Not so fast: @MC_CHASE86: Keane: “I would like to thank @LAGalaxy for reconsidering their decision after further conversations,which really means a lot to me” @COYBIG @GalaxyPodcast: Looks like their is a change in Plans for Robbie Keane. He’s now expected to play against ENG at Wembley on 5.29 for IRL #LAGalaxy
Gutless again. We deserve the "results" that we will get under these circumstances. Or maybe we will be bailed out by that dominating player, you know, The Best Designated Player EVER.
KEANE to play in friendlies for Ireland http://www.fai.ie/international/senior-men/103275-la-galaxy-release-keane-for-wembley-date.html http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...ter-negotiations-with-la-galaxy-29288844.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...anni-Trapattonis-men-face-England-summer.html
Fair enough, although to play devil's advocate, as a club attempting to draw international caliber players, some as DPs and others as not, showing that we will accommodate players' needs for international matches and not be draconian about it might help us out more in the long run-- showing those potential targets that signing for the Galaxy won't get in the way of their international callups... Just look at NE and how they sat on Twellman and Dempsey and how that has contributed to the sense of "cheapness" about their organization and might very well have hindered their attempts to sign other players since...showing that they wouldn't sell players even with good offers on the table - in effect holding them hostage...
True. But it depends on how you define "needs." What a player "wants" and what a player "needs" are two different things. The existence of defined FIFA International dates draws that line, I think. Robbie "needs" to be with Ireland on the international dates. Robbie "wants" to be with Ireland for the meaningless non-FIFA friendlies. So here's my question: How do other "big clubs" deal with this. Do the AC Milan's of the world release their players for non-FIFA friendlies? IF they do, if there is a recognized standard of behavior by clubs, then we should adhere to it for the reasons you mention. BUT if the Spurs or Arsenals of the world tell their players to show up for league matches unless there is a FIFA mandate, then that's what we ought to be doing. And I know that our summer schedule is an issue here. I don't think the Revs' treatment of Twellman or Dempsey is an apposite comparison. Asking Robbie to play a couple of key matches for us is not quite cheaply holding him hostage. I was willing to believe that Beckham bargained for some freedom in this regard as part of his contract. I doubt that Robbie did. Otherwise the club would not have issued an initial statement that he would not be released. The way this comes down makes up look like creampuffs and underscores to everybody that our league is not very important. Our league matches mean less than a non-FIFA friendly. THAT is bad business, not only because of the message it sends to the rest of the world, but to the message it sends to the fans who are buying tickets to these games.
One other thought. I am fairly sure that there have been situations where US National players have NOT been released by their clubs for non-FIFA dates. So, if that is the standard in the international soccer community, LAG could hardly be criticized for doing the same thing.
The only thing I can say is that the MLS is on a non-FIFA schedule so in order to get guys to come to the MLS and more importantly to the Galaxy and not stay and play for the Spurs or Arsenals of the world we need to be flexible and allow these guys to play in the games they would of been playing in if they stayed in the EPL.
Yeah, but as someone else pointed out, most of the European leagues are done so there is no conflict. So we sometimes need to be MORE forgiving to compensate for that. Plus these are friendlies set up as prep for WCQs. The same way we are releasing Gonzilla to play in friendlies that are prep for WCQs... I agree it's not great, but I have a feeling it's the price of doing business. Also agree the NE example isn't exactly the same, as that had more to do with holding domestic players under contract hostage, but I meant to use it as an example of what could happen to us if we keep high-profile international players from playing games with their national teams...
Ah, I'm not too concerned. It's only June, and we don't need to win every game at this point in the season. This will just give more opportunity to Zardes and the other young guys. That's the beauty of MLS, we just need to get into the playoffs and then have everyone present and healthy.
Here's my problem with being more forgiving. If you do not respect your own product, why do you think anyone else will? If you are saying our league matches are less important than non-FIFA friendlies, the logical thing for fans to do is stay home, turn on the TV or streaming video, and watch the important friendly games. I think we need to take the view that MLS games are as important to us as Serie A games are to AC Milan or as BPL games are to Spurs. And lets see who is still willing to sign on here knowing that's our position. AND I REALLY hate that we staked out a position and then caved. That makes us look like first rate patsies.
I hate that we caved as well. We are a significantly better team with Keane on the field. If our FO takes MLS seriously then we should be putting out the best team we can. For WC qualifiers then fine, we need to accommodate. But not for friendlies. And it isn't as if Keane is some new midfielder they need to work into their system. They know what Keane can do and he doesn't need a bunch of training games with the team to do what he does for every team he plays for - and that is figure out ways to score goals. Something we need right now.
Ok, I retract. After reading Bruce's reasoning I agree with his decision. Bruce, rightly so, believes no MLS players should be released for friendlies on non-FIFA agreed upon dates. But MLS apparently made an agreement with US Soccer that this summer MLS teams would release US players for friendlies on non-FIFA dates. So Omar for example is off to play a friendly rather than play for us. So Bruce decided, rightly again IMO, that it would be unfair to allow US players to go for these friendlies but ban non-US players on the team from doing the same. So Keane gets the same treatment as Omar. And he concludes, rightly again, that next season we need to end this nonsense and put everyone on notice that they will be playing for their clubs on non-FIFA dates whatever damn country they are from. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...nt-us-national-team-bruce-arena-allows-robbie
Not true. There is no such thing as a "FIFA schedule." We are on non-European schedule, but so are others.
Excuse me for being such a cynic. But, to paraphrase a great movie line, "If you pay them, they will come."
Apparently this was a decision made by a low level employee in MLS's Cincinnati offices, who has now taken the fifth amendment (or a fifth of bourbon - not sure which) and refuses to talk about it. Bruce has stated that he will not tolerate this.
You guys know how I'd vote on this one, so I won't bother. But I do appreciate Bruce's reasoning and fairness. He is nothing but fair. (I'd love another national team manager to take note, but that's not for this thread.)
I just wanted to add something to this debate. Yes you are right that the Galaxy should keep Robbie during friendlies outside of the Fifa international date. However this is a special case for Robbie and I think it is good of LA to treat this case in this way. The issue here I see for Robbie is that this is not a meaningless friendly. The last time Ireland played England was in 1995 during a friendly in Dublin. A neo Nazi group of English fans attended the game and rioted. 23 people were injured and the game was abandoned. 1995 is a long time ago. This fixture comes around rarely, it would be like the US playing Mexico after a 20 year hiatus. If the games were against Slovenia and Japan then fair enough I would say keep don't release him but it's nice to see LA release him for a game of this magnitude.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...obbie-keane-dinner-u2s-bono-no-fantasy-hey-dj Pretty cool/dumb little interview. The idea of Keane driving around LA singing Killing Me Softly is rather amusing.
Keane was released, and he played the game of the season for us. Sometimes doing things that seemingly aren't in the club's best interests actually ARE in the club's best interests.