http://www.rojomania.com/extrasFram...acionales&prin=noticiasInter¬icia_id=32816 http://www.thehitchhikersguide.us/ruiztoleicester1_12_03.php
If we lose Pescadito...then Sigi and Dougie better make some signings this winter. I hope the HDC can help us lure some real players.
What's his contract status anyway? I thought he was still signed for another season with the Galaxy. It would really be a shame to lose him - hopefully he'll want to rectify last year's wrongs and try to bring another MLS Cup to LA.
this is starting to piss me off! mls shouldn't be a farm league for other leagues! mls is only 8 years old, has few teams and doesn't have that many stars, yet you people get so excited when there are rumours about them going to europe! you are so naive!
I agree that losing our marquis players sucks, but MLS for the time being IS a farm league and will have to act as such in the best financial interests of the league. It's about money, and if the league has it, it can continue to grow. At some point in the future, when the fanbase and the salaries grow, we will become a proper league where people want to stay, but until then, that's the way it is.
After reading that article, I'd say there's a 90% chance that he's outta here. It seems like a question of time at this point. Maybe the league will give us Donovan, so he can move in with Mommy in nearby Redlands. Topper Tonight's interesting factoid: Topper blocked a blistering point plank shot from Ted Chronopolis in tonight's rec. league game. I hope you're impressed.
I'm torn with this moving abroad deal for Carlos. On the one hand, the guy can score a goal from nothing and win an impossible game. On the other hand, the Galaxy get very one dimensional with Carlos, and at times aren't inspired to do anything more than lob the ball over the top with the hope that he'll take the hail Mary and send it home. I think, given the right combination of new acquisitions for next year, the Galaxy can survive and prosper without him. As for Donovan, as good as he is, I really enjoy hating that Smurf while at the games. It adds a whole new dimension to being a fan. He can have Mommy and Tristan move in with him in the slums of San Jo.
Good for Ruiz & Ruiz-bashers for him to move on, but bad for the Galaxy. If he does go, Sigi better find that hidden gem.
Exactly. Get money for him now while MLS still has the rights to him rather than him walking away a Free Agent like Cleetus is doing. Sigi could buy a couple of youngsters from South/Central America with that money. How's the economy in Argentina these days? Clubs there were in some major money problems not too long ago.
Remember McBrides loan. They can have him for half a season, both MLS and Ruiz get their names out there and the contract with the galaxy is fullfilled. Look for him to finish the season for the foxes. If they stay up with his help, they may make an offer everybody likes. If they go down, he hasn't overcommited himself and will be back in the hdc. MLS isn't becoming a farm league, but other leagues seem to be like fall ball is to baseball. It seems to be a nice partnership. It really provides a lot of opportunity for all involved. I would look for more guys to play in MLS from over there too to ease some work permit tensions in the long haul too.
Of course, Leicester doesn't have any money with which to pay a hefty transfer fee . . . the team was in administration as recently as last season and scarcely has any money right now. It is possible that they will get a cash infusion from their ownership group, but it won't be much. http://www.clubsincrisis.com/clublist.asp?Key=50 A shame really, because the coach is a good one and he has put together a fairly solid side from a bunch of Division 1 players (they had a ton of turnover after their promotion campaign - but hardly any of the players brought in were from the EPL). Amazingly, their goalscoring has not been a particular problem (the team is tied for fifth behind only Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Fulham). Generally promoted teams struggle to score, but Les Ferdinand, Marcus Bent and Paul Dickov have not had too much trouble scoring. Muzzy Izzet has been phenomenol and re-signing him to an extension has to be the primary goal of the club. Many commentators have credited the distribution skills of their goalkeeper Ian Walker (especially his tremendously long and accurate goal kicks) with helping the team perform so well offensively. If anything, Leicester needs to shore up their shaky backline. They don't have tons of speed and struggle to turn off the spigot (22 goals allowed - fourth from bottom in the league). It will be interesting to see how Leicester perform as other teams make adjustments when the transfer window reopens. Some of the early high-flyers (Fulham, Portsmouth, etc) may very well come back to earth while other teams that have started poorly (Blackburn, Everton, etc) may start rising up the table. I think the best hope for Leicester is to look to consolidate in the same manner as Birmingham did last term. Ruiz would probably work well with Leicester's existing players. He is physical enough to win and hold long passes. He is strong enough to battle EPL defenders and his poacher's instincts will help him in a style of play that draws many free kicks and corner kicks. On the other hand, he will have to improve his positioning (way too many offsides) and his penchant for diving (it will draw too much attention to him and other players will absolutely hate him). Unfortunately, the offsides are the by-product of a lack of tremendous pace/quickness which might only be exacerbated in an athletic league like the EPL. Perhaps Carlos Ruiz could help the team, but MLS would need to add some big escalators to his contract, as Leicester is not likely to be able to afford much of an outright fee (especially as they are still in relegation battle). Perhaps a big sell-on clause, a bonus if Leicester stay up and an appearance bonus. The sell-on clause would be huge, as if Leicester goes down, but Ruiz makes his mark - someone else in England is sure to put in for him. Also, a foreign player will more likely be at home in the very diverse Leicester City though there will necessarily be a lot of culture shock for a latino player moving away from Guatamala, then California, in fairly rapid succession.
