Mastroeni Comments on Playing Abroad

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Scrandal, Jul 31, 2002.

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  1. kickin365

    kickin365 Member+

    Mar 4, 2002
    falcon6 -

    I sort of agree with you, but at the same time our guys do need the best experience they can get. I really think the MLS should loan players over the winters. Injury being the only risk here. Come on, do we really want Beasley, Landon, and Mastro sitting on their rumps all winter? These guys are in their very early 20's, when a player can really take a beating and a lot of work. MLS isn't going to market these guys in the offseason anyway. You are right though, about players considering what has happened to the likes of Lewis and Frankie. They just have to be smart and pick good options. I think DMB to Boro or Landon to WestHam gives these guys a good bet to see time on the pitch. Even if it doesn't if they are on loan in the winter they will at least be practicing with a EPL team. It was pretty obvious that Frankie was not going to make it with a big $$ team like Bayer, the players and the league just need to make wise choices about teams they choose.
     
  2. What these players are talking about has nothing to do with winter loans. They are going to permanently leave MLS and go to Europe. Just like Friedel, Joe Max, Sanneh, etc.
     
  3. Testudo

    Testudo Member+

    Jan 29, 1999
    Arlington, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Made them lots of money and helped them become impact players at WC02?
     
  4. Testudo,

    Good point about the money. But, are you saying they wouldn't have been impact players had they still been in mls? No way. I'd argue that they would probably be better players today had they been playing every game the last few years in the MLS than sitting on the bench in Europe. Sitting the bench doesn't help anybody get better.
     
  5. metroflip73

    metroflip73 Member

    Mar 3, 2000
    NYC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Remember Holland had Van Basten, Rijkaard, and Gullit and they didn't qualify for a Euro Cup. Also, the Dutch team are always reported to have internal problems of some sort. So it's not like them not qualifying is without precedent.
     
  6. olafgb

    olafgb New Member

    Jun 6, 2001
    Germany
    @falcon6: I had no problem with MLS keeping all their players if this was reasonable for the future of the USMNT and if MLS paid them similar to the European leagues. I'm just afraid that both won't happen. If MLS forces talents to stay for low money (which would make them unpopular even among US talents), then the really good ones are forced to be transfered from university (as many already are) - they of course got no experience and have a long way to the first team. It would be much healthier for MLS and the US players if they had playing time in the MLS and then would be sold to Europe. MLS can't keep the players anyway - those who want to leave to Europe will leave as a free transfer when the contract is over.

    @kickin365: you forget the new transfer rules: transfers only January 1st to 31st and July 1st to August 31st - no winter transfer possible (besides that you'd never find a team taking a player just for a couple of months in the middle of the season).
     
  7. mik_smith

    mik_smith New Member

    Feb 5, 2001
    London
    Another point that is getting lost is that -- present company excepted -- Americans don't really care about football.

    I had the good fortune to live in DC when they were winning titles, then move to Chicago when they were winning titles. I saw the first game. I've been to championship games. I've seen European and South American teams played off the pitch when they came to the US expecting a friendly kickaround. I saw DCU win the Concacaf Cup in DC, then play Vasco da Gama in the old Inter-Americas cup. In short, I think I've seen the best MLS has to offer. My judgement: exceptional value, great entertainment package, decent soccer, but still very much a bastard stepchild in terms of respect, recognition, emotion, etc.

    These guys have egos, you know. Even the average d1 team (e.g. Crystal Palace) gets more fans, more passionate fans, more press coverage, etc. than an MLS team. I don't know, but I'd bet that your chances of jumping the queue at a nightclub, getting your drinks on the house, then being picked by groupies are much better if you're a Crystal Palace player than an LA Galaxy player... And don't underestimate the charge these guys get from running out on the pitch and hearing 15,000 people chanting your name.
     
