We always say that it's important for MLS to keep talented Americans in our league. Well, what if they created a DP spot specifically for them?. First and foremost this would allow teams to keep players like Donovan and Johnson, without using the current DP slot or trade for one. Second, it would also allow teams to sign players like Keller and McBride, again without using the DP slot that could be used on a recognizable international player. Third, it would open up an opportunity for young players to earn big wages while playing in MLS, certainly something to strive for. Just an idea. Thoughts? PS. We can call this 'the Donovan rule', and Toronto would have a Canadian DP.
IMO DeRo would be the first Canadian DP. Anywho...its a great idea...but they already have that rule I think Donovan and Johnson are signed above the league max....But if MLS were to make it an official rule it would benifit US soccer and MLS greatly.
This idea has been batted around here before. As you put it, it's a bad idea. Here's why. Pretty soon, the league will be at 16 teams, and there just are NOT 16 Americans who are both worth the DP salary, AND willing to play in MLS. Not even close. Instead, I suggest making it a CONCACAF DP. There might not be 16 players like that, but it'd be a hell of a lot closer.
An interesting concept, although probably pretty unlikely for a few years. There aren't a whole lot of Caribbean and Central American CONCACAF players worthy of this sort of money so I think it would result in MLS cherry picking the Mexican League. Would definitely ruiffle a few feathers south of the border.
Stern John and Jason Roberts. Suazo. Some Canucks. Probably enough of those, plus a couple of Mexicans, plus a few Yanks, to be in the neighborhood of 16.
An American DP would have to include all green card holding players. Legally you couldn't do it otherwise.
Why on earth would you do that? For a given amount of money, why limit the pool of talent available? You are less likely to maximize your dollar that way. The only reason to do so would be to benefit the US National Teams and the American player. Having a CONCACAF DP as opposed to a regular DP applied to an Argentine, Brazilian, Italian, Swede,etc. does nothing towards that end.
I think that it is a good idea. Maybe in the beginning there would only be a few teams that would take advantage of it but that would be ok. Makes a lot of sense.
I think having an american DP is a good idea given how RSL and NYRB did not want to pay the money Kasey Keller probably deserves. If they did he would in the league right now. I think the concacaf dp is a bad idea and I don't think americans would cheer a star from places like central america and the caribbean. For canada's team, I think the american dp could count for americans and canadians. Until they don't need an american that is. If you have a concacaf dp, make one eligible for every federation.
I agree...although, I'm not sure that many Americans that can make that big Euro dough would even come back. Like, right now Feilhaber should come back. If he could get an "american DP" would he come back? Maybe so, but I still think not. They don't really go overseas for the money. They go for the "better competition."
I think we're talking about adding a CONCACAF DP in addition to the regular DP. And I like the idea, because it's a proactive way to help teams keep talent that they already have. I'm thinking Donovan in LA, Ruiz in Dallas, DeRosario in Houston. Or, alternately, bringing players like Keller home, without having to use up the regular DP slot. Of course, it could also turn Chicago into a real juggernaut by letting them bring in another big-name player to go with Blanco...
You won't have to have all 16 teams having US DPs. It's like the current DP rule, we had 13 teams, and only 4 took advantage. It would be up to the teams to bring players in, or attempt to keep players. In addition, by designating players as US DPs, I'm not saying that you need to pay them millions of dollars, you could pay them just above the league max. Think of it this way, a team like Chivas might be able to hold on to Klejstan for a few more years before he goes overseas, while Seattle would be able to bring in Keller in addition to an international player. Hypothetically speaking of course. The CONCACAF idea is novel, but if you're taking it outside the US, why not just create another 'Beckham' DP. Because lets face it, there are more options in Europe and South America then Central America.
Simply give every team 2 DP's- 1 American/Canadian (for TFC) and 1 foreign. As it is, some teams haven't use their DP's yet. American DP is used to keep all the young talent going overseas or bringing back someone for last couple years - Foreign DP is obvious... Beckham will be hard to top, but any big name should work as long as the player brings value and work ethic, not vacation status. - I think for both DP, teams should be allowed to split the DP. In otherwords, if for example, a team wants to sign two Argentines for the place of one higher price Euro talent, ok.. Would seem we still might need to have a soft or flexible cap to still keep small markets competitive if they can't get a big DP star.
First of all, while only 6 teams (I think you forgot KC and Adu's RSL) had DPs, that's probably not going to be the case going forward. And, of course, there's a bountiful supply of players willing to come to MLS and worth more than $400K a year. But there flatly is NOT a bountiful supply of AMERICAN players willing to come to MLS and worth more than $400K a year. One of two things would happen. Either half the teams would get those American DPs, and half would be left out, or a bunch of Americans would get paid alot more than they're worth. Keller, for example. Or Feilhaber...in MLS, I just don't see him being worth DP money. Is he substantially better than Klejstan? Is he better than DeRo? I don't see it. A US-only DP is a guarantee of either unfair* competition, or wasted money. *What would make it unfair is that the league would be creating a loophole CERTAIN that the supply was much lower than the demand.