If he wants to leave, then there's not much we or MLS can do about it. If Leicester would come in with a good bid, MLS should sell, especially considering that his value probably won't get any higher.
I love Carlos Ruiz No, you are. MLS needs to go free market, pal. Let loose the purse strings and let clubs bring whomever they can get for whatever price they can get them. Rape the other leagues right back if they're gonna rape you. Put the MAJOR in Major League Soccer! Personally, I'd hate to see Carlos leave, but it's his destiny as long as MLS is cheap cheap cheap.
I just like that he's enough of a player to begin talking about himself in the third person. We're big-league now...
I feel for the Galaxy fans. That being said, in my opinion, MLS' stars are not the Carlos Ruiz's or the Damani Ralph's or the Stern John's of the world. MLS should do its best to convince the most promising youngsters from the CONCACAF region to come play so that you can get a good shot at moving to the big time. If they sign a good three or four year contract, two years in MLS should be adequate for them to prove themselves. Once they prove themselves, MLS should sell one or two per year, hopefully for a good $1 or $2 million dollar transfer for each player. MLS should clearly be a farm league for CONCACAF youngsters who are not from the states. The stars of the league should be American players. A Clint Mathis, a Carlos Bocanegra, a Landon Donovan, Bobby Convey, Demarcus Beasley etc. Whether they are aging American players (ala McBride, Pope or Preki) or they are young pups, they are the stars of MLS. Personally, I don't care that we lose Ruiz. If MLS makes some money on him, it is best for the league (just like Stern John). Some of these American stars we will lose because they want to challenge themselves at the highest level. I have no problem with that. Get a transfer for them if you can prior to their exodus if it appears likely they won't resign. (Difficult to do). MLS will lose some on free because of attitude towards MLS (Mathis). But in the end this is the stars for whom the league should go after, if it so desires. MLS should do its part to sign as much of the U-17, 20, 23 pools as possible each year. The best should go off to Europe after MLS. The rest however, make up a more than adequate league and a more than adequate national team pool of fringe players. I don't mind seeing Petke, Hartman, Thornton, Armas, Kries, Wolff, Mulrooney, etc. and similar "fringe" national teamers mix in with a Lalas, Preki etc. old timers to form MLS. We should have enough quality youth flowing through each team that losing a Bocanegra, Mathis, Donovan, Beasley and Convey should not be that big of a hit. We replace them with an Adu, etc. In my mind that is what MLS should do. I think we need to recognize that we in all likelihood will never replace Europe as the soccer capital of the world. This may be defeatist. But carve out our niche of soccer fans living in the states, help out our USMNT depth, invest in some quality youth and transfer some out each year and MLS should steadily improve over the next 20+ years, both in quality and financially. In 10-20 years after we have a more established league (20 teams, relegation maybe), then we talk about taking on Europe. Right now, it is all slow growth. Losing a Ruiz doesn't affect slow growth. Losing Bocanegra probably doesn't as well. Losing a Donovan or a Beasley might, unless they are replaced with quality youths. They are the stars. We can never keep them all though.
about Ruiz talking to Leicester? or about MLS being a stepping stone to bigger leagues for CONCACAF youngsters? the first part we can validate. . . the second part will be validated in a few short months
I think Ruiz and his elbows will give other players enough reasons to hate him, so what difference is a little diving going to make.