I know, I know, some will say they won't, that the rules will change for all. But not according to this: http://www.ussocceruk.com/news/?CatTypeId=2&ContentId=982 Insanity to have one set of rules for one team, another set of rules for all others. This is not a racist/anti-hispanic comment, simply it's not right to have that situation. If I was the other 10 teams, I'd revolt. Get Garber fired. Unless MLS DOES come through and change the rules for all. But, in my opinion, I don't want more international slots open, for anyone. This is an American league, created to give Americans opportunities. (Americans of all races, before I get flamed for being a racist.)
Points well taken, I agree with them 100%. However, not so fast. According to a story in today's San Jose Mercury-News, MLS has clarified their stance on the situation. Down near the bottom of Dylan Hernandez's column... http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/7027626.htm The gist of it (from the article): Major League Soccer denied claims made by Chivas Executive President Ivar Sisniega to the Mercury News that the Mexican club's proposed MLS expansion franchise will be allowed to carry more foreigners than other teams. MLS spokesman Trey Fitz-Gerald said Chivas USA will use the same set of rules as everyone else. Each team is limited to three senior internationals, who are 25 or older. However, teams may have an unlimited number of youth internationals, who are younger than 25, but there may only be 20 of them league-wide. Currently, there are 13 youth internationals in MLS. Call it a clarification or spin-doctoring, but looks like MLS isn't going to cowtow to anyone on the issue.
Would one possiblity be reserving a majority of the youth international slots for Chivas? That's the same thing, one set of rules for one team, another set for all others. Crap if you ask me.
The only reason that I am not upset about this topic is because the prospect of having different rules for different teams in MLS is so asinine I find it hard to believe any of MLS' brass would agree to it. It is just too irrational for anyone to come to terms with. If this would come to bear then the two steps forward the league has taken in the last 3-4 years would have been for nothing. They have worked hard to raise the credibility of the league and i can't imagine them throwing that away.
The real issue probably won't be SIs per se, but salary cap circumvention. If the team were going to sign a bunch of young Mexican players to exclusive MLS contracts to get seasoning, that's one thing. If he's loaning players from a mexican league team, he's probably going to leave Chivas reponnsible for the bulk of their salary, thus loading his team with "low-cap" talent. If he's doing something like this, they need some type of rule that a large percentage of the player's real contract must count against the cap, up to the max MLS salary. If not, or if he gets different SI rules, his team should be allowed to participate in the MLS but be inelegible for the playoffs and the Supporter's Shield.
I will wait until I see it on this one. I don't think Garber and MLS will be so interested in getting a new investor that they will bend the rules for one team. They have been smart in the past and I think they will be smart in the future. The one thing I can see happening is making a new international player status, like NAFTA player, for all teams. That way Chivas US gets its mexican players and all MLS teams can take people from Canada and Mexico without going against their international cap. There is precident to do this. European players do not count against against the international limit in most Euro leagues. I don't think this will harm the American game. I imagine there is just as much American talent as there is Mexican, and it might be cheaper in America. Who knows. I'll wait until I see it.
Yeah, the precident being England? Where the biggest complaint is not enough English players play? Personally, I'd vote that one down.
This is a very interesting idea, NAFTA players, but wouldn't Central American and Caribean players fall under this rule? If so that would amount for about 90% of the internationals in MLS, and would basically double the SI's right off since these people would become non-SI's and teams would be free to sign 3 more players (SA's or Euro's). I'm not sure what NAFTA consists of but if the actual name refers to all of North America it would be like opening a can of worms.
Ok, I don't know what to make of all this yet till final details come out, but come on..."Get Garber fired"? You think Don can lift a finger withougt Unky Phil saying 'Boo'?
one positive thing...maybe If it was true that the cap on internationals was tweaked for Chivas, there could be one good result: A similar situation could be created for the proposed Canadian MLS squad and with Ajax in Florida. These could represent two new viable and competative squads.
