Contract talks between CLINT MATHIS and Major League Soccer are suspended, and MetroStars General Manager NICK SAKIEWICZ is partly to blame. At a news conference last week, Sakiewicz faulted Mathis for the MetroStars' failure to make the playoffs. "Nick's comments just put it over the top,'' CRAIG SHARON, Mathis's agent, said. "But rather than call it quits with M.L.S. and/or the MetroStars - two possible but more extreme reactions - Clint has decided to let things settle down a bit. M.L.S. would like to see Clint settle down a bit, too, so it makes sense for both sides to wait. We have mutually agreed to hold discussion about a new contract for Clint in abeyance.'' Mathis's contract with M.L.S. expires at the end of the 2003 season. A person close to the situation said that M.L.S. Commissioner DON GARBER was irate over Sakiewicz's comments. Also: Contrary to many comments on some soccer bulletin boards, OCTAVIO ZAMBRANO, the former MetroStars coach, is not signed to a league contract and will not be reassigned to coach another club. His deal is with the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which runs the MetroStars and five other M.L.S. clubs. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/15/sports/soccer/15SOCCER.html Interesting that Mathis hasn't "had it" with MLS -- despite the fact that he can sign a letter of intent with any club in the world starting next summer (I think the FIFA rule is 6 months before the official end of his contract). Then again, maybe EVERY club is taking a "wait and see" approach: Clint is going to have to BRING IT for every... single... match next season if he wants to make it over to a big club in Europe. Mathis' agent is a bright bulb to never shut any doors. If Mathis blows a knee or another joint before next summer, MLS is really his only realistic option at that point. Also, if true, Garber's reaction is a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes, as it were. Maybe Nick S. is ticking off power brokers left and right; his days may be similarly numbered -- a realization which no doubt will bring unmitigated joy to the Big Soccer masses...
what? you want it all nice and clean? this ain't rocket science... it ain't suppose to be completely perfect each and every time
The other interesting tidbit from the article: Next season, the league is expected to alter its playoff format, dropping the first-to-5-points system for a home-and-away total-goals series.
Hey guys - If you liked that article, take a couple of minutes to write the editors at sports@nytimes.com NYTimes is not always consistent in their coverage, and the more of us that write in, the more likelihood that we'll get more -- or at least get the soccer articles moved from the small type section in the back.