Hey, Carver wasn't quoted saying anything negative about the league. That's Robson being quoted there. But I'll take second-rate, anyway. 18 months ago most of them were calling it below pub league standard.
Sad but true, most Uruguay pay their players less $800. a month. I am not includuing Penerol, National, Danubio and Defensor
Be nice to Robson. I started noticing him when he was a successful coach at Newcastle in the early 2000s. Yes, "success" and "Newcastle" in the same sentence. He scored a ton of goals as a player. He did pretty well managing England in 1986 and 1990. He did well managing at several clubs, including Newcastle and Barcelona. The guy has lung cancer. Give him a break. He flattered MLS by rating it second rate. Beckham and Donovan seem to agree with him. Would Bob Bradley want Dempsey, Onyewu, Howard, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Donovan, Bradley Junior, Altidore, Adu, and others playing in MLS? Of course not. MLS was useful in helping the US get to where it is today. It is no longer a reasonable option for a team planning to be a dominant player at future World Cups. Check out how many/few MLS players are called up in important games.
Am I the only one who doesn't give a cr*p about what Brits think of the MLS? Seriously, why people expect us to care what one dude from their thinks of our soccer league, I don't know? Have some respect for what we have gentleman, and perhaps the Europeans will follow us in that sense -- as they have with nearly everything for the past 60 years.
It's not a slag against Hyndman, a brave man to come in and try to get FCD back on the tracks again. The point is managerial talent is thin in MLS all around. If Carver is woefully underqualified, then half the coaches in MLS are the same or worse.
He didn't have to say "2nd rate." He could have just said the American league or MLS--because that's it's name. He didn't need to be derogratory. He just chose to be. He doesn't really live up to "Sir."
No matter what, MLS and American soccer will always be considered second rate by the Euros and Mexico. Even when we eventually win the World Cup and become an elite nation and team, they will still continue to clap their hands over their eyes and beat themselves about the head with pans, shouting "We are better!!"
Yep, it's the good, old-fashioned, American way... Nice to know the world is finally following our example...
I proudly wear the banner of those who doesn't give a ******** what anyone - British, American, whoever - thinks about soccer, my home league or my favorite team. I find some soccer fans' constant need to reassurance from others quite silly.
It's a personality trait/weakness that I guarantee goes way beyond soccer. Quite common. The need to be told "I'm a good boy" and "everything is OK" and "worthwile." Governments, religion and advertisers crave these people and these personalities. The less confident (insecure), self assured, educated and measured the better.
A surprisingly* reasonable post. People like Bobby Robson are always going to consider MLS a second rate league as such all the while the majority of American sports fans do. I wouldn't worry, it really won't be considered second rate for very long, IMO. (*Why are Brighton listed as your foe?)
Oh, I know it extends beyond the sport, but this is where I most frequently encounter it. It's the same trait that has allowed people like Paris Hilton and the Hills crew to be famous. People flock to them to feel like people without a discernible talent can still gain fame. It can be quite annoying.
And then, once they get that reassurance in the form of popular support, usually these same fans will start to hate the casual fans and attention the league gets from being popular. People will complain about the game "losing its purity" and about fair-weather fans and on and on. They'll start following USL-2 because it's more "real." Ad nauseum.