I find it interesting that Austin could join as the least liked club in MLS today, and maybe in league history. Precourt has very few fans around the league, at least among the fans. I could really see Austin being the second team to really dislike after a rival (thought for us, I'd like to echo the call for StL to get in the league).
Atlanta has not missed a beat by splashing more cash on one transfer fee than most clubs spend on their entire roster. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...ed-transfer-gonzalo-pity-martinez-river-plate The escalating salary and transfer fee war is being pushed to new heights.
Yes, but they're still spending way below many leagues. New heights for us, but there is such a long way to go before we're near the money involved in snagging world class players in their prime. Though Pity's resume is absolutely sick and I'm surprised he's coming here.
It doesn't look like Almiron is moving, at least not at the $30m pricetag Blank put on him. Still, Almiron attracts attention globally. Martinez attracts attention. And Pity probably attracts more than either one of them. I don't see MLS forcing a move. I think we're gonna soon hear about a rule change.
to? MLS? I can't see them getting many takers. USL? Is that allowed under MLS ruleswith a DP? Mexico? Maybe, but he's high priced for Mexico, esp as a player who isn't starting for his current side. SAM? He came from there largely because of the money. Not saying he couldn't go back, but how much of his salary would Atl have to pick up? 3/4? Question: if he is loaned but atlanta is picking up his salary, does what Atlanta is paying him count as someone else's problem? I have no idea. oops, edit to add: the other options: Europe? no one with the money would want him on loan. Austrailia, japan, etc: that would be more than a bit unusual.
Mexico or Argentina. And my understanding is the other club would need to pick up a chunk of his salary for it to count. I’m just saying that’s more likely than getting a rule change at this point. For as ‘fly by night’ as it seems at times, this would be another level. And there are more eyes on the league now than when the league made allowances to LA in the past
Rule change doesn’t appear to be coming. Newcastle has reportedly agreed to terms with Atlanta. https://www.ajc.com/sports/breaking...e-agree-terms-almiron/slQYlhHmikgMXXA444g9nK/
Jeebus. That's $4.25 million in salary (though he made $6m last season in total compensation). Still, how does buying him out during preseason not count towards the cap? If MLS is going to pay the man, they really should just shuffle him off to a club that could use him, say San Jose...
Teams get 1 buyout per year that doesn’t count against the cap (RSL for example used theirs last year on Yura Movsisyan). It’d be the owner paying to buy out his contract and get him off their books.
Unreal. MLS really has a rule for every situation. My follow up, when RSL bought out Yura, didn't he become a "free" option for anyone else in MLS. I thought Chicago got him without picking up any of his cost? Would that be the case with GBS (not sure about takers), or was that just because it was a midseason deal?
Looks like Sean Dane is shutting down the Cauldron Facebook, taking a pot-shot at Big Soccer in the process. Did this place use to suck? I mean, to act like CFB is a better place than here is... a bit wobbly.
There used to be many more posters than there are now. A number moved to the CFBP. Myself, I never quite understood the pull of that page over BS.
Right? I read the CFB page when I wanted a kick out of the hottest of hot takes you can find. I gravitated here because there's a lot more soccer knowledge going on, and a bit more, let's say, long-time fans.
BS used to be a lot worse. It has mellowed as more people have migrated away from it (both KC fans and non-KC fans). For what it’s worth the shot Sean took was absolutely one that most of us that were around a while ago would have agreed with. This move though is a long time coming, it was still kinda useful, but there were too many people there that had made it toxic. And the level of toxicity had surpassed the usefulness.
That makes sense. Message boards and forums and stuff in general are a dying breed. I mostly just use this and reddit. But yeah, I can get the toxicity. Here is pretty safe, and reddit mostly okay, but it's really popular to fire off half-baked opinions on the internet and then defend them till the bitter end (not gonna pretend I don't do this some too). Sucks to see people losing their forum, but I also wonder if the lack of necessity/success of the ticket trading group maybe knocked the last peg out? You can buy tickets easy off stubhub for less than face value (the team's problem, not the fans'), which means you end up paying more for what used to be the only place to get a fair price aftermarket.
I’m not sad to see the FB page go. I dumped FB completely a long time ago and have not missed it one bit.
I have to say that I'm quite happy to see the Don get renewed. What he's done to guide the league as a single entity and position it for growth and international maturity over the last decade has been remarkable.
I agree. He takes flak for plenty of things, some of them fully deserved, but I think he's been incredibly healthy for the growth of the sport here.
I watched the LAG vs Portland game tonight just to see what kind of arrogant crap would come out of Zlatan and he doesn’t disappoint. The interview after the game was great. Every question that was asked, Zlatan scoffed at like he didn’t want to be bothered by this piss-ant reporter. Hilarious. Zlatan is an complete asshat, but entertaining to watch.