http://www.ussocceruk.com/news/?CatTypeId=2&ContentId=888 Chris Bergin reports after speaking (I believe) with MLS director of communnications. excerpt: "Vergara and the Chivas group understand that they will operate under the League's current roster rules," noted Fitz-Gerald. "What I understand his comments to mean to the Los Angeles Times is that, where applicable, his team would utilize a greater number of international players through the currently established and allowable means of Senior Internationals (three spots), Transitional Internationals (two spots) and on the developmental roster (six spots)." "I would speculate that perhaps above and beyond that Vergara would look to have players who speak Spanish or boast a Latin American heritage on his team." Earlier, Los Angeles Galaxy vice president and general manager Doug Hamilton gave an indication of what the current MLS teams would make of any rule change, noting Vergara has to comply with the US top-flight's current rulings. "Well they have to," he stated. "There are competitive reasons rules are in place. "We are a single entity League and they need to play under the same rules that we do. It's really that simple for me, I don't see any way around that."
That was my last objectection to this deal. As long as it's called THE San Diego Chivas and follows our players rules (so that it's not a Chivas farm team) then I think everyone should be happy.
Well it does ease any concern that the league would somehow break its own rules when it came to San Diego Chivas' player allocations/foreign limits/etc. Not that I thought otherwise, but it's nice to hear from the horse's mouth. Still, the two sides do appear to be at odds, what with MLS rules set in stone (who thought one would ever say that!) and Chivas' seeming desire to bring in more Latin and Hispanic players. Something's got to give.
wanting to do something and actually being able to do it are two different things. let's give the MLS officials a little bit of credit and the benefit of the doubt that in all of these negotiations, they have made it clear that Vergaras has to abide by league rules. This really isn't rocket science.
I think the easy way to get around this whole issue is to begin working on the roster right now. Scout players in Mexico and have then apply for green cards in the next two three months. Some of them should be able to get them come next season and season the rest of the squad with Mexican Americans and viola!!! problem solved.
No you mean... Give 'em and inch, they want a kilometer. I'm still curious how they're going to get around US and California laws which prohibit hiring based on national origin. It's one thing to end up with all hispanic players and say that things just ended up that way. It's a whole 'nother ballgame to announce in advance that you are going to hire only hispanics. My research showed a whole lot of hungry California lawyers willing to do contingency lawsuits for job discrimination. Some would probably do it just to get their name in the paper.
No rules will be broken, I assure you. That's right. "Give MLS executives and Vergara the benefit of the doubt." They will come to an agreement that will be beneficial to both Chivas San Diego and MLS. Even those who hate Chivas or Mexican soccer for that matter will be anxious to have their team beat the heck out of the San Diego Chupacabras...
this is news? SA Confidential of Aug. 5: Contrary to some reports, Chivas won't be able to use its MLS entry as a reserve team stocked with Mexican players. It must adhere to league restrictions on foreign players. Otherwise, MLS would run afoul of an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation to limit the number of foreign players. But with green-card holders, transitional internationals and players with dual citizenship a team can stock up its "foreign" contingent. Ivan Gazidis quote in Soccer America (Sept. 8 issue): "Chivas USA will be exactly the same as any other MLS team in terms of rules and regulations. I assume within the rules and regulations of MLS, Chivas will seek to give its team a uniquely Chivas flavor. "We've had an expansion procedure in the past and we'll use the same procedure, so there would be an expansion draft. In addition, the expansion team, whether it be Chivas or anybody else, would have some number of allocated players and some number of discovery players." end quote The Competition Committee will decide on the allocations and discoveries. Three of each is a likely decision.
does anyone know if it's a done deal that Chivas is going to start in 2004, or is it still all just speculation?
Re: No you mean... Hollywood discriminates on the basis of looks all the time. I wonder how they get away with, say, not including any blacks and Asians in "Fiddler on the Roof".
I never thought this was a dealbreaker. Vergara wants to make money and believes he can do so operating a team in MLS. All the better for everyone.
Re: Re: No you mean... The case could be made that a black person could not do the job of portraying a Russian/Jewish dancer in "Fiddler on the Roof". (Sammy Davis Jr. might be an expemption, of course.) It's hard to say that a white or african-american cannot portray a soccer player. (Some current Dallas Burn players might be another exemption.)
Re: No you mean... First of all, San Diego Chivas isn't signing any players, MLS is. So assuming that Chivas are looking for a more Mexican (or at the very least Latino) identity, they can sign Mexican/Central American Internationals and TIs to their corazon's content. For the rest of the roster, they will have their pick of whoever is left unprotected in the expansion draft of existing MLS players. So if the Revs leave Jay Heaps unprotected, Chivas could take him. If there was another expansion team in Oklahoma, Rochester, Philadelphia, or Presque Isle, Maine, they could likely go for a player like Heaps. Why lot Los Goat-os? You do the math. Figure out how many existing MLS players under contract are US citizens of Mexican (or even Hispanic) heritage. Then figure out who is a marginal enough player that they might be left unprotected (without knowing the rules, this will be tricky, but let's say no one who is a full-time, automatic starter will be on this list). Here's a hint. Guys like Bocanegra, Mastroeni and any of the better Latino US citizens will not be available to Chivas unless it's through a trade. My conclusion is that they need to balance their team with enough white and black anglo players who are decent enough to play on their own merits. Otherwise, they will end up scraping the A-League or D-3 for Latino players who simply aren't good enough (or if they are, won't all work for $24k) to play in MLS. Johnny Torres is in Minnesota, if they are interested... This may be a situation that goes back to the early years of MLS, where ethnic pandering was more common. My take is that they'd be better off having a mix of ethnicities in the team, going for the best available player for the price, just like every other team tries to do. If they want to have a Mexican coach, Mexican internationals and play a "Mexican style," so be it. But they just might take a Jay Heaps (or other decent white-bread American) if he's available. In fact, they'd be foolish not to, if it means taking a part-time starter for the El Paso Patriots instead. Tom
Re: No you mean... Well I think we should have a team full of lawyers then. I am sure there are of teams that fans that would love to bitch slap a group of guys like that on a squad!!!
I have a funny feeling not a single Hispanic player will be unprotected in the expansion draft. Sachin
I'm sure a few will be. Thing is, I don't think they'll be all that great. Antonio "Chivas" Martinez, for example.
Makes sense. If Chivas are going to attach more value to Hispanic players, why not protect the ones you have and use them as trade bait later to get back more than what you lost. Also a good way to spite Chivas and create some competitive tension right off the bat.
I can just see the report in the NY Daily News: "When Amado Guevara was asked if he would play for the San Diego Chivas, his hands flew to his right eye and he dropped to the ground in agony."
"The first selection for San Diego Chivas in the expansion draft is... Damani Ralph!" VERGARA: "Fooled ya!"