Llamosa says hispanics players don't get the same!

Isn't half the salary max $250k, so that the difference is a bit more than $25k/year? Not an insignificant amount, to be sure, but is that worth tarnishing yourself with ethnic-based arguments?

I feel sorry for Carlos. This is not a good way to go .

 

I think that it would be quite a shame and a quite poor way to run the business of MLS if that is a pervasive feeling among the Hispanic players in the league. These players have clearly contributed a lot in terms of quality of play to the league over the past years and i assume that the league is still courting the Hispanic market, and I don't think there will ever be much of a chance of winning these fans over without Hispanic stars in the league.

Pity in the case of Llamosa, as well, who has certainly contributed to MLS and US Soccer. But, I guess as MLS becomes more of a business, these are the sorts of decisions that they are going to make, if they feel they are justified from a business and soccer standpoint. Let's just hope that MLS is sensitive to any sentiments of disenfranchisement that may exist among certain groups of players, and that they are reactive to it should they need to be.

 

I think MLS is "disrespecting" his total lack of foot speed. Does he think talking trash in Spanish is going to help his negotiations? Let him go back to cleaning office buildings and see if he earns 100K.

 

If Ronnie Ekelund get $200,000, then there isn't any reason why Llamosa shouldn't be getting what he wants, if not more.

 

Well thats great....Carlos telling a predominately Hispanic audience that MLS disrespects hispanics. Good thing we got that Radio Unica deal.

Also I agree on the Eklund point.

 

Yeah, Graziani was really hurting in the salary department.

 

I'm so tired of hearing complains about MLS making take-it-or-leave it offers. If MLS feels he is only worth $100,000 to them, they may decide to offer the full $100,000 up front. (How is that worse than low-balling him?)

Offer him what he's worth to MLS and if he's worth more to another league, he'll end up there instead.

I don't see the need for MLS to make a low offer only to say they compromised.

 

Carlos played the race card. Shame on him.

 

I heard the Llamosa interview last night on Radio Unica and Carlos Llamosa DID NOT say what bopper78 claims he said. One of the hosts, Hamer Londoño was pressing him on the point of whether he thinks Latino players are treated differently than Anglo players and Llamosa specifically said he didn't want to say there was a bias against Latino players.

What Llamosa did say was that the league has been taking a hard line on salaries with players and that while Anglo players have been effected, Latino players were disproportionately more effected and he named players like Graziani, Perez, Rodriguez and himself as examples.

He also said he felt the league disrespected him in negotiations because unlike past negotiations he didn't deal with the league's highers up for contract negotiations but rather with a lower level official who, Llamosa said, gave him a take it or leave it offer which was way below what he was previously earning (50% less than last season's salary). Based on his past accomplishments and especially those of the prior season he felt this offer was an insult.

 

Yeah Jorge Campos, Luis Hernandez, Marco Etcheverry..were ripped off by the league...hahaha

 

Ekelund is younger player who plays a $$$ position. He was an MLS Pepsi best 11 player last year. Even if some SJ fans don't realize it, most unbiased obserevers think he's one of your best players. If the Quakes aren't happy with him, I bet a lot of teams would be willing to take him off their hands.

Llamosa is older, injury prone, and may not even start for the Revs this year. He's just not as effective as either Pierce or Kante. Also, he has the misfortune of playing a position that just doesn't command as high a price in the MLS market. (it would be even worse if he was a keeper-just ask Joe Cannon!). This wouldn't even be an issue if a bunch of teams were in the market for a talented, veteran central defender at over $125 per year.

 

Yeah, and that Iain Bishop guy got loads of money. Oh, wait, the league dropped his Euro self. I like Carlos, but come on, Stoichov and Harkes are going to be playing for peanuts, if at all. Give me a break and stop believing your own PR

 

It would be a real shame if this became a racial rather than a financial issue. Joe Cannon recently thought he was not being offered enough money so he went and got a better offer elsewhere which seems like the way to go. Here in LA, the league poured loads of wasted dough on players who happened to be Hispanic such as Campos, Hermosillo and Hernandez, so it's hard to see this in racial tones. Hate to say it because I think Llamosa is a good player who has done well in MLS but if he really thinks he's getting a raw deal he should sign with another club in another league who is willing to pay him what he thinks he's worth.
I think it's more that the middle class of players don't have much leverage these days.

 

The Man trying to keep LLamosa down..

If i recall correctly in the past Cienfuegos had some problems as well. He even threatened to leave at one point along with his compatriot Diaz Arce. Yehp these disproportionately salary cut's aint nothing new. LLamosa doesnt have the pull Cien does or else he wouldnt be having trouble negotiating a new deal. Funny thing is after the interview many radio listeners called in to boycott the league

 

Re: The Man trying to keep LLamosa down..

most do that anyways

 

what does everyone think is happening with Mckeon, vermes, Paule, etc. middle of the road players are getting screwed left and right regardless of race. MLS has decided to pay the stars well and go with youth for the other players on the team. If your a middle tier player like Carlos your given a take it or leave it offer and they really don't care if you leave. Just see what happened to Cannon.

 

add to this..Brian Dunseth, Bryan Namoff, Wade Barrett, Dante Washington

 

spejic has always detested Ekelund. no one really knows why, but it's his axe that he grinds. most Quake fans love Ekelund, and realize how valuable he is worth.

 

... Jorge Rodriguez...

 

Harkes, Balboa... the list goes on... players with a hell of a lot better pedigree than Llamosa.

He should ask Eric Wynalda about the league not screwing over white boys.

$100k to play soccer or $20k as a janitor at the World Trade Center. Carlos should be thanking MLS.

Good grief, I'd love to be able to get paid $100k to play a sport. Instead, I'm paid crap to surf BigSoccer all day.