Probably need a 2014 version of this thread Clint Irwin write-up after training with Everton and Tim Howard a few weeks ago, or 1 coach depending on how you track these things. http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/...-reach-goals-following-training-stint-everton
Disclaimer: I am not overly knowledgeable on the business side of MLS, but... Chivas will remain a penal colony as long as there is no relegation system, maybe. I've been thinking USA is better set up for relegation system than any other country considering that teams 20-40 in USA would be fairly large in terms of population necessary to support a club. I have been in favor of relegation for MLS since NYCFC was announced. With the number of cities available to support a club I worry that it all ends up like Nfl/AFL, NBA/ABA mergers and we get bored to tears with games between bad clubs with unmotivated management and players mailing it in every week I think the relegation system should be better for developing talent at local level because the teams in the minor leage would not be pressured as much to bring in gun slingers from abroad.
It's all great, but MLS isn't set up that way. MLS owners aren't spending millions of dollars to buy clubs at the moment so they can be relegated. Anyway, its besides the point. ChivasUSA has actually made some shrwed pickups this off-season by taking in the tired and poor from other clubs. They have aboslutely zero depth, but you can make up a decent starting XI with the players on their roster. And watch out for youngster Markey Delgado this season. I think he takes the "next step" to being a kid we talk about quite a bit on these boards.
No, they are instead risking a competitive league forcing a merger by bidding up salaries for scarce players. The competitive league will have to attract money by promising not to take a relegation deal when they merge with the MLS and eventually we will look back and say "gee, if we had only planned this out right from square one, we would have a much better product and make more money".
For the draft, it takes a lot of luck and a lot of skill to see the field. Some guys hope for the right storm to get playing time. I think Christian Dean is primed for rookie of the year, as he should step in immediately next to Jay Demerit. Eric Miller should be primed for a good chance for PT with Montreal. Neumann and Mullins should be given a chance with an already dynamic New England revolution. MLS.com had an article up comparing mullins to Twellman. Thats not a terrible day at the office. Mullins is probably my number two rookie of the year candidate. He steps into a good, young, dynamic, explosive offense that should allow him to shine. ----------------Bengston---------------------Mullins----------------- Neumann-----------------------Rowe----------------------Fagundez ---------------------------------Caldwell------------------------------- that is gonna make for must see tv for MLS fans. AJ Cochran has an outstanding chance to step in immediately for Houston. My day two sleeper, and i think everyone elses, is Jared Watts. I was SHOCKED to see LA pass him, but they got Venter nonetheless, and the rich get richer. Unfortunately, a lot of the central back prospects we were hoping would go to teams where they could have been plugged in immediately never really came to pass. As guys like Cope, Birnbaum, Venter will likely see the bench at first.
I watched mullins in the college soccer final tournament and in one game a ball bounced off his foot about 5 yards after he tried to trap it.
adding to my initial thought, it may not be a draftee that is the rookie of the year; but a homegrown. We all know of Harrison Shipp signing with Chicago, and now Tommy Thompson just signed a homegrown with the Earthquakes who could be the best players in the whole class. Both of them play positions of dire need for their club (especially San Jose who lost Baca) and should challenge for first team minutes immediately
In time, if the homegrowns don't begin to regularly outshine the draftees, then the DA will have fallen well, well short of expectations.
While the population might be there to support clubs 20-40, the interest is not. At least not a paying interest.
I'm aware of the lower divisions. What is the average attendance for each team? What is the fanbase like? I barely see people going around in MLS jerseys much less jerseys from teams in the USL or NASL.
If only there was some other forum on this website for people to discuss the absolute fantasy that American sports team owners would agree to willingly devalue their investments via relegation...
As opposed to the fantasy that they will beat back a merger with a competing league and thereby avoid diluting their investment via merger. Actually, I admit I was the one who brought this up on this thread but my intention was to work it into a general discussion of the best way of developing domestic talent so we dont have to watch teams with not a single American playing in a league with 40 teams split into "conferences".