I'm sure that others can come up with some... but Joe-Max Moore was one... I actually think that Everton paid two chickens and a pig to get him released slightly early (his MLS contract went beyond the end of the season), but it was basically a free... I don't remember the details of Sanah's transfer, but it wasn't for much money... maybe someone can enlighten me... rand
Would a PR guy say the kinda of things to a radio host? It is his job to provide good PR for the league. Wouldn't it be very unprofessional for him to provide bad PR for the league. I always thought the PR people can come up all kind of excuses for things liked this. He is not going to tell the truth if it would be a bad PR for the league. He could easily tell the radio host that McBride does not want to do interviews. So this thread can either be fake or the PR guy should be fired.
Well, I know Madden isn't a fake. He's a real person. So perhaps the PR guy should be fired, or perhaps he just blew it. It happens.
I believe Razov left on a free as well. Hejduk's departure was similar to Moore's, BL paid a small fee for MLS to release him from the last three or four months of his contract. Just the four players listed, since all are/were national teamers, make it hard for me to label the group as "irrelevant." However, I'll agree that generally MLS has done a good job keeping it's talent. Has it done a good job keeping it's talent happy, though? Of that I'm not so sure. From what I've read, there are quite a number of disgruntled current and former MLS players (whether McBride is one or not). That's a reality the league is going to have to deal with at some point.
There was an article in this morning's Dispatch about McBride (here) in which he expresses his frustration with the communication, or lack thereof, between he and the league.
Brian Mc Bride I too host a sports radio talk show (in Los Angeles we are broadcast via the Sporting News Radio) and Iwas pleased to see you're a Liverpool FC fan. I have been a Red all my life. My show is called "World Soccer Weekly" and we're the only show devoted full time to world soccer. This EPL season we're scheduled to have on a number of First team players from both Man U and Liverpool. I'll let you know when we are going to have number 10 on! Would love to talk to you about this McBride issue... I've heard the same thing and we were trying to get him on but he is "unavailable". The news from Everton is more specific. They were interested in McBride but his most recent injury plus his age spooked them. It really has nothing to do with MLS not letting him go there (although they don't make it easy) but Everton having limited funds and not being in a situation to sign a player that spends a large portion of the season in rehab. Nick Geber www.worldsoccerweekly.com
I was at the DC-Columbus game in DC a few weeks ago and I saw him doing an interview after they Crew won 3-1.
The interesting part is Garber saying they haven't received any official offer. If that's true, Brian's brother must be new to the agent business....a written offer is standard, not verbal discussions. Very odd. Still, MLS should return the phone calls at the very least and ask for a written offer so they can progress either way. Is this business 101 with MLS or what?
Re: Re: brian mcbride upset with MLS My guess is that Jeff Wuerth was just being himself. For a PR guy, he sure does run his mouth without thinking first an awful lot.
If you had a commodity that you thought was worth 3 million dollars, and you got a phone call offering $250,000, would you return the call? Don't be so quick to blame MLS. If there was an offer for McBride, and if it was ridiculously low in MLS' opinion, they shouldn't even bother with it.
Re: Re: brian mcbride upset with MLS In some cases I think you do. In McBride's case I think we can all agree on the following from this thread: - Brian wants to move to Europe - His contract runs out at the end of the season - MLS has a two-year option they can pick up at the end of the season. - MLS wants more than the rumored $1M offer The question for MLS is what's best for the league? If they sell McBride then they make a small profit to help offset their losses for this year. If they refuse to sell and force McBride to play out his contract what happens? Does he just phone in the last two months of this season? If he does, will MLS want to pick up the option? If they don't and he leaves on a free in December what will MLS have gained? Worst case, they get to promote a disgruntled and unmotivated player for two months and then watch him leave without getting a penny in return. Best case, Mcbride sucks it up plays well down the stretch for the Crew and MLS picks up their option for the next two years. I would seriously consider taking the $1M in order to avoid that worst case scenario, especially if I felt that McBride could be replaced without too much of a drop off. Suerdave (I think) made a very good point about young players possibly being scared away from MLS in the future if they know they will be roped into long term contracts and then not allowed a reasonable chance to move.