  8. Metrogo

    Metrogo Member

    Apr 6, 1999
    Washington Hghts NY
    Schmuck is right, there are conflicting values that MLS must consider, and they must steer a course that maximizes these values for the league. One thing I am glad about is that no one on this thread has suggested that MLS should do what's best for the USMNT.
     
  9. monster

    monster Member

    Oct 19, 1999
    Hanover, PA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There's a huge difference between not receiving one transfer fee and not accepting one.
     
  10. mschofield

    mschofield Member+

    May 16, 2000
    Berlin
    Club:
    Union Berlin
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Mik-Smith, your post reached me, and I realize now the pain the MLS players are going through. Is there any way to set up a charitable fund for the groupie deprived players of the MLS?
    As Col. Kurtz noted, obcviously when thinking of just such a situation, ``the horror, the horror.''
     
  11. Colin Grabow

    Colin Grabow New Member

    Jul 22, 1999
    Washington, DC
    I saw Clint Mathis out last night. He's not hurting for female company.
     
  12. Noah Dahl

    Noah Dahl New Member

    Nov 1, 2001
    Pottersville
    Young talent suffocating?

    I may be one of Pablo's biggest advocates, but I think this argument is ludicrous.

    The league has done a fine job of putting young talent out on the field. They've pushed that envelope and been a little lucky with the results.

    You can't have an u-21 MLS, and besides, the league is holding a handful of players back at most. Contraction keeps players from coming through, but not this policy of waiting for a fair price for marquee players.

    MLS is doing what's right for the league, thereby what's best for the careers and development of the greatest number of players - and what's best for soccer in this country.
     
  13. eric515

    eric515 Member

    May 8, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would first like to say that whenever I hear you guys say "I agree with schmuck", I think you are ripping him...then I saw his name. Hehe :)

    On to my post: If the transfer window closes on August 31st, then I would guess that no MLS players are going overseas until January '03.

    My question is, does this affect lone spells?? I am not sure exactly how those work, but can a European team get someone on loan for October through December, and then buy them in January if they like what they see??

    I have to say that I agree with the MLS for holding on to these guys. You can't take every offer that comes along...especially the bad ones. Plus, it would be foolish to do well in the WC and then sell off most of the guys that got you there, and made a name for themselves in non-soccer homes across the US.
     
  14. kasai

    kasai New Member

    Jul 15, 2002
    California
    With all the financial issues going on in Europe, the transfer market for MLS players will be limited. I think the MLS could get between 1 to 2 million for Pablo in a good market, but with current conditions I think a million would be good. let the guy go play over there and let him be happy with the MLS. If not he will never return to help the league grow in the future.

    Give it up you all, the MLS is basically a development league for the next 20 years.
     
  15. olafgb

    olafgb New Member

    Jun 6, 2001
    Germany
    Loaning a player is also a transfer and therefore forbidden from Oct to Dec. According to the new rule it is also forbidden for a player to have two international transfers within one year (not season!). At the moment I can't foresee the meaning for the US players, but in Germany e.g. Fredi Bobic was on loan to England from January until June and now is not allowed to be transfered outside of Germany until next January. Stupid rule, the clubs are already protesting. Would also mean that e.g. Donovan can't come over to Leverkusen in November and be loaned back to MLS in case he doesn't succeed until November 2003.
     
  16. Isn't the whole idea of this league to grow the sport in the USA. You say nobody cares? Well getting 15k to games is actually a pretty decent amount. What do you think they are gonna average 60k a game? Duh. This is a new league. The leagues in Europe have been around for decades. I've already heard all the talk from sports columnists saying mls is a minor league if they let all their best players go. That will be the attitude of people if this happens. Americans expect nothing but the best this country has to offer and that will never change. Why do you think the league hasn't transferred these players? They know this.
     
