i'm surprised more people on these boards havent really commented on this...this really is big news, and to be honest, i dont think i mind us following guidelines that the rest of the world has to follow...also, it makes it easier for us fans to expect roster transactions and it fits in quite nicely with the current MLS schedule..
There are several other threads discussing this. Also I wish there reporters would do their homework. These are not new rules and have been in effect for a few years. For some reason FIFA is now enforcing them for the US. I don't know if they were trying to decide if the USSFwas complying before and decided they weren't or what, but these rules have been around for a while.
I too can't believe this thread hasn't exploded with preternatural shock and awe.... Shocking parts of this news: - we went from zero to "paradigm" with no debate, no news, no opinion columns, no rumours, no intrigue, and no protest... - it's not the idea of having transfer windows that's so appalling, it's the date ranges handed down that make ZERO sense whatsoever when comparing the USian and UEFA/FIFA calendars.... - the dates make no sense at all and i'd be shocked if SUM/AEG aren't fighting this tooth and nail... This news is at least 24-36 hours old, i guess this is a dead weekend here on the bigboards.... -bs
Things will explode if MLS complains. Brushes Sand is right though, they should fight this. Those dates simply don't make sense with our calendar. (Anyone else think this is just another step towards trying to force a worldwide unified soccer calendar?)
Why? The rule is completely uncalled for here. The rule is necessary to solve the problem of clubs loading up at the last minute to beat other clubs. Because MLS is single-entity, the means to prevent this already exist. In addition, the dates are foolish. No new players starting one month before the season? What's FIFA going to do if MLS scoffs at them?
MLS spokesman told KMEX that FIFA recommend MLS transfer windows date is Jan. 1 to 15 or/and Aug. 1 to 15.
This is what I don't get, each FA can name their own dates, why did the USSF choose these terrible dates? I do see this as another step towards a unified worldwide schedule. If this is the case FIFA could have made a case to it's entire membership that the same dates around the world make sense but they haven't.
Worst case? FIFA could name MLS a renegade league therefore making any player who plays in the league ineligble to play for their respective national team and pretty much ban those players from playing anywhere else in the world. Now that would be really harsh and I doubt it would happen but it is one of the sticks FIFA has. I think the salary cap more than sngle-entity stops teams from loading up at the last minute. The dates suck, how did the USSF come up with such bad windows?
IIRC, there's also a FIFA ruling that the team that develops a player would get a percentage of any future transfers. So, for example, if West Ham developed Rio Ferdinand, then sold him to Leeds, West Ham would also get a small percentage of the transfer fee when Leeds sold him to ManU later. I don't know if this ruling was part of the same ruling as the introduction of the transfer window in real life, but it was integrated into Championship Manager at the same time as the transfer window, so I thought that it was. But my question is, does this mean that now MLS will get a percentage of future transfer fees for players it's developed? Would players like Carlos Bocanegra and Eddie Lewis be considered too old when they joined MLS for MLS to receive credit for having "developed" them? Thanks in advance. alansl
Bocanegra and Eddie Lewis are not covered by this rules because it only applies to players between the ages of 18 and 23. Carlos was 24 when his transfer happened and I'm pretty sure Lewis was around the same age. Here is a link to the rules about this. http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/player/transfer.html
Does this apply this year? If that's the case, MLS only has about a month to acquire a helluva lot of allocations. Also, what's up with Aug 15 to Sept 15? That seems like a strange time for a transfer window into the US.