In business you ALWAYS return calls with partners. You don't ignore anything...unless you are stupid. What goes around comes around and sometimes we give, and sometimes they may owe us. Don't underestimate the power of personal relationships. MLS is the last to pretend they have power. they should always respect European entities. Bend over and return the call in 30 seconds flat. Then negotiate. YES you return calls...it's professional..we look ameatuer as hell if Brian is right. And I believe he is...he's too PC not to be. Secondly...what makes you think he is worth 3 million dollars? And how do you know it was a palrty 250,000? Ridiculous. it has to be at least a mil. Which is damn good for us. Tickets in Columbus sure aren't sold if he is here or not. He wasn't around most of the season when we had high attendance numbers. You have an opinion...but i's not educated so I stand by mine. Let him go. His days are numbered and he gave us more than most. MLS is being extremely unwise. He deserves to make some cash while he can./...then maybe he will want ot come back and help MLS succeed ...if they are still alive. Otherwise...MLS is burning a bridge they shouldn't consider. It's business....simple 101.
Everton's not a partner. And they've already got one former MLS player languishing in their reserve squad. MLS owes Everton zilch, especially if their offer was insultingly low, which was the only point I was trying to make. And you don't entertain ridiculous lowball offers unless you are stupid and don't want to be taken seriously in the future. Riiiiigggghhht...I'd love to stay and chat, but there were a bunch of messages on my answering machine from cold-callers trying to sell me stuff I didn't need for money I don't have. I'll be back with you in a minute. Your credibility was low. Now it's non-existent And he has absolutely nothing to gain from all this. How do you know he isn't? I have no idea what the offer (if there was one, which nobody has verified) was, and neither do you. And it doesn't matter what I think he is worth. It matters what MLS thinks he's worth. That's the whole point prove it Fun playing with other people's money, isn't it? He was on the roster though. I'd be willing to bet you lose a few season tickets if he leaves Unintentionally funny post of the day. Look up "irony" in the dictionary. So why would Everton want him? It's not like he's washing windows for spare change in the off-season. He's arguably doing a lot better financially in the States than he could in Europe when you factor in endorsements (more here) and taxes (more there). But my opinion is "uneducated" so take it at face value. I thought his days were numbered?!? Classy. I was wondering when you were going to argue that MLS was on its last legs. I'm not sure what this means. Nor this. When I read all of this, I get a picture of Kramer in that Seinfeld episode with all the crackers in his briefcase.
I couldnt have sead it better myself, Brian is one of my fav players, but, if a team in Europe wants him that bad, then why would they be uptight abou the selling fee? most of those European teams pay big bucks for players over there. If Brian wants to go, i will be sad to see him go, but he obiously wants more than MLS is giving him.
Or else it's someone used to having MSWord or whatever he uses automatically correct when he forgets to capitalize. Convincing argument.
Mc Bride what?????????? A place on the USA national team have to be won. and so far BRIAN McBRIDE have show the COJONES that not too many WANNABES are willing to put in line, even on 1998 he sold his defeat with HONOR fighting to the very end, I find very UNGRATEFULL from soccer managers the fact that if Brian can make some MONEY on Europe, hey lets work something out
McBride's big thing was that MLS wasn't communicating offers from the EPL to his agent. He had a meeting with MLS officials to straighten this out and came away very angry. The reason Everton wants him is because the coach at Preston North End (where he played on loan last winter) is now at Everton, and remembers how good McBride is. PNE didn't have the money to buy him last year, but Everton might this year. I don't fault Everton for putting in a low ball offer. But you don't start negotiations at a fair price. You allow yourself to be bargained up to a fair price. Not passing an opening offer along because it was low is silly. McBride is an aerial player, and no one on the Crew for the last six years can give him good service in the air. They excel at that sort of thing in England. McBride deserves better treatment and as a Crew fan, I reluctantly support his leaving. Lastly, McBride has said that his problems in this instance are with MLS, not the Crew.
Apparantly I missed this thread until now. Just wanted to comment that having read/heard a lot of Madden in the past, in both wrestling and sports places, I have to say this sure sounds and looks like Mark
Everton's manager reiterated yesterday that their summer spending is over, so it looks like the question is moot.
Let's just hope Mark Madden sticks to soccer instead of trying to wrestling like he used to...believe I saw him on Nitro once, actually...
MLS owns McBride's contract. Why in the world would MLS need to contact McBride's contract unless things were heating up? If I get an offer for my house, should I call you?