  17. blitzzfan

    blitzzfan Member

    Jul 25, 2000
    St. George, UT
    Maybe I am misreading/misinterpreting, but it seems like many of the posters here are putting national team concerns over MLS concerns. But I guess it is the yanks abroad board and not the MLS board. So forgive my opinions:
    I'm happy for Reyna, O'Brian, etc. in Europe, but it's easier and more gratifying to follow soccer in the US. We will always have a national team but a first division league is in doubt.
    MLS may just want to keep the players as it makes the league better and more marketable. Garber and company can't keep things afloat with the warm and fuzzies of seeing Americans succeeding in the old world.
    Around MLS I see Donovan, Twellman, and Razov who have be there and back again and are very productive on the field and marketable off it.
     
  18. mik_smith

    mik_smith New Member

    Feb 5, 2001
    London
    I like the quote. But come on. Regardless of how great it would be to play in the MLS, it would be ten times better to play for a big European club. I'm glad Clint is getting his pipes cleaned by NYC's hottest, but I'm sure he'd be doing just as well in Munich. And what do you think would give him a bigger thrill: playing in the big I-95 derby vs. DCU, or taking the field vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League? Even at the English D1 level, the players get more energy/support/abuse from the fans than the MLS players.

    I want MLS to do well, and I think it's an incredible package -- but you can't fault any invidual for pursuing the opportunity of going to Europe...
     
  19. schmuckatelli

    schmuckatelli New Member

    Nov 10, 2000
    Imagine how I feel! First, it's odd enough having people actually agree with me, then a guy from New York calling me "schmuck"?! It's all good, though... ;)

    But seriously, USA's performance in WC02 goes a long way to prove that what's good for MLS is good for the national team. It all flows from having a strong, vibrant domestic league to give players a springboard. If they make it to Europe, fine. If they don't, MLS isn't so bad.

    And another thing: I have trouble accepting the "low paid" argument. Most of these players make as much or more than I do in a year, and that's before endorsement. Granted, they make more in the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, the EPL, etc., but man, Eddie Pope makes $260K, folks! That's not so bad, is it?
     
  20. im_spartacus

    im_spartacus Member

    Dec 13, 2001
    Santa Clara, CA
    Pope is under paid at 260k

    260k is not that much money for a proffessional athlete with Pope's skills. A first year attorney makes 90-135K a year to start, partners after 7yrs 350-500k.

    Consider that the atheltic skills needed to play in a world cup are much rarer that the intellectual skills required to be an attorney. Furthermore, athletic skills are finite. These guys have 15-17 years to make it if they are lucky, and most have already invested many years of practice just to make it onto the field.

    MLS is not doing these guys any favors in the salary department. They provide exposure for endorsements and an oppurtunity to get picked up by a bigger team who can pay more $$. If they don't let players who are tapped move on, it proves that they are only looking out for their own welfare.

    MLS' attititude will make it difficult for America's best players to play here because they know they will be screwed in thelong run.

    Donovan who wants to be here is off course an exception.
     
  21. Maczebus

    Maczebus New Member

    Jun 15, 2002
    That's still a respectable $12.5k per week (approx) he gets paid then.
    Although the figure you gave I feel is still a little too high.
     
  22. Barca_Fan2003

    Barca_Fan2003 New Member

    Mar 30, 2002
    Slidell, LA
    I'd hate to ruin the party here folks, but these guys are under contract. If they would have thought ahead and seen that maybe they could go to Europe soon, they wouldn't have signed long term contracts. Contracts are made to be honored.
     
  23. Maczebus

    Maczebus New Member

    Jun 15, 2002
    And they always are of course ...
     
  24. olafgb

    olafgb New Member

    Jun 6, 2001
    Germany
    The players will go to Europe anyway as long as MLS doesn't pay the same as European clubs. There's nothing MLS can do about it, they can't put them into a cage. It's all a matter of clever financial strategies - I'm afraid MLS isn't too well off if all players leave as free transfers after being forced to fulfil the contract.
     
  25. Wrong. They just secured Josh Wolff with a long term deal paying him money similar to what he would have gotten in Europe. I think if you make some of the key players fair offers, they would want to stay. Living in a foreign country isn't for everybody. Just ask some of the guys who came back.
     

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