that we should be keeping these kids in this league as their jumping point to a league like France. Scandinavia should not be seen as the way to go.
IMO, you are kidding yourself if you think wages are not a big part of the decision. These guys have chosen soccer as their career and it can be a short-lived one at that. Got to get what you can while you can.
Albania is not a member of the EU so not sure whether Albanian citizenship gives him any preferential treatment.
Of course this is true for the developmental players. But for a Gen Ad kid, the wages are competitive. Even a non Gen Ad senior roster spot can pay a kid enough to be somewhat appealing. The issue is also playing opportunities. With no legitimate reserve teams for you college age kids MLS can be a black hole. And the coaching is certainly uneven. So, I think there are three strikes right now. But all of these strikes can be addressed and will need to be addressed. But there just isn't enough money involved yet to make that worth while. Eliminating the draft is part of it, but the uncertainly about which kids will chose a college path also gets in the way.
The big benefit of going to Belgium is, of course, that they've done away with foreigner restrictions. And second you have the path that Gooch has just taken. Play there some years, get Belgian citizenship, and then move to another league if you like. Of course, I'm a card-carrying Eurosnob when it comes to our elite youth players. They should all be going to Europe and challenging themselves to get to the highest level possible. What's the worst that can happen? They don't catch on and have to come back to MLS like a litany of kids? (Stuart Holden, Kenny Cooper for examples)