Nobody is going to flame you, but, please, hold your horses. Don't jump into conclusions before the final ink has dried on the agreement with the Chivas Chupacabras... Trust MLS as a league and continue to support what is the only entity giving us our "daily bread of soccer in the U.S."... The mere presence of Chivas will increase attendance 10 or 20% across all venues. Wait and see...
Hehe, I'm usually good a holding my horses, but this story won't go away, and it's on a topic that really pisses me off. Again, this isn't an anti-hispanic, or anti-Mexican thing, rather it's a rant againts the possibility of MLS doing something that further categorizes it as a 'Micky-Mouse' league. One set of rules for one team, another set of rules for the rest, well, others have responded with the same reaction I have to that suggestion. I know their is nothing official yet, so I'll rein in the horses, for now. As far as 'Getting Garber fired', I meant that if I was an investor, and Garber (or whoever) agreed to this, I'd get him out. So, basically Uncle Phil should kick his ass out if he's going to agree to this.
And you, again, are using the reverse logic of what is most likely reality. Do you think Garber would even bring it up in the first place unless Unky Phil gave him the okay?
Sounds like the current rules already give Chivas USA a lot of room for foreigners. Say Chivas USA is established today and the league-total for junior internationals is increased from 20 to 22 to account for the extra team. With only 13 junior international spots currently taken, Chivas USA could add nine junior internationals plus three senior internationals. That's twelve Mexicans they could place on the roster. Add to that some Mexican-Americans, and Chivas USA really has the Mexican flavor they want. As pointed out, salary cap issues will be interesting, though...
wrong You may not be aware of this BUT Bergin does have have solid ties to MLS HQ and others through out the league. Your comments are unfounded. So shutup or back it up. ;-)
Well the other think to take into account is how does that make Chris Bergin different than any other media outlet in the United Kingdom?
Re: wrong I never said he didn't have good ties with the league-he does. I check his site every day to see what he's got. That doesn't mean that he doesn't run every quote he can get his hands on just to make a splash for a few days.
My goodness...how can folks around here be so anal about who has how many foreign allocation picks nationals whatever.....when I'd think the best thing for soccer in this country is bringing/getting committed even more investor(s) who are more evenly distribute the investment risk, and who can bring big crowds and excitement (and closer to overall profitability).. Quit worrying about the nit-picky stuff now I say...get to profitability/legitimacy quicker, and then you can get anal about this team has 4, this team has 6 foreign blah-blahs... And, for the die hard few (you know, the ones who post here ad-naseum year round)...don't throw out argument of "the way you build legitimacy is by keeping same rules, year after year, etc.)...no...in this case, its by filling stadia and making money...and Chivas will help that goal... Geez, after all, they aren't asking to make the goals bigger (smile)
First of all,Chivas USA hasn't even started playing yet and i don't even like them. I hope that they're not calling themselves Chivas USA,it sounds like a farm team for the Mexican side. Can't they think of a more original name? How about the San Diego Goats. Are they going to wear red and white stripped uniforms? I also don't like the fact that the owner wants to stock his team with mainly Mexicans. That might fly in Mexico, but it wont in the U.S.A.. To me it sounds like a cheap stunt to attract Mexican fans. If you love soccer it shouldn't matter what race of people are wearing your uniform,just go out and support your local team. Don't get me wrong,i'm glad that Mr. Verganza is willing to invest in MLS. I also hope that his team is successfully run. I just don't like what i've been hearing about his future team.
I am waiting.. for an apology from those that didn't believe me when I said that Chivas USA would find a way to make the club as much of a Mexican club(non-American) that excludes non-hispanic players from USA. If I recall here is a list of the people whom didn't believe me when I said Chivas USA will break the rules. - ************ - Anderson - Femfa - Wolves 67 "Chivas will be alot more american than arsenal or Chelsea" Here's the latest proof: http://216.198.206.182/news/?CatTypeId=2&ContentId=982