I don't think this has been posted, if so: mods feel free to delete. http://www.90soccer.com/90MinutesArticle.html I'm not sure how long it will stay up at the 90 Minutes site, or even if it can be hotlinked, but it's a pretty scathing interview concerning the way MLS treats its players. There are other things, too, but that will stand out. 90:00 What don’t they get? AMMANN They don’t know how to treat people—they don’t treat the players well and they don’t treat the fans well either; they just keep bumbling along. Until they get people who understand the game involved in it, it’s always going to be that way. It doesn’t have to be the former players who were stars; it just needs to be someone who understands what the desires of the fans are.
I'm not saying the league is perfect or thatAmmann isn't entitled to his opinion, but you've got a guy who got screwed by a poor decision after a horrible injury then had another injury that ended his career. He's got a right to be bitter. Doesn't mean I agree with him on anything, but he's certainly not the first ex-player in a league to complain about how he was treated. I'd just take the statement that "nothing has changed" with a pound of salt considering the situation with the union.
Nice find. Mike always appeared to be a hard working player with the Metros, so I'm taking his word for it. Who wouldn't have a grudge knowing that you broke three ribs and had your lung punctured by a guy that's no longer wanted in this league, and now that you're retired, you don't recieve a pension. I totally agree with what he said about the Project-40. What if their soccer careers don't pan out?
He signed a contract knowing there wouuld be no pension. I understand that it sucks, but it's not like they sprung it on him at the end of his career.
Actually, the P-40 program also puts some money into an account for the players to go to college after their playing days are over. Sachin
he complains about the lack of a pension. hey mike, most companies don't provide a pension! open up an ira like everybody else.
He also came over here to develop the league. It's at least possible that he thought that player relations/benefits would grow at the same pace as the league. That hasn't really happened yet. The league inches ever closer to profitability, yet the players still have no real negotiating power and the salary cap has stagnated (I'm not one of the folks demanding that it be doubled or anything rash like that, but a modest increase of 50-100k would go a long way towards helping some players out). People like to talk about the group of players who came into MLS to give it legitimacy and grow a US league. I'm not trying to slight the Meola's, the Ramos' or the Harkes' out there, but nobody mentions Amman that much. The WC' 94 Nats had mostly made their money. Amman was approaching a Euro payday. He paid his own transfer fee to come home and help build up MLS. He was great with the fans of at least two of the teams he played for (I don't know how his relationship was with KC fans). His payment for that was to watch as the league let an assault go unpunished. His payment for that was to be traded after being assured that he was not going to be traded (by which point he had entered into some business ventures in the NJ area). His payment for that was to be cut loose by the league once he became damaged goods. Mike Amman helped build this league and was great to the fans who supported it. He gave of himself physically, emotionally and financially to make sure the league became what it is today (approaching profitability rather than bleeding money). He has every right to be bitter.
Next time you quote one of my posts so you can be the good guy, do me a favor and quote the part where I say the same thing you do. K? I'm sure Mike has lots of valid points, but the pension is one I don't have any sympathy for. MLS players bitching because they don't get a pension is like a guy bitching about his wife not being into threesomes with another chick when he knows she is straight. You might want it, but you knew going in that it wasn't in the cards.
Jeez Monster, take a breath. Skip a day of work and get laid or something. I didn't (nor did I mean to imply) that you stated he had no right to be bitter. The only part of my post that was even meant to be directed towards you was the first paragraph (the one talking about the pension and why he might have felt one would eventually come). The rest was partly in response to a couple of posts that seemed harsh towards Ammann to me, and mostly just to expound on why he had every right to be bitter (as opposed to someone like Ian Bishop). It was never meant to come off as an attack on you, I don't personally think the post came off that way, and certainly not enough to justify the tirade left both here and in the (relatively ridiculous) "reputation bin." Relax a bit. I have no interest in playing "the good guy."
Simple solution - don't quote me when you play high and mighty. And don't give me advice on how to handle myself. Save that for the Szetelas.
Mike Ammann was a true fan fav in NJ a nice guy a good keeper and a class act... He got th shaft in NJ because the GM is an IDIOT and always has been. This is the same GM that lies about actual attendence the same guy who also fired Tommy Smith because Tommy spoke the truth about the metro"stars" over the air if he had to say that NJ sucked he said it. The same GM who almost made bradley quit.. Nick is a classless scumbag he was in tampa he still is one now.. Perhaps Mike would think a little different if he was with a more Pro club like DC United or the Galaxy or the Fire...I'm sure they run a different ship and treat their staff and players way better.. perhaps mike will push so that players in the future can have better working benefits and better retirement plans... i think he was treated like garbage in the end but I wont blame MLS for this I blame the biggest garbage called the NJ Metrostars they were totaly classless but then again look who runs that garbage outfit poor mans Milan...
No - Mike was let go because Tim Howard was better and ready to take the #1 shirt. and since at the end of his career he was with DC, how can you blame Nick for how he was left off. Nick does enough things wrong without having to resort to making up stuff. I remember Amman being really pissed off at the time he retired and had some very nasty things to say about MLS FO. I also agree with Jacen in that we have to raise the salary cap and start paying players a little more come 2006. There is no reason why say Chris Carrieri should be plying his trade in the A-League or that players are going to Bodens and Aarhus (Steve Shak excepted. Piece of suck). If they don't MLS is gonna be hurting in the long run. and they still shot the wrong Diallo
Carrieri's last 2 seasons in MLS: GP GS MIN G A PTS SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E 55 45 4288 14 13 41 108 50 55 73 53 7 10 0 Not to mention a call up to a Nats team camp. Obviously not Taylor Twellman numbers, but not bad for a MLS forward. Are you saying that the Rapids (an their comletely inept offense) wouldn't be better with Carrieri at 55K this season than without him?
Ammann, Ammann Ammann, Ammann Born is the King of East Rutherford ----------- Mike Ammann He's the Best, He will play with a broken chest Knick Knack Patty Wagon Give a Dog a Bone Chicago...************ OFF HOME!
Guys, don't feel sorry for Mike Ammann. He's pulling in well over 200K/yr selling storage products for Hitachi. Yeah, his elbows are messed up, but he got the opportunnity to play a sport we all love for a pretty long time. Everybody that meets him, loves the guy. Frankly, I'm a bit jealous ;-)
Don't you remember the flurry of expletives that Ammann would unleash (very Earl Weaver like) after any time he'd give up a goal or would need to make a save? They're some of my favorite moments......but they might not fly in SLC.
Yes, I believe that I'm saying that. And Carrieri's mediocre numbers against A-League competition this season are backing me up.