After Final Year, Mathis set to Fly - North Jersey Herald Twellman Case ups the Ante - Boston Globe Mathis takes New Role to Heart - Newark Star-Ledger
The Globe article mentioned that the salary cap was raised this year by $30k. A little strange, no? So now the cap is $1.73m? Another thing that's been bothering me: are we really sure, as it reports in the Globe article, that Twellman's salary was punitive? Of course he's been saying that, but has anyone from the league mentioned it? 20/20 hindsight is great, but until the combine, which was the first clue about how he'd fit in here, he was a young 4th division player from Germany who had fallen (unjustly) out of the youth national team picture. And he had to have signed pretty quickly, without too much negotiation. Was 24k really punitive given those circumstances?
Yes. The Kansas City Wizards put a Discovery claim on him two years ago - which involves a minimum $50k salary (I believe) - but the league rebuffed them in their attempt to load up the New England Revolution. The Missouri boy should've been a Wizard, but you'll never get Gazidis to admit it.
That's interesting and typical MLS. But loading the Revs is not the same thing as penalizing Twellman (unless you think that playing for the Revs is itself punitive). If a discovery option really does carry a minimum 50k salary, is it plausible that MLS simply didn't think he was worth it? Not really trying to defend MLS player relations or anything, but Twellamn's agent probably came up with the whole "24k is punitive" line and it bothers me a little bit that I've seen it repeated as gospel outside of Bigsoccer. BTW, do we know if Discovery picks expire?
good job MLS... you have succesfully alienated one of your most marketable and skilled players to the point of no return... excellent work...
If Twellman lives to a 100, joining MLS will still be the best thing that has ever happened to him. He's gone from a 4th division nobody to a major star. All because of MLS, who deserve to make a buck once and a freaking while. Twellman will get his money.
Wasn't the league right though? The guy should've signed P40, and if he did we'd likely be talking about where he'd be going in Europe at this point. MLS is forcing young prospects to choose them, and for the most part, they're correct. It'll be easier for these youngsters over here at younger ages than in Europe at younger ages. MLS' hedges it's bet by signing the guys up and providing stability, and then if they turn into something great they can sell them for a profit. If I were Twellman I'd say a big ************ YOU to adding more years to his contract. We've seen McBride, Mathis and only god knows who else get screwed by MLS when it comes to transfers. I'd play out my contract and leave on a free, just like JMM.
Great. Don't those expire after two years? I know when you claim someone in the draft, you only retain their rights for two years.
where would these guys be pumping gas if it wasn't for MLS??? JMM didn't exactly set germany on fire on his preMLS tour there... kinda like twellman. MLS made all these guys worth something. + gave them a good boost for the national team. how did the superstars of the 'paid by USSoccer' 'professional' soccer players of the 70's & 80's doing by comparison?