http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/0803/20020803afcadamsusa.html Apparantly, Tony Adams, the ex-Arsenal and England central defender, was offered a year-long contract to come and play in MLS for the Metrostars. He has already turned down this offer so it looks like it won't happen. I just thought it was interesting because I have never heard any "Adams to MLS" speculation. If he really did come to MLS, do you think that he would have taken it seriously?
His age may be a negative and he has been fighting the injury bug a bit.... but the class and experience that he would of brought , especially to the Metro defense would be worth it's weight in gold. He might of been a dud here, considering his age and health...but then again Tony has been world class from start to finish.
Bishop has every right in the world to be pissed at MLS.... they were 100% dishonest in the way they treated him.
I think it would have been great if Adams came over here. He still has a lot of talent left in his game, and would have provided the leadership and skill that this shaky Metro defense needs. Too bad, it could have been a good move.
Bishop is a cry baby. Perhaps he feels he is owed employment in a way different than we are used to in the U.S. Without a contract to the contrary, no job is guaranteed in the United States. see, Enron, Worldcom, dot.com's etc!!! You can be kicked out of Congress, Impeached as President. Bishop your company/team closed you declined a pay cut and transfer to another office, get over it. Welcome to a country where you always have to compete for your supper. Perhaps a nice cushy govt. job?
Crap. He had a one year contract. He knew it. He admitted he knew it. And suddenly he deserves life-long employment? It's our fault that he wasn't good enough to get picked up by another team? TS.
I guess playing top flight football in England for over a decade was just a walk in the park... Still... don't let me get in the way of your fervent patriotism.
So was Lothar. What is it with the Metro and old Euro defenders? First Lothar, then the Des Walker rumors, then Tony Adams. We don't need them.
True, he did have a one year contract, but do you think he saw the folding of two teams coming? Don't you think if the Fusion were still around he'd be a part of the team this year? Do you really think he'd move his family to another continent just on the basis of a one year deal without some discussion of the future taking place? Why would he be acting so shocked at at not being a part of MLS this year if there was not some kind of "guarantee" about his future? Yes, I think he's being an ass and a crybaby for badmouthing and suing MLS, but I do think there is more to the story than was made public.
Never should you combine Lothar and class in the same sentence..... Adams is a different styled player then Lothar...but easily Tony is the better of the two. Tony plays or should I say played, for the love and respect of the game, Lothar played for money, chicks and free BMW's.
You have 0 clue as to how they treated him. You weren't there, you weren't involved, you've got the british press who are notoriously anti us soccer's version.
You mean like playing drunk? http://www.football365.co.uk/Home/search.shtml/REDIR?35207 Class man class!
Whatever! Anybody who has loosly followed Arse-nal, or even the EPL would know of Tony's past alcohol and drug use. They would also know of his fight and recovery to sobriety. As a Spurs supporter, I normally hate everything Arse-nal, but I highly respect Tony, mainly for his fight for sobriety, but also for his professionalism on the field, and now off. Personally, I think he would do well in MLS.
You're absolutely correct here. The MLS should have understood that he was way too thick to both read and understand his contract (must be those damned slick American lawyers, because apparently poor Ian never had to deal with these kinds of shenanigans on the other side of the pond). Anyway, the simplest thing in the world would have been to insert a Dolt Clause in the contract just for such an occasion. Something to the effect of Then the only burden on his attorney would be to establish that he was too dim to understand the terms of the legal document he validated with his signature. Pretty much a snap if you ask me..
Everyone here did, didn't they? What does it say that of the 26 players who saw action for the Fusion last year, 18 have played in MLS this year, and Bishop isn't one of them? The ones that haven't are Greg Simmonds (is he back in the A-League?), Ian Woan, Jeff Bilyk (I'm pretty sure he's in the A-League), Tim Sahaydak (almost certain he's in the A-League), Jeff Cassar (just signed with Atlanta of the A-League), Pete Marino, Judah Cooks, and Randy Merkel. Unless someone here was actually involved in the negotiations to bring Bishop here, or a party to his lawsuit, I think it's safe to say that none of us know what really happened, so to claim that one side or the other did things 100% right or 100% wrong is fairly specious, don't you think? Oh, what was the topic again? Oh, yeah, Tony Adams. Shame to see him go. I think the way he came back from what he came back from was admirable, even if how he got there in the first place wasn't. I think I'd almost rather have him than Gazza, but I'm sure we can find a young American to fill that spot at an eighth of the price.