A CFG contract could work the same as an MLS contract - With CFG acting as MLS and Man City, Melbourne and NYCFC acting as the MLS clubs.... Variation on 3rd party ownership. Lampard is just traded within the single entity of CFG Just a thought.
Yup, that thought was brilliantly shared up-thread on "contract holding collectives" and signed players being shared or traded/loaned among sister clubs/franchises.
Maybe. But you can see why MLS likes CFG and would be willing to go along for the ride. They see a little bit of themselves there. Plus, top-league and business building and world domination and all that are commons interests, apparently.
The blog Orange in the Oven followed up on this with Chris Canetti of the Dynamo: http://orangeintheoven.com/2015/01/08/clarification-erick-torres-loan/
Am I the only one that read the SBI article and saw this.. Wow, another year on the contract. NYCFC should just move on.
I'm not convinced that CFG does anything "better" than MLS, wrt single entity soccer business, or whatever. But I do admit that CFG (and their financial resources) initially bought into and has done well within a prime market (the EPL) and I am on the whole excited to see what they are capable of in NYC/MLS as they join forces and have some entity overlap with MLS.
I sort of doubt that the EPL wouldn't have thought of that when asking the question. And I also highly doubt that Man City would lie to the EPL about it. I doubt that Lampard will come if he is still doing good the rest of the season.
If Man City offer him a place in next years team then I think he stays but he'll be a 38 year old outfield player would they even do that?
I think he wants a "US/NY experience" on his resume. Not that I'm good at reading minds. But I'm guessing he'll be fine being the impact sub player he is this season with MCFC, but he'll be fine moving on (along with Gerrard) to see what playing for a bit in MLS is like starting this summer. I'd be very shocked if CFG allows him to not report for duty at NYCFC this summer. But I've been shocked previously and certainly do not know what the future holds. And by summer, MCFC will be able to restock ahead of next season anyway. And they can bring in virtually any player they want to try to fill the Lampard roll from this season. My guess is it will be Andrew Jacobson or Mix Diskerud or maybe Sebastián Velásquez who will transfer to MCFC this summer as part of the "trade" for Lampard.
Don Garber told me there is an agreement between CFG & Lampard that he'll sign MLS contract in July. Awaiting MLS response on dispute (2/2).— Subscribe to GrantWahl.com (@GrantWahl) January 8, 2015
The problem really only exists though if CFG is trying to tell MLS that the sun is made of ice cream.
If Lampard is signed with CFG, then they're acting in violation of the English FA's ban on third party ownership: http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation....l-club-frank-lampard-third-party-ownership-fa
So, Lampard never signed with either MLS or NYCFC. MLS and NYCFC should have their feet held over the fire for all that marketing and publicity they did for a player they said they had signed when, in fact, they hadn't.