http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/us0108barrett.html altho, the bad news is, the guy is looking to go over seas to play if he can. all the luck in the world to him, but if he goes, we'd miss him terribly. enjoy! battch GO QUAKES!!!
Sounds like it's not as much of a given he will re-sign with MLS compared to what we thought at the end of the season.
Very nice article. It's great to get some of the inside scoop and hear what the players themselves are really thinking. Good stuff.
I'd normally think he was just posturing but all the talk of "new life experience" and "learning a new language" sounds an awful lot like a guy that wants to leave.
Yeah. I thought the same thing too. Then when he said if he re-signs with the MLS he may never get the opportunity. So the time to do it is now when his contract is up. That pretty much had me worried.
i have heard from a very reliable source that Wade was very insulted by the MLS' offer of the new contract.... he really wants to get away from the league.... and his agent is Greg Vanney's, who has ties in France... we will see.....
I'm sure the offer is insulting considering he is the best left back in the league. Problem is that MLS probably has a hard time paying non marketable defenders, no matter how good they are. Barrett is low key and all business. If he would have made the WC team and grew out the "Chops".....he'd be more marketable. No such luck. Lalas had the red hair and goat.....Mastroeni HAD the dreds.....Agoos has the ponytail. Those guys "get paid" because they are or were good and also they are or were marketable. I don't blame MLS or Wade....just bad timing.
As I posted a looooong time ago, a couple of sources reported that MLS was offering more money to Steve Jolley than Wade. I'd sure as hell be insulted by that too!!!
Jolley re-signed back in December for an amount believed to be $120K (though league policy stipulates that terms of the agreement not be released.......**mule fritters**) I totally agree that Wade deserves more than Jolley. Is Jolley in USMNT camp? Any caps for Mr. Jolley? Don't seem to recall the name "Jolley" on the ballot under the heading "Defender of the Year." Damn straight, Wade should be insulted by a $100K offer. Sadly, I don't know that the Quakes can spare that kinda lettuce to resign him. I sure hope there is a way because the "silence" on this issue since early December is unnerving.
Don't forget Pepsi's Best XI too! I see Wade, but no Steve. And who was the only player to score for DC against the Spurs? Hmm.... Yeah, I could see why Wade would be quite insulted. As well he should be. He deserves more money. And I hope the league finds a way to give it to him.
Re: Re: great article from wade barrett... Even if it means the Quakes have to trade him to another team?
That's not what I meant. And I think you know that. I meant I hope the league finds a way to get him the money he deserves and the team finds a way to make it fit in their cap.
This is where the single-entity thing gets muddy. If the teams were left to their own devices, Wade would find an MLS team (hopefully the Quakes) that would pay him roughly what his market value is. I'm not saying single-entity is wrong. But it leaves the league in an awkward situtation. Say the league has some sponsors/marketing partners who can offer players endorsement contracts, or consulting contracts, to compensate the players beyond what's "allowed". Now the league can allow some (LD, perhaps?) but where's the fairness if they allow some and not others? I agree with LDB -- don't blame Wade or MLS. But the system the league has chosen makes for some very sticky situations. Personally, I don't want any players here who are unhappy, and I want Wade to be happy.
The flip side is that there is also silence about possible places he could go. He would be stupid not to seek other opportunities, both because it could be good for his career and because it's the only way he can get any leverage in his negotiations with MLS, but I hope he wouldn't bolt for a poor offer or a bad situation.
If Wade wants to have a legitimate shot at the National Team, he needs face time and he needs caps. If he's overseas, he doesn't get that. Even guys like John Thorrington, who get playing time with their clubs (when healthy), haven't gotten the looks because of their unavailabiilty. Unless a great offer comes along (unlikely for a little-known American defender), he's staying with MLS. That, alone, is probably why the leagir low-balled him in the first place. By the way, I practice employment law and it is unlawful for a California employer to prohibit its employees from revealing and/or discussing their salaries. I wonder if any California based MLS player has ever tested the oft-mentioned league gag rule on revealing player wages?
That is interesting. But by California based do you mean the company is headquartered in California and this rule only applies to an employer who is located in California? Or do you mean that the employee works in California. Cuz I guess they could skirt the law by saying they work for MLS, which is headquartered in New York.
I will wait for SJSoccerFan's interpretation, but I would suppose that even if a company is headquartered in Chicago or New York, or wherever, and it has branches (and employees) in California, those branches (and their employees) have to comply with California law. I'm sure they can't ignore it at their own discretion.
I believe you're right. I work in Human Resources too. But that's not something I need to know for what I do. That's why we have someone like SJSoccerFan at my work. So I just want to see if I'm reading that right. Based on my experience with other HR related stuff, I would say you're right Albany.
I remember you posting the note from MLS Confidential on the slap in the face to Barrett. Jolley gets 120k and Barrett only 100k? Crap. Pure crap. This is the first instance of Barrett mentioning moving abroad I can remember. I don't think it's likely that he'll move abroad. He's only in his second national team camp. If he moves to Europe, it'll be much more difficult for him to make himself available and make an impact. They need to revise the structure for player ownership. From what I've read, it appears to hinder clubs from going after new and better talent because they are limited by what they can acquire (2 discoveries a year). Also, clubs are not really rewarded fairly for whatever great finds they make. Barrett rocks by the way.
Yallop should sit down and talk to Barrett himself. Encourge Wade to sign a short term deal and stay in SJ for another 2 years. I think that Frank will leave for England himself by then and I bet he would lobby for Barrett to be signed (by then he might have enough national team caps to qualify for a permit). Wade knows exactly how Yallop wants his outside backs to play. Yallop's influence has been the key to Wade's development. I believe if Yallops goes overseas, Wade will be rewarded for "learning the system".
I think the very fact that MLS posted that article on their website shows that Wade doesn't have any offers from overseas. As much as I don't like to see him insulted by the league, and as much as I think he should make more than Jolley, I don't think he has much choice.
That's an interesting point. There hasn't really been any interest in Barrett. It's doubtful that he'll get serious interest and an offer before the end of the European transfer window (end